6 June 2026

We have two sacraments – baptism and holy communion. The elements of water, bread and wine are ordinary but they are set apart to speak more eloquently about the grace of God. In this regard,  bread is a constant reminder of Jesus, the Bread of Life even if the Sacrament is not being celebrated.

There are other ordinary things which speak about God and remind people of his love. The church building is one. Even if people do not belong to the kirk, they acknowledge a church building and may go on to think of its association with God.

People have this effect too – the minister of Word and Sacrament, the elder and the parish visitor who come to the door as representatives of the Church, the Body of Christ. By their presence on the doorstep, they remind people about the Church, the story about Jesus and his presence among us.

To what extent are buildings and people sacramental? They are ordinary things like water, bread and wine and in their offices, they speak to others about God and his love for them. Sacraments are a means of grace and this is what ministry is all about.

In one of my pastoral encounters, I visited an older woman. She had friends and family support. But she also spoke of loneliness and bereavement. At the end of my visit, I prayed. When I opened my eyes, I noticed that she had moved up a seat on the sofa bringing her closer to me. I was in an adjacent armchair.

It was as if the prayer had physically drawn her closer to God or at least to the door which had been opened with the words, ‘Let us pray’. The prayer had created  a more intimate space than our ordinary conversation. In this context, the minister had become what Nouwen beautifully calls ‘a living reminder’.