 Welcome to CWM Reunion 2020! My name is Chris Phelps and I am your Reunion director. I hope to get to know you better during our Reunion time together, but in the meantime - join the fun, strike up conversation with whomever is around, and make yourselves at home in our virtual space. The Zoom link below is for all Reunion Events. It is set up as a recurring meeting so you can log in anytime and see who is around. Copy and paste this link someplace convenient so you aren’t searching for it all the time. Check out the full schedule for the week here. All times are listed in Pacific (PDT).
The most immediate pieces are: Thursday July 30 8:00 AM Morning Meditation with Katie Forest/Nature Walk (alone or in small groups) 1:30 PM Rest period 2:30 PM Canteen and Activity Storytime with Kathy Get your scavenger hunt videos and pictures to Beckie today! 7:00 PM Talent Show - hosted by Eman Invite any and all who may want to attend. Send videos to Chris Phelps if you want to participate. Friday July 31 8:00 AM Check in from Samish and Morning Worship with Leah 9:15 AM Adult Class with Katie and Zac 1:30 PM Rest period 2:30 PM Canteen and activity Storytime with Kathy 6:00 PM Shared Meal Online cooking lesson and visiting **Some important schedule notes**
**Instructions for the Gratitude Scavenger Hunt**
I hope to see many of you at many of the events throughout the week. If you have any questions please feel free to email me and I will get back to you ASAP. Chris Phelps Reunion Director [email protected] Black Lives Matter
Indigenous Lives Matter Lives of People of Colour Matter How are you doing? How is your summer going? Have you been able to “stretch” just a little beyond the COVID-19 restrictions of the past few months? Or have you continued to feel mostly restricted to your home? What has been a regular joyful thing for you: Family? Friends? Phone calls? Video calls? Reading? Netflix? The return of TV sports? What has been disappointing or even a source of sadness for you: Not getting out of the house? Family? Friends? Netflix? The return of TV sports? Illness? Loss? Sense of personal isolation? My impression is that individual experiences have been different. Some have felt that life has slowed down from its usual pace and this has been seen as a blessing and an opportunity. For others the loss of employment and income have caused new stresses to afford food and shelter and to continue supporting a family. Some, of course, have been directly affected by COVID-19 as a serious life-threatening illness. Some have “tested positive” but experienced no symptoms. The very large majority of us have not been directly affected by the virus, although most of us will likely know someone who has been directly affected. Late in the 4th chapter of the Gospel of Mark, Jesus is sleeping in a boat when his disciples woke him up because they were afraid of the storm. “(Jesus) woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, ‘Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?’” (Mark 4:39, 40 NRSV) Perhaps we are riding out a “COVID storm.” Perhaps we feel we need Jesus to “wake up” and calm it for us. It is instructive, however, to note that following his “miracle” Jesus essentially chastised his disciples for apparently being afraid and having no faith. Perhaps the lesson for us is that Jesus may or may not be sleeping through this storm along with us, but Jesus most certainly is with us. And, furthermore, given the disciples’ experience, we need to retain our faith and exercise our confidence that this storm will pass. Afterwards we will look back and recognize the places where we benefited from the blessings of God going through the storm, and we will be able to give thanks to God when we have safely come out the other side. Despite our challenges, may we look for the good and positive experiences of the last few months. And if that is in itself a challenge for us, may we look forward with hope to the passing of the storm in the future so we can once again enjoy smoother sailing. I pray for you God’s blessings of guidance, understanding, hope, and peace in these challenging times. Steve Thompson Canada West Mission Centre President [email protected]  Everyone,
