MAY I RECEIVE COMMUNION AT EMMANUEL?
We confess that the Lord’s Supper (also called the Sacrament of the Altar or Communion) is the very Body and Blood of Christ, mysteriously united to the bread and wine, as Christ Himself testifies in the Words of Institution: “Take, eat, this is My body…take, drink, this is the New Testament in My blood.” These words show us that in the Sacrament we receive the very Body and Blood of Jesus, whereby He bestows upon us His gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation. This Sacrament, we believe, is to be faithfully observed and administered as a proclamation of Christ’s death and resurrection until He returns in glory. Therefore, Emmanuel offers the Lord’s Supper every Sunday and at various feasts and festivals throughout the year.
We further confess that the Sacrament is to be received only by those who have been properly prepared. Saint Paul warns us that those who eat and drink without discerning the Body and Blood, or who partake without repentance and faith, do so to their spiritual harm. We desire that all receive the Sacrament to their benefit and in proper order, therefore we observe the biblical and historic practice of reserving Communion to those who: a) have been baptized in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; b) are members in good standing of a Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) congregation or a congregation of one of our partner church bodies, c) have been properly instructed in the doctrines of the Christian faith and examined by a pastor, and d) hold firm to the confession of the Lutheran faith as taught to them in the Small Catechism. We therefore ask that all those who come as guests would first present themselves to the Pastor for examination and Absolution. If you are not a member of a Lutheran congregation in fellowship with us, or if you believe differently about the Sacrament of the Altar, we ask you to respect our concerns and refrain from communing that day; but we invite you to come up to the altar with your arms crossed over your heart to receive a blessing from the Lord.For more information about the LCMS stance on Communion admittance, see here. If you are unsure if you belong to one of our global partner churches, see a list of them here.
We further confess that the Sacrament is to be received only by those who have been properly prepared. Saint Paul warns us that those who eat and drink without discerning the Body and Blood, or who partake without repentance and faith, do so to their spiritual harm. We desire that all receive the Sacrament to their benefit and in proper order, therefore we observe the biblical and historic practice of reserving Communion to those who: a) have been baptized in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; b) are members in good standing of a Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) congregation or a congregation of one of our partner church bodies, c) have been properly instructed in the doctrines of the Christian faith and examined by a pastor, and d) hold firm to the confession of the Lutheran faith as taught to them in the Small Catechism. We therefore ask that all those who come as guests would first present themselves to the Pastor for examination and Absolution. If you are not a member of a Lutheran congregation in fellowship with us, or if you believe differently about the Sacrament of the Altar, we ask you to respect our concerns and refrain from communing that day; but we invite you to come up to the altar with your arms crossed over your heart to receive a blessing from the Lord.For more information about the LCMS stance on Communion admittance, see here. If you are unsure if you belong to one of our global partner churches, see a list of them here.
