New Banner :: Reformation Sunday

On 1 November 2004, Union Presbyterian celebrated Reformation Sunday with a special service featuring music, creeds, and banners.

Tom Bibbey (right) provided trumpet music to accompany a procession of banners, each of which represents one of the Presbyterian Church (USA)'s creeds (click on each creed's name to see the banner): Nicene Creed, Apostles' Creed, Scots Confession, Heidelberg Catechism, Second Helvetic Confession, Westminster Confession, Theological Declaration of Barmen, Confession of 1967, and Brief Statement of Faith.

The Brief Statement of Faith (1983) was accepted as part of The Book of Confessions in 1991, long after a couple of church members had designed the previous eight banners which the church has widely accepted. In celebration of this Reformation Sunday, Mary Liz Beaver--with help from Barb Fagerberg and theological suggestions from Bill & Claudia Hassler--created a new banner to symbolize the Brief Statement of Faith.

Shirley Smith explains the symbolism of the banner this way: "This banner does not stand alone or apart from all the other confessional banners or creeds. It is not complete alone. It celebrates our rediscovery that although diverse, we are bound by our common faith and common task.

"The sun rising over our familiar mountain is symbolic of the resurrection and our liberation from sin.

"The white triangle at the center of the banner stands for the trinity, and the symbols of the dove, the hand reaching down, and the Greek symbol for Christ emphasizes the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Again, these symbols are repeated from the Nicene Creed.

"The black flames and the red burning cross are repeated from the Barmen Confession and symbolizes sin.

"The double white swirl represents both the omnipotence of omnipresence of God.

"The familiar church building symbolizes the church universal while the multitude of small crosses represents the fellowship of believers."

The full text of the Brief Statement of Faith is available online from the Presbyterian Church (USA).