June
2, 2014
Pastorgraphs: “The Flame”
I learned
something a few weeks ago from “Chuck”, (aka Josh Childs of Nashville). His
video series, “Chuck Knows Church” http://www.chuckknowschurch.com/
is most informative and easy to understand. Both non-church folks and those who
have been participating in liturgical worship all their lives (but never
stopped to ask “Why do we do that?” or “What is that?”) find his short, often
humorous explanations about everything from the Christian calendar to the
symbolism of the Methodist logo, enlightening. I sure do.
It was his
segment on the Methodist logo that blessed me. I have been saving it for this
week, because this Sunday is Pentecost. And if you watch Chuck, you will learn
(if you don’t already know) that Pentecost is the end of Easter: fifty days
after the Resurrection when the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples as
“tongues of fire”. (And you thought Easter ended at sundown on Easter Sunday,
didn’t you? Now be honest!) Rejoice, O Christians, we still have a week of
EASTER!
For Israel,
Pentecost was the Feast of Weeks, now known as Shavuot, celebrating God giving
Moses the Law on Mount Sinai.
Well back
to the enlightenment.
In this day
and age, every denomination has a logo, an easily recognizable symbol that
conveys the essence of that particular branch of Christendom. For United
Methodists, it is “The Cross and Flame”. You see it on street signs pointing
the way to the nearest Methodist church and on just about every Methodist
church building and church lawn sign.
The Cross
and Flame represents two of the three Persons of the Holy Trinity. The cross,
of course, represents Jesus Christ. It is an empty cross, for HE IS RISEN. The
flame represents the Holy Spirit, who, on Pentecost Sunday, descended upon the
church, empowering them to share the gospel with all nations, races and
languages.
Now stay
with me on this.
It was in
1968 at the merger of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren
(EUB) Church (to form The “United” Methodist Church) that the bishops decided
we should have a logo signifying our unity.
After
reviewing a dozen or so finalists, the current logo was approved.
But here is
something you probably didn’t know. Why are their TWO tongues of flames? One is
for The Methodist Church, and the other is for the former Evangelical United
Brethren Church.
Now you
know why I find that interesting. Christ Ministry Center has roots that go back
to 1912 and was for many years known as First EUB Church of San Diego. It was
the largest EUB Church west of the Rockies, and home to the EUB Annual
Conference in 1953.
Whenever
there is a church merger, usually the smaller church is absorbed into the
larger. It doesn’t take long before the legacy of the former church is
forgotten. I am proud of both our EUB and Methodist history, and claim our
heritage with honor.
I’m always
delighted when I see the Methodist logo. We are the most geographically diverse
denomination in the USA. While Baptists are strong in the South, Catholics in
the Northeast and Southwest, Lutherans in the Midwest – and so on – Methodists
are EVERYWHERE! And so is that logo.
But knowing
half of the Flame represents the Evangelical United Brethren makes me doubly
proud.
Happy
Pentecost!
Devotedly
yours, Bill Jenkins
From the
Quote Garden:
“The dove
descending breaks the air
With flame of incandescent terror
Of which the tongues declare
The one discharge from sin and error.
The only hope, or else despair
Lies in the choice of pyre or pyre-
To be redeemed from fire by fire.
Who then devised the torment? Love.
Love is the unfamiliar Name
Behind the hands that wove
The intolerable shirt of flame
Which human power cannot remove.
We only live, only suspire
Consumed by either fire or fire.”
~ T.S. Eliot, Four Quartets ~
With flame of incandescent terror
Of which the tongues declare
The one discharge from sin and error.
The only hope, or else despair
Lies in the choice of pyre or pyre-
To be redeemed from fire by fire.
Who then devised the torment? Love.
Love is the unfamiliar Name
Behind the hands that wove
The intolerable shirt of flame
Which human power cannot remove.
We only live, only suspire
Consumed by either fire or fire.”
~ T.S. Eliot, Four Quartets ~
Christ United Methodist Ministry
Center
“Christ
in the Heart of San Diego”
3295
Meade Avenue - San Diego, CA 92116 - (619) 284-9205
Home of
Exodus
Parish
News from Around Christ Ministry Center:
“EVERY GOOD FRIDAY”
Events
Lifeline
Stroke Prevention Screening
Thursday,
September 4, 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Tentative
date for Lifeline Screening to set up at Christ Ministry Center for screening
to prevent stroke with early detection. More on this as we get closer to
September 4. (This “Every Good Friday” event will be on Thursday because they
will need the whole first floor of our facilities for this health screening
opportunity.)
For more information on these events, call our office 8:00-11:00 or
12:-3:30, Monday through Friday. Thanks in advance for helping get the word
out!
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