I have enrolled in the new e-Learning course our Mission Centre advocated for called “Faithful Disagreement”. I started lesson 1 today and recognize the complete relevance of this material to our current day encounters in society around us and transitions within our faith community. The Principle of Faithful Disagreement was created by the church in 2012. The content of this course was prepared recently by David Lloyd, Ron Harmon and resources from others in the church engaged in restorative ministries. Scott Peck author of "A Road Less Traveled" and other community focused books is a resource.
 
We are in a time of change and transition within Community of Christ and I highly recommend this short 3-week course be taken by as many as possible. Today is the start date. You have until Thursday to complete Session 1 which takes perhaps 90 minutes. There are videos, spiritual formation practices, inspiring and formative readings and chat dialogue between participants within the course. The cost is only $7.50. This course will be a blessing in our journey forward in contemplating and engaging in change in the next few years. We will acquire knowledge about the background of peaceful interaction in our differences and learn tools to experience the blessings of community in our diversity.
 
Please consider signing up for this course TODAY. We all need to be educated in the lenses, communication approaches and methods of peace. 

Kerry Richards
CEM President

​Art Smith’s mother-in-law has been hospitalized with a brain tumour.

She had a biopsy on Friday the 16th but it will likely be another week before results are really known. Laura flew to Michigan Friday to be with her.

Thank you for keeping Laura’s mother, Barbara Robinson, in your prayers. 

You can follow her progress via CaringBridge.

​Thank you so much for your interest in peace and justice, and your participation in the European Peace Colloquy webinars and podcasts. We hope this has inspired you in your ongoing work and witness.
 
For the latest list of links for Peace Colloquy webinars and podcasts please click on the link below. There will be one more update when everything is complete. 

You may be interested in an interfaith forum called Belief in Dialogue - also sponsored by the European Peace Team that initiated the European Colloquy. 

​Click on the .graphic below for complete details.
 
The theme is Wealth and Poverty and we have a panel that includes a Muslim academic, a Conservative County Councillor, an Anarchist/Communist, a Christian living in an “all things in common” community of 300 people in the UK, and a member of the Bahai faith. It will be a lively and important discussion.

​To join ZOOM Meeting email Andrew Bolton
 
Thank you!
 
Andrew Bolton and Elray Henriksen
 
Coordinators: Online European Peace Colloquy 2020
abolton2@live.com

On Thursday, October 8th the Parliament of the World's Religions Climate Action Program and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) launched the new book, Faith for Earth: A Call to Action.

The book describes the essential, unshakeable reverence that all religions have for creation and nature, and introduces the world’s major life support systems. The book will give you information and inspiration to learn more about our planet, to share your knowledge and commitment to care for it and to become part of the flourishing global interfaith movement that is increasingly bringing people together to protect and sustain life on Earth.

Faith for Earth was written and edited in consultation with dozens of faith leaders and religious scholars, and with scientific review from UNEP program directors, the Union of Concerned Scientists, and George Mason University’s Center for Climate Change Communication. 

The online edition of Faith for Earth is available as a free download at the Parliament’s website and UNEP’s Faith for Earth website and includes links to scores of interactive features, resources, and real-time information about global environmental trends.
Read More Here >>>

 FORUM2020: Celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the Temple of Understanding
​
​On Friday, October 16th join the Parliament in celebration of the Temple of Understanding's 60th Anniversary by participating in FORUM2020: Science, Spirituality, the Climate Emergency and Our Future & Global Interfaith Prayer Service for the Earth. 
The celebration brings together world religious and spiritual visionaries, Indigenous leaders, scientists, and youth environmental activists to address the urgency of the climate crisis with strategies for inspired collective action.
Read More Here →

Join the NextGen Task Force for A Multigenerational Conversation on Empowering Girls

On Thursday, October 15th the Parliament's Next Generation Task Force is celebrating the critical importance of empowering girls in order to foster a more peaceful, just, and sustainable world with the webinar, Planting Seeds of Hope: A Multigenerational Conversation on Empowering Girls.

Featuring Dr. Sakena Yacoobi, the CEO of the Afghan Institute of Learning (AIL), and Tania Islam, the Chapter Head of Green Hope Bangladesh.
Read More Here →

WATCH NOW: Faith for Nature

​Monday, October 5th marked the beginning of the Faith for Nature: Multi-Faith Action Conference, a global event designed to lay the foundation for inter-faith collaboration for sustainable and regenerative development to achieve the SDGs. Joshua Basofin, Director of Climate Action at the Parliament of the World’s Religions, presented the findings from the Faith Action on the UN Sustainable Development Goals: Progress and Outlook report. 

