1 June 2020
 
Dear friends in Canada,
 
We greet you in the name of Jesus Christ, the one who taught us that love of God and one another sustains us even in the darkest of times.
 
COVID-19 has propelled us into uncharted territory. Every aspect of our daily lives has been disrupted. Our desire to be together in community has led us to online ministry, and we have encountered new and familiar faces with a renewed presence of the Holy Spirit in our gatherings. We are discovering “a variety of ways in which spiritual community forms and flows as expressions of the gospel of peace.” (Words of Counsel to the Church, Stephen M. Veazey, April 13, 2019)
 
God is doing something new in our midst.
 
We are deeply grateful for the spirit of unity that has emerged in Canada as everyone has worked together to implement strategies to deal with the pandemic. As the reopening of churches closed by the COVID-19 emergency is considered, mission center presidents, in consultation with the supervising apostle, will determine when this will occur. The apostle will continue to work closely with mission center leaders to monitor and evaluate conditions and information.
 
Congregation leaders will receive reopening guidelines and reopening checklists and will be asked to participate in online training sessions offered by each mission centre before implementing any reopening plan. In Canada, we currently anticipate that in person gatherings in church sanctuaries will remain suspended until at least the end of August. Congregations should not circumvent these procedures as failure to comply with official guidelines would shift legal liability to the congregation itself in the event of lawsuits arising from someone contracting the virus in a noncompliant congregation. Please continue to carefully monitor communications from your mission center for updates regarding the process of returning to in-person gatherings.
 
We acknowledge that the situation remains fluid and the appropriate time to resume gatherings may vary somewhat across Canada. We affirm the principle of protecting the most vulnerable. We remain committed to doing the best we can to care for one another and make responsible choices and decisions for the welfare of all.
 
In the peace of Jesus Christ,

Art Smith,
Field Apostle for Canada

​Black Lives Matter           
Indigenous Lives Matter            
Lives of People of Colour Matter
 
Are you weary of 2020 yet? Would you like to hit the “reset” button and start it all over again? Or do you want to push “fast forward” and just get through it to see if 2021 can be any better?
 
Have you found yourself conflicted over the day’s headlines – whether they have to do with societal response to COVID-19, or societal upheaval over issues of race, or other large social and political questions of the moment? Is it clear to you what your response should be as a Christian or as a member of Community of Christ? Do you see, as I do, people arguing both sides of an issue and each invoking morality and informed opinion as supporting their side?
 
Who are you looking to for guidance and direction? Political leaders? Scientists? Doctors? Lawyers? Your church leaders? Other spiritual leaders? Media or Hollywood or sports personalities? How about a random person on social media who says they have the answer(s)?
 
Have you noticed I have done nothing but ask you questions? Are you annoyed with me yet?
 
If you don’t like my questions, you may not like my statements either. Sometimes God has difficulty in breaking through to us with the spiritual guidance that we desire and expect. The theme scripture from the lectionary for this past Sunday was Matthew 10:24-39. It illustrates this faith conundrum very well. You may know it. These are the verses where Jesus tells his followers to “not fear those who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul,” but rather to “fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (v. 28) Then he challenges our perceptions of him as a person of peace with verse 34: “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” He goes on to describe that conflict can be expected among close family members and that his followers need to love him more than they love their parents. It is a challenging and frankly frightening few verses. The scarier thing may be that we are living in such a time where there is much to fear and cause conflict between persons who are otherwise respectful and loving of each other.
 
The on-line worship resources for last Sunday conclude by observing that “Jesus does not say to love someone instead of him, but to love no one more than you do him. … [F]ollowing him means we can’t set aside the gospel for another relationship.”
 
So – do you feel better yet? Me neither. This life of faith – of continually seeking understanding – is hard. And Jesus never promised us it would be easy. If it is of any comfort, I am right there with you trying to find my way through the challenges of our day and time.
 
I pray for you God’s blessings of guidance, understanding, and peace in these challenging times.
 
Steve Thompson
Canada West Mission Centre President
[email protected]

​Join us for an online lecture series led by Seminary Director, Zac Harmon-McLaughlin. Every Monday night @ 7pm CDT via ZOOM, starting June 8. Following dates: June 15, 22 and 29. 

As the demographics of Christianity rapidly change, many people are asking the question, “What will the church look like in the future?” In the last 30 years, the fastest growing segment of the population have been a group known by one of the following names, “unaffiliated”, “nones”, or “spiritual but not religious”. 

