June 4, 2023 - Holy Trinity Sunday - A Remembrance Service for Creator Becoming a Reconciling In Christ Congregation

Photo by Ron Houser

 Pastor Steve wrote in last Thursday's newsletter:

The month of May ended on an exciting note with the Oregon Synod Assembly (Did you know that Creator's own Paul Stromberg was elected Vice-President?), Pentecost Sunday and a new banner created by Susan Nolte, and the ordination of Pastor Emillie!

Creator wants to have special services throughout June to remember Pride month. This Sunday, June 4th, was our Sunday to remember that Creator became an RIC (Reconciling in Christ) congregation in 2009. A congregational vote happened in January that year and passed with overwhelming approval. On April 5, Palm Sunday, Creator received the RIC Certificate that now hangs in the narthex.

Many felt this was an vital declaration of Creator's identity. Later, that same year, the Churchwide Assembly passed a Social Statement, and recommendations for Ministry Policies to allow for differing understandings of same-gender sexual relationships within the ELCA. 

Together, at the beginning of today's service, we all recited and re-affirmed Creator's Affirmation of Welcome. During Offering Matt, Luka, and I performed a song written for, and premiered at the April 5th celebration called A Coming Welcome.

 It was a memorable service for many reasons. For the Children's Time Pastor Steve read from a children's book called Three In One. He traditionally reads from this book on Holy Trinity Sunday. The book describes how identifying the different pasts of an apple help understand the Trinity, There is the peel, the flesh and the core of an apple. All these are different parts of an apple but they all come from one apple.

Pastor Steve had something special up his sleeve when he preached about part of today's Gospel. When he reached the part:

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

he energetically splashed the first rows of the assembly with water from the baptismal font three times (for the Father, Son and Holy Spirit respectively). I'm sure some in the front felt the same sense of participation as the first rows of the audience feel at Sea World. 

June will center around Pride and Inclusive themes. I predict this month will be like May; where we gathered around Season of Baptism and Renewal themes; and should be another memorable month for Creator worship.