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September 19 and 26 Climate Change Colloquy Series-Online
October 18 Creating Connection Book Club-Online October 22-24 Nurturing Silence Retreat-Online View full Canada West Events Calendar Dates are subject to change. Please register early to avoid cancellation of your event on Reggie.  Our "Red Session" of e-learning classes and MEADS will open for Canadian enrollment on September 20.
The following credit classes will open for a limited enrollment:
Classes cost $7.50 each, MEADS class cost $30 and should be paid before class via eTransfer to: Sam Smalldon cwm_mcfo@communityofchrist.ca To enroll, go to developmetrics.org and click on the "Canadian Registration Form" when registration opens on September 20. Should you have any questions, please contact David Lloyd.  Last week’s MCP Moment told you what was going to happen at Mission Conference this past weekend. Guess what? It all happened pretty much as planned!
I won’t go through every session in detail. I kind of did that last week. And everyone who was involved in all those sessions did an excellent job! If you were not there you missed excellent events from Debra Donohue’s Coffee and Conversation event on Thursday evening, through Shannon McAdam’s very creative online “Community Dinner” on Friday evening, Lisa Neudorf’s opening worship on Saturday morning, even the presentations by Dar, John, and Steve on Sunday afternoon, and, finally, the closing mini-concert by Edith Wallace. I will share some of the highlights from my perspective that I think will have some longer-term implications for us in Canada West Mission Centre. On Friday evening Apostle Art Smith brought us up to date on preparations for the “Testimony Tapestry” project and website and a second Sunday service focused on the Testimony Tapestry coming up on September 25. For current and up-to-date information, check the Testimony Tapestry webpage regularly. You can be involved! Consider the following questions, write your responses, and send them to Art Smith at asmith@cofchrist.org.
During Saturday’s annual business meeting, the following decisions will have long-term positive impact on the Canada West Mission Centre. First, a new volunteer Mission Centre President Team was recommended by the church’s First Presidency and approved by the conference. The new MCP Team consists of Gwyn Beer from Chilliwack congregation and Kat Goheen and Shannon McAdam from the Vancouver congregation. Following their approval, the three (despite Gwyn’s absence due to a personal commitment) were blessed with a prayer of “setting apart” by Art Smith. They officially take over their new duties on November 1. Watch for updates and details on the transition process from the “old regime” (i.e., me) to the new team. Second, two new priesthood calls were approved. This was not necessarily any more remarkable that any other approval of calls at a mission conference. Just as any approved call to ministry has the potential to have impact for a person’s local congregation as well as the mission centre at large, that was certainly the case for these calls. Kathy McAdam (Chilliwack) was supported in her call to the office of High Priest-Evangelist. Kat Goheen (Vancouver) was supported in her call to the office of High Priest. Both were ordained during a special ordination service on Sunday morning. I believe both women will serve very well and will be well respected in their new priesthood roles. Finally, on the “business side” of things, the conference approved the “re-assignment” of four purpose-specific restricted funds of the mission centre into the general operating fund of the mission centre. This simplifies the processes of accounting and of approval of funds by the mission conference for current and future programs of the mission centre. This is one of those decisions that may or may not be considered significant right now, but which may well be recognized as VERY significant two or three years from now when funds can more easily be approved for new and creative initiatives of ministry, outreach, and mission. In closing I thank everyone for the contributions to the success of the conference including the presenters (most of whom were mentioned above), plus the people who planned and prepared for conference, and those who supported sessions in the background as “tech support” for the presenters. I also thank all those who attended all or part of the conference. The contributions and participation by so many people made this conference a weekend to remember! As always, I pray for you God’s blessings of joy, hope, love, and peace in these challenging times. Steve Thompson Canada West Mission Centre President steve@communityofchrist.ca  Climate Webinar:
”Through Crises Toward Transformation: Systemic Solutions - Consumerism!" When: Sunday, September 19, 2021, 2:00 pm-3:30 pm PDT (3 pm MT, 4 pm CT, 5 pm ET) Where: Online Ministry We live in a culture dominated by consumerism. The media, the economists, the corporate world – all pressure us to buy, buy, buy! As a society, we are addicted to shopping and consumerism. And most of the industrial complex that makes and distributes consumer goods rely on fossil fuels, petroleum products and plastics that continually add to the carbon emissions in the atmosphere. Last June, we explored the possibility of a circular economy, where “Take, Make, and Discard” is replaced with “Reuse, Recycle, Repurpose, and Repair.” But that’s only a portion of the solution. Wise consumer practices for the individual and for manufacturers are other transformations required to help solve this systemic problem. Join the follow-up conversation on:
Note: As a part of this discussion, we will explore the possibility of establishing networking groups for climate action: Bring your ideas and your calendar! All sessions are free and participation in previous webinars and conversations is not necessary to join in this opportunity. For more information about the series please visit the Climate Change Colloquy website.  Come join us for a monthly “get together” for casual discussion of books from a wide range of genres. Open to all book lovers (some books may not be suitable for younger readers). When: Third Monday of every other month at 7 PM (BC), 8PM (AB/SK), 9PM (MB). Our next meetup is on October 18th  Our book for this session is: The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley The magical saga of the women behind King Arthur’s throne. In Marion Zimmer Bradley’s masterpiece, we see the tumult and adventures of Camelot's court through the eyes of the women who bolstered the king's rise and schemed for his fall. From their childhoods through the ultimate fulfillment of their destinies, we follow these women and the diverse cast of characters that surrounds them as the great Arthurian epic unfolds stunningly before us. As Morgaine and Gwynhefar struggle for control over the fate of Arthur's kingdom, as the Knights of the Round Table take on their infamous quest, as Merlin and Viviane wield their magics for the future of Old Britain, the Isle of Avalon slips further into the impenetrable mists of memory, until the fissure between old and new worlds and old and new religions claims its most famous victim. Meet our host:
Kelly Duff has loved reading from an early age. In recent years, she has especially loved the opportunities she's had to read stories by brand new authors through her volunteer work with Filidh Publishing; where she assists with preliminary edits of new manuscripts, as well as helps with planning/running book launches and open mic events. She enjoys reading books from many genres, and she looks forward to exploring the worlds of fiction and non-fiction with other avid readers!  What: Nurturing Silence Retreat
When: October 22-24, 2021 Where: Online (click on the button below to register) “If you’re silent, you can hear the forest breathe, the holy hush of the tree’s limb.” Felicia Morrell Take time out to relax, slow down and savor life exactly as it is. Rest your body, quiet your mind, and listen to those sparks of inspiration that arise when you take time to nurture a quiet listening presence. In this Zen style retreat, you’ll have time to let silence seep into the depths of your being, learning core practices to help sustain awareness while sitting, moving, walking, eating, working, resting, or whatever you’re doing. Guided in practices that cultivate inner silence, while in your own space for a full week-end, you’ll emerge feeling revitalized with new insights and practices to take into your every day life. SCHEDULE (all times are pacific time) Friday, October 22
Saturday, October 23
Sunday, October 24
 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 Sundays BC Community of Christ Online Gathering Hosted by the Vancouver Congregation Sunday mornings 9:30am Pacific Time - Visiting and gathering 10am Pacific Time - Service Contact Chris Phelps at cphelps@shaw.ca for Zoom links.  Inclusive Church Hosted by Beyond the Walls Community and Toronto Congregation Sundays at 9 am PDT/10 am MDT/11 am CDT/Noon EDT. For more information please visit their website, Facebook page and YouTube channel to watch the service. Mondays  Creating Connection Book Club Third Monday of every other month at 7PM (BC), 8PM (AB-SK), 9PM (MB). To join please visit the Creating Connection Meetup group. For details about the next session click here. Tuesdays  Virtual Visiting Fellowship (discontinued for the summer) Tuesday mornings at 11am CDT (Manitoba), 10am MDT (Alberta and Saskatchewan), 9am PDT (BC). Please send an email to steve@communityofchrist.ca to participate. Wednesdays  Creating Connection presents: An Afternoon of Nurturing Spirit Wednesdays from 3pm to 4:30pm Pacific Time. To join please visit the Creating Connection Meetup group. Thursdays  Creating Connection presents: Coffee and Conversation Thursdays from 10:30am to noon Pacific Time. To join please visit the Creating Connection Meetup group. Virtual Visiting Fellowship (discontinued for the summer) Thursday evenings at 9pm CDT (Manitoba), 8pm MDT (Alberta and Saskatchewan), 7pm PDT (BC). Please send an email to steve@communityofchrist.ca to participate. For a list of Online Ministries please click here.
This occasional feature is intended to ensure that people across the mission centre are aware of the passing of persons in other congregations in a timely manner.
