Saint Matthew's

Since I began my call here at Saint Matthew’s, our church has followed a “twice a month” communion policy. For as long as anyone can remember, communion has been celebrated twice a month, with the other weeks being a kind of “prayer and preaching” service or even Matins. When I was growing up, my home church followed the same policy. As a kid, I actually liked non-communion services because they were shorter. Yet, as I grew up and eventually entered seminary, the Lutheran understanding of our worship life and why we come to church took a greater role in my life. Reading Martin Luther’s writings, and those of other theologians, my knowledge of why we do what we do in church has grown deeply. I am not a kid any more who wants to get out of church in forty minutes.

I believe that when we come to church, we come to receive God in His fullness — and that includes not only receiving Him in Word, but also in Sacrament, our Lord’s Body and Blood.

Since I started at Saint Matthew’s, I’ve broached the idea of every week communion. The idea has been received positively by many members of Saint Matthew’s. During the past four years, we’ve instituted two new divine services during the week, Wednesday and Saturday. Both of those services are communion-based. Overall, these have been accepted and have been a central part of the worship and prayer life growth of the congregation. However, there is one last hurdle to jump – our Sunday services. These services have remained as twice a month communion services. We have made a slight change in this “every other week” policy — on those months when we have five Sundays, instead of holding a Matins service, we hold a communion service.

While we’ve gotten comfortable with this policy over the years, I believe it is time to change it.

This coming Thursday, our Board of Elders is going to meet to discuss instituting weekly Sunday communion beginning with the start of the new church year that begins on November 29th. Earlier this year, the Elders took up this challenge and for months now have prayerfully reflected on this possible change. There are a number of issues regarding how this can be implemented, including:

1. Since our Elders serve as communion stewards during our Sunday Divine Services, moving toward a weekly communion means that our four Elders would have to serve monthly (beyond the regular Elder work they do each month). Should Saint Matthew’s embark on changing our church constitution to expand the number of Elders to six?

2. Our Altar Guild is small. Is doubling their work each month feasible? Should we encourage new members to join our Altar Guild?

3. During our Sunday communion services, we use individual cups that nearly everyone uses instead of the chalice. However, in our Wednesday and Saturday services, we only use the chalice. Should Saint Matthew’s move to only use the chalice on those Sundays when we’ve traditionally have not had communion?

These are just three questions that I know I have when it comes to changing our weekly communion policy.

Making this sort of change is hard. I know this. It is not easy to change a worship culture overnight. That is why, starting this week on our church blog (www.stmatthewsnj.org/blog), on my personal blog (www.reviovine.com), and starting next Sunday in our bulletin, I will begin a special series on why I feel weekly communion is important for the spiritual health of our congregation. I ask you take time and read. Most importantly, please ask me questions.

Communication is very critical to making any change work. Don’t be afraid to tell me that you disagree with me – please, the last thing I or our church needs is a silent majority opposed to anything. Let me and our Elders know about this proposal. God be with you as we walk together.

This morning, I wrote a little bit about tonight’s Midweek service, including what is considered “rightful reception” of the Lord’s Body and Blood. You can read it over at my personal blog.

This morning when I visited my father in the hospital, a Roman Catholic Eucharistic Minister came by to offer Holy Communion. My father, being one of those “old time” Roman Catholics, he doesn’t like receiving communion from anyone other than a priest. He grew up in Italy and served as an altar boy before emigrating to the United States. As a youngster, he was taught that before receiving communion, the penitent must confess sins to a priest. It is something that has stayed with him.

And since a Eucharistic minister doesn’t hear confession or pronounce forgiveness, my father doesn’t like to receive.

Today, I watched as the Eucharistic minister “handed out” the body of Christ and I have to say, I don’t get it.

She took a pyx (a container that is used to bring Holy Communion to the sick) from her pocket(!), takes the top off, and hands the sick the body of Christ (I don’t know if I hope that it was consecrated or that it wasn’t consecrated as to not insult our Lord with this weak ceremony). Of course, there is no blood of Christ – the wine. Just a few words and the reception of a wafer.

To me, it seems lacking. When communion is brought to a homebound person or to the sick, I feel that they want something more than just drive-by communion. They want to know that something greater is before them – the body and blood of their Savior Jesus Christ, who lived, died, resurrected, and ascended back to heaven for them. They want to know that their sins are forgiven and that by receiving the body and blood of Christ that forgiveness is very real. A complete communion liturgy with the reception of the body and blood of Christ brings peace.

