Charlotte Johnson
@revcharjohnson.bsky.social
Episcopal priest, spiritual director, reader, knitter, and lover of mapless travel. She/her.
www.revcharlottejohnson.com is my spiritual direction site.
www.revcharlottejohnson.com is my spiritual direction site.
Pinned
My early career as a preschool classroom formed me to value others’ freedom, loves, needs, and expression over my own desire to control the environment or the outcomes I wanted for them.
It’s been the perfect training for parish ministry.⚓️
It’s been the perfect training for parish ministry.⚓️
Reposted by Charlotte Johnson
As of this morning, Starbucks workers across the country are officially ON STRIKE. And we're prepared for this to become the biggest and longest ULP strike in Starbucks history.
Say #NoContractNoCoffee with us: DON'T BUY STARBUCKS for the duration of our open-ended ULP strike! $SBUX
Say #NoContractNoCoffee with us: DON'T BUY STARBUCKS for the duration of our open-ended ULP strike! $SBUX
November 13, 2025 at 11:33 AM
As of this morning, Starbucks workers across the country are officially ON STRIKE. And we're prepared for this to become the biggest and longest ULP strike in Starbucks history.
Say #NoContractNoCoffee with us: DON'T BUY STARBUCKS for the duration of our open-ended ULP strike! $SBUX
Say #NoContractNoCoffee with us: DON'T BUY STARBUCKS for the duration of our open-ended ULP strike! $SBUX
This little guy loves poking that long snout into every single hole he can find in freshly fallen snow. So much for brisk winter walks!
November 12, 2025 at 4:19 AM
This little guy loves poking that long snout into every single hole he can find in freshly fallen snow. So much for brisk winter walks!
⚓️
As a minister in Chicago, I give thanks for the varied ways people of faith are showing up. Since June, several clergy and lay people have gathered outside the Federal courthouse weekly for a prayer service. Most weeks, passersby join in. We can't all go to Broadview, but we all can pray and act.
UPDATE: Reached out to the Rev. Hannah Kardon, a United Methodist minister who was there that day and has been active in religious demonstrations at Broadview.
“They are making it clear that they are scared of prayer … it speaks the truth that what they are doing in that building is evil.”
“They are making it clear that they are scared of prayer … it speaks the truth that what they are doing in that building is evil.”
November 8, 2025 at 11:46 PM
⚓️
As a minister in Chicago, I give thanks for the varied ways people of faith are showing up. Since June, several clergy and lay people have gathered outside the Federal courthouse weekly for a prayer service. Most weeks, passersby join in. We can't all go to Broadview, but we all can pray and act.
UPDATE: Reached out to the Rev. Hannah Kardon, a United Methodist minister who was there that day and has been active in religious demonstrations at Broadview.
“They are making it clear that they are scared of prayer … it speaks the truth that what they are doing in that building is evil.”
“They are making it clear that they are scared of prayer … it speaks the truth that what they are doing in that building is evil.”
November 8, 2025 at 11:46 PM
As a minister in Chicago, I give thanks for the varied ways people of faith are showing up. Since June, several clergy and lay people have gathered outside the Federal courthouse weekly for a prayer service. Most weeks, passersby join in. We can't all go to Broadview, but we all can pray and act.
Reposted by Charlotte Johnson
In late September, my family and I lost our matriarch, my abuela. I've been a bit all over the place since. My abuela moved to our hometown in the 70s. She loved it even as one of the first Mexican families there.
It's been targeted every day by ICE. I wrote about it.
buttondown.com/camrodriguez...
It's been targeted every day by ICE. I wrote about it.
buttondown.com/camrodriguez...
11/5/25: On repacking your unpacked funeral clothes
an obituary I couldn’t bring myself to volunteer to write; a walk through Chicano history; thoughts about grief and the government; photos from reporting trips.
buttondown.com
November 6, 2025 at 4:17 AM
In late September, my family and I lost our matriarch, my abuela. I've been a bit all over the place since. My abuela moved to our hometown in the 70s. She loved it even as one of the first Mexican families there.
It's been targeted every day by ICE. I wrote about it.
buttondown.com/camrodriguez...
It's been targeted every day by ICE. I wrote about it.
buttondown.com/camrodriguez...
Reposted by Charlotte Johnson
this morning, ICE went into a Spanish language immersion daycare and took a teacher from the building in front of screaming and crying kids and parents at dropoff and the daycare had to shut down for the day (near Lane Tech, where they were yesterday). Really hoping today's "theme" is not "daycare."
