•January 30 through May 23• Inland West Mission Center Virtual Book Club •March 17• Climate Action Webinar Series •April 20-28• Samish Island Camp Work Week •May 30-June 2• Retreat - What is Enough? Making Space for What Matters Visit communityofchrist.ca/2024-canada-west-gatherings to learn more about our Camps in Hills of Peace and Samish Island for this year!
What: Climate Webinar – “Permaculture: A Design for Living" Who: Kelda Lorax When: Sunday, March 17 at 2pm PT/ 3pm MT/ 4pm CT/ 5pm ET Where: ZOOM Online Ministry Permaculture is the development of agricultural ecosystems intended to be sustainable and self-sufficient. How is that different from organic gardening? Organic gardening focuses on soil health and chemical-free gardening practices. Permaculture includes those goals, but also designs each site to imitate natural systems, using nature’s adaptations to keep it sustainable. Permaculture agriculture or gardening may resemble a food forest of herbs, vegetables, and flowers. It maximizes the natural energy sources around the plants, just like forest plants do. It goes beyond agriculture to the way we design each site and the associated buildings. Kelda Lorax began studying permaculture as a teenager in the 90's. She has co-taught several Permaculture Design Courses, served on the board of the Northwest Permaculture Convergence, and has Diploma's in Permaculture Site Design and Permaculture Education through the Permaculture Institute of North America(PINA). She currently teaches with Permaculture Women's Guild, Oregon State University's Online PDC, is a Field Advisor for “Regenerative Land Management” (RLM) of the Earth Activist Training Program, and is a Field Advisor for PINA diplomats. Kelda's passion is for learning about and creating models of healthy human-ecosystem relations, while acknowledging and working to end the many injustices that have disrupted our collective relationship with the land. On the ground, Kelda currently runs Stardust Market Garden in Fairland, OK and serves on the board for L.E.A.D. Agency, a nearby indigenous-led environmental justice non-profit. 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.
Written by Becky Middleton Canada West Mission Centre Co-President On March 5, 2024 the First Presidency announced the sale of the Kirtland Temple and The Joseph Smith Historic Site in Nauvoo as well as some other historic items. The sale was to the LDS Church for 192.5 million USD. More details can be found at cofchrist.org/faithfully-funding-our-future
The church's announcement regarding the sale of the historic sites in Nauvoo and the Kirtland temple came to the body of the church pretty much simultaneously. This to me is transparency. Anyone in business knows discretion is key until an agreement has been reached. Ongoing decrease of funds especially tithing is what precipitated the sale. The aftermath of the announcement revealed sadness and yes, even anger on the part of some, but excitement and hope for the future on the part of others. These sacred historic sites are and will continue to be accessible to each of us as individuals on an ongoing basis and as a corporate body for many years to come. We still have the historic connection. We don't have the expenses of upkeep to these sites. We do have the asset value which will help to insure the continuation of mission endeavors for the future. Sounds like a win, win to me! 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. 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. 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 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. Written by Kat Goheen Canada West Mission Centre Co-President Friends, we are saying goodbye to our beloved Dar this week. When we met with Dar as a leadership team here in BC in January, he was full of stories about his beloved grandchildren and his beloved pups (well, Shari’s beloved pups!). With so much in his life he could be proud of, it was the fact that his grandkids wanted to spend time with him and weren’t shy about expressing love in public that lit up his face with joy. He got it right! It's easy to say that he held the whole church in Canada but hard to understand. Four years ago when I became co-pastor in Vancouver, I ‘held’ more concern and care than before – perhaps you’ve had this experience too. Then three years ago joining the Mission Centre President Team: more concern and care – a continuous call to attention and response. Dar not only served as financial officer for both Mission Centres and as bishop of Canada, he also carried the Canadian Corp and was financial officer for at least five congregations. What a scope of care and concern and ministry! He encouraged us at our last meeting to increase our vision too so that we are not limited by local concerns but turn our gaze to supporting the mission of Christ wherever it may be arising – the big picture of service. We are all touched by his passing. He was of invaluable service and support to us in the CWM, and as Gwyn just said, it’s hard to imagine him not in the picture with us. He kept the following words in his wallet to share in moments of grief. It is only fitting that we remember him through these words in our moment of loss. Grief never ends ... but it changes It's a passage, not a place to stay. Grief is not a sign of weakness, nor a lack of faith. It is the price of love ... May you be held in love through your own process of remembering and letting go.
