June 11, 2025
Wednesday Blessings,
The Lutheran church is a creedal church. These words are spoken during the Rite of Ordination, "The Church in which you are to be ordained confesses that the Holy Scriptures are the Word of God, and are the norm of its faith and life. We accept, teach, and confess the Apostles', the Nicene, and the Athanasian Creeds. We also acknowledge the Lutheran Confessions as true witnesses and faithful expositions of the Holy Scrpitures. Will you therefore preach and teach in accordance with the Holy Scrptures and these creeds and confessions." To which I affirmed, "I will and I ask God to help me."
On Trinity Sunday, our minds have a tendency to veer towards the creeds and a deeper reflection of what they mean, or rather, what we think they might mean. So, a few months ago, to prepare for this feast day, I read, "Gender and the Nicene Creed" by Elizabeth Rankin Geitz. It was an asstounding read; one that opened my mind up for greater wonder and curiosity. Perhaps you'll consider diving in with me to discuss this book.
As I prepare to preach this Sunday, I am drawn to this wisdom offered by fellow preacher Elizabeth Merrill Hoster, "No one can preach the Trinity without heresy. That's what grace is all about Charlie Brown."
As I prepare to preach this Sunday, the resonating thought I can't let go of is, “The Trinity reveals that God's fundamental self-revelation is love." In any form, in any substance, God is love. That is the wonder of the Holy Trinity.
Come, Holy Trinity, and stay in and among us,
Pastor JJ