Information provided here is restricted to the name of the deceased person, the city where they lived (or congregation they attended), and the date of death (if it is provided). If an online version of a detailed obituary is available, the name of the person will be underlined indicating that it is a link to that source of information. If you are aware of other church members who have passed away and whose names do not appear here or in our archive, please advise sandra@communityofchrist.ca. Please support in thought and prayer the family and friends of the following persons who passed away this year:
 Unfortunately, there are many scammers looking for opportunities to take advantage of non-suspecting individuals in many different ways. We want to warn you about one such scheme that may be circulating among or from Community of Christ members, friends and Mission Centre Leadership right now.
If you should receive an email that appears to be from someone you know or trust such as CWM leadership, or congregation leadership, other close friends or relatives, etc., stating something like, “Can you do me a favour?”, be extremely cautious. These messages are likely a “phishing” email. If you reply, the next email asks you to purchase a gift card on their behalf. The message may say they need the card immediately, but they are too busy to do it, and they will pay you back as soon as possible. These emails are not legitimate. They are being sent by malicious entities who are impersonating people in your contacts list to gain your trust and exploit you. These kinds of fraudulent emails attempt to gain your trust in order to access your personal and/or credit card information, or to get money (in the form of gift cards). DO NOT click any links or reply to such messages. Delete these emails immediately! What to do next: If you believe you have received this type of phishing email:
Be very suspicious regarding online communication, especially when being requested to purchase gift cards or transfer funds. Remember, scams come in many forms. Click here to see a list of other possible scams published by the Government of Canada. Note: This notice was originally published by Canada East Mission Centre in April 2021. Canada West acknowledges with appreciation their original drafting. This is being re-published by Canada West due to a series of “phishing” emails that circulated earlier this week. The Canada West Mission Centre Annual Conference begins Thursday evening with a “Coffee and Meaningful Conversation” session hosted by Canada West’s Creating Connection Director, Debra Donohue. Debra will model her weekly conversation events for us by asking us to share a response to the question, “What are you so excited about right now that you can’t help but sing it to the world?”
The last bit of that question arises from our conference theme: “How can we keep from Singing?” After a year and a half of limited in-person interactions, it is time to “break out” just a bit and share in some celebration of our faith and of our relationships. Here is a different session for you: On Friday evening Shannon McAdam (Vancouver Congregation) will host an online “Community Dinner.” Come along and see what that is all about. A bit later on Friday evening, Apostle Art Smith will bring us up to date on the Canada wide discernment project and the developing “Testimony Tapestry.” (No spoilers here – you will have to attend to find out what that even means!) Saturday is almost all business, all day. There will be an opening worship session, followed by our “Pre-Legislative Meeting” during which we get a preview of the main business items up for discussion without the constraints of parliamentary procedure. We will also honour those who have passed away since our last meeting a year ago, and we will celebrate life milestones experienced by many of us. The business meeting will feature the usual consideration of last year’s minutes, this year’s financial outlook, next year’s budget, and reports on all manner of activities of the mission centre. Of special interest will be the presentation of a new Mission Centre President Team who will take over my duties as early as November 1. (More on that in a future column – you can count on it!) In addition, calls for two persons to new priesthood responsibilities will be presented for our support. Sunday morning will include a service to celebrate the ordination of the two individuals referenced above. Kat Goheen (Vancouver) will be ordained to the office of High Priest. Kathy McAdam (Chilliwack) will be ordained to the office of High Priest-Evangelist. That will be followed by our mission-centre-wide communion service, with speaking ministry by Apostle Art Smith. Sunday afternoon will include a presentation of mission centre highlights by three leaders: Dar Shepherdson, Bishop of Canada; John Glaser, President of Seventy; and, yours truly, Steve Thompson, Mission Centre President (for now!). We will close our conference with a special musical “Satsang” session, led by Vickie and Doug MacArthur (Lethbridge), with special guest Edith Wallace (Vancouver). I have intentionally left out lots of details. Please go to our “Conference Hub” to get all the details (including times for all events), as well as your invitation to register (at no charge) for the whole event – or just the sessions that interest you. You MUST register to obtain the Zoom logon information for the events. Come along and join the fun, the celebration, the information sharing, and the general fellowship. Especially, come and share “How can we keep from singing?” As always, I pray for you God’s blessings of joy, hope, love, and peace in these challenging times. Steve Thompson Canada West Mission Centre President steve@communityofchrist.ca  Our annual Mission Conference will be held online. The theme for this year is “How Can We Keep from Singing?” beginning with a Coffee & Conversation session on Thursday evening, September 9, and concluding with a Satsang: Singing into Silence session on Sunday afternoon, September 12. Visit www.cwm.events to register today! Register through Reggie and select which activities you plan to attend. While this event is free, only those who have registered will receive the Zoom link for all the sessions. Please check your spam or junk folder if you can’t find it. Please click on the buttons above to register and to view the schedule.
