 Mark your calendars, and plan to attend the 2024 Canada East Mission Centre Conference. We will be hosted by the Woodfield congregation in London and delegates that need to attend online can join via Zoom. A special point of business will be choosing delegates for World Conference 2025. Inquiries: Mary Jean Belrose at [email protected] or 519-385-1426
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 Come spend time with friends, old and new, as we reflect on ourselves, how we fit in the world, and God’s calling for us. We’ll have good food, lots of laughs, and take part in everyone’s favourite activities like swimming, campfire, sports and crafts. Bring something nice for the end of the week and enjoy a special banquet to wind up the week.
Online registration is open until August 1st, after that please bring your registration forms to camp with you.  Come on out to Reunion! We're delighted to have Vonda DenBoer from the CEM President team as our guest minister. Together, we’ll worship, raise funds for World Accord and the campground with a pancake breakfast and silent auction, and have fun with activities like classes, campfires, crafts, and more. Bring your RVs, trailers, and tents and find a cozy spot to sleep in God’s beautiful creation.
We can’t wait to see you there!  By Dawn Dawson Canada East Mission Centre Co-President Have you ever wanted to take on a project or take part in an event but feel that you alone will not be able to go through with it? There is an unfortunate trend happening all around us today that sees fewer active members in congregations. It can feel like a battle or just overwhelming to get a group together to take on something new. The interesting and sometimes overlooked aspect of this trend is we as Community of Christ are not the only ones that are going through this. Several denominations are facing the same dwindling numbers. Maybe what we need to do is join our mission with a neighbouring church to create something wonderful.
On Manitoulin Island the “Island Pastors” get together once every two months for a time of shared concerns and joys, have a meal together and embrace our common need to create active, healthy, mission in our community. A different church welcomes us for lunch each time. We get to tour each others’ facilities and meet the volunteers that are there to welcome us on that day. We have decided as a whole, to take on two large projects, a back-to-school backpack campaign and the island food bank. These projects touch individuals across the island. We use the members in our own congregations to find ways to work together to make these projects happen. The entire island feels connected through our work. We are working together for a greater good in community. One of the other benefits of working together is to experience what brings great joy and celebrations in other churches. I was invited to take part in an ordination service for our Anglican Reverend friend into their office of Priest. What a wonderful feeling of togetherness to share in such joy. At the beginning of the service the Archbishop of the Diocese of Algoma welcomed all the friends in attendance from neighbouring churches by name and expressed love and appreciation for our love and respect of each other. The days’ theme was about giving in service to others. A theme we all could relate too. As Community of Christ we are not alone in our desire to create communities of love and peace. These larger, beyond our congregations, communities may develop into like minded groups with genuine appreciation and love for each other. In these communities we find ourselves becoming a group of people reflecting Christ’s way rather than society’s trendy or conditional way. We can embrace the worth of all persons as we understand our individual worth in our groups. It is a wonderful feeling of peace in our souls to belong and be a beloved member. Doctrine & Covenant 163: 1 1. “Community of Christ,” your name, given as a divine blessing, is your identity and calling. If you will discern and embrace its full meaning, you will not only discover your future, you will become a blessing to the whole creation. Do not be afraid to go where it beckons you to go.  By: Vonda DenBoer Canada East Mission Centre Co-President One of the important responsibilities in congregations is that of Recorder. Why, you ask? People frequently relocate temporarily for education or employment and then several years later when a decision is made to permanently relocate, unless the recorder is notified, we lose track of members. When children leave home and become their own household head, unless someone tells the recorder, they remain in their birth family household. It may seem insignificant but when you are trying to locate someone and the information recorded in the Shelby system is not current, you may inadvertently be on a wild goose chase. Wild goose chases are for kids in new fallen snow, or maybe hunters, but not ministers of presence.
