 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.  In this statement from the Human Rights Team, Community of Christ uphold the fundamental and equal human rights of all people regardless of sex and gender differences. The team challenges individuals and communities to uphold the equal worth of all persons, across all nations, societies, and cultures and to seek justice and equality for all persons regardless of sex and gender differences.
Community of Christ believes God created all human beings diverse, of equal value, and of inestimable worth. World Conference Resolutions and recent passages of the Doctrine and Covenants also challenge the church to confess limitations in human understanding and to celebrate human diversity in creation.  Join the First Presidency’s Diversity and Inclusion Team for a thought-provoking dialogue series exploring selected Enduring Principles in today’s cultural climate. These 60-minute Zoom sessions offer a space for learning, reflection, and meaningful conversation.
Session topics:
To participate, register by emailing [email protected] For more on Community of Christ’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, visit: cofchrist.org/diversity-and-inclusion  February is Black History Month in Canada, a time to reflect on the contributions, struggles, and achievements of Black communities throughout history. While often associated with the United States, Black history in Canada is equally significant, encompassing stories of resilience, advocacy, and faith—from the Underground Railroad to present-day efforts for racial justice.
As a church committed to the Enduring Principles of Worth of All Persons and Unity in Diversity, Black History Month invites us to recognize how these values call us to listen, learn, and stand in solidarity with Black communities. This is an opportunity for reflection and action, both within our faith community and in Canadian society. The Diversity and Inclusion Team is hosting a series of online discussions exploring Black history and our shared commitment to justice and inclusion. While some sessions focus on the American context, they offer valuable insights applicable to our own journey in Canada. To receive the Zoom link for the sessions you’d like to attend, please contact Heather Frey. Upcoming Black History Month Sessions Exploring the Impact of Black People in American History February 16 | 3:00 p.m. CST The Diversity and Inclusion Team will host a 60-minute session highlighting the often-unknown history of Black individuals who have significantly contributed to the culture and enterprises of the USA. A Questions & Answers session will follow the presentation. Exploring Selected Enduring Principles in the Current Cultural Climate: The Worth of Persons Dialogue February 23 | 7:00 p.m. CST A discussion on the Enduring Principle “Worth of All Persons” and its impact on diversity and inclusion within our community. Exploring Selected Enduring Principles in the Current Cultural Climate: Unity in Diversity Calls for Action March 23 | 7:00 p.m. CST A discussion on the Enduring Principle “Unity in Diversity” and how it calls us to action in our communities. Exploring Selected Enduring Principles in the Current Cultural Climate: Recognizing that All are Called April 27 | 7:00 p.m. CST A discussion on the Enduring Principle “All are Called” and its impact on diversity and inclusion. Exploring Selected Enduring Principles in the Current Cultural Climate: Embracing the Blessings of Community During Challenging Times May 18 | 7:00 p.m. CST A discussion on the Enduring Principle “Blessings of Community” and its relevance in difficult times.  The First Presidency’s draft Statement on Nonviolence reflects our shared call to peace, reconciliation, and justice. The statement is presented in three sections: foundational principles, faithful responses, and practical applications of nonviolence in today’s world.
Your feedback is vital in this process of Common Consent. The survey is open until February 28, 2025, and your insights will help finalize the statement, which will be shared with the church by May 1, 2025.  Do you know of a member, friend or affiliate of the Community of Christ that goes above and beyond in their efforts to alleviate human suffering and support human rights? Consider nominating them for the prestigious Human Rights award that the Community of Christ awards to at least 2 people each World Conference.
Deadline for nominations: Oct 1, 2024.  The First Presidency has created a draft Statement on Nonviolence, and in the interest of Common Consent, is asking those interested to give their feedback. The survey will remain open until February 28, 2025, after which the feedback will be reviewed, and the 3 sections of the statement will be updated and sent out to the church by May 1, 2025.
Written by Shannon McAdam Canada West Mission Centre Co-President  Every day at my workplace this month we’ve learned about a different Black Canadian who is outstanding in one way or another, and it has been an incredible way to celebrate Black History Month. There are so many amazing people who I’d never heard of before, and I wonder why I’ve never learned about them before. If we believe in the Worth of All Persons, why don’t we learn about all types of people?