As it is almost halfway through this fiscal year it is important to provide you with a brief update on the status of our 2020 budget and our budget management decisions to be effective July 1, 2020. For quick reference, we started 2020 with an approved budget from the September 2019 Mission Conference. This was a balanced budget for $544K in expected revenues and associated expenditures. Our revenue budget for 2020 was comprised of a stretch target of $150K from Congregational Support which was 50% more than in 2019. Our current forecast suggests this target will not be met and only $100K is expected for this fiscal year. Donations of $64K as Contributions from Individuals does seem to be keeping pace with our 2020 revenue budget and so our forecast is for this revenue target to be met. We have also budgeted $10K from Investments as returns and we remain hopeful this target will be met by end of this fiscal year. Revenue from Programs and Activities was budgeted for $201K in 2020. Our forecast is this will definitely not be achieved, however the counterbalance to this shortfall is there have also not been any significant expenditures for Programs and Activities so far for various reasons; and although this means we will miss on the revenue target this will likely be offset by a reduction (or savings) in the expenditure budget. In 2020 we were planning to have $119K transferred from reserves to support the operating budget but based on the final accounting for 2019 we had greater use of our reserves available than was expected, so this reserve transfer is not recommended at this time. In total, we forecast shortfalls in 2020 revenues and reserve transfers of $169K plus other expenditure savings of $51K for a total $220K in budget and amendments. This will reset our annual budget to $324K ($544K-$220K=$324K). Our objective with a balanced budget is to apply budget management so we remain sustainable for the remainder of 2020. This means we have made reductions to our operating costs by $220K in order to balance our budget at $324K for 2020. To take us quickly back to what we knew in September 2019 when we set this 2020 budget, we realized we had a sustainability problem is 2021. We realized 2020 was not sustainable or feasible without using investment reserves. We forecasted 2021 would only be feasible if Donations, Contributions and Congregational Support maintained the 2020 budget levels. We realized we may need to take from Investment reserves in 2020 and again in 2021. When we approved this 2020 budget we expected we had approximately $330K in Investment reserves and this would leave approximately $130K in reserve at the end of 2021, but only if this plan was successful. This plan has not been successful and our fiscal problem moved from the fourth quarter at December 31, 2020 to the second quarter at June 30, 2020 as a result of unmet budget revenue targets and spending more by the end of 2019 than expected. Our beginning Investments at the start of 2020 were $230K not $330K based on overspending in 2019. In financial terms, the problem with deferring is avoiding the inevitable. The decisions we must contemplate now would be the same ones required at the end of fourth quarter December 31, 2020 anyway, based on our forecasts. Not following through on decisions now will mean using our Investment reserves as resources to postpone for no identifiable benefit. Our budget management guidelines and our accountabilities should not buy more time if nothing will change. In simple terms, we need to use resources to move us forward, not just maintain or avoid the inevitable. In fiscal terms at June 30, 2020 we need to move to a sustainable and balanced budget in order to achieve our sustainable operations and programs at the end of 2020 and carry forward into 2021. Therefore, effective July 1, 2020 our Mission Leadership Team have taken steps to reduce commitments for the remainder of the 2020 operating budget to half of $324K and resetting the budget for third and fourth quarters of 2020 (6 months) to a sustainable $162K as follows; Our identifiable sustainable costs are: Program Management $32K Revitalization $23K Canadian Strategies $12K Administration $10K Programs (cost recovery) $85K Maximum Commitment $162K Our forecasted sustainable revenues are: Programs (registrations) $85K Congregation Support $50K Donations /Contributions $27K Maximum Opportunity $162K These budget management changes will make a sustainable budget adjustment now in 2020 at June 30, 2020 and will enable a 2021 budget with the same elements to continue forward as a new base for sustainability. Further, this would protect our $230K in reserves for investments as much as possible for 2021 and the future. Certainly, if there are any questions, please contact me. Respectfully submitted, Sam Smalldon Mission Centre Financial Officer [email protected] Black Lives Matter Indigenous Lives Matter Lives of People of Colour Matter The theme that is being explored in this week’s Canada West 2020 Online Reunion is, “Connection in an Age of Isolation.” This is a challenge that the reunion itself is trying to answer. It is bringing people together, electronically of course, from