Last night, I attended a wake over in New York for the mother of a friend of mine who died after catching a staph infection in the hospital. It is a sad story.

While at the wake, I ended up talking to her father who, when finding out that I wasn’t a Roman Catholic priest, asked me about the real presence in Eucharist. He said a friend of his read an article from “First Things” magazine where the author tried to explain the difference between the Lutheran and Roman Catholic understanding of how normal bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ.

As I explained, the Roman Catholic church believes in what is called transubstantiation, where in the celebration of Holy Communion it is believed that the bread and wine are changed into the body and blood of Christ. Essentially, the theology of the Roman Catholic church says that the bread and wine cease to be bread and wine and are now THE body and blood of Jesus.

Lutherans, especially us LC-MSers, reject transubstantiation. We believe that the bread and wine become the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ in and under the bread and wine. To put it another way, the bread is the body of Christ, but it is still bread; the wine is blood of Christ, but is still wine. It is to be treated reverently and not to be handed out like candy to anyone who comes forward. To us Lutherans, our belief in the doctrine of the sacrament directly unites us as one. That is why we stand firm against handing it out to just anyone.

Our Lutheran doctrine of this Holy Supper is different than what is called consubstantiation, an idea that says the bread and wine and the body and blood of Christ are essentially alongside one another. That is NOT what our doctrine of the Lord’s Supper says; it says clearly that in and under the substances of bread and wine is the body and blood and Christ. They aren’t “holding hands” next to one another; it is IN and UNDER the elements. That sounds like we’re splitting hairs, but we really aren’t. It is an essential point in our understanding the Eucharistic meal – we believe in the real presence in and under the human elements of bread and wine.

Overall, when thinking about the Roman Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation, it may sound like we’re on the same page, but in different paragraphs. But the truth is the theology is far apart. To us Lutherans, Holy Communion is a blessed and holy meal where we receive the Lord’s Body and Blood for the forgiveness of our sins. It isn’t just a a bunch of words that we believe – we truly receive the forgiveness of our sins in that sacrament. It is very real.

During the celebration, I say the following: “This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.” Those ordinary gifts of bread and wine are mixed with the Word of God in Christ Jesus and become for us a holy meal. As Lutherans, we receive the forgiveness offered to us through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. We aren’t re-sacrificing Jesus in this meal; we’re receiving the fruits of His sacrifice once and for all when He gave His life over to death in our place.

To all Lutherans, this sacrament is happy and blessed moment for all of us! We receive our Lord’s Body and Blood for the forgiveness of our sins.  

Protestant churches are all over the map. Some contend they hold to the real presence. However, the vast majority of Protestants look upon Holy Communion as a memorial meal, emphasizing the “This do in remembrance of me,” that Jesus said instead of the “This is my body…This is my blood.” You receive the benefits of a metaphysical union with Jesus if you believe. If not, you’re just getting bread and wine since it is the memorial part that is important, they feel.

It was an interesting discussion that I didn’t think I would have at a funeral home.

WHEREAS, To the Montana District convention in 2006 the Rev. Dr. Gerald Kieschnick indicated that he was unaware of any congregations in the Missouri Synod practicing open communion: therefore be it

Resolved, That all the delegates from congregations that practice open communion raise their hands.

The above is an actual resolution to our Synodical convention in Houston this coming July. At first, I thought it was ridiculous and a waste of paper. Then after thinking about it, I laughed and thought convention delegates should pass it. Why?

The Missouri Synod practices close(d) communion, which in effect means that all who come forward to the altar to receive the Lord’s body and blood have as their core belief the understanding of what we LC-MSers doctrinally pronounce in the Lord’s Supper. Anything more or less will not suffice. You must believe what our doctrine says. Belief in doctrine brings unity to the Lutheran Church.

This is the policy of the Missouri Synod. It is the practice of our Saint Matthew’s, a congregation in the LC-MS. It should be the practice of every single church who is in fellowship with the Missouri Synod. If not, then the individual church has to think twice about whether confessional Lutheranism is for them.

