More than 15 youth from Canada West Mission Centre are excited to attend SPEC 2025 this July at Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa. But they can’t do it alone—chaperones are still needed to help make this incredible experience possible. If you’ve ever thought about going to SPEC, now is the time. Our youth are ready—but they need the adults in their lives to show up.

Chaperones don’t just supervise. You’re there to walk with the youth—cheer them on, share meals, help them get where they need to go, and just be there when they need a break or a little encouragement.

From the Commons (where the ice cream is always on tap) and Swarm Inn, to the sports fields and dorms buzzing with energy, Graceland University’s campus is full of life, colour, and connection. Morning worship takes place in the amphitheatre in front of the Shaw Centre, and athletic events fill the surrounding fields and stadiums all week long—soccer, baseball, track and field, and even pickleball on the Shaw Centre parking lot.

If the arts are more your style, you’ll find music, drama, dance, and visual art spaces alive with creativity. Volunteers—coaches, teachers, judges, cheer teams—are there to support youth in discovering and celebrating their gifts.

While most of the week is spent on campus, Lamoni holds some charm too — from delicious pizza and tasty Hutterite treats to the friendly small-town vibe and a few nearby Community of Christ historic sites.

You don’t have to be a coach or artist. Just someone who’s willing to show up, and be part of the experience.

Travel and other support details are available—just reach out to learn more.

If you are interested please contact Gwyn Beer at [email protected]

Historian’s Corner, Vol. 3, No. 2 – April 7, 2025
By Stephen Thompson, Canada West Mission Centre Historian

On Wednesday, April 4, 1984, members and friends of the Kensington Congregation in Edmonton, Alberta, gathered at the home of Bob and Grace Suffern for our weekly prayer meeting, followed by the inevitable social hour. Bob was not present because he had travelled to Independence, Missouri, to attend his very first church World Conference. Grace told us that Bob had called home on Tuesday evening to excitedly share that the church was likely going to approve the ordination of women into the priesthood.

Having attended several World Conferences since the mid-1970s, I suggested to Grace that perhaps Bob was overstating the significance of some discussion around the issue. I recounted how it had come up at most conferences I had attended, but nothing, that I was aware of, had ever really resulted.
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What we (or at least I) did not understand from Grace’s account of Bob’s phone call was that this was not just another report to conference on the role of women in the church. On Tuesday, April 3, Prophet–President Wallace B. Smith had presented a document to the conference which, if approved, would explicitly provide for the ordination of women. And on Thursday afternoon, April 5—after three hours of debate that included emotional expressions of support and non-support, attempts to amend the document, the defeat of a motion to defer consideration to the next World Conference, and finally the approval of a “previous question” motion—the document was approved by a vote “overwhelmingly in favor” (Howard, p. 404). William D. Russell, in a journal article, modifies that slightly, suggesting that “about 20 percent of the delegates refused to accept [the document] as ‘revelation’” (Russell, p. 14). The motion included instruction that the document be added to the Book of Doctrine and Covenants as Section 156.

This action has had profound and continuing effects on the church. The first ordinations of women were performed on November 17, 1985. Many more followed in the next few months (Howard, p. 404). But it was not as simple as the World Conference approving a new policy in an inspired document and the church quietly following along. Far from it. There was significant opposition to the change in many areas, particularly in and around Independence.

Richard Howard (writing as Church Historian in 1993) summarized organized efforts to “pack” the conferences of at least three stakes in order to defeat motions to approve the ordinations of several women (Howard, p. 405). In the same article, Bill Russell shares the stories of four of those women who faced a majority of negative votes against their priesthood calls (Russell, pp. 16–27).

Both Richard Howard and Mark Scherer, in their respective church histories, provide excellent descriptions of the approval of Section 156, the events that led up to it over the previous decade (or more), and the long-term impacts that followed (see Howard, pp. 389–406; and Scherer, pp. 438–453).

The acceptance of women into priesthood ministry caused the largest schism in the church since the 1920s. But it has also been a source of incredible blessing. Women have skillfully and enthusiastically taken on priesthood responsibilities in congregations and mission centres. In Canada West, I believe most (though perhaps not all) congregations have had women as pastors and/or co-pastors over the years. Women are active in all kinds of ministry and leadership—offering worship, sacraments, and mission support in every area of church life.

Over the past four years, Canada West has had an all-female team of co-Mission Centre Presidents. One of them, Shannon McAdam, is now called to the office of Apostle and will be ordained at the upcoming World Conference (pending approval of her call).

At the World Conference of 1998, the first two women were ordained into the Council of Twelve Apostles: Gail Mengel and Linda Booth. Gail served for a time as Apostle for the Northern Plains and Prairie Provinces Region (including Alberta and Saskatchewan). She remained in that role until 2005. Linda later became President of the Council of Twelve in 2013—the first woman to do so—and served until her retirement in 2019.

Many more women have served in the presiding quorums of the church. In the last inter-conference period, we have had an equal number of men and women serving as Apostles. Our current Presiding Evangelist is Jane Gardner. We’ve already had several women serve in the Presiding Bishopric, including Stassi Cramm, who was Presiding Bishop from 2016 to 2023.

And, as I’m sure you are aware, Stassi Cramm has been named to succeed Stephen M. Veazey as the first woman to serve as Prophet–President of the church at the 2025 World Conference.

The decision to accept Section 156 has had a long-term and continuing impact on the church—and the ordination of women is just one part of that legacy.

Watch for another article exploring other aspects of this historic moment.
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If you have questions, I’d be happy to hear from you. You can reach me at [email protected]

Good news! It’s always great to start a new year with a healthy financial position!

The draft financials for CWM in 2024 show that assets have grown to $713,371, a 22% increase over the previous year. This includes our investments with CIBC Wood Gundy, which now total $573,366, having earned over 15% this past year. To maximize returns, we will continue investing as much of our CIBC operating account ($140,005) as possible. The current balance is higher than normal due to accounts payable of $58,039 (to Hills of Peace, Samish, and World Mission Tithes) that will be paid after year-end.

Our net budget result was positive, with revenues exceeding expenditures by $54,340 in 2024. Total revenues reached $250,756, 11% above budget, driven by investment returns and individual contributions, though congregational support was 5% below budget. Total expenditures were $196,416, aligning closely with our budgeted amount of $197,100.

Programming expenditures increased to $96,868, reflecting expanded offerings in 2024. Registrations achieved a cost recovery rate of 86%, a notable improvement over 2023. Both the growth in programming and the higher cost recovery indicate positive progress as we continue to rebuild from the lower activity levels during the pandemic.

A special note: Youth Subsidy budgets for Youth Camping were not fully used in 2024. Encouraging greater youth participation at Spectacular or summer camps in 2025 will be a key way to utilize these funds.

A more detailed financial update was presented at the CWM Special Conference in January 2025. This report provides a summary for those who could not attend. A full audited financial report will be prepared for the Fall 2025 CWM Conference.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly.

Respectfully submitted,
Sam Smalldon
Mission Centre Financial Officer (MCFO), CWM
📧 sam@communityofchrist.ca
📞 403-586-2702