 Are you feeling overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of school and life? This Thanksgiving, take a much-needed break and join us for a relaxing weekend retreat at Ziontario Campground, designed specifically for high school students in grades 9-12. It’s your chance to unplug, slow down, and enjoy a peaceful setting filled with nature, reflection, and fun. From quiet walks in the woods to engaging workshops on finding balance in life, this retreat offers the perfect way to recharge. You’ll also have plenty of time to connect with friends, enjoy delicious meals, and create lasting memories.
🗓️ When:
📍 Where: Ziontario Campgrounds 💰 Cost: $90 (including HST) ✨ Retreat Highlights:
⏳ Please register by Friday, September 27th 📧 Questions? Contact Regan Ross at [email protected] Take a step back, breathe, and connect this Thanksgiving🍁  Join us for a favourite fundraiser event! On Saturday Sept 21st we will be having a Community Breakfast. The cost is $10 with all proceeds going to support the healthy snack programs in local schools.
Everyone is welcome at Community of Christ Corinth Congregation 54246 Eden Line, Aylmer ON N5H 2R3 Inquiries contact: Cheryl Brooks [email protected]  By: Vonda DenBoer Canada East Mission Centre Co-President
I was blessed to be able to attend some of four different reunions this year: Loaves and Fishes; Erie Beach; Noronto; and McGowan’s Lake. What I witnessed was a lot of children. There were fun times with games and swimming. And there were class times with story, craft and life lessons. At Noronto, one youth, along with her dad, hosted a trivia night. At Loaves and Fishes, the youth presented their poem to the adult class that reflected the theme of Heal the Earth. At Erie Beach the youth hosted a talent show. Our lifeguards were youth. Some of our campfire leaders were youth or young adults. Our youth helped with KP and sports and crafts. The importance of this cannot be overstated. When I was a youth, I taught Sunday school, helped with Skylarks and Orioles, shared my testimony of attending my first World Conference, voted in business meetings, played piano and read scriptures in worship services. I am sure many of you did some of the same things. We did not know we were in training for public speaking or leadership or possible priesthood ministry. We did not know how these skills would help us in our vocations. But in my career, there was a time I had to go on a radio show and talk about the work done by my organization. I was terrified but I drew strength from the times I was asked to share my experiences at camps or reunions or conferences. And I was able to do it. Our children are precious. In addition to the story of Jesus, the importance of baptism, how to walk the Christian way, we teach other important things in the process. What we teach them or what opportunities we provide them to develop skills will be valuable in whatever their chosen field. Developing self-esteem, confidence and how to deal with disappointment and conflict are life skills everyone can benefit from. And if we give them enough opportunities in our camps and congregations, maybe, just maybe, there is a future pastor, future apostle, future missionary, future teacher, future doctor, future handyman, future camp director or future Youth Service Corps volunteer. And the world will be blessed. So, as you reflect on our camping season, please think about ways you can help next year. Maybe you can invite kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews or friends. Maybe you can co-teach a class with a youth to mentor them. Maybe you can help sponsor a family to come to camp. Maybe you can offer to give someone a ride to camp or offer your tent or trailer to someone who needs accommodation. Maybe you can help plan or organize. Maybe attending is not possible for you but you can pray and uplift the leadership team. There are many ways in which we uphold our camping ministry. I hope you find ways that are meaningful to you. And I hope the children come because they remember how great 2024 was for them at camp.  The Friday Night Games Nights are back at the Reaching Out Centre in Mississauga! Join us for an evening of fun and fellowship as we get silly with board games for all ages. We will have games at the centre, but feel free to bring your own. There will be some light refreshments provided but please feel free to bring your own snacks and drinks!