across the Canada West Mission Centre, plus Washington, Oregon, Missouri, and even Ontario. It is really quite a remarkable thing. In each session so far I believe I have heard someone say something to the effect of, “I miss seeing all of you in person,” which is inevitably answered at some other point in the gathering with, “It is so wonderful to see all of you! I am glad you are here!” People have sought out “connection” through this event directly because of their current “isolation” due to our COVID-19 restrictions. In the midst of a disruptive pandemic we can find the blessings of community and the ministry of the Holy Spirit, experience worship and celebrate the blessings of God, and give thanks for all of this in the name of Jesus Christ. Despite its challenges, is this not a blessed and wonderful time in which we live? By the time you have the opportunity to read this – hopefully some time on Thursday, July 30 – there will still be lots of reunion activities to take in before they wrap up on Sunday around noon. Find event details elsewhere in this Weekly Wire that will point you to a schedule and to how to log on to all events. As I mentioned last week, next up on our calendar will be the online edition of the Canada West Mission Conference. We are still nailing down program and schedule details. An outline of events includes:
More details next week. And I will remind you of this one more time as well (in case you are not already aware of this opportunity) – check with your Pastor about being a delegate for your congregation for the business meeting. If you are not registered in a congregation and live in any of the provinces and you are interested in being a delegate, please contact me. As always, 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]  To our Members in BC - The annual Canada West Mission Centre Caucus Meeting of the Samish Island Campground Association will be held on the evening of Saturday, July 25, 2020, beginning at 7:00 p.m. PDT. Participation in the meeting is open to any and all members of the four Community of Christ congregations in BC and any “non-resident” members in BC (registered members who live in BC but are not registered with a congregation). The meeting will be held electronically via Zoom. The link to log in to the meeting is the same as the one being circulated for all of the Online Reunion Events in the post below. You should be able to click on the link and it will take you directly into the meeting. If you do not have Zoom loaded on your computer clicking on the link will download a small Zoom program onto your computer, open the program, and then bring you into the meeting. This will be the first gathering of the CWM Online Reunion. More details on that event are provided in the announcement below.
The current draft agenda is:
If you have any questions about this meeting please contact Steve Thompson. We look forward to your attendance and participation! Black Lives Matter
Indigenous Lives Matter Lives of People of Colour Matter It is already the FOURTH Wednesday of July! How did that happen? It is a beautiful day here in Edmonton as I write, but it does not seem that we have had our quota of really warm (read “hot”) summer weather yet. Perhaps where you live summer has been more generous. As the last weekend of July approaches, I realize that I am truly missing the in-person camps and reunions that normally mark my time at this time of year. But our online alternatives have proven to be very well received. We have had 36 kids registered across the Junior, Junior High, and Senior High online camps. Participation has come from BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and even Washington State. A real benefit of this platform for the camp has been bringing youth together from across the mission centre and beyond. A big thank you to Lisa Neudorf, and her event directors, for putting this program together. Coming up, starting this weekend, is the Canada West Mission Online Reunion 2020! You will find program details and logon information elsewhere in this week’s Weekly Wire. I want to encourage participation across all of the mission centre in this event – just like the kids have shown us by example. You can pick and choose the events that most interest you, and you need not feel guilty about skipping the ones that do not. There are events aimed at every age group. Check out the schedule and mark the sessions of interest to you on your (electronic) calendar. We will have guest ministry from Zac and Katie Harmon-McLaughlin – who were guests at last year’s Hills of Peace Reunion. And I would be remiss if I did not suggest that both the online campfire and the talent show promise to be