Building our future together

By Vonda DenBoer, Canada East Mission Centre Co-President

These are exciting times for the church in Canada! The Mission Design Team committees have begun their work, and we want to share a little about the process.

A few years ago, we began this journey by traveling across the country, listening to members and friends. The stories and testimonies gathered during those visits became All Voices. From there, our Apostle, Art Smith, worked with leaders to develop a strategic plan that reflected those shared experiences of faith. At last year’s conferences, the final version of that plan--Onward Together —was introduced.

The plan outlines three strategic functions for mission:

• Leadership Development
• Camping and Campgrounds
• New and Innovative Mission

It also includes two supporting functions:

• Marketing and Communications
• Shared Services

Alongside these priorities, the concept of a Mission Design Team was introduced, exploring the development of one mission centre for Canada. A call was made for volunteers to self-identify their interest in this work, and about twenty people stepped forward. Art then invited Shannon McAdam and me to co-chair the team’s efforts.

Forming the Committees
Shannon and I wanted to include everyone who had volunteered, but we quickly realized that one large committee would be unmanageable. To make the work more effective, we created smaller, focused committees. With volunteers across multiple time zones and varying availability, selecting teams and scheduling meetings was a challenge—but we made it work!

The first meetings have taken place. Each team has read its mandate, shared individual interests, and discussed how we can build something new that enables Community of Christ in Canada to thrive. Each team includes members from both the east and the west, ensuring diverse perspectives. In addition to their work, we will also invite others to offer prayerful support and dialogue.

Over the next four months, these teams will develop recommendations, which will be shared in June with congregations, reunions, and online. Ultimately, these recommendations will be presented at each mission conference, where we will determine our collective support for creating a unified mission centre for Community of Christ in Canada.

Our Mandate
The Mission Design Team’s mandate is:
"To design a unified, Canada-wide Mission Centre to support the mission, programming, and diverse needs of Community of Christ members and stakeholders across the country. The team will prioritize alignment with the Community of Christ in Canada strategic plan, as well as the broader church’s mission and values."

Meet the Teams
We encourage you to engage with team members, ask questions, and offer feedback as they share their progress. Here are our five teams:

1. Communication and Transparency Processes – Shirley Smith, Troy Roach, Steve Thompson, Wende Badder
2. Conferences and Representation Model – John Scherer, Bryce Taylor, Marion Thompson
3. Budget & Funding Systems – Sandra Hunter, Sam Smalldon, Brian Shantz, Roy Young
4. Preserving & Integrating Traditions, Fostering Prayerful and Spiritual Support – Emelia Goheen, Susan Scott, Lindsay DenBoer, Sarah Glassford, John Nichols
5. Mission Alignment and Planning – Rod Downing, Susan Trimble, Pat Pallister, Sam Smalldon, Parker Johnson

Finally, we invite you to hold this work in your prayers as we continue discerning the next faithful steps for Community of Christ in Canada.