•January 30 through May 23• Inland West Mission Center Virtual Book Club •April 20-28• Samish Island Camp Work Week •May 30-June 2• Retreat - What is Enough? Making Space for What Matters •June 7-9• Young Adult Retreat at Samish Island Visit communityofchrist.ca/2024-canada-west-gatherings to learn more about our Camps in Hills of Peace and Samish Island for this year!
Written by Shannon McAdam Canada West Mission Centre Co-President When our Mission Centre President team heard of the date for our dear Dar Shepherdson's memorial service, we knew that we wanted to attend if possible. So I had the privilege of flying to Toronto last weekend for the memorial service and also was able to attend the Canada East Special Mission Centre Conference.
Dar’s memorial service was very touching. The theme was “A Generous Life” which describes Dar so well. There were memories shared by Dar’s son, our Apostle Art Smith, former Bishop of Canada Jim Poirier, Sam Smalldon, and President Designate Stassi Cramm. It was both moving and inspiring to hear stories of Dar’s life and impact not just in Canada but around the world. You can watch a recording of the service here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UprwJKEQNM0 Earlier in the day I watched the Canada East Special Mission Centre Conference proceedings. They had two motions of resolutions to send for consideration for World Conference in 2025. You can read them on their conference website: https://www.communityofchrist.ca/cem-conference.html It was great to see how similar our conferences are. Just like our conference, they had both in-person and zoom delegates who were able to speak and vote. The Scarborough congregation were excellent hosts. I enjoyed both seeing familiar faces and meeting many new people. Our President of Seventy, John Glaser, was in attendance as well, always so encouraging of everyone. Many folks from Canada East send greetings to those of you they know here in the West, and we all were reminded of just how connected we are, regardless of geography. We are all finding new ways to be church in our communities and live Christ’s mission. I am looking forward to continuing to strengthen ties across the country so that we can all learn from each other’s innovations and experiences and celebrate mission. Hills of Peace needs your support. Help us reach our fundraising goal of $30,000 which will cover the annual cost of the camp’s insurance premium. Donations can be made by the following methods:
If you would like further information or have any questions, please contact the Hills of Peace Board at contactus@hillsofpeace.ca
Nurturing Creativity of the Soul Retreat March 8-10 at Stillwood Retreat Centre, Cultus Lake BC Our special guest facilitator, Lana Cullis, presented us with an extraordinary opportunity: the chance to nurture personal creativity, regardless of whether we consider ourselves inherently creative or not. The rewards of cultivating creativity extend far beyond the artistic realm, encompassing improved health, heightened joy and wellbeing, and even financial abundance. With a pitch as compelling as that, joining Lana for this retreat was an irresistible proposition! The sessions were a delightful blend of fun and diversity, covering topics such as "Myths, Mysteries, and Misunderstandings," "Childhood Creativity," "What Colour is Your Creative Soul," "Creativity and Money," and "Honouring our Personal Lineage of Creativity," among others. What made our retreat truly unique was its format. Each topic was explored for 30 minutes, after which we had the opportunity to put our newfound knowledge into practice through journaling or by utilizing the six tables stocked with an array of craft supplies, bringing our creative visions to life. I highly recommend our suggested reading for this retreat:
Soul Space: Transform Your Home, Transform Your Life And Big Magic Registration is open for our upcoming retreat May 31st to June 2nd “What is Enough” follow the link for more details We are looking for someone over the age of 25 to be part of the Northwest SPEC Delegation for 2024! We will have at least 6 youth from Canada West as part of the delegation and are excited to send an adult from Canada West to provide support and guidance for our youth. You can learn more about SPEC here: https://spectacular.camp
The mission centre will cover your travel to this exciting youth event. Dates are July 11-20, 2024 let us know as soon as possible if you are interested – deadline is April 5th. Please send your questions and interest to Shannon: smcadam@communityofchrist.ca Camp Work Week Saturday, April 20 - Sunday, April 28 A wonderful opportunity to give back to your sacred space is right around the corner with Camp Samish Work Week! Please come and stay in a cabin of your choice or bring your RV. There’s no charge for coming and being at the camp and we will feed you three delicious meals each day. We even have coffee break! If you can’t come for the full time, come and help when you can.
