Actually, I have had contact with this question when attending Al-Anon and open AA meetings. AA is not a religious organization but many of the people attending are trying to find their way in some religious setting outside AA. The dilemma of breaking their sobriety comes up. I found this information that shows how people can observe the event and maintain sobriety. There is a difference between an active, drinking alcoholic and a recovering alcoholic. Once a person realizes they are an alcoholic, even if they stop drinking, they remain an alcoholic. Most will tell you that they are only one drink away from a relapse no matter how long they have maintained sobriety. If I were a sincere, anointed JW who was an alcoholic striving to maintain sobriety, I would pretend to drink and know that the event is more than the wine.
Althouth this is from a Lutheran perspective, the guidelines are adaptable.
file http://www.wls.wels.net/library/Essays/Authors/S/SchotteyAlcoholic/SchotteyAlcoholic.pdf.
Since all alcoholics are different, each with a different degree of physical and psychological addition, each with a different length of sobriety, different growth in the AA program and in faith, I propose the following as: Some Sensible Guidelines Please understand that these are carefully evaluated opinions only 1. Explore and Understand your various options. There are some. A. Regular Communion, in Church, with wine B. Private Communion with Grape Juice C. Churches which use individual cups could make arrange to fill one or more with grape juice. D. A drop of wine may be placed in larger amount (1 oz) of water to dilute it. It is important to remember and know that even when Communion is taken with grape juice, this is still Holy Communion. As Luther reminds us, the power is in the Word, not in the wine (the element) 8 . To receive it either way, you are affirming our Church?s confessional stand, not denying it. Most pastors will/do understand. However you may find one or two who don?t, and you will have to educate him, carefully and prayerfully. 2. If you were in a Detox./Treatment center A. Give AA a chance to sink in. Much is said about 90 meetings in 90 days, and it is this author?s considered opinion that at least 3 months of abstinence should be attained before Holy Communion participation needs to be considered. 8 Luther?s Small Catechism, p. 224, # 407
B. Discuss the matter with your Pastor
Beforehand, and discuss it
thoroughly. Let him know that this is very important to you, and he will listen. C.
If in doubt, don?t at this time. There is no time limit, and if the fear of the wine?s effect does not pass in time, remember, there are the other options. D. If the use of wine causes a ?reaction? upon the first occasion,
stop. Exercise your option to use grape juice, rather than endanger your sobriety. 3
. Talk with your pastor A. Use this issue to open up and further your relationship with him. He is the key to your growing spiritually in your local congregation.
You may be the key to
his growth in understanding what ?alcoholism? is and is not. It has been this writer?s experience that many of our Synod?s best trained and most faithful pastors are woefully ignorant and
untrained when it comes to alcoholism and AA. B. Makes sure that he understands your anonymity as an AA member. He has no right to violate that. C. Make sure that he understands that if you choose to take Holy
Communion in church with wine that it does
not mean that you?re ?cured?, or that you?ve returned to drinking again. D. And finally, Make sure that
both of you understand that if you do decide that
your needs require the use of grape juice for Holy
Communion, you are not ?less of a Christian?, 4
. If you have a Sponsor;
talk this over with him A. He may have some other helpful ideas, or suggestions. B. If Holy
Communion with wine causes a reaction, you?ll be calling on him anyway, won?t you? In closing, let me say again that each of us as a Christian recovering
alcoholic is a different (person) individual. What may bother me, may not bother another. There are at least two of us in my home congregation. One of us partakes of Holy
Communion with wine in the congregational setting, the other with grape juice privately, after the service. Both of us celebrate the Lord?s Supper; both of us need and receive the blessings of it. I can not, nor can anyone,
tell you what you should do. No one can judge you or second-guess you about whichever way
you choose as best for you. It must be your individual decision, based upon your faith and your Christian common sense, well advised. Remember, even the ?Twelve Steps of AA? are a
suggested program of recovery. I can offer no more than that here. But that does
not mean that I leave the
attending of the Lord?s Table as a matter of personal decision. Jesus said, ?This do.? Should I, Lord? Absolutely yes! There
are far too many blessings for me to receive from it for me to miss out on by not partaking of this most wonderful.gift. But should I?with wine?? You must make that decision as the Lord leads you and when the time is right. God be with you. Since
all alcoholics are different, each with a different degree of physical and psychological addition, each with a different length of sobriety, different growth in the AA program and in faith, I propose the following as:
Some Sensible Guidelines Please understand that these are c
arefully e
valuated opinions
only 1. Explore and Understand your various
options. There are some. A. Regular
Communion, in Church, with wine B. Private
Communion with Grape Juice C. Churches which use individual cups could make arrange to fill one or more with grape juice. D. A drop of wine may be placed in larger amount (1 oz) of water to dilute it. It is important to remember and know that even when
Communion is taken with grape juice, this is
still Holy
Communion. As Luther reminds us, the power is in the
Word, not in the wine (the element) 8 . To receive it either way, you are affirming our Church?s confessional stand, not denying it. Most pastors will/do understand. However you may find one or two who don?t, and you will have to educate
him, carefully and prayerfully. 2. If you were in a Detox./Treatment center A. Give AA a chance to sink in. Much is said about 90 meetings in 90 days, and it is this author?s considered opinion that at least 3 months of abstinence should be attained before Holy
Communion participation needs to be considered. 8 Luther?s
Small Catechism, p. 224, # 407
B. Discuss the matter with your Pastor
Beforehand, and discuss it
thoroughly. Let him know that this is very important to you, and he will listen. C.
