Gluten-Free Communion Guidelines

As United Methodists, our practice of the open communion table is a point of pride. However, we may unintentionally be exclusionary in our practices to those with food allergies and celiac disease (or other forms of gluten intolerance). Some congregants may quietly miss communion Sunday or not come forward rather than ‘be a bother’.

Gluten is a protein found in many grains such as wheat, rye, and barley. For those with celiac disease, eating any amount of gluten causes an autoimmune reaction that damages the small intestine and can lead to anemia, fatigue, GI issues, intense abdominal pain among other symptoms that can last for several weeks. Many people with celiac disease have also developed food allergies or sensitivities because of sustained small intestine damage. The only ‘treatment’ for celiac disease is to completely eliminate gluten from the diet. The FDA now requires all food products labeled gluten free be certified to have less than 20 partsper million (ppm) gluten (0.002%!). However, some people with celiac disease react to 5 or 10 ppmgluten or more. You can learn more about celiac disease at

With an estimated 1 in 133 Americans with celiac disease, it is likely that at least one person or more in your congregation have celiac disease or have a food allergy. Your awareness and care in preparing and extending the table to all is important. This Holy Mystery states:

It is appropriate that the bread eaten in Holy Communion both look and taste like bread. The use of a whole loaf best signifies the unity of the church as the body of Christ and, when it is broken and shared, our fellowship in that body (1 Corinthians 10:16-17). Historical continuity with the practice of the universal church is important; however, worship planners should be sensitive to local situations. Bread may be made from any grain according to availability. In ecumenical and other settings, wafers may be an appropriate choice. The loaf should be plain bread (no frostings, nuts, raisins, artificial coloring, or other additions). Leavened or unleavened bread is equally acceptable. In congregations where there are people with gluten allergies, gluten-free bread may be offered. The loaf broken at the table is to be the bread distributed to the people.

There are several options to extend communion to those with celiac disease [or other food allergies]:

Best practice:

Use one common loaf that is free of gluten and other food allergens that are relevant for your congregation. This avoids any issues of cross-contamination, and you can rightly say: Since there is one loaf of bread, we who are many are one body, because we all share the one loaf of bread [I Cor. 17].

I recommend the attached recipe, Jillee’s Gluten Free Bread that Doesn’t Suck(or a recipe from Gluten Free on a Shoestring Bakes Bread found on Amazon.com). A good gluten free flour mix can be ordered from freedomdelivered.com or gfJules.com that has a good shelf life and can replace wheat flour cup for cup. Our House Bread Mix can be bought at some Whole Foods and Food Lion locations, or online at

You may be able to find a local baker or congregant who can make a gluten-free loaf for you, but care should be taken the equipment and environment are free of gluten contamination. Nearly all gluten-free loaves sold in grocery stores are pre-sliced.

List the availability of gluten-free elements in the bulletin, and verbally remind people before communion.

Next-best practice:

Have a gluten-free station with gluten-free wafers/crackers or gluten free loaf (especially for a large congregation) and a separate chalice or individual cups with grape juice (naturally gluten free).

Wash your hands before handling gluten free elements. Do not touch gluten-containing bread and then touch gluten free elements. You can have separate servers for the gluten-free station. If not, whoever is serving can lift the tray or bowl for a person to take the elements. Please make sure to acknowledge the person at the gluten free station and say the same words to them as you would anyone else. If you are not sharing one common loaf, please do not emphasize the one loaf/one body connection.

If you do not have a separate chalice for the gluten-free station allow those with celiac disease or allergies to receive theirs first before anyone has dipped gluten-containing bread in the chalice.

List the availability of gluten-free elements in the bulletin, and verbally remind people before communion.

Worst practice:

Have gluten-free elements, but contaminate them by touching gluten-containing bread first or offering the same chalice for intinction.

Have stale gluten-free wafers.

Emphasize that we all share one loaf and we are all one body, but have separate gluten-free wafers or no gluten-free elements at all.

