Making the Communion Elements Accessible for People with Allergies

By the Rev. Sue Montgomery, Consultant for Mobility/Accessibility

Several months ago the phone rang. On the other end was Anne Campbell, a member of the Blacksburg Presbyterian Church, Blacksburg, Va. She was calling the PC(USA) Disability Consultant Program to seek guidance and understanding about what she saw as an issue for persons with a disability, in this case, severe food allergies. Her question was: “Is there anything in Presbyterian theology or understanding of communion that would prohibit churches from serving gluten-free communion bread?” That question began a period of study and exploration about the communion elements. Some faith groups require wheat bread for communion, and the presence of gluten excludes a small percentage of the population from ever participating in communion. After being assured that gluten-free bread would be acceptable within the PC(USA), Anne began to work with her pastor, her church’s session and deacons. She worked with a dietician from the local hospital to find ways to make gluten-free communion bread. She also explored ways to serve it during worship in a way that would be fully inclusive. Anne took the food allergy issue even further. She found ways to make communion bread not only gluten-free, but lactose and egg-free as well.

Anne’s story began when her husband was diagnosed with celiac disease. This medical condition includes a severe allergy to wheat. The presence of even the smallest amounts of wheat can trigger serious consequences. For years, she and her husband would attend worship but just before the communion service started, they would slip out of the pew and return home. A basic ministry need was not only being denied to him but to their whole family as well. As the communion tray was passed from one member to the other, the Campbell family was missing. 

After the session, the worship committee, the pastor and the deacons were introduced to the need for gluten-free communion bread, Anne worked with each group to interpret and teach how their church could meet this unique ministry need. On the day that gluten-free communion was served for the first time, a man came into the church kitchen where the communion was being prepared.  He expressed his joy that the church was doing this “new thing” because for the last eight years he had been slipping his communion bread into his daughter’s hand for her to eat for him; he was severely allergic to wheat. This would be the first time in eight years that he could participate in communion. What a moment, a moment of being surprised by grace. A moment when, for the first time, a person realized he could fully participate in the sacrament of Holy Communion.

Since gluten-free bread needs to be kept separate from regular bread, if both are served, the Blacksburg Church serves the allergy-free communion in silver bowls that are placed on the communion tray. During communion, which is done by intinction, a separate loaf of bread and cup is provided. The placement and availability of it is made known to the church members.   Announcements are placed in the bulletin to instruct and invite persons with allergies to participate in communion. One interesting fact to mention is that even the grape juice needs to be gluten-free. Currently, Welch’s Grape Juice is the only gluten-free juice on the market.

As the numbers of persons being diagnosed with severe food allergies, especially children, increase, the church family needs to meet the ministry needs of those who are affected. The invitation to the Lord’s Table is for everyone — even those with food allergies. The good news is that for everyone who worships at the Blacksburg Presbyterian Church, no one with a food allergy will be excluded from communion. As more and more communities have access to health food markets, allergy-free breads are more available. The disability consultants are seeing how God’s grace is unfolding in the varieties of ministries congregations are exploring and implementing for persons with disabilities.