November 5, 2025 at 2:22 PM
this morning, ICE went into a Spanish language immersion daycare and took a teacher from the building in front of screaming and crying kids and parents at dropoff and the daycare had to shut down for the day (near Lane Tech, where they were yesterday). Really hoping today's "theme" is not "daycare."
Reposted by Charlotte Johnson
These Chicago restaurants are offering free or discounted meals during SNAP pause: blockclubchi.co/47DM5Ys
November 3, 2025 at 5:01 PM
These Chicago restaurants are offering free or discounted meals during SNAP pause: blockclubchi.co/47DM5Ys
⚓️
Today we had a 5 yo sibling putting their hand in the font while I blessed the water to baptize their baby sib. They stood in wide-eyed wonder at how ordinary and wet the water felt, even as the sacrament proclaimed the water holy and holy-making (in its way). My first baptism here was joyous.
November 3, 2025 at 3:48 AM
⚓️
Today we had a 5 yo sibling putting their hand in the font while I blessed the water to baptize their baby sib. They stood in wide-eyed wonder at how ordinary and wet the water felt, even as the sacrament proclaimed the water holy and holy-making (in its way). My first baptism here was joyous.
November 3, 2025 at 3:47 AM
Today we had a 5 yo sibling putting their hand in the font while I blessed the water to baptize their baby sib. They stood in wide-eyed wonder at how ordinary and wet the water felt, even as the sacrament proclaimed the water holy and holy-making (in its way). My first baptism here was joyous.
#chicago
This is sad and scary. The boys were certainly not older that 12, but old enough that their parents let them go by themselves.
This is sad and scary. The boys were certainly not older that 12, but old enough that their parents let them go by themselves.
In my Chicago neighborhood where ICE and other agents are grabbing people off park benches, front lawns, and from cars, the kids are trick-or-treating.
Three school-aged white boys were wearing black hoodies with hoods up, gray or black face masks/gaiters, and red maga caps.
These were costumes.
Three school-aged white boys were wearing black hoodies with hoods up, gray or black face masks/gaiters, and red maga caps.
These were costumes.
October 31, 2025 at 10:00 PM
#chicago
This is sad and scary. The boys were certainly not older that 12, but old enough that their parents let them go by themselves.
This is sad and scary. The boys were certainly not older that 12, but old enough that their parents let them go by themselves.
In my Chicago neighborhood where ICE and other agents are grabbing people off park benches, front lawns, and from cars, the kids are trick-or-treating.
Three school-aged white boys were wearing black hoodies with hoods up, gray or black face masks/gaiters, and red maga caps.
These were costumes.
Three school-aged white boys were wearing black hoodies with hoods up, gray or black face masks/gaiters, and red maga caps.
These were costumes.
October 31, 2025 at 9:22 PM
In my Chicago neighborhood where ICE and other agents are grabbing people off park benches, front lawns, and from cars, the kids are trick-or-treating.
Three school-aged white boys were wearing black hoodies with hoods up, gray or black face masks/gaiters, and red maga caps.
These were costumes.
Three school-aged white boys were wearing black hoodies with hoods up, gray or black face masks/gaiters, and red maga caps.
These were costumes.
⚓️For our 4th Sunday back in the church, we'll celebrate All Saints with a baptism. And then, we'll bless the new Columbarium directly after the postlude.
It's the first of three Sundays of baptisms in November, making up for almost two years of church in a restaurant banquet hall.
It's the first of three Sundays of baptisms in November, making up for almost two years of church in a restaurant banquet hall.
October 31, 2025 at 12:02 PM
⚓️For our 4th Sunday back in the church, we'll celebrate All Saints with a baptism. And then, we'll bless the new Columbarium directly after the postlude.
It's the first of three Sundays of baptisms in November, making up for almost two years of church in a restaurant banquet hall.
It's the first of three Sundays of baptisms in November, making up for almost two years of church in a restaurant banquet hall.
Reposted by Charlotte Johnson
My latest. "Do not allow your values to be captured and contained behind a screen in a cycle of inactive reaction. Jailbreak your cynicism and isolation, and escape your devices. Bring your hope, rage, and potential into the world."
We Have to Move
"There are living, breathing people all around you who need your sense of decency to be made material. Don’t give up on them, or on you."
organizingmythoughts.org
October 24, 2025 at 7:46 PM
My latest. "Do not allow your values to be captured and contained behind a screen in a cycle of inactive reaction. Jailbreak your cynicism and isolation, and escape your devices. Bring your hope, rage, and potential into the world."
