Preached Sunday, September 27, 2026
Today we are going to do something a little bit different - we are going to write our own creeds. The word creed comes from the Latin word credo which means, “I believe…” What do we believe as Christians, collectively and individually? Creeds help shape our faith.
From the earliest of times, people of faith have strived to articulate what they believe about God who is, at least in part, a Holy Mystery. We can never fully know God - and yet, to write down or to orally recite together what we believe about God helps not only unite people of faith by showing we believe together - it also helps pass on the faith to the next generation.
The Shema in Deuteronomy might be one of the earliest creeds we have in the Bible. And that is often quoted simply as “The Lord God is One.” Right after that short declaration of faith, the Scripture gives these instructions:
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your being, and all your strength. These words that I am commanding you today must always be on your minds. Recite them to your children. Talk about them when you are sitting around your house and when you are out and about, when you are lying down and when you are getting up. Tie them on your hand as a sign. They should be on your forehead as a symbol. Write them on your house’s doorframes and on your city’s gates.”
This short affirmation of faith is meant to be passed down, generation to generation, to help the Jewish people know their God. Many have it on little scrolls outside their homes. And still many others recite it at least twice a day. This short creed becomes not just a statement about God, a fact in their heads, but a way of faith that shapes their whole life.
Both Scriptures we read today are also early affirmations of faith that the Scripture writers quoted. They weren’t just the words of the letter writer, but words of early liturgy or hymns, that the early church used in worship to teach one another about who God in Jesus is:
Colossians: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him.”
Philippians: “who, though he existed in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be grasped,
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
assuming human likeness.”
We have 9 Creeds or Affirmations of Faith in our United Methodist Hymnal. The oldest one is the Nicene Creed which was the result of an Ecumenical Council and is generally accepted or adopted by most Christian denominations. The churches were struggling with Jesus’s relationship with God - they came down with “Begotten, not made” - meaning that Jesus and God were always one.
Let’s say that creed together now - turn to page 880 in your United Methodist Hymnal:
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God,
Eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God,
Begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation, he came down from heaven,
was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures;
He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic* and apostolic church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen
The one that we are probably familiar with most is The Apostle’s Creed, in fact, I know you recited it last Sunday and perhaps like me, you grew up reciting it every Sunday. It has a lot in common with the Nicene Creed with some, what may seem like to us small, tweaks, but were important to the writers of the creed in expressing who Jesus is.
The rest of what we may call “Creeds” in our hymnal are technically affirmations of faith. The difference between a creed and an affirmation is approval by an Ecumenical Council over time. But that’s splitting hairs that, to be honest, I don’t care too much about. For our purposes, we are using creed and affirmation interchangeably.
So let’s look at an Affirmation of Faith together. Let’s look at A Statement of Faith of the United Church of Canada together, number 883 in your hymnal - let’s recite it:
We are not alone, we live in God’s world.
We believe in God:
who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus, the Word made flesh,
to reconcile and make new,
who works in us and others by the Spirit.
We trust in God.
We are called to be the Church:
to celebrate God’s presence,
to love and serve others,
to seek justice and resist evil,
to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,
our judge and our hope.
In life, in death, in life beyond death,
God is with us.
We are not alone.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
One of the things I love about that statement, especially since it’s written in more modern language for us, so we can understand it better is…when we look at it, when we read it, say it - we know something about the people who wrote that and recite it - that God’s renewing power is important to them, that they are called to love and justice, and that God is always with them - with us.
And here’s another thing about the power of creeds when they are said in a church community… when we say them together, even if we struggle with one part of the creed, even if we have doubts about one statement of belief…there is another person in the congregation who is passionate about that same part, who is assured and positive about its truth in their faith and life. And, just perhaps, you are the one who is passionate about another part of that statement that your fellow worshipper struggles with. For example, growing up, I didn’t understand the line “the resurrection of the dead” from the Apostle’s Creed - I believed Jesus was resurrected but what was this universal resurrection? I said it for many years although I didn’t understand it - until that day when it was finally explained to me in a way that clicked, and funnily enough, it has become an integral part of my faith of which I am passionate about. When we say the creeds and affirmations together, it emphasizes the importance of Christian community and support, that we are stronger together, and that we carry one another through.
So today, I am going to invite each of us to consider writing our own creeds. What do you hold to believe about God, Jesus, the Spirit, and Christian faith and life? Some of you may remember all the way back to the last six weeks of summer when we did a “God is…” sermon series. That was a kind of six week long affirmation of faith. But today, you are invited to consider your own beliefs that you currently hold dear, that you are passionate about, that you have assurance of, that carry you through.
Now, listen, I know some of you are putting way too much pressure on yourselves right now or thinking “I can’t do that.” Take the pressure off yourself. I would love it if you shared your written affirmation with me or with others in your life - but you absolutely do not have to do that. This can be for your eyes only. It also doesn’t have to be definitive. All of our faiths are a work in progress. If I wrote a statement twenty years ago, ten years ago, five years ago, or even last year - each year my creed would be different because my faith is constantly evolving and growing. Instead think about what you are currently leaning into about who God is and how you live out your faith. Notice what comes easy and what you struggle with. So there is no pressure to get things “right,” there is no pressure to write a definitive affirmation of faith for all time, there is no pressure to have flowery language or be a poet - simply be yourself. Each and every one of you has beliefs about God and faith. That’s why you’re here in the pews today.
