week of February 16th, 2025

February Bonus Reading

During the month of February, Someday School is including as a “bonus reading” Community of Christ’s draft Statement on Nonviolence, a revised version of which will be presented at the 2025 World Conference. The World Church is asking for feedback on the draft statement by the end of February, and we hope this will help people reflect on the statement and provide feedback. You can read and annotate the draft statement here and learn more about this process (including a link to the survey for providing feedback) on the World Church website.

This Week’s Lectionary Scripture

Sixth Sunday After the Epiphany and Youth Ministries Day1

The season after Epiphany includes the weeks between Epiphany and Transfiguration Sunday.

1 Corinthians 15:12–20

Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised, and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified of God that he raised Christ—whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile, and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died.

  • What do Jesus’s death and resurrection mean to you?
  • If we die with Christ as Paul preaches, how does faith in the resurrection bring new life and new creation?
  • How might we live this faith in God’s power of new life each day?

This Week’s Text from Sharing in Community of Christ

We Share Basic Beliefs of Community of Christ 2

Preface

The good news of Jesus Christ is at the center of the faith and beliefs of Community of Christ. We are a worldwide community and are committed to follow Jesus, bring forth the kingdom of God, and seek together the revealing, renewing presence of the Holy Spirit. We offer here our Basic Beliefs, not as the last word, but as an open invitation to all to embark on the adventure of discipleship. As we seek God’s continuing guidance, we encourage all people to study the scriptures and think about their experiences as they engage in the life of the church.

God

We believe in one living God who meets us in the testimony of Israel, is revealed in Jesus Christ, and moves through all creation as the Holy Spirit. We affirm the Trinity—God who is a community of three persons. All things that exist owe their being to God: mystery beyond understanding and love beyond imagination. This God alone is worthy of our worship.

Jesus Christ

We believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, the Word made flesh, the Savior of the world, fully human and fully divine. Through Jesus’ life and ministry, death and resurrection, God reconciles the world and breaks down the walls that divide. Christ is our peace.

  • How is your understanding about these Basic Beliefs similar to or different than what is stated here?

  1. The scripture text is taken from the New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition, copyrighted in 2021 by the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States, and made available through these Licensing and Permission Guidelines. Other text is adapted from this week’s Sacred Space resource for small-group ministry, provided by Herald Publishing House. ↩︎

  2. This text is adapted from pp. 33-34 of the fourth edition of Sharing in Community of Christ: Exploring Identity, Mission, Message, and Beliefs, which was copyrighted in 2018 by Herald Publishing House. ↩︎