Aid for Hurricane Ida VictimsBased on information the Presiding Bishopric has received from local leaders, church members and church properties in the southern United States were spared damage by Hurricane Ida. 

As part of the larger community, however, Community of Christ is sending oblation support to three agencies providing aid in the area. The church contributed $3,000 USD to each organization listed here. The bishopric has researched these agencies and is satisfied they provide quality support and good stewardship of contributions.

• Project Hope provides medical personnel and hygiene supplies for families in shelters. Project Hope works with local partners to identify urgent health needs and provide personal protective equipment, including N95 masks, against the COVID-19 surge in Louisiana.
• United Way of Southeast Louisiana supports immediate relief and long-term rebuilding. It also supports community grants to partner organizations providing direct disaster recovery assistance.
• American Red Cross mobilized hundreds of trained disaster workers and relief supplies to support people in evacuation shelters. About 600 volunteers were prepared to support Ida relief efforts, and shelters were opened in Louisiana and Mississippi, with cots, blankets, comfort kits and ready-to-eat meals. The organization also positioned products needed for blood transfusions.

Thank you for your ongoing generosity that makes donations like this possible. 

Contributions to Worldwide Mission Tithes, the source of oblation funds, can be made online or by check sent to Community of Christ, 1001 W. Walnut St., Independence, MO, 64050. 

Join the Historic Sites Foundation for Heritage Day EventsA hymn festival and the Joseph Smith III Peace Lecture will highlight 2021 Heritage Day, 19 September.

The Historic Sites Foundation shared specifics:

• Sing the Sacred Story on Heritage Day Sunday!
  All are welcome to join the Beyond the Walls choir and the Toronto Centre Place in celebrating Heritage Day. This year’s worship service, “Our Worldwide Story,” will feature heritage hymns and engaging readings from around the world. This live event on YouTube or Facebook starts at 11:00 a.m. Central Daylight Time USA.

Annual Joseph Smith III Peace Lecture
An educational afternoon will be offered with friends from Liberty Hall Historic Site as they host the annual Joseph Smith III Peace Lecture. This year’s speaker is Jim Doty, who will share his favorite stories related to the life and legacy of Joseph Smith III. This live Facebook event is at 3:00 p.m. Central Daylight Time USA.
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Each year the International Day of Peace is observed around the world on 21 September. 

We hope you will join us for the Daily Prayer for Peace as we continue the practice of praying for peace.  

Liberty Hall was built in 1881 in Lamoni, Iowa, and until 1905 was home to Joseph Smith III, the first president of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints - now the Community of Christ. Smith served in this capacity from 1860 to 1914. He called his home Liberty Hall to welcome all who might come to visit him and his family.

Liberty Hall was a center of social and religious life for the community. There were parties and weddings and fun nights before the fire place eating apples and popcorn, playing games and reading aloud. Joseph Smith said "Liberty Hall throbbed with life, teeming with the bustling activities of a large and growing family." Birth, death, and marriage occurred within its walls. Joys and sorrows succeeded each other as day and night.

We are pleased to have our tour hosted by Stephen Smith. Steve grew up in Nauvoo where he and his family have been intimately involved with the Joseph Smith Historic Site. After a career as a teacher and lawyer, Steve retired and became the Site Director and Team Leader at the Liberty Hall Historic Site. Steve looks forward to sharing his fascination with Church history with us!
 
Join us on Saturday, September 11th, at 3:00 p.m. for this exciting event via Zoom.

​This Sunday, Roger Dodson of Whitby, Ontario, will preach on the theme “Who Do You Say that I Am?” Trudi Mahi Gunderson will teach our Peace Lesson live from Pahoa, Hawaii, and Sarah Allen will teach our Living Church Lesson from Okemos, Michigan. Brian Shantz of Kitchner, Ontario, will offer our invocation. Twila Rider of Independence, Missouri, will read our Call to Worship and Pat Marmoy of Tempe, Arizona, will read our Lectionary scripture.
 