​In this online lecture series we will explore some of the demographic data, societal implications, Community of Christ Ecclesiology, Ambiguity & Curiosity, Principle based Theology, Modernity & Post-Modernity, and ultimately, what a Transformative Community of Christ Ecclesiology looks like as the world changes. 

This is a free event. We welcome any donations you would like to share. You can donate to the seminary here: www.graceland.edu/giving. When there direct your gift to “other” then write in “Community of Christ Seminary". Your donations will go toward continuing the important mission of Graceland University’s Community of Christ Seminary. 

If you have any questions please contact [email protected] 

​Black Lives Matter
Indigenous Lives Matter
Lives of People of Colour Matter
 
I mentioned in last week’s “Moment” that I had attended an anti-Black racism rally in Edmonton. Many banners and signs at that rally contained the acronym “BIPOC” meaning: Black, Indigenous, People of Colour. The phrase is a recognition that our society has multiple issues to deal with. The primary focus of the demonstrations of the last few weeks have been on calling out attitudes and actions that demonstrate personal racism and systemic racism embedded in our society against persons of African heritage. Those signs and the comments of some speakers reminded us that we also need to confront racism that is particularly deeply embedded in Canadian culture concerning our persons of Indigenous identity, as well as many others more generally described as Persons of Colour. My friends, there is much work to be done!
 
As other tragic events have unfolded over the past couple of weeks involving the tragic and violent deaths of other Black and Indigenous persons, I have felt discouragement and profound sadness. How will we ever find our way out of this? How can we meaningfully and practically begin removing societal and structural barriers to the full and unfettered participation in our society by all persons regardless of skin colour?
 
Jesus told the parable of the “Good Samaritan” (Luke 10:25-37) to illustrate that persons outside the dominant society should be recognized and honoured. Jesus miraculously healed many people in his ministry. One account showed that he would assist even persons aligned with the occupying Roman army (healing of the Centurion’s servant, Matt. 8:5-13; Luke 7:1-10; John 4:43-54). Another actually illustrated that Jesus could be confronted by a personal prejudice and respond and correct himself (healing of the daughter of the Syrophoenician [Gentile] woman, Mark 7:24-30). The scriptural record of the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:5-12) revealed that the Spirit of God was made available to persons from across the known world including those considered to be barbarians (Parthians) and those from the occupying nation (Romans).
 
In all of these accounts there is no record that the principle people involved were actually “converts” to Jesus’ teachings. But they were all intentionally included and not excluded from the blessings of the Holy Spirit. Surely, by extension, we must know that we are to extend the blessings and privileges of our society to all those who are a part of it. In today’s environment and historic moment, we are being challenged to be inclusive of those peoples upon who’s backs so much of our societal wealth and privilege has been built through the shames of slavery, colonialism, and abuses too numerous and grievous to begin listing here.
 
I pray God’s blessings of guidance, understanding, and peace in these challenging times.
 
Steve Thompson
Canada West Mission Centre President
[email protected]

Dear friends,
​
In the last couple of years Community of Christ in Canada has been participating as an observer with the Canadian Council of Churches (CCC). While we have not yet been admitted as full members, our engagement has been highly meaningful. We have been building good ecumenical relationships.
 
We now have the opportunity, as an observer at the Council table to add our signature to a joint statement recognizing and marking the International Decade for People of African Descent (IDPAD) in the Canadian context. The International Decade for People of African Descent was declared by the United Nations in 2015 to last through 2024.

For more information, we encourage you to review the following resources:

• Background to the UN International Decade for People of African Descent
• Invitation: Canadian Ecumenical Initiative to mark
  The International Decade for People of African Descent
• Joint Statement
• General Information on IDPAD  

​By joining other churches in Canada in this joint statement we would be expressing our desire to join them in asking the CCC to make anti-racism, specifically anti-Black racism, and the goals of the UN IDPAD, a priority.
 
I believe that this is an opportunity for Community of Christ members and congregations in Canada to prophetically respond to these matters with creative engagement as individuals, groups, congregations, and jurisdictions.
 
As Community of Christ Canadian leadership contemplate signing this joint statement, we would be interested in hearing from you. Please complete this survey by Wednesday, June 17, 2020.

“Are we moving toward Jesus, the peaceful one?”
 
In the May-June Herald Matthew Frizzell opens his article, “Toward the Peaceful One: Jesus Christ in Restoration Perspective,” (also available online) with these words:

• The future is uncertain. A lot is changing. What the church is experiencing probably is not a cycle. Things are not going to return to the way they were. It’s hard to plan. It’s hard to lead.
• What can we do? He said, “Follow me.”

