 Kevin Thompson lives in Wichita, Texas. After years of searching for a spiritual home, he discovered Community of Christ through Beyond the Walls. Participating in the global ministry of Community of Christ in Canada, Kevin learned about Celebrate Mission, which inspired him to find ways to serve in his own local community. Although he isn’t connected to a nearby congregation, Kevin discovered a ministry that spoke to his heart.
On Sunday, April 27, members and seekers from around the world gathered online for worship and celebrated the mission Kevin accomplished. Later that day, another seeker who participates regularly shared this comment on YouTube: “I MYSELF RECEIVED MEALS ON WHEELS WEEKLY AND AM SO THANKFUL AND BLESSED FOR ALL THOSE WHO DONATE. THANK YOU.” Please take three minutes to read Kevin’s testimony below. His story reminds us how our ministries connect and empower people to live out Christ’s mission wherever they are. Kevin’s Story Last month during one of the Sunday services, Leandro made a point to emphasize that we should “celebrate mission” and highlighted the importance of spreading the word about ways we are able to serve. It made sense in that we could encourage others to serve and make people aware of opportunities where we, as Christians, can spread the love of Christ in our communities—be they local, national, or global. I felt inspired to reach out and report that I have found the perfect opportunity to serve in my local community in North Texas every week. Meals on Wheels is a program that makes sure that the disabled, elderly, and other homebound residents across Texas receive freshly prepared hot meals at lunch Mondays through Fridays without having to go shopping or prepare the meals themselves. Weekend and holiday meals are also provided. This service is available thanks to its dedicated employees and members of the community who volunteer a portion of their day (or days) weekly to hand-deliver the meals to our fellow residents. It is an opportunity for volunteers to connect with individuals who often have few, if any, opportunities on a daily basis to see or speak to another living human. We help to fight social isolation in a very real way. I have been blessed by the opportunity to serve the meals that Meals on Wheels provides. Pulling up to each residence, knocking on each door, and seeing the smiling face of whomever I am serving fills my heart with joy. I have had meal recipients say things like, “This is my favorite part of the day,” as they receive their meals with humble gratitude. It allows seniors to age in place in many instances thanks to the daily well-checks. We help many to avoid or delay the need for assisted living or a nursing home. At $7 per meal, the cost per home delivery adds up to less than 3% the cost of a nursing home. When we deliver each meal, we observe the state of the person’s overall wellness, guaranteeing that their living space is safe, adequate, and that they are functioning successfully there. A recent survey of programs shows 4,262 Health and Safety Interventions statewide where volunteers helped a client in distress. Meals on Wheels connects homebound residents to critical wraparound services such as medical care, home repair, and transportation services. The program is funded by local and state donations and grants and has a sizable economic impact. When considering employee salaries, vehicles purchased, food purchased, building acquisitions, and maintenance, at the state level it provides almost $200,000,000 in revenue. That’s 16.2 million meals provided with over 33,000 daily clients. Considering all this, the fiscally conservative state legislators have classified Meals on Wheels as not just another expendable social assistance program—it is seen as a vital community resource. This is how I have been inspired to live mission in my community and to celebrate mission with all of you! What are the ways you are living mission in your community? I urge you to share your story with us so that the entire Beyond the Walls community can celebrate with you.
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 Over the past few months, the Mission Centre Design Team has worked to envision a Mission Centre that will bring together congregations, campgrounds, and programs across Canada. The team includes representatives from British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario to ensure that the new Mission Centre reflects the traditions, ministries, and mission taking place both regionally and locally. Their work is rooted in the hopes members across Canada shared through the All Voices discernment process, summarized in the Onward Together statement.
The team was subdivided into five groups under the leadership of Vonda DenBoer (Canada East Mission Centre Co-President) and Shannon McAdam (Canada West Mission Centre Co-President). These are the groups and their goals:
Each group has drafted a recommendation for all members and friends to review. These are now available on the Mission Centre Design Team page. We invite everyone to read the five documents and share your feedback with the Design Team at [email protected]. Your input will help shape the final recommendations to be presented at reunions, camps, and fall conferences.  Discover fresh perspectives and deepen your understanding with free, live Zoom sessions presented by the Centre for Innovation in Mission and Ministry (CIMM) through Community of Christ Seminary at Graceland University. This spring’s offerings begin with a multi-part exploration of Ignatian Meditation led by Don Compier—an opportunity to engage deeply with spiritual practice in a welcoming, online setting.
