Whiteboard: Trying to be One

It is one of the most important scripture readings for us as Disciples...and no, it doesn't involve Communion!

As Disciples of Christ we proudly declare that "Unity is our Polar Star" and so one of our guiding scriptures has always been John 17:11 where Christ himself declares, "Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one."

"That they may be one."

It is Christ's prayer for us, and it is our prayer as well.

This Sunday we'll be talking about Christian Unity, in a Sunday that is specially billed as Education Recognition Sunday. We'll be honoring our recent graduates at the beginning of the service, thanking our Sunday School Teachers and Worship and Wonder Leaders at the end of the service, and celebrating the God that makes us one all throughout the service!

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John 17:1-11 Jesus Prays for His Disciples

After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.

‘I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.