Many people gathered in Wiarton to celebrate their 120th anniversary on August 20th. It was a wonderful moment in time to appreciate those who have gone before us and those present today who have paved the way for this remarkable faith journey. The service was joyful, uplifting, and inspiring. Kudos to all those who planned and executed the event!

Unfortunately, COVID is still with us! If you were at the celebration service, please be informed that three people who were in attendance have since tested positive. It is recommended that you take a COVID test and watch for any possible symptoms that may present such as:

• Any one or more of:
  • fever or chills
  • cough
  • shortness of breath
  • decreased or loss of taste or smell
• Any two or more of:
  • runny nose or nasal congestion
  • headache
  • extreme fatigue
  • sore throat
  • muscle aches or joint pain
  • gastrointestinal symptoms (such as vomiting or diarrhea)

If you develop severe symptoms requiring medical attention, such as shortness of breath or chest pain, call 911 and inform them that you may have COVID-19.
 If you have symptoms of COVID-19Stay home and self-isolate until all of the following apply:

• your symptoms have been improving for at least 24 hours (or 48 hours if you had nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea)
• you do not have a fever
• you have not developed additional symptoms

Be aware that symptoms may emerge up to 10 days after exposure. Help to take care of others by especially avoiding exposure to particularly vulnerable people.

After an inspiring journey of four years, we are thrilled to announce the grand opening of our new home! Join us for an unforgettable weekend packed with activities as we begin to embody our name in the community of Streetsville. Enjoy a tour of our facility, experience our vibrant programming, and visit with friends.  
​
Interested in joining us? Please RSVP to help us manage parking and building capacity to ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience for all. Save the date! And remember, we will be sharing a Zoom link closer to the event for those who wish to be part of our dedication service from home. Staying true to our mission, we say, "All are Welcome!" 
  
📅 September 8 – 10, 2023 
🏡 125 Queen Street South, Mississauga, Ontario L5M 1K9 
📝 RSVP Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Z1R0k-jCzUflwdQgUWxaJlF3x9_R7S80IpNj2Os4pDM/viewform?edit_requested=true 
📧 RSVP by Email: cofcreachingout@gmail.com 
🔗Learn more: https://reachingout.ca/ 

WOODFIELD Joint service with Baha'i Community

In-person or via Youtube
August 27 @ 11 a.m.
Be Transformed (through Prayer and Music) 

You're invited to join the Woodfield Congregation for a
special service featuring music by singer/songwriter
Roxanne Andrighetti as they worship with the
Baha'i Community ​​

Roderick Malcolm McLean (KookieMan)
September 12, 1934 – August 15, 2023

Evangelist at Community of Christ, Canada East Mission, Youth Minister, Purveyor of Christie’s cookies, peacefully departed this earthly plane August 15, 2023.

As he joins his wife June, son Mark and daughter Karen in heaven, he will be forever remembered by the balance of his family. Left to our memories of outstanding father, grandfather and great-grandfather are Kimberley McLean (Charles Kaiser), Karie McLean, Darren Hager, Korbyn McLean (Amanda Buchnea), Stacia Tizzard (Lucas and their son Grayson Mark). Rileigh Martin (Abe), and Carsten McLean (Samantha Clemens).

His many decades of church ministry, especially with youth and camping, well into his 80s, engendered a love for Monetville Campgrounds. It is fitting he moved on to glory while many of his community gathered there at Noronto Family Reunion.

We send thanks to all those who supported him and his family in his last few months, with prayers, visits, cards, photos, phone calls and social media messages.

His celebration of life will be Sunday, August 27th at 3:00 pm. at Northridge Community Church of the Salvation Army, 15338 Leslie St., Aurora ON L4G 7C4

Coffee Hour will follow.
​
In Lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Community of Christ Canada East Mission, Camping Ministries, 355 Elmira Rd. N., Unit 129, Guelph, ON N1K 1S5 www.communityofchrist.ca

An introductory sharing on the impact of colonization and oppressive practices with an invitation to decolonize our thinking and develop anti-oppressive practices in a movement towards Truth and Reconciliation.