I say the convention should adopt this resolution (which it won’t; it probably won’t even get to the floor). Then when it comes to the “raising hands” provision, the church in convention should be united and keep their hands down. If there is one hand that shoots up, then maybe we pastors need to teach exactly what we believe as Lutherans when it comes to the Lord’s Supper.

For those who want to check out my Sunday sermon a little early (no guarantees that it won’t change come tonight and tomorrow), I have uploaded it to our site. That still doesn’t mean you can stay home on Sunday at 9:30A. We are having communion, and all Christians should be happy to celebrate the Eucharist on the Lord’s Day. See you Sunday!

Believe it or not, the question I receive most from people younger than my 34 years is just that: why does church have to be boring?

I try to answer that question in the most Christian way possible, but even then, sometimes my answer seems a little hardnosed. Let’s look at the facts:

1. Church exists so God’s people can receive His gifts of Word and Sacrament, actions of God that take us from this culturally-impotent world into the spiritual where we see with our eyes and taste with our own mouths that the Lord is good.

2. When we come to church, we are with our God in a most significant way. While people easily pull from Scripture the promise that when two or three are gathered in His name, God will be with them, they fail to recognize the most important and central aspect of this promise: God comes to us fully through His Word and His Sacraments.

3. As a community of believers, we come together in worship because THAT is where our God is. He is not in some tree or in a bush — He is there for us in Word and in bread and wine, both of which indwell in believers, sustaining us in true faith until everlasting life.

But does that mean that church has to be boring?

I have always had a problem with the notion that God prefers organs. Holy Scripture never mentions any kind of proclivity of God to want music in response to His gifts to be playing only on a pipe organ. There are other instruments that could be used during worship that would not take away from the true worship aspect of why God’s people are gathered around Word and Sacrament.

But there is reason most churches use organs or other types of instruments, including electronic instruments and dowloadable music, in a worship setting: they go along with the order of worship that God wants from us. God doesn’t want our church gatherings to be a mess — that isn’t who our loving God is. Need proof? Check the Bible. It is God who orders the life of the Israelites, especially their worship life. Again, God doesn’t like things to be a mess.

But pastor, the boring thing…

Sermons are another area that don’t have to be a doctrinal and theologically-dense 20-minute diatribe. I can’t preach like that myself. I try my best to take an important part that stems from our weekly Gospel reading and expand on it in a way that makes sense to people sitting in the pews. I pray that when I preach, I do it in a way that makes sense for hearers, but most importantly, I pray that what I say is true to God’s Word and that the Holy Spirit can use those words to build faith in all who sit there in the pews.

Now the boring thing: God isn’t boring. His gifts aren’t boring. The vibrancy that comes from worship must be centered on that central point — we come to church to be with God and receive from Him the gifts He gives to His church. Our liturgy is centered on receiving these gifts in a most meaningful way. Boring? Not on your life! Give “the church thing” a try with this in mind. For when you come and receive the gifts of our Lord in this most special way, church always means more and gives you the strength to take on the day and the coming week.

Very compelling post by Gene Veith over at the Cranach Institute blog. He writes of the incredible changes in the ideas of many Christians — where once our focus was on building large ‘megachurches,’ the move now is to re-create ‘house’ churches, as “church” was done prior to the legalization of the church by Emperor Constantine.

Small groups of like-minded people meet in each other’s homes, as in Bible studies. But this becomes their church. No clergy, no denominations, no particular organization. They are sprouting up spontaneously. Pollster George Barna, who has been tracking the phenomenon, believes that over the next two decades, regular churches will lose up to half their “market share” to house churches.

Some of you who are reading this may be asking some questions: So what if people met in each other’s homes and study the Bible? So what if there is no clergy, no particular set of beliefs, no organization? Isn’t talking and believing in God more important than showing up in some large building each week and singing hymns with hard tunes and praying prayers that sound too contrived?

To give a short answer: no.

(more…)

I was asked this weekend by a parishioner about how I get ready on Sunday morning for service. It is an interesting question. I never thought of it before – since I never realized that there is an organized way in which I prepare for worship.

Waking up on Sunday morning and preparing mentally for our worship service is always stressful. I go over my sermon several times – as I make my bed, in the shower (no, I don’t sing). After getting dressed, I check the written portion of my sermon and compare it to what I “know” about it (it is like memorizing, but it really isn’t). Then I read through the prayers that take me way to long to write on Saturday. I pull out the weekly bulletin and review the service, practicing the Introit to see if I can hit the notes. By then, coffee should be done and the clock should read 5:30A.

