Thursday, April 07, 2011
Tuesday, February 08, 2011
The Catholicity of the Christian United Church
THE PRINCIPLES OF CATHOLICITY IN THE CHRISTIAN UNITED CHURCH
1. First and foremost, we are a people for whom the celebration of Holy Eucharist is the center of our community life of worship and the primary reason we gather weekly to express our communion in life of the Trinity. This is the gift that Christ gives to the Church. It belongs to the church, which is why we never celebrate the Eucharist without the presence of the laity.
2. Baptism is our entry into Eucharist, the base from which we experience our call to ministry whether clergy and laity and gives each of us with different roles to share in the leadership of the Church. One is always baptized into the Body of Christ, not to your own spiritual experience.
3. Scripture and Tradition form an inseparable bond that transmits the faith of the apostles.
4. We believe that Baptism and Eucharist are the principal sacraments because they were instituted directly by Christ and the other “ five flows from and locate their power in the principal two sacraments.” Robert V. Caruso (The Old Catholic Church.)
5. We accept that the Nicene and Apostle’s Creed are a testament of our faith as they have been accepted as the statement of faith for Christian Church ecumenically and handed down from the early church.
6. The Local Universal Church is fully expressed when the Bishop is gathered with Clergy and Laity in synodal gathering( conference) to worship and to discern our calling and make decisions regarding our common life in the Church. The Church is the place where the “Equality before God of all people” is recognized
7. We recognized a historic four -fold ministry and recognized that the ordained ministry is expressed by the ministry of Bishop, Elder/Presbyter/Priest, Deacon and the fourth is expressed in the ministry of the laity.
8. The Gift of Apostolic Succession belongs to the whole church, not one individual. It has a local expression when the clergy and laity electing the Bishop of the local church and its universal expression is demonstrated when the election is confirmed from a college of bishops by consecrating the person selected by the local church. It is further guaranteed by our living the teachings of the apostles in the life of our church.
9. In church with a Eucharistic Ecclesiology, the church is fully recognized when it gathers in assembly to worship at the Altar with the Bishop, Presbyters, Deacons and Laity celebrating our life in Christ together. It is further recognized when we gather in (Synod) Conference as we share authority for the mission and ministry of the church. Each ministry has their own unique role in expressing that authority in the life of the Church.
1. First and foremost, we are a people for whom the celebration of Holy Eucharist is the center of our community life of worship and the primary reason we gather weekly to express our communion in life of the Trinity. This is the gift that Christ gives to the Church. It belongs to the church, which is why we never celebrate the Eucharist without the presence of the laity.
2. Baptism is our entry into Eucharist, the base from which we experience our call to ministry whether clergy and laity and gives each of us with different roles to share in the leadership of the Church. One is always baptized into the Body of Christ, not to your own spiritual experience.
3. Scripture and Tradition form an inseparable bond that transmits the faith of the apostles.
4. We believe that Baptism and Eucharist are the principal sacraments because they were instituted directly by Christ and the other “ five flows from and locate their power in the principal two sacraments.” Robert V. Caruso (The Old Catholic Church.)
5. We accept that the Nicene and Apostle’s Creed are a testament of our faith as they have been accepted as the statement of faith for Christian Church ecumenically and handed down from the early church.
6. The Local Universal Church is fully expressed when the Bishop is gathered with Clergy and Laity in synodal gathering( conference) to worship and to discern our calling and make decisions regarding our common life in the Church. The Church is the place where the “Equality before God of all people” is recognized
7. We recognized a historic four -fold ministry and recognized that the ordained ministry is expressed by the ministry of Bishop, Elder/Presbyter/Priest, Deacon and the fourth is expressed in the ministry of the laity.
8. The Gift of Apostolic Succession belongs to the whole church, not one individual. It has a local expression when the clergy and laity electing the Bishop of the local church and its universal expression is demonstrated when the election is confirmed from a college of bishops by consecrating the person selected by the local church. It is further guaranteed by our living the teachings of the apostles in the life of our church.
9. In church with a Eucharistic Ecclesiology, the church is fully recognized when it gathers in assembly to worship at the Altar with the Bishop, Presbyters, Deacons and Laity celebrating our life in Christ together. It is further recognized when we gather in (Synod) Conference as we share authority for the mission and ministry of the church. Each ministry has their own unique role in expressing that authority in the life of the Church.
Friday, January 07, 2011
Wesley Covenant Prayer
A Covenant Prayer in the Wesleyan Tradition is a prayer adapted by John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, for use in services for the Renewal of the believer's Covenant with God. This Covenant Service was traditionally renewed on New Year Eve.
I encourage all of you to renew your covenant in 2011, as sign of your renewal to God.
