 This year, we will gather for our first Canada Mission Centre Conference on November 7–8. Because Conference is about much more than business, we are responding to the call to “risk something new” from our Mission Prayer, inviting members and friends of the church across Canada to:
“Awaken · Risk · Bless” is a spiritual cycle that guides our shared journey. Awakening to the presence of the Spirit gives us courage to build bridges of understanding and risk conversations and ministries that only moments ago seemed beyond our capacity, but now spread blessings all around us and beyond. How to prepare for Conference?
Celebrate mission What are the things that happened at your congregation or campground this year that we must remember and celebrate together? We want to hear your story! We invite you to share how your local or camping community is living Christ’s mission and making a difference. Please send your reports by October 2 to ensure your stories are included in our Conference program. Don’t forget to send photos if they’re available! Conference remote sites Although the Canada-wide sessions will be online, we encourage congregations and groups to gather locally. Members who gathered in person for our Jan 17 Organization Meeting had a chance to enjoy fun activities and fellowship while attending the Zoom sessions. We hope many more groups across Canada will choose to join Conference following this “hybrid” format, but it is important that we make arrangements ahead of time to ensure the nationwide online sessions run smoothly while everyone joining locally is able to see what’s on screen, hear what other remote participants are saying, vote on motions, and be heard if they wish to speak from the lectern during business. Please send your remote site applications by October 2. This will provide time for our IT department to assess your technical equipment, provide training, and help you make sure you are ready to run a successful remote site. Things you can start considering are:
There is much to celebrate as we continue to move onward together as one Mission Centre. We hope you will join us in these opportunities to connect, learn, and live Christ’s mission together.
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 By John Hamer, Director of Outreach and Innovative Mission You won’t want to miss the church’s biggest event of the year! Stassi Cramm and other world church leaders will be hosting the 2026 Peace Forum at the Temple in Independence this October 16–18. The theme is “Seeds of Peace”: in a world distracted by so many ongoing crises, what can we do to plant seeds that can one day develop into enduring peace and justice? If you are not able to travel to the United States this year, Community of Christ in Canada is holding two in-person gatherings: one in Vancouver, the other in the Greater Toronto Area. Events of the Peace Forum will be livestreamed to both locations, including the keynote address by environmentalist Bill McKibben, author of Falter: Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out? In addition to the livestream, both Canadian gathering sites will host their own in-person workshops, presentations, and activities. What to expect at the Greater Toronto Area Gathering All generations are welcome! Saturday October 17 will include a youth and intergenerational track with activities including a young peace-maker scavenger hunt and team puzzle-solving challenges. There will be presentations about:
What to expect at the Vancouver Gathering Get ready for hands-on activities, including:
Cross-Canada discussion groups
Both gatherings will include a session where younger adults across Canada will connect via videoconference to answer the question “What should ‘being a peace church’ look like in the 21st century?” Plan to connect, even if you cannot make it to Vancouver or the GTA. Because our Canadian Mission Centre Conference will be held online this year, the Peace Forum is our biggest opportunity this year to connect as a church in groupings beyond congregations and reunions. You won’t want to miss out on either local gathering. And the activities and topics provide a great opportunity to invite children and grandchildren or friends join you. Please do! We hope to see you there.  This Saturday, January 17, we will gather to bless the framework that will guide and support our shared ministry and mission in Canada. Following a time of worship and prayer—when we will renew our commitment to discipleship as we enter a new era—we will move into the business portion of the meeting.
The agenda includes several items, including 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. We have gathered here the most common questions and concerns raised during this week’s pre-legislative sessions. Please take a moment to review these responses as we prepare for the Canada Mission Centre Organizational Meeting. Who can vote at this Organizational Meeting? All members of Community of Christ in Canada who have completed registration will have voice and vote at the business meeting. Who will preside, and why? Because the terms of the previous mission centre presidents concluded on December 31, Apostle Shannon McAdam will preside over this organizational meeting. Will all members vote to approve the minutes from the CEM and CWM conferences? Yes. The minutes from the most recent Canada East and Canada West Mission Centre conferences will be considered together in a single motion. This means all members will vote to approve the minutes of both conferences. As with any item, members may choose to abstain if that feels appropriate. How will quorum and voting work? Standard Community of Christ conference procedures will apply. No new or special rules are being introduced. What is the Mission Centre Council, and how were members selected? The Mission Centre Council will support the Canadian leadership team by offering counsel, providing accountability, and helping guide the mission centre’s direction. The proposed members have been carefully selected to reflect the geographic, age, gender, and experiential diversity of Community of Christ in Canada. Are there changes to budgets or assessments? There are no changes to budget amounts for 2026. The Canada East and Canada West budgets, both approved in September, are being combined for administrative purposes only. Existing assessment models will remain in place for 2026. Any future changes would require broad consultation and a mission conference decision, with 2027 being the earliest possible implementation. Will future mission centre conferences be online or in person? All future conferences will provide the option to participate online. Congregations may also choose to host local gatherings during conferences using a remote location model. In addition, the Canadian leadership team and the Mission Centre Council will consider opportunities to gather in person when possible. We recognize the importance of maintaining the tradition of in-person Mission Centre conferences. Join us on Saturday, January 17, 2026, beginning at 12:00 p.m. PT / 1:00 p.m. MT / 2:00 p.m. CT / 3:00 p.m. ET. We look forward to sharing this historical moment with you as we take this crucial step onward together as one Canada Mission Centre. The agenda, registration link, and important documents—including budgets, previous conference minutes, and information about the proposed Mission Centre Council—are available on the conference webpage.  Join us Saturday, January 17, to sustain the proposed Mission Centre Council during our Organizational Meeting.
