Forty Seconds on Sunday

July 31, 2012

Dear St. Paul’s Family,

Every Sunday, following the opening hymn, we remain standing to affirm our faith using the words of the Apostles’ Creed.  It takes less than a minute to recite - forty seconds, by my watch - and we quickly follow it with a time to greet those around us, then sit down to resume the service.  If we’re honest, we’ll admit that our recitation has become rote and robotic, with barely a thought regarding the meaning of its words, let alone its theological and liturgical significance.

But what if I were to tell you that those forty seconds in worship constituted one of the most potent acts of religious expression in Christian history?  And what if I told you that the story of the creed’s development rivals that of any bestselling novel or blockbuster film?  What if you knew that the history of the creeds included political intrigue, bitter rivalries, and bloodshed?  And what if the very act of speaking the creed could bring you a greater sense of identity and community than you could ever imagine?

Maybe then, the words would become more than mumbo jumbo.

That is what we will be exploring for the next four weeks, starting with this Sunday.

• We’ll learn about the history of both the Nicene and Apostles’ Creeds, and how their development in the fourth century came at a time of intense division within both the church and the Roman empire.
  

• We’ll learn how the creeds were an attempt to resolve the most heated (and, sadly, most hostile) disagreements in the church: the relationship of Jesus to God.  We’ll remember that the first creedal statement in the early church is not “Jesus rose from the dead,” but “God raised Jesus from the dead,” which occurs fourteen times in the gospels, epistles, and the book of Acts.  So to what degree are “God” and “Jesus” two separate entities, or one in the same?
  

• We’ll learn how Roman emperor Constantine the Great, who gave favored status to Christianity, not only ended Christian persecution, but exercised unprecedented political influence in the church by calling himself the pontificus maxiumus (or “high priest” of all state religions) and convening 1,800 religious officials at the first great ecumenical council.  During this saturated political campaign season, we’ll talk about the danger of mixing the church with political power, which has often produced toxic results throughout history.
  

• Of course, we’ll take a deeper look at the words of the Creed itself, particularly some of the more troublesome phrases:  What does it mean to believe in the “resurrection of the body?”  What does the “holy, catholic church” mean?  And what about some versions of the Creed that talk about Jesus “descending into hell?”
  

• And finally, we’ll learn how reciting the Apostles’ Creed in worship is a profound moment in the life of the church.  While the Creed summarily represents our faith, it is not the same as divine revelation.  Instead, it channels our corporate efforts to bring praise to God, who orders our life and brings us salvation.  In his work Creeds of Christendom, 19th century German American theologian Philip Schaff wrote: “It is not a word of God to men, but a word of men to God, in response to his revelation.”
  

Admittedly, there’s a part of me that wondered whether it was a good idea to spend the next four weeks on the Apostles’ Creed.  I could imagine the congregation deciding to hit the snooze button until September.  But as our time worshipping in the Community Center draws to a close and we look forward (excitedly!) to returning to worship in our sanctuary sometime at the beginning of September, the Creed reminds us that the church is composed of much more than bricks and mortar.  It is made up of people, united with common belief and purpose, to proclaim Christian truth and love for the world and future generations.

So let’s join together, for forty seconds that can make all the difference, and remember what it means to be the church.

Grace and Peace,

Magrey  

The Rev. Magrey R. deVega
St. Paul's United Methodist Church
531 W. Main St.
Cherokee, IA  51012
Ph:  712-225-3955
Email:  mdevega@sp-umc.org

 

“I Believe in God: A Friend in High Places”
John 7:16-17; Hebrews 11:6; Revelation 4:11
August 5

“I Believe in Jesus Christ: Jesus, the One and Only”
Philippians 2:1-11; 1 Corinthians 15:17-19
August 12

“I Believe in the Holy Spirit: The Invisible, Incomparable God”
John 7:37-39
August 19

“I Believe in Life in the Church:  Forgiven, Free, and Never Alone”
Ephesians 12:1; Matthew 16:18; 1 Corinthians 15
August 26

KITCHEN AND FELLOWSHIP HALL PRESENTATION WEDNESDAY
Join us tomorrow, Wednesday, August 1, at 6:30 pm down in the lower level basement of the church to hear a presentation by the Building Committee.  After nearly four months of regular meetings with the architect and engineers, it is now ready to present to you designs for the new kitchen and dining hall.  Your feedback and insight is welcome, as we look forward to beginning work on the renovations within the month.


HELPING HANDS MINISTRY
Do you or someone you know need a helping hand with chores around the house, on your property, or running errands around town?  The Helping Hands ministry is made up of able and willing volunteers who can give you or someone you know some needed assistance.  Please contact Sheree Hausmann or Marlene Kelly, or the church office, if you would like further information.




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