Participants, please wait to arrive AFTER 2:00 PM on Saturday, April 20, as we have a camp closing that day. We are including both weekends to accommodate those of you who work during the week or would like to come and work for a longer week. Our task list is long and varied and there is something to do for everyone. Tasks waiting are mowing and edging, cleaning inside buildings, wood cutting, splitting and stacking, cabin roofing, completing the inside of the rustic cabin remodels, furniture assembly and arranging, trail clearing and brush cutting, pressure washing and lots and lots of painting. Pick and choose your favorite activity. And, of course there’s the fellowship that always attends those of us who visit the camp and our friends who go there. We are also still looking for cooks for the week and volunteers who would assist cooks and help with food preparation. If you have any questions, please call our camp manager, Christine Campbell at (360) 510-5724 or Bill Campbell at (253) 709-8444. We hope to see you there! Virtual Book Club "Grounded: Finding God in the World" We are excited to announce that in 2024, the Inland West Mission Center will be leading a thought-provoking discussion based on the book "Grounded" by Dianna Butler-Bass. This book club presents a unique opportunity to build a sense of community across distances and time zones, allowing us to collectively explore and prepare for the meaningful themes of 2024. We warmly invite you to be a part of this enriching journey. Our discussions will be held on Zoom twice a week at 6:30 PM Pacific Time / 7:30 PM Mountain Time. Click on the buttons below to learn how to join and download flyer. Both sessions will cover the same chapter, providing flexibility for your schedule. See the dates below:
The book can be purchased on Amazon or at dianabutlerbass.com. It is available in print, e-book, and audiobook formats. Save the Date!
Young Adults Retreat at Samish Island Campground June 7-9, 2024 Stay tuned for more details! A Nurturing Spirit Creating Connection Retreat
May 30 - June 2 Samish Island Campground Early bird rates until April 5! “Consider the lilies of the field—they toil not, neither do they spin.” Some of us worry if we’ll have “enough” money for retirement. Some wonder if our neighbors have enough food. Others wonder if they’re doing enough to help our troubled world. What is enough, anyway? Join us as together we look at “enoughness” in terms of material goods, our spiritual selves, through a wider social justice lens and the climate and environment—and more. We invite you to journey with us as we learn how to live more simply so that others may simply live. 2 and 3 night packages are available, early bird rates until April 5th. For more information and to register go to www.NurturingSpirit.CreatingConnection.ca It’s time to start looking at Reunion registration for this summer. The dates for Reunion this year are July 20-27, 2023.
Last year we started an experiment by combining the CWM Reunion at Samish Island with the Inland West Mission Centre Reunion. With the combined group, Reunion will be substantially larger than normal, which required extra work in terms of logistics and planning. The earlier we get information about attendance, the better we can plan the logistics of camp. Registration information At this time we do not have an online payment system set up, but hopefully that will be coming soon. In the meantime, it is important for us to have a way to get people registered, so we know who is coming and what their requirements are. Click the link below to fill out the form online. Reunion Costs/Payment At this time we will not be taking payment. Once a payment system is in place, I will send out emails with invoices to all who are registered about how to pay your Reunion costs to the Canada West Mission Centre. If you have financial need, and are looking for support, please contact your local congregation first. There may be some support available through the Mission Centre, or directly through the camp, but your local congregation should be the first stop. When you are contacting people about financial support, please specify what your costs are for Reunion, and what you are able to cover so that it is clear what support you are requesting. We look forward to seeing you at Samish Island for Reunion 2023! Chris Phelps and Lisa Stecher - Camp Directors Historians Corner Vol. 2 | No. 2d I will dispense with my usual introduction concerning past columns in this series. To see the previous three parts in this series please consult the column archive here: Historians Corner. Joseph Smith III (Prophet-President 1860 to 1914). Joseph Smith III was the second Prophet-President of the church in its full history (succeeding his father, Joseph Smith, Jr., following his assassination in 1844), and the first Prophet-President of the “Reorganized Church.” The basics of this story are:
