Community of Christ in Canada
  • About
    • Values
    • Lived Experience >
      • The Congregation
      • The Mission Centre
      • The World Church
      • Mission in Action
    • Theology >
      • Enduring Principles
      • Mission Initiatives
      • Sacraments
      • Statement on Scripture
      • Principles of History
      • Generosity
      • Basic Beliefs
    • History & Heritage
    • Onward Together >
      • Strategic Plan
      • The Mission Centre Design Team
    • Church Leadership
    • Board of Directors
    • Partners
  • Connect
    • Congregations >
      • Online Worship
      • What to Expect
    • Beyond the Walls
    • Blog
    • Stay Connected >
      • CWM Newsletter Signup
      • CEM Newsletter Signup
      • Online Worship Signup
      • Social Media
    • Contact a Minister
  • Give
    • Giving Tuesday
  • Canada West
    • CWM Dashboard
    • CWM Conference
    • CWM CAMPING 2025
    • News & Updates
    • Events Calendar
    • Staff Directory
    • Congregations
    • Creating Connection >
      • Blog
    • Campgrounds
    • CWM Archive
  • Canada East
    • CEM Dashboard
    • Events Calendar
    • CEM Camping 2025
    • CEM Conference
    • News & Updates
    • Staff Directory
    • Congregations
    • Campgrounds
    • Connection Groups
  • Resources
    • Search
    • Training
    • Worship Resources
    • Scripture
    • Forms
    • Posters and Media
    • Online Lectures
    • Job Opportunities
  • About
    • Values
    • Lived Experience >
      • The Congregation
      • The Mission Centre
      • The World Church
      • Mission in Action
    • Theology >
      • Enduring Principles
      • Mission Initiatives
      • Sacraments
      • Statement on Scripture
      • Principles of History
      • Generosity
      • Basic Beliefs
    • History & Heritage
    • Onward Together >
      • Strategic Plan
      • The Mission Centre Design Team
    • Church Leadership
    • Board of Directors
    • Partners
  • Connect
    • Congregations >
      • Online Worship
      • What to Expect
    • Beyond the Walls
    • Blog
    • Stay Connected >
      • CWM Newsletter Signup
      • CEM Newsletter Signup
      • Online Worship Signup
      • Social Media
    • Contact a Minister
  • Give
    • Giving Tuesday
  • Canada West
    • CWM Dashboard
    • CWM Conference
    • CWM CAMPING 2025
    • News & Updates
    • Events Calendar
    • Staff Directory
    • Congregations
    • Creating Connection >
      • Blog
    • Campgrounds
    • CWM Archive
  • Canada East
    • CEM Dashboard
    • Events Calendar
    • CEM Camping 2025
    • CEM Conference
    • News & Updates
    • Staff Directory
    • Congregations
    • Campgrounds
    • Connection Groups
  • Resources
    • Search
    • Training
    • Worship Resources
    • Scripture
    • Forms
    • Posters and Media
    • Online Lectures
    • Job Opportunities

Blog

Christmas and New Year’s greetings from Art and Laura

12/23/2024

0 Comments

 
Picture
Dear Community of Christ staff, leaders, members, and friends in Canada,

As we reflect on this past year, we are overwhelmed with gratitude for the ways we have worked together as a faith community to respond to the world around us. Your dedication to leading congregations, campgrounds, camps, retreats, and a wide variety of programs has been truly inspiring. We also deeply appreciate your participation in dialogue sessions and polls, helping us collaboratively discern and shape our future.

We give special thanks for the support and collaboration of our dedicated affiliate and partner organizations such as: Zerin, Sionito, World Accord, Encounter World Religions, The MOM Project, and Agape House. Your work continues to extend the mission of Christ and magnify the impact of our shared efforts across Canada and beyond. 

Looking to 2025, we are excited about the further implementation of our Canada strategic plan, the creation of a single mission centre for all of Canada, and the opportunities this brings for greater connection and shared vision. At the global level, we anticipate with joy the ordination of a new prophet-president for Community of Christ. And as Mary courageously said yes to the angel, we, too, will have opportunities to say yes in new and meaningful ways, answering the call to serve our community in the coming year.

May the joy, hope, love and peace of Christ fill your hearts this Christmas, and may the new year bring blessings and renewed purpose as we journey together.

With love and gratitude,
Art & Laura



I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you.
- Philippians 1: 3-4
0 Comments

Results of the Priesthood & Personal Relationships poll

12/9/2024

1 Comment

 
Picture
We are immensely thankful to the 311 members of Community of Christ in Canada who participated in the “Priesthood & Personal Relationships” poll. To put this into perspective, 360 members voted in the Canadian National Conference of 2012, when our active membership was significantly larger than today. This level of engagement indicates this is an important matter for our church today that will have a vast impact on our journey ahead.

