Unity at St. John's and Grace
12/14
"As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." - John 17:21b-23
In the 17th chapter of the gospel according to John, Jesus earnestly prays for his followers. In his long prayer to God, he covers many subjects, but one of the most prevalent ones is that he wishes that his followers will live together in unity. He asks God to bind together all his followers so that they will be one as he and the Father are one.
Unfortunately, Church history shows that Jesus' prayer has been desperately needed. Those of us who call ourselves Jesus' followers have seen fit to separate and divide ourselves in so many ways throughout the centuries. However, here at St. John's, we are working to reverse this trend of division by working closely together with our brothers and sisters of other denominations in our area.
This Sunday we are going to celebrate one such relationship. This coming Sunday we gather together, Episcopalians with Lutherans, to celebrate the special ministry and community we have become together. Through the hard work of clergy and lay people throughout the last couple of decades, St. John's Episcopal and Grace Lutheran have come together in fellowship, outreach, and study to be Jesus' followers in unity in Franklin. I hope you will be here to celebrate this historic occasion of unity and peace in the church!
"As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." - John 17:21b-23
In the 17th chapter of the gospel according to John, Jesus earnestly prays for his followers. In his long prayer to God, he covers many subjects, but one of the most prevalent ones is that he wishes that his followers will live together in unity. He asks God to bind together all his followers so that they will be one as he and the Father are one.
Unfortunately, Church history shows that Jesus' prayer has been desperately needed. Those of us who call ourselves Jesus' followers have seen fit to separate and divide ourselves in so many ways throughout the centuries. However, here at St. John's, we are working to reverse this trend of division by working closely together with our brothers and sisters of other denominations in our area.
This Sunday we are going to celebrate one such relationship. This coming Sunday we gather together, Episcopalians with Lutherans, to celebrate the special ministry and community we have become together. Through the hard work of clergy and lay people throughout the last couple of decades, St. John's Episcopal and Grace Lutheran have come together in fellowship, outreach, and study to be Jesus' followers in unity in Franklin. I hope you will be here to celebrate this historic occasion of unity and peace in the church!
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