Ah, we're used to it -- that's the norm in most Religion Forum threads, by the usual.
but do note that don-o is catholic, small 'c', as in part of the Apostolic Church, but in FR category terms he is Eastern Orthodox. We are together one Church.
But to your question, seriously, very seriously, I know you have ruled out Catholicism, but I would very strongly urge you to look for a Church that does have a belief in the Presence of Christ in the Eucharist -- this can be Orthodox or Lutheran (LCMS or WELS) -- I have the deepest respect for my strongly orthodox, strongly conservative Lutheran brethern: redgolum; bcsco; lightman; Conservativegreatgrandma; Charles Henrickson -- you do have a strong belief that Christ is with us, and I personally, in your shoes could not be happy in a place that did not believe that. In recent history you can read how the King of Prussia in the late 1800s forced the Lutherans and Calvinists to merge together -- how does one force people who don't believe in this True presence with those who do? It ended up with people not believing in anything (in contrast the Lutherans in Poland who were not affected are still very devout). I do believe that it would be doing injustice to you and to the Presbyterians, but that's just my thoughts.
I'm sorry if I am harping on about this, but Christ's presence in the Eucharist, whichever way one wants to describe it affects and moves me strongly and I know my Lutheran brethern feel the same -- this is no mere symbol, no mere "wafer" -- to the Lutherans this is the Sacramental Union and I'm sure they bristle as much as I or don-o does at Christ's body referred to as a mere "wafer" or "cracker"
The Prussian Union is one of the reasons my great Grandfather left Saxony for Nebraska. The Kaiser’s army was another!
A part of history that few know or remember.
In 1997 the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America enacted its own version of Prussian Unionism with the “Formula of Agreement” declaring “full communion” with three Reformed denominations.
How can you be “in communion” when there is no real commonality over Who is present?
Thank you for the compliment.
The centrality of Christ's Eucharistic Presence is very much on mind today, being the traditional date for the Feast of Corpus Christi, a Feast which Luther did not reject. Indeed, his Post-Communion hymn for the Deudsch Messe "O Lord We Praise You, Thank You and Adore You" was based on a Corpus Christi hymn.
Do remember that there are orthodox Lutherans beyond the LCMS and WELS in the Society of the Holy Trinity.