The Methodology

As Apostle Art Smith explained at our recent Mission Centre Conferences, only if the proposed policy showed a substantial consensus from the membership would the draft policy be presented to the Council of Twelve, and then, if approved there, to the First Presidency for review. A two-thirds majority might be considered a 'substantial consensus,' but World Conference Resolution 1327, which gives Apostles the responsibility for creating new culturally specific policies around marriage, does not define a fixed threshold. A decade ago, the vote on LGBTQ+ inclusion received 80% approval, which was seen as a very substantial consensus.

But because this is not as simple as a yes/no issue for many folks, members were invited to express their level of support. The five options, ordered in decreasing level of support, were FULL, MODERATE, TENTATIVE, LIMITED, and NO support.

To ensure a conservative estimation of YES responses, this methodology uses a conservative classification approach: of the five response options, only FULL and MODERATE were categorized as YES, while the remaining responses, as well as the undecided responses, were classified as NO. This approach prioritizes minimizing the likelihood of overestimating YES responses, even at the potential cost of underestimating them. The rationale for this conservative approach is to account for the significance of a YES outcome and to ensure that any conclusions drawn are robust and cautious.

The Results

We received 311 responses from members of Community of Christ in Canada, including 260 from CEM, 50 from CWM, and one from a Canadian member not associated with any congregation. We also received eight responses from individuals not formally affiliated with Community of Christ in Canada, which were greatly appreciated but not included in the poll results, as the primary purpose of this survey is to inform the First Presidency about the perspectives of members of the two Canadian mission centres.

The first question asked for the level of support for the intent of the proposed policy change, that is, to remove any automatic ban on priesthood based on personal relationships. The overall level of support was 83%.

The second question was regarding the level of support for the proposed policy change as currently written. The overall level of support was 80%.


Important Findings

Although we expected a stark gap between the level of support across age groups, the results show that most members of all ages support the policy. For example, 87% of members 59 and younger expressed support for the intent, compared to 80% among those in the 60–79 group, and 83% in the 80+ group.

On the other hand, how the current policy has affected individuals and their families made a significant difference. FULL support from those who have been affected personally or through their families was 88%, while FULL support from those not affected stood at 70%. About one quarter of the respondents said either they or their family had been affected by the current policy.

What’s Next?

The poll indicates a broad consensus among members of Community of Christ in Canada to move forward with revising the policy. At the same time, the Canadian Leadership Team deeply values and acknowledges all the comments shared in the survey, including those from members who expressed objections to change. These perspectives will be thoughtfully considered as we seek to move forward together in a spirit of healing and reconciliation.

Following the process outlined by World Conference Resolution 1327, the field apostle will now present our proposed policy changes to World Church Leadership for review.

We ask you to continue to join us in prayer as we reflect on the results of this poll and prepare for the next step in this process of discernment that will have a lasting impact on our path forward.

Thank you for sharing your voice!

READ MORE: Personal Relationships Policy - Draft
1 Comment

Welcoming our new Bishop of Canada: Sam Smalldon!

6/4/2024

3 Comments

 
Picture
Please join us in expressing our heartfelt thanks to Sam for his interim service earlier this year and in welcoming him to his new appointments as Bishop of Canada and Financial Officer of the Canada West and Canada East Mission Centres. Sam's commitment and expertise have already made a substantial impact, and we look forward to his continued leadership in advancing our mission and supporting our community.
2024-06-03 A letter from our Apostle.pdf
File Size: 138 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

3 Comments

Introducing Onward Together: Our Shared Vision for Community of Christ in Canada

5/22/2024

0 Comments

 
Picture
We are happy to present “Onward Together” the emerging plan for Community of Christ in Canada, drawn from the ideas, testimonies, and dialogue gathered in the All Voices discernment.  Diverse stakeholders who share in the church’s identity and mission across Canada have been sharing what matters most: why they are committed to Community of Christ as well as their concerns and hopes for our future.
“Onward Together” organizes what we have heard into five statements about our identity, activities, mission, and values as a sacred community.  Most of the ideas shared in the statements will not sound new:  for example, our commitment to camping, retreats, and reunions or our focus on peace and justice initiatives.  After all, these are the things we have been talking about together in All Voices.  Some aspects may sound less familiar as we have not all been able to hear everything that has been said during the discernment process.  For this reason, we have scheduled a Canada-wide gathering this Saturday with Apostle Art Smith to hear more about “Onward Together,” to ask questions and to receive clarification.  The gathering will begin the next phase of the discernment process as more voices are heard and the strategic plan for Community of Christ in Canada becomes fully formed.
We hope you will read and ponder the “Onward Together” statements and join us Saturday to hear more and to share your thoughts in dialogue and community.