Shore will present some different ways of knowing, understanding, and seeing different Indigenous cultural ways of being as well as what our colonizing ancestors may have missed learning and appreciating about these ways of living in a step towards increasing compassion, context, and possible ways to move forward in a different way. You will be invited to learn some of the history of the original peoples of this land, how they learned, how they thrived for thousands of years, and what they learned from the natural world and how it informed their society, agreements, and relationships between nations prior to colonization. 


Guest PresenterShore Charnoe, BA (hons), ECE, BSW, RSW
Shore is a biological and adoptive mother of 11 and a grandmother of 6. She is the founder of The Circle for Change, a non-profit organization dedicated to healing and supporting regenerative connective cultural practices to support elders, families and youth at risk build a sustainable lifestyle through a long-lasting relationship with the land, water, and the natural world, themselves and each other to contribute to co-creating a healthier planet for future generations. Programing includes nature connection, peacemaking teachings, indigenous traditional knowledge, storytelling, plant identification and more, for individual healing, learning, and growth. 

Shore has had a private counseling practice since 1994. As a traditional counselor, helper, and social worker, she has directed several community clinics and many highly-effective community helping programs. These programs have focused on at-risk youth and have included suicide prevention, apprehension prevention, parenting skills, lifeskills, adoption facilitation, and short- and long-term foster care. She has helped foster, raise, and mentor over 100 children. 

She credits much of her effectiveness to the lessons she has learned from over 20 Indigenous Elders. She studied for 10 years under the Odawa Medewin Elder Eddie King. Shore’s husband and partner, Richard Szponarski, was a student of Eddie King for over 30 years. She holds a degree in Indigenous Social Work through First Nations Technical Institute under the direction of Banakonda Kennedy-Kish (Bell), an Anishinaabe (Ojibway) Elder; Katsitsiase, also known as Betty Maracle, a Bear Clan Grandmother of the Mohawk Nation, Elder and Wisdom Keeper, and Ben Carniol, who was a Holocaust Survivor, social activist, and author. Shore also studied language and traditional stories with Basil Johnson, an Anishinaabe (Ojibwa) Elder. 
 DonationsIn keeping the cost of this event as low as possible, we welcome and deeply appreciate any financial support to cover event expenses. A portion of your donation will be forwarded to our special guest, Shore Charnoe.

If finances are a hindrance or if you have any questions, please be sure to email info@communityofchrist.ca. 
See you there!

Gathering music and Indigenous acknowledgment –

     As the wind song through the trees. Welcome: Pastor Ron Rowbottom, Community of Christ 
Opening Video Song:   “Morning has Broken”  
     CCS 143* Community of Christ - Beyond the Walls Choir
     (Video) 
Call to Worship: Poem - Read by  member of the Baha’i Community
What Is the Journey? 
     It is a journey in justice, not judgment. Its ethic is love, not law. 
     Its signposts neither rule nor regulate. 
     Its mandate is the constant heartbeat of compassion that affirms the worth
       of each soul. 
     It is a path of inward and outward transformation. 
     A path where we leave behind who we once were to become who God calls
        us to be. 
     We let go of traditions and proscriptions which give voice to some while
        silencing others. 
     A path of adventure and discovery of new horizons beckons and births new
        understandings. 
     It is a journey of seeing with new eyes, hearing with new ears, and
        discerning new truths. 
     A journey of hospitality where joy, hope, love, and peace are living words. 
          – Danny Belrose, “Together on the Road: A Trilogy,” part 2 
Hymn of Gathering: “The Lords Prayer”    Roxanne Andrighetti 
Invocation: Elder Dariq Wolsey, Community of Christ  
What is Prayer?: A Baha’i exploration of prayer through the art of music. 
     Roxanne will explore the question “What is Prayer?” from the Baha’i                   perspective sharing several of her original musical compositions inspired by
     the Baha’i writings.
        “The diversity in the human family should be the cause of love and                    harmony, as it is in music where many different notes blend together
 in the making of a perfect chord."  
Lighting the Peace Candle: Teacher Bruce Hodgins, Community of Christ 
Prayer for Peace: 
     God of Peace,  
     Create in me a spirit of peace that reflects the peace I know in you. Help me
     to share this peace with those I love and with those I don’t love. Open the
     eyes of my heart that I may recognize your presence in everyone. I pray that
     peace will be known by all through my words and my actions. Soften any
     hardness in my heart that I may share the gift of your peace to all in my life.
     Bless those I love and those I don’t love. Bless my journey and bless me to
     always know that I am worthy of the peace that is found through you. Amen.
Closing Song  “Peace, Shalam, Shalom” Emma’s Revolution and Community of
     Christ Members (Video) 
Closing Prayer: Baha’i Prayer


* Community of Christ sings Hymnal, please join in the singing. 
Please gather in the fellowship hall for refreshments and conversation after the service. 