I check email, turn on the radio (XM’s country station, Highway 16), and wait patiently for the newspapers to arrive. Usually the Bergen Record arrives first, but for some reason, whoever is delivering the NY Post these past three weeks has been throwing it on the driveway before 6A. I flip through the papers, checking the news and reading the sports section. Then, more coffee.

By this time, it is usually 8:15 or 8:30A – all of which means I head out to church. At church, I make sure the Sunday School materials are ready, I set up the altar with my prayers, the lecturn with the readings of the day, the pulpit with a copy of my sermon. If I need to make copies of anything, I have the time. Sunday School comes and I run downstairs. Afterwards, I head back upstairs to the sacristy, get vested, and head out to the narthex to greet people.

But before walking out to the narthex, I pull this little card out of my desk and recite it:

Lord God, You have apointed me as a Bishop and Pastor in Your Church, but you see how unsuited I am to meet so great and difficult a task. If I had lacked Your help, I would have ruined everything long ago. Therefore, I call upon You: I wish to devote my mouth and heart to You; I shall teach the people. I myself will learn and ponder diligently upon Your Word. Use me as Your instrument — but do not foresake me, for if ever I should be on my own, I would easily wreck it all.

That is Luther’s Sacristy Prayer – a perfect way to remember who I am and why I am there. Humbling and beautiful.

And that is how I start my Sunday…

Interesting post by a fellow pastor friend on his blog – he speaks of a class of high schoolers he teaches where their understanding of the Lord’s Supper is a little off kilter when it came to the doctrine our LC-MS church espouses. At times, when it is explained, it will rub people the wrong way, especially when we say we practice “close” or “closed communion.”

One of the important facts about churches and theologians who uphold doctrine: most aren’t good “marketers.” When people hear the words “closed communion,” immediately they will go to the negative (‘close’ or ‘closed’ communion just doesn’t sound nice on the surface) and believe that the church doesn’t want outsiders to come to the altar to receive Holy Communion. That is a misunderstanding. And through the years, have any theologians come up with a better term to describe this essential fellowship of believers in Christ? Of course not! Again, serious theologians (and equally serious churches) aren’t into marketing themselves.

But this got me thinking: what is the general understanding throughout LC-MS congregations regarding the reception of Holy Communion? Most people will tell you that the Lord’s Supper is the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Outside of that, the questions concerning what does it mean for that bread and wine to be the body and blood of Christ, the importance of receiving this most holy food, what it does for us sinners, and most especially what other church denominations believe about this Sacrament will be all over the place.

Sadly, many will say that it really doesn’t matter what a church believes when it comes to the Supper: if they are offering it, and we are in attendance, we should be able to receive.

To pour a cup of cold, icy water over this contention — no, just because a church offers “communion,” it doesn’t mean everyone should just stampede up to the altar like one of those Billy Graham altar calls. Communion fellowship is not private matter between you and God; it is a public matter that shows one and all believe the same thing when it comes to the confession of the Supper. One declares publicly that they united in the doctrine of the Apostles.

When one comes to our altar here at Saint Matthew’s, one is publicly in fellowship with what we believe — that in and under the bread and wine are the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ (it is the body and blood of Christ, but the elements haven’t lost their elements — it is still physically wine and bread). Not that it has been converted into the body and blood, like Roman Catholics believe (it stops being bread and wine and is now the body and blood of Christ). Not that is it some memorialized spiritual representation of the Last Supper, and that by a person’s faith (whether they have it or not) the benefits are realized in some spiritual realm, like many Protestants believe.

That is why we don’t run off to some other non-Lutheran church and receive the Lord’s Supper. In their fellowship, they believe something completely different from us. When we go to these churches and receive, we accept their faulty doctrine publicly. As Christians — as Lutherans — we can’t do that because we are supposed to hold true to our doctrinal understanding the Holy Supper.

What I have decided to do is to write up a study on the Lord’s Supper and put it in Saint Matthew’s April newsletter. Yes, it means more work. But that’s OK.
In the meantime, if you want a quick primer, go to my friend’s blog by clicking here.. He has a couple of resources that will help.