Welcome to the inaugural edition of Creating Connection Corner, where we aim to keep you connected with upcoming events and much more each month. Discover effortless ways to amplify your voice within your congregation or community. We will furnish links to national and international interfaith events, climate and social justice activities, and walks that you and your community can effortlessly join. Consider initiating a Creating Connection group within your congregation or community, and we'll share inspiring success stories along with step-by-step guidance on commencing with the unwavering support of Creating Connection. Furthermore, delve into valuable tips and tutorials on harnessing the power of social media platforms integral to Creating Connection. Keep an eye out for Creating Connection Corner features in the Weekly Wire, and don't forget to explore our dedicated Creating Connection Corner page on the CWM website. There, you'll find our blog with an archive of all our Creating Connection Corner posts. In this edition, we are excited to guide you through the process of setting up a Meetup account, allowing you to stay informed about our diverse range of events. Our five Meetup pages cover online and in-person activities in Vancouver, Calgary, Chilliwack, and Edmonton, in addition to our Nurturing Spirit Meetup page. Join us on this journey of connection and community-building! How to Create an account on Meetup:
Why do we want to see your name and photo on meetup.com? It helps our hosts to know who is attending, if we know them, and is also very helpful for security purposes. So please add your name and photo to your account if possible.
Historians Corner Vol. 2 | No. 2b Here is Part 2 of what is going to end up being at least a 4-part series. There is just too much good stuff to share! Please click on the button below to read the full article. Enjoy! W. Wallace Smith (Prophet-President, 1958 to 1978): W. Wallace Smith was the Pastor of Portland, Oregon’s, First Street Church when he was ordained as an Apostle at the 1947 General Conference.[1] His call came through his older brother, President Israel A. Smith. In April of 1950 he was ordained into the First Presidency as a Counselor to his brother.[2] There is a significant and interesting backstory to his call into church leadership. Time and space constraints do not permit sharing that here. Israel A. experienced some significant health challenges in 1947 and 1948. He was to undergo surgery that could prove to be risky. He was aware of the confusion caused when his brother, and his predecessor as Prophet-President, Frederick M. Smith, died suddenly in 1946 without clearly and intentionally identifying his successor. Before he underwent his surgery, he drafted a letter identifying W. Wallace as his successor in the event of his death. The letter was witnessed and authenticated by the President of the Council of Twelve and the Church Secretary and was left in the hands of the Secretary to be brought forward in the event it was needed. It was not needed at that time.[3] In 1952, Israel A. set off on a tour to the mission fields of Europe and Great Britain. Again, he was concerned about the possibility of an untimely death during his travels (note: he was 76 years of age), and he revised his letter. This time he had it authenticated by one of his Counselors and the Presiding Bishop and left it with his Counselor (President F. Henry Edwards) to bring forward if it was needed. He travelled safely on this tour and returned home without incident.[4] However, on Saturday, June 14, 1958, the direction provided in the letter was finally, and sadly, required. On that date he was driving from Independence to a ministerial commitment in Lamoni, Iowa. Just south of the Town of Pattonsburg, Missouri, on Highway 69, he was involved in a head-on collision. Although he survived the crash, he was fatally injured and died in hospital shortly after.[5] From that point on, all the intended processes to identify and approve the next Prophet-President of the church kicked into gear. There was a meeting of the Council of Twelve Apostles on Monday morning – presumably to go over all that would happen in the next few months. The funeral for Israel A. Smith was held on Tuesday. On Wednesday a meeting of the “formal council of church officers” was held including the remaining members of the First Presidency, nine members of the Council of Twelve, the Presiding Bishopric, the presiding evangelist, the senior president of seventy, and the President of the Quorum of High Priests. The letter drafted by Israel A. in 1952 designating W. Wallace to succeed him was read. They agreed to present the letter and W. Wallace Smith’s nomination to the General Conference scheduled for October of that year. F. Henry Edwards and W. Wallace Smith were sustained as the Presidency to preside over the church until that conference. Finally, a formal letter to officially inform the church of the death of Israel A. and the processes to follow was drafted, signed by Edwards and Smith, and sent to all Pastors of the church.[6] On Monday, October 6, 1958, the General Conference was convened. Following the ceremonial opening processes and the initial call-to-order requirements of the business meeting, the announcement of the recommendation to approve W. Wallace Smith as “President of the High Priesthood and of the Church,” was read. Votes were taken (first, of delegates, then of all persons present) and they were deemed unanimously in favour. Then Israel A. Smith’s letter from 1952 was read. It was then approved to be added to the Book of Doctrine and Covenants as section 144. The business meeting was adjourned, and the ordination service was held that evening.[7] And that is how W. Wallace Smith became the fifth Prophet-President of the church. [1] Mark A. Scherer, The Journey of a People, Vol. 3: The Era of Worldwide Community, 1946 to 2015 (Independence, Mo.: Community of Christ Seminary Press, 2016), p. 86
