Christian Practices

• 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 - Holy Communion

  “The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me’. In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.’ For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”
• 7 Sacraments

  • Catholic and Orthodox Christians accept seven sacraments, which they believe to have been initiated by Jesus:
  • baptism, confirmation, Holy Communion, marriage, Holy Orders, reconciliation, and the anointing of the sick.
  • Many Protestant churches see baptism and Holy Communion as important rituals because they believe Jesus instructed them to undertake these. 
  • Some churches that practise believers’ baptism consider it an important ceremony but do not refer to it as a ‘sacrament’. 
  • Other churches like the Quakers or The Salvation Army, do not use any sacraments.
• Baptism


  The initiation rite by which people become members of the Christian Church
• What happens in baptism

  1. The person is formally acknowledged as a child of God

  2. The person receives God's saving grace

  3. The person's sins are forgiven

  4. The person enters a new life with Jesus Christ
• Beliefs about prayer

  • Christians believe that God will answer prayer but not always in the way the person would like
  • Jesus' prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane in Mark 14:32-36
  • Prayer can help someone accept God's will even if it means suffering
  • Sometimes Christians prefer to find their own way of expressing their needs to God by using informal prayer
  • they sometimes feel they can open their hearts to God more easily by using their own words.
• Believers Baptism

  Some Christians, such as Baptists and Pentecostalists, think that a baby is too young to understand the meaning of baptism, so people should wait and be baptised when they are old enough to come to a mature decision about their faith
• Believers' baptism

  Baptism does not itself save a person; it is someone's conversion to living a life dedicated to Jesus that is important
• Believers' baptism

  The believer must be old enough to have come to a mature decision about their faith
• Believers' baptism

  1. Full immersion in a pool, symbolising the cleansing from sin and the rising up to new life with Christ

  2. Minister talks about the importance of baptism and asks if the candidates are willing to change their lives

  3. Each person may read a Bible passage and give a brief testimony of their faith in Jesus as their personal saviour

  4. Minister goes into the pool with the person and baptises them 'in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit'
• Catholic Mass - Liturgy of the Eucharist

  • Offerings of bread and wine are brought to the altar.
  • The priest says the Eucharistic Prayer using the words of Jesus at the Last Supper: ‘He gave you thanks, he broke it (the bread), gave it to his disciples, saying: Take, eat: this is my body which is given for you in remembrance of me.’
  • He prays over the wine using similar words.
  • The people say the Lord’s Prayer.
  • The priest and congregation come forward to receive communion.
  • The priest blesses the people and tells them, for example, ‘Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your lives.’
• Catholic Mass - Liturgy of the Word

  • On Sundays there are three readings from the Bible (from the Old Testament, Paul’s letters and the Gospel), a psalm and a homily.
  • People say prayers for the Church, the world, the local community, the sick and the dead. On Sundays this is preceded by the Creed.
• Christmas

  Commemorates the incarnation of Jesus - the belief that God became human in Jesus
• Christmas celebrations

  1. Last 12 days

  2. End with the feast of the Epiphany
• Christmas decorations

  • Trees and homes decorated with lights and nativity scenes
  • To represent Jesus as light coming into the world
  • To represent baby Jesus being born into poverty
• Father: 'You make this holy night radiant with the splendour of Jesus Christ our light.'
• Christmas church services

  1. Carol services with readings from the Bible

  2. Showing God's promise of a saviour

  3. Showing the events of Jesus' birth
• Christmas Eve

  Midnight Mass takes place
• Father: 'You make this holy night radiant with the splendour of Jesus Christ our light. We welcome him as Lord, the true light of the world. Bring us to eternal joy in the kingdom of heaven, where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.'
• Christmas cards and gifts

  • Recall the wise men's gifts to Jesus
• Christmas is seen as a time of 'peace and goodwill' when Christians give to charity as God gave the gift of Jesus, his Son
• Different ways of praying

  • People may pray in a humble position, kneeling down, sometimes with hands pressed together.
  • In Orthodox services people stand to pray, Noncomformists often sit, Anglicans may kneel, and other Christians raise their hands to invite the Holy Spirit into their lives.
  • Catholics may use a rosary, while Orthodox Christians use icons to aid prayer.
• Divine Liturgy in Orthodox Church

