Most churches today teach that rituals of Baptism and Eucharist (the Lord's supper) are symbolic in nature. Baptism is simply a public declaration of that you have chosen to become a Christian, identifying with the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord. The Eucharist is a memorial of the Lord shedding his blood for our forgiveness. These rituals help our minds stay focused on Christ. That sets us apart, or sanctifies us. 

Some churches teach these rituals are much more than that. They impart some grace or power into the participant. The Eucharist is supposed to either physically become flesh and blood and spirit when blessed (transubstantiation) or not changed physically but the presence of the Lord enters them when blessed (consubstantiation). Either way something supernatural happens when the believer takes communion.

Here are some quotes from the early church about the subject of Baptism and Eucharist:

• Justin Martyr (165 AD)
• First Apology 61 - Baptism is "the manner in which we dedicate ourselves to God after we had been made new through Christ." Baptism is "for the remission of their sins that are past" and is done in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The apostles taught this rite is to show one has chosen to be born again and repented of his sins, and is illuminated in understanding.  So it is called "the regeneration" or "illumination." We are instructed to pray for the remission of sins, Then they are brought by us where there is water, and are regenerated in the same manner in which we were ourselves regenerated. 
• Dialogue 29 - Water baptism is of no need to one who has been baptized of the Holy Spirit.
• Dialogue 70 - The Eucharist is bread which Christ gave us to eat, in remembrance of His being made flesh for the sake of His believers, for whom also He suffered; and to the cup which He gave us to drink, in remembrance of His own blood, with giving of thanks.
   
• Irenaeus (178 AD)
• Against Heresies 4.22 - We have been cleansed and washed in baptism, from things pertaining to death, to come to the life of God. Jesus, who washed the feet of the disciples sanctified the entire body, and rendered it clean.  (Does that mean a supernatural power is imparted by foot washing?)
• Fragment 37 - Wine and bread are counterparts. They invoke the Holy Spirit. This is done for a memorial (remembrance) to the Lord
   
• Clement of Alexandria (192-202 AD)
• Instructor 2.2 - They use water mixed with wine for communion, and the wine is just a symbol of the blood of Jesus, but it does sanctify both body and soul to those who take it in faith. 

Some of the believers were fellowshipping with Ebionites, who taught the unleavened bread and wine did not symbolize the body and blood of the Lord, and Jesus was not God and did not die on the cross. Because of their wording some have taught they believe it is more than a memorial.

• Irenaeus (178 AD)
• Against Heresies 5.2 - Ebionites state the Eucharist is not the body and blood of Christ, it is just part of the Passover seder and the blood of Christ does nothing for atonement. Just as eating bread and wine caused our physical bodies are nourished and grow, so participating in the Eucharist causes personal faith to increase thereby the body of Christ is nourished and grows. The church is the body of Jesus.
   
• Ignatius (107 AD)
• Smyraeans 7 - They (Ebionites and Docetists) abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer, because they confess not the Eucharist to be the flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ, which suffered for our sins, and which the Father, of His goodness, raised up again. Those, therefore, who speak against this gift of God, incur death in the midst of their disputes. But it were better for them to treat it with respect, that they also might rise again. It is fitting, therefore, that ye should keep aloof from such persons, and not to speak of them either in private or in public.

How do we know for sure these quotes refer to what the ritual symbolizes, and that the fathers did not believe in an actual presence in the Eucharist? They tell the stories of how that concept came from the Gnostics and the cult of Mithras and was never a part of the teaching of the apostles:

