Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 2001 · 61st Convention › Page 170
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 170

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

170 THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS

Resolved, That we encourage our congregations and pastors to
clearly announce the essential nature of the real presence of
Christ’s body and blood in the Lord’s Supper every time it is cele-
brated: and be it further

Resolved, That we caution our churches against placing any ad-
ditional requirements or restrictions upon those who wish to re-
ceive Christ’s body and blood for their soul’s health, such as con-
gregational or synodical membership; and be it further

Resolved, That the LCMS meeting in convention encourage
congregations to prayerfully commend their practice of Holy Com-
munion (close Communion) to God’s care and blessing; and be it
further

Resolved, That we strive to make our worship experiences, in-
cluding celebrations of the Lord’s Supper, joyful, inviting, and wel-
coming; and be it finally

Resolved, That worthy communicants who acknowledge the
presence of Christ’s body and blood in, with, and under the bread
and wine be invited to receive the Sacrament in our churches.

Messiah
Mounds View, MN

3-43
To Express Welcome at Lord’s Table

Rationale

For Lutheran Christians, the words of our Lord Jesus Christ
(technically called “the Verba’) are the primary focus for any
teaching and discussion about the Lord’s Supper. We celebrate the
Lord’s Supper because of the Word of Christ, “Do this for the re-
membrance of Me.” “Is” means—and effects—what it says; the
Word makes the Sacrament (cf. Luther, Large Catechism [Tappert],
p. 448, 10-11). “Take ... eat ... take ... drink ... all of you” are direct
commands, and we come to the Lord’s Table to commune in obe-
dience to His command (Large Catechism, V 45-47). As Franz
Pieper reminds us, we need to be sure that those whom our Lord
intends to receive the Sacrament are communed.

Those who read Communion card and/or bulletin statements
which in some manner say that only those in fellowship with the
LCMS are permitted to attend the Eucharist hear a counter-com-
mand: do not do this; do not take ... eat ... drink. Sadly, many peo-
ple heed the counter-command of human beings rather than the di-
rect command at the celebration of Holy Communion issued by the
divine Lord. A human requirement and interpretation gets into the
way of the clear and direct word and command of the Lord Jesus.

Martin Luther is not complicated nor does he add requirements:
“He is truly worthy and well prepared who has faith in these words,
‘given and shed for you for the remission of sins’ (Small Cate-
chism). Lutheran Christians rightly teach that the Lord’s Supper is
a means of grace, and we need to help one another keep the em-
phasis and focus on grace and gift and welcome rather than on re-
strictions and requirements and complicating barriers.

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod gath-
ered in convention encourage all who preside at and gather for wor-
ship work to extend words of welcome and hospitality at the cele-
bration of the Holy Eucharist; and be it further

Resolved, That we thank God for guiding us by His Holy Spirit,
so that we attend to the clear Word of our Lord Jesus and help all

who gather where He is present to respond in faith and obedience
to His gracious command.

Resurrection
Coronado, CA

2001 Convention Workbook

3-44

To Open Celebration of Sacrament to All
Who Believe in Real Presence

WHEREAS, The Holy Communion is the Lord’s Supper given for
the whole body of Christ, the Church, and not to a particular de-
nomination; and

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is commit-
ted to the sacred Scriptures as the sole norm of doctrine and prac-
tice; and

Wuerzas, Holy Scripture does not tink the Lord's Supper to de-
nominational identity; and

WHEREAS, We have learned and taught from Luther’s Cate-
chism, based on Holy Scripture, that a person must examine him-
self/herself and is “well prepared who has faith in these words,
‘Given and shed for you for the remission of sin’”; therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod affirm
the celebration of Holy Communion with sisters and brothers in
Christ who share the belicf that this is Christ’s body and blood we
receive “in, with and under” the bread and wine, “given and shed
for the remission of sins.”

St. John
Portland, OR

To Include Company of Heaven
in Communion Fellowship

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod only com-
munes those who are members of The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod and are in fellowship with it; and

WHEREAS, Jesus and many of the saints in hcaven were on earth
long before the establishment of The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod; and

WuereaS, During the Lord’s Supper we celebrate the holy meal
‘with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven”
(LW, pp. 146-48); therefore be it

Resolved, That we make all the company of heaven honorary
members of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, even if they
were not Lutheran in this life, so that we are not breaking our own
rules when we come to the Lord’s Table; and be it further

Resolved, That we declare Jesus the Christ to be an honorary
member of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod so that in His
second coming He will not be turned away from a Lutheran altar.

Grace
Queens Village, NY

3-46

To Offer Eucharist
without Denominational Requirements

Wuereas, Christian faith not only places believers in Christ
into a spiritual fellowship with their Lord, but also unites them
with one another (Eph. 4:46): and

WHEREAS, Christians are “fellow citizens with the saints and
members of God's household” (Eph. 2:19) who seek out fellow
believers in Jesus Christ in order to build them up and to be built
up by them (Rom. 1:1 !-12); and

WHEREAS, The Scriptures exhort Christians to manifest the
unity that has already been given them by virtue of their
incorporation into the body of Christ; and

WHEREAS, “The refusal of church fellowship for any reason
other than disagreement in the confession of faith violates the law
of Christian love”; and