These short-form sessions offer space to explore theology, spirituality, and community life in a relaxed and accessible format. Most sessions are held on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 PM Central and run for about an hour, including time for live Q&A. Join from the comfort of your home and connect with others who are curious and eager to learn. If you miss a session or want to revisit one, past recordings are available on the CIMM YouTube channel. Upcoming Mini Sessions: April 30 – Ignatian Meditation Exercises with Don Compier (Part 1) May 7 – Ignatian Meditation Exercises with Don Compier (Part 2) May 14 – Inclusive Language – Jane Gardner May 21 – Ignatian Meditation Exercises with Don Compier (Part 3) May 28 – Ignatian Meditation Exercises with Don Compier (Part 4) Summer Break: June–August Register now at www.graceland.edu/cimmsessions to attend any or all of these free sessions. Everyone is welcome—bring a snack!  Brian Carwana, Director of the Encounter World Religions Centre (EWR), was interviewed by CBC News Network and CityTV Toronto following the death of Pope Francis. His insights affirmed EWR’s growing reputation as a Canadian voice on global religious issues.
Brian reflected on Pope Francis’ humility, his advocacy for the poor, and his groundbreaking outreach to other faiths. Brian highlighted the Pope’s historic visit to Canada, where Francis apologized to First Nations communities for the Catholic Church’s role in residential schools. This spirit of openness and dialogue, even on divisive issues, won the respect of many across faith boundaries. Watch the clip via CBC News (Originally aired on CBC News Network) https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.6730850 About Encounter World Religions: Encounter World Religions is a unique educational organization that promotes religious literacy through educational, cultural, and spiritual encounters with the world’s religious communities. In our increasingly diverse world, understanding our neighbours is essential. The centre was originally organized by members of our church and today offers religious literacy programs to the community. Learn more about Encounter World Religions at https://www.worldreligions.ca/  The Conferences and Representation Committee of the Mission Centre Design Team discussed the current representation models–member and delegate–and revised the previous recommendations based on the feedback provided by members across Canada. The team is now offers a new set of draft recommendations:
We would love to receive your questions, ideas and comments via email to [email protected] and [email protected] Team: John Scherer, Bryce Taylor, Marian Thompson Co-Chairs: Vonda DenBoer, and Shannon McAdam Please visit the Design Team page to learn more and stay up to date on the latest information.  The Board of Directors of the Canada Corporation of Community of Christ met on March 18, 2025, with a spirit of collaboration and shared purpose. Our discussions reflected both the care and dedication of those who serve on the Board and the deep commitment to strengthening the church’s presence and mission in Canada.
Board members, including world church leaders and Canadian volunteers, gathered with guests Ron Rowbottom and Shannon McAdam. Key Highlights from Our Meeting Strategic Planning & Mission Centre Development The Board received updates on our strategic plan, focusing on aligning staff with our priorities. We are working with a human resources consultant to develop position descriptions as we prepare to hire a Camping and Campgrounds Director, followed by a Leadership Development and Congregation Support Director. Other roles will be refined to better support our strategic plan. Vonda DenBoer and Shannon McAdam reported on the progress of the All Canada Mission Centre Design Team, highlighting the significant number of volunteers from across Canada participating in the process. They shared that the work is being shaped by a spirit of curiosity and collaboration. Subcommittees are engaging deeply with different aspects of the transition, with initial recommendations expected in April and a draft proposal anticipated by June. Financial Stewardship & Global Support Scott Murphy presented fourth-quarter 2024 reports on our financial support of church efforts in Zambia and the Philippines, which the Board reviewed and accepted. One key development was the approval of an amendment to the 2025 Worldwide Mission Budget, reallocating some funding from translation work to support mission initiatives within Canada. This shift ensures that resources are directed toward vital mission opportunities. Strengthening Operations & Services Sam Smalldon, Executive Director of the Corporation, also highlighted key activities, including preparations for the 2024 audit, updates to banking and investment authorities, and support for mission-aligned partners. A particularly joyful moment was the approval of a grant to World Accord to assist in their strategic planning efforts. The Board expressed gratitude for the opportunity to support this work, which will strengthen World Accord’s ability to serve communities in need. The Board also acknowledged our support for sustainability reviews for campgrounds, which are deeply valued by many Canadians. Sam emphasized that Community of Christ in Canada is ready to provide additional support to congregations with clear and compelling mission plans. Business Services & Bylaws Review The Business Services Committee, led by Ron Rowbottom, continues to make strong progress, having completed 60% of identified action items. Key updates included insurance negotiations, ongoing challenges in securing liability and abuse coverage, and the formation of a committee to expand the Certified Youth Worker program in Canada. This expansion aims to align more fully with Canadian best practices for those serving the entire vulnerable persons sector. Recognizing the evolving needs of the church, the Board also established a Bylaw Review Committee to ensure our governance structures remain effective and aligned with our mission. Looking Ahead With a strong focus on governance, sustainability, and mission, the Board remains committed to ensuring the necessary support for all those working to foster a vibrant and faithful presence for Community of Christ in Canada. We look forward to gathering again on May 20, 2025, as we continue this important work together. Thank you for your prayers and support as we move forward in faith and community.  