A Moment with your Mission Centre President Team

11/3/2021

Our First Weekly Wire column!

Hello from your new Mission Centre President Team! We are so excited to share our first Weekly Wire column. We want to start by saying thank you for the notes and greetings of support we have already received. We are so happy to hear from you.

The three of us would like to take this opportunity to give a warm thanks to Steve Thompson on behalf of the entire Canada West Mission Centre. Steve has modeled servant ministry in his seven-year tenure as Mission Centre President and has helped us be sustainable by serving as both Mission Centre President and Chief Financial Officer for a time, and by taking us into the territory of volunteer leadership even through the difficulties that COVID have presented us. His connections throughout the Mission Centre are strong, and he has shown by example how to strengthen the body of Christ in Western Canada. We wish Steve well, we're glad he's not disappearing, and we offer our sincere thanks!

We would also like to share an update with you on how we are moving forward with some aspects of our new MCP role. This is a “work in process” as we discern how best to serve in this shared leadership model. One of the metaphors we’ve been using to describe ourselves is Kat being the heart, Gwyn the hands, and Shannon the head! But you will often find us cc’ing one another on emails so we can all stay in the loop on what’s going on. When in doubt, email all three of us.

Here is how we are beginning to share out the work:

Kat will serve in the role of Pastor to the Pastors, and will follow the currents of Spirit as they lead from there.

Gwyn will be the liaison for the President team on the 2 campground boards. Gwyn is hoping to visit Hills of Peace in the spring of 2022. She also would like to be the team’s person in touch with the non-resident church members. Gwyn will also take on the registrations for ministers to perform marriages in different provinces. As we step into this position, there will be other things that Gwyn hopes to help with and participate in. Gwyn looks forward to meeting with all of you in person.

Shannon will take on the staff supervision aspect of the role to ensure these talented folks have the support they need to serve the Mission Centre alongside us. Shannon is our de-facto meeting convenor and facilitator/chairperson. She is also very excited to encourage and support new expressions of ministry and mission around the mission centre.

We are keen to mobilize as many volunteers as we can to support the mission centre, so we humbly ask you to share with us what aspects of Christ’s mission in Canada West speak to your heart and calling. Financial stewardship? Camping? Spiritual formation? Innovative new ministry ideas? Leadership development? Diversity and inclusion? Truth and reconciliation? Care for creation?

As we reflect on what a Mission Centre is, perhaps we may sometimes think of it as a president and staff, or as a once-a-year conference gathering, or perhaps gathering at camp, but really, the Canada West Mission Centre is you! And it’s us, and it’s a large, interconnected group of diverse disciples who are moving toward the Peaceful One together.

Our email inboxes are ready and waiting for those of you who feel the call to serve, and to those who have questions and wonderings.