The Beyond the Walls Choir and Michael Karpowicz present our music:
Prelude: “Le Retour” from “Chants du Rhin” by Georges Bizet
Opening Hymn: CCS 23 - I Danced in the Morning
Global Welcome: O Thou Who Camest from Above (Grey Hymnal 47)
Closing Hymn: CCS 105 - All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name (World Premiere)
Postlude: Fughetta from Prelude and Fughetta in F Major (BWV 901) by Johann Sebastian Bach

Our global congregation meets every Sunday at 12:00 pm EDT. All are welcome to this inclusive church service. 

Ottawa Congregation - 10:30 Worship. Contact cofc.ottawa888@gmail.com for Zoom details.

Windsor Congregation - 10:30 Worship. Contact Jeff Moor for Zoom info.

SLIM (Sharing Love in Mission) - 1:45 p.m. Speaker Presiding Evangelist Jane Gardner. We will share in communion, so please have you emblems prepared. Jane will answer questions about Evangelist's Blessings following the service. Send questions to drobb3ca@yahoo.ca or have them ready to ask. Contact Don Robb for Zoom details.

Port Elgin Congregation - 9 a.m. class. Coffee & Conversation 9:40. Worship 10 a.m. Jan Storms presiding. Speaker Barb Kernohan. Contact 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 John & Ruth Black 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. 

World Church has provided a brief statement to address and clarify the Community of Christ position on religious exemptions from being vaccinated. 

From the First Presidency:
"Community of Christ has no World Conference resolutions, policies or other official statements that would prohibit or restrict church members from receiving vaccines or other inoculations."
 
Pastors and Priesthood are to express the above stated church position when asked to provide an exemption letter to employers, educators, or other organizations. Community of Christ is NOT providing letters to exempt members from being vaccinated for Covid on religious grounds. 
 
World Church and the Mission Centre are also not stipulating that congregations restrict non-vaccinated individuals from gathering as congregations re-open for services. Current government guidelines do not require proof of vaccination for churches. The church continues to encourage all members to follow local health and medical protocols in our collective response to eradicate this virus in our midst. 
 
The importance of sanitization, masking and spatial distancing is an essential practice. In addition, no singing or shared food is permitted as we gather. Communion emblems should be brought from your home or individually prepared and packaged per person by one wearing gloves and mask. Bread and juice should NOT be distributed by Priesthood servers walking amongst congregants. As in online services, the partaking of communion would be simultaneous by all participants following the reading of the prayers. Offerings would be placed in a tray at the door. These measures are important.to follow. Thank you for your faithful compliance. 
 
In the midst of these seemingly strict protocols we are still sacred community. We remain in the presence of our Creator who weeps with us during these unnatural times. Let the Spirit breathe as you gather and be filled with the peace of Christ. 
 
Do not feel pressured to reopen. Choose the time that feels right to your leadership team and congregants in accordance with local health guidelines. Be in touch with one another through familiar channels of phone, texts, emails and congregational newsletters.
 
We all are blessed by the more than a dozen congregations conducting Zoom services and activities in our Mission Centre. We post these each week in our What's Happening newsletter. 
 
I look forward to us all reconnecting together at our upcoming Mission Centre Conference on Oct 23-24.
 
With Meaning,
Kerry Richards
Canada East Mission President

​Fall is around the corner and you know what that means...It's almost time for Thanksgiving Retreat!!!!

If you or someone you know is high school age, have them complete this form so we can decide on a date/time for gathering virtually this year.
 
Look forward to seeing all of your responses! If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to myself (Regan Ross), Camryn Ross or Stacey Brookshaw.

​The Children’s Peace Book Club brings children between 4 and 10 years of age (accompanied by an adult) together virtually for a story with a peace lesson followed by a short discussion and a mindfulness practice. Join leaders Amy Unrah and Vonda Den Boer for a life-shaping experience.  

See the flyer for the schedule of books and dates for gatherings. Then, contact Amy Unruh for ZOOM details. 