The Mission Council serves as an advisory body to the Mission Centre leadership team, offering perspective, insight, and wisdom on programming, leadership, and spiritual formation. The proposed Mission Council has been carefully constituted to reflect the geography of the Canada Mission Centre, as well as the diversity of age, gender, experience, and interests present among our members. The brief introductions below are offered to help you become familiar with those who are being presented for sustaining. These are the members from across Canada who have accepted the call to serve as members of the Mission Centre Council for 2026: Sariah Boeve-Middleton Co-pastor of Willow congregation, Sariah brings experience in social work, peace and justice ministry, and congregational leadership, along with a deep commitment to inclusive and thoughtful community life. Riley Malott A sixth-generation church member from the Wabash congregation in Ontario, Riley is active in youth ministry and congregational life and brings a youth perspective rooted in faith development and service. Karen Hewitt Karen serves on the North Bay leadership team and brings more than two decades of experience in health-care administration, with a strong commitment to connection, service, and regional engagement. Sandra Hunter A seasoned church elder from northern British Columbia, Sandra offers decades of experience in congregational and mission leadership, along with strong analytical skills and a deep dedication to the church’s mission. Jada Middleton A university student from Alberta, Jada brings lived experience in mental-health care, a passion for volunteer service, and a strong grounding in the Worth of All Persons. Jae Senga Originally from Saskatchewan, Jae works in provincial health care and contributes a tech-savvy perspective, along with a commitment to community, connection, and family life. Bryce Taylor With a background in social work and mission-focused organizations, Bryce brings a perspective shaped by faith-in-action, social entrepreneurship, and mission-driven engagement. Canada Mission Centre Organizational Meeting Join us Saturday January 17, 2026 at 12 p.m. PT / 1 p.m. MT / 2 p.m. CT / 3 p.m. ET on Zoom for the organizational meeting of the Canada Mission Centre.  World Accord is launching Accord Adventures, a new Learning Trip program that invites Canadians to learn directly from communities involved in World Accord–supported projects. The first Learning Trip will take place August 20–30, 2026, in Honduras, and marks the beginning of an annual experience focused on locally led development and partnership.
A Learning Trip is designed as an educational experience rather than traditional travel. Participants will visit communities where World Accord’s partners are working, learn about grassroots development efforts, and explore themes such as global poverty, food security, women’s empowerment, and the climate crisis. The program emphasizes relationship-building, learning from local leaders, and understanding both challenges and successes in context. The Honduras Learning Trip is a 10-day guided experience open to Canadian citizens or permanent residents aged 18 and older, with a group size of 8–12 participants. Highlights include visits to community-led projects, cooking with local women, exploring eco-parks and historic sites, and opportunities to reflect on how participants can share what they learn back home.  By Leandro Palacios, Director of Communications Here’s what will happen when we gather on Zoom on Jan 17, and why you won’t want to miss this historic event for Community of Christ. We will begin with a time of worship and reflection to renew our commitment to promote Christ’s mission in Canada, now as a single mission centre with one shared identity and purpose, while honouring the many diverse and unique traditions nurtured in every region and locality where members and friends of our church engage in ministry. After intentionally singing together “We Are One in the Spirit,” spiritually renewed and united, we will commence the formal organizational meeting of the Canada Mission Centre. This new mission centre will become the spiritual home of all congregations and non-resident members previously associated with CEM or CWM. All members who take part in this event will be invited to vote. The most important motions to consider include:
Please take time to visit our website to review the agenda, bios, budget, and other important documents, as well as the dates for our pre-legislative and technical support sessions. We also ask that you hold all those who have accepted the call to serve in the Canada Mission Centre in prayerful consideration. We remind congregations that wish to gather locally for this occasion to let us know in advance so that we can make arrangements to extend voice and vote to everyone.
We look forward to seeing you and taking our first historic step onward together on Saturday, January 17 at 12 p.m. PT / 1 p.m. MT / 2 p.m. CT / 3 p.m. ET. Where: Online via Zoom  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. Susan Scott, Lana Cullis, and Sharon S. Hines published The Spiritual Life Writing Workbook: From Concept to Bookshelf because too many important stories remain untold.  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! |
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