Onward Together Community of Christ in Canada
File Size: 2098 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

LEARN MORE AND REGISTER
0 Comments

Add Your Voice to the Tapestry

5/15/2021

0 Comments

 

By Apostle Art Smith
All Voices Conference, Saturday 15 May, 2021

Picture
I really hope that your experience today will inspire you to be part of the Testimony Tapestry. We need to hear your voice and your story. Friends, D&C 163:11 invites us:

11a. God is calling for a prophetic community to emerge, drawn from the nations of the world, that is characterized by uncommon devotion to the compassion and peace of God revealed in Jesus Christ. Through divine grace and wisdom, this faith community has been given abundant gifts, resources, and opportunities to equip it to become such a people. Chief among these is the power of community in Christ expressed locally in distinctive fashions while upholding a unity of vision, foundational beliefs, and mission throughout the world.

11b. There are many issues that could easily consume the time and energy of the church. However, the challenge before a prophetic people is to discern and pursue what matters most for the journey ahead.


These words help bring purpose to our pondering. May our discernment this year be purposeful pondering. One definition of discernment comes from Ruth Haley Barton: Discernment is “seeking to be attentive and alert to God’s activity in and among us so that we can respond faithfully.”

In the coming weeks, consider implementing a few discernment practices. Ask yourself:

  • Where do I notice spiritual movements of consolation and desolation in me or in the communities I am part of? What feels right, or energizing? What drains energy or isn’t as hopeful? Ponder these things. (You may even write these down to see if patterns or insights emerge over time.)
  • What voices do I need to make more intentional space to hear? As I visit with friends about Community of Christ, and about what matters most and about the future, What do I hear that is unspoken? What does God want me to notice about these interactions?
  • When do I notice myself driving an agenda and when do I feel open to God and others?
  • What rhythms are forming me/us as Community of Christ in my/our context?
  • When I hold these rhythms in prayer, where do I sense harmony with the Holy Spirit and where do I sense dissonance?

So, I hope you’ll join with us in this year of discernment that we’re calling All Voices - Discerning Across Canada.
0 Comments

Apostle Art Smith Introduces "All Voices"

2/2/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
​All Voices is both a commitment and a process of discernment for the future of Community of Christ in Canada. As the name implies, All Voices takes a collaborative approach, ensuring all members, friends, and supporters of Community of Christ in Canada feel heard and affirmed as we collectively work toward a better and brighter future.
​
Apostle Art Smith welcomes you to the process in the short accompanying video.
0 Comments

A Christmas Greeting from Apostle Art Smith (English & French)

12/23/2020

3 Comments

 
Picture
Apostle Art Smith brings Christmas greetings to the church across Canada in this video made especially for you.

He has graciously provided it to us in both English and French. See videos below.

English Version:

French Version:

3 Comments

Thanksgiving Greetings from Apostle Art Smith

10/9/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Apostle Art Smith shares his Canadian Thanksgiving well-wishes to the church in Canada and offers his gratitude for the engagement in a recent survey concerning the future of the church.

​View the video below and share it with others who might appreciate it.
0 Comments

Meet the Apostle (Art Smith)

10/17/2019

6 Comments

 
​Community of Christ Apostle Art Smith shares a "day in the life" with us from the Community of Christ Temple in Independence, Missouri, USA.

In this video, y
ou'll get a window into Apostle Art Smith's life, a mini-tour of the Temple, details about the church organization, and more. Enjoy!
6 Comments

    Archives

    July 2025
    June 2025
    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    October 2019
    April 2019

    Categories

    All
    All Voices
    Announcements
    Apostle Art Smith
    BLM
    Board Updates
    Camp
    Celebrate Mission
    Climate Justice
    COVID-19
    Creating Connection
    Giving Tuesday
    MIssion Centre Design Team
    Mission Centre President
    Onward Together
    Racial Justice
    Vlog
    World Church

    RSS Feed

COMMUNITY OF CHRIST
355 Elmira Road North, Unit 129
Guelph, ON N1K 1S5 Canada
888-411-7537
QUICK LINKS
  • Make a Donation
  • Beyond the Walls
  • Resources
CANADA WEST MISSION
  • Congregations
  • Campgrounds
  • Upcoming Events
  • Staff Directory
  • Join our mailing list
  • 877-411-2632
CANADA EAST MISSION
  • Congregations
  • Campgrounds
  • Upcoming Events
  • Staff Directory
  • Join our mailing list
  • 888-411-7537
SEARCH OUR WEBSITE
EXTERNAL LINKS
  • World Church Website
  • Creating Connection
  • World Accord
  • Encounter World Religions
Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Report a Website Issue