Black History Month is a fitting time to reflect on what it is that makes White culture so dominant that we don’t learn about the contributions of those who are Black, Indigenous, or People of Colour. White Supremacy Culture might sound like a problem from far away or long ago, but it is prevalent in all of our lives, and runs against our belief in the Worth of All Persons. I’ve found this website by Tema Okun to be really helpful in my own learning about what White Supremacy Culture is, how to recognize it (the “marks”), and ways to overcome it. The original article that Okun based the website around is a quick and easy read that I highly recommend. Click here to read the article. For me, one of the most insightful “marks” of White Supremacy Culture that Okun talks about is “One Right Way”. This is the idea that there is only one right way to do things, and can lead to some of the other marks: Perfectionism, Paternalism, and Either/Or Thinking. Okun’s antidotes to “One Right Way” are beautiful and life-giving. These include gratitude, being transparent, and being willing to take risks and make mistakes. These, I think, are also the kinds of things Jesus calls us to. Jesus sought to bring people together rather than dividing them. How will you recognize Black History month? Perhaps take a moment to read some of Tema Okun’s insightful writings and think about what you can change in your home, workplace, or congregation to help dismantle White Supremacy Culture and help bring about God’s Shalom.  Black Lives Matter
Indigenous Lives Matter Lives of People of Colour Matter The world has been a challenging thing to make sense of over the past year. So many things and events have caused turmoil, confusion, consternation, debate (both civil and not-so-civil), and even violence. We are now into at least month number 14 of the COVID-19 pandemic. Besides the physical health implications and the social restrictions of the pandemic, we have experienced debate over various conspiracy theories that question the reality of the pandemic. The presidential election in the United States provided many flashpoints of political and social division that resonated for many people here in Canada – on both ends of the political spectrum. And, not the least but just the last I will mention in this list, is the renewed racial upheaval that originated in the U.S. but spilled over into Canada and other parts of the world. Perhaps the most significant incident of that racial upheaval in the last year was the death of George Floyd as he was being taken into police custody in Minneapolis. The trial of the police officer involved has just concluded this week with a guilty verdict on three different charges of murder. The positive public response to that verdict is in stark contrast to the demonstrations in response to his death that often devolved into violence in the streets of many American cities. For this week I have brought back the banner at the top of this letter that I had used for these messages through most of last year and into the first few weeks of this year. This is a reminder that, regardless of that verdict, there is still much work to be done by all of us on the racial reconciliation front. Over the last year I have been disturbed by the stories told by Black persons, Indigenous persons, and other Persons of Colour, of the discrimination that they face regularly, if not daily, in just going about the normal activities of a life in Canada. This should be disturbing to all of us and all of us should be evaluating our own actions and reactions when in any kind of interactions with persons who have a different appearance than us. I feel it is also important to say that I have been equally disturbed by the threatening disrespect that has been experienced by members of police organizations across North America. This has been in response to the high-profile situations of interactions – often violent and sometimes fatal – between the police and persons of colour. There are undoubtedly aspects of police work and police culture that need review and reform. Meanwhile, those responsible for the negative interactions are a small proportion of the total police community. Most police officers want to do the right thing for all members of the communities they serve. Just as all of us as “civilians” need to do better in our interracial interactions, we need to support our police as they strive to do better too. The curse of systemic racism that exists in many of society’s structures, systems, and organizations cannot be eradicated overnight. It is up to all of us to recognize it when we see it and to do what we can to work for positive reform. The last year, indeed, has been a challenging time in the world. Historically, the world often has only gotten better when it has come through such challenging times. Typically, the world has gotten better when its citizens have insisted that their leaders do better and then demonstrate by example the changes they wish to have happen. May we all work towards, and look forward to, our future better world. In closing let me add that I am sensitive that some readers may not be happy to have worldly or political situations highlighted in a Community of Christ newsletter or blog. I believe that the teachings of Jesus as recorded in scripture insist that we: bring good news to the poor, proclaim release to the captives, and let the oppressed go free. (see Luke 4: 18, 19). To me, these characteristics describe the experiences and life situations of many persons in the Black, Indigenous, and other Persons of Colour communities. Surely, we are called to help remedy them. I will leave it at that lest I get into a much longer sermon. Please contact me if you have concerns or questions. As always, I pray for you God’s blessings of joy, hope, love, and peace in these challenging times. Steve Thompson Canada West Mission Centre President [email protected]  Black Lives Matter
