Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Earth, the purgatorial planet

Brian Grandon
Brian Grandon
Place

Christ Church Unity of El Cajon

311 Highland, El Cajon

Membership: 80

Pastor: Brian Grandon

Age: 53

Born: Tacoma, WA

Formation: Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, WA; Unity Institute and Seminary, Kansas City, MO

Years Ordained: 1

San Diego Reader: What is your favorite topic on which to preach?

Pastor Brian Grandon: Love, because that’s all it really takes. That’s what Jesus talked about predominantly. He talked about money a ton, but he boiled down the law and the prophets to loving God and your neighbor as yourself. Loving yourself implies unconditional love.

Sponsored
Sponsored

SDR: Why Unity?

PG: The human is made in the image and likeness of God — and that is spirit. So, it’s the spirit which keeps the whole universe alive. So, if people don’t ask Jesus to be their Lord and Savior, does that mean they’re going to hell? Well, that brings us back to John — where Jesus said supposedly that “I am the way, the truth and the life and no one gets to the father but by me.” This is the biggest bone of contention with Evangelical Christians; but what was Jesus really saying? I believe he was saying that through the Holy Spirit he was representing the pathway to spirit. Jesus gave us the example of daily communion with God, getting away from everyone and going to a quiet place in communion with God.

SDR: What is the mission of your church?

PG: We just rewrote our mission. Of this particular church, our new mission statement is that Unity Church of El Cajon provides fertile ground for discovery, healing, support, connection and happiness. Through prayer, meditation, inspiration, fellowships, and fun, lives, families and communities are transformed. Our vision is to be a welcoming spiritual home where the presence of God inspires and transforms lives.

SDR: Where do you go when you die?

PG: I don’t doubt there is reincarnation, but I believe we’re continually evolving. People come into this lifetime — if you’d had more than one child you can recognize that people are at different levels of consciousness. How could it be fair — how could there be a just God — if someone is so physically or mentally handicapped — where’s the fairness in that? But if we’re all evolving, then multiple lifetimes could be seen as one life. We’re all on a path and perhaps we’ve all had different ailments over time to balance the books, if you will. So, in my experience, I guess I have no problem with reincarnation or the billions of people who believe in it.

SDR: Is there divine justice or retribution for people who have lived wicked lives?

PG: I believe that God doesn’t stand there as a gatekeeper and say, “You there, you there, and you there.” It’s automatic; we’re drawn to a magnetic pole based on our actions. Jesus said, “In my father’s house there are many mansions” I believe there are multiple facets of heaven and hell — not just hell, purgatory, and heaven. I think Earth is purgatorial; we’re working out our salvation.... I think there is a whole lot of truth everywhere, but there are relative degrees of truth everywhere. Humility is the key to letting go of what I learned yesterday so I can realize what I’m learning today. I don’t believe in a geographical place called hell, but we put ourselves there — and it’s only a moment of surrender that gets us out.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Centennial Salute to San Diego’s Military, East Village Block Party, Birding Basics Class

Events March 29-March 30, 2024
Brian Grandon
Brian Grandon
Place

Christ Church Unity of El Cajon

311 Highland, El Cajon

Membership: 80

Pastor: Brian Grandon

Age: 53

Born: Tacoma, WA

Formation: Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, WA; Unity Institute and Seminary, Kansas City, MO

Years Ordained: 1

San Diego Reader: What is your favorite topic on which to preach?

Pastor Brian Grandon: Love, because that’s all it really takes. That’s what Jesus talked about predominantly. He talked about money a ton, but he boiled down the law and the prophets to loving God and your neighbor as yourself. Loving yourself implies unconditional love.

Sponsored
Sponsored

SDR: Why Unity?

PG: The human is made in the image and likeness of God — and that is spirit. So, it’s the spirit which keeps the whole universe alive. So, if people don’t ask Jesus to be their Lord and Savior, does that mean they’re going to hell? Well, that brings us back to John — where Jesus said supposedly that “I am the way, the truth and the life and no one gets to the father but by me.” This is the biggest bone of contention with Evangelical Christians; but what was Jesus really saying? I believe he was saying that through the Holy Spirit he was representing the pathway to spirit. Jesus gave us the example of daily communion with God, getting away from everyone and going to a quiet place in communion with God.

SDR: What is the mission of your church?

PG: We just rewrote our mission. Of this particular church, our new mission statement is that Unity Church of El Cajon provides fertile ground for discovery, healing, support, connection and happiness. Through prayer, meditation, inspiration, fellowships, and fun, lives, families and communities are transformed. Our vision is to be a welcoming spiritual home where the presence of God inspires and transforms lives.

SDR: Where do you go when you die?

PG: I don’t doubt there is reincarnation, but I believe we’re continually evolving. People come into this lifetime — if you’d had more than one child you can recognize that people are at different levels of consciousness. How could it be fair — how could there be a just God — if someone is so physically or mentally handicapped — where’s the fairness in that? But if we’re all evolving, then multiple lifetimes could be seen as one life. We’re all on a path and perhaps we’ve all had different ailments over time to balance the books, if you will. So, in my experience, I guess I have no problem with reincarnation or the billions of people who believe in it.

SDR: Is there divine justice or retribution for people who have lived wicked lives?

PG: I believe that God doesn’t stand there as a gatekeeper and say, “You there, you there, and you there.” It’s automatic; we’re drawn to a magnetic pole based on our actions. Jesus said, “In my father’s house there are many mansions” I believe there are multiple facets of heaven and hell — not just hell, purgatory, and heaven. I think Earth is purgatorial; we’re working out our salvation.... I think there is a whole lot of truth everywhere, but there are relative degrees of truth everywhere. Humility is the key to letting go of what I learned yesterday so I can realize what I’m learning today. I don’t believe in a geographical place called hell, but we put ourselves there — and it’s only a moment of surrender that gets us out.

Comments
Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Reader Music Issue short takes

Obervatory's mosh pit, frenetic Rafael Payare, Lemonhead chaos, bleedforthescene, Coronado Tasting Room
Next Article

2024 continues to impress with yellowfin much closer to San Diego than they should be

New rockfish regulations coming this week as opener approaches
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.