By his partaking of the Sacrament in a church a Christian declares that the confession of that church is his confession. Since a man cannot at the same time hold two differing confessions, he cannot communicate in two churches of differing confessions. If anyone does this nevertheless, he denies his own confession or has none at all.—Werner Elert,
Eucharist and Church Fellowship, p. 182.
At my former church they have open communion and a very vague communion statement. I developed a new statement, while on a discussion site where this was the issue. I sent a copy to my former pastor and suggested that they use something more like this, that would add an evangelical approach.
ReplyDeleteFWIW and IMHO
A desire to eat the sacrament at a Lutheran altar is a God-given and Spirit-lead desire to become a Lutheran and to accept without reservation all the teachings of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. If you live nearby, it’s also a desire to join this Lutheran church.
Please ask an usher for an information pamphlet about our church and its teachings. And, please make an appointment with our pastor to talk about membership preparation. We need to prepare you to eat the sacrament with us so that you will received the body and blood of Jesus to your benefit and not to your harm if you do not yet believe that you will indeed receive the real body and the real blood of Jesus Christ at our altar.
We are so pleased that God is calling you to become one with us in faith, practice, and holy living. May God grant that you will be one of us soon.