From John Wesley's Covenant Service , 1780
I am no longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed by thee or laid aside for thee,
exalted for thee or brought low for thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things
to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
thou art mine, and I am thine. So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.
Covenant Prayer
From John Wesley's Covenant Service , 1780
I am no longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed by thee or laid aside for thee,
exalted for thee or brought low for thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things
to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
thou art mine, and I am thine. So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.
I encourage all of you to renew your covenant in 2011, as sign of your renewal to God.
From John Wesley's Covenant Service , 1780
I am no longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed by thee or laid aside for thee,
exalted for thee or brought low for thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things
to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
thou art mine, and I am thine. So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.
Covenant Prayer
From John Wesley's Covenant Service , 1780
I am no longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed by thee or laid aside for thee,
exalted for thee or brought low for thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things
to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
thou art mine, and I am thine. So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.
Wednesday, January 05, 2011
GATHERING IN CHRIST THROUGH THE BASIC PATTERN OF WORSHIP
THE BASIC PATTERN OF WORSHIP
ENTRANCE
The people come together in the Lord’s name. There may be greetings, music and song, prayer and praise.
PROCLAMATION AND RESPONSE
The Scriptures are opened to the people through the reading of lessons, preaching, witnessing, music and other arts and media. Interspersed may be psalms, anthems, and hymns. Responses to God’s Word include acts of commitment and with faith with offering of concerns, prayers, gifts, and service for the world and one another.
THANKSGIVING AND COMMUNION
In Services with Communion, the actions of Jesus in the Upper Room are reenacted:
Taking the bread and cup,
Giving thanks over the bread and cup,
Breaking the bread, and giving the bread and cup.
In services without Communion, thanks are given for God’s mighty acts in Jesus.
SENDING FORTH
The people are sent into ministry with the Lord’s blessing.
In the Christian United Church we follow the Basic Pattern of Worship (BWP) identified in the United Methodist Book of Worship, We use this pattern to guide our gatherings to praise God and celebrate our communion in Christ and with one another.
We come to proclaim the death, resurrection and second coming of Jesus Christ weekly through the celebration of Holy Communion, more than mere ritual we celebrate our unity in Christ through word and deed. It is not enough for us to be concerned about rubrics of how we conduct worship, if we do not show equal concern for those who make up the Body of Christ,the church and those yet to be churched.
Our worship is universal (Catholic) and Local (Evangelical) its ultimate purpose is to share the good news of Jesus Christ to a broken world.
Bishop Robert Schnase (Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations) says that God uses worship to:
Transform lives
Heal wounded souls
Renew hope
Shape decisions
Provoke change
Inspire compassion
Bind people to one another
Bishop Schanse say that “ comprehending worship requires looking beyond what people do to see with the eyes of faith what God does”
Worship is often the first contact the unchurched and others have with our community. Will they find dead ritual or passionate worship that welcome, restores and invite people to be in community with Christ and one another? We should offer our best in music, preaching,worship space and hospitability to those who come through our doors.
What you do on Sunday could change someone’s life on Monday!
The BWP honors the fourfold pattern of the early church. The pattern consists of the following elements: Entrance/Gathering, Proclamation and Response, Thanksgiving and Communion, Sending Forth.
The Basic Pattern of Worship (BPW) offers structured flexibility for our congregations and community. This pattern provides the opportunity to reflect the diversity of our congregations and the local contexts in which our worship is celebrated. It represents the common faith that we share as a covenant connectional conference of communities throughout the world.
While we do not maintain the written liturgy of the historic churches (Anglican, Lutheran, Orthodox, Catholic) we do honor patterns of that liturgy in our use of the Doxology, Apostle’s Creed, Sursum Corda, Eucharistic Prayer, the Lord’s Prayer and Dismissal on Holy Days and Special occasions and in the fourfold shape of our worship.
We will build a uniquely Christian United Church culture of worship in which you will find gospel music, praise and worship music, traditional hymns, liturgical dance, traditions from African, African American, Asia, Polish and Spanish speaking cultures. It will honor the richness of historic western heritage of Christian liturgy.
We believe that God is calling us to a convergence of worship blending the sacramental and evangelical and being open to the move of the Holy Spirit as represented from the charismatic/Pentecostal and celebrating the liturgical year with color,art vestments (alb, robe, and stole). The richness of our structure and the openness of our flexibility bring togther a beautiful tapestry.
I encourage each of our congregations to fully embrace the Basic Pattern of Worship (BPW) and allow it to be filled with the gifts of your community. Worship is never the work of the clergy alone; it is the mutual ministry of the clergy and laity. Every community should have a worship planning committee that studies and prepares worship that uses the gifts and talents of the members of our congregation.
