Middle of the road Anglicans tend to use pictures like a real presence of love in a hug or a kiss. It is possible to know you are loved without being hugged or kissed, but the real thing is different.
The higher Anglicans and Episcopalians view the sacraments as instrumental in that they actually change the situation. When two business tycoons shake hands on a deal, the deal is settled. If one of them holds back there is no deal. Similarly the substance of the ring is not changed in marriage, but if a ring is not given or received there is no marriage. The receiving of the bread and wine by faith therefore establishes or reseals our relationship to Jesus the Messiah.
The words of Jesus "This is my body" and "This is my blood" were spoken
at the last supper before he had been crucified, and when his body was
right there breaking the bread. It seems hard to imagine the bread he broke
and the wine in the cup was actually changed into his physical body and
blood. His words were therefore metaphorical. (see the article on "Metaphors
for Knowing God")