On Individual Cups
ON THE USE OF INDIVIDUAL CUPS
The use of individual cups for the Distribution of our Lord's sacred Blood during the Holy Supper is a late nineteenth century innovation introduced by those within the Reformed branch of Christendom for hygienic concerns. When this practice was first seriously considered by the LCMS in the mid-twentieth century, many of our pastors and theologians spoke out against it, citing many legitmate reasons why we should avoid adopting this practice. Unfortunately, over time, their voices were drowned out by popular demand and this practice has slowly become widely accepted in our synod.
This is unfortunate because the chalice (or, common cup) is the traditional vessel used to distribute the Lord's Blood, for it more closely follows His mandate, and best symbolizes the communion (common unity, or one-ness) we share at His altar.
Here at Peace, we promote the use of the chalice, but do have individual cups available as well. We have greatly improved our practice of using these individual cups to show the reverence our Lord's sacred Blood most surely deserves. We purchased a pouring chalice from which we fill the individual cups after the Consecration, so that all who receive from the individual cups are actually receiving from the same chalice from which the majority drink. We also replaced the plastic individual cups we used to use with glass individual cups, which are reverently cleansed, along with all of the Communion vessels, when the Distribution concludes.
We realize that our practice is not the preferred practice, which would be to employ only the chalice, but we have made it as reverent as possible while retaining the use of individual cups.
If you are wondering why this is even an issue, the following papers are provided for your perusal and study:
The Common Cup or Individual Cups: Does it Matter? - Rev. Thomas C. Messer