When you gather on Sunday morning, you can truly proclaim the mystery of faith:
Christ has died!
Christ has risen!
Christ will come again!
ENTRANCE
The people come together in the Lord’s name. There may be greetings, music and song, prayer and praise.
PROCLAMATION AND RESPONSE
The Scriptures are opened to the people through the reading of lessons, preaching, witnessing, music and other arts and media. Interspersed may be psalms, anthems, and hymns. Responses to God’s Word include acts of commitment and with faith with offering of concerns, prayers, gifts, and service for the world and one another.
THANKSGIVING AND COMMUNION
In Services with Communion, the actions of Jesus in the Upper Room are reenacted:
Taking the bread and cup,
Giving thanks over the bread and cup,
Breaking the bread, and giving the bread and cup.
In services without Communion, thanks are given for God’s mighty acts in Jesus.
SENDING FORTH
The people are sent into ministry with the Lord’s blessing.
In the Christian United Church we follow the Basic Pattern of Worship (BWP) identified in the United Methodist Book of Worship, We use this pattern to guide our gatherings to praise God and celebrate our communion in Christ and with one another.
We come to proclaim the death, resurrection and second coming of Jesus Christ weekly through the celebration of Holy Communion, more than mere ritual we celebrate our unity in Christ through word and deed. It is not enough for us to be concerned about rubrics of how we conduct worship, if we do not show equal concern for those who make up the Body of Christ,the church and those yet to be churched.
Our worship is universal (Catholic) and Local (Evangelical) its ultimate purpose is to share the good news of Jesus Christ to a broken world.
Bishop Robert Schnase (Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations) says that God uses worship to:
Transform lives
Heal wounded souls
Renew hope
Shape decisions
Provoke change
Inspire compassion
Bind people to one another
Bishop Schanse say that “ comprehending worship requires looking beyond what people do to see with the eyes of faith what God does”
Worship is often the first contact the unchurched and others have with our community. Will they find dead ritual or passionate worship that welcome, restores and invite people to be in community with Christ and one another? We should offer our best in music, preaching,worship space and hospitability to those who come through our doors.
What you do on Sunday could change someone’s life on Monday!
The BWP honors the fourfold pattern of the early church. The pattern consists of the following elements: Entrance/Gathering, Proclamation and Response, Thanksgiving and Communion, Sending Forth.
The Basic Pattern of Worship (BPW) offers structured flexibility for our congregations and community. This pattern provides the opportunity to reflect the diversity of our congregations and the local contexts in which our worship is celebrated. It represents the common faith that we share as a covenant connectional conference of communities throughout the world.
While we do not maintain the written liturgy of the historic churches (Anglican, Lutheran, Orthodox, Catholic) we do honor patterns of that liturgy in our use of the Doxology, Apostle’s Creed, Sursum Corda, Eucharistic Prayer, the Lord’s Prayer and Dismissal on Holy Days and Special occasions and in the fourfold shape of our worship.
We will build a uniquely Christian United Church culture of worship in which you will find gospel music, praise and worship music, traditional hymns, liturgical dance, traditions from African, African American, Asia, Polish and Spanish speaking cultures. It will honor the richness of historic western heritage of Christian liturgy.
We believe that God is calling us to a convergence of worship blending the sacramental and evangelical and being open to the move of the Holy Spirit as represented from the charismatic/Pentecostal and celebrating the liturgical year with color,art vestments (alb, robe, and stole). The richness of our structure and the openness of our flexibility bring togther a beautiful tapestry.
I encourage each of our congregations to fully embrace the Basic Pattern of Worship (BPW) and allow it to be filled with the gifts of your community. Worship is never the work of the clergy alone; it is the mutual ministry of the clergy and laity. Every community should have a worship planning committee that studies and prepares worship that uses the gifts and talents of the members of our congregation.
When you gather on Sunday morning, you can truly proclaim the mystery of faith:
Christ has died!
Christ has risen!
Christ will come again!
Saturday, January 01, 2011
The Role of Probationary Elder in the Christian United Church
One of the most confusing terms to those outside of the Christian United Church and inside to some members is the concept of Probationary Elder. I will give you the definition and share some of the history, theology and ministerial understanding of what it means to be on probation in the church.
Definition:
Probationary Elder : A clergy member of the Annual Conference who is on trial while preparing for full membership. A probationary member is on trial as to character, preaching ability, and pastoral effectiveness
The genius of Wesleyan/Methodist polity is the way it organizes and prepares others for ministry. In the beginning when John Wesley would licensed local preachers(lay pastors) they would be on trail or probation for at least two years before they granted full membership in the Annual Conference. This was time for the candidate and the conference to test the suitability of the candidate for the ministry.
