What's a Lutheran Service Like?

[mellowcalico]

I am going to a Lutheran funeral this weekend and am curious what the service is like. Is there anything I should know before going–things, such as Lutheran sacraments that I shouldn’t partake of? Is the Eucharist offered? Am I allowed to receive it? I just want to know what to expect. Thanks!

 

[oneGODoneCHURCH]

I am going to a Lutheran funeral this weekend and am curious what the service is like. Is there anything I should know before going–things, such as Lutheran sacraments that I shouldn’t partake of? Is the Eucharist offered? Am I allowed to receive it? I just want to know what to expect. Thanks!

you can Pray and sing with the rest of the congration. I doubt that they will have communion as it is a funneral, but if they do you can not part take. My step Grandfather was litheran and at his funeral I do not remenber commion, the strcture of the service is very simular to mass.

 

[WorkerPriest]

If it is a historic, confessional Lutheran church, you should expect a funeral service very much like the rest of the western catholic rite. There are different services for funerals that are conducted in a funeral home, versus the church building, and then at the graveside.

You may find, from a catholic perspective, the service(s) are very familiar.

Grace and peace to you.

I am going to a Lutheran funeral this weekend and am curious what the service is like. Is there anything I should know before going–things, such as Lutheran sacraments that I shouldn’t partake of? Is the Eucharist offered? Am I allowed to receive it? I just want to know what to expect. Thanks!

 

[Barbkw]

My aunt had a Lutheran funeral service at the mortuary. It was very catholic in performance and language.

The Lutheran minister even wore a Large (8 inch long) Crucifix necklace.

 

[mellowcalico]

Thank you for the replies. It sounds like I will easily be able to follow along.

 

[lutherlic]

I am going to a Lutheran funeral this weekend and am curious what the service is like. Is there anything I should know before going–things, such as Lutheran sacraments that I shouldn’t partake of? Is the Eucharist offered? Am I allowed to receive it? I just want to know what to expect. Thanks!

As other posters noted, it will seem similar to Mass.

Assuming that you are in the US and communion is offered, the ELCA Lutherans (the largest group) have an “open table” and will offer communion to all. LCMS Lutherans (1/2 the size of ELCA, but 2nd largest group) have a “closed table” just as we do.

Regardless of their position on it, as a Catholic, you may not receive their communion. While they believe in the real presence, we do not believe so in their communion as they lack valid holy orders.

 

[Oldtimer_7]

The other Lutheran sacrament is baptism, so that pretty covers it. You should feel very much at home with the service. We even share a large common musical heritage. Heritage, not the latest thing on a “Christian Rock” station.

 

[Lutheranteach]

I’ve never seen a communion service at a Lutheran funeral. It would be a bit out of the ordinary. If the funeral is being held in an actual church. Just follow along in the hymnal. It’s all there. For the most part, it will be very familiar.

 

[jessep28]

I don’t know which Lutheran denomination this funeral service will be under but I’ll list the order of service from my copy of the Lutheran Service Book, the official hymnal of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. From attending other LCMS funerals, I highly doubt all these parts will be used, but it will give you a general understanding of the possible structure.

1. Invocation
2. Remembrance of Baptism
3. Introit, Palm or Entrance Hymn
4. Kyrie
5. Salutation and Collect of the Day
6. Old Testament reading
7. Psalm or Gradual
8. Epistle or Second Reading
9. Gospel Reading
10. Apostles’ Creed
11. Hymn of the Day
12. Sermon
13. Prayer of the Church
14. Lord’s Prayer
15. Nunc Dimittis
16. Concluding Collect
17. Benediction

 

[Jehoshua]

While they believe in the real presence, we do not believe so in their communion as they lack valid holy orders.

Just clarifying this statement if it was indeed a case of error and not just a typological error.

Lutherans believe in consubstantiaion or something similar where the bread remains present and is “infused” with the essence of Christ. This is of course contrasted with orthodox christianity and the teaching of the universal church which believes in transubstantiation where the substance of the bread and wine is changed to truly become the body, blood, soul and divinity of christ, this being merely under the accidents of the appearance of bread and wine with the bread and wine being truly absent. The eastern churches believe in the same thing although they do not define it as transubstantiation.

So although they believe in the real presence per se, they hold to a heterodox explanation of what occurs, they also have invalid orders and so either way a catholic in good standing CANNOT recieve communion in a lutheran church, or in any protestant church for that matter.

 

[mellowcalico]

Thanks all.

I was able to follow along quite well except that I blessed myself when the pastor said, “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” I don’t think everyone else did (and the other people I saw blessing themselves were my Catholic relatives).

I also said the Creed the way I am used to (even though I was looking at the words, it just came out of my mouth the way I say it in Chuch… lol, I guess I can’t break old habits).

It was a nice service and a pretty nice sermon too.

 

[lutherlic]

Just clarifying this statement if it was indeed a case of error and not just a typological error.

Lutherans believe in consubstantiaion or something similar where the bread remains present and is “infused” with the essence of Christ. This is of course contrasted with orthodox christianity and the teaching of the universal church which believes in transubstantiation where the substance of the bread and wine is changed to truly become the body, blood, soul and divinity of christ, this being merely under the accidents of the appearance of bread and wine with the bread and wine being truly absent. The eastern churches believe in the same thing although they do not define it as transubstantiation.

So although they believe in the real presence per se, they hold to a heterodox explanation of what occurs, they also have invalid orders and so either way a catholic in good standing CANNOT recieve communion in a lutheran church, or in any protestant church for that matter.

