Lord's Supper

In the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper (also known as Holy Communion), our Lord Jesus Christ gives us His own body and blood for the forgiveness of our sins. His living presence brings salvation and strength for the new life in Him. As Christians partake of this sacrament together, they make a solemn public confession of Christ and of unity in the truth of His Gospel. We therefore invite all who share this confession to participate in the blessings of the Lord’s Supper and make this public confession with us.

We also respectfully request that anyone who is our guest would refrain from participating in the Lord’s Supper if they:
• are not sure what all this means
• have not been instructed in the Lutheran faith
• hold to the teachings of another denomination

We make such a request because we are concerned for the well-being of those who do come up. The Bible teaches that “anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself” (1 Corinthians 11: 27—29). In Christian love for our neighbor, we do not want anyone to participate in this sacrament to his or her spiritual harm. In the Lutheran Church, we are united in the belief that when Jesus says, “This is my body…This is my blood” (Matthew 26: 26, 28), He is speaking the truth. In faith we “recognize the body of the Lord.” To participate without this recognition is spiritually damaging.

Further more, the Bible informs us that “Whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes” (1 Corinthians 11: 26). While the Lord’s Supper is a personal matter, it is not private. Participation in the Lord’s Supper at this altar is a public act. By participating, one says, “I believe as you believe.” In order for anyone to say that with integrity, it is necessary to know Lutheran teaching. It is the main reason we have the Search Class so that one can gain this knowledge. I also have personal instruction in the Word of God with anyone who desires to come to the table of our Lord.

Finally, denominational and doctrinal differences matter. The Bible teaches that the earliest Christians “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2: 42). Communicating the message of Jesus Christ correctly was a top priority of the early Church. It is a sad reality that today there are serious divisions within the Christian Church over matters of doctrine. We cannot pretend to judge the hearts of individual Christians. Neither can we pretend that differences in denominational teaching are unimportant. These doctrinal differences have real-life consequences in faith and practice. Our desire is not to exclude anyone from this sacrament, but to make a witness to our unity in the true faith.

Ministers are stewards of God’s means of grace, it is their responsibility to care for the sheep entrusted to the care of this congregation for their benefit and not to their judgment. Once one entrusts themself to care of this church, is instructed in Lutheran teaching and sees the need for the forgiveness the Lord offers in His Body and Blood, they are welcome to recieve this Life sustaining meal of our Lord.