St Paul Lutheran Church

Trinity Sunday at Paul’s I’m struggling with the Trinity Sunday Sermon on several fronts. Could it be that my expectations for worship were too high? Was I wrong to anticipate clergy would espouse the case for respect, reverence, mystery, or love and understanding of a Triune God? I was insulted that the precious little time set aside for a sermon — the sermon so many look forward to each week as their spiritual bread—not being used to bring understanding to the beauty and mystery of the Trinity—a concept many are still to embarrassed to admit they don’t understand no matter what their age. When Jesus was functioning as counselor to his disciples he referenced the existence of the Trinity when he said, “And I will pray to the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, to be with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him; you know him, for he dwells with you, and will be in you” [John 14:16-17]. That said— I failed to see the correlation between George Floyd and the others named, and the use of the word racist in a Trinity Sunday — or any Sunday- sermon. How many hurting people in those virtual pews did the Bishop know? I’m sure most were thinking of their own COVID isolation, or desperate needs and were hoping to find a lifeline in this virtual sermon they could relate to. If the need was so great to mention George Floyd, perhaps we all would have been better served praying deep within our hearts that his was a contrite and believing heart in his final hour. Paralleling his death to that of “God the Son’s” crucifixion is Bold! Self Serving and BLASPHEMOUS in the House of our Lord. She referenced—and I quote, “George Floyd’s crucifixtion.” These words are clearly not those of a desciple of Christ! Christ IS “ God the Son”, WITHOUT SIN! If the commandments still hold true, factually Mr. Floyd had broken a few of them as proven by secular law. His death was like Christ’s? I don’t think so! Loving they neighbor as myself? How about him holding a woman at gunpoint while others committed a crime? Thou shall not steal? Was he not passing counterfeit money? I am not judging him, we have all sinned. But being “ministered to” regarding ‘black -on-white-crime’ by clergy, and the Insulting implication that whites are racists, is really too much to ask when comprehension and reverence needed light. The push to drive home our lack of acceptance for our diverse brothers and sisters fell with a thud like a reprimand. Then there was the repeated reference to creation as part of the Trinity. Where exactly does this fit? It was brought up so often without likening it to “The Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit.” Sounded like a lot of banging on about the Big Bang! Where was the analogy of how the Trinity works within the body of St. Paul’s church? The outreach provided to feeding those in need and sewing quilts with love. No sin in celebrating the fruits of our labor when the intent is to selflessly give them away to someone more diverse than ourselves. Or are they? This would have been relatable. I’ve heard it explained to children as, the trinity is like an apple. Cut one in half. The skin is God the Father—He protects us. The flesh is God the Son—Jesus was made flesh. The Seeds are God the Holy Spirit—Our hearts are like the ground. A seed cannot plant itself into the ground. The Holy Spirit is the seed God plants in our Hearts to grow in Faith. Our church is a place of worship. This is where we come to honor, and show reverence amidst fellowship to our TRIUNE GOD. We don’t gather for TED talks, political rally’s or liberal stance rants within the House of God. These are “The Situations” that disrupt, uproot, and drive people from a church when they feel they are no longer there to pray for man’s Salvation and bow to their Maker.