Mail Archive of the old Santa Clara Valley Lutheran Parish

Subject: RE: July 13 devotion

Date: Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:29:44 -0700

From: "Bea Chun" <pastorchun@cgslc.org>

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From: "Bea Chun" <pastorchun@cgslc.org>
To: <scvlp@googlegroups.com>
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Subject: RE: July 13 devotion
Date: Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:29:44 -0700
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I have a question about the creed, actually,
We are currently taking a break from the lectionary
And are reading and Small Catechism instead,
And then we have after the service a study and discussion group 
on the Small Catechism.

In Luther's Explanation on the 3rd Article he writes:
Daily in this Christian Church the Holy Spirit abundantly forgives all
sins...

So, one member asked me: How does that work? How does the Holy Spirit
forgive all sins? 

I promised I asked someone more learned. Anyone out there who knows?
Bea



-----Original Message-----
From: scvlp@googlegroups.com [mailto:scvlp@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of
David Bonde
Sent: Sunday, July 13, 2008 12:06 PM
To: SCVLP
Subject: July 13 devotion


I stopped the congregation today after they had begun the Apostles'
Creed and made them start again saying "I trust in God the Father
Almighty, . I trust in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord . I trust
in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life
everlasting."

Having heard the proclamation of the parable of the sower (the lazy
farmer? who throws his seed recklessly, who hasn't plowed under the
weeds, who hasn't pulled the stones from his field and yet gets a
miraculous harvest), the proclamation of the word which cannot be
stopped, the reign of God which can not be prevented, the love that
will have it's way with the world, I made them stop and start the
creed again to be sure they understood what they were saying.  To be
sure the words of the creed were not about content but about
relationship, this one whose body was cast into the earth is the one
we trust.  This God who raises the dead is the one we trust.  This God
who fashioned us and all things, is the one we trust.  This God who
forgives sins, who raises the body, who gives life undying is the one
we trust.

It worked.  It hit home.  Some said after that we should say the creed
that way always.  But what struck me was the phrase "I trust the
church."

How hard it is to trust the community.  And yet how wonderful.  How
hard it is to trust one another.  And yet how wonderful.  They are the
ones through whom Grace gets done to me.  No trust.  No community.  No
Grace.  God has chosen to use means.  How terrible and how wonderful.