Bowing before the Altar

FireDragon76 said:

The altar servers and pastor bow around the altar. But in terms of bowing or genuflecting towards the altar when getting up or down from the pew, I've not seen that in a Lutheran church.

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We have one dear older gentleman in our congregation who was raised Roman Catholic. He still genuflects and makes the sign of the cross at the end of his pew before being seated. I think it's a beautiful practice. I would gladly do it, but some people in my congregation think I'm trying to act like I'm a better Christian than them anyway, and I don't want to give them any more reasons to dislike me.

Why DON'T we Lutherans make the sign of the cross anymore? (I was raised LCMS, quit going to church, came back to my faith and attended a non denominational church for a few years, went back to Lutheran(WELS) in a nutshell) Our pastor makes the sign of the cross at the end of every service, and I would like to do so as well, but I know I'd get some very strange looks in my small congregation.
But in Luther's prayers, he says to make the sign of the cross, and I do so at home and did so during family prayers with my children.

LizaMarie said:

Why DON'T we Lutherans make the sign of the cross anymore? (I was raised LCMS, quit going to church, came back to my faith and attended a non denominational church for a few years, went back to Lutheran(WELS) in a nutshell) Our pastor makes the sign of the cross at the end of every service, and I would like to do so as well, but I know I'd get some very strange looks in my small congregation.
But in Luther's prayers, he says to make the sign of the cross, and I do so at home and did so during family prayers with my children.

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I’ve never attended a WELS congregation but all of the other Lutheran congregations I’ve attended some of attendees did Cross themselves and others didn’t. Although I’m sure at a small congregation where no one else did it it would feel awkward.

Maybe I can start a trend! My brother is LCMS and his church is a bit more high church than mine. I thought I saw some people crossing themselves when I visited.

LizaMarie said:

Why DON'T we Lutherans make the sign of the cross anymore? (I was raised LCMS, quit going to church, came back to my faith and attended a non denominational church for a few years, went back to Lutheran(WELS) in a nutshell) Our pastor makes the sign of the cross at the end of every service, and I would like to do so as well, but I know I'd get some very strange looks in my small congregation.
But in Luther's prayers, he says to make the sign of the cross, and I do so at home and did so during family prayers with my children.

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Just do it. If people judge you that's their problem.

LizaMarie said:

Why DON'T we Lutherans make the sign of the cross anymore? (I was raised LCMS, quit going to church, came back to my faith and attended a non denominational church for a few years, went back to Lutheran(WELS) in a nutshell) Our pastor makes the sign of the cross at the end of every service, and I would like to do so as well, but I know I'd get some very strange looks in my small congregation.
But in Luther's prayers, he says to make the sign of the cross, and I do so at home and did so during family prayers with my children.

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My apologies for being late, but --

Just do it. As a Recovering Baptist, now LC-MS, I'm one of perhaps four who use the Sign of the Cross, our morning worship averaging perhaps 35 attendees.

I guess it took me about three or four months to get comfortable having others SEE me making the Sign of the Cross. Coming from a Baptist background, I guess it was the next thing to anathema.

Just do it.

Matthew 23:18-22
18 And you say, ‘If any one swears by the altar, it is nothing; but if any one swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.’ 19 You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 So he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by everything on it; 21 and he who swears by the temple, swears by it and by him who dwells in it; 22 and he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it.

tampasteve said:

I am not quite sure where you are going with this passage....would you mind expounding on how you see it fits the discussion?

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There is no issue bowing to the Altar. There is no wrong in doing so.

LizaMarie said:

Our pastor makes the sign of the cross at the end of every service, and I would like to do so as well, but I know I'd get some very strange looks in my small congregation..

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I know what you mean (and what Tangible was referring to in post 41).

Someone who does everything possible in the way of gestures is probably going to run that risk, but I am thinking that a restrained use of the sign of the cross is the way to approach it in a Protestant church. For instance, cross yourself at the end of the Creed, whenever the minister makes the sign of the cross in the direction of the congregation, and immediately after you receive Communion before returning to your seat--or some of the above. That's not excessive compared to what a few people have been known to do.