It would also grant the candidate an opportunity to discern if this is their calling without taking ordination vows and then changing their minds. The candidate would be licensed for at least two years, and could be appointed to a pastoral charge (society or congregation) after which they would be ordained a deacon for two years and finally admitted into full connection and ordained an Itinerant Elder in Full Connection.
Since the founding of Methodism this model has changed in name, the concept has remained the same in all of its different formats. Also in the Wesleyan Movement, ministers from denominations outside of Methodism were placed on trail for a period of time before being voted into full connection in the Annual Conference. This action was not done, because the ordination of the person was in question, but to give the candidate and the annual conference time to discern if this was a place for the person to exercise ministry and to learn the polity and theology of the church.
In the Christian United Church we have adopted the term probationary elder to recognize those members who are on trial or probation whether candidates for ordination or those seeking to transfer ordination credentials to the Christian United Church: ( The Christian United Church only recognizes ordinations that follow the scripture and tradition of the Church, the laying on of hands by a bishop or other clergy) Probationary Elders can be appointed pastors, celebrate sacraments , received appointments to serve the wider church. It is not a concern that one is role is better than the other, but they hold different responsibilities in the Annual Conference.
Those serving as Probationary Elders or Deacons are in a time of discernment, discovery, testing and learning to embrace how the CUC lives out its ecclesial identity.
In either case when one is voted into full connection, there are certain rights and obligations that come with that responsibility.
First, one has made a commitment to the covenant connectional community that is the annual conference.
Second, one can hold certain offices in the denomination. Only Elders in Full Connection can be elected to the office of bishop or appointed Presiding Elder and District Minister.
Third, only members in Full Connection can vote members into full membership in the Annual Conference. This step occurs before one can be ordained deacon or elder at the Annual Conference.
We are not only following the Wesleyan tradition, but we are building a new faith community in which we need to create a stable mission and ministry, by having our clergy formed and trained for ministry. The model of ministry which is very different than those who come from more traditional liturgical background, but our emphasis on not letting the lack of ordination hold us back from building faith communities.
The role of probationary elders is critical to our mission success!
Definition:
Probationary Elder : A clergy member of the Annual Conference who is on trial while preparing for full membership. A probationary member is on trial as to character, preaching ability, and pastoral effectiveness
The genius of Wesleyan/Methodist polity is the way it organizes and prepares others for ministry. In the beginning when John Wesley would licensed local preachers(lay pastors) they would be on trail or probation for at least two years before they granted full membership in the Annual Conference. This was time for the candidate and the conference to test the suitability of the candidate for the ministry.
It would also grant the candidate an opportunity to discern if this is their calling without taking ordination vows and then changing their minds. The candidate would be licensed for at least two years, and could be appointed to a pastoral charge (society or congregation) after which they would be ordained a deacon for two years and finally admitted into full connection and ordained an Itinerant Elder in Full Connection.
Since the founding of Methodism this model has changed in name, the concept has remained the same in all of its different formats. Also in the Wesleyan Movement, ministers from denominations outside of Methodism were placed on trail for a period of time before being voted into full connection in the Annual Conference. This action was not done, because the ordination of the person was in question, but to give the candidate and the annual conference time to discern if this was a place for the person to exercise ministry and to learn the polity and theology of the church.
In the Christian United Church we have adopted the term probationary elder to recognize those members who are on trial or probation whether candidates for ordination or those seeking to transfer ordination credentials to the Christian United Church: ( The Christian United Church only recognizes ordinations that follow the scripture and tradition of the Church, the laying on of hands by a bishop or other clergy) Probationary Elders can be appointed pastors, celebrate sacraments , received appointments to serve the wider church. It is not a concern that one is role is better than the other, but they hold different responsibilities in the Annual Conference.
Those serving as Probationary Elders or Deacons are in a time of discernment, discovery, testing and learning to embrace how the CUC lives out its ecclesial identity.
In either case when one is voted into full connection, there are certain rights and obligations that come with that responsibility.
First, one has made a commitment to the covenant connectional community that is the annual conference.
Second, one can hold certain offices in the denomination. Only Elders in Full Connection can be elected to the office of bishop or appointed Presiding Elder and District Minister.
Third, only members in Full Connection can vote members into full membership in the Annual Conference. This step occurs before one can be ordained deacon or elder at the Annual Conference.
We are not only following the Wesleyan tradition, but we are building a new faith community in which we need to create a stable mission and ministry, by having our clergy formed and trained for ministry. The model of ministry which is very different than those who come from more traditional liturgical background, but our emphasis on not letting the lack of ordination hold us back from building faith communities.
The role of probationary elders is critical to our mission success!
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