A Moment with the MC President-We Share (#1 in a series)

Black Lives Matter           
Indigenous Lives Matter            
​Lives of People of Colour Matter
 
For a continuing theme for my remarks in this column I will write for the next few weeks with a brief discussion of some portion of the book, Sharing in Community of Christ: Exploring Identity, Mission, Message, and Beliefs. If you do not have your own copy of the book, you can download a PDF version from the church website here or you can order a hard copy from Herald House, the church publisher, here. Pricing is in U.S. dollars and there will be a shipping charge. I encourage congregations to order a few copies to have on hand to share with visitors who may be interested in knowing more about the church. I also suggest this is a good resource for congregations to purchase for its active member individuals and families. It is an excellent resource for personal study and for group study and discussion.
 
As other issues of current significance arise, I will write about them and then return to this book the following week. For today, here is an introduction to what the book is about and why you might be interested in it.
 
The book uses the phrase “We Share…” to introduce most of the sections of the book. The phrase is intended to be taken with a double meaning as explained in these quotes:

1. What we share with one another, as members and participants in Community of Christ shapes identity, mission, message, and beliefs as a worldwide church.
2. Just as important, the phrase we share emphasizes our call and commitment to share our witness, ministries, sacraments, resources, and message with the world.

So, the phrase we share defines both what we generally hold in common and what we generously offer to the world.
​(We Share, p. 9)
 
This brief book is the best current summary of the faith and beliefs of Community of Christ as a global denomination. It serves as a unifying text to provide the same statements to church members around the world. It is available in English, Spanish, and French (both the free download version and the paid hard copy). As suggested above, it can serve as a multi-week focus for discussions in Sunday school classes or for small groups in home-based situations.
 
The book is also a short, inviting, and non-threatening text to share with those who may be curious about the church. In addition to the book there is a series of brochures available that provide the content of specific portions of the book. You can find them here. Come back over the next few weeks as we consider some highlight portions of the book.
​
I pray for you God’s blessings of understanding, hope, and peace in these challenging times.

​Steve Thompson
Canada West Mission Centre President
steve@communityofchrist.ca