The Immigrant’s Creed

Someone sent me this “Immigrant’s Apostles Creed,” by the Revd. Jose Luis Casal.

I couldn’t resist, and wrote my own Nicene Creed version.

Bear in mind that this isn’t an authorised text of the creed – if you’re using it in worship, it should be used to supplement one of the authorised texts (some of which can be sung).

exodus - Copy

I believe in God, the Father, the Almighty,

maker of a heaven and earth without borders or nations,

who led his people from slavery to freedom

through exile and exodus,

the God of homelands lost and found,

the God of Temple and desert, of manna and sacrifice.

 

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,

who was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary,

and was made human, joining us as strangers and exiles on the earth,

teaching us to desire now a better country, that is, a heavenly one,

who was born under occupation and fled from his country’s genocide,

who suffered under the imperial power of Pontius Pilate,

was crucified by the state, dead, and buried.

On the third day he rose again, opening for us the door to new life,

destroying the power of death that denied us our birth-right as citizens of God’s Kingdom.

 

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,

who speaks all languages, lives in all countries, and reunites all races,

who proceeds from the Father and the Son, unity in diversity, three in one.

 

I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church,

a communion of saints across countries and centuries,

united by the citizenship of baptism,

made equal by our need for repentance and our assurance of God’s mercy.

I look for the coming of the Kingdom of God,

where our passport is love,

our bodies are resurrected and healed,

the image of God in all of us is honoured,

and all nations and tribes and people will be reconciled in the place

where there is no mourning or sadness, no exile or despair,

and we will be no longer strangers or guests

but lambs gathered safely home in the arms of the Good Shepherd.

AMEN.

Harvest Skit

Those of you responsible for sorting out All-Age Harvest services may have felt your heart sink when you saw this year’s readings – bits from Deuteronomy and 2 Corinthians that have little to no context, and no narrative, and some similarly difficult bits from the Gospels – teachings and sayings rather than stories.

paul

I’ve written a short skit to put the Epistle reading into some context and provide a visual focus. You probably wouldn’t need more than 10 minutes’ rehearsal to make everyone feel confident doing this, and the three participants could be all different ages.

You’ll need a table and a chair, and a piece of paper to be the letter.

WRITING A DIFFICULT LETTER

A skit for Harvest Festival, Year A, based on 2 Corinthians 9:6-15

PAUL is sitting at a desk.

Narrator: Today we join Paul, about 20 years after Jesus has died and risen again. Paul is writing a letter to one of the many churches he has helped to start.

(enter Titus)

Titus: Hello, Paul.

Paul: Ah, Titus – just the person I wanted to see.

Titus: I’m off to Corinth soon – you said you had a letter for the church there that you wanted me to bring?

Paul: Yes. They’ve promised a large gift to help the poorer churches, and all the saints there, and I need you to collect it. I’ve told them you’re coming, and that you hope to collect this gift.

Titus: That’s a difficult letter to get right.

Paul: Yes, nobody likes to be asked for money. They have promised, but I want to make sure they think of it as a gift and not as money I’m demanding from them.

Titus: Why does that matter? As long as the people who need the money get it, isn’t that the point?

Paul: It’s about relationships, though. Sharing what we have with one another is one way of showing our love. God cares about that, and he also cares about what’s in our hearts as well as our actions.

Titus: That’s true. Have you prayed about what to say?

Paul: I have. Can I read this, and ask what you think? Remember, the people in Corinth are very wealthy – they could give a lot, if they wanted – so I’m writing especially for them.

(Paul picks up the letter)

Narrator: A reading from the second letter of Paul to the Corinthians, Chapter 9.

Paul: The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under orders, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. As it is written,

“He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor;

his righteousness endures forever.”

God, who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.

You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us; for the giving of this ministry not only supplies the needs of the saints but also overflows with many thanksgivings to God. Through the testing of this ministry you glorify God by your obedience to the confession of the gospel of Christ and by the generosity of your sharing with them and with all others, while they long for you and pray for you because of the surpassing grace of God that he has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

Narrator: For the wisdom that guides us …

All: We praise you, O Lord.

 

For some more Harvest resources, check out Flame Creative Kids.