The Spirit of Community: The Power of the Sacraments in the Christian Community

A thoughtful exploration of the seven sacraments of The Christian Community from an experienced priest, revealing how a stronger community connection can be formed through common worship.

Modern society places great emphasis on the individual as a dynamic, creative force, free to pursue their own goals and ambitions. Despite this, people still long to be part of a community and form meaningful relationships with other human beings. One of the places this deeper connection can be found is in common worship.

In this thoughtful book, Ulrich Meier shows how each of the seven sacraments of The Christian Community contributes to community building. For instance, he explores how, through baptism, the community welcomes a new life on earth, aware of the life that was lived in spirit before birth; confirmation marks the transition from the close ties of parents and teachers to a wider community; and in sacramental consultation, individuals explore the relationship of their past actions to their future intentions.

This book is for people who wish to deepen their understanding of the sacraments, and help to build a more vibrant church community.

Ulrich Meier was born in Hamburg, Germany in 1960. He studied at the seminary in Stuttgart and was ordained as a priest of The Christian Community in 1990. After working in a congregation, Meier took over the management of the seminary in Hamburg in 2006. He is also the editor of Die Christengemeinschaft, the journal of The Christian Community, and author of a number of books on aspects of the sacraments and on ethics.