Have a separate gluten-free station where people may receive elements, but do not acknowledge their presence or remind them that the Body & Blood of Christ were given for them, too.

Blessings,

Stacey Lundy

Jillee’s Gluten-Free Bread That Doesn’t Suck

Found at: [pictures available with original recipe]Stacey’s alterations in italics or strikethrough

Ingredients

  • 4 cups Brown Rice Flour Blend find recipe at link above- I recommend using Freedom Delivered flour, or another cup for cup flour
  • 1 tablespoon xanthan gumnot needed if using cup for cup flour
  • 1 tablespoon gluten-free egg replacer
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • ½ cup powdered milksee note below to replace
  • 3 large eggs at room temperaturesee note below to replace
  • ¼ cup butter at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
  • 1/3 cup honey or agave nectar
  • 1 package (2¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast (not INSTANT dry yeast)
  • 2 cups warm water
  • 2 9x5 loaf pans

A couple of notes about replacements:If you are allergic to eggs you can replace the 3 eggs with: 9 Tbsp. water and 3 Tbsp. ground flax seed, or follow the instructions on the egg replacement powder.You can also make this bread using water instead of milk or a plain gluten free non-dairy milk.

Directions:

Spray cooking spray into two 8-inch bread pans.

Add the yeast to the 2 cups of warm water and stir until mixed. Set this aside to activate while you mix the rest of the ingredients.

Mix the flour blend, xanthan gum, gluten-free egg replacer[not needed unless you are replacing all eggs in the recipe], salt, and powdered milk together in a medium-size bowl and set aside.[or use Freedom Delivered or other cup for cup GF flour that already has xanthan gum in it]

Put eggs, butter, vinegar, and honey[or agave nectar] in the bowl of your mixer. With the paddle attachment, mix together for about 30 seconds. The butter will be chunky, that’s OK.

Add half the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in the mixer. Mix just until blended, and then add the remaining dry ingredients and mix for another 30 seconds, until blended.

With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the warm water and yeast mixture, then turn the mixer to medium-high speed and beat for 4 minutes.

After the 4 minutes your bread dough should resemble thick cake batter.

Spoon the dough into your greased bread pans. Dip your fingers in water to smooth the top of the dough, if desired. Set aside in a warm place to rise for approximately about 50 to 60 minutes. While dough rises, preheat oven to 375 degrees.

When the dough has risen to about an inch above the top of the pans, place the pans in your preheated oven on the middle rack and bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until the bread’s internal temperature reaches 200 degrees with an instant-read thermometer. (This is very helpful! It’s hard to tell when gluten-free bread is done. But if you don’t have an instant read thermometer you’re going to have to use your best guess based on your particular oven.)

Remove the bread from the oven and let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Then remove loaves from pans and place on a rack to cool.

OUR HOUSE brand Gluten-Free Focaccia Bread

Mix can be purchased at some Whole Foods or Food Lion locations, or ordered at:

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 box Our House Gluten-Free Bread Mix
  • 1 (7 gram) dry active yeast packet (included)
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 ¾ cup water
  • ¼ cup olive oil (plus some for spreading out dough)
  • 4 egg whites (at room temperature)

Preparation Instructions

  1. Combine ¼ cup water (at 110F), yeast packet and sugar. Let foam for 5 minutes.
  2. In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites until frothy and bubbly.
  3. Add olive oil and mix on low until just blended.
  4. Add Gluten-Free Bread Mix, 1 ½ cups warm water and yeast mixture and beat on low to blend all ingredients.
  5. Increase speed to med-high and mix for an additional 3 minutes.
  6. Put in a 9x13-inch (or round cake) pan greased with olive oil, sprinkle top of dough with olive oil to help spread it in the pan, spread to sides until dough is approximately ¼ inch tall, and dimple the dough with fingertips.
  7. Let rise for 1 hour, or until double in size.
  8. Bake in preheated 400F oven for 20 minutes or until brown.

For best results, bake the day before serving.