—

I want to begin by saying what an honour and privilege it is 

to be invited by your minister Hoeun to preach and lead worship 

here at First United, 

while he is busy at St. Matthews.

Thank you.

Thank you also to Kathleen for the invitation to perform some pieces 

I’ve wanted to play for some time.

Pulpit exchanges are a practical way of living out 

this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, 

and help us hear directly and personally 

from another Christian tradition.

-

I first met Pastor Hoeun last April at an Open House 

we hosted last year to promote our Community Hub, 

the St. Matthews Centre, 

and we’ve been able to meet up a few times 

and we get along really well. 

It’s been great to find an ecumenical partner 

who wants to do things together, like our mini Lenten Series we’re planning for March and April.

You’ve got a wonderful minister!

He’s really intelligent, inspiring and fun to be around.

-

One of the other reasons I wanted to plan today’s service 

was to take note of the similarities between St. Matthews and First United, 

though we are in different denominations,

we have a lot more in common than is apparent 

at first glance. 

Both congregations are large downtown churches 

(I know you’re theoretically Uptown, but I use “downtown” to refer to the relatively dense urban context 

we’re situated in.)

Both First United and St. Matthews are exploring redevelopment 

with Kindred Works.

Both have a lot of community groups using space.

We both place a high value on music,

And we have a shared history with Jan Overduin, who was Director of Music at St. Matthews in the 80s and 90s,

And we’re trying to start some community concerts, 

something which you do so excellently with your Tuesday series.

We both have an Out of the Cold community meal, yours is on Fridays, ours on Wednesdays.

And we have a shared history with Martin Luther University College, 

my alma mater, when some of its professors led worship 

during your interim ministry a few years back.

So, with all those similarities, I thought it’d be a great idea 

for a pulpit exchange during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, 

which runs January 18 to 25.

—

The beginning of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity goes back to 1908, 

and Father Paul Wattson, 

a co-founder of the Graymoor Fransiscan Friars, 

a Catholic monastic order that focusses on ecumenical, 

or inter-church work.

Its theme comes from Jesus’ prayer in the Gospel of John where

He prays for his followers: 

“Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, 

so that they may be one, as we are one.” (17:11)

I believe that ecumenical relations are not about ignoring differences, 

but about concentrating on what is in common, and learning and admiring what is different about the other.

In preparing today’s services at St. Matthews and First United, 

we used resources from the official website, 

And used some hymns that were included in both our hymnals. 

while maintaining the overall structure of our respective liturgies,

So though our services this morning are different, 

there also are similarities.

Every year a different area or group from around the world 

prepares resources for the week.This year, materials were prepared by the community of Bose,

an ecumenical monastery of brothers and sisters in Northern Italy.

The community is quite unique, 

as not only is it an ecumenical monastery, 

but it also is open to all genders.

This year marks the celebration of 1,700 years of the Council of Nicaea 

and the formulation of the Nicene Creed,

And the resources include quotes from early Christian writers, 

who form a “living source for shared life” for the people of Bose.

The theme this year is “Do you believe?”, 

taken from today’s’ Gospel reading, 

and invites communities of faith to reflect on their Creeds, 

their statements of belief, and how these inform their lives.

—-

So enough of the preamble and introduction, 

let’s get on with the sermon, or as you call it, 

the Reflection.

In the first Scripture Reading this morning, 

from the Book of Deuteronomy,

We have the prophet Moses, who has brought together, convened, 

all Israel together, 

now the second generation after the events at Mount Sinai 

and the original giving of the Law.

He wants this new generation to gather and remember the instructions, 

the commandments, the words that were given.

“Hear O Israel”, Moses begins.

“This is very important, pay attention!

Take note the Ten Commandments, the Decalogue, 

and all the other important faith and community guidelines 

that were established, 

so that we can live together in peace and justice 

with both God and neighbour.

Follow these instructions that you may have life 

and that it may go well with you!

There’s a point to God’s commands;

they’re not an annoyance or a nuisance,

They are life-giving to individuals and society.

They are so important that they are 

Generational words,

Vital to pass on to your children and your grandchildren,

This is foundational information for your families!

(Deuteronomy 6:4 )

Hear O Israel: The Lord (YHWH) is our God, the Lord alone.

