Wednesday, August 19, 2009
A few weeks ago, Pam and I were watching a re-creation of the Lunar landing on July 19, 1969. This was a commemoration of the 40th anniversary of this historic event. I was shocked to find out that Buzz Aldrin actually received The Lord's Supper on the Moon! Did you know this? Here's what happened:
Buzz Aldrin was an elder at Webster Presbyterian Church in Houston, Texas. He asked his pastor how to appropriately celebrate God’s goodness on the moon with a spiritually meaningful event. The pastor consecrated a communion wafer and a small vial of communion wine. Buzz Aldrin writes:
Now Neil and I were sitting inside Eagle, while Mike circled in lunar orbit, unseen in the black sky above us. In a little while, after our scheduled meal period, Neil would give the signal to step down the ladder onto the powdery surface of the moon. So I unstowed the elements in their flight packets. I put them and the scripture reading on the little table in front of the abort guidance system computer. Then I called back to Houston. 'Houston, this is Eagle. This is the LM Pilot speaking. I would like to request a few moments of silence. I would like to invite each person listening in, wherever and whomever he may be, to contemplate for a moment the events of the past few hours and to give thanks in his own individual way.' For me this meant taking communion. In the radio blackout I opened the little plastic packages which contained bread and wine. I poured the wine into the chalice our church had given me. In the one-sixth gravity of the moon, the wine curled slowly and gracefully up the side of the cup. It was interesting to think that the very first liquid ever poured on the moon, and the first food eaten there, were communion elements.And so, just before I partook of the elements, I read the words which I had chosen to indicate our trust that as man probes into space we are in fact acting in Christ. I sensed especially strongly my unity with our church back home, and with the Church everywhere.
Aldrin proceeded to read from John 15:5, these powerful words of Jesus:
"I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me, and I in him, will bear much fruit; for you can do nothing without me."
On the Sea of Tranquility, Buzz Aldrin celebrated what it means to be eternally tranquil; He remembered Jesus.
Pastor Tim
Buzz Aldrin was an elder at Webster Presbyterian Church in Houston, Texas. He asked his pastor how to appropriately celebrate God’s goodness on the moon with a spiritually meaningful event. The pastor consecrated a communion wafer and a small vial of communion wine. Buzz Aldrin writes:
Now Neil and I were sitting inside Eagle, while Mike circled in lunar orbit, unseen in the black sky above us. In a little while, after our scheduled meal period, Neil would give the signal to step down the ladder onto the powdery surface of the moon. So I unstowed the elements in their flight packets. I put them and the scripture reading on the little table in front of the abort guidance system computer. Then I called back to Houston. 'Houston, this is Eagle. This is the LM Pilot speaking. I would like to request a few moments of silence. I would like to invite each person listening in, wherever and whomever he may be, to contemplate for a moment the events of the past few hours and to give thanks in his own individual way.' For me this meant taking communion. In the radio blackout I opened the little plastic packages which contained bread and wine. I poured the wine into the chalice our church had given me. In the one-sixth gravity of the moon, the wine curled slowly and gracefully up the side of the cup. It was interesting to think that the very first liquid ever poured on the moon, and the first food eaten there, were communion elements.And so, just before I partook of the elements, I read the words which I had chosen to indicate our trust that as man probes into space we are in fact acting in Christ. I sensed especially strongly my unity with our church back home, and with the Church everywhere.
Aldrin proceeded to read from John 15:5, these powerful words of Jesus:
"I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me, and I in him, will bear much fruit; for you can do nothing without me."
On the Sea of Tranquility, Buzz Aldrin celebrated what it means to be eternally tranquil; He remembered Jesus.
Pastor Tim
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