Reposted by Charlotte Johnson
Some orgs to donate to compiled by @ meganquitefrankly on IG
October 24, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Some orgs to donate to compiled by @ meganquitefrankly on IG
Reposted by Charlotte Johnson
I facilitated an emotional support & grief space tonight for Chicago folks impacted by ICE violence and/or supporting resistance efforts. We ended with Audre Lorde’s poem A Litany For Survival, so I wanted to share it here too.
“So it is better to speak
remembering
we were never meant to survive.”
“So it is better to speak
remembering
we were never meant to survive.”
October 24, 2025 at 1:32 AM
I facilitated an emotional support & grief space tonight for Chicago folks impacted by ICE violence and/or supporting resistance efforts. We ended with Audre Lorde’s poem A Litany For Survival, so I wanted to share it here too.
“So it is better to speak
remembering
we were never meant to survive.”
“So it is better to speak
remembering
we were never meant to survive.”
Reposted by Charlotte Johnson
If you were at #NoKings #NoKingsChicago yesterday & are looking to get more connected to ongoing efforts, I’m gonna share a few things that I frequently recommend to people. The first is obvious & timely, given the state of our city.
(I’ve learned I need to put 🧵 lol yay I’m learning the Internet)
(I’ve learned I need to put 🧵 lol yay I’m learning the Internet)
Block Club Chicago offers an extensive list of ways that you can support immigrant neighbors and families through rapid response and mutual aid.
Look For The Helpers: How Chicagoans Are Supporting Their Neighbors Amid ICE Raids
As President Donald Trump deploys federal agents in the city and suburbs, locals are finding ways big and small to help each other. Here's how you can help, too.
blockclubchicago.org
October 19, 2025 at 3:05 PM
If you were at #NoKings #NoKingsChicago yesterday & are looking to get more connected to ongoing efforts, I’m gonna share a few things that I frequently recommend to people. The first is obvious & timely, given the state of our city.
(I’ve learned I need to put 🧵 lol yay I’m learning the Internet)
(I’ve learned I need to put 🧵 lol yay I’m learning the Internet)
Reposted by Charlotte Johnson
“As we absorb the news that federal agents have arrived in the Bay Area to carry out a major immigration action, I want to speak directly to our community. When fear moves through our streets, the Church must move with something stronger. We stand with the vulnerable because it is the way of Jesus”⚓️
As we prepare for a large deployment of ICE agents here in our beautiful San Francisco Bay Area, here is a message of solidarity from our Episcopal bishop of this area, Austin Rios ⚓️
mailchi.mp/diocal/lette...
mailchi.mp/diocal/lette...
Declaración del Obispo Austin K. Ríos / Statement from Bishop Austin K. Rios
mailchi.mp
October 23, 2025 at 1:47 PM
“As we absorb the news that federal agents have arrived in the Bay Area to carry out a major immigration action, I want to speak directly to our community. When fear moves through our streets, the Church must move with something stronger. We stand with the vulnerable because it is the way of Jesus”⚓️
Reposted by Charlotte Johnson
For folks asking if they've made it *inside* a Home Depot yet as the business has clearly just continued letting agents do whatever they want in their lots, the answer is yes. This is from yesterday in Evanston.
October 22, 2025 at 6:33 PM
For folks asking if they've made it *inside* a Home Depot yet as the business has clearly just continued letting agents do whatever they want in their lots, the answer is yes. This is from yesterday in Evanston.
Reposted by Charlotte Johnson
The letter is signed by an unusually broad array of Christian clergy, progressive and conservative, including the Right Reverend Paula Clark, Episcopal Bishop of Chicago. ⚓️
religionnews.com/2025/10/21/a...
religionnews.com/2025/10/21/a...
After clergy arrests, religious pushback to ICE expands in Chicago
(RNS) — More than 210 mostly Chicago-area clergy, representing a range of liberal and conservative traditions, have signed a letter criticizing ICE titled ‘Jesus is Being Tear Gassed at Broadview.’
religionnews.com
October 21, 2025 at 8:14 PM
The letter is signed by an unusually broad array of Christian clergy, progressive and conservative, including the Right Reverend Paula Clark, Episcopal Bishop of Chicago. ⚓️
religionnews.com/2025/10/21/a...
religionnews.com/2025/10/21/a...
Also special: the nonprofit org actually grew up out of COS's feeding ministry. I heard stories last night of many couples in which the "churchy" spouse would be part of COS, the "not-churchy" one would volunteer in the feeding ministry.
I love a community with many pathways to participation.
