By Lana Cullis, Co-author of Spiritual Life Writing Workbook

Yesterday I had coffee with a new friend. And we told each other stories carried close to our hearts. The kind of stories that usually go untold. The kind of stories that begin, “I had this experience…it’s hard to describe…but it changed me.” You know—faith and spirit stories.

She and I first met about 18 months ago at a meeting to organize a new book club. Since then, our club of ten has read and discussed over a dozen books. We take turns selecting books, leading conversations, and hosting meetings. The books chosen, authors, and subject matter vary widely.

Invariably, before every meeting, one or two members will research the “story behind the story” and share their discoveries during the meeting. With some books, the plot itself becomes less important than the question, “What drove the author to write this story?”

My new friend and I have both retired from careers that required us to formally document the stories of our clients. And both of us took great care to ensure that our clinical notes conveyed our client’s voice alongside medical documentation.

Why? Because stories matter, and because storytellers matter too.

We all have that uncle or grandmother who keeps us spellbound around the dinner table; they are often the same people who give toasts at weddings, eulogies at funerals, or theme talks at church.

You might be that person. We all wish we could hear or tell such important stories again—or even read a whole volume of stories of faith and spirit. During Advent we are especially mindful of messages about hope, peace, joy, and love. Ironically, though, it’s stories about faith, religion, and spirit that are the most likely to become lost. Because we hesitate to write them.

It is normal to think, “But I am not a writer. I could never do that.” But what if, with a little help, you could? 

Take the next step in sharing your own story. Join us for the Spiritual Life Writing Online Retreat, on Zoom, January 24–25. The Early Bird registration price of $60 is available until November 29 and includes a copy of the Spiritual Life Writing Workbook.This guided experience offers support, encouragement, and practical tools to help you begin writing the stories that matter most.

This Christmas season, tell someone their story matters. And remind yourself that your story matters too.

By Leandro Palacios, Director of Communications

How do we keep members connected across great distances? To what extent should we embrace new technologies and trends in our efforts to spread the Gospel? How far should we go in adapting our places of worship to new tools? Although we might think these questions belong to the modern age, they have a long history in Community of Christ.

​A century ago, as the church was re-establishing its presence in Independence, Missouri, while maintaining strong roots in Lamoni, Iowa, President Fred M. Smith saw the need to reach out to members scattered across the world. Travelling often between the two cities, he envisioned a new way to connect them: through the airwaves. Radio was still new and exciting, and very few Christian denominations had dared to use it. That didn’t stop our church leaders from setting up a radio station, authorized by the U.S. government under the call sign KFIX (later KLDS). This made the RLDS church one of the first denominations in the United States to own a licensed station. The first broadcast took place in January 1925 from Lamoni and reached members in several nearby states. Later, a radio antenna was installed on the tower of the Stone Church in Independence, and the broadcasts began reaching listeners as far as Canada and beyond.

A hundred years later, these same questions still echo — perhaps louder than ever. Many members today wonder how we can stay connected across great distances while still honouring regional traditions as we move onward together as one mission centre. The internet and social media give us powerful ways to reach each other, but they also bring new challenges. Is TikTok an appropriate way to share the Gospel? How do we communicate effectively on Facebook? How do we keep our online spaces safe and inclusive?

The choices we make today are as significant as those made by our pioneers who once raised an antenna over one of our most sacred spaces. And because what we do today is history, we are called to tell the story — so that 100 years from now, someone else might be inspired to boldly try something new, something we cannot yet imagine!

Where to start?

We will consider how to tell the story at our first Communications Town Hall. Everything we do when we gather can become part of our shared story of community and discipleship if we remember that these moments belong to a greater story that reaches all the way back to the first disciples. Storytelling can transform the way we live and share our mission. Join us as we learn how to tell the story of Community of Christ in Canada—together!

Communications Town Hall
📅 Saturday, November 22
 ⌚ 10 am PT / 11 am MT / 12 pm CT / 1 pm ET
 🖥️ On Zoom – open to members and seekers

Meeting ID: 878 5553 5695
Passcode: 081015

By Susan Scott, co-author of the Spiritual Life Writing Workbook

Storytelling is a human universal, done by every culture and every society ever known. Writing, however, is not. Though widespread today, we had to learn to write...

Writing changes us.

Writing does not merely express what’s already inside us. Rather, it generates a kind of internal work that leads us to reflect, to turn things over, to hone in, and sometimes to reorient.”

