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:
It also includes two supporting functions:
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:
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.
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By Vonda DenBoer, Canada East Mission Centre Co-President
Lifelong learning has always been a passion of mine. It was essential during my healthcare career and remains vital in every aspect of life. What I learned about the solar system in grade school is so outdated now, I’d be embarrassed to rely on those “facts” from the 1960s! And my knowledge of computers from 1980? Laughable. This brings me to the opportunity we’ve been given to continue learning as it relates to our discipleship. In Doctrine and Covenants 85:36, we are encouraged to “seek diligently; teach one another; seek learning by study and faith.” I was privileged to attend Community of Christ Seminary, but I understand that not everyone can commit to that level of study. To make meaningful learning opportunities more accessible, the church now offers online mini-courses through the Center for Innovation in Ministry and Mission (CIMM). These sessions aren’t as rigorous as seminary but still provide incredible depth and learning with outstanding instructors. I invite you to explore one or two of these courses. All you need is a desire to learn and access to a computer to get started. Whether you’re studying the reunion text, exploring scripture, or enhancing your preaching or discipleship skills, these courses will bless you and those in your discipleship circle. I guarantee you’ll appreciate the depth and breadth of what’s offered. How can we truly become a people of the Temple if we do not strive for the inward and outward transformation of the disciple (Doctrine and Covenants 161:3d)? This transformation prepares us to be a people of faith, restoring relationships with God, others, ourselves, and the earth (Doctrine and Covenants 163:2b). Take the daring step to grow your discipleship. Below is the schedule for upcoming CIMM Mini Sessions: Preaching Series February 5 – Emerging Thoughts in Sharing the Message, Part 1 – Joey Williams February 12 – Emerging Thoughts in Sharing the Message, Part 2 – Joey Williams February 19 – Loss and Light – Barbara Walden February 26 – Finding Your Voice – David Lloyd March 5 – Millennial Preaching – TBA Adult Reunion Text Series – Hope Is Here March 12 – Story of Hope – Stassi Cramm March 19 – Breathe in Hope – Katie Harmon-McLaughlin March 26 – Turn Toward Hope: Crossing Identity Boundaries – Zac Harmon-McLaughlin April 2 – Spirit of Hope: Conflict Transformation – TBA April 9 – Onward in Hope: Celebrate Community – TBA Preaching Series (continued) April 16 – Quick-egesis: A Quick Exegetical Process for Worship and Preaching, Part 1 – Tony & Charmaine Chvala-Smith April 23 – Quick-egesis: A Quick Exegetical Process for Worship and Preaching, Part 2 – Tony & Charmaine Chvala-Smith To register for these CIMM Mini Sessions, visit the CIMM Mini Sessions page By Vonda DenBoer, Canada East Mission Centre Co-President
Christmas, with all its celebrations, has come and gone. We have jumped into a new year. Whether you made a resolution or not, this is typically a time of reflection—often considering how to improve ourselves or our situations in some way. This past year has caused me to reflect on the preciousness of relationships. One of my seminary classes required me to articulate my Rule of Life. As I did so, I reflected deeply on relationships—with God, creation, others, and myself. I needed to articulate how I would live out the stewardship of those relationships. For me, stewardship of relationships remains a work in progress. I was blessed to be deeply loved in my extended family. Because I have known love, I have also known grief. January is a month when I have experienced much grief, but as I reflect on relationships broken by death, I can also feel gratitude for that person’s life, giftedness, and our shared experiences. Some relationships fade, pause, or even break down. Has this happened to you? An unknown author said that people come into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. I had to step away from a relationship once because it was damaging me. Much later in life, an opportunity arose, and I was able to restore that relationship and be blessed by it. I regretted the years lost but celebrated the new life-giving relationship that emerged. Can you reflect on broken relationships and see the opportunity for healing? For lessons learned? For celebrating shared experiences? Whether in personal relationships, congregational relationships, or beyond, my hope is that we can better appreciate the relationships entrusted to us for the duration given and trust God to show us the way of transformation to God’s purpose. God’s example as our Creator, Redeemer, and God-with-us Holy Spirit—living in a loving, mutually self-giving community—is our model for stewardship of relationships. This stewardship is also known as the blessing of community. Humanitarian Albert Schweitzer once said, “Wherever you turn, you can find someone who needs you. Even if it’s a little thing, do something for which there is no pay but the privilege of doing it. Remember you don’t live in a world all on your own.” We truly are a global community, and our actions have ripple effects across the globe. There is a poem by James W. Foley that says: “Drop a pebble in the water, just a splash and it is gone; But there’s half-a-hundred ripples circling on and on. Spreading, spreading from the centre, flowing on out to sea, And there is no way of telling where the end is going to be.” (Poems That Touch the Heart, compiled by A.L. Alexander, Doubleday, New York, 1956). If I were to make a resolution, it would be to use my spiritual eyes to see those little things I could do to minister to someone in need and have the courage to act on those prompts. As a people of Christ’s peace, may each of us strive for righteous relationships with God, others, ourselves, and the earth in the days, weeks, and months ahead. (Doctrine & Covenants 163:2b) God, where will your Spirit lead me today? Help me be awake and ready to respond. Grant me the courage to risk something new to bring blessings of your love and peace. By Vonda DenBoer, Canada East Mission Centre Co-President