This Sunday, Apostle Richard James will give our communion message live from Wales on the theme “Called Outside Our Boundaries.” Shawn Matheson of St George, Utah, will teach our Peace Lesson and Bill Mines of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, will teach our lesson of the Living Church. Laurie Sharpe will offer our invocation from Vancouver, Washington. Cecilia Housman of El Dorado, Kansas, will read our Call to Worship and Wanda Mercer of Georgetown, Indiana, will read our lectionary scripture. The communion will be blessed by Puna Teniau from Tahiti and Vickie Thatcher from Riverside, Missouri.

The Beyond the Walls Choir and Michael Karpowicz present our music:
Prelude: Nocturne in F# Minor (Op. 5 No. 1) by Alexander Scriabin
Opening Hymn: CCS 574 “Touch Me, Lord, with Thy Spirit Eternal”
The Souls Are Blest That Hear and Know (Grey Hymnal 83)
All Things Are Thine; No Gift Have We (Grey Hymnal 424)
For All the Saints Who from Their Labors Rest (Grey Hymnal 503)
Closing Hymn: CCS 606 “All Are Called” (world premiere)
Postlude: Valse-Impromptu from 6 Morceaux de Salon (Op. 15 No. 6) by Charles-Marie Widor 

Ottawa Congregation - 10:30 Worship. Contact cofc.ottawa888@gmail.com for Zoom details.

Windsor Congregation - 10:30 Worship. Contact Jeff Moor for Zoom info.

SLIM (Sharing Love in Mission) - 1:45 p.m. No service this week. Contact Don Robb for Zoom details for next week.

Port Elgin Congregation - 9 a.m. class. Coffee & Conversation 9:40. Worship 10 a.m. Catherine Manson presiding. Speaker Dulcie Shepherdson. Contact 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 John & Ruth Black for details.

Cambridge Congregation - No service during July and August.
​
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. 

As a worldwide faith movement, Community of Christ strives to embody God’s peace through our beliefs in the Worth of All Persons, Unity in Diversity, and Blessings of Community. We stand with other communities of faith and faith-based humanitarian organizations in solidarity with displaced people around the world. 
 
The world spotlight recently highlighted Afghanistan. Thousands of people are being relocated to places that might feel strange or unwelcoming. Our Statement on Immigration explains how to respond to the needs of individuals and families seeking refuge and safety.
 
A $10,000 donation from oblation funds will be given to aid the work of Church World Service as it supports newly-arriving Afghans. Learn more about this important work on the CWS website.
 
We continue to monitor the situation and will send additional support as appropriate. Members and friends can give to Worldwide Mission Tithes to support these and future oblation efforts.
 
The words in Doctrine and Covenants 163:4a call us to hear and respond, “God, the Eternal Creator, weeps for the poor, displaced, mistreated, and diseased of the world because of their unnecessary suffering. Such conditions are not God’s will. Open your ears to hear the pleading of mothers and fathers in all nations who desperately seek a future of hope for their children. Do not turn away from them. For in their welfare resides your welfare.”
 
THE FIRST PRESIDENCY

Liberty Hall was built in 1881 in Lamoni, Iowa, and until 1905 was home to Joseph Smith III, the first president of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints - now the Community of Christ. Smith served in this capacity from 1860 to 1914. He called his home Liberty Hall to welcome all who might come to visit him and his family.

Liberty Hall was a center of social and religious life for the community. There were parties and weddings and fun nights before the fire place eating apples and popcorn, playing games and reading aloud. Joseph Smith said "Liberty Hall throbbed with life, teeming with the bustling activities of a large and growing family." Birth, death, and marriage occurred within its walls. Joys and sorrows succeeded each other as day and night.

We are pleased to have our tour hosted by Stephen Smith. Steve grew up in Nauvoo where he and his family have been intimately involved with the Joseph Smith Historic Site. After a career as a teacher and lawyer, Steve retired and became the Site Director and Team Leader at the Liberty Hall Historic Site. Steve looks forward to sharing his fascination with Church history with us!

Join us on Saturday, September 11th, at 3:00 p.m. for this exciting event via Zoom.