Season 2, Episode 6 A Chat with Lahni Jones on Ecumenical Unity

Bio- Lahni is from a rural, “Hallmarkesque” town in Kentucky, where she lives with her husband Clay and their almost 8 year old boy and 5 year old little girl. She is a writer, where she focuses on contemplative faith reflections of what the Lord is doing in her heart and life. She co-runs a ministry with a dear friend of ours, The Accidental Abbey, where they share about Benedictine Spirituality. Summary – In this episode we visit about ecumenical unity in and throughout the Christmas season, where the passion in Lahni's heart came from, ideas for how we can implement this in the communities (Church and family) we are a part of and so much more! I know that you will be blessed by Lahni and the encouragement she brings to this episode. What we chat about: ~ definition of ecumenical (and the Bible verse this vision comes from) ~ the two great implications of the division as Christians (how we view each other, the Churches testament to Christ in the world) ~ Ways in which the Church has been divided in history ~ Division as the greatest weapon ~ Three things which ecumenical unity unites around A professed faith in Jesus, belief that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, receiving Baptism according to trinitarian practices ~ The ways in which we shatter God's image and kill our witness when we cannot get along as brothers and sisters of the Christian faith ~ Celebrating different traditions in the Church ~ Stepping outside our black and white boxes of thinking ~ The tapestry is made when we all come together ~ The beauty of Advent (even in and amid the heaviness advent often is) ~ Facing the darkness ~ The importance of community within the Church Encouraging quotes -“A divided Church does not point to the love of Christ in the world, and if a united Church is a sign that the world might believe that God sent Jesus (John 17), then a divided Church is a sign that the world may not believe that the Creator of the universe sent Christ to save them.” “Division in the Church is the greatest weapon against the world, it goes completely against the vision He gives us in John 17. At the same time, the Church and it's diversity and unity is the greatest gift of Christ to the world. This is when we can really live into this John 17 vision.” “The life and mission of the Church is strengthened when we acknowledge that we belong to one another because we belong to the same Body.”“Unity first starts in our heart. Learning to have a posture in our own hearts and homes as we encounter other traditions...denominations...friends..other people..acquaintances (whoever we come into contact with) who do things differently, that we seek to have unity in our responses with them and let go of our divisive spirit or need to be right or need to hold to such black and white thinking when it comes to traditions.” “The beautiful thing that I have found about Church history is that we each belong to such a beautiful heritage of tradition and faith with all sorts of different practices. If we can remember to keep an open heart, an open perspective in engaging with others, in our personal lives, I think it transforms the ways we see these traditions even if they are different from our own. This might even spark a desire to participate in new traditions.” “Advent is the start of the Church calendar, it's like the Church new year.” “I am going to face the darkness in the world, I am going to face the darkness in myself and at the same time I am going to hold with hope this seed of expectancy - this both and...already not yet – as I move through this season.” “Where two or three are gathered there I am among them. That is not a maybe that is an absolute. If there are two or three gathered in Jesus name, there He is.”“Yes church community is important but when that is not available there are people all around you. There are opportunities all around you.” “There are no denominations in Christ, there is just one body.” Find Lahni on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lahniblair/https://www.instagram.com/theaccidentalabbey/ On Substack - https://cadenceandcanticle.substack.com/Resources Mentioned -Chruch History Titles - *The Great Schism of 1054 * The Reformation BooksAdvent by Flemming Rutledge A Midwinter God by Christine Paintner

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