There are many words we use in the church which aren't used in daily culture or which mean something a bit different in church than they do outside of the church. Here is a list, with definitions of some of the Vocabulary of Faith, defined from a United Church perspective:
You are invited to ponder these words and to pray them.
Amen – so be it, let it be, Yes!!!
Belief -something or someone in which you have confidence, trust and faith, such as God, something you can lean into and rest, a statement you consider true.
Bless/Blessing – a holy act of honouring, wishing good things for someone, worshipping, praising, offering gratitude. Benediction, also means blessing & means offering God’s blessing to others.
Born Again – to welcome Jesus as your life companion and commit to walking his Way. Can be a one time event or can be significant events at various times in one’s life.
Call – to feel inspired, to have the conviction that God is inviting you to take on a specific task, mission or job.
Church – a group of people, and/or the building in which they gather to worship God. Used specifically in the Christian faith.
Christ = Messiah – Christ (Greek), Messiah (Hebrew) both mean “the anointed one,” the holy one set aside for God’s mission in the world
Christian – a little Christ. Early Christians also called themselves people of The Way or followers of The Way
Congregation – a group of people who have joined together to serve God in a particular time and place. They are committed to supporting one another through times of joy and sorrow, and of encouraging and challenging one another to live more fully the Way of Jesus day by day.
Covenant – a contract between two people with God as the third party to that contract, or a contract between God and people.
Creation – God’s sacred gift to us, for which we have responsibility. We are called to live with respect in creation, to be partners with God in the mending and tending of the earth and its people.
Creed – a statement of beliefs created to express the faith of a group of people. The oldest known creed is The Apostles’ Creed. In 1968, the United Church of Canada created “A New Creed” which begins, “We are not alone; we live in God’s world.”
Epistle – one of the letters found in the New Testament. From the Greek word meaning “to send news.”
Faith – putting complete confidence and trust in God or the divine.
Forgiveness – being freed from the weight and knots of broken relationship. It may require a moment to feel forgiven or to find forgiveness to another, but often a longer process is required.
God – the holy, divine power, the creator of the universe, the energy of love, the higher power, the mender and restorer in the midst of tragedy and brokenness. God is not known in only one image, but in many images.
Gospel – one of the books telling the stories of Jesus’ life. Gospel means “good news” and was originally a military term for news announcing a victory in battle.
Grace – the free and unconditional love of God for us as well as the free and unconditional love we, as followers of the Way of Jesus, offer to each other and to neighbour, stranger and enemy.
Hallelujah –Halle means praise and jah is an ancient name for God, so hallelujah means “praise God” and is meant to be shouted!!
Kairos (time) -God’s time, which is not chronological, but spacious and gracious. When we move into kairos time, we are not watching the clock, but rather taking all the time we need to be with the person we are with or with God, relaxing into the moment.
Lay Person /Laity – all people who are not ordained or diaconal ministers within the church
Love – as spoken of in the Bible & Christian tradition, is caring, compassion, generousity & hospitality for God, self, neighbour, stranger & enemy. It is not an emotion but a choice of action.
Minister – someone who has been called into specialized leadership within the church. In some churches, this person is called the pastor or the priest. In the United Church, we have ordained ministers (to word & sacrament) and diaconal ministers (to service & education). However, every member of the congregation is considered to have a ministry to which they are called.
Ministry & Mission – each follower of Jesus, each participant in the congregation, has a unique contribution they can make to the ministry (serving others) and mission (our action in the world in response to God’s love) in this time and place
Peace – a sense of calm, quiet and courage that transcends the moment in which one finds oneself
Prayer – talking to God, listening quietly for God, taking time apart to spend in the presence of the Holy.
Repent – literally means “to turn around,” to see that something in one’s ideas, attitudes, actions & language is harmful to oneself, to others and/or to the earth, and to make the intentional choice to change (which usually involves a journey, a process toward change)
Resurrection – the celebration that, through Jesus’ actions, death does not have the final word, that life and joyfilled living are the focus, and the promise that “in life, in death, and in life beyond death, God is with us; we are not alone.”
Sacrament – using ordinary things (water, wheat & juice) to reveal the holy or sacred. In the United Church, we have two sacraments, baptism and communion, which remind us of God’s covenant with us and our covenant with God. Through the sacraments, God’s grace and love are communicated to us.
Salvation – to be healed, to be made well, to be made whole. This has the same root as “salve,” an ointment for healing.
Sanctuary – meaning safe place, resting place, a place of refuge. In the church, the large room in which we gather for worship is called the sanctuary. It is meant to be a safe resting place of refuge for us.
Sin – anything that separates us from God’s love, or breaks our relationship with another person(s) or with ourselves.
Spirit – breathe, wind, energy, life, joy – one of the aspects of God. The Spirit nudges, challenges, energizes and guides us in wisdom.
Trust – to be able to rely fully upon God, a belief and/or a community, and know that one is receiving honest, respectful, supportive, loving words and actions from that community, that helps one be all that God has called you to be.
Vocation – a job or task which you particularly feel God has called you to do. For some people, a job may be just paid employment. For others, the same job may be a vocation, a call to use their particular gifts in service of God through this work.
The Way – the earliest followers of Jesus referred to themselves as people of The Way, for they were committed to living according to the teachings of Jesus, and to following his example for living. See Romans 12:9-21 for one summary of The Way of Jesus.
X or Xst or Xian or Xmas – X (chi) is the first letter in the Greek word Χριστός which we write in English as Christ. In all of the terms listed, X is used as a short form for Christ.
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