In my opinion, there is simply no way in which we can be dogmatic over an issue in which the Bible has left silent. Placing a frequency on this celebation would be to make the Bible say something that it does not say, a tactic practised by the WTS, for which we are all familiar.
The only two clues we have are the two expressions: "Do this is memory of me" said by Christ, and "As often as" used by Paul [1Cor 11:25,26] Neither of these imply necessarily a once-a-year routine, in fact the evidence, as we have it , suggests otherwise
1 How often would "doing this in memory" of Christ be? Again, the only clue we have is the word "Memory of" which is the Greek: "Anamnesis" Apart from its Lord's Supper association, the word is used only twice more in the Sacred Text, both in the OT Grk LXX.
At Lev 24:7 it is used in regard to the weekly changing of the Shewbread in the tabernacle, a ritual that Yahweh says, is a "Reminder" [anamnesis] to the Jews
It is then used at Num 10:10, which refers to the blasting of trumpets that were to usher in the various Jewish festivals.The blasting of these trumpets was to be a "reminder" [anamnesis] for the Jews. How often were these trumpets blown? The answer varies, depending on what constituted a "festival" It could be at least quaterly, every four months, or if the observation of the New moon is considered, it would be every 28 days approximately, or if the Sabbaths are taken into the account every week. So, whereas an annual celebration cannot be discounted, it is the least remote of the possibilities to be understood
So the evidence leaves room for interpretation, and with the work of the Holy Spirit operating on an individual group of believers, makes for a possibility of various permutations. And it is no business of others to interfere.
It would have meant "annualy", only if Christ had said, as Yahweh said to the Jews regarding the Passover, "Keep this day in memory of me" which of course He didn't
In the Jan 1 WT of 2003, on pg 32, in the infamous QFR the anonymous writers of the article, presented a disingenous line of '' reasoning '' to make the Bible authorize an annual form of celebrating the Lord's Supper.
They pointed out, for instance, to the Grk term "Hosarkis" used by Paul at 1 Cor 11, which means "as often as" and argued that since the word occurs at 1 Sam 1:7, where its usage is clearly meant to be a "yealy" occurence, that the case for a yearly celebration was closed and not open for debate.
It is only when you actually consult the citation mentioned - 1 Sam 1:7, that you realize the extent of the brazen deceit of the WT writers. The word "often" does occur in the English, in various translations, but certainly not in the majority, but it does not translate the Grk "Hosarkis" because the word does not occur there.
In fact, apart from Paul's use at 1 Cor 11: 25,26, the word does occur once more in the Sacred Text, at Rev 11:6, and here it clearly means "frequently" Wanna know why the WTS kept that text locked up? Well go figure.
Then they implied, that, even if the word does mean "frequently" the fact that it has been observed at least 2000 times in the past 20 centuries by "true Christans" - the FDS, it demonstates the meaning of the word. Trouble here is that there is simply no evidence of this occurence. The claim, as is so often the case with WT reasoning, is simply asserted with equal amounts of bluster and rhetoric with no consideration given to even a modicum of scholarship.
They then argue that since Paul referred to "Christ as our Passover" [1 Cor 5:7] that this was convincing enough for an annual obsevation. Again the point is, that the WTS has not yet learned that Paul said "Christ" was our Passover and not "The memorial is our Passover"
By insisting on keeping the celebration to once a year, the WTS is encouraging a fascination with a ritual, rather than focussing on the central position of the Person involved.
Finally in that article a historian by the name of Von Mosheim is referred to, who evidently in an unnamed work, made reference to a remote Christian community in the 2nd C AD who celebrated the Lord's Supper just once a year. Unfortunately, something that has evidently escaped the WTS, is that these believers would have been apostate in the eyes of the WTS, since they in no way rendered worship to the jehoover so beloved of the WTS. There were other communities at the same time who held to other views of the frequency of the "Lord's Supper.
Remember, that according to WT theology, by the end of the 1st C the Christian Church slid into apostasy, and needed to be revived in 1879, for true worship to be restored.
The varieties of Christian experience in the early years of the historic Church preserves a history of a vibrant, living community of scattered believers, whose love for their Lord led them to worship Him in many ways. They were in no way, even remotely, patterened on the cultic existence of the currently constituted WTS
Cheers
