Seder is the festival meal that takes place during the Jewish celebration of Passover. During the meal the story of the Jewish exodus from Egypt is retold using story and song.

Some Christians celebrate Seder as a way to learn about the Jewish foundation of the Christian faith. Others because it is a reflection of The Last Supper that Christ and his disciples took part of, and because it is often used as part of the Holy Week narrative that sets the tone for Easter. In all four Gospel narratives The Last Supper is mentioned as happening at the feast of the Passover. The Exultant, which is chanted at the Easter Vigil service mentions the feast of the Passover as where Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice to take away our sins.

However, many Christians don’t participate in Seder because it is a Jewish tradition and don’t want to participate in cultural appropriation. While that can happen if the Seder is not done properly, or respectfully, a Christian Seder is a powerful addition to one’s Holy Week experience. By reinforcing one’s understanding of the Jewish tradition that Christ came from, a Christian can gain a deeper knowledge of the Passion narrative as well as connect with the story on a new level. But, it is not required to participate in a Seder to understand what Christ went through in the days leading up to his crucifixion and resurrection.

Here are a few articles and resources about Seder and Christian practicing of Seder:

http://www.crivoice.org/seder.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passover_(Christian_holiday)

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2017/april-web-only/why-christians-can-celebrate-passover-too.html

There have been three main offices of the Church: Deacon, Priest, and Bishop. We will go through each one as the ministry is different for each one.

Deacons

A deacon is a person that is ordained into the diaconate. The word deacon comes from a Greek word that means servant. In the book of Acts, we read that the Apostles would appoint deacons as a helping hand to the Apostles (Acts 6). We see deacons like Stephen, Lydia, and Phoebe in the Bible as examples of what a deacon is what are they are not. A deacon would help to care for the widows and others that society would look down upon and not even look at in that time. For this reason, a deacon is a servant to the people and is ordained to be in the midst of the people. This is why, today, during mass you see a deacon (if there is one in the parish) bring the Gospel into the middle of the congregation. It symbolizes that a deacon brings the Gospel to the people. A deacon is not only a servant of the people, but of the Bishop. The deacon assists the Bishop in the life of the Church and helps just as the deacons in the New Testament helped the Apostles.

Priests

A priest is a person that is ordained into the priesthood. A priest is a person that has been chosen to be the representative of the Bishop, and therefore Christ. A priest administers the sacraments by blessing the people and consecrating the elements in the Holy Eucharist. A priest hears confessions, celebrates the Eucharist, gives last rites, performs marriages, baptizes and is a pastor to the people. This office is an extension of the office of the Bishop.

Bishops

A Bishop is a person that is consecrated into the episcopacy. A bishop as Paul describes to Timothy is an overseer. Tradition teaches that the Apostles handed their authority down to the Bishops and so Bishops are the heirs of the Apostles. So, Bishops are in Apostolic Succession. Bishops have the same ministry as a priest because a priest’s ministry comes from the office of the Bishop. In fact, all ministry comes from the Bishop. However, a Bishop also ordains Priests and Deacons and confirms members into the Diocese.

The Apostle’s Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty,

    maker of heaven and earth;

And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord;

    who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,

    born of the Virgin Mary,

    suffered under Pontius Pilate,

    was crucified, dead, and buried.

    He descended into hell.

    The third day he rose again from the dead.

    He ascended into heaven,

    and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty.

    From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost,

    the holy catholic Church,

    the communion of saints,

    the forgiveness of sins,

    the resurrection of the body,

    and the life everlasting. Amen.

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Where Did It Come From?

First off we aren’t certain Apostle’s creed was not written by the Apostle’s! Say what? In some of it’s earliest versions the Apostle’s Creed can be traced back to the year 140 A.D. as a summary of our Christian faith by church leaders and serves as the basis for the baptismal creed.

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Phrasing

In the creed the word “catholic” means relating to the church universal the whole group of people belonging to the Christian religious tradition throughout history not the Roman Catholic Church….sorry Pope Francis. 

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Finally…. Where is it used?

Well having something that is a summary of our entire christian faith it gets used in many faith offerings. Most notably it is used in The Daily Offices, it may be used  for celebrating and blessing marriage, at the burial of the dead, the consecration of a church, and most prominently during Baptisms.