[2] Scherer, Journey, Vol. 3, p. 88 [3] Scherer, Journey, Vol. 3, p. 85 [4] Scherer, Journey, Vol. 3, pp. 90-92 [5] Scherer, Journey, Vol. 3, pp. 107-109 [6] Scherer, Journey, Vol. 3, pp. 109-112 [7] Scherer, Journey, Vol. 3, pp. 138-144 Written by Becky Middleton Canada West Mission Centre Co-President As a follow up to the official announcement of Sam Smalldon’s appointment to Associate Bishop of Canada we want to share Sam’s bio. Some may not know Sam and this will introduce him to you. Many of us know Sam well and it’s still a very interesting read! We thank Sam for his dedication in stepping into this role. He is a blessing to Dar for being able to concentrate on his recovery and indeed to us all! Samuel (Sam) Smalldon currently lives in Calgary, Alberta. He grew up in St. Thomas, in southwestern Ontario, where he enjoyed attending church youth camps and reunions. He moved west to Alberta shortly after graduating from Graceland in 1978 with an undergraduate business degree and a psychology minor. Sam considers himself a lifelong learner. He continued his education with an MBA in 1991 (NWMSU), a CPA, CMA (Alberta) professional accountant designation in 2002, an MS in Data Science and Analytics in 2022 (Graceland), and is currently enrolled in a graduate PhD program (Capella) studying strategy and innovation in social enterprises. Sam has been in seniors housing for the past 15 years as chief administrative officer and president for two non-profit housing management boards in rural Central Alberta. Before this, he was part of executive management in chief financial officer roles for post-secondary, healthcare and municipal organizations in the public not-for-profit sectors across Alberta and Saskatchewan. Sam has been involved in leadership and financial management, overseeing many capital projects, working for large and small operations, and with various organizational models. Volunteering has always been part of who Sam is. He learned early to consistently work hard, not worry about having enough, and always be open to new ways to share and give back. He is currently a High Priest and Bishop within the Community of Christ, where he has been in leadership roles for local congregations in Calgary and Edmonton, campgrounds, as mission centre financial officer for western Canada and has been involved with both Canada and World church boards. Sam volunteers with Graceland University; he first served as president of the Alumni Board and is currently a member of the Board of Trustees, where he is an officer and committee chair for several committees. Sam also serves as a volunteer director for SkillPath, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Graceland. Sam and his wife, Shauna, have four adult children and three grandsons. They enjoy two grand puppies and two grand cats as part of their family. Sam tries to care for his well-being by enjoying various recreational activities, including road and mountain bicycle riding, road and dual motorcycle riding, pickup hockey games, and canoeing. Nothing he does for recreation is serious; it’s just about fun and getting a workout. As an accountant, he knows balance is more than just about numbers. What: Nurturing Creativity of the Soul Retreat
Where: Stillwood Retreat Centre at Cultus Lake When: March 8-10, 2024 Register no later than March 1st and learn more at: www.NurturingSpirit.CreatingConnection.ca Cost: $275 per person Believe it or not, creativity isn’t a stable personality trait, nor a rare power possessed by only the chosen few with artistic temperaments. Creativity is also not limited to specific domains, like music, theatre, dance, or visual arts. And we all go through times when we feel hopeless to create change or a cultivate creativity in our lives. Perhaps you feel like you used to be creative but have somehow lost it. Or too busy, too rushed, too poor, or too boring, or too afraid, to benefit from exploring creative practices. Whether you consider yourself creative or not, it is possible to cultivate personal creativity. Improved health, increased joy and wellbeing, financial abundance are only a few of the benefits of cultivating creativity. But what exactly is the relationship between creativity and a well-nourished soul? To find out, join special guest facilitator Lana Cullis, in retreat March 8th to 10th at Stillwood Camp and Retreat Centre near Chilliwack BC. Hosted by Creating Connection and Nurturing Spirit Retreats. Package includes six meals, lodging, sessions and all workshop supplies. Written by Gwyn Beer Canada West Mission Centre Co-President Put the dates on your calendar for the events you would like to attend!