Matthew wrote his article well before the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. He had in mind the uncertainty presented by the societal changes affecting Christianity generally and Community of Christ specifically. Of course, his words seem even more relevant to us now.
 
Black lives matter.
 
Do those words seem somehow “last week” to you? Our news cycle is such that the media has all but moved on from the demonstrations that gripped the continent – and still do in some areas. I attended the anti-racism rally in Edmonton last Friday. It was an enlightening experience in more ways than I can share here. It reinforced for me the reality of the racism that is faced by those with a different skin colour than mine. It reinforced for me that I am probably an unwitting perpetrator of the racism entrenched in our culture even though I believe I think and act and speak as inclusively as I can. I have much to learn.
 
Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the information that comes at you from different directions all day, every day? Me, too! Two things came to me this week via Apostle Art Smith that I want to share with you.

The first item is a letter focused on the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, March 21, 2010. It also upholds the United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent (2015-1024). Did you know about that? I didn’t – and it’s half over!! The letter is signed by the leaders of three of Canada’s largest Protestant denominations. Through our association with the Canadian Council of Churches, Community of Christ has been invited to become a signatory to the letter. Have a look at the letter and let me know what you think.

​The second item is a letter written by a fellow Mission Centre President, Ryan Pitt, of the Mid-Atlantic Mission Center. His topic is “Racial Justice and Initial Steps” and he outlines some specific things he will lead for his mission center in response to the issues of the last couple of weeks. Have a look at this letter, too, and let me know what you think. What could the Canada West Mission Centre actually DO to support anti-racism efforts in our communities?
 
Are we moving toward Jesus, the peaceful one? I think we are trying. How about you?

Grace and Peace,

Steve Thompson
Canada West Mission Centre President
[email protected]

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
[email protected]

An online Spiritual Retreat with Tony and Charmaine Chvala-Smith. To view schedule click here.

Have you been troubled over the last 10 days or so as we have seen demonstrations and riots engulf cities in our neighbour to the south? I have been. There have been disturbing images of rioting and looting that have not been supportive of the actual intentions of the demonstrations to bring attention to the issues of racism and the treatment of Black persons at the hands of police. In contrast there have been a few encouraging images of police putting away their weapons, expressing support for the demonstrators and joining the march. I am praying for the success of the demonstrations and for the end to the violence of rioting and the corresponding violence being used to control those situations.
 
I recognize and confess my “white privilege.” It does at least two things for me. First, it has provided me with many automatic societal benefits in my life that have come easily and with minimal effort. Second, it has blinded me to the absence of these societal benefits in the lives of the few Black persons, Indigenous persons, and other persons of colour who have been a part of my life over the years. These realizations have only come to me in the last three to five years or so. I know that some people (perhaps some reading this) will not understand the term or feel that it does not apply to them. I invite you to consider the things you do every day with the assumption that you can do so without concerns about being watched or judged and then consider the everyday experience of Black persons who consistently share that their experience of such everyday things is considerably different. Here is an explanatory page from the Alberta Civil Liberties Research Centre.
 
I have been challenged in these last few days to drop my self-perceived nature of being “not racist.” Whether or not that is an accurate self-perception, it represents, at best, a passive, non-committed attitude to do anything about the racism that is evident in so many ways around me. Instead, I am being challenged to actually be “anti-racist,” meaning that I actively become aware of situations of racism around me and begin to do something about them. It means calling out a racist joke that I might hear from a friend. I think I can do that. It means being aware of racist comments of people around me and having the courage to say something to correct them. Can I do that? I don’t know.
 
The best commitment I can make, and that I encourage you to make, is to seek ways to become better informed about issues of race, racism, and anti-racism. A new resource has been released online in just the last week or so by the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. (No, I had never heard of it before either.) Talking about Race covers topics such as being antiracist, bias, community building, and many more.
 
If you might be interested in a theological treatment of the Black experience let me recommend James H. Cone’s “God of the Oppressed.” It is not an easy read, but it is a worthwhile read.
 
Why am I concerned about this – other than because I am disturbed by the images and stories of the last several days? It is because I take seriously our mission initiatives to “Abolish Poverty, End Suffering,” and “Pursue Peace on Earth.” And because I feel a commitment to the enduring principles of “Worth of All Persons,” “Pursuit of Peace (Shalom),” “Unity in Diversity,” and “Blessings of Community.” May we always seek to “let the oppressed go free, (and) to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:19).

Grace and Peace,

Steve Thompson
Canada West Mission Centre President
[email protected]