Holy Communion
About Communion
Holy Communion is a sacrament celebrated during worship every Sunday at Advent Lutheran Church.
Luther's Small Catechism says the following about Communion:
Q. What is the Sacrament of the Altar?
A. It is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ under the bread and wine, instituted by Christ himself for us Christians to eat and drink.
Q. Where is this written?
A. The holy evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and St. Paul write thus:
In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks; broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: "Take and eat; this is my body, given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me."
Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying: "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me."
Q. What is the benefit of such eating and drinking?
A. The words "given for you" and "shed for you… for the forgiveness of sin" show us that forgiveness of sin, life, and salvation are given to us in the sacrament through these words, because where there is forgiveness of sin, there is also life and salvation.
Q. How can bodily eating and drinking do such a great thing?
A. Eating and drinking certainly do not do it, but rather the words that are recorded: "given for you" and "shed for you… for the forgiveness of sin." These words, when accompanied by the physical eating and drinking, are the essential thing in the sacrament, and whoever believes in these very words has what they declare and state, namely, "forgiveness of sin."
Q. Who, then, receives this sacrament worthily?
A. Fasting and bodily preparation are in fact a fine external discipline, but a person who has faith in these words, "given for you" and "shed for you… for the forgiveness of sin," is worthy and well prepared. However, a person who does not believe these words or doubts them is unworthy and unprepared, for the words, "for you" require a truly believing heart.
Communion at Advent Lutheran Church
If you have questions about receiving Communion, contact Pastor Anita Warner by email at pastorw@advent-lutheran.org or by telephone at 408-779-3551.
The child, his or her parents, and the pastor decide the age at which a child begins receiving communion together. We invite baptized children to continually grow in their understanding of communion as they grow in years and as they receive communion. For more information, see Communion Instruction Class.
During Communion, the Pastor and Communion Assistant offer bread and wine to the congregation. Grape juice is available for those who do not wish to receive wine. We also believe that the full benefit of the sacrament is received in either the bread or the wine.