We in the New England Synod are in the midst of a time of study and reflection on the sacrament of Holy Communion. If you’ve been following this page and the E-Newsletters you are aware of this.

During this time I’ve asked all our congregations to refrain from any forms of celebration of the sacrament of Holy Communion such as Virtual, Online, Internet Communion.

Just yesterday the last of our conferences completed their conversation, and on Thursday of this week I will be meeting with the Deans to discuss what they have learned. The next step will be for me to put forth some recommendations which I will ask the Synod Council to review on June 6. Those recommendations will be accompanied next week with both a letter and a video articulating and summarizing our learnings and my reasons for proceeding.

Why are we doing this?

Candidly, I have great concerns about practices around communion which once we begin will be challenging to unravel. That’s the first reason. The second is that we have a unique understanding of Holy Communion in the Lutheran Church that centers around the gathered assembly as an incarnation encounter with Jesus the Christ. Third, we need to proceed carefully because actions that we take have implications. What one does in Maine can now be seen in Rhode Island. If one church chooses to go forward without considering the impact on others, what does that say about our shared relations as colleagues, fellow churches. Fourth, we are an ecumenical and a global church. Actions that we take have implications with our Full Communion Partners as well as with our global companion synods around the world.

We are moving through this process. Let us be about a spirit of mutuality as we do so.

Sincerely

Bishop James Hazelwood