If that was really all there was to the story I would end the column here – but, of course, there is much more to the process than is contained in those bullet points. In fact, there is far more involved than I am going to be able to appropriately describe in the next few paragraphs. There once was a tendency in the way we traditionally, and somewhat informally, re-told this story to ourselves (meaning: church members, in good faith, re-telling the story to other church members or to non-church-members) that there was an identifiable group (or maybe two or three groups) who were set “adrift” from the church sometime after 1844 who very intentionally and purposely believed that young Joseph was supposed to eventually lead the church and they just waited for 16 years until he came to an appropriate age to follow that call and come back to them to lead them. Well – not really. Both Mark Scherer in his Journey of a People (see volume 2, pages 3 to 106) and Richard Howard in his The Church Through the Years (see volume 1, pages 303 to 379) are very clear that the people who eventually coalesced into that group in 1860 experienced different journeys to get there. Some were individuals or families who had little or no contact with the church after 1844 and may or may not have actively practiced their faith. Some were members of small congregations who continued to meet and worship with no affiliation with any splinter group. Others were members who followed one (or more!) of the splinter-group leaders for a period of time then became disenchanted for any number of reasons. This included some who returned from Brigham Young’s group, and many who became disenchanted with leaders of other groups such as Sidney Rigdon (who lead a group to Pennsylvania in 1844, but it fell apart after about 2 years)[1], James J. Strang (who lead a fairly large group to, first, Voree, Wisconsin, and later to Beaver Island, Michigan; Strang’s group began to lose large numbers of members when he crowned himself king of the Kingdom of God, declared a belief in polygamy, and took 4 wives)[2], and, William B. Smith (younger brother of Joseph, Jr.; led his group to Palestine, Illinois, and later to Covington, Kentucky)[3]. This is just a selection of leaders and groups as listed by Richard Howard in The Church Through the Years. In 1851 and 1852 two men who had been part of the church in Nauvoo independently had spiritual experiences that confirmed for them that Joseph III would eventually come to lead the church. Jason Briggs and Zenos Gurley were leaders in their own congregations in Beloit, Wisconsin, and Yellow Stone, Wisconsin. As they shared their respective experiences there came to be a desire among their congregations and a small number of others to come together to initiate a church organization to which they could invite Joseph Smith III to lead. The congregations met together at the Newark Branch near Beloit, Wisconsin, in June 1852 and, in conference actions, approved motions that set a framework and a set of priorities as a church. This was the beginning of the Reorganized Church. Eventually it was this group that sent a delegation to Joseph Smith III in 1856 to invite him to join them and to lead them. Joseph declined their invitation.[4] Over the next three years the new organization began to attract members, including others who had been leaders in the church in Nauvoo and earlier. One of these was William Marks, a “venerable leader from Kirtland days,”[5] Marks was well-known to Joseph III and a good friend of the Smith family. It was to Marks that Joseph wrote in March of 1860 to indicate his intention to attend the special conference planned for early April 1860 in Amboy, Illinois.[6] Joseph travelled to the Amboy conference from Nauvoo with his mother, Emma. Together they committed to the Reorganization. The words most frequently quoted from Joseph’s greetings to the conference on April 6, 1860, are: “I would say to you, brethren, ... I came here not of myself, but by the influence of the Spirit. For some time past I have received manifestations pointing to the position which I am about to assume. “I wish to say that I have come here not to be dictated by any men or set of men. I have come in obedience to a power not my own, and shall be dictated by the power that sent me.”[7] With that, Joseph Smith III finally accepted the role of leader of the church he believed to have been founded by his father. Emma’s presence was significant in her support of her son following in her deceased husband’s footsteps. The conference voted unanimously to accept the motion that: “Brother Joseph Smith be chosen prophet, seer, and revelator of the church of Jesus Christ, and the successor of his father.” “He was then ordained ‘President of the High Priesthood of the Church by Brothers Z. (Zenos) H. Gurley and Wm. (William) Marks.’”[8] Thus began an active, challenging, and “pragmatic” term of leadership of the church that lasted for 54 years until Joseph’s death in 1914. Next column: How Joseph Smith, Jr., came to be the prophet-president of the church. Please feel free to contact me with any comments or questions. [1] Richard Howard, The Church Through the Years, Volume 1 (Herald House, Independence, MO. 1992) p. 312-313
[2] Ibid, p. 313-314 [3] Ibid, p. 323 [4] Ibid, p.349 [5] Ibid, p. 351 [6] Ibid, p. 369 [7] Ibid, p. 371 [8] Ibid, p. 375 Written by Becky Middleton Canada West Mission Centre Co-President It was my pleasure and privilege to join with and speak at the Edmonton congregation last Sunday. Spent Saturday adventuring with my dear cousins Marian and Steve Thompson and Marg Levitt. I also look forward to being with the Regina congregation via zoom in the next couple of weeks.
It is always delightful to meet together and share in our like mindedness. Keeping connections keeps me grounded and encouraged to continue the ministry before us. Whether our meeting is in person or electronically we are cognizant of the loving support and companionship that is so important not only on our faith journey but in our lives in general. A number of our members throughout the church in Canada have passed on in the last few weeks and we are very grateful to have had their ministry, presence and support in the past even through our time of grieving. We look forward to joining with CEM in a celebration of life for our dear brother Dar Shepherdson on Saturday, April 13, at 2:30 pm MDT. Click here to register and attend via Zoom. He will continue to be remembered with great fondness and joy for the time we had with him, the ministry he provided, and with deep respect and gratitude for the work he did as the bishop for Canada. We loved you Dar! Wednesday, April 17 1 p.m. or 7 p.m. ET Via Zoom Join an enriching dialog around "Embracing an Abundance Mindset" as we seek to uncover practical insights for responding to a rapidly changing spiritual landscape amidst the challenges of our modern society. Together, let's delve beyond the confines of tradition and empower ourselves with a renewed sense of possibility and purpose.
Feel free to invite members of your Pastoral Team but please refrain from sharing the zoom link on public platforms. Written by Gwyn Beer Canada West Mission Centre Co-President John 13:34-35 NRSV 34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’ We have just gone through Easter. Three days in the tomb and he rose up from the dead. He took away my sin. God sent his son to us through Mary who with Joseph, raised the baby Jesus to manhood. Jesus began preaching and teaching about God’s love for us. He gathered disciples to help spread his father’s love to all.
Our small church has plain glass windows. For the Easter season, the church had cellophane-stained windows, a gift from a talented member made over 20 years ago. Through her talent, she shared her love as a disciple. There are small things that people do almost automatically that are small offerings of LOVE. During this Easter season, my niece Joy has been in hospital. There have been so many expressions of love shared to Joy, her wife Haley and the family that may seem small but are so truly large. In this techno world, texts have come from all over. Cellphones have been placed by her head to hear words of love and encouragement from family in Australia, New Zealand and England. Food and mineral water has been provided to the family waiting for their chance to be in the ICU holding her hand. A ride to the hospital, a couch to rest on, a shoulder to lean on. Someone to check on and look after the family cats. All acts of LOVE. Today, I took down our cellophane-stained windows and the one of Jesus Christ on the cross was the last one. I was overwhelmed by the act of LOVE done for me. I need to be a true disciple, I need to share LOVE for one another. What: Climate Webinar – "Migration and Displacement in a Changing Climate” Who: Dr. Robert McLeman When: Sunday, April 7 at 2pm PT/ 3pm MT/ 4pm CT/ 5pm ET Where: ZOOM Online Ministry Each year over 20 million people globally are displaced from their homes by floods, storms, droughts, wildfires and other extreme weather events that are becoming more frequent and severe due to climate change. The World bank has estimated that, if no action is taken to curb global greenhouse gas emissions and foster sustainable development, over 200 million people may be displaced by the impacts of climate change by 2050. This webinar will review current science on the relationship between environmental change and migration and identifies pathways for action to avoid worst case scenarios from occurring. Dr. Robert McLeman is an Environmental Professor at Wilford Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. He specializes in research on the human dimensions of environmental change, with particular attention to the relation between climate change, migration, and security. He is currently a Coordinating Lead Author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC, on Climate Change’s working group on impacts, vulnerability, and adaptation. A foreign Canadian foreign service officer, Dr. McLeman has lived and worked in Belgrade, Hong Kong, New Delhi, Seattle, and Vienna. He has advised UN agencies, the World Bank, and governments in Canada, the US, and Europe on issues related to climate change, migration, and security. All sessions are free and participation in previous webinars is not necessary to join. If you registered previously you don't need to register again. Once registered, you will be sent a Zoom link before each webinar. SAVE THE DATE! We will host a second event in April: the special pre-publication screening of the film "Climate Restorers" on Sunday, April 21. This is the first in a series of 4 films produced by Dr. Phoebe Barnhard and John Bowey, with actor Peter Coyote narrating the film. You won't want to miss it. A separate flyer and info sheet will be sent out for distribution after the first of April. Written by Becky Middleton Canada West Mission Centre Co-President The Presiding Bishopric held a Q&A session on Monday, March 25, 2024 reporting on the completion of the Bridge of Hope Retirement Commitment.
