Lutheran Witness: August 2025

The August issue walks through the Christian’s “Life in the Sacrament.”

From the President: Lutherans and the Lord’s Supper: Holding to the Words of Christ

Life in the Church Year: St. Mary Lavender Cookies and Garden

Features:

‘With All the Company of Heaven‘: Angels, Saints and Our Departed Loved Ones at the Lord’s Table — Arthur A. Just

‘Given and Shed for You’: What does the Sacrament do? — Jeffrey Hemmer

‘Let a Person Examine Himself’: Preparing for the Lord’s Supper — Jonathon Krenz

Under the Bread and Wine: On the elements — Jon. D. Vieker

‘This Is My Body’: Three teachings on the Lord’s Supper — Matthew Zickler

Departments:

Snippets: News from around the LCMS and the world

Worship: On Holy Communion

Formula of Concord Reading Plan: August — The Person of Christ

Walking Together: A congregation spotlight on Augustana Lutheran Church in Moscow, Idaho

Searching Scripture: Opening the Old Testament: Substitutes

From the editor:

In the Lord’s Supper, Christ gives His body and blood to His people, week after week, on altars around the world. This Sacrament He instituted in the “last sad moments” before His Passion, as the Formula of Concord puts it, was meant “to be used until the end of the world with great reverence and obedience” (SD VII 44). And so, across the ages, we God’s people continue to celebrate this feast as He established it. And across the ages, Christ continually comes among His people, forgiving our sins and binding us together in the Body of His church.

But the Lord’s Supper is not just about Sunday morning. Martin Luther wrote in his Large Catechism: “There are so many hindrances and temptations of the devil and of the world that we often become weary and faint, and sometimes we also stumble. Therefore, the Sacrament is given as a daily pasture and sustenance, that faith may refresh and strengthen itself so that it will not fall back in such a battle, but become ever stronger and stronger” (LC V 23–24).

This issue walks through the Christian’s “Life in the Sacrament.” Jeffrey Hemmer gives an overview of what exactly the Lord’s Supper does for us — when we receive it on Sunday and throughout our lives as Christians and as the church. Jonathon Krenz gives some practical advice for preparing to receive the Sacrament. Arthur Just writes on how at the Lord’s table we commune “with angels and archangels and the whole company of heaven” — including our loved ones who have died in the Lord. Jon Vieker takes up the topic of the elements of bread and wine, reflecting on how our central attention should be on God’s Word, which “makes and sets this Sacrament apart.” And Matthew Zickler sorts out what makes the Lutheran teaching on the Lord’s Supper distinct from the Roman Catholic and Reformed views.

This issue also includes the first installment of a new series called “Commonplaces.” In this series, inspired by the tradition of the “commonplace book,” we will compile quotes from Scripture, our Lutheran Confessions and Lutheran hymnody around the issue’s topic, to accompany the articles and enhance your reflections. Also look for the beautiful illustrations by Molly Lackey that will accompany this series. We pray that this issue enriches your contemplation of the gifts Christ brings to you week after week in His Holy Supper — on Sunday morning, and on all the other days of your life, until that day when you may say to Him as you have sung to Him so many times across the years, “Here, O my Lord, I see Thee face to face” (LSB 631).

In Christ,

Stacey Eising

Managing Editor, The Lutheran Witness