By John Hamer. As human beings, we fall into weekly and even daily routines. Sometimes it’s difficult not to be swept up by the news cycle. It’s easy to lose sight of the larger perspective or to appreciate what can be accomplished when we commit together to sustained effort over the course of years and decades. I had occasion to reflect on this principle last Thursday, as I participated in a long anticipated groundbreaking ceremony. For many years I have volunteered my service as president of the Sionito group of charities, which provides affordable and subsidized housing here in Toronto, in many cases for individuals who would otherwise be at risk of being homeless. The charity began half a century ago when members of the congregation rehabbed distressed apartments in the neighborhood of our old church, as a way to provide housing for refugees from Latin America. Members of the newly housed community felt that we had a little piece of “Zion” — God’s peaceable, equitable kingdom, here in Toronto — and so they called the apartments, “the little Zion” (“Sionito” in Spanish). Over the years, the charity expanded to include three buildings with a total of 133 apartments in Toronto and added a sister charity, Zerin, which is developing more buildings in London, Ontario. Unfortunately, the crisis of housing injustice is still with us and is, perhaps, more acute than ever. Housing justice is an issue of which everyone who lives in a city has long been aware. And as housing has become ever less affordable, it is an issue that has now come to the attention of everyone in Canada. Fortunately, decades of work have given us expertise, equity, and strong partnerships, allowing the charity to construct an all-new development. The new building will include 158 apartments, more than doubling the good work we are currently able to provide. At the groundbreaking ceremony, Bryce Taylor, CEO of the Sionito Group of Charities and a member of the Gathering Place+ congregation, remarked, “all social support starts with the need for housing [...] We at Sionito fit into this societal support system by providing housing for seniors impoverished by mental health challenges at a time in their life when they are fighting just to maintain their independence and their activities of daily living. We will give them that and more in this building [...] this project shows how citizens can come together in this society of ours in Canada and citizens can make Canada the more civil society.” The world needs community, and Sionito is a powerful example of what can be accomplished when people who share values work together to confront a global issue in their own neighborhood.  The team met and discussed the current methods of budget and finance management for congregational and campground support—the assessment method in the east and the generosity model in the west.
We recognize that campgrounds and camping programs need to identify priorities and share that information so people can respond to the need. There are a variety of ways in which generosity is realized—through finances, skills, labour, time, food, and other necessary supplies. The ways individuals and congregations respond to missional and campground needs will vary based on capacity. Funding for the mission comes from a variety of sources: congregations, individuals, investment returns, and other sources. Canada West Mission has used a generosity model for congregations for the past two to three decades, while Canada East Mission has developed and used an assessment model. Some congregations have indicated issues with meeting their assessments, and there is no fair model for assessment to meet every congregation’s concerns. The team recommends:
We would love to receive your questions, ideas, and comments via email at: [email protected] Team: Sandra Hunter, Brian Shantz, Roy Young, Sam Smalldon Co-Chairs: Vonda DenBoer and Shannon McAdam Please visit the Design Team page to learn more and stay up to date on the latest information.  “Quick-segesis: A Quick Exegetical Process for Worship and Preaching”
Join us for the final two sessions in the current CIMM Wednesday night minis series, as Tony and Charmaine Chvala-Smith offer a two-part exploration of “Quick-segesis: A Quick Exegetical Process for Worship and Preaching.” This approach offers a condensed version of their 8-part Introduction to Scripture class from the Ministry and Priesthood series. These free sessions are open to all. No registration is required—just come as you are and enjoy thoughtful, accessible learning. The sessions will take place Wednesday, April 16 and Wednesday, April 23 at 7:00 p.m. CDT / 6:00 p.m. MDT / 5:00 p.m. PDT / 8:00 p.m. EDT via Zoom. Zoom link and session details can be found here  The Community of Christ Historic Sites Foundation, in partnership with Community of Christ, is offering a new summer opportunity through the Alma Blair Internship Program.
This year’s position is based at the F. M. Smith Library on the Graceland University Lamoni campus. The selected intern will work with the university archives, assisting with the organization and exploration of the archival collection. To learn more or apply, please visit the job posting. |
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