I love a community with many pathways to participation.
⚓️One reason I felt called here is our history of providing practical care, all the way back to caring for victims of the Chicago Fire in 1871.
Today, we celebrated the new Parish Commons building. One level houses a nonprofit that offers food, clothing, medical care and more to people in need.
Today, we celebrated the new Parish Commons building. One level houses a nonprofit that offers food, clothing, medical care and more to people in need.
October 19, 2025 at 12:17 PM
Also special: the nonprofit org actually grew up out of COS's feeding ministry. I heard stories last night of many couples in which the "churchy" spouse would be part of COS, the "not-churchy" one would volunteer in the feeding ministry.
I love a community with many pathways to participation.
I love a community with many pathways to participation.
⚓️One reason I felt called here is our history of providing practical care, all the way back to caring for victims of the Chicago Fire in 1871.
Today, we celebrated the new Parish Commons building. One level houses a nonprofit that offers food, clothing, medical care and more to people in need.
Today, we celebrated the new Parish Commons building. One level houses a nonprofit that offers food, clothing, medical care and more to people in need.
October 19, 2025 at 12:26 AM
⚓️One reason I felt called here is our history of providing practical care, all the way back to caring for victims of the Chicago Fire in 1871.
Today, we celebrated the new Parish Commons building. One level houses a nonprofit that offers food, clothing, medical care and more to people in need.
Today, we celebrated the new Parish Commons building. One level houses a nonprofit that offers food, clothing, medical care and more to people in need.
Reposted by Charlotte Johnson
NEW: Spoke w/Rev. Hannah Kardon, the UMC pastor arrested in this clip (she confirmed she was, in fact, arrested).
At ~18 seconds in, you can see an State Police officer using a club like a battering ram on someone in the crowd.
"That was my leg," Kardon told me, adding she already has a bruise.
At ~18 seconds in, you can see an State Police officer using a club like a battering ram on someone in the crowd.
"That was my leg," Kardon told me, adding she already has a bruise.
State troopers in riot gear just plowed into the crowd, started arresting protesters and clergy.
October 17, 2025 at 7:55 PM
NEW: Spoke w/Rev. Hannah Kardon, the UMC pastor arrested in this clip (she confirmed she was, in fact, arrested).
At ~18 seconds in, you can see an State Police officer using a club like a battering ram on someone in the crowd.
"That was my leg," Kardon told me, adding she already has a bruise.
At ~18 seconds in, you can see an State Police officer using a club like a battering ram on someone in the crowd.
"That was my leg," Kardon told me, adding she already has a bruise.
Reposted by Charlotte Johnson
Rogers Park and surrounding neighborhoods were hit hard by immigration enforcement activity over the weekend.
There's no competition here, but I want to name that the same heavy, violent, fast-moving abduction pattern has invaded the southwest side about three times a week for over a month now.
There's no competition here, but I want to name that the same heavy, violent, fast-moving abduction pattern has invaded the southwest side about three times a week for over a month now.
October 14, 2025 at 3:13 AM
Rogers Park and surrounding neighborhoods were hit hard by immigration enforcement activity over the weekend.
There's no competition here, but I want to name that the same heavy, violent, fast-moving abduction pattern has invaded the southwest side about three times a week for over a month now.
There's no competition here, but I want to name that the same heavy, violent, fast-moving abduction pattern has invaded the southwest side about three times a week for over a month now.
Reposted by Charlotte Johnson
My latest is the story of how my community has rallied to protect and defend our neighbors in recent days, as ICE has targeted the Rogers Park neighborhood in Chicago. "This is not a story about a moment of victory, but a moment of being reminded of our power."
They Came for Our Neighbors. We Showed Up.
Before long, there were dozens, and then hundreds of people in the streets, watching and responding.
organizingmythoughts.org
October 13, 2025 at 1:20 AM
My latest is the story of how my community has rallied to protect and defend our neighbors in recent days, as ICE has targeted the Rogers Park neighborhood in Chicago. "This is not a story about a moment of victory, but a moment of being reminded of our power."
Reposted by Charlotte Johnson
incredibly moving to watch the rapid response groups learn the schedules of local churches and show up to escort at risk people home and to vehicles for safety. rogers park has a lot of suffering right now and also an extraordinary amount of people showing up in profound community.
October 12, 2025 at 7:07 PM
incredibly moving to watch the rapid response groups learn the schedules of local churches and show up to escort at risk people home and to vehicles for safety. rogers park has a lot of suffering right now and also an extraordinary amount of people showing up in profound community.