The Lord’s Supper is the pre-eminent expression of Christian devotion. Instituted by our Lord himself, this service expresses our faith, hope, and charity; our expectation that we shall commune in heaven with the saints of all ages, the hosts of heaven, and Jesus Christ himself; and, indeed, not simply our concern for, but our unity with, all other human beings of whatever color, class, or faith. It assures us that God is with us now and always.

Adventists hold that the service is a memorial of the crucifixion. As such, we ask that the Holy Spirit draw us into communion with the Lord through our imaginations. “As we receive the bread and wine symbolizing Christ’s broken body and spilled blood, we in imagination join in the scene of communion in the upper chamber” (Church Manual, 1986 edition, p. 81). Yet even though this is for us a memorial service, and the Lord is not thought to be miraculously present in the symbols, we believe that Jesus is present at the service: at the Lord’s supper "Christ meets his people, and energizes them by His presence" (79).