Storytelling is peacemaking that builds empathy and understanding—and that work deepens when you harness the power of writing.

Spiritual life writing is ministry.

And if that ministry is calling you, then this retreat is the place to gather.

Early bird pricing: $60 until November 29, 2025 - Includes an electronic version of the Spiritual Life Writing Workbook.

Members and friends of Community of Christ are invited to take part in the Organizational Meeting of the Canada Mission Centre on Saturday, January 17. This online gathering will bring us together from across the country to affirm the bold step we took in September to move onward together. As we enter this new era, it’s time to bless the framework that will guide and support our shared ministry and mission in Canada.

When: Saturday, January 17 at 12 p.m. PT / 1 p.m. MT / 2 p.m. CT / 3 p.m. ET

Where: Zoom — Please register here

What to expect:

We’ll meet for about two hours. Business items will include sustaining the Mission Centre President Team, Financial Officer, Mission Centre Council, and other appointments, along with approving the Canada-wide mission budget that unites the CEM and CWM budgets previously approved in September.

This will also be a time to share in brief worship, hymn singing, prayer, and reflection with friends old and new—from coast to coast—as we share hope and celebrate mission in the heart of winter.

If your congregation would like to gather locally, please let us know in advance so we can arrange voice and vote for everyone participating. Stay tuned for further updates in the coming weeks, including information about pre-legislative and technology preparation sessions.

Save the date and join us on Saturday, January 17. Let’s begin walking onward together!

Each fall, the Community of Christ Historic Sites Foundation invites members and friends to gather online and learn from historians, storytellers, and guest speakers. This year’s Autumn Lecture Series spans five fascinating sessions exploring the church’s global growth, diverse voices, and lesser-known moments of faith and history.

All lectures are free and open to the public, though donations are welcome to support student internships, new educational resources, and the preservation of historic sites.

Lecture Schedule

Thursday, November 6 – 7:00pm CT / 5:00pm PT / 6:00pm MT / 8:00pm ET

Nauvoo Polygamy and the RLDS Church with Lachlan Mackay

Explore the diverse perspectives and challenges behind understanding the origins of Nauvoo polygamy within RLDS history.

​Thursday, November 13 – 7:00pm CT / 5:00pm PT / 6:00pm MT / 8:00pm ET

A Peculiar People, Politically: The Saints and Politics in 1830s Ohio with Seth Bryant

Learn how early Saints navigated disenfranchisement and political tension in 1830s Kirtland, discovering how faith and civic life often collided.

​Thursday, November 20 – 1:00pm CT / 11:00am PT/ 12:00pm MT / 2:00pm ET

From War and Poverty to Questing for Peaceable Zion: Andrew Bolton’s Story with Andrew Bolton

Hear Apostle Andrew Bolton share his story of faith, peace, and calling—from his early life in England to his ministry and passion for Zion.

Register for November 20 (button) 

We’re launching a new quarterly Communications Townhall to connect with congregations, members, and seekers across Canada and strengthen how we share our stories and celebrate missional success. This will be a space for conversation, learning, and collaboration. Our first meeting will be November 22.

Come meet Communications Officers and other dedicated individuals guiding communications efforts at the local level. Get to know the people serving in our national Communications Team. Help us ask the right questions and find the right answers—together.

All are welcome—young and old, tech-savvy and tech-beginner, members and seekers alike. Together, we’ll talk about how communications can help you achieve your goals, and we’ll take note of any local concerns or challenges you are aware of.

Our first Townhall will focus on “Telling the Story.” Too often, our event announcements stop at dates and locations. But how do we make our invitations more engaging? How do we tell stories that make others want to join us? How can we share our stories so that our mission is remembered and celebrated?

We’ll explore questions like:

• If I were looking for a church, what would I want to know before walking through the door?
• When we say “all are welcome,” do we speak in ways that help newcomers actually feel included?
• How can we avoid church jargon and connect through stories that feel real and relatable?

We’ll also look at simple ways to:

• take photos that faithfully capture what was felt
• record meaningful reflections and lessons learned—not just statistics
• share those stories on social media

Each gathering can become part of our shared story of community and discipleship. Storytelling can transform the way we live and share our mission. Join us as we learn how to tell the story of Community of Christ in Canada—together.

📅 Saturday, November 22
 ⌚ 10 am PT / 11 am MT / 12 pm CT / 1 pm ET
 🖥️ On Zoom – open to members and seekers