How We Began...

 My name is Joe Coquillard and I have been a potter all of my adult life. My love for clay began in high school. In fact, it was the only thing that kept me out of major trouble until I found Christ between my sophomore and junior years. Back then it was not unusual to find me at any time of the day in the ceramics studio working on the potter’s wheel or glazing pots. Of course not all the teachers shared my enthusiasm for the mud…especially when it involved missing one of their classes so I could finish working on my latest masterpiece. In the last 30+ years my wife and I have enjoyed making all kinds of functional stoneware pieces for family, friends and for those who would come to see us at weekend craft shows.

 Along with clay, God gave me a love for people and ministry too. It was in the summer of 1979 that I sold my wheel, kiln and equipment and headed off to Bible College. I knew that one day, God would again use my love for clay in some way.

 In 1985 my wife Lisa and I moved to Wichita, Kansas with our young son to begin a new ministry. About that same time, my home church in Mesa, Arizona was preparing to move to a new facility. Before heading to Kansas though, the senior pastor’s wife, Joy Lawson, an interior designer, approached me about creating communion trays for their new 3,300 seat auditorium that would be both functional and stylish. After drawing up several ideas, my wife and I created a few prototypes and sent them to their team for feedback. They loved them! In the end, we chose one specific design and then proceeded to make a set of 100 for them. I’ll have to admit that I was a bit skeptical back then. I’d never heard of a church using ceramic plates to serve communion each week.

Well that was over 20 years ago now and those original trays are still being used each week! Since then, I have made over 300 plates for a dozen churches across the country. In fact, the church I now serve in Chandler, Arizona with an attendance around 2,500 has 50 trays in use each week. Since joining the staff in the fall of 2000 I have seen firsthand how they save our church a ton of both time & money. It’s because of this my wife and I decided to make these attractive, stoneware communion trays available to other churches and groups.

Is it Biblical to dip bread for the Lords Supper?
The Lord's Supper from the beginning consisted of a single cup and a loaf of bread.  IC trays honor this practice by proving a single cup on each tray for the dipping of bread from a shared loaf.  The tray is held for the person beside them while each person is served... symbolizing Christ’s washing of His disciple's feet.

How long does it take for people to get used to the new trays?
The feedback we've received from churches that have switched has been very positive. A brief description included in the worship folder and/or on the screen is usually all that's needed.  At one church the pastor also explains the significance of the Lord's Supper as he holds a tray and demonstrates how the bread is to be dipped and then eaten.

How sanitary is it to dip bread into the cup?
The only thing that is touched is the edge of the tray as it’s passed and the individual strip of bread chosen by the member. The bread is long enough to be dipped into the cup without the fingers coming near the liquid. Any drips are caught by the plate.

What kind of bread is used with IC trays?
Pita bread cut into strips works very well. A volunteer can cut the bread beforehand and then place the strips in zip lock bags and freeze. The bread can be loaded by a gloved hand onto the trays in as little as ten minutes before it’s served.

How do you store the trays when not in use?
You can buy a storage unit at a department store or have someone in your church build you a custom cabinet.  We can also build one for you if you like.

How do you clean the trays after using?
A hot rinse with water and a little sanitizer should be all you need.  Many churches simply rinse and then turn upside down on a towel to drip dry before putting them away.

Why should I replace my traditional trays?
The dollars saved from your purchase of juice and cups will pay for your new IC trays in less than 15 months. In addition, the volunteer hours saved setting, filling and disposing of used and unused cups is enormous. What once took many hours to perform will be cut down to a small job able to be performed quickly and easily by one person with minimal instruction.

What do I do with my old trays?
Sell them on E-Bay or better yet, hang on to them and use them for special occasions. After you use IC trays for a short time, your volunteers will love you and have no desire to get on the disposable cup treadmill again.