Press On: Paul’s letter to the Philippian Christians reminds them of his reasons for having confidence in the flesh. He reminds his readers of his credentials as a Jewish leader and his background as a persecutor of the heretical Christians. But he then confesses that whatever gains he had he came to regard them as loss. […]
Author: Glenn Johnson
March 21: True Easter People
March 21: True Easter People 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 10I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters,* that our ancestors were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3and all ate the same spiritual food, 4and all drank the same spiritual […]
March 14: A Journey that follows Jesus the Peaceful One
The cross is an ugly and grotesque symbol of death, and yet as followers of Jesus, the Peaceful One, we are invited to “stand firm in the Lord” while utterly powerless as members of the community of Christ who profess peace and cry for justice.
Green Congregation Checklist and Other Ideas
I participated in a learning and a worship experience with Evangelist Susan Oxley today who shared insight into Earth Stewardship, Sacredness of Creation and Climate Change. Susan is a member of the North America Climate Justice Team, an ad hoc committee of Community of Christ members; and Susan is also a former Apostle and current […]
Oh Who Will Build the Church Now? Kanisa Litajengwa!
Oh Who Will Build the Church Now? Kanisa Litajengwa! 2020 was a year like no other. The challenges facing the church were unprecedented and historic. But I want people to know that despite all the loss and anxiety caused by the pandemic we will rebuild and we will recover. The enduring principle that All Are […]
Pentecost in Modern-Day Community of Christ
Pentecost in Modern-Day Community of Christ One of the marvels of trying to fathom the gift of the Holy Spirit is the sort of parallel truths that the Gift of the Holy Spirit is both an individual blessing as well as a community blessing. We understand Pentecost as a community blessing because the scripture in […]
Gratitude
Gratitude “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” Psalm 118:1 Have you ever had big decisions to make, big choices to be made? Maybe as an individual or maybe even as a congregation. I remember when we started the church plant in Covina, California we spent about a year […]
Opening Our Minds to the Scriptures
Opening Our Minds to the Scriptures In the 24th chapter of the Gospel of Luke, we read that Jesus opened the minds of the disciples to understand the scriptures: Then he said to them, ‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the […]
Singing the Sacraments
Singing the Sacraments When we purposefully enter into sacred space and seek to become more fully aware of God’s divine presence, moments of spiritual meaningfulness occur and we become more fully mindful of divine purposes in us. I had one such experience at the Temple in Independence in 2018 during the Writers’ Summit. I arrived […]
With Sighs Too Deep for Words
As we continue in this season of Eastertide, I am reminded of the first two verses of Shirley Erena Murray’s Hymn “God of All Time” in Community of Christ Sings: (CCS 270) God of all time, all seasons of our living, blazing before our birth, beyond our dying, God of all time, we come to […]