I believe in the Spirit of God that swept over the face of the deep and created the heavens and the earth. I believe this same Spirit swept over the waters of the Middle Passage and created the will to live deep in the hearts of our African ancestors. By God’s Spirit did we come to know that we were created by God and belonged to God, even in the days of chattel slavery.
I believe in the Spirit of God, the Almighty Creator. I believe in the grace and love of the Lord Jesus Christ, which has kept us as a people through racism, Jim Crow, lynchings, discrimination, disenfranchisement, and post-affirmative action.
I believe the same Jesus who suffered on the cross and who equipped the apostles with grace in their persecution suffers with us in our tribulations and provides grace for every situation. I know that Jesus is walking with us even now, and that God knows us no matter the challenge. I believe in the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I believe in the Holy Spirit and the sweet communion of saints She creates. I believe that by the Holy Spirit our ancestors were empowered to found Sunday schools, churches, learning centers, and homes that have given us the foundation for the abundant living we have been promised. By the Holy Spirit, we are empowered to live in community with one another, with love and peace. I believe in the power of the Holy Spirit.
I believe in the Triune God, who has covered our past, present, and future with grace, hope, and love. May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with us, now, and forevermore. Amen.
Written by Marilyn E. Thornton, The Africana Worship Book: Year A © 2006 Discipleship Resources. Used by permission.
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