highlights of the week, just as they always have been in the traditional Samish Reunion. Thanks to Chris Phelps and his planning team for putting together this event. Next up will be the online edition of the Canada West Mission Conference. It will happen from Friday evening, September 11, through Sunday, September 13. Watch for program details in next week’s Weekly Wire. Joey Williams, who was our originally scheduled guest minister for the conference, will join us for some of our events. Watch for that information and keep those dates on your calendar. Also – in case this invitation has not come to you – check with your Pastor about being a delegate for your congregation for the business meetings. If you are not registered in a congregation and live in any of the provinces and you are interested in being a delegate, please contact me. As you are all aware, we are not “out” of this COVID-19 pandemic yet. It is the reason our camps are online. It is the reason we are not yet back to weekly worship services in our congregations. Please continue to exercise the infection-control measures recommended by all health authorities. Hopefully we can re-start weekly services in some form in September. As always, 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]  REGISTRATION CLOSED
Camp Schedule Note: July 2 orientation has been cancelled and will take place at beginning of each Week 1 virtual gathering. Junior Camp – Wednesday nights (7:30 to 8:30 mountain time) Week 1 (July 8): Cooking activity *gathering will be from 7:30 to 9:00 for orientation Week 2 (July 15): Nature activity Week 3 (July 22): Art activity Week 4 (July 29): Handyman activity Junior High Camp – Tuesday nights (7:30 to 9:00/9:30 mountain time) Week 1 (July 7): Paint Night Week 2 (July 14): Nature activity Week 3 (July 21): Nailed It (baking activity) Week 4 (July 28): Give Back project Senior High Camp – Thursday nights (7:30 to 9:30 mountain time) Week 1 (July 9): Paint Night Week 2 (July 16): Nature activity Week 3 (July 23): Nailed It (baking activity) Week 4 (July 30): Give Back project To answer some questions you might have:
If you have any questions, please contact me. Lisa Neudorf Camping and Retreat Specialist [email protected]  Finding God when the Signposts Fail: Yearning as path. Our June Spiritual retreat was to take place at the Hills of Peace Campground. Due to present circumstances the venue had to change. Welcome to the “Zoom” stage. It happened! Participants from Canada West, Canada East and the USA ‘gathered’. To say the intent and purpose of the retreat was timely is an understatement. We were invited into an exploration of our deeper Spiritual longings, into that lingering hunger (past, present & future). How does one navigate this journey of life when things don’t make sense? Where our practises or answers are ineffective? “O God we call. From deep inside we yearn. For You.” Charmaine and Tony Chvala-Smith lead us down several paths of ‘adventure’: 1. When signposts fail; Describing the inner terrain (learning to lament; Praying the Psalms). 2. Meandering through the wilderness; Recognizing God; (Lecto Divina-The road to Emmaus). Where have yearnings for God/ Christ/ Spirit been surfacing? 3. The darkness of Faith; Light and dark as partners. 4. Oasis in the desert: Planning pauses on the path. Through meaningful script, visuals and practise our time together flew by and yet never seemed hurried. It was indeed a thought provoking, hope enhancing, and yes, a thirst for more journey. An air of openness seemed to allow us to explore our longing for the One who knows us and longs to be known. Poetry, song and sharing also played a part in the experience, exploration and ongoing discovery. “Let this mind be in us. That is also in Jesus.” In our final time together Sunday morning with the theme of ‘You are your own path’ we were encouraged and challenged onward. A beautiful scripture; Philippians 1: 3-8 verse by verse…. I know there were moments of ‘filled to overflowing’. A message of Love and belonging. That there are ways/paths for us ahead with reminders of God’s grace for us, for others, for all. We were blessed by the wonderful ministry of presence from Tony and Charmaine. A big thank you to Lisa Neudorf for piloting the electronics, to Gloria Stanton and Clarissa McLean for their gift of prayer and to everyone for their participation. I search for, yes, I search; I search for ‘Home’, always for Home, unaware, of course, that I am already there. Denise Esch and Brenda Senga  We’re excited to offer this first-of-its-kind SPEC One-day event! **Please sign up only if you are a camper or a staff member** DATE: Saturday, 18 July THEME: Where do we go from here? COