October 2009
Newletter “From the Pastor”
In my teaching role as pastor, from time to time I devote a portion of my column to various practices, doctrines or teachings of the church. In this and upcoming columns I want to focus a bit on the Sacraments of the church
The Sacraments
Those who are from a Roman Catholic background know that there are seven Sacraments in that tradition, including 1) the Eucharist (which we usually call Holy Communion or the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper), 2) Baptism, 3) Confession, 4) Confirmation, 5) Marriage, 6) Orders (ordination as a priest), and 7) Last Rites. Most Protestant churches, however, including the United Methodist Church, observe only two Sacraments: Holy Communion and Baptism. The fact that we only have two does not mean that we think that the other rites are not sacred. Certainly, confession, marriage, Confirmation, and the others are all very sacred and meaningful parts of religion and life. However, we reserve "sacramental" status to the two which Jesus himself both did and told us to do. Jesus, for example, was both baptized (see Matthew 3:13ff) and he told us to baptize others "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19). He also instituted the meal we call the Lord's Supper and told us to continue to do this "in remembrance of me" (Luke 22:17-19). This is one reason we consider these two to be our sacraments.
A second, more technical, reason why we consider only Baptism and the Lord's Supper to be Sacraments has to do with our understanding that Sacraments are generally to be administered or mediated only by ordained clergy. Those acts that don't require clergy are not considered Sacraments. Take Confession, for example. In the Roman Catholic tradition, Confession has generally been "mediated" by a priest. That is, when Roman Catholics "go to Confession," they generally confess to God through the priest. Because it is "mediated" by the priest, it is technically a "Sacrament." In our tradition, however, we confess directly to God on our own, either alone or during the private prayers after a General Prayer of Confession during worship. Since we do not require that it be mediated or administered directly by ordained clergy, we do not consider it to be a Sacrament in the traditional or technical sense.
Of course, in the case of an emergency--if an infant is in the hospital, for example, and the parents fear the child may not survive and wish to have the child baptized immediately--anyone can baptize as long as it is done "in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit," but generally, the Sacraments are to be administered or mediated by an ordained minister or priest.
However, there is a third, more theological, reason why we consider Baptism and Communion to be Sacraments--and that is because we consider them to be representations of the "death and resurrection of Jesus" in ways that the others are not. I will delve into this aspect of the Sacraments in upcoming columns, focusing first on the sacrament of Holy Communion in my next column.
Walk-a-thon for Operation Link-up
As I announced in last month's column, I am participating in the 1st Annual Operation Link-up Walk-a Thon on Sunday afternoon, October 18. Founded by Carey Jenkins of our congregation, OLU's mission is to expose and assist inner city students in securing a college education, and our church has been a supporter of Operation Link-Up for many years. The goal of the walk is to raise awareness and financial support for OLU in order to continue its efforts, which since 1989 has benefitted more than one thousand inner-city students. I invite you to consider participating in this event as a walker yourself and enlisting donors (registration forms will be available in the narthex), or by supporting this effort by sponsoring me. If you choose to sponsor me, you can make checks payable to Operation Link-up and bringing or mailing them to the church, or by visiting their website at Operationlinkup.org and clicking on the donation page for a secure donation via credit card.
Names of Those Who Have Died in Past Year to be collected on October 25
The First Sunday in November is designated All Saints' Sunday on our church calendar. Traditionally observed on November 1, All Saints' Day is the day that those who have died in the Lord are remembered and memorialized. Those who are in worship on the last Sunday of October (the Sunday before All Saints' Sunday) will have the opportunity to write on an insert in the bulletin the names of friends and loved ones who have died during the past twelve months. The following week, during the communion service on All Saints' Sunday, these names will be read as a part of the communion prayer, as we affirm our communion with "all the saints who from their labors rest." Plan to be present at this meaningful service (if you cannot be present on the last Sunday of October and have names you want included in the prayers, call the church office or send the names on a card to reach the church before November 1).
Yours in Christ,
David E. Wiley III
