A Moment with the Mission Centre President-Part 2

It seems there is so much to share this week I needed TWO columns to get them out of my system. Please bear with me for this more “news” type of stuff.
 
COVID-19
 
You will see somewhere above a letter from Apostle Art Smith addressed to “Dear Friends in Canada.” I assume that means all of us and not just me. I thought I should share it with you.
 
His topic is COVID-19 and the challenges it continues to present to the church. Among other things in his letter, he states, “In Canada, we currently anticipate that in person gatherings in church sanctuaries will remain suspended until at least the end of August.”
 
This is likely not surprising to you. It may still be slightly discouraging to think that it will be another two and a half months before we can meet in worship and fellowship with our congregational brothers and sisters.
 
This week I am scheduling meetings with the Pastors and Co-Pastors of all congregations to discuss planning and preparing for re-opening our congregations. It is important that all of us have a common understanding of the guidelines that apply to this process from both the leadership of Community of Christ and from the four provinces in which the congregations of Canada West operate. It is not just a matter of saying, “the doors are open again – you can all come back now!” I ask your prayers to be with your Pastors/Co-Pastors and congregational leadership as they get ready to welcome everyone back to Sunday services.
 
Canada West Mission Conference
 
Our annual mission centre conference had been scheduled to be hosted in the Chilliwack Congregation on Labour Day Weekend. I don’t think I need to provide too many details or too much justification for why we have decided that it just cannot happen in our usual in-person format this year. So – of course – we have decided to hold an electronic conference, similar to the e-Conferences that we held in February of 2018 and 2019.
 
Our Canada West Mission e-Conference will be held on the weekend of September 12 and 13. On Saturday, the 12th, we will hold a “Pre-Legislative Session” beginning at 10:30 a.m. MDT, and our Annual Business Meeting beginning at 1:00 p.m. MDT. On Sunday, the 13th, we will hold a mission centre worship service at 10:30 a.m. MDT, and encourage participation by all congregations across the mission centre. There is much planning yet to be done for this event. Watch for more details in coming weeks.
 
And that is it for me for this week. You do not have to go looking for a “Part 3!”

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