What we Confess

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Sola Gratia (Grace Alone)

God loves the people of the world, even though they are sinful, rebel against Him and do not deserve His love. He sent Jesus, His Son, to love the unlovable and save the ungodly.

Sola Fide (Faith Alone)

By His suffering and death as the substitute for all people of all time, Jesus purchased and won forgiveness and eternal life for them. Those who hear this Good News and believe it have the eternal life that it offers. God creates faith in Christ and gives people forgiveness through Him.

Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone)

The Bible is God’s inerrant and infallible Word, in which He reveals His Law and His Gospel of salvation in Jesus Christ. It is the sole rule and norm for Christian doctrine.

Sacrament of Holy Communion

At St. John Lutheran Church, we celebrate the Lord's Supper according to all that God's Word instructs us.  Holy Communion is the Lord's meal where He invites us to partake of His precious body and blood.  When we eat the bread and drink the cup, we receive the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ according to His promise.  This we do, as He says, "For the forgiveness of your sins." (Matthew 26:26,28).  We come, confessing our sin and believing all that He says, so that we might be united with Him and He with us; and in this one body of our Lord that we share, we celebrate being united with one another (1 Corinthians 10:16,17).  Therefore, any refusals to love, forgive, or care for our neighbor, whoever that may be, must be rejected and resolved before approaching the table of our Lord.  Because those who eat and drink our Lord's body and blood unworthily do so to their great harm (1 Corinthians 11:27-30) and because the reception of the Lord's Supper is a confession of the faith of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, any who are not yet baptized and instructed, those in doubt, or those who differ from this confession as stated above, and yet desire to receive this Sacrament, are asked first to speak with our Pastor or one of the Elders.  We do encourage children, or anyone else, to come forward to receive a blessing.  Please identify that you are receiving a blessing by crossing your arms across your chest.

Sacrament of Baptism*

What is Baptism? 

Baptism is not just plain water, but it is the water included in God’s command and combined with God’s Word.  What’s so special about a handful of simple water? Nothing, until God connects His Word to it! In Baptism, that is exactly what God is doing.  He combines His life-creating and life-giving Word with the waters of Holy Baptism, and thereby we are born again of water and the Spirit (John 3:5). 

What is that Word of God? 

Christ our Lord says in the last chapter of Matthew: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt.28:19). Our Lord commands Baptism. It is not optional, nor is it simply a nice “extra.” 

God’s Word takes on many forms, according to His good and gracious will. The Word is preached, taught,and proclaimed.  It is read, studied and meditated on. It is shared by Christians,with non-Christian and fellow believer, alike. And it is that Word of God, His promise, that makes Baptism what it is. God Himself is present as His name is joined to the water, with all His power and all His blessings of forgiveness,life and salvation. Christ consecrates the water of Baptism with His Word, so as we in Baptism stand with Christ in the water, the Father calls us His beloved children,the Holy Spirit is given to us,and heaven is opened to us. Those who receive Baptism after they have been brought to faith by the preaching or teaching of the Word also receive all the blessings God has attached to Baptism.

* Taken from LCMS pamphlet "What about Holy Baptism", Dr. A.L. Barry