Tearing Down Social Walls
“God, the Eternal Creator, weeps for the poor, displaced, mistreated, and diseased of the world because of their unnecessary suffering; such conditions are not God’s will. Open your ears to hear the pleading of mothers and fathers in all nations who desperately seek a future of hope for their children. Do not turn away from them. For in their welfare resides your welfare.” —Doctrines of the Saints 2e:25-26 (Community of Christ Doctrine and Covenants 163:4a)
Fear has no place in worship, and only succeeds in expanding the divide between cultures and beliefs. Are there places where Christians could be stoned to death for their beliefs today? Yes. But there are still plenty of places where racism, anti-semitic, anti-Islam, and homophobic thinking is so prevalent that lives have been lost. The only way to improve the status quo is to teach our children to understand the differences we all share, and teach them to love and care for all people, as Christ did.
Dr. Martin Luther King’s message was one of social and economic equality. Today it is easy to underestimate the complexity of this issue. His message, his dream, was one of true equality–not just racial equality. Race and gender are parts of this much larger and very complex puzzle.
Jesus Came to Mary
The following is the transcript of Kristine’s Easter 2020 message.
On this Easter Sunday, we worship together in celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. After the atonement, Jesus was crucified, his spirit left his body, and his body was laid to rest in a sepulcher or tomb. On the first day of the week, Sunday, Jesus’ spirit and body were reunited and He rose.
A Contrite and Humble Spirit
Note: This article was originally posted June 20, 2020.
“For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” -Isaiah 57:15
As we read the above scripture from Isaiah, we heard God tell us that He dwells with those who have a humble and contrite spirit. But, what does it mean to have a contrite spirit?
Love not Contention
“Contend against no church, save it be the church of the devil; take upon you the name of Christ, and speak the truth in soberness, and as many as repent, and are baptized in my name, which is Jesus Christ, and endure to the end, the same shall be saved.” -Doctrines of the Saints 12:35-36, Avahr 25:40
When we discuss differing opinions, it should be remembered that all are welcome to their beliefs in all matters. We cannot expect one’s beliefs to override the witnesses and testimonies another has received from God. 
When one feels entitled to answers they come to the table with the spirit of antagonism. This is Ego, speaking in a Kabbalistic sense. It is a seeming entitlement to ‘rightness’ as the sole proprietorship of truth being displayed by Ego.
The Tree of Life
“And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.” -Genesis 2:9
In the Garden of Eden it is said there were two very important trees: the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The fruit of the tree of good and evil is a representative of the impulsive or reflexive submission to God’s law vs the endowment of moral autonomy (Genesis 3:22). It is the ability to choose and discern good from evil autonomously. By contrast, the the tree of life represents God’s love through Christ.
The Lord is My Shepherd
“When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory; and before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats.” -Matthew 25:31-32
Today we have an opportunity to serve others in Christian love in the most simplest of ways. I am talking about our duty as Christians to take care of one another by getting vaccinated. Yes, there are those out there that call us “sheep” for accepting the Covid-19 vaccine or other vaccines the Lord has provided us through the miracle of science. And I for one am happy to be one of Jesus’ sheep, as He is the Good Shepherd.
Love Thy LGBTQIA+ Neighbor
“Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for they that loveth another hath fulfilled the Law… Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the Law.” -Romans 13:8, 10
God’s Law as defined by Paul here is pretty clear. It’s my opinion that anything that doesn’t support or falls outside of ‘love one another’ is fluff, extra. It is unfortunate that some Christians today seem to be unable to look past their own discomfort to attempt to understand why the concerns of the LGBTQIA+ might be applicable or relevant to the Church. Do people think LGBTQIA+ people feel love from institutional exclusion and extreme historical and ongoing persecution?
Together in Sisterhood
The following revelation has not been voted on and sustained as canon for use in the Church of Jesus Christ in Christian Fellowship by the Assembly of Saints. We ask the Latter Day Saints read, study, and pray over this revelation before voting.
As early as November of 2019 Kristine, the co-president of the Church of Jesus Christ in Christian Fellowship, received a revelation to the Fellowship and the Sisterhood of Christ. She did not, however feel the time was right to write this revelation down. On May 19, 2020 being in the Spirit of the Lord, she felt the time had come and recorded the following:
Ordinances of the Saints 2022
“And Christ hath said: ‘If ye will have faith in me, ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me.” –Moroni 7:35 RAV, 7:33 OPV
This second edition of Ordinances of the Saints is a quick reference guide to Priesthood ordinances for the Church of Jesus Christ in Christian Fellowship. This should not be seen as Law, or set in stone. It is a guide for those that are new or need reminding on various ordinances. It is also to help perspective brothers and sisters wishing to enter the ministry. In addition, appendixes have been included with more information on various priesthood topics.
Poly Problems
Polygamy (used here to describe polygyny, a marriage in which one man has multiple spouses; polyandry, a marriage in which one woman has multiple spouses; polyculy, those having more than one husband and wife, or a group marriage) are ways some relationships are enjoyed. They aren’t for everyone and not every person that identifies as “poly” is in a polygamous relationship. And that’s okay. There is a misguided idea floating around that choosing to make another person’s feelings and desires a priority in any way somehow makes that other person selfish. This is an extremely pessimistic and self-serving point of view.