We have just emerged from a dialogue process that highlighted the importance of listening to one another without judgment. Joan Thompson illustrated this beautifully with the bell curve, showing that, on any one issue, most people find themselves in the middle. Those at the ends either encourage us to move forward or urge us to slow down—or even step back. She also noted that it is often more comfortable to be in the middle than at either end of the spectrum. Where do you see yourself on that curve? My prayer is that we can continue to uphold the worth and giftedness of those we walk with on this shared journey as disciples of Christ, whether they stand in the middle or at either end. A significant majority of members indicated support for the intent of the policy and a desire for change. Many expressed concerns, thoughts, and suggestions in the comment section. These comments will be invaluable as we consider the next steps. We recognize that the approval process takes time, and the final policy will likely be worded differently than what was originally proposed. For me, what is most important is how we support one another. Each of us is on a unique journey, shaped by where we live, work, play, and fellowship. Each of us is worthy of love, acceptance, and belonging. Yet those on either end of the bell curve may not be feeling that way right now. Brené Brown says it well: “We are inextricably connected to one another by a force greater than ourselves—a force grounded in love and compassion.” In our dialogue, we heard voices of pain, fear, sorrow, hope, frustration, and vision. How do we cope with this dissonance? How do we respect the differences we see and hear? The way we reach out and support one another, even when we disagree, can set us apart as examples of Christ-like love and behaviour. In the coming months, let us intentionally discern how to walk side by side—listening to, praying for, and engaging in meaningful dialogue with one another. Only then can we truly live out our mission: to be a light on the hilltop, promoting love, joy, hope, and peace. This is the work we are called to do—together. Mission is what matters most. “The Spirit of the One you follow is the spirit of love and peace. That Spirit seeks to abide in the hearts of those who would embrace its call and live its message. The path will not always be easy, the choices will not always be clear, but the cause is sure and the Spirit will bear witness to the truth, and those who live the truth will know the hope and joy of discipleship in the community of Christ.” — Doctrine & Covenants 161:7 By Kat Goheen, Canada West Mission Centre Co-President
Last weekend, Chilliwack hosted a beautiful celebration, marking 125 years of worship in the Fraser Valley and 50 years in their current building. I was delighted to attend and was moved by the collection of newspaper articles, testimonies, and photos that were lovingly gathered—what a great reminder of the value of active historians! It was wonderful to see friends from afar who joined in the celebration, as well as the dedicated members who keep the congregation thriving. Thanks to Gwyn, we had the chance to tour the previous Chilliwack church, and I loved hearing stories of baptisms and weddings that took place within its walls. I’m so grateful I could be part of this special occasion. Here is Shannon’s reflection on the weekend: “I was fed both in body and in soul by the good food and good company of our people. It was fun to sing old songs and read old articles from the BC district newsletter. I was inspired by Art’s sermon that not only recognized the work of the congregation in the past but also the commitment to mission and care for those at the margins that carries the congregation forward into the future.” As we enter the busy season of Advent, I pray that you keep the spirit of celebration alive in your own gatherings with loved ones! A moment with your Mission Centre President is a tradition of the Canada West Mission Centre. This week we invite all members across Canada to share a moment with Vonda DenBoer, Canada East Mission Co-President.
Do you have fond memories of a camp? Whether it’s a treasured memory of something you experienced, those moments have shaped who you are today. Our camp experiences may be the only time we experience a sacred community. Camps are safe places. At camp, we make new friends and cherish time with old friends. When I think back to my many camping experiences, I think of the people who made them special. I remember Don Arrowsmith teaching self-defence at a youth camp. He was even gracious enough to let me flip him, making me feel like I had mastered the art! I recall a Senior High camp at Monetville (before it was called Noronto) where we had so many youth that we had to sleep on the floor. I remember the long bus ride on a Badder school bus with Allan Badder driving us to our first youth camp. I remember the amazing Rod McLean, who directed that Jr. High camp at Port Elgin campground. I was overwhelmed, exhausted, and homesick, and he was so kind and understanding. It was at a youth camp that I first learned how to waterski, canoe, practise archery, perform self-defence, and create crafts with yarn and nails. I learned how to make a logbook and many other things. I forged friendships that continue to this day. It was at a youth camp where I first had the courage to stand and bear testimony. It was also at a youth camp where I first experienced a manifestation of the spirit that brought me to tears. I am grateful for those who made it possible: counsellors, teachers, camp pastors, camp directors, and camp nurses. They didn’t just do their jobs; they created an environment for a sacred community to manifest. I remember being accepted and loved, encouraged, and challenged. Perhaps you have served as a counsellor, teacher, director, pastor, nurse, or lifeguard. I hope you have some amazing stories and that you share them to encourage others. We want to invite every child to encounter an amazing camp experience, but we need your help. Please spread the word about your wonderful experiences and build up the excitement. If you’re able, why not help support kids going to camp? Maybe they need a ride, maybe they need financial help, or maybe they just need someone to encourage them. Let’s support our camps and create opportunities for every child to experience a sacred community. |
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