Also, in an effort to make it easier on you, you all got a worksheet in your bulletin today that will walk you through it…
And in a moment here, we are going to have some “extra” special music. We’re going to take about ten minutes to start this work now with music ongoing. You don’t have to complete the work in this time, but it does give you a good start. If you need a writing implement, raise your hand and an usher will bring you one.
Let’s pray:
Eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God,
Begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation, he came down from heaven,
was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures;
He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic* and apostolic church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen
The one that we are probably familiar with most is The Apostle’s Creed, in fact, I know you recited it last Sunday and perhaps like me, you grew up reciting it every Sunday. It has a lot in common with the Nicene Creed with some, what may seem like to us small, tweaks, but were important to the writers of the creed in expressing who Jesus is.
The rest of what we may call “Creeds” in our hymnal are technically affirmations of faith. The difference between a creed and an affirmation is approval by an Ecumenical Council over time. But that’s splitting hairs that, to be honest, I don’t care too much about. For our purposes, we are using creed and affirmation interchangeably.
So let’s look at an Affirmation of Faith together. Let’s look at A Statement of Faith of the United Church of Canada together, number 883 in your hymnal - let’s recite it:
We are not alone, we live in God’s world.
We believe in God:
who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus, the Word made flesh,
to reconcile and make new,
who works in us and others by the Spirit.
We trust in God.
We are called to be the Church:
to celebrate God’s presence,
to love and serve others,
to seek justice and resist evil,
to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,
our judge and our hope.
In life, in death, in life beyond death,
God is with us.
We are not alone.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
One of the things I love about that statement, especially since it’s written in more modern language for us, so we can understand it better is…when we look at it, when we read it, say it - we know something about the people who wrote that and recite it - that God’s renewing power is important to them, that they are called to love and justice, and that God is always with them - with us.
And here’s another thing about the power of creeds when they are said in a church community… when we say them together, even if we struggle with one part of the creed, even if we have doubts about one statement of belief…there is another person in the congregation who is passionate about that same part, who is assured and positive about its truth in their faith and life. And, just perhaps, you are the one who is passionate about another part of that statement that your fellow worshipper struggles with. For example, growing up, I didn’t understand the line “the resurrection of the dead” from the Apostle’s Creed - I believed Jesus was resurrected but what was this universal resurrection? I said it for many years although I didn’t understand it - until that day when it was finally explained to me in a way that clicked, and funnily enough, it has become an integral part of my faith of which I am passionate about. When we say the creeds and affirmations together, it emphasizes the importance of Christian community and support, that we are stronger together, and that we carry one another through.
So today, I am going to invite each of us to consider writing our own creeds. What do you hold to believe about God, Jesus, the Spirit, and Christian faith and life? Some of you may remember all the way back to the last six weeks of summer when we did a “God is…” sermon series. That was a kind of six week long affirmation of faith. But today, you are invited to consider your own beliefs that you currently hold dear, that you are passionate about, that you have assurance of, that carry you through.
Now, listen, I know some of you are putting way too much pressure on yourselves right now or thinking “I can’t do that.” Take the pressure off yourself. I would love it if you shared your written affirmation with me or with others in your life - but you absolutely do not have to do that. This can be for your eyes only. It also doesn’t have to be definitive. All of our faiths are a work in progress. If I wrote a statement twenty years ago, ten years ago, five years ago, or even last year - each year my creed would be different because my faith is constantly evolving and growing. Instead think about what you are currently leaning into about who God is and how you live out your faith. Notice what comes easy and what you struggle with. So there is no pressure to get things “right,” there is no pressure to write a definitive affirmation of faith for all time, there is no pressure to have flowery language or be a poet - simply be yourself. Each and every one of you has beliefs about God and faith. That’s why you’re here in the pews today.
Also, in an effort to make it easier on you, you all got a worksheet in your bulletin today that will walk you through it…
And in a moment here, we are going to have some “extra” special music. We’re going to take about ten minutes to start this work now with music ongoing. You don’t have to complete the work in this time, but it does give you a good start. If you need a writing implement, raise your hand and an usher will bring you one.
Let’s pray:
God, Jesus, Spirit,
We believe in you.
Help us now as we strive to search our hearts and articulate our faith.
May this not be a chore or an onerous task - but a revelation.
Speak to us through our own words.
Show yourself to us through our thoughts.
Move within our hearts and minds as we ever strive to know you - and as we attempt to put the holy mystery that is faith into words so that we would be able to grow in our faith and share it with others.
Amen.
We believe in you.
Help us now as we strive to search our hearts and articulate our faith.
May this not be a chore or an onerous task - but a revelation.
Speak to us through our own words.
Show yourself to us through our thoughts.
Move within our hearts and minds as we ever strive to know you - and as we attempt to put the holy mystery that is faith into words so that we would be able to grow in our faith and share it with others.
Amen.
