The tabernacle is a liturgical furnishing used

to house the Eucharist outside of Mass. This

provides a location where the Eucharist can
be kept for the adoration of the faithful and
for later use (e.g., distribution to the sick).

It also helps prevent the profanation of the

Eucharist. Thus the law requires, "The
tabernacle in which the Eucharist is regularly
reserved is to be immovable, made of solid
or opaque material, and locked so that the
danger of profanation may be entirely
avoided" (CIC 938 §3).

The word tabernacle means "dwelling place." Any place someone dwells is a tabernacle. The
term is also sometimes used for a temporary dwelling place. Thus the tent-like sanctuary that the
Jews used before the Temple was built was called the Tabernacle, because God dwelt there.
Similarly, for the feast of Sukkot the Hebrews erected temporary shelters to live in for the
festival, which is often called "the feast of tabernacles" or "the feast of booths" as a result.

The tabernacle in Church is so named because it is a place where Christ dwells in the Eucharist.

The word "church" comes from the Greek "ekklesia" which

means "gathering" or "assembly." Therefore, the church is the
gathering of the believers who come together to participate in
fellowship with one another as they worship God and hear from
His Word, the Bible. The church as a whole has been equipped
with people possessing different spiritual gifts (Rom. 12:5-
8). The purpose of the gifts is "for the equipping of the saints for
the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13
until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge
of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature
which belongs to the fullness of Christ," (Eph. 4:12-13).

The Christian church was founded by Jesus and He is its Head and Savior (Col. 1:18; Eph.
5:23). Being in the church, the Christian is subject to the Lordship of Jesus (Eph. 5:24) through
the administration of the Word of God.

The Bible does not provide a detailed method of Church government. But, it does state that there
are to be elders who govern in the church. These elders are appointed by the laying on of hands
(1 Tim. 4:14; 2 Tim. 1:6). They are to be able to teach sound doctrine and refute error (Titus 1:9;
1 Tim. 3:2).

The purpose of the church is to both glorify God and to inform the world about the work of
Christ as Redeemer.