Sacraments, Rites and Ordinances:
Who? What? When? Where? And Why?

Nauvoo Inter-Faith Symposium - October 21, 2010
Rev. Gayle M. Pope, Christ Lutheran Church

In my presentation tonight, I am first going to answer the practical questions in practical terms, then move to the questions of meaning and theology.

First: What are the sacraments, rites and ordinances of your church?

The Lutheran church has two Sacraments: Baptism and Holy Communion

In addition, we have many other rites and rituals in which members of our faith community participate, but they are not considered Sacraments. For example …

· We have the other five rites that the Catholic Church includes in their sacraments: confession, Confirmation, marriage, ordination and anointing of the sick.

· We have rites to receive new members into the congregation, and to install pastors, youth leaders, Sunday School teachers, council members and other positions.

· On the first Sunday in November, we have a special service of remembrance for the saints who have died, which will include people lighting candles in memory of loved ones.

· We impose ashes on Ash Wednesday. We do a footwashing ritual on Maundy Thursday. We light an Advent wreath during the four Sundays of Advent.

· Plus we have special blessings for all kinds of occasions - house blessings, pet blessings, blessing and sending of people leaving the congregation or going on a mission.

Next, some practical questions: Who may receive these rites? Who may perform them and where and when are they done?

· First, Baptism: We do Baptize infants, but we also Baptize adults. Anyone of any age can be Baptized. Most typically, Baptism is by “sprinkling” or dripping water on the person’s head three times, as they are Baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. But Baptism may also be by immersion, which may be more appropriate and fitting symbolically, but we would say no more effective spiritually. The water is not specially blessed - any water will do.

Baptisms are usually done by an ordained pastor during a church service at which the community of faith is present. But they can be performed by anyone, anywhere, anytime if circumstances call for it. If someone has been Baptized previously in another Christian denomination, we do not “re-baptize” them as Lutheran when they join our church.

· We give Holy Communion in the form of bread and wine, but we also offer grape juice. We practice open communion, which means that any believing Christian is welcome to receive. If asked, I would say that a person should be Baptized and receive instruction before taking Communion. But if someone comes up to receive, I would not turn them away.

As to the age, there is no set requirement in our denomination. Local practices vary. Here, we suggest fifth grade, but if a parent requests it for a younger child, we are very open to that and, in fact, I encourage it. We provide instruction before First Communion.

Generally, an ordained minister must preside over a service of Holy Communion. However, provision can be made for a licensed lay minister to do so in a case where a congregation would not otherwise have access to the Sacrament.

In my congregation, we have Holy Communion every Sunday, but some Lutheran churches only have it once or twice a month.

· The rite of Confirmation - which we actually call “Affirmation of Baptism” - is given to confirmands who have completed a course of instruction in the faith and stand before the congregation to make public confession of the faith in which they were Baptized. Our practice here is a two-year course of study completed at the end of the 8^th grade. It varies among Lutheran churches. The rite includes anointing with oil and laying on of hands, the same as in Baptism. It is done during the Sunday worship time within the community of Faith.

· Marriage we see as a public statement of promises the couple makes to one another before God and the community of faith, and a request for God’s blessing upon their union. Usually it is also a legal ceremony, in which we as pastors fulfill a legal role. But we can do a marriage blessing in much the same way for couples who have taken care of the legal aspect separately. The presider at a legal ceremony must meet the state requirements, but otherwise a marriage blessing ceremony could be conducted by a lay minister.

· The rite of Ordination is administered in the ELCA when a candidate has fulfilled the requirements of academic study and a candidacy process, AND has been called by a congregation to serve as their pastor. It is usually done by a bishop, but exceptions can be made for those who do not believe that is it necessary for a Bishop to preside. There are rites of consecration and commissioning for other positions such as deacons, associates in ministry and licensed lay ministers.

· Anointing of the sick can be performed anywhere, any time. It might be in a church service, but more often in a hospital or home or nursing home or in an office visit. I always carry oil with me to anoint anyone who expresses a need for healing for a physical, emotional or spiritual illness. A pastor or a lay minister can anoint.

Other rites and blessings mentioned are performed for the people and in the places appropriate for the circumstances.

Now that I have covered the practical side of things, I want to move more to the deeper meaning and purpose of sacraments and other rites:

First, some general points …

· To understand sacraments and ritual, you must understand that we have a loving God who created us and reveals himself to us in ways that we can apprehend with our senses -- most remarkably by coming to us in the flesh of Jesus Christ. We are human and so God has provided means for us to relate to Him through our senses of touch, hearing, sight, taste and smell and through actions and words.

· A second important aspect of sacraments and rites has to do with remembrance. Actions that are done and redone in certain ways, and are tied to stories and acts of God help us to remember who God is and what God has done for us and to pass those memories down. Human beings have a natural tendency toward ritual.

· A third point is the importance of community. Almost any rite we do is public and open and shared with the whole community of faith and in the presence of others. Even if I pray or anoint someone privately or bring Communion to a shut-in, I am representing the community. We are tied together in our Baptism with other believers of past, present and future. The rites not only symbolize that unity, but they also DO actually connect us in the flow of God’s grace.

Now, some specific points about the Sacraments

· What makes a Sacrament a Sacrament? In Confirmation, we teach that Sacraments are “Gifts of God’s Grace,” “Commanded by Christ,” with a “Physical Element Attached.”

· Take Baptism -- a gift of God’s grace in which the Holy Spirit comes in the element of water, united with God’s Word, to take up residence in the person’s soul. In Baptism, a person is “reborn” a child of God. New life is put within them. This is ALL God’s action and initiative. The church administers it by faith in God’s promises. Baptism was commanded by Christ in Matthew 28:19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” But it is also affirmed in many other texts.

· In Holy Communion, we believe that Jesus Christ is truly present in, with and under the form of bread and wine. We physically receive Jesus into our bodies and in this way we continually receive forgiveness of sin -- which is the gift of God’s grace, effective by our faith in God’s promises. It is true food for our souls. Inexplicable. A mystery. More than just a symbol -- something actually REAL. And yet, we believe it is tied to the moment and to the word so there is not an actual change in the substances themselves. Holy Communion was instituted by Christ at his last supper and we were given the command do “do this in remembrance of me” as recorded in Luke 22:19-20 and also recounted by Paul in 1 Corinthians 11.

In summary, the Sacraments are “means of grace” - God’s favor, strength and help -- delivered by a physical means - made effective by the faith in which it is given and received. They are so vital to the very life of the church, they are subject to standards for teaching and passing on and correct administration.

Briefly, on two of the other rites I mentioned:

· The rite of confession, in which people confess their sins and receive absolution, is also commanded by Christ, but there is no physical element attached, so we don’t consider it a Sacrament. But it is very important and frequently done in the life of the church -- communally during worship and also in private. We believe it’s important for people to hear God’s word that their sins are forgiven. The word does what it says.

· Anointing of the sick does have a physical element attached -- oil -- and Jesus did send his disciples to heal the sick and they did anoint them with oil. But it is not considered a command for the life of the church. And yet, we consider it very significant! With God’s word, the Holy Spirit and healing is conveyed by means of the oil.

The effect of the Sacraments and other rites is to bring sustenance, power, and growth to the person’s life in Christ through the Holy Spirit. It keeps us close to God -- walking in God’s ways and being aware of God’s presence in our lives and God’s love for us. When this is done in community, it helps us all grow and live together as one with God in Christ. It helps us obey God’s word and be transformed to become more and more like Him that we can more effectively serve as the hands and feet and voices of Christ in this world.