We will play until we want to go home. Hope to see you there! Join us at the Reaching Out Centre 125 Queen Street South, Mississauga ON L5M 1K9 If you have any questions please email [email protected]  By: Vonda DenBoer Canada East Mission Centre Co-President
This spring I was blessed with an invitation to join with other denominations to learn about meaningful worship and Renewing Rural Worship. The invitation read “In a season of church transition and decline, we want to foster kinship instead of competition between rural congregations navigating these realities. Together, we can exchange resources and imagine a sustainable future for worship in rural communities” I said yes and signed up. A grant to a doctoral student enabled people from Mennonite, Christian Reformed, United, Presbyterian, Anglican, Baptist,and Community of Christ to come together and learn from one another, most of whom had church services with 20-40 people. The event was free, and food was provided- what better way to draw us together than sharing over a meal? The Church at Nairn, a Mennonite church was the sponsoring organization, but the funding came from a Vital Worship, Vital Preaching Grant from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship. When I walked into the social hall, I was greeted with banners that confused me. Was I in a Community of Christ church or a Mennonite church? The banners read “Jesus our Center”, “Community our Focus”, “Peace and Justice our Purpose”. I knew I was in the right place to learn something valuable. We sang, we shared stories, we explored what was most important to us in our worship experience and we learned we were similar in our desires, worship challenges and worship practices. We learned how pastoral care and worship are interconnected and how important it is to listen for the relational richness that comes when we listen for what is valued and hoped for in one another. This transcends doctrinal beliefs and theology and enables us to find ways to sustain and support one another across the boundaries of our diversity. I shared about our communion practice with written prayers, invitation statement and scripture and that we had not always had open communion and how important it was for me when we were able to welcome all believers to the table. A line from one song we shared was especially meaningful: “when there’s trust in the room we can breathe” ["Trust in the Room” by John Thornburg and Mark Miller]. We had trust in the room, and openness, and solidarity, and grace. Together we shared the Lord’s Supper, prayers, music and scripture. We heard excellent speakers from across North America- one is a friend of Dawn Dawson’s who shared his use of music in worship on Manitoulin Island. Another had written a book about her experience with shared spaces – where two or more denominations shared a building and rotated worship practices. Many years ago, I attended Pulse’83 where our denomination led us in new and exciting ways to develop our worship experiences. The difference here was that it was not limited to our denomination, and we were blessed with the giftedness of others who also had a rich heritage in worship planning and leadership and much to offer. Both those learning experiences have been transformational for me. I believe we will hear more from this young woman who is embarking on a second doctorate degree in Music and Worship experiences. If Mykayla Turner offers another opportunity, or writes a book, I will definitely take advantage of it.  Please join the Windsor congregation as we discover the power of *Lateral Kindness* in creating healthier, more inclusive workplaces and communities. Brought to you at no cost we will learn about building lateral kindness, addressing negative behaviours, creating a positive culture, and more!
Matt Thorpe: Our facilitator is a high-level Thought Leader and Aboriginal facilitator with over 30 years of experience in training, entrepreneurship, mediation, and coaching. Known for his dynamic, authentic approach, Matt helps individuals and organizations achieve profound self-awareness and authentic resolution. His inclusive communication style and deep connection to people from all walks of life make him an exceptional guide in this journey toward fostering a culture of kindness. Reserve your spot today and be part of a movement toward a more compassionate world. Email Jon Abbey @ [email protected] to register by September 30, 2024  As I watched the 2024 Paralympics a Toyota commercial came on with the tag line “We Believe No Journey is Taken Alone”. That struck me hard. There I was watching the Paralympics particularly because a former student of mine was competing. I knew that she had never been on that journey to compete alone. I knew with certainty that she had had family, friends, teachers, coaches, and I’m sure so many more at her side all along the way. When I saw her compete, I actually saw all of her supporters too, and my eyes filled with tears knowing the love that was being sent her way.