If in doubt, don?t at this time. There is no time limit, and if the fear of the wine?s effect does not pass in time, remember, there are the other options. D. If the use of wine causes a ?reaction? upon the first occasion,
stop. Exercise your option to use grape juice, rather than endanger your sobriety. 3
. Talk with your pastor A. Use this issue to open up and further your relationship with him. He is the key to your growing spiritually in your local congregation.
You may be the key to
his growth in understanding what ?alcoholism? is and is not. It has been this writer?s experience that many of our Synod?s best trained and most faithful pastors are woefully ignorant and
untrained when it comes to alcoholism and AA. B. Makes sure that he understands your anonymity as an AA member. He has no right to violate that. C. Make sure that he understands that if you choose to take Holy
Communion in church with wine that it does
not mean that you?re ?cured?, or that you?ve returned to drinking again. D. And finally, Make sure that
both of you understand that if you do decide that
your needs require the use of grape juice for Holy
Communion, you are not ?less of a Christian?, 4
. If you have a Sponsor;
talk this over with him A. He may have some other helpful ideas, or suggestions. B. If Holy
Communion with wine causes a reaction, you?ll be calling on him anyway, won?t you? In closing, let me say again that each of us as a Christian recovering
alcoholic is a different (person) individual. What may bother me, may not bother another. There are at least two of us in my home congregation. One of us partakes of Holy
Communion with wine in the congregational setting, the other with grape juice privately, after the service. Both of us celebrate the Lord?s Supper; both of us need and receive the blessings of it. I can not, nor can anyone,
tell you what you should do. No one can judge you or second-guess you about whichever way
you choose as best for you. It must be your individual decision, based upon your faith and your Christian common sense, well advised. Remember, even the ?Twelve Steps of AA? are a
suggested program of recovery. I can offer no more than that here. But that does
not mean that I leave the
attending of the Lord?s Table as a matter of personal decision. Jesus said, ?This do.? Should I, Lord? Absolutely yes! There
are far too many blessings for me to receive from it for me to miss out on by not partaking of this most wonderful.gift. But should I?with wine?? You must make that decision as the Lord leads you and when the time is right. God be with you.
Since all alcoholics are different, each with a different degree of physical and
psychological addition, each with a different length of sobriety, different growth in the AA
program and in faith, I propose the following as:
Some Sensible Guidelines
Please understand that these are carefully evaluated opinions only
1. Explore and Understand your various options. There are some.
A. Regular Communion, in Church, with wine
B. Private Communion with Grape Juice
C. Churches which use individual cups could make arrange to fill one or more with
grape juice.
D. A drop of wine may be placed in larger amount (1 oz) of water to dilute it.
It is important to remember and know that even when Communion is taken with grape
juice, this is still Holy Communion. As Luther reminds us, the power is in the Word, not in the
wine (the element)
. To receive it either way, you are affirming our Church?s confessional stand,
not denying it. Most pastors will/do understand. However you may find one or two who don?t,
and you will have to educate him, carefully and prayerfully.
