A Moment with the Canada West Mission Centre President - Part 6

Steve Thompson
President, Community of Christ Canada West Mission Centre

Black Lives Matter           
Indigenous Lives Matter           
​Lives of People of Colour Matter

It is already the FOURTH Wednesday of July! How did that happen? It is a beautiful day here in Edmonton as I write, but it does not seem that we have had our quota of really warm (read “hot”) summer weather yet. Perhaps where you live summer has been more generous.
 
As the last weekend of July approaches, I realize that I am truly missing the in-person camps and reunions that normally mark my time at this time of year. But our online alternatives have proven to be very well received. We have had 36 kids registered across the Junior, Junior High, and Senior High online camps. Participation has come from BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and even Washington State. A real benefit of this platform for the camp has been bringing youth together from across the mission centre and beyond. A big thank you to Lisa Neudorf, and her event directors, for putting this program together.
 
Coming up, starting this weekend, is the Canada West 2020 Online Reunion! You will find program details and logon information elsewhere in this week’s Weekly Wire. I want to encourage participation across all of the mission centre in this event – just like the kids have shown us by example. You can pick and choose the events that most interest you, and you need not feel guilty about skipping the ones that do not. There are events aimed at every age group. Check out the schedule and mark the sessions of interest to you on your (electronic) calendar. We will have guest ministry from Zac and Katie Harmon-McLaughlin – who were guests at last year’s Hills of Peace Reunion. And I would be remiss if I did not suggest that both the online campfire and the talent show promise to be highlights of the week, just as they always have been in the traditional Samish Reunion. Thanks to Chris Phelps and his planning team for putting together this event.
 
Next up will be the online edition of the Canada West Mission Conference. It will happen from Friday evening, September 11, through Sunday, September 13. Watch for program details in next week’s Weekly Wire. Joey Williams, who was our originally scheduled guest minister for the conference, will join us for some of our events. Watch for that information and keep those dates on your calendar. Also – in case this invitation has not come to you – check with your Pastor about being a delegate for your congregation for the business meetings. If you are not registered in a congregation and live in any of the provinces and you are interested in being a delegate, please contact me.
 
As you are all aware, we are not “out” of this COVID-19 pandemic yet. It is the reason our camps are online. It is the reason we are not yet back to weekly worship services in our congregations. Please continue to exercise the infection-control measures recommended by all health authorities. Hopefully we can re-start weekly services in some form in September.
 
As always, I pray for you God’s blessings of guidance, understanding, and peace in these challenging times.
​
​​​Steve Thompson
Canada West Mission Centre President
steve@communityofchrist.ca