We hope to see you soon! You have made the moon to mark the seasons
the sun knows its time for setting. Psalm 104:19 (NRSV) I have mentioned in a few posts in the last three months or so how quickly the year seems to be going by. Now – here we are at September 1 already! Just how did that happen? September is similar to New Years. It signals the start of the new year recognized by most of us: a new school year. It also signals the “end” of summer – even though summer does not officially end for another three weeks. Suddenly the weather feels a little cooler (whether it actually is or not). And those of us with gardens (or crops) begin thinking about when that first frost is likely to show up. There is nothing unexpected in the changing of the seasons. However old you are, that’s how many years you have been experiencing them. The Psalmist, writing at least 2600 years ago, recognized the moon’s movements as marking the seasons. Even the author of the first chapter of Genesis recognized the wisdom of God in placing the lights in the sky: And God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. Genesis 1:14,15 (NRSV) Perhaps the most recognizable biblical verse celebrating the seasons (of life) is the first verse of the third chapter of Ecclesiastes: “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven…” The writers of literature that became our scriptures were struck by the passing of the seasons. The seasons, the sun, the moon, and the stars have been subjects of poetry and song for millennia. It must be okay for me to note the passing of the seasons today (even if I lament how quickly they pass!). May we give thanks to God for the amazing cycles of the universe and may our wonder be focused on the blessings that God’s universe brings to us in every season. Unrelated closing paragraph: Last week I mostly wrote about the upcoming Canada West Mission Conference. There is not yet anything really new to write about the event – so I won’t. I still need to remind you about it. Please go to the Canada West Online Mission Conference hub to see the schedule and to register for the online event. More information will be posted on this site in the next few days and as we get closer to the conference weekend. Please come along! As always, I pray for you God’s blessings of joy, hope, love, and peace in these challenging times. Steve Thompson Canada West Mission Centre President steve@communityofchrist.ca  Bishop of Canada, Dar Shepherdson, reports that many people have been inquiring as to how they can contribute financially to help support the church community in Haiti during this time of need. It is recommended that contributions be made through the normal channels:
Apostle Art Smith, who is also the church’s supervising apostle for Haiti, has recently provided the following information: Friends, I’m deeply appreciative of all those who have shared concern for Haiti. I’ve logged hundreds of public messages on Facebook as well as many private messages from church members around the world and from world church leaders. I have been sharing about this with our leaders in Haiti and with those in the most impacted areas. It really makes a difference. I also know that many have asked how to give for the needs in Haiti. I have a high degree of confidence that one of the most effective ways to get help to the people that need it in the days to come will be through our network of church leaders. They are people of high integrity and they operate at the grassroots level as they connect with congregations through pastors and congregation financial officers. We are blessed to be able to offer this sort of oblation support, funded by our world mission tithes. The best way to ensure that we have capacity to respond to the needs in Haiti right now is to give to World Mission Tithes. Increased giving at this time will allow us to respond to increased need. Thank you to everyone around the world. Together we can do this. I encourage you to have a look at the information currently available about the Canada West Mission Online Conference available here. The first thing that shows up on that page is an invitation to “Register Now!” Please do so.
Scrolling down you will find a “short form schedule” for the conference. Activities begin Thursday evening, September 9, and continue through Sunday afternoon, September 12. Sessions are well spaced out, so you need not worry about being glued to your computer screen for eight hours a day. I won’t summarize the schedule here. After all, it is already a “short form schedule.” Watch for more details to be released in the next week or so. At this time last year, we had optimistically (realistically we thought) believed that we would have an in-person conference this year. As we went through the peak of the “third wave” earlier in the year and we were faced with making the decision about in-person or online, it was simply more prudent to plan for online. Then as the pandemic seemed to ease in June and early July it was easy to second-guess ourselves and wonder if we should have opted for the in-person option – which would have been hosted by the Chilliwack Congregation. It seemed too late to “pivot” to in-person, so we have continued to plan for on-line. Now it is clear that had we opted for in-person, we would have been pivoting back to online on short notice. COVID infection rates are increasing in all four of our provinces in Canada West Mission Centre. It would be difficult right now to justify an in-person conference with the risks of travel and of bringing people together from across the mission centre. Despite the disappointment of not meeting in-person, I trust that most members understand the necessity of the on-line option yet again. And – yet again – we optimistically look forward to meeting in-person for next year’s mission conference. Meanwhile – register for conference and come along as we celebrate our theme: “How Can We Keep from Singing?” As always, I pray for you God’s blessings of joy, hope, love, and peace in these challenging times. Steve Thompson Canada West Mission Centre President steve@communityofchrist.ca  Are you readily recognized as a leader in your congregation or in other aspects of the life of Community of Christ? Do you have a strong personal testimony of the place of Jesus Christ in your life as Christian disciple and leader? Are you an enthusiastic advocate for Community of Christ? Would you like to have a strong influence on the direction of Community of Christ in the Canada West Mission Centre and Canada as a whole? If so, have we got an opportunity for you!
Applications are invited from interested and qualified persons for a volunteer position on the Canada West Mission Centre Presidency. Up to three persons will be selected to serve on this team. One team member will be identified as the “Mission Centre President of Record” for purposes of official contacts with Community of Christ International Headquarters. One or two others will be recognized as “Co-Mission Centre Presidents.” Here is where you may find a detailed Position Description. Applications are to be submitted to Apostle Art Smith (asmith@cofchrist.org) by Monday, August 9, 2021. Please NOTE the extension of the application deadline from that previously published. In your prayers and meditations over the next couple of weeks, please remember the leadership needs of the Canada West Mission Centre, as identified in the posting and position description for the Volunteer Mission Centre Presidency.
Pray that those who might feel “called” to these roles will respond. Perhaps pray that those who may not be sure if this is right for them will express their interest in trust and in faith. Pray that those selected for leadership will be blessed with God’s direction and vision. Mission centre leadership requires confidence to discern Christ’s Mission for Canada West’s Mission. May your prayers support all these needs.  Dear Friends of World Accord,
With the Annual General Meeting now complete, we are onto the business of updating our strategic plan to continue our mission of cultivating communities that thrive. Now is the time we want to hear from you! We, the Board of Directors have worked on a survey to help guide us with that plan. We look to you, our donors, supporters and long time friends to help us continue our vision of world accord. Please complete this survey by August 22. Click the button below to answer the survey. Thank you for your support! On behalf of your Board of Directors James Bennett How about a brief sermon today?
When I was in high school, I was part of a Christian group of students that met once a week at lunch time for a scripture study and occasional “testimony sharing” (for lack of a better term.) One friend continually referred to his Bible as “my sword.” As an RLDS lion-and-lamb-peace-seal-loving teen-ager, I wondered where this imagery came from. It originates from Ephesians 6:17: “Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” It concludes a series of verses that exhorts believers to “put on the whole armor of God” so as to “stand against the wiles of the devil.” (v.11) Further, “fasten the belt of truth around your waist and put on the breastplate of righteousness.” (v. 14) And “take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” (v. 16) In the online newsletter, “Sunday’s Coming,” (published by the “Christian Century” magazine) the writer Austin Crenshaw Shelley has written a piece titled, “Needing a Warrior God.” He describes being disturbed by biblical images of violence and bloodshed. He expressed to his seminary class, “’I tend to prefer the image of beating swords into plowshares and the vision of the wolf lying down with the lamb to those of waging war.’” In response a classmate, a Coptic Christian from Egypt, declared, “’You prefer verses about peace because you have never needed a warrior God.’” He then went on to share about his church being the target of a terrorist bombing and his need to pray for God to fight on his behalf and protect his family. Further, he shared about the “Egyptian Muslims who showed up on Christmas Eve to form a human shield around the sanctuary to defend the church from further acts of terror on a high holy day.” In Community of Christ, we have been pursuing the God of Peace at least since the revelatory declaration that “The temple shall be dedicated to the pursuit of peace. It shall be for