DEAR CHURCH….

            When I began this Pastor’s Blog last fall I indicated my desire to combine a bit of biblical reflection with the “seasons” of our lives – both the calendar year and the church year.  That purpose was fulfilled with some fall reflections on important holidays and the winter advent series around the idea of Mary remembering the events of Jesus birth.  Now we are in a new year and new seasons and the question arises as to what subject matter might be the lynchpin for this period of time.

            I am inviting you to join me in reading and contemplating the book of Galatians.  This book from the Epistles is generally considered the earliest of Paul’s writings.  I serve as Interim Pastor at St. Paul’s UCC.  That church is about to begin the serious work of writing their Local Church Profile.  They will be asking the questions:  Who Are We?  Who Are Our Neighbors?  Who Is God Calling Us To Be?  We as a faith community are about to begin a “season” of discovery.  The book of Galatians is a letter written to the churches of Galatia around these same basic questions.  It is my hope that this Bible Study Series will help us as a church in transition.

            Simple demographics are included in writing a Local Church Profile (the written document used in the United Church of Christ for the process to find and call a new pastor).  Questions are included such as “When was the church founded?”, “How many members are there?”, “What is the population distribution of the community based on the most recent census?”.  Those questions are much more difficult to answer for the churches of Galatia, because we have no way of knowing the details.

            It appears that the Apostle Paul had something to do with the formation of these churches, possibly during his first missionary trip. That indicates the churches were in the southern part of the region, once a Roman province.  It is equally possible that Paul is addressing churches founded slightly further north in a region settled by some of the ancient Celt peoples, known as ethnic Galatians.  In either case the general region of these churches is what was once known as Asia Minor and now known as that section of modern day Turkey east of Ankara.

            The book of Galatians is really a letter written in the style popular in the Mediterranean region of the time (First Century, Common Era).  Most scholars date the letter to around 50/51 CE.  That means that this is the earliest glimpse we have of developing Christianity and it was written somewhere around 20-25 years after Jesus’ death and resurrection. 

            This letter was written with the intent that it should be read aloud in the churches during their worship gatherings.  Paul could not be present with them as they tried to sort out the questions that were troubling them.  Instead he wrote a letter to declare his positions.

            He begins (1:1) with a salutation and identifying himself as the letter writer.  He also includes his belief that he was also an Apostle, along with the original disciples.  His authority came from God.  He was writing the letter under that seal.

            The letter was addressed to the churches of Galatia.  There was more than one Christian community in this region.  This letter would travel by messenger from one place to another and be read aloud in each setting.

            Then in verse 3 we have one of the very first affirmations of faith.  We sometimes get so fond of a particular affirmation of faith (such as the Apostle’s Creed) that we fail to realize there were other affirmations of faith circulating before the Apostles’ Creed gained popularity.  In fact the first mention of an Apostles’ Creed dates to the late 4^th century.  The Nicene Creed, another early creed, was developed a bit earlier in 325 CE during the Council of Nicea.  Verse 3 of chapter 1 in the letter to the churches of Galatia includes a faith affirmation dating back to the around 50 CE.

            Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to set us free from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever.  Amen.

            Here we have a fundamental declaration – It is God who takes the initiative to bring peace and reconciliation.  No wonder Martin Luther found wisdom in the letter to the Galatians that became translated as “justification by faith”.  Grace is a gift of God.  That faith affirmation passed down through the centuries reminds us that even when things seem the most chaotic and disturbing, there is something in the nature of God’s Own Self that is willing us grace and peace.  That is a direction on which we can set our compass. 

And in that Spirit…..

Grace and Peace

Rev. Clara