SUMMER CAMP

A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO
AT A CONFIRNATION CAMP
I WAS A COUNCILOR

WE HAD THIRTY CHILDREN
WE TOOK THEM TO MT. DESERT ISLAND FOR A WEEK

OUR THEME WAS THE CREED
THE ONE WE SAY EACH SUNDAY

WE BROKE IT DOWN
INTO THREE SECTIONS

FIRST I BELIEVE IN GOD THE FATHER
CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE

SECOND I BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST
HIS ONLY SON
OUR LORD
WHO REDEEMED US

THIRD I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
WHO SANCTIFIES AND GUIDES THE CHURCH IN THESE DAYS

WE ADDED ANOTHER DIMENSION HOWEVER
FOR OUR THEME WAS
I BELIEVE
SO WHAT

WHAT DOES MY BELIEF DO
HOW DOES IT
OR SHOULD IT
MAKE ME ACT
WHAT IS THE VALUE OF MY BELIEF
TO MYSELF
OR OTHERS

I WOULD LIKE TO REVIEW WITH YOU THAT WEEK
AT SUMMER CAMP

FIRST WHAT YOU WILL HEAR IS THE VOICES OF CHILDREBN
WITH ADULTS HELPING

THE ADULTS WERE ALL PASTORS OF LOCAL LUTHERAN CHURCHES EXCEPT MYSELF
AND MY TITLE IS AND WAS --JUST PLAIN FRANK


FIRST WE TALKED ABOUT CREATION
IN WHICH GOD FORMED MAN
IN THE PALM OF HIS HAND
LIKED HIS CREATION,
LOVED HIS CREATION,
BREATHED OUT A SIGH OF LOVE
AND MAN GASPING LIKE A NEW BORN CHILD
BREATHED IN GOD’S BREATH
AND MAN BECAME A LIVING SOUL

. THE CHILDREN’S CONSENSUS
WAS THAT GOD HAD CREATED US
TO HAVE SOMEONE TO LOVE
AND TO HAVE SOMEONE
WHO WOULD LOVE HIM.

AND IN ORDER THAT IT WOULD BE A FREE OFFERING
HE GAVE US THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE.

OUR GIFT OF LOVE
WOULD BE OF OUR OWN CHOOSING.
AND THAT ACT OF CHOOSING CAME
WHEN ADAM AND EVE SYMBOLIZING ALL OF US.
CHOOSE OUR OWN DESIRES
OVER GOD.

WE CHOSE TO LOVE OURSELVES
RATHER THAN TO LOVE GOD.

AND FOR SUCH CHOSING
THE GARDEN OF EDEN WAS CLOSED TO US.

AND WE SLUNK FROM GOD’S SIGHT,
NAKED IN THE TRUTH
THAT WE HAD OFFENDED
OUR BEST FRIEND.

BUT GOD THE FATHER
SO LOVED THE WORLD
THAT HE SENT HIS ONLY BEGIOTTEN SON
TO REDEEM IT



WHICH IS THE SECOND PART OF OUR CREED

FOR I BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD
WHO REDEEMED US

TO THE CHILDREN
CHRIST’S REDEMPTION
OPENED THE GATES OF THE GARDEN AGAIN

AND A MAN COULD GO HOME

SALVATION WAS FREE
HE ASKED ONLY OUR LOVE

AND IF WE WOULD NOT LOVE HIM
HE WOULD STILL FORGIVE US
HE WOULD STILL LOVE US
AND HE WOULD WAIT LIKE A LONELY MOTHER
STANDING AT THE WINDOW
LOOKING DOWN THE ROAD
FOR HER WAYWARD CHILD TO RETURN


I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT

JUST BEFORE JESUS ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN
HE TOLD HIS DISCIPLES TO WAIT IN JERUSALEM.
FOR HIS FATHER HAD PROMISED THEM A GIFT.

THEY WOULD BE BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT.
AND WITH THAT BAPTISM
MEN WHO COWERING IN A ROOM
BECAME BOLD
AND WENT OUT AND PREACHED THE GOODNEWS.

IT IS WRITTEN THAT 3000 JOINED THE CHURCH
THAT DAY.

THEY WERE INFLAMED WITH THE SPIRIT OF GOD.

AND A NEW SYMBOL WAS GIVEN TO THE CHURCH
AND THAT SYMBOL WAS
THAT EVERYMAN WHO HEARD THE APOSTLES SPEAK
COULD UNDERSTAND THEM
NO MATTER WHAT LANGUAGE THEY SPOKE.

BECAUSE GOD HAD HEALED THE WORLD AGAIN.

THE DIVISION OF LANGUAGES
THAT HAD OCCURRED
AT THE TOWER OF BABEL
WHEN MEN HAD CHALLENGED GOD AGAIN
WAS HEALED.
BECAUSE MAN WAS GIVEN A NEW LANQUAGE
AND THAT LANGUAGE WAS LOVE


AND HOW DO WE SPEAK THAT LANGUAGE,
HOW DO WE OBSERVE GOD’S COMMANDEMNT
TO LOVE.

NOT BY MAKING IT DIFFICULT.
LISTEN TO DEUTERONOMY
THE COMMAND THATN I AM GIVING YOU TODAY
IS NOT TOO DIFFICULT OR BEYOND YOUR REACH.

IT IS NOT UP IN THE SKY.
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO ASK.
WHO WILL GO UP
AND BRING IT DOWN FOR US
SO THAT WE CAN HEAR IT
AND OBEY IT.

NOR IS IT ON THE OTHER SIDE
OF THE OCEAN.
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO ASK,
WHO WILL GO ACROSS THE OCEAN
AND BRING IT TO US
SO THAT WE MIGHT HEAR IT
AND OBEY IT.

NO IT IS HERE
WITH YOU.
YOU KNOW IT
AND CAN QUOTE IT,
SO THEN OBEY IT’.

AND WHAT IS THIS
THAT WE KNOW SO WELL
WE CAN QUOTE IT.

IT IS FOUND IN OUR GOSPEL READING.

A MAN WENT OFF ON A JOURNEY
AND FELL AMONG THIEVES.

LYING WOUNDED BY THE ROADSIDE
IMPORTANT MEN PASSED HIM BY.

UNTIL FINALLY
ONE OF THE LOWEST
OF THE SOCIETY
IN WHICH HE LIVED,

CAME BY,
BOUND UP HIS WOUNDS
TOOK HIM TO A INN TO RECUPERATE,
PAID FOR HIS LODGING.

AND JESUS ASKED

WHO WAS NEIGHBOR TO THE MAN
WHO FELL AMOMG THIEVES,
WHO WAS NEIGHBOR TO THE MAN

WHO SHOWED HIM LOVE

AND WE ANSWER
BECAUSE WE KNOW THE QUOTE

THE ONE WHO SHOWED MERCY WE ANSWER

AND JESUS SAYS
TO ALL OF US HERE GATHERED
GO
AND DO LIKEWISE