No error, maybe I wasn’t clear. What you wrote is good too – but Lutherans do not describe the mystery in terms of consubstantiation. For some reasons, we Catholics always seem to describe their belief that way. Since I hate it when non-Catholics tell us what we believe, I respect Lutheran sensitivities here. Lutherans, if they use a label at all, would probably say “sacramental unity”.

In any event, Catholics may not receive Protestant (including Lutheran) communion.

 

[Oldtimer_7]

In my Lutheran church, a number of the people bless themselves at the name of the Triune God. It varies from church to church. I also say the Apostles Creed differently, since we fairly recently changed the wording slightly to be in full communion with the Presbyterians and Episcopalians.

Did you stop in the Lord’s Prayer after the seventh petition? One of my wife’s cousins is Catholic and when I went to Mass with him he nudged me with his elbow to remind me to stop there. He is a fourth degree black belt and was liaison with Korean Special Forces in Vietnam. His “nudges” carry a bit of authority. I think the note requesting that the finder of my ribs return them is still up at the church.

 

[JonNC]

=Jehoshua;7195307]Just clarifying this statement if it was indeed a case of error and not just a typological error.

Lutherans believe in consubstantiaion or something similar where the bread remains present and is “infused” with the essence of Christ. This is of course contrasted with orthodox christianity and the teaching of the universal church which believes in transubstantiation where the substance of the bread and wine is changed to truly become the body, blood, soul and divinity of christ, this being merely under the accidents of the appearance of bread and wine with the bread and wine being truly absent. The eastern churches believe in the same thing although they do not define it as transubstantiation.

Another clarification:
Lutherans, at least confessional Lutherans, reject consubstantiation, on essentially the same grounds that we do not confess transubstantiation, as both speak of the change in metpshysical terms (accidents, substance, etc). Lutherans believe, literally, that, when consecrated, the bread and wine are the body and blood of Christ, as He said at the Last Supper. While Sacramental Union intends to reflect the truth of the Hypostic Union, it is not its intent to describe the disposition of the substance of the bread and wine. We leave that as the mystery that it is.
I will let the Orthodox deal with your statement regarding whether or not their belief is essentially transubstantiation without using the term.

So although they believe in the real presence per se, they hold to a heterodox explanation of what occurs, they also have invalid orders and so either way a catholic in good standing CANNOT recieve communion in a lutheran church, or in any protestant church for that matter.

It is true that the Catholic Church teaches that our orders are invalid (forgive us if we disagree), just as some Orthodox view Catholic orders as invalid. That said, I agree that Catholics, in honoring the teachings of their Church, ought not receive a Lutheran Eucharist (yet). Pray for the day when we can both receive at each other’s altar.

Jon

 

[JonNC]

In my Lutheran church, a number of the people bless themselves at the name of the Triune God. It varies from church to church. ** I also say the Apostles Creed differently, since we fairly recently changed the wording slightly to be in full communion with the Presbyterians and Episcopalians. **

With apologies to the OP for digressing, how has the ELCA changed the creed for this purpose?

Jon

 

[mellowcalico]

Did you stop in the Lord’s Prayer after the seventh petition? One of my wife’s cousins is Catholic and when I went to Mass with him he nudged me with his elbow to remind me to stop there. He is a fourth degree black belt and was liaison with Korean Special Forces in Vietnam. His “nudges” carry a bit of authority. I think the note requesting that the finder of my ribs return them is still up at the church.

I hesitated… but continued pretty quickly. I always wondered why Catholics stop… and if we say the Lord’s Prayer to ourselves (outside of Church) if we are supposed to stop or not.

 

[Oldtimer_7]

JonNC, if there was ever a case of the mountain straining and bringing forth a mouse, this was it. In the second article, “His only Son” is changed to “God’s only Son.” Then “He was conceived by power of the Holy Spirit” was changed to “who was conceived by the Holy Spirit.” The following "and’ is dropped and “He suffered under Pontius Pilate” is made a clause in the article instead of a sentence. “On the third day” to “living and the dead” is all made into one sentence.
This effort occupied a group of theologians for several years. Good thing they did not tackle the Athanasian Creed. It might not be finished until the week after the Second Coming.

 

[SnakeMauler]

What Bible translation to Lutherans read from in church?

Are there alter servers?

Do lay people read from the Bible as well?

Can only the pastor give a sermon?

 

[WorkerPriest]

We use several translations, but our Lectionary is published in the English Standard Version.

We have acolytes who assist with duties around the Altar, often taken from the ranks of our young studying confirmands.

We do invite qualified lay people to read the Old Testament and Epistle texts, but a pastor usually reads the Gospel text with all standing.

Only those who are regularly called into the Office of the Holy Ministry, should preach and administer the Sacraments in a Lutheran church. Not all of them do what they should, per our common confessions, but that’s straight out of the Augsburg Confession, Article XIV.

Grace and peace.

What Bible translation to Lutherans read from in church?

Are there alter servers?

Do lay people read from the Bible as well?

Can only the pastor give a sermon?

 

[pablope]

A

It is true that the Catholic Church teaches that our orders are invalid (forgive us if we disagree), just as some Orthodox view Catholic orders as invalid. That said, I agree that Catholics, in honoring the teachings of their Church, ought not receive a Lutheran Eucharist (yet). Pray for the day when we can both receive at each other’s altar.

Jon

Is there a move within Lutherans, similar to the Anglicans, to be in full communion with the Bishop of Rome?