Close Communion  

Celebration of Holy Communion We celebrate Holy Communion on the first and third Sundays of the month.  Before you commune with us, God's Word tells you to be...   1.  Repentant & Baptized: (1 John 1:8-10) 2.  Instructed: (1 Corinthians 11:23) 3.  Aware of the "Real Presence": (1 Corinthians 10:16, 11:29) 4.  Able to examine yourself: (1 Corinthians 11:28 - cf. p. 156 in the beginning of the hymnal) 5.  Willing to proclaim (1 Corinthians 11:26) full doctrinal agreement with the teachings of this congregation (1 Corinthians 1:10, 10:17) God's Word tells us to take note of those with different teachings (Mark 7:15, Matthew 24:10-11) and to refrain from proclaiming unity with them (Romans 16:17,  1 Timothy 6:3-5, Titus 3:10, 2 John 10, 11).  We do this in love (1 Timothy 1:3-5):  Love for God's Word of truth (2 Corinthians 13:8, Psalm 119:136), love for our own faith (2 Timothy 2:15-19), love for those in error (2 Timothy 2:24-26), and out of love for the "weak" (Eph. 4:11-15; Jude 22, 23; 1 Tim. 4:1-6).  Our love for people compels us to practice close communion so that we will not lead anyone into sin (1 Corinthians 11:27).  We ask that only WELS or ELS members commune with us. Photo by WELS.net