At our parish, we follow the body of historic liturgy of the Lutheran Church. We believe this is the most consistent with our confession of the faith. Our services follow traditional Lutheran liturgy in the hymns, order of service, and ceremonies. Our services come from Lutheran Service Book, the latest hymnal produced by the Commission on Worship of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod.

Our way of worship is received. Christians live from what they receive in Christ through His designated means of the Word and the Holy Sacraments. The way of worship that we follow and adhere to is all about getting ready for these divine gifts, giving thanks for them and responding to them.

The historic liturgical forms or orders of service inherited from the generations and centuries of Christians who have gone before us in the faith stand as a testimony to the continuity of the church through the ages and the faithfulness of the Lord who shepherds His Church. For this reason we seek to avoid forms of worship or songs that contradict or downplay that clear confession of the Lord’s Word or that would undermine our heritage.  

The services at our churches follow the historic patterns of worship known by Lutherans and commended by our forefathers in the Lutheran Confessions. To be truly relevant, one must proclaim things which are eternal, confessing the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3).   Come and hear the good news and learn to worship Christ in reverence, joy, and awe, bowing down before the throne of the Lamb who was slain and yet lives.

Altar fellowship (taking communion)

Ordinarily only those who are currently confirmed members of our Lutheran church body partake in the Lord’s Supper.  Our church is not currently in fellowship with the ELCIC (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada).  We ask that visitors who wish to commune to speak with the pastor prior to the service. It is helpful if you can come early to do this. 

If there is not sufficient time before hand please wait until you can speak with the pastor. Instruction is available regularly and upon request for those who wish to become communicants in our congregation and fellowship. Our goal is that those who commune do so in unity, with instruction, and preparation.

In this life we endure the sadness of differences between Christians in their beliefs, but we anticipate the day when, with all the saints united, will will be together at the eternal banquet of Christ in heaven.   At that time it will no longer be necessary to divide out false teachings by bearing witness to the Lord’s doctrine, for then we will be united in understanding and confession of the faith, perfectly sanctified.

But that time is not yet, such witness is still to be given today so that the Lord’s people may be protected from any new (false) and manmade teachings that contradict the properly understood Scriptures (1 Timothy 1:3, 1 Timothy 4:1).   This is why we follow the historic and biblical practice of closed communion, where all who commune at this altar of the Lord bear witness to their oneness in confessing the same apostolic doctrine and faith prior to communing together (Acts 2:42).

The Great Commission in Matthew 28:16-20 bids us to “teach all things” from the Lord and so unity in the whole counsel of God cannot be side-stepped by us, no matter how much we desire to welcome new friends to our fellowship in Christ’s Word and Sacraments.   While some Lutherans may diverge from this practice of close communion (or “practice it differently”) this is a historical Christian, Lutheran, and Missouri Synod practice as well that is implied in a right understanding of Scripture.   As pastors and congregation declare in the words of the Large Catechism of Martin Luther, everyone admitted to the Sacrament will have been baptized and will have learned and affirmed (in current status) the content of the Catechism.

(See I Cor. 4:1-2; Romans 16:17; Acts 2:42; I Cor. 10, 11; 2 John 9-11 et al.)

Frequency of the Lord’s Supper

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”  Revelation 3:20

As one can see from the schedule of when the Lord’s Supper is offered, it can be received each Lord’s Day for those faithful who wish to do so for the nurturing of faith. The weekly celebration of the Lord’s Supper is consistent with the practice of the Apostles (see Acts 2:42; 20:7), the early and medieval church, as well as the intention of the Lutheran Confessions (Augsburg Confession, and Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Article XXIV). While the Lord’s Supper is offered every Sunday, we make no laws about how often one should receive the Lord’s Supper. This is the way of our Lutheran Confessions and the way of the gospel. The gospel is always available but forced on no one.

At the outset we [the Lutherans] must again make the preliminary statement that we 1] do not abolish the Mass, but religiously maintain and defend it. For among us masses are celebrated every Lord’s Day and on the other festivals, in which the Sacrament is offered to those who wish to use it, after they have been examined and absolved. And the usual public ceremonies are observed, the series of lessons, of prayers, vestments, and other like things.

Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Article XXIV,1