Authority

People of God,

It’s Trinity Sunday! A mysterious doctrine about how we talk about God and the person(s) of God. Whether you are clear, confused, or meh, it is part of our tradition. Within the United Church of Christ, the Nicene Creed, is one of the historical confessions of faith around which the church was formed.

However, this is not a requirement of membership to Island United. Central to the UCC polity is congregational autonomy. Although the general synod speaks to the churches, it does not speak for the churches. Self-governance gives the congregation its own authority, and the congregation thereby grants authority to leadership.

The lectionary passage chosen to celebrate this year 2023 is Matthew 28:16-20, also known as The Great Commission. In the text, Jesus tells the disciples that he has all the authority of heaven and earth and that they should go make disciples of all the nations in the name of God, The Only Begotten, and the Holy Spirit. And this has been used as the authority to colonize people in all the many ways – countries, bodies, psyches, rights, etc.

We see the many misappropriations of authority today in the politics of controlling our bodies and beings.

I invite you to join us on Sunday at 10 am at 1130 Balclutha or on Zoom. Bring a friend!

Question authority!
Rev. Michael Cronin

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