Recently, I saw a notice of death in the newspaper of someone who I knew was a former member of my congregation. I did not know where their membership resided but was able to notify a recorder who could update the record. Later I sat with a recorder of a congregation trying to update their membership list. We assumed that the 112 year old woman whom neither of us knew, was no longer living. But that was cause for reflection. How did we lose track? Did she feel abandoned by her pastor? Did she have mobility issues and was unable to get to church and think that no-one cared and that is why people stopped calling or sending cards. If she actually lived to 100, was special recognition given? Did she move and wait futilely for contact from the pastor of that town? Or did she die thirty years ago unknown and feeling unworthy? I'd be sad if that were the case. In this age of independence and mobility, yet also with a desperate need for interpersonal relationships and connection, wouldn’t it be nice if we could keep our records current so we could meaningfully keep in touch? I once was given the wrong address for a patient, right house number, wrong street. I certainly surprised the person at the wrong address. After a few calls, the information got corrected and I was able to get to see my patient. I would not want to arrive at the wrong door when called to administer the sacrament of administration to a housebound person. Whether we connect by phone, text, zoom, social media, email or personal visits, you can help foster the ministry of connection by keeping your recorder informed of changes. Let’s stay connected!!  Come to Kids Camp, and discover all of God’s treasures, as we swim, play games, eat great food, and go to campfires together. There will even be a treasure hunt or two, all on the banks of Lake Erie!
Register soon, and we’ll see you August 11-15!  By: Dawn Dawson Canada East Mission Centre Co-President I use the principle of making responsible choices quite a bit with the youth. I read a book about making your children feel responsible. When they did something wrong, they were given a choice of consequences, like sitting quietly in the corner to think about what they had done, or going to their room to lay quietly in bed to think about it, but no playing or reading. I secretly wished each time they would choose the room because usually if I left them for 5 minutes, they fell asleep, and everything would be better after a nap. But regardless, it was this or that.
As I have worked with youth, I have continued to use the idea of smart choices. I have a PowerPoint program I have used at the high school over the last couple of years with young people getting ready for post-secondary school about choices. You can choose to do well but make the right choices at the beginning. Choose to have the correct attitude going in. A quote from the movie “Order of the Phoenix” where the character Sirius Black says, “We’ve all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on.” If we want to simplify life, it boils down to this quote. What we must understand or take away from this is that what we do does matter. If we treat people and ourselves in a proper loving and caring manner, our souls will be happier. The correct choice is not always the easy choice. I have used Daniel in my discussions with youth about this. Daniel chooses to pray to God against the law of the day. King Darius knew the law was wrong, but he did not want to fight the officials, so he felt like he had no choice and threw Daniel in the lion's den. That was the easy way, but Daniel chose the hard way. Darius could not sleep until he freed Daniel. He realized he had to make the hard decision of going to get Daniel out. Daniel survived. We must respect ourselves and make the choice to choose what is the right thing to do for all involved, always. It is an easy thing to discuss, but the realization of what we are doing is hard. Take the time this week to really think about the various choices you make. In today’s world of climate concerns, it might be the choice to remember your cloth bags when you go shopping, or to choose to walk if you cannot drive. Choose to be a positive influence, not a negative one. Choose to take the time to see someone’s point of view before jumping to conclusions or being judgemental. Choose to love over hate. If we choose with love, our priorities will become clear.  Join us at the Noronto Reunion from August 10-17 for a wonderful week immersed in the beauty of God's creation. Enjoy quality time with friends and family, fun activities in the sun, and inspiring sessions with Evangelist Andrea Johnson and Seventy Mark Johnson, focusing on "Heal The Earth." As a special treat, Don Arrowsmith has written a poem capturing the spirit of our reunion that we have attached. The deadline to register and pay is coming up quickly on July 15th. We hope we see you there! 
 For over a century Erie Beach Reunion has drawn friends and members to create memories and build community. Join us July 27-Aug 4 as we explore the theme “God’s Rainbow Promises” with our guest minister Apostle Richard James, and our Graceland Rep Cadence Sires. It will be a week of fun in the sun (baseball anyone?!), awesome food, and sharpen your special talents for our Talent Night!
We are excited to have Richard back at camp, all the way from Wales! The secretary for the Council of Twelve, he is assigned to the Eurasia Mission Field, and leads the Mission Project with the Multi-Nations Team of Apostles, and Abolish Poverty Initiatives ministries. To register contact Fran at [email protected] Camp Director and Inquiries: Kelly Knight [email protected]  Join us July 20 - 26 for a week of fun, laughter, and endless possibilities, as we gather to build community at the beautiful Ziontario campground. Join us for sharing and learning spiritual practices, body, mind, and soul movement. There will be a Health Fair, a rummage sale, silent auction (please bring something to auction off) and coffee house. For the kids and young at heart we will have a duck challenge, hula hooping, paint night, swimming and so much more!
Campsites and dorms are available, as are meal plans for breakfast and supper only. Directors: Becky Grigsby & Heather Mason [email protected] |
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