Attendance will benefit you and everyone else at the campgrounds! The value we have in our campgrounds is beyond our measure and comprehension. Both Hills of Peace and Samish Island bring us nature at its best! Along with nature, we gather and enjoy each other in a way that does not happen with a Sunday morning worship. We eat together, do chores together, sing together, pray together and say good night only to sleep and then say good morning! For the youth camps, we are looking for volunteers! Camps happen when we have campers and counsellors. Consider helping out at a camp. Family and youth camps will be an experience in sharing and caring with old friends and new friends! Join us at Hills of Peace and Samish Island! Written by Becky Middleton Canada West Mission Centre Co-President This week is the beginning of Lent. For some in the Christian world lent is a season of observing 40 days of "fasting" which imitates Jesus' 40 days of fasting in the desert before starting his ministry. For others it is a period of preparation to celebrate the Lord's resurrection at Easter.
Through lent, we seek the Lord through prayer and scripture, serve through alms (charitable acts) and practice self-control through abstinence of luxuries. Many in the faith say that a true inner conversion of heart seeks to follow Christ's will more faithfully. What is your understanding of lent? Has lent been part of your faith tradition? Do you observe lent? If so how? We talked about this in our Tuesday virtual visiting group this week. Several people had varying thoughts about the practice or not of lent. Basically it was decided that we respect all practices of observing worship whether we 'adopt' them or not. One thought that really resonated with me was shared by Nancy Panting. She said she liked to focus on the positive aspect of 'giving' rather than 'giving up' something. Her encouragement was to take on some positive action during lent that might be continued even afterwards. I liked that idea and thought it could be as simple as taking on the practice of phoning someone each day - just to visit and see how they're doing! Or it might be taking on the practice of making babies bibs for a daycare like Svea Mountenay does or knitting hats and mitts for the homeless like the Chilliwack crafting group does. The possiblities are endless! What positive action might you 'take on' during lent? Historians Corner Vol. 2 | No. 2a At the next World Conference of Community of Christ, scheduled for Friday, May 30 through Friday, June 6, 2025, a significant chapter in the history of the church will be written with the approval and ordination of the next Prophet-President of the denomination. On January 17, 2024, the Council of Twelve Apostles of the church announced the completion of their discernment process concerning identifying the next church leader and identified Stassi D. Cramm, currently a Counselor in the current First Presidency, as the person to succeed current Prophet-President Stephen M. Veazey. New chapters in church history are started whenever a new Prophet-President is ordained. Assuming no unforeseen circumstances get in the way, this new Prophet-President will be the first woman ordained to this office. I thought it would be timely, and hopefully interesting to readers, to review the processes by which each of the Prophet-Presidents have come to hold that office. I will split this description into two parts. In today’s Part 1 I will describe the processes by which the last four people have been named to the church’s most senior leadership position. In Part 2 (currently scheduled to be published in two weeks, rather than next month) I will describe the processes for the first five people to arrive into this position. Interestingly, although there are similarities in the processes, none are exactly like any other. Stassi D. Cramm (Prophet-President-Designate) : The discernment process that has led to the naming of Stassi Cramm is recent and may already be familiar to you. However, there was at least one major “twist” in the process. In a letter to the church on March 6, 2023, President Stephen M. Veazey gave notice of his intention to retire as of the 2025 World Conference AND provided an outline of a church-wide discernment process to arrive at the name of the person to succed him which was to start immediately and conclude by February 2024. As it was described, the process would provide input to President Veazey and allow him to then decide on and name the individual. The “twist” in the process occurred with President Veazey encountering a significant health issue, announced to the church on July 27, 2023, which required him to withdraw from his leadership duties, including leading the discernment process. On August 30, 2023, the two Counselors to the First Presidency, Scott Murphy and Stassi Cramm, announced to the church in a letter that had asked the Council of Twelve Apostles to assume leadership of the discernment process. The letter stated, “The council will follow the current timeline and process previously announced to the church.” The significant change is that instead of President Veazey essentially taking on the responsibility of naming his successor, the Council of Twelve collectively took on that responsibility. Inevitably that meant variations in the original process