reconciliation and for healing of the spirit.” (Doctrine and Covenants, s. 156:5a). At the most recent World Conference we passed a motion on non-violence. In preparation for further discussion of the impact of that motion, we are encouraged to consider the question, “Are we moving towards Jesus, the Peaceful One?” Of course, most of us are still incredibly proud of, and inspired by, our nearly 160-year-old and incredibly prophetic lion-and-lamb church seal. We are quite rightly (in my humble opinion) on the path of the peace of Jesus Christ. It is still important that in our quest for peace we do not ignore or just brush off the violence that is part of our world today. (See: any newspaper front page or many lead stories on television news.) We also must not brush off the frequent violence described in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament (e.g., the murder of Abel; the drowning of the Egyptian army; the destruction of other enemies of Israel, to name but a few), and the occasional violence of the New Testament (e.g., beheading of John the Baptist). As a denomination there is violence in our past (see: “The Massacre at Haun’s Mill,” in The Journey of a People: The Era of Restoration, Mark A. Scherer, Community of Christ Seminary Press, p. 320-325) and we need to become more aware of the violence and racism expressed in our Book of Mormon. Whether or not we have needed a “warrior God” in recent years, there is ample evidence that God has fulfilled that role in the past. I hope that we never need to call on the “warrior God” for protection. My personal pacifist nature trusts in Jesus, the Peaceful One. I continue to look to the Temple to inspire our pursuit of peace and seeking of reconciliation and healing of the spirit. And yet, to fully appreciate the significance of the pursuit of peace, of reconciliation, and of healing of the spirit, we need to understand and appreciate the circumstances that lead to those significant needs on our world. May we acknowledge the violence in God’s world even as we pursue Jesus, the Peaceful One. In our support for, and pursuit of, non-violence, may we seek peace through tools of reconciling justice. The task is daunting and overwhelming. Perhaps some of that metaphorical “armor of God” from the Book of Ephesians might come in handy. As always, I pray for you God’s blessings of joy, hope, love, and peace in these challenging times. Steve Thompson Canada West Mission Centre President steve@communityofchrist.ca It is the middle of August. Are you looking ahead to September yet? Return to school? Return to work? Return to church? Return to “normal?”
It’s about that “normal” state that we seem to be longing for. Whatever the “normal” is that we get used to in the next couple of months, it is unlikely to be completely like the “normal” that we left behind in the middle of March 2020. Many aspects of our lives will likely be different in some ways – perhaps many ways. Our church life will almost certainly also be different in some ways – perhaps in many ways. What have you missed from your church life? Usual answers have been seeing people in person, being able to give friends a handshake and a hug, having a good old-fashioned pot-luck lunch after church, and – the big one – singing! I look forward to all these things coming back. Beyond these things, what else are you expecting from returning to some semblance of a normal weekly routine of church activities? There has been much written in various church publications (Community of Christ and beyond) about what the post-pandemic church will look like. Generally, there is expectation that there will be a stronger presence of technology in our worship spaces to enable the continued online participation by those who, for any number of reasons, are not able to attend in-person. Online worship and gatherings over the past year and a half have shown that people can and will log on to online services. Many congregations which have offered online services have found that persons “attend” from great distances away – from farther away than they would normally drive to attend in-person. Online attendance has also enabled persons with mobility and other health challenges to participate in the life of their online congregation. Some have even chosen to participate in more than one online congregation – meaning congregations which may meet at slightly offset times, or some participants seek out worship and social opportunities beyond their time zone. President Steve Veazey has been featured in a new video on the church website. You can find it here: President Veazey on the Return to In-Person Church. I commend the whole video to you. Here are a couple of good quotes:
Also, in a recent Project Zion Podcast, President Veazey said: I think the future holds the following: church groups that develop a healthy balance of in-person and online ministries, some call it the hybrid approach, will flourish more in the future than those who ignore that tool, who ignore online opportunities. I also think that churches, and I'm speaking there of local churches, congregations and groups, but also denominationally, that value and celebrate people who participate only online, by their choice, or because of their circumstances, will flourish more than those who view those participants somehow as secondary, or less than. So, online participation should count as much in every possible way as in-person participation, including in the attendance count because it all counts. I think church groups that plan activities and ministries from the beginning with online options in mind, and online participation in mind, rather than as an afterthought, will flourish more in the future. Our full return to in-person services and gatherings will feel good. I am sure that mostly they will feel familiar and like an old friend. I am also sure that there will be elements that will be different and that will improve our relationship to that old friend in ways we have yet to discern. As always, I pray for you God’s blessings of joy, hope, love, and peace in these challenging times. Steve Thompson Canada West Mission Centre President steve@communityofchrist.ca |
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