Communion Practices
Aug 27, 2026
Jesus Christ is the living and abiding Word of God. By the power of the Spirit, this very Word of God, which is Jesus Christ, is read in the Scriptures, proclaimed in preaching, announced in the forgiveness of sins, eaten and drunk in the Holy Communion, and encountered in the bodily presence of the Christian community. By the power of the Spirit active in Holy Baptism, this Word washes a people to be Christ’s own body in the world. (The Use of the Means of Grace: A Statement on the Practice of Word and Sacrament, p. 6)
Dear Saints,
I write to you as your Bishop and as a Pastor regarding our communion practices and theology in the Metropolitan New York Synod.?
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The sacrament of Holy Communion is central to our faith, our comfort, and our connection to the body of Christ through his presence in this sacrament. The sacrament is also central to our identity as Lutheran Christians.
During COVID, our congregations endured tremendous upheaval, fear, and uncertainty. We all tried to make sure we connected with our people, kept our communities afloat, and moved forward, day by day.
Some of our congregations tried Holy Communion via Zoom, mailed the elements to our members, met in side yards and parking lots, and communed with the little plastic cups of grape juice with a wafer on top. At St. John’s, Greenpoint, where I last served as a parish pastor, those of us who could drive or walk there met once a month, outside, to share Holy Communion on the sidewalk in front of the church.
All of us did our faithful best.
The immense tragedy and isolation of the pandemic affirmed for me the necessity and value of Holy Communion and its power to create and sustain communities.
In our synod, we are facing the realities of clergy shortages, long pastoral vacancies in our congregations, and the reality of times when the sacraments are absent within our communities of faith. Recently, the synod staff and I have received some questions about how to handle communion during these times. These questions include the use of reserved sacrament, communion online, lay licensing to preside at the Table, and what to do during long absences of a Pastor. I hope this letter clarifies my perspective on these matters and serves as an invitation to affirm the sacred and central role the sacrament plays in our faith.
Living with the reality of a clergy shortage and long periods of time when congregations are in pastoral transition, it can be frustrating to not have pastoral presence Sunday after Sunday. Recently, we have worked to expand the number of available Pastors from our full communion partner denominations to preach and preside in our congregations. To access our supply list, please contact Regina Daniels at [email protected].
However, we do not consecrate elements to be used in reserve Sunday after Sunday in the absence of a Pastor. We do not license lay people or deacons to preside at the table. For those unable to make it to a church, our ministry includes pastors and lay ministers taking the sacrament to our sick and homebound from the table. Zoom, while a great technology in other ways, is not a substitute for in-person communion. The sacrament is for the baptized gathered together in person.
I want every congregation and every baptized disciple of Christ to receive the sacrament of Holy Communion each week. This is not always possible. In those circumstances, congregations may utilize Service of the Word — a lay-led worship service for the times between services with Holy Communion. A Service of the Word is outlined on pages 210–222 of the ELW hymnal.
The living practice of our Lutheran tradition is an open table for the baptized to receive Holy Communion. It is also an invitation to those who are not yet baptized or who do not yet receive to come forward for a blessing. In baptism, God does for us what we could never do for ourselves, making us into Children of God, heirs with Christ, and recipients of God’s operative grace. This is costly, abundant grace poured out upon us. We should never withhold baptism from any who are brought by parents nor from older people who have come to believe. We should never withhold catechesis from our children nor from older people who wish to grow in faith, love and obedience to the will of God. We will not withhold God’s grace; we will invite all into the community we share through baptism into the body of Christ. It is this body made up of the baptized who receive the sacrament of Holy Communion.
It is my hope that this clarifies our practices and expectations. I look forward to worshiping with you, at your church home, during my time as Bishop. Thank you for all your service, support, and faithfulness to the hope we have in Jesus, our Lord.
Peace,
Bishop Katrina Foster