“We Believe No Journey is Taken Alone” Noronto Reunion 2024 for me was filled with the knowledge that the people of Noronto were on a special journey together. As Director, I was definitely not alone. I learned very early on in my directing career that challenges would arise, and that the quicker I gave them up to God to get them sorted out the better. I’d calmly (believe it or not) present the problem and then sleep on it. Some pretty incredible answers came my way. This year that happened numerous times. Here are but a few: • We needed a head cook because our wonderful Jeff Phelps was under the weather. In conversation with Rick MacGregor, who lives in Arizona and hadn’t been to Noronto in years!!!! He said to me “Cathy I could be head cook”. The other wonders that happened in that Noronto kitchen and dining room are just too many to recount! Those teams were just plain God sent! • We needed some Older Youth leaders. I prayed one evening for some people to be sent our way. The very next day I got a call from Mark Fryer asking me if we had any room for a relative of theirs who was a Graceland Rep. That is the way that Noronto Reunion was blessed with Cadence Sires and her grandmother Deb Crowley as our Older Youth leaders. • We needed Guest ministry. Ask me sometime how we got Andrea and Mark Johnson as our guest ministry. I still can’t believe how that happened! Andrea and Mark were just who we needed. They were a couple sent to us from God via South Carolina and Michigan!!! “We Believe No Journey is Taken Alone” • Noronto Reunion 2024 had a Leadership Team of 8 people • Noronto Reunion 2024 had 56 people, of all ages, on the official Personnel List (Passionate talent unleashed to make so many wonderful things take place.) • Noronto Reunion 2024 had volunteers in every one of its 196 “on the grounds” participants of all ages — Children and Youth, side by side with Adults, doing everything that needed to be done. (I particularly loved the new aprons I saw worn in the dining hall for KP — everyone looked so official, and yet cheery!) • Noronto Reunion 2024 participants reached out to the world beyond the Reunion Grounds and so many, many people reached back— Australia, Africa, South America, and so many more places were represented in the sending of greetings and good wishes The words “It takes a village” came to life all through Noronto Reunion 2024. At an Under the Pine Tree session during Reunion, someone spoke about how someone in their family had been sought out over the years to lead meetings in the professional association they belonged to. When asked how this person had learned to lead meetings, the answer was because he had had practice in his church. Can you imagine the leadership power that Noronto Reunion is building!! I saw it at every turn as I walked through the journey of Noronto Reunion 2024. • I was stopped in my tracks to listen as the directions — and explanations of why we do it that way!!! — were being given by the head of our Dining Room to a KP team. I couldn’t have been prouder in that moment. And, as an aside, one of our children said that her favourite thing at Reunion was doing KP!! • I witnessed an 11 year old girl and her dad lead a hugely popular, well attended, Trivia night. • I have proudly been very aware of some young volunteers who have given service for many years to making sure that our kitchen always has fresh, clean, laundered items. • My heart was blessed each time I heard someone calling someone else by name — including them on their journey — Appreciating, Recognizing, Encouraging — leaders all. Noronto Reunion is never just a “one and done” event. This is a living, breathing, community. Lifelong connections are made and renewed here. Being fully immersed in a Community of Christ experience for a week brings untold riches to those who come. I’ve seen it. I’ve experienced it first hand. While I, as director, help to facilitate this experience, I can’t even in my wildest dreams, imagine the full immediate effect or the ripple effect of all of this. We go our own ways — together — and draw on our experiences, and each other, as needed. What has happened is so subtle that we don’t often really realize the blessing of it all. It’s ours to call on at any given moment. God is with us, and we are with each other. “We Believe No Journey Is Taken Alone” Seventy Cathy Baker Noronto Reunion 2024 Director  We were so thrilled to be able to host Kids Camp at Erie Beach this year, as it has been a long time since we have had a youth camp there. We had 15 wonderful campers and 10 staff join us for our Great Treasure Hunt! We learned about listening for God’s voice and waiting for treasures in heaven instead of getting distracted by earthly treasures. There was lots of treasure hunting on the beach and creating crafts to preserve them. Our banquet brought out some colourful characters, such as Captain Hook, Tinkerbell, Peter Pan and Smee, where the campers enjoyed having the staff serve them dinner and do KP. We also learned about geocaching and were able to find one, as well as make one of our own! You will have to try and find it next time you are at the Beach! Can’t wait to see what next year brings! We hope to see you all there! Jenn Pederson co-director |
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