Greetings, my dear friends of Epiphany,
I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you (Phil. 1:3-4).
I continue to be so grateful to God for you and your support of my unfolding journey towards the priesthood. My life is so abundantly blessed, I wanted to give you an update on my path-to-date.
1) My studies at the Church Divinity School of the Pacific (CDSP) are going well. I am mid-way through my low-residency Master of Divinity program. “Low-residency” means that most of my classes are online, with the exception of two times a year when I travel to campus (Berkeley, CA) for two-week “Intensives.” The classes are rigorous and invigorating. The biggest surprise for me is how close I have become with my “cohorts” around the country. Because we are online 24/7, we are part of each other’s lives in a deeply-connected, holy way. I am amazed how God works in my life through these remarkable people who are, in many ways, the future of The Episcopal Church. I am blessed, indeed!
2) The reason you don’t see me around Epiphany is that I am in “field education” as a “Seminarian” (think “intern”) at All Saints of the North Shore in Danvers, MA (ASNS). Epiphany has had seminarians in the past: Jennifer Vath and Paul Shoaf Kozak, most recently. All Saints’ gracious congregation has welcomed me with overflowing support and joy. My supervising priest, the Rev. Marya DeCarlen, is a wonderful mentor and friend. I preach once a month and serve every Sunday on the altar. God inspires and challenges me every week. Those of you who know that my calling to the priesthood was born in my work as a chaplain may be surprised to read that I am beginning to feel a
calling to parish ministry! While I miss Epiphany, I am grateful for being in such a different worshiping community that loves God equally as much as you do!
3) I am honored, humbled, and overwhelmed to report that the Commission on Ministry and Standing Committee have recommended me for Candidacy (with your vestry’s support, thank you!). That means I am no longer a Postulant, but am a Candidate. This is the next step in the process of ordination. I am humbled and grateful.
Thank you for your support of me, dear Epiphany. You all are so deeply loved by
God and me. How blessed we are to be cherished by God! You all continue to be in my prayers. God-willing, I will see you this summer on several Sundays!
Gratefully,
Brett Johnson
I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. (Eph. 3:16-19)