• Justin Martyr (165 AD)
• First Apology 65 - Only the illuminated (baptized) who live godly partake of the communion.
• First Apology 66 - No one is allowed to partake of the Eucharist but the man who believes that the things which we teach are true, and who has been washed with the washing that is for the remission of sins (baptized), and unto regeneration, and who is so living as Christ has enjoined. 
  For we do not receive these as common bread and drink (the bread must be unleavened and the drink wine); but in like manner as Jesus Christ our Savior, having been made flesh by the Word of God, had both flesh and blood for our salvation, so likewise have we been taught that the food which is blessed by the prayer of His word, and from which our blood and flesh by transmutation are nourished, is the flesh and blood of that Jesus who was made flesh. (Justin is saying here that, just as out flesh is nourished, the food being transmuted to our bodies, so the Eucharist nourishes and strengthens out faith. The miss-quote of this phrase alone will be the beginning of the doctrine of transubstantiation. See Irenaeus Against Heresies 5.2 above)
  Which the wicked devils have imitated in the mysteries of Mithras, commanding the same thing to be done. For, that bread and a cup of water are placed with certain incantations in the mystic rites of one who is being initiated. (After the Mithrasic blessing, Mithras himself was supposed to be spiritually present in the one initiating and/or the wine and bread. So that when eaten it imparts some change the initiate.)
• Dialogue 41 - The Eucharist is a sacrifice like praise.
• First Apology 13 - Christians do not offer sacrifices of blood or incense but by praise.
   
• Irenaeus (178AD)
• Against Heresies 1.13 -  A Gnostic named Marcus - started teaching when he blesses the cup of wine the Charis, or Holy Spirit, puts a drop of her own blood into the wine. The Holy Spirit is then spiritually present in the wine. Upon drinking this wine they are filled with the Charis and are able to prophesy. Irenaeus stated all who follow such a demonic teaching are crack-brained. 
   
• Hippolytus (170-236 AD)
• The Refutation of all Heresies 6.34&5 Another account of Marcus and the cup that imparts grace. This one even has the prayer that causes the Eucharist to have the real presence.
• The Refutation of all Heresies 9.11 some also taught baptism only works when timed with the conjunction of certain stars. (showing that heretics thought baptism was more than just a memorial.)

Other Miss-Quotes:

• Irenaeus (178 AD)
• Against Heresies 4.18 - For as the bread, which is produced from the earth, when it receives the invocation of God, is no longer common bread, but the Eucharist, consisting of two realities, earthly and heavenly; so also our bodies, when they receive the Eucharist, are no longer corruptible, having the hope of the resurrection to eternity. Now we make offering to Him, not as though He stood in need of it, but rendering thanks for His gift, and thus sanctifying what has been created. (I am sure we all agree taking communion will not save you and does not make you immortal so that you can not die. But it does convey the idea that if you are in Christ you will be.)
• fragment 13 - Pagans say Christians eat human flesh and blood but this is not true.

Tertullian, in his later years fell in with the heretical group called the Montinists. He then seems to begin to believe that the Sacrament of Baptism is more that just a memorial. He begins to call those who use Paul's point about not baptizing if it caused division, heretics: In light of all the above I believe this is caused from being a Montinist.

• Tertullian (210AD)
• On Baptism 1 - The Cainite heresy is to do away with baptism. (sprinkled) 
• On Baptism 4 - water, after invocation of God, attains the sacramental power of sanctification; for the Spirit immediately supervenes from the heavens, and rests over the waters, sanctifying them from Himself; and being thus sanctified, they imbibe at the same time the power of sanctifying. Therefore, after the waters have been in a manner endued with medicinal virtue through the intervention of the angel, the spirit is corporeally washed in the waters, and the flesh is in the same spiritually cleansed.
• On Baptism 5 - Isis and Mithras each has a baptism ceremony. refers to the sacrament of baptism.
• On Baptism 12 - He does not agree with those who teach since the apostles were not baptized and refer to Paul's comment about not baptizing (1 Cor. 1:17), he agrees it is not required for salvation but says it does mediate grace.
• On Baptism 13 - Baptism is now a law.
• On Baptism 17 - Of giving it (baptism), the chief priest (who is the bishop) has the right: in the next place, the presbyters and deacons, yet not without the bishop's authority, on account of the honor of the Church, which being preserved, peace is preserved. Beside these, even laymen have the right; for what is equally received can be equally given. But the woman of pertness, who has usurped the power to teach, will of course not have the right to baptize. But if the writings which wrongly go under Paul's name, claim Thecla's example as a license for women's teaching and baptizing, let them know that, in Asia, the presbyter who composed that writing, as if he were augmenting Paul's fame from his own store, after being convicted, and confessing that he had done it from love of Paul, was removed from his office.

• On the Veiling of Virgins 9 - It is not permitted to a woman to speak in the church nor teach, nor to baptize, nor in any sacerdotal office.