Diversity and Inclusion Team Workshops 

The Diversity and Inclusion Team is excited to offer three workshops beginning in September of this year. We hope to see many of you as participants and fellow learners as we continue on the path of inclusion as a faith community. 

Pick A Diversity-Building Understanding: This 90-minute workshop uses simple eye opening activities to help participants walk in another’s shoes and build better understanding for personal and congregational empathy and understanding. It offers guidance for the development of specific action plans for inclusion. Date and Time: September 10, 2023, 2:30-4:00 pm CST 

Identifying Microaggressions to Create a Culture of Belonging: A 60-minute workshop that teaches people to recognize how different audiences can interpret language and microaggressions. It teaches people to understand the implications of their speech. Participants will learn to identify microaggressions and will be able to reflect on how they can modify questions/comments in ways that are less likely to reflect stereotypic assumptions and beliefs. (Limited to 30 participants) Date and Time: October 8, 2023, 2:30-3:30 pm CST 

Resisting Unconscious Bias and Building Inclusiveness: This 90-minute interactive workshop reveals how unconscious bias occurs and how to become more conscious of how we think and behave. Participants are taught specific steps they can take to interrupt “reactionary thinking” and make any changes needed to build a greater sense of inclusion for all. Date and Time: November 19, 2023, 2:30-4:00 pm CST 

Workshops are free and all are welcome. Currently the plan is to offer the workshops on a scheduled basis. Registration is required. 

To register: Send your name, email address, contact phone number, and title of the workshop you wish to attend to Heather Frey at hfrey@cofchrist.org.  A Zoom link will be sent to you a week or more prior to the workshop.  

If a group of 20 or more, a congregation, or a mission center would like to have a presentation on different dates than those announced, please contact Gwendolyn Hawks-Blue, gblue@cofchrist.org, or Cathi Cackler Veazey, ccacklerveazey@cochrist.org.  

Beyond The Walls -  The Pharisee and the Tax Collector 

The Pharisee and the Tax Collector (a.k.a. the Pharisee and the Publican) contrasts the way two persons approach God: one boasts of following religious traditions while the other humbly seeks forgiveness. But how does this story resonate with our lives and our ministry? Join us on the tenth leg of our sacred journey exploring Jesus's parables, as Pamela Luce speaks to the global community, casting new light and insight on this challenging parable.  

Our choir premieres CCS 151 - Come and Find the Quiet Center.  

Worship with the Beyond the Walls community on Facebook or YouTube:  
📅 Sunday, August 13, 2023.  
⏰12:00 PM or 6:00 PM EDT.   

This summer, Beyond the Walls invites you to a series of 12 Sunday services where we will dive into 12 parables of Jesus as recorded in the Gospel of Luke. We have selected 12 speakers that represent the diversity of our community. From their own unique perspectives, they invite us into dialogue with Jesus in the present moment with fresh eyes and ears.   

Mark your calendar and invite your friends and congregation. We look forward to walking this spiritual journey with you. See you there! 🌟 

SEE WHAT'S COMING UP…
August 20: “The Talents” sermon by Rob Lauer
  https://youtu.be/8rIahXVB5nU  
   
August 27: “The Bad Tenants” by John-Charles Duffy
  https://youtu.be/LpDfjsr6ncU 
All music performed by the Beyond the Walls Choir and Michael Karpowicz.  
COPYRIGHT INFORMATION: ONE LICENSE LICENSING PERMISSION: REPRINTED / PODCAST / STREAMED WITH PERMISSION UNDER ONE LICENSE A-739874. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 

SLIM (Sharing Love in Mission) - 1:45 p.m. ET - Susan Flight will lead us in worship. Apostle Janne Grover via video sermon will share a message on the topic of Stand With Jesus. Contact Don Robb for Zoom details.

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