The conference concluded Thursday, October 8th and program live streams can be found at faithfornature.org/live-stream/
Watch Here →

WATCH NOW: Building Back Better 
Through A Culture Of Peace

Hosted on Tuesday, September 29th by the Green Hope Foundation, Building Back Better Through A Culture Of Peace was a virtual program on the critical need for a culture of peace around the world.

The program was hosted in observance of the International Day of Peace  and featured the participation of Parliament Chair, Audrey Kitagawa; Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization, Dr. Lassina Zerbo; Head of Research & Development of Global Leadership in the 21st Century by UNOG & WAAS, Dr. Mila Popovich; Former Special Representative for President Clinton for Arms Control, Non-Proliferation & Disarmament, Ambassador Thomas Graham, Jr.; President & Founding Trustee of the United Religions Initiative, Rt. Rev. William E. Swing; and the Founder & President of the Post-Conflict Research Centre, Velma Šarić.
Watch Here →

Learning to Listen and to Bear Witness, features Sarah Oliver, URI Global Youth Coordinator.

Since 2016, Sarah has served as the URI Youth Coordinator for the Southern African region. In this role, she has led interfaith and leadership skills training programs with youth from Cooperation Circles across South Africa, Malawi, and Mozambique. She also developed the Girls Not Brides campaign with URI Youth Ambassadors in these areas. In 2019, Sarah began serving as the URI Global Youth Coordinator, expanding on her work to connect, support and inspire youth engagement globally in URI’s network. Take a listen!

Listen Now>>>

#InterfaithNow 
Breaking interfaith stories that inspire us. Check out some of the great work being done by our interfaith colleagues around the world.

• G20 Riyadh: More than 500 leaders to take part in interfaith forum from Arab News
• Interfaith leaders join opposition to jobs law, call for judicial review by The Jakarta Post
• Faith-based organizations can help drive sustainable development, says new report from UN Environment

 

​Join us for the screening of There's Something In The Water, followed by a panel discussion with producer Dr. Ingrid Waldren, Dr. David Suzuki, and frontline activists.

​Panelists:

• Moderator: Sherry Yano, Community Renewable Energy Manager, David Suzuki Foundation
• Dr. Ingrid Waldren, Director, The ENRICH Project
• Dr. David Suzuki, Founder, The David Suzuki Foundation
• Michelle Francis Denny, Member of Pictou Landing First Nation and community liaison for the Boat Harbour Remediation Project
• Dorene Bernard, Mi’kmaq Grassroots Activist
• Louise Delisle, President, South End Environmental Injustice Society (SEED)

As a result of the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement, long overdue conversations about environmental racism and the intersection of racism and environmental justice are actively taking place across Canada. 

This documentary film offers an opportunity to bring this important conversation to our community and amplify the voices of the activists on the ground in parts of Canada facing various threats against their rights and the environment. 

Based on Ingrid Waldron's incendiary study, the film follows Ellen Page as she travels to rural areas of the province that are plagued by toxic fallout from industrial development. As did Waldron, the filmmakers discover that these catastrophes have been precisely placed, all in remote, low income — and very often Indigenous or Black — communities. As the filmmakers observe, your postal code determines your health.

​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 and share it with others who might appreciate it. 

Yesterday I spoke with a dear member who was de-cluttering her home and discovered a worn and discoloured 1917 Herald. A major focus within its pages was the Spanish Flu pandemic that was overwhelming the world. That flu was couched in mystery and without understanding of how we can protect one another. A century has passed and today we have hope knowing the safeguards we follow to keep each other safe.

Our 2020 Thanksgiving is being celebrated within this pandemic and is upon each of our minds. Normally we would be looking forward to celebrating with generations of family and friends. Our family, as most of you will be experiencing this year, is separated from an in-person Thanksgiving get together. It may be hard for us to feel thankful right now….in home spaces that now seem more spacious, at tables that are normally overflowing. And yet, that doesn't mean we should let go of this sacred tradition of gratitude we need now more than ever. 

​If we still practice gratitude this holiday weekend, there's still hope for this Thanksgiving. We have learned these past few months that we can still share together in personal, touching ways that still allow us facetime or phone time with one another. Let us make our Gratitude intentional this weekend. Let us not take anyone for granted. Let us voice the words, “I love you”, “I miss you.” These words transcend the miles and warm the heart more than a turkey dinner ever could. These words spoken will be remembered when we look back at 2020. Let us share with one another the innumerable gifts of life we are grateful for. Especially this year, let us be grateful for life itself. Gracious God we are blessed. Thank you for family and friends and the joy of togetherness in whatever form we experience it.