(v5)

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and might.

Remember these words,

keep them in your hearts,

Memorize them, kind of like a Creed.

It’s important as a basis as it defines the relationship 

between God and God’s people.”

When we know there is but one God, 

and that our primary responsibility as humans is to love God 

with all our being, 

that re-orients our life, and all our powers and worries and problems become secondary. 

It takes away all power from all other potential idols.

—

While the “Shema”, Moses’ creedal “Hear O Israel” 

is foundational for the Jewish religion,

The foundational statements for most Christians and Lutherans

Are the Nicene and Apostle’s Creeds (and in theory also the Athanasian) .

I’d like you to refer to the Appendix on page ? in your bulletins

To the Small Catechism’s exposition of the Creed.

//

Now the Small Catechism is part of the Book of Concord, 

a 1580 collection of theological documents 

which are foundational for Lutherans.

The 1529 Small Catechism written by Martin Luther 

was addressed to the 

head of the household

To help them teach their children the basics of the faith (like the Ten Commandments, the Lord’s Prayer and the Sacraments).

The Catechism has also been used in churches 

for confirmation instruction, faith basics education for teens or new converts.

It was designed to be memorized,

(To be written upon the children’s hearts)

And what Luther does is he updates and modernizes 

These 1,200 year old documents

(at least for his day).

And he asks:

What does it mean for us today, when we read this?

What does it mean for example when we say that 

God is creator?

Well, it’s not just one and done, once and for all,

But if we say that God is Creator, that means that

God continues to preserve our bodies and souls, eyes, ears 

and all limbs and senses and all mental facilities.

God’s creation and sustaining of creation is something ongoing, 

and continues into the present, and involves us in a personal way.

Luther uses illustrative, simple language to convey the intent 

and the implications of these sometimes old, boring texts.

The problem for many Christians, 

and for Lutherans in particular who tend to have the same set of liturgical elements week in and out,

is that you get into patterns of saying things by rote, repetitively.

While the familiarity can provide comfort, 

it can sometime verge into mindless blathering.

Now something I value about the United tradition 

is you tend to use a lot of different elements week-to-week 

and have more freedom to craft new prayers and statements of faith 

and so you’re less likely to fall into the trap of mindless repetition.

As I (and more progressive Lutherans see it), 

Luther gives us permission to realize that while old texts are valuable, 

they’re sometimes not as relevant, 

and need updating and explanation for new generations.

This gives us freedom to re-envision these old texts

And live into the 

Reformation slogan of 

“Reformed and always reforming:”

The idea that though the Reformation happened 500 years ago, 

we are still called to hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church, 

and adopt to new realities, 

and be challenged and grow in our faith, 

And not be stuck in the past or be handcuffed by tradition.

Creeds have their limitations, 

in that they are sometimes used to exclude people 

or be a litmus tests for heresy,

Or they can become calcified or serve as mere reminders of controversies from bygone eras,

But I think as communities of faith interested in ecumenical dialogue 

we can be challenged and inspired by our siblings from different traditions, and this can foster growth and energy.

I for one find your 1968 New Creed and your Song of Faith to be wonderful statements of faith 

that were created by engaging in current realities and seeing where the winds of the Holy Spirit were moving in new directions.

As Lutherans we sometimes tend to rely on Luther writings and say, 

“if Luther wrote that 500 years ago that’s good enough for me and nothing needs to change”

But I tend to believe that if Martin Luther were alive today, 

he’d be engaging in cutting theological debates

 like those of womanist or queer theologians.

Whatever our Creeds or our belief statements are, 

there will be points of agreement and disagreement,

And how we make meaning based on them 

will depend on the variety of contexts we’re in,

But I think where really the Gospel, 

the good news comes to light

Is where we come as a diversity of churches to the table with the best we have to offer,

With respect, to listen, and to wrestle together with our understandings.

That for example is borne out in the various ecumenical shared ministries that are happening across Canada between Presbyterian, 

United, Anglican and Lutheran parishes.

And even in the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

We can wrestle with what it means for our different churches

How our beliefs influence our lives and how they contribute to how we try

To love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind and strength,

And our neighbour as ourself.