06/06/2026
As United Methodists, we often carry pieces of our history in ways we do not always notice. One of those pieces is the simple cup we share at the Lord’s Table. Many have wondered why our churches use grape juice instead of wine in Holy Communion. The answer reaches back into our story as a people shaped by grace, justice, and care for our neighbors.
There are two threads woven into this tradition. The first goes back to John Wesley, who spoke strongly against the harm caused by distilled spirits. His concern was not merely about alcohol itself, but about the way distilling crops into liquor became so profitable that it diverted grain away from feeding the poor. When bread became scarce and expensive, the most vulnerable suffered. Wesley’s heart was always with those who struggled, and his preaching reflected that deep concern.
The second thread emerges in the 1800s, when Methodists—especially The Women’s Society (a forerunner of the United Methodist Women) became leaders in the growing temperance movement. They saw firsthand how alcohol abuse devastated families and communities, and they felt called to respond. As the movement grew, it became increasingly difficult for the church to speak against alcohol’s harm while serving wine at the communion table.
In 1869, a Methodist pastor and physician named Thomas Welch used the new process of pasteurization to preserve grape juice without fermentation. For decades, most of his customers were churches like ours, grateful for a way to offer the sacrament without alcohol. Over time, Welch’s grape juice found its way into American homes as well—and many of us still recognize it on the grocery store shelf today.
While The United Methodist Church no longer preaches temperance or advocates for prohibition, this history remains part of our spiritual DNA. Many Methodists still choose to abstain from alcohol, and many churches continue the tradition of serving grape juice so that everyone—including children, those in recovery, and those who abstain for any reason—can come to the table without hesitation.
Our use of grape juice is more than a historical footnote. It is a reminder of our commitment to hospitality, inclusion, and care for one another. It reflects our desire to make Christ’s table a place where all are welcome, all are safe, and all are invited to taste the goodness of God.
