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On Thursday June 23, 2022 the Chilliwack congregation held a Strawberry Social.  This was also a surprise “Thank You” to Vilda Fetterly for all her years as the Chilliwack Branch historian. Betty Williams made a card for the branch to sign for Vilda. All the photo albums that Vilda had created over the years were set out for everyone to look at and reminisce over. Some great treats were donated to be covered in strawberries and whipped cream along with coffee, tea, iced tea and water. A very good time that everyone enjoyed!
 Do you remember what it felt like to receive a party invitation when you were young? They were in the form of a card, or maybe if you’re younger than me, it came to you in an email. Whether it was on paper or digital, it was fun, even exciting and receiving the invitation gave you a feeling of being wanted and included. I’ll get back to this later. At the Nature and Nurture retreat June 3-5 at Samish Island, we ‘invited’ people outside of our church community by advertising on meeup.com and Eventbrite. One-third of our attendees were people we had never met before and who had never been to Samish Island! Our goal for this retreat was mainly to welcome people back to in-person activities. We knew a lot of our regular team would not be available that weekend, so with the small team of Patti Beer, Barbara Rose (Seattle) and myself we planned a retreat that was largely outdoors, with lots of time for visiting. We intentionally allowed up to 2 hours for meals and cleanup so everyone would have lots of time to linger over their meals and chat, and we set up the mornings with a toast bar at 7am, Yoga at 8am, and Breakfast didn’t start until 9am so that those who needed sleep could rest a little longer. Mother Nature had her fun with us, pretty much turning on the faucet a few times, but she did share the sun with us for several hours on the Saturday. We had advised people to bring appropriate clothing so we could be outside no matter what the weather conditions were, and we kept the fireplace in the dining going the whole weekend. Our activities included Dancing the Labyrinth, Meaningful Conversation Groups, Forest Bathing, Qi Gong, Blue Mind Water, Canoeing and Paddleboarding, Yoga sessions, and the 5 Rhythms. There were challenges navigating the world of Covid precautions and of course the weather, but for those of us who know Samish it so was great to be back, and our new people were wide eyed with amazement at our retreat space. One of them will be coming to Samish Reunion with her grandson, and a group of women intend to make the Nature and Nurture retreat an annual event. Back to the ‘invitation’. If you’ve ever felt like inviting a friend to one of our Community of Christ events is pressuring them, I want you to re-think that and remember how it feels to be the one who is invited. Community of Christ members have a history of being invitational and we truly are a welcoming community. Let’s remember that. And remember that during covid many people have been lonely and are searching for a place to belong. Let’s not miss this opportunity to make wonderful new friends and welcome them into our community whether it’s a retreat, a zoom session, a Creating Connection activity, online church or in-person church. To learn more about advertising on meetup.com or Eventbrite or other social media platforms, please contact me, [email protected] or toll free 1-877-411-2632 ext 4. This is YOUR invitation. Debra Donohue Creating Connection Director 
 Join us in person for "Descent into the Heart" a spiritual retreat with Kat Goheen. A journey through scripture and spiritual practice toward intimacy with God.
When: Friday, June 24 to Sunday, June 26, 2022 Where: Hills of Peace Registration fee: $125 CAD (subsidies available) Registration deadline: Sunday, June 12 Director: Brenda Senga Register online at www.cwm.events and see more information.  Yes! Be forewarned! This is an appeal for financial donations in support of the Hills of Peace Campground! The pandemic and its related restrictions have resulted in two years of programs being cancelled at Hills of Peace. No programs = no revenues. It is as simple as that. Although there have been no programs, many expenses continue. We still need a Camp Caretaker to visit the camp regularly to monitor for damage or repairs and to perform regular maintenance. We are still faced with the expenses of power, insurance and for occasional repairs as required. Our expenses will go up with a return to the “Hills” for summer gatherings. The target of this fund-raising initiative is open to whatever you can give! We have all seen the changes at the supermarket and gas pumps. Please consider making a donation to the Hills of Peace Campground. This is especially directed to members and friends in Saskatchewan and Alberta. In addition, residents of other areas may also have memories of good experiences here. We welcome whatever you might wish to donate in support of Hills of Peace. Please be generous! Note that a request has also been made to each of the Alberta and Saskatchewan congregations to support this initiative. We wish you a good summer. We look forward to welcoming all friends of Hills of Peace back to the campground this summer. Please send donations to Hills of Peace, use one of the following methods:
 Registration for SPEC 2022 is open! This incredible event for teens who have completed grades 9-12 will be held on the Graceland University campus July 16-23. After two years of cancellations, the leadership team is thrilled to be back! Specific COVID-19 protocols and limits are in place this year as a precaution.