that included meetings of the Twelve and purpose-specific retreat at a church campground as a last step in the process before the announcement on January 17. Stephen M. Veazey (Prophet-President, 2005 to, presumably, 2025): On November 29, 2004, President W. Grant McMurray delivered a letter of resignation, effective immediately, to his two Counselors. It fell to them, Peter A. Judd and Kenneth N. Robinson, to inform the Council of Twelve and then the church at large. This was uncharted territory for the church as this was the first time that an incumbent Prophet-President had not named a successor. Fortunately, such a potential situation had been foreseen by President Joseph Smith III, who drafted “A Letter of Instruction,” published in the Saints’ Herald on March 13, 1912. Several sections of the Book of Doctrine and Covenants were also cited to give support and guidance to the process. The Council of Twelve Apostles was tasked with leading a discernment process to determine the name of the person to be presented to the church for consideration. The Council requested the participation of the First Presidency, the Presiding Bishopric, the Presidents of Seventy, and the President of the High Priest Quorum to support and advise them. In addition they invited the prayerful and active participation of the church membership at large to support them in this process. On March 2, 2005, unanimously confirmed their decision to name Stephen M. Veazey as their recommended candidate. Veazey at the time was the President of the Council of Twelve Apostles and had served the church in a variety of ministerial roles for several decades. A special World Conference was convened from June 2 to 5, 2005, for the express purpose of approving this nomination, then implementing the ordination of Stephen Veazey to the office of Prophet-President, and then approving other changes in church personnel that flowed from that process. W. Grant McMurray (Prophet-President, 1996 to 2004): On September 19, 1995, President Wallace B. Smith met with the church headquarters staff to announce his pending retirement as of the upcoming World Conference in 1996 and to identify his successor as W. Grant McMurray. McMurray had been a member of the First Presidency since 1992 and had previously served the church as Church Secretary and in the Church Historian’s Office. Although there were many things to “juggle” in this nomination by Wallace B. Smith, perhaps the most difficult and emotional issue was passing church leadership outside of the Smith family for the first time. He cited the “Letter of Instruction” drafted by Joseph Smith III (his grandfather) as providing principles for succession and he stated his own three criteria that followed from that. They were: the person must be called by revelation through the present prophet/president; the call must be approved by a vote of the people in conference assembled; and the person must be properly ordained by those having the authority to do so. At the 1996 World Conference President Smith presented his final inspired document to the church naming W. Grant McMurray as his successor. This was approved a vote of the conference. And McMurray was then “properly ordained” to the office by those having authority. Wallace B. Smith assumed the title of “Prophet Emeritus” and left the job of leading the church entirely to his successor. Wallace B. Smith (Prophet-President, 1978 to 1996): In the spring of 1975, President W. Wallace Smith called his son, Wallace B. Smith, and asked if he could come over for a visit. In that visit the father asked the son to consider succeeding him as Prophet-President. He gave him a year to decide as he wished to announce his intended retirement date at the 1976 World Conference. (reference: Scherer, Journey of a People, Vol. 3, p. 400) Wallace consented after many months of consideration. At the 1976 World Conference, his call was presented in a document to the church giving a two-year timeline of preparation for the position, after which he would be ordained at the World Conference of 1978. The challenge of history and tradition that had to be overcome was the fact that every other prophet-president had died in office. W. Wallace did not want to do that and the conference (both 1976 and 1978) finally accepted this. Wallace B. had not previously held church employment, although he had certainly been active in his local congregations all his life. After a hectic two years of preparation, the 1978 World Conference accepted the call and he was ordained to the office. **In two weeks: I will complete this description with the first five presidents of the church.** Sources:
Written by Gwyn Beer Canada West Mission Centre Co-President Lent starts next week and I want to give up Gratitude to everyone. Community of Christ is exactly that! A community! I am grateful for everyone in this community. To keep things going for everyone, many pieces must fit together. There is a puzzle on the go in the Chilliwack church (there is ALWAYS a puzzle). This one is all clocks and it will probably be complete in another week. Craft night ladies have been working on it. Early Sunday morning arrivals work on it. Coffee morning people grab their coffee and some head to the puzzle table. Often someone will walk over and put in a piece right away and leave while others look and look for a piece but they don’t give up. The puzzle will be completed. So what does this have to do with Gratitude? I am one piece in this community. If I have a problem, I can ask one of the team that make up the Community of Christ in Chilliwack. As a member of the Canada West Mission Centre President team, I am grateful for the others on the team. When someone in the mission centre has a problem, there is usually someone they can ask or call for help. Community of Christ in Guelph, Ontario has been a large part of the puzzle and they have provided answers to all the financial questions that have been asked. We have many people who are volunteers that are pieces of the Community of Christ and who, together, work till any task is completed. I am grateful for all those volunteers who come to a meeting when Shannon calls it. I am grateful for a team of church members who join together once a month and pray for our mission centre and any special thing we ask them to. I am grateful for those who have stepped up and are planning our summer camps. I am grateful for all the volunteers who have made our camps happen over all the past years. I am grateful for all the volunteers who will help with camps now. I am grateful for all those pastors out in our mission centre who lead congregations in mission. I am grateful for all those who have become congregation recorders and our Canada West Mission recorder who uses Shelby. I am grateful for all who use Shelby to keep us connected as Community of Christ. I am grateful for all the members of Community of Christ who may not have a home congregation anymore but remain in touch. I am grateful for all the congregations that zoom their services so others may attend virtually. I am grateful for my heritage in Community of Christ, for those who established this church. We are all pieces in the puzzle that is Community of Christ. I am grateful that new pieces will be added as we ask more volunteers to be part of the future plans for the church in Canada. Colossians 3:16
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. We are grateful for the discernment process that has just concluded and are pleased to support Stassi D. Cramm as our new Community of Christ prophet/president designate. Stassi has given tirelessly of herself to our community, especially through the Council of Twelve, Graceland Seminary, Presiding Bishopric, and First Presidency. She is knowledgeable of our people and polity and will continue to bless us through her intelligence, experience, and pastoral heart.
We support her fully and ask for your prayerful support of her through this time of transition. Signed, Canada West Mission Centre President Team Gwyn Beer Kat Goheen Shannon McAdam Becky Middleton Are you missing some Samish Island in your life right now? Come help us wake up the Campgrounds from its winter slumber! You are invited to join us on Saturday, February 10th as we open up the dining hall kitchen and freshen up the sleeping cabins in preparation for the 2024 camping season.
We are offering overnight accommodations for those wishing to arrive on Friday or stay through Sunday, although only Saturday lunch will be provided. Contact Camp Manager Christine Campbell at samishislandcamp@gmail.com or 360-510-5724 to register. Written by Kat Goheen Canada West Mission Centre Co-President Dear friends, thank you for sharing in our prayer service for Dar on Saturday. It was a blessing to see you all and share together in mutual concern. He is in ongoing need of our prayerful support. Somehow Dar got hold of his laptop in the hospital and sent our ministry team a reading he often uses in memorial services. He read it to us in our recent leadership retreat that Shannon wrote about last week in our column, and he remembered that we wanted a copy of it to meditate on. How wonderful! Grief never ends... but it changes It's a passage, not a place to stay. Grief is not a sign of weakness, nor a lack of faith. It is the price of love... This week in the Mission Centre we lost our dear Seventy and former Recorder Linda Klughart suddenly to a fall. Here in Vancouver we lost three dear ones this month: Inez Thederahn and Joan and Dennis McKelvie. We also grieve when we sell church buildings and dissolve congregations. This poem feels timely, especially in a dark time of year when the sun makes fewer appearances.
What is the wisdom for us here? Maybe grief, even in its ruthless and terrible guise, can also be beautiful. Grief is not a multi-tasker; it takes all our attention and pins us to one spot. Isn’t this also what worship does? True communion? We would not shun love in order to avoid pain, so our grief is a celebration of the size of our hearts and the span of the life we have chosen to live. Grief is a passage, we travel through it together. If you are in need of compassion and listening, please reach out to our community. Let us hold one another lightly, knowing that we each face burdens seen and unseen. Let us support the flourishing of life in our corner of the Kin-dom of God. |
Categories
All
Archives
March 2024
|
Quick links
|
External links
|
community of christ355 Elmira Road North, Unit 129
Guelph, ON N1K 1S5 Canada Canada West Mission: 877-411-2632 Canada East Mission: 888-411-7537 |
Site powered by Weebly. Managed by Community of Christ
|