The Courage to be Called Faithful
Luke 17: 5-10
Rev. Dr. April Johnson, preaching
We are thrilled to welcome as our guest preacher this Sunday, October 5, Rev. Dr. April Johnson. Rev. Dr. Johnson recently retired from her position as the Minister of Reconciliation for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada. She brings a deep passion for racial understanding, justice, and compassion to her work. As Minister of Reconciliation, Rev. Dr. Johnson facilitated the church-wide process of awareness, analysis, and action aimed at healing the fractures within the body of Christ caused by systemic racism. She collaborated with organizer trainers, regional and congregational staff leadership, anti-racism teams, and ecumenical partners in her efforts to guide this work. Rev. Dr. Johnson added mediation to the toolbox of Anti-Racism skills and practices in the church's pursuit to embody a Pro-Reconciling identity, In her capacity as both pastor and administrator, Rev. Dr. Johnson emphasizes the importance of building relationships across differences as one of the critical ways that we actualize God's plan for humanity and creation.
Rev. Dr. April Johnson received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, her Master of Divinity from Howard University in Washington, D.C., and her Doctor of Ministry from Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis, Indiana. She enjoys writing, expanding her cultural competence through personal travel, and spending time with her growing family, Rev. Dr. April Johnson is a native of Chicago, Illinois.
She has posed several questions to ponder in preparation for her sermon on Sunday:
How would you describe your faith life today? When you read the Gospel lesson, Luke 17:5 10, what resonates most with your current faith life?
Do you focus on the characters or the imagery of text? For example, what do you see when you read this scripture?
A mustard seed is a metaphor for a comparison of size to outcome or the ability to influence or effect change, Does the illustration of the mountain versus the mustard invite you to consider the size of your faith or your commitment to be faithful?
Also, Dr. Johnson led a Lunch & Learn after the service, focused on becoming an anti-racist congregation.
Based on Luke 17:5-10
Music this week:
Everyday
Empty Me Out
Peace in Christ
Totally Available
Courage to Be Kind
Take My Life