  • The Divine Liturgy recreates heaven on earth. 
  • Much of the service takes place on the altar in the sanctuary behind a screen, called an iconostasis, which represents the divide between earth and heaven. 
  • The priest passes through the iconostasis using the Royal Doors. The church is
  •  filled with candles and incense that help people feel God’s presence.
• Festivals

  have an important role in helping Christians remember the major events in their religion and to plan their public worship

  many celebrate the same cycle of festivals each year

  Christian calendar has two main seasons: Advent, Christmas and Epiphany, then Lent, Easter and Pentecost

  By living through the events of Jesus' life, death and resurrextion and the coming of the Holy Spirit and Pentecost, Christians remember the central teaching of their faith - God gave his only Son to save them
• General pattern of how most churches celebrate Holy Communion

  • the ministry of the Word which focuses on God’s word in the Bible
  • the ministry of Holy Communion – offering, consecrating and sharing the bread and wine
• Holy Communion

  Sacrament that uses bread and wine to celebrate the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross and his resurrection from death
• Holy Communion for Catholics

  • The sacrifice of Jesus is made present once again during this ritual and made real for believers
• Many Christians consider Holy Communion the most important act of worship
• Purpose of Holy Communion

  Christians give thanks to God for his great love in sending Jesus to save people from sin and enable them to experience God's love for all eternity
• Holy Communion in Anglican Church

  A Communion service in the Church of England
• Difference between Anglican and Catholic Communion service

  • The 'peace' ('sign of peace' in the Catholic Church) is shared at a different point in the service; whereas Catholics do this after the Lord's Prayer, Anglicans do it before the offerings of bread and wine are brought to the altar
• Views on the bread and wine

  • Transformed into Christ's body and blood (some Anglicans share the Catholic and Orthodox view)
  • Jesus is present in the bread and wine in a spiritual way and only while it is being eaten (many Anglicans believe)
• Main emphasis of Anglican Communion service


  This community meal being shared equally with all
• Holy Communion in Nonconformist churches

  1. Begins with a hymn and a prayer of praise and thanksgiving

  2. Bible readings and a sermon follow

  3. The congregation prays for the world and for the needs of particular people

  4. The minister reminds the congregation of Jesus' words and actions at the Last Supper

  5. The minister takes bread and wine, says a prayer of thanksgiving over them, including the words of Jesus, 'This is my body' and 'This is my blood'

  6. There is an 'open table' so anyone who wishes to take communion may receive the bread and wine

  7. People may come forward to receive the bread and wine

  8. In some places the bread is cut beforehand, in others people break a piece off as it is passed around the seated congregation

  9. The wine is sometimes non-alcoholic and is usually distributed in small cups

  10. There is a prayer of thanksgiving, blessing and an encouragement to go out and serve God
• Impact of Holy Communion of society

  • Holy Communion also has an impact on society and on other communities across the world. 
  • It reminds Christians that while they break bread together, there are many in the world who are starving. 
  • Holy Communion encourages them to work for equality and justice for all. 
  • Many Churches collect money during the service to support work being done for developing countries, the elderly, prisoners and the homeless.
• Impact of Holy Communion on communities

  • It brings the community of believers together in unity, strengthening their commitment to their faith. 
  • If someone is having doubts or is going through a difficult time, celebrating Holy Communion with others can give them support and encouragement.
  • Holy Communion calls Christians to put the love they have experienced from God into practice by loving others. 
  • Just as Holy Communion is a shared meal where everyone is equal, churches try to make everyone welcome, whatever their age, gender or race.
• Impact of Holy Communion on individuals

  • For many Christians, Holy Communion is at the centre of their lives and worship.
  • Through it they believe they receive God’s grace by joining in the great sacrifice of Jesus.
  • They do not merely remember a past event, it becomes a present reality for them. 
• Lord's Prayer

  Pattern for how to pray, combining praise to God and asking for one's needs
• When used as a private prayer


  Christian is reminded that he or she must forgive others in order to be forgiven
• Lord's Prayer

  Reminds Christians that God is the Father of the whole community, not just of the individual
• Use of the Lord's Prayer

  1. Used in Christian worship

  2. Prayed out loud by all members of the congregation together

  3. Said at Holy Communion, baptisms, marriages, and funerals