Indigenous Lives Matter Lives of People of Colour Matter COVID-19 Update Just before getting to our “We Share” topic, there have been some substantial changes in provincial strategies in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Each of the four provinces in which congregations operate in the Canada West Mission Centre have implemented significantly revised procedures, some of which affect congregational worship and other church gatherings. These changes are very briefly summarized in this Updated Summary of Provincial Requirements. Links to more details on provincial websites are provided. Please at least review the summary for your awareness. We Share…Scripture in Community of Christ This is the 12th and final in a series on the “We Share…” theme. For background, see the first entry in the series here: We Share #1 In the book, Sharing in Community of Christ, upon which this series of columns is based, the section dealing with “Scripture in Community of Christ” can be found on pages 63 to 67. The section consists of a “Preamble” statement followed by nine “Affirmation” paragraphs. Each of the Affirmation paragraphs are very tightly worded and do not lend themselves well to summarization or abbreviation. Rather than trying to do so, I will pick a few key concepts from the Affirmations to share as examples. From Affirmation 1: “We declare that Jesus Christ…is the Living Word of God. It is to Christ that scripture points.” From Affirmation 3: “Scripture is a library of books that speaks in many voices. These books were written in diverse times and places, and reflect the languages, cultures, and conditions under which they were written. God’s revelation through scripture does not come to us apart from the humanity of the writers, but in and through that humanity.” Affirmation 5 (quoted in its entirety): “Scripture is vital and essential to the church, but not because it is inerrant (in the sense that every detail is historically or scientifically correct). Scripture makes no such claim for itself. Rather, generations of Christians have found scripture simply to be trustworthy in keeping them anchored in revelation, in promoting faith in Christ, and in nurturing the life of discipleship. For these purposes, scripture is unfailingly reliable (2 Timothy 3:16-17).” Affirmation 9 (also quoted in its entirety): “With other Christians, we affirm the Bible as the foundational scripture for the church. In addition, Community of Christ uses the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants as scripture. We do not use these sacred writings to replace the witness of the Bible or improve upon it, but because they confirm its message that Jesus Christ is the Living Word of God (Preface of the Book of Mormon; Doctrine and Covenants 76:3g). We have heard Christ speak in all three books of scripture, and bear witness that he is “alive forever and ever” (Revelation 1:18).” Scripture varies in age and nature from the ancient accounts of God’s mighty acts among ancient peoples (Book of Genesis and much of the Hebrew Bible – or Old Testament) to modern prophetic revelation that is current and relevant to the challenges of the world today (the latest sections of the Doctrine and Covenants originating in the last two to sixty years). All of scripture is worthy of our study and efforts at discerning its message for us in our own lives. The revelatory experiences with God, recorded by humans with the best words and language available to them to express the unexpressable, are available to us today to study, to interpret, and from which to learn and gain wisdom. It is a lifelong opportunity and challenge available to anyone. If you have an interest in pursuing questions or further discussion about scripture in the Community of Christ, please contact the writer or a congregation near you. Material for this column is drawn primarily from the book, available online, Sharing in Community of Christ: Exploring Identity, Mission, Message, and Beliefs. This is the last in our “We Share” series. I commend the book referenced above for your reading pleasure and study. It is the best current statement of what defines Community of Christ as a Christian denomination. If you are someone newly interested in Community of Christ, get to know us a bit better through this book. If you are a member of Community of Christ, get to know your church a little better and be more prepared for sharing the church with your friends and associates. I pray for you God’s blessings of joy, hope, love, and peace in these challenging times. Steve Thompson Canada West Mission Centre President [email protected] |
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