Lutheran Essentials meets in the undercroft of the church on Wednesday evenings at 7pm. You can reach the undercroft by going around to the back parking lot of the church and descending the staircase to the kitchen. Knock on the door if it is closed and some one will let you in. This week we are starting our new study on the Ecumenical Creeds. The worksheet we are using for the Apostles’ and Nicene Creed will be provided. We are also providing hard copies of the Book of Concord for free, as well as copies of the Lutheran Service Book.
We will open class with Psalm 85 and our catechism lesson will be the First Commandment. Our study of the Creeds will begin with a brief presentation on the history of the Church from the death of St. John in AD 100 to the Great Schism in AD 1054. We will then do a brief historical introduction of the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds which were will consider jointly. We will close our introduction by singing “We All Believe in One True God” (LSB 954)
We will then move on and study the First Article of the Creed dealing with God the Father. We will discuss what it means to believe and confess the Creed and we will also discuss the fact that Christianity is monotheist. We will also discuss what it means to have a God. We will then sing the hymn “Sing Praise to God, the Highest Good” (LSB 819).
Moving to the next section we will talk about what it means for God to be Father. We will discuss the omnipotence of God and His almighty power. We will finish this section with the hymn “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise” (LSB 802).
Finally we will talk about God as Creator. That the Lord makes all things both in heaven and earth. That there is nothing that the Lord has not made. We will also discuss the gnostics and their heresies regarding the material world and it being evil in and of itself. We will close with the hymn “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty” (LSB 790).
As always new people are always welcome to this study at any point during the class. Please talk to the Pastor, Elders or Paul Edmon if you have any questions.
