Since my going to church, which started in 1984, I've never seen them used.  But I have heard of people talk about them.

The last time I went to a Lutheran church service (2 years ago) they were still using them.

Hi crazyheart,

Communion Cards were a tool which allowed the Session to know who was present when the sacrament of Holy Communion was celebrated.  It was felt to be an easier and less intrusive form of taking attendance.

Prior to the celebration of the sacrament the Elder was to visit all of the members assigned to them and distribute the cards (this also informed the Session which Elders actually did the visitation they were required to do).

On the day when the Sacrament was celebrated all members so visited brought their cards and put them in the offering plates.  They would be removed and checked against the historic roll/Communion register.  If it was noticed that member x had missed the last few celebrations it was the responsibility of their Elder to check in on them.

It is very similar to the ticket that Methodists needed to get from their class leader in order to attend the quarterly meetings and participate in the Agape meal.

My home Church, which still has an active Session, discontinued the use of the Communion Cards as the congregation has dwindled to the point where the Elders can usually identify all of the parishioners they have on their visitation list.

Grace and peace to you.

John

Thanks John

My family church in Kitchener used them up to at least the seventies, because I remember Dad doing the visitations before communion during some of his various stints as an elder. I think they were gone by the time I was confirmed (1979ish) or fairly early in the eighties though because I don't remember ever getting one.

Mendalla