The Nicene (and the Apostles’) Creed both follow a Trinitarian pattern. They look at each Person of the Godhead and then teach us a bit about who they are what they have done... or are doing. The line about the Church (we believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church) is in the section telling us about the work of the Holy Spirit.

Bringing us all together into one body – whenever or wherever we have lived – is the work of the Holy Spirit who is the ‘Lord, the giver of life’. We come from all over the world and we have lived in all different times and contexts. But all Christians are bound together in one Church!

If you have a world map, or a globe, this would be a great time to get it out... and to maybe pray for Christians from all over the world. You’ll get some great ideas for how to pray here: https://youth.opendoorsuk.org/

and why not have a think about some Christians from history. I’m a big fan of the torchlighter series for younger kids. They are pretty good animations of Christian biographies from throughout history. you can find a number of them for free on youtube. Though I’ve put one right here to get you started! It’s the story of Eric Liddel, who we’ll be thinking about later this summer!!!

And our reading for this week celebrates the reality that we are all together in one rich and diverse body of believers in heaven. We are not reduced to a monochrome mono-culture. John can still see that these are people from the full variety of cultures and nations and ethnicities. That’s what the Holy Spirit is working towards as He brings us together into congregations as people become Christians today.

That does raise some obvious questions which you might want to discuss as a family... about why there are so many different Churches, and why it is that doing things ‘our way’ seems more important than doing things ‘together’? ...about whether there should be Churches that limit themselves to people from a particular culture, or age-group? ...about why God wants us to be together in worship, life and mission? ...about what it is OK to change as other people join a congregation, and about what needs to stay the same? ...about what we would be prepared to change to make others feel like they belong?

These can seem like big ideas, but introducing them now mean that we have the categories to discuss them as we grow older, and might help us from making mistakes as Christians later on in life!

As a family, why not do a bit of research. Pick one part of Church life, and see if you can find out how Christians from different parts of the world do it differently? For example, in the Philippines, they baptise someone by having them stand in a basin of water, whilst pouring another basin of water of them... Maybe have a look at how they celebrate Easter? or how they do communion?

Could you support a Church somewhere else in the world, or a missionary, or a local evangelist?

If you would like to do some more study on last week’s reading (Rev.7:9-17), then here are some questions for you:

Why do you think all the different cultures and nationalities are still evident in the Church in heaven? What does this teach us about our nation / tribe / language / people?

What do you think the white robes represent? Why is everyone wearing them?

What else does everyone in the Church have in common?

How does vv.15-17 answer the Church’s experience of ‘tribulation’ (v.14)?

Can you think of something from the Bible (and maybe from your own experience) that is a good example God’s wisdom? ...that the Church would want to thank God for? ...that shows God’s honour? ...His power? His strength?

Why is Jesus pictured as a Lamb in v.10? How does that connect with God’s salvation of the Church?

Do you like the idea of Jesus as Lamb, or as Lion (see e.g. Rev.5:5) more? Why? Do you find it hard to think of Jesus as both these things?