 The Reaching Out Centre's "Be a Blessing" initiative is something we have wanted to begin for some time. We were made aware of a need at a local school where students were coming to school hungry and teachers were working to provide food for them. Some of the teachers were making it themselves. We believed that we could help so we set out to create a program where we could help. Our program prepares food packages that the children can access on Mondays and Tuesdays every other week. This past Sunday (Mother's Day), we packaged up food that will be available the following Monday. We are trying to get two days’ worth of food out of our efforts and so far, we have been successful. Our next Be a Blessing prep day will be on May 24, starting at 11AM. This is also an All In Sunday for us, another separate program but one which integrates the Be a Blessing Program for this month. We encourage you to come out and help. It is a great way to give back! If you would like to learn more, visit reachingout.ca/events to see when our next Be a Blessing prep day is. You can also sign up for emails to receive the latest news and updates. If you would like to support this amazing initiative, contact James at [email protected]
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 By Apostle Shannon McAdam
Recently I watched a video that warned against losing hope in the face of what’s happening in the world today. At the end, the creator said: “and don’t worry, if you are losing hope, you can have some of mine, I’ve got loads!” I liked this because I feel the same way much of the time: a big part of my job is to share my hope with you when yours is waning. I want to tell you about how you can help build hope in three places (though really there are way more than three!) where hope is needed today. I noticed these three places when I was preparing for a recent meeting of the Canadian Community of Christ Corporation Board. These three places stood out to me when I was reviewing how Worldwide Mission Tithes, generously given by Canadians, were used in 2025. The first place I noticed is the Philippines! Right away I paid attention due to my recent trip there for the International Resource Summit. The specific project listed was funding Marylou’s position as the Mission Centre Financial Officer for the Philippines Mission Centre. It was a delightful surprise to see her name because I had the joy of meeting Marylou at the summit, and her deeply faithful ministry of generosity impressed me. Her wise, hospitable approach, and care for every person are evident in everything she does. As I read the report of all her travels in 2025, I pictured the dirt roads and rural landscapes that I, too, visited. Marylou brings hope to many in places where life can be very hard. The second place I noticed was Zambia, and I noticed it because I saw the name of the person employed there, Patrick, and wondered “is this the Patrick I met at the Summit?” I looked deeper and discovered to my surprise and delight that indeed it is the same Patrick. Patrick who I had meaningful conversations with over lunch and in the jeepney rides back to our hotels at night. Patrick is a dynamic, deeply thoughtful, and hope-filled minister of vision. Investing in Patrick is not only an investment in growing the church in Africa, where he is bringing hope to people in need through supportive community, but also an investment in future leaders in Community of Christ around the world. And the third wasn’t a surprise so much as a reframing. The third is the whole Aurora Belt mission field that I help lead – because I am one of those line items that Canadian Worldwide Mission Tithes pay for! And as I mentioned at the beginning, I see one of the key parts of my job as bringing you hope. I bring it by encouraging your experiments, by maybe challenging you to see the world and your discipleship in new ways, and by sharing stories of hope with you. I have deep gratitude for the fact that my livelihood relies on your generosity, and I do not take that generosity for granted. These three places are only the tip of the iceberg in terms of how your generosity can grow hope in the world. So, the next time you are thinking about where to share generously, I encourage you to consider what you give to Worldwide Mission Tithes. Your response brings more hope than you can imagine – hope that our world desperately needs today. Thank you for your generous response  By Vonda DenBoer, Director of Camping & Campground Sustainability
I had the privilege of attending my grandson’s school talent show recently, and it left a lasting impression on me. About 500 children from kindergarten through grade eight assembled. Many stepped onto the stage and when they did, they shared their talents with remarkable courage. Some sang, others played instruments, some danced, and others performed gymnastics. There was a wide range of experience—some polished, some just beginning—but every single performance carried something meaningful. What stood out most wasn’t perfection, but bravery. A few children performed right after particularly strong acts, which could easily intimidate anyone, yet they stepped forward with confidence and gave their best. In a world that often demands flawlessness, it was refreshing to witness such authenticity. Even more powerful was the atmosphere in the room—one of respect, encouragement, and genuine appreciation for every performer. Each child was seen, supported, and celebrated. It reminded me of our camping programs, where similar values take root: building confidence, nurturing courage, and creating space for everyone to participate and grow, where they also experience lifelong sacred connection. That is why I so strongly value our camping programs. Experiences like this leave me hopeful. When children are given the chance to be vulnerable and are met with kindness and affirmation, they grow into individuals who value inclusion and lift others up. That kind of environment doesn’t just shape better individuals—it shapes a better world. I’m grateful to have witnessed such joy and humanity.  Emerge: An online meetup for youth ages 14-18—May Be part of something special—Emerge is an online space where youth ages 14–18 can meet new friends, share experiences, and grow together in community. Everyone is welcome, and we’d love to see you there! 🗓️ Sunday, May 24 🕕 7pm ET/ 6pm CT/ 5pm MT/ 4pm PT Bylaws survey summary A summary of responses from the October 2025 bylaws survey, conducted in response to World Conference Resolution 1335, is now available for review. The First Presidency extends its gratitude to all who participated in the survey. New worship resources and guided meditation now available New resources are now available through When We Gather: Pentecost, including a guided meditation video based on Chizaso Chunga’s poem “Not Alone, But Together,” written during the International Resource Summit in the Philippines. Additional resources inspired by Acts 2, including the full poem, are also available to support personal reflection, prayer, and gathering in community during the Pentecost season. Partnering with local organizations in the Philippines Community One Resource Development (CORD) and Outreach International are partnering to support community-led development work in the Philippines, building on more than fifty years of ministry and service. The partnership combines local relationships, leadership, and development work to support families and communities across the country.  What happens when people from different cultures who speak different languages sit together to create resources for worship, devotion, and learning? Chad Godfrey from Lee’s Summit, Missouri, reflects on his experience at the Community of Christ International Resource Summit in the Philippines, highlighting the connection between the transformation described in Acts 2 and what is taking shape in the church today. Chad shared his reflection on Beyond the Walls on May 3.
