Cenchreae, Communion, and the Canal: From Olympia to Corinth
(Corinth Archeological Site)
“Is
not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the
blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body
of Christ?”
1 Corinthians 10:16
Some days on a journey feel like a bridge, linking places,
people, and powerful truths. Today was one of those days as we traveled from
Olympia to Corinth, tracing both geography and gospel history.
We arose early, enjoyed breakfast, and were on the road by
8:00 a.m., our hearts, minds, and souls ready for what lay ahead. As the miles
passed beneath our wheels, Pastor Pete Stearns offered a rich devotional,
walking us through a historical timeline of Paul’s ministry. One insight, in
particular, lingered with many of us: the transition from Saulos to Paulos
did not occur at Paul’s conversion, but approximately fifteen years later. It
was a reminder that transformation often unfolds in stages, with God continuing
to shape us long after our first step of faith.
As Paul the Apostle himself would later write, “He
who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.” (Philippians
1:6)
Emily, our knowledgeable guide, then prepared us for what
we would encounter at Corinth, a city of commerce, culture, and complexity.
When we arrived, we began at the small museum, where inscriptions etched in
stone told stories of ancient practices and beliefs. One particularly
fascinating tradition involved worshipers offering representations of body
parts to the gods in hopes of healing. Bill drew a compelling connection to
Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 12, where the apostle reimagines the body—not as
fragmented offerings, but as a unified whole: “Now you are the body of
Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”
From the museum, we stepped into the ancient world itself
as we walked through the forum, passing the Temple of Apollo, observing the
Fountain of Peirene, and making our way to the Bema. This stone platform, where
judgments were rendered, became a sacred space for us.
At one point, we paused for Bill to share a word about Cenchreae
and about Phoebe, the deaconess from there who served as a trusted emissary of
the Apostle Paul.
After viewing the shops, the meat market, and the fountain, we returned to the top side of the Bema. It was there that Bill shared a message about the early practice of Communion—a practice deeply rooted in the church at Corinth. In a place where divisions once plagued believers, Paul called the church back to unity at the table of Christ. Standing at the Bema, we were no longer just observers of history—we became participants in it.
Barry led us in receiving the bread and the cup, while Bill
guided us in singing before and after. The moment was reverent, powerful, and
deeply moving. To partake of Communion in Corinth—where Paul once wrote to
correct and encourage—was to feel the timelessness of faith.
As St. Augustine once said, “Be what you see; receive what you are—the body of Christ.”
After departing the historic site, we made our way to a
café near the lower side of the Corinth Canal. There, we enjoyed a delicious
and satisfying lunch—fresh salad, warm bread and hummus, rice, broiled
potatoes, and roasted pork. It was a moment of rest and fellowship, a reminder
that nourishment comes in many forms.
Following lunch, we stopped at the bridge over the Corinth
Canal for photos. What began as a quick stop turned into an unexpected
spectacle as several of us watched bungee jumpers leap from the bridge into the
narrow chasm below. It was both thrilling and slightly terrifying—a vivid image
of trust and surrender.
“Leap, and the net will appear,” as the old saying goes.
By late afternoon, we arrived in Athens, where we
checked into the Athens Avenue Hotel. Another memorable Greek dinner awaited
us, filled with laughter, reflection, and gratitude for the day’s experiences.
With an early wake-up call beginning at 4:45 a.m. and a
5:50 a.m. departure to catch our ferry to Mykonos, we turned in
early—our bodies tired, but our spirits full.
Today reminded us that faith is both a journey and a table.
We travel, we learn, we grow—but we also gather, we remember, and we receive.
And perhaps that is the enduring lesson from Corinth:
In a world that often divides, Christ invites us to the table—one body, one
bread, one cup.
“Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one
body.” — 1 Corinthians 10:17
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