Our family wishes each of you a bountiful Thanksgiving rich in the blessings that matter most.
​
Kerry & Shelley Richards and family

​Beyond the Walls - "Confess Our Impatience"

You’re invited to join with hundreds of participants from around the world for an inclusive church service on the theme “Confess Our Impatience.”

Danny Belrose will give our Sunday message on the story of the children of Israel and the Golden Calf (Exodus 32:1-14). Our scripture will be read in Lingala by André Nzuzi from Bern, Switzerland, and Andrea Salemi of Catania, Sicily, will give our Call to Worship in Italian.

Richard Troeh of Independence, Missouri, will offer our invocation and Zilphia Martin IV of Southfield, Michigan, will teach our Peace Lesson. Leandro Palacios of Toronto, Ontario, will offer our Disciples Generous Response.

Join the Beyond the Walls Choir in singing: CCS - 23 “I Danced in the Morning,” and CCS - 574 “Touch Me, Lord, with Thy Spirit Eternal.”

Let us build a community Beyond the Walls this Sunday, 12 p.m. EDT.

SLIM (Sharing Love in Mission) - 2 p.m. Bring a writing pad to begin a Gratitude Journal. Please answer the following questions before the service.
I am grateful for my family because…; ”“Something good happened this week…"; “I am grateful for my friendship with… because…”; “I am grateful for who I am because…”; “Something silly that I am grateful for…”; “Something else I am grateful for…” Speaker Barb Kernohan. Contact Don Robb for Zoom info.

Port Elgin Congregation - 9 a.m class. Coffee & Conversation 9:40. Worship 10 a.m. Speaker Kris Judd. Larry Buchanan  for Zoom details.

La Salle Road Congregation - Social time from 10:15-10:30. Worship 10:30 a.m. Contact  Pastor Vonda den Boer for Zoom details.

Reaching Out - Generally meets twice a month. Please sign up for email notices by clicking here.

Kitchener Congregation - Sunday evenings at 7:00 p.m. Contact Carman Thompson for details.

Cambridge Congregation - 11 a.m. Complete Worship Services are held each Sunday at 11:00 am For details go to www.cofchristcambridge.ca  On the calendar page click on the event for the Zoom link. Social time follows the service

First People Community of Christ (FPCC) - Reaching out to Native People across North America  and the World! Online Prayer and Testimonies Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m. and Worship Sundays at 7 p.m. Contact Larry Buchanan for ZOOM details.

Other Online Ministries are available from many varied places for you to connect with.

Join "Church History Without Boundaries," a series of online lectures each Thursday at 8 p.m. Eastern Time through November 19.
Participants will journey through the pages of Community of Christ history as we listen to guest historians share the global history behind Community of Christ. The eight-week series features church history from Nigeria, Korea, India, Canada, England, and the Holy Land. Registration is free. Online space is limited. 

• 8 October: "The Story of Community of Christ in India" with David Howlett
• 15 October: "The Story of Community of Christ in Southeastern Nigeria" with Dima Hurlbut 
• 22 October: "Community of Christ History in the Holy Land" with Barbara Walden
• 29 October: "The Most Spectacular Harvest of Souls Since Wesley's Time: Latter Day Saint British Isles Missions, 1837-1863" with Andrew Bolton
• 5 November: "The Church Encounters Asia. Beginnings: Korea" with Steve Shields
• 12 November: "1830s Latter Day Saint Missiology" with Seth Bryant
• 19 November: "Bishop R.C. Evans of Canada: From the RLDS First Presidency to Schismatic Church Leader"
  with John Hamer 

​More about this lecture series here.

Previous lectures
"A Global Family: Strategies for Visualizing and Narrating Community of Christ's Global History" with John-Charles Duffy

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to reduce opportunities for the church to provide in-person pastoral-care ministries and to gather physically for fellowship, worship, and community formation. After extended consideration, the Presidency is providing principles and guidelines for offering the sacraments through online means during the pandemic. These principles and guidelines may be refined in the future as the church lives into its experiences with online ministries.
 
It is our hope that providing for the sacraments to be shared through online experiences will continue the pastoral-care ministries the church is called to extend into human life, even during this time of physical distancing. It also will provide the church learnings for how to share the sacraments in a world that is becoming more borderless through online connections. May blessings abound as you offer these gifts.