You could see it everywhere: shared meals, small-group conversations, worship that moved between stillness and celebration. Music spilling out into the streets. Singing in markets. Dancing, laughing…creating. It honestly felt like a real-life “We Are the World” unfolding in real time. And I had the privilege of capturing it through photography and film—documenting not just what was happening, but what was being formed between people. Because this summit wasn’t just about creating new resources. It was about becoming a new kind of community. One of the most meaningful ideas we encountered was a Filipino word: damayan. It’s often translated as “mutual help,” but it means so much more than that. “Damayan” is about showing up for one another—not to fix, not to solve, but to stand alongside. To say, “you don’t carry this alone.” And that spirit shaped everything. People listened deeply across language barriers and cultures. Stories that might have been overlooked were honoured. Voices that hadn’t always been centred were lifted. There was a kind of courage in the room—the courage to decentre ourselves, to make space, to trust that something better could emerge when everyone belongs. And it did. I saw people offering their stories, their music, their prayers, their art—not as performances, but as gifts. I saw friendships form that crossed continents. I experienced what it means to be a global church—not in theory, but in practice. And while filming interviews, we heard story after story of how meaningful this gathering was. Here’s a short reflection from one of the participants I had the privilege of interviewing, Bishop Chizaso Chunga in Malawi: “As an international church, I can see that connection through the resources that are there. And I saw talent. I saw God inspiring the group, inspiring us to write poems, songs. The material that will come out of these, the resources which will come out of this event will be wonderful and a turning point for the church. We are really creating a new community for Community of Christ internationally because the resources that are coming up—the songs that are coming up from the group, the poems, the prayers—they are very much inspiring. You look at how, from nowhere, a group can sing a song, a chorus together without any problems. This is really amazing, and our church really will be inspired internationally. And they are contextually relevant because from Malawi I can see either a poem or a prayer from there… I can see from Kenya, from Honduras, from Canada—as a church united and together singing songs. I see God working throughout this week.” What he describes—that’s exactly what it felt like. A new kind of community taking shape. Not built on sameness, but on shared purpose. Not led by one voice, but carried by many. Outside of our sessions, that same spirit continued—in the rice fields, in the barangays, in the marketplaces full of life and colour. In the quiet beauty of early morning dew. In the overwhelming generosity of the Filipino people. Everywhere, there was this reminder: we belong to each other. And maybe that’s what I’ll carry forward the most. Not just the images. Not just the stories. But the way people leaned toward one another—with curiosity, with humility, with love. Damayan. A way of being that feels like justice. Like kindness. Like the Spirit made visible. I left the Philippines with new friendships I know will last a lifetime. But more than that, I left with hope—hope that the church can be more global, more inclusive, more connected. Hope that we don’t do this work alone. Because in the end, this is Christ’s mission: one we were always meant to live together  By Lanette Vawter, Director of Leadership Development I’ve just returned from a vacation to the south of France, where I spent several days visiting medieval villages. As we walked through narrow cobblestoned streets, I noticed the charm and beauty of the thresholds and doorways. These are everyday homes that are still occupied, although updated with modern conveniences. It occurs to me that to cross a threshold is an opportunity to encounter the holy. The beauty of a threshold can make us pause and encounter ourselves, the world, and the holy in a deeper way. These medieval thresholds had me pausing and contemplating a thousand years of souls crossing a similar threshold across a vast span of time. The beauty of the old cathedrals, the azure colour of the Mediterranean Sea, and the ringing of a church bell can all be thresholds to the sacred if we pause long enough to sense this. Closer to home, it might be our church doors, campgrounds, the forests, or beautiful music that open a threshold within us to the holy. Today, as you go through a doorway or move from one location to another, perhaps try pausing for a moment to notice the beauty and the holiness as you cross this threshold.
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