 Honouring Fathers Father’s Day seems to be summed up in barbeque and crafts made from macaroni and glue, especially with puns about fishing (“Dad, you’re a great catch!”). On this day, we celebrate the qualities of nurturing, strength, and challenge that we seek from fathers, knowing that we may not have experienced those qualities as fully as we may have wished in our holding environments. I think of grandfathers on this day as well, with the extra layer of perspective and unconditional love that they are often able to offer. When I lived with my grandparents as a student as Graceland University, my Grampie could not help but jump in the car and run to the store if there was anything I needed! His love showed me the truth of God’s love. The connection that Jesus had with his heavenly father is especially touching to me. I grew up praying, “Dear Heavenly Father” in my prayers, which had a grand yet distant ring to it. When Jesus says “Abba,” meaning “Daddy,” it is sweet in a humbling sort of way. Its intimacy draws God close, without barriers or resistance. God is a mystery that transcends race and gender. Still, I wonder: could I pray to God in this way? We can have many kinds of unitive experiences with God and Spirit, but I feel that this language is a special manifestation of a soul at peace with God. I pray for that peace in myself and for you! May you find sheltering in this celebration. May you find love. May you find the peace that passes all understanding and know yourself as a beloved child of God. 
 Join us next Monday, June 20 at 8pm via Zoom, as Caitlin Ball (Calgary Congregation) and Aymie Neudorf (Regina Congregation) host a second informative session about Canada West Mission Centre Youth Camp 2022. There will be a time for questions and answers. Click on the button below for Zoom login details.
 Last week in the column we looked at membership and belonging. Today we’ll flip that coin and look within. Our humanity is hardwired for connection and at the same time tuned for meaning. Why are we here? What is the meaning of life? What is a good life? We all grow older, if we’re lucky, but we don’t necessarily grow up. It’s the time we spend in study, self-reflection, prayer, and meditation that feeds our inner life and helps us transition from milk to solid food, as Paul says in I Corinthians 3. We have many ways to distract ourselves from real, burning-bush experiences with God, and our intellect is one of the big ones! At the Spiritual Retreat at Hills of Peace (June 24-26), we will be opening ourselves to spiritual growth in a safe container at a beautiful campground. We will examine the stories of Mary, Martha, Jesus, and Lazarus for those moments of spiritual connection that show us ways to grow. We will use all of our senses to experience and appreciate the Holy. We will slip behind our figuring-out minds and listen to our hearts and bodies; to the still, small voice that longs to be one with us. As you clear your vision about where you belong and who you long to be, make room in your heart for the One who knows you best! 
On June 12, the church is invited to “Boldly Venture,” a worldwide worship. This gathering will be the official start of our journey to 2023 World Conference.
The worship will be streamed in English, French, and Spanish on Facebook and YouTube at 4:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. CDT allowing for live participation in the chat and comments. New for this event, congregations or groups can gain early access to the worship video to use it during their regular gathering on June 12 or anytime afterward. Details about downloading will be coming soon. The worship includes three segments—Gather, Center, and Bless. Participants of various ages from nations spanning the globe will share in music, testimony, readings, and prayer. Listen to President Steve Veazey’s message and hear music from Jan Kraybill, Daniel Harmon, Beyond the Walls Choir, French Polynesia, and Africa. Please make plans to join us live or download the worship to share it with your congregation or group!  Looking for volunteers that would like to spend a day or a weekend outdoors, enjoying the sun, the trees and the magnificent sunset over the lake! You will have time to reconnect with friends and family. Hills of Peace (HOP) needs help with cleaning cabins, dorms, bathrooms, main chapel and the kitchen. Enjoy conversation over a 5 star lunch, dinner and breakfast. There will be a lot of support and assistance and all cleaning products (eco friendly) provided. When: Saturday, June 11 and Sunday, June 12
Where: Hills of Peace Please contact Eileen Johnstone, at 587 566 6446 or at [email protected] if willing to help.  Where are you? Last week in the column we looked at Psalm 139, at God’s ability to hold us in knowledge and love. We do not have that same insight as Mission Centre Presidents! As we prepare for voting at Mission Centre Conference, we received a question about where each of you have membership, whether it’s in a congregation or as a non-resident. This is a great time to reflect – do you know where your membership is? Would you like to update it? Any of us would be glad to hear from you if you would like our help in that process! This is also a great time to reflect, where does my ‘membership’ lie in other areas of my life? Has COVID disrupted the ties that usually hold me? Have my relationships floated out beyond my reach? No matter how introverted we may feel in our heart of hearts, part of our life here in this beautiful creation seems to be making and fostering connections. Where are you? Right here, in a specific space. I invite you to find a spot outdoors that speaks to you – a tree, a flower bed, a bend in a river, and really see what is there. Perhaps it’s new life, perhaps it’s a mossy boulder, perhaps it’s a tiny ecosystem full of activity. Let yourself love this particular place and see if you can build a habit to return to it as days and seasons pass. Just like the elements of your special spot, you also have a place, a relationship with what is, an invitation to full engagement with life. 
-Registration Closed- We hope you’ll join us this weekend for the Nature and Nurture Retreat at Samish Island. It’s time to get back to in-person experiences and there’s no better place to do that than at Samish Island Retreat Centre. Join us for a Nurturing weekend with lots of outdoor Nature time, and plenty of time for socializing. For those of you who have attended our retreats in the past, you'll notice something different this time. We've hired people to do the end of camp cleanup so you'll only be responsible for cleaning your own cabin when the camp ends. For those of you who are concerned about crossing the border, we can tell you that several Canadians crossed the border to help at Samish Work Week ,and had no issues at the border. The cost is $250 CAD per person, one person or family per cabin. Should you have any questions, contact [email protected]
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