Never lose the wonder of one's family connections!

Glenna and Arlo Johnson continue to experience the enjoyment of connecting to their natural and spiritual family members! Under a separate blog, Predessors, Peers and Descendants, you can read the story of their experiences in the natural and spiritual families with which they are connected. The writing referred to above is quite detailed, however, in this brief writing under the title of "The Lincoln Connection," it is Arlo's desire that members of "The Lincoln Connection," e-mail him information about their location in this natural family! Contact Arlo at glennarlo@telus.net

ABRAHAM LINCOLN is Arlo Johnson's third cousin, four times removed! Mordecai Lincoln fathered nine children, and among them were his sons, John and Thomas. Ultimately, John had a Great Grandson, Abraham Lincoln, and he became one of the greatest presidents of the United States of America. At a later time, Thomas had a Great, Great, Great Grandson by the name of Oscar John Lincoln, and he became the Grandfather of Arlo Johnson on October 25, 1932.

Arlo Johnson grew up on his parents farm in southern Saskatchewan, Canada, less than two miles from the farm of his Grandpa and Grandma Lincoln. He completed elementary school while on that farm, and then went to Regina to attend High School. During short periods of time during his attendance at High School, he lived at his Grandpa Lincoln's residence at 2100 Rae Street in Regina. Following his graduation from high school, Arlo attended two years of Bible College at the Full Gospel Bible Institute in Eston, Saskachewan. Following his completion of his studies, he and Glenna Hillstead were married on July 25, 1952. In late September, 1952 he and his wife assumed pastoral leadership of the Fauquier and Burton Full Gospel Churches in the villages of Fauquier and Burton, British Columbia. For a period of time in 1955-56 they served as intrim pastors at the Beaubier Pentecostal Church, and the Pangman Bethel Mission. Then in August, 1956 the young family moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba to plant the Weston Gospel Church. In July, 1965 they left Winnipeg to assume leadership of Omaha, Nebraska's Bethel Assembly of God congregation. In July, 1970 they returned to their home church to give pastoral leadership in Regina's Bethel Temple. Then in December, 1975 Glenna and Arlo went to Peterborough, Ontario to pastor Calvary Pentecostal Church. It was in November, 1978 that they took up residence in Prince George, British Columbia, where they, after 24 years, concluded their pastoral ministry in July, 2002. Since that time, Arlo and Glenna have involved themselves in a ministry to pastoral leaders in the trans-denominational Church at home in Canada, and overseas! Arlo has been a key leader in ten different Mission Trips to the Nation of Sri Lanka. During his later years of ministry, Arlo has been involved in leading Tours to Israel.

He began touring Israel in July, 1984, and he finished his 12th Tour of Israel in November, 2008. The wonder of viewing the Land of the Bible has never diminished for Arlo and Glenna Johnson! Going on tour in Israel is like going home! Glenna and Arlo have always felt very peaceful in their tours in Israel, and adjoining countries.

Arlo has toured Israel with as few as eight members, and many times with numbers upward to 40 members. They have usually done add-ons following their Israel Tours. These add-ons have included the Sinai, Egypt, Jordan, Greece, Rome, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and the United Kingdom. These Tours have proved to be memory making times with fellow members of the Family of God!

Shalom and Aviva Even of Payless Travel in Toronto, Ontario have been the one and only Tour Company responsible for Arlo and Glenna's travel arrangements to Israel and beyond! Shalom and Aviva are personal friends of Arlo and Glenna. It is likely that George Krahn and Tony Vigar will take up Tour arrangements to Israel in the future. So if you have interest in future travel to Israel, please contact Shalom Even at 800-838-0656.

In recent years, members of these Tour Groups have made connections to several of the Messianic Leaders who have been active in the promotion of spiritual life in the nation of Israel.

Update: Here is the first of what I hope will be many responses to THE LINCOLN CONNECTION ... On July 8, 2009, I received an e-mail from Brian Jorgensen of Florida, here are certain excerpts from that e-mail: "I found your website early this morning, I do believe that God directed me to do this search before going to work. God's timing is always perfect! My older brother, Dan and I are connected to The Lincoln Family Heritage. In 1985 Cecile Johnson and Annie Lincoln traveled to St. Paul, Minnesota to meet my mother, along with Dan and myself. What a wonderful visit we had with them! I remember asking Cecile as to the time that she last saw my Grandfather [William Derry]. Cecile said that she had seen him in 1921. Dan still lives in St. Paul, while I moved to Florida in 1991." Note by Arlo: Here is Dan and Brian Jorgensen's line of descendants traced back to family members from which Arlo Johnson also descended: Charles [Anna Palmer] Lincoln's second daughter was Sarah Olive Lincoln [born November, 1870. Died December 22, 1932] who married Joseph Powers Derry. Their first son was William Derry [seen by Cecile Johnson in 1921] who married Wilma Ronning. The third child born to this marriage was Mary Naomi. Later she married Jorgensen, and two boys were born to this marriage; Dan [September 15, 1953], and Brian [October 30, 1955]. It was Brian that set me the foregoing e-mail. Charles [Anna Palmer] Lincoln's seventh child was Oscar John Lincoln [born October 19, 1881. Died December 15, 1967] who married Alta Craig, and birthed Cecile Carolyn Lincoln January 26, 1903. Cecile married Harry Wesley Johnson, November 10, 1920, and Arlo Ansol Johnson was the third child born to that marriage on October 25, 1932. Arlo married Glenna Hillstead on July 25, 1952, and four sons were born to this marriage, Grady Arlin (September 14, 1953), Marlo Gene (December 27, 1954), Randy Lee (December 28, 1955), and Sheldon Boyd (October 8, 1959). According to Wikipedia Dan and Brian Jorgensen are Arlo's SECOND COUSINS, ONCE REMOVED, while Arlo and Glenna's four sons are THIRD COUSINS to DAN and BRIAN JORGENSEN.

ARLO A. JOHNSON can be contacted further at arlojohnsonsblog.blogspot.com