The presiding bishops were very clear that the retirement responsibility was completed in February 2024, before the sale of the historic properties and that none of the proceeds from the sale were a part of the retirement commitments. The property sale goes to endowment fund for on going mission of the church. They were also clear that ongoing contributions to Bridge of Hope would be allocated to the endowment fund as well. It was noted that ongoing tithing contributions will continue to be extremely important for the life of the church as at its peak the endowment fund is predicted to supply about 35% of the church's budget. This is significant but certainly not all that is needed. There was much appreciation expressed for the generous contributors of the church as well as the need for encouraging ongoing contributions especially in a younger demographic to sustain and grow the important work of Community of Christ in the world. We are very thankful for our bishops and the complicated, important work they do! In my thought process our "Responsibility for the retirement fund" is cared for. NOW begins the "Hope" portion of the Bridge of Hope. Hope for the continuing mission of Community of Christ going into the future! Historians Corner Vol. 2 | No. 2c This issue of Historians Corner is coming to you a week later than I had planned. Leading up to last Wednesday my attention just seemed to get consumed by continuing discussions of the announcement on March 5 by church leadership of the sale of significant historic assets. I simply did not get back to drafting this column at that time. Quick review: this is Part 3 of what will now be at least a 4-part series of columns about how the leaders of Community of Christ were designated and approved in the Prophet-President role. We are going in reverse order from the present and into the past. In part 1 we dealt with the appointments and approval processes for Stassi Cramm, Stephen Veazey, Grant McMurray and Wallace B. Smith. In part 2 we dealt with W. Wallace Smith and Israel A. Smith. That was a rather “extended” column. I hope readers clicked on the button labelled: “Click Here to Read Full Article” to get the full story for both presidents. Both previous columns (along with all other previous Historians Corner columns) can be found in the archive here: Historians Corner. Frederick M. Smith (Prophet-President 1915 to 1946). Of all the Prophet-Presidents of RLDS/Community of Christ, the designation of Frederick Madison Smith to succeed his father in that office was the clearest – and were understood for a long time! Richard Howard, Church Historian Emeritus, has written: “Frederick M. Smith, born...in 1872, from earliest memories could recall the Saints’ expectation that one day he would be RLDS Church president.”[1] He must have understood what this meant for him as he watched his father, Joseph Smith III, perform his leadership tasks and responsibilities. It did not take long for these traditional and social pressures to begin to be made real. He was called into the First Presidency by his father through the recounting of an experience of a revelatory dream for the annual General Conference of the church in 1902.[2] Then four years later, a subsequent revelation through Joseph Smith III included this very clear declaration: …in case of the removal of my servant now presiding over the church (Joseph Smith III) by death or transgression, my servant Frederick M. Smith, if he remain faithful and steadfast, should be chosen…[3] Further, lest there be ANY doubt, in a document titled “A Letter of Instruction,” written by Joseph Smith III and published in the “The Saints’ Herald” on March 13, 1912, among other very important things stated about presidential succession, it is proclaimed: I, Joseph Smith, the present incumbent of the office of president of the Reorganized Church, definitely designate my eldest living son, Frederick Madison Smith, as the proper person to be chosen by the church as my successor in office, believing as I do that the Spirit of revelation and wisdom has manifested to me that such choice should be made as directed by the Spirit of the great Masterbuilder.[4] There was no question as to the designation of Fred M. as the successor to Joseph III. There was also no question about Fred M.’s desire to serve. And yet – there was still drama in the transition (what else would you expect!). Joseph III grew increasingly ill during 2014. At the same time Fred M. applied for and was accepted into a prestigious Ph.D. program at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts. He, along with his wife and two small daughters, moved there in the late summer. He was undertaking a two-year program consolidated into one year and he had a very serious program supervisor. Fred M. received word in November that his father was failing quite quickly. His program supervisor allowed him to return to Missouri, but only for a short time. A matter of days after his father’s passing on December 10, he was back at his studies. The annual General Conference at which Fred M. was to be approved as Prophet-President was scheduled for April 2015. As the conference approached both he and his wife became ill from the stress of the work they were undertaking. The conference began with the hope that Fred M. could get there sometime during the week. He ultimately could not. His call was approved by the Conference late in the week. His ordination was delayed for a month. On May 5, in a Stone Church, filled to capacity, Frederick Madison Smith was ordained as Prophet-President of the church. Next time – in two weeks (maybe three?!) we will learn about Joseph Smith III’s acceptance as Prophet-President. And I just have this feeling it will require another column to deal with how Joseph Smith, Jr., became the first Prophet-President of the church. Please feel free to contact me with any comments or questions. [1] Richard P. Howard, The Church Through the Years, Volume 2, Herald Publishing House, Independence, Missouri: p. 221
[2] See Book of Doctrine and Covenants (RLDS/Community of Christ version), section 126:7,8. [3] Ibid, section 127:8b. [4] Joseph Smith III, “A Letter of Instruction,” The Saints’ Herald, March 12, 1912. See this link, accessed on March 20, 2024: Letter of Instruction, 2012 Saints Herald, pages 241 to 248 Written by Shannon McAdam Canada West Mission Centre Co-President A Change in Seasons
I know it may not feel like it everywhere in Western Canada yet, but this past weekend I decided spring is definitely here! I was out for a walk without a jacket and enjoyed the feeling of sun on my face. Looking out at my patio I see bulbs coming up and leaves coming out on my little willow tree. And at work a client reminded me that our Iranian or Persian friends celebrate Nowruz this week – their new year festival that falls on the spring equinox. This year Easter feels like it is arriving at just the right time as “Now the green blade rises” seems to be happening right outside my window! This Lent I have spent time journeying with some church companions and exploring Psalms of lament. What has struck me most is the way the Psalmist writes of both sorrow and joy, right next to each other, in all of these beautiful poems. It has been beautiful to see how similar our human struggles of today are with those of the ancient writer. They write of the difficulty of finding connection and community and long for God’s presence. And while I’ve enjoyed this journey into the depths with these Psalms, they’ve made me very excited for Holy Week and Easter. The breadth of experience from sorrow to joy are all encapsuled in this week that is so central to the Christian story. And just as the bulbs in the cold ground that have been asleep are waking up, so too do we awaken to Christ’s living presence. As the words of hymn 482 share: When our hearts are wint’ry, grieving, or in pain, your touch can call us back to life again, fields of our hearts that dead and bare have been; Love is come again like wheat arising green. May your wintry heart find its awakening in the coming week as you gather in community. Even if you cannot see the green blades yet, I assure you, they will arise again. Darwood Morley Shepherdson July 1, 1953 – March 2, 2024 Peacefully and surrounded by family, Darwood passed away on Saturday, March 2, 2024 at the age of 70. He faced multiple health challenges, particularly in the last months. He was born July 1, 1953 in New Liskeard, Ontario, the oldest son of Morley and Frances Shepherdson. He grew up in Dymond Township, attended Dymond Public School, New Liskeard Secondary School, and graduated from the New Liskeard College of Agricultural Technology. He then entered into a partnership with his dad, Morley, at Sunny Ridge Farms for 19 years, where they raised Charolais and Simmental cattle. When he left the farm, he went back to school at Georgian College. After graduating with a business degree, he worked at Honda in Alliston for 19 years. He retired in 2014, but not for long, as he then worked for Community of Christ as Bishop of Canada until his death. Dar always cared about, and contributed to, the communities he was part of. He served on the Dymond Township council, was president of the Ontario Charolais Association, and served on the Board of Directors for the Georgian Bay General Hospital and Grace-Carman Senior Citizen’s Home. In his role as Bishop of Canada, Dar served as a director for Zerin Development Corporation, Sionito Community Development Corporation, and Encounter World Religions. Darwood is survived by his beloved wife of 30 years, Shari, his children Aaron, Kateri and Joe, his step-children Stacey, Kelly, Cory and Michael, 13 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild. He is also survived by his mother Frances, brothers Lew (Carol) and Ed (Donna), sister Keri (Cindy), and many nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his father Morley (2011) and his oldest son Marc (2017). Dar loved “living the dream” with his family, children, and grandchildren at his home on Georgian Bay, and playing golf with his many long-time friends. If desired, a donation in his name to Encounter World Religions or Community of Christ would be appreciated. Cards of sympathy may be sent to Shari Shepherdson, 112 Mitchell's Beach Road, Victoria Harbour, ON L0K 2A0. Family will gather for a private ceremony. A public memorial service to honour Dar will be held in-person at Scarborough Community of Christ on April 13 at 4:30 pm ET. The service will also be broadcasted. Click the button below to register and receive the link. World Accord invites nominations from qualified candidates to serve as a Board Director for an initial three-year term.
We welcome applications from people across Canada and are committed to a governance board that models diversity, equity and inclusion. |
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