I believe in… the holy catholic church, the communion of saints...

Here’s one that confuses a bunch of Reformed folk—members of First Presbyterian confirming week after week that we believe in IHM out on Johnson. Sort of, actually, but not really. Yes, we love our Catholic brothers and sisters at Immaculate Heart of Mary; and yes, we do know they are a Catholic church of High Point. But what we affirm on Sunday morning when we say we believe in the holy catholic church is that we are ALL part of the church—the Church universal. Catholics, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Methodist, Baptists… and so the list goes. We affirm in one Church established through Jesus Christ.
And we follow that up with the belief in the communion of saints—that we as brothers and sisters in Christ, part of the holy (set apart) church universal and gifted for service to others, are bound to one another in fellowship.

Reflecting on the one holy catholic church is a pointed reminder that in all things we are to love one another and to share with the world our unity as the body of Christ. May we be strengthened by the Holy Spirit to do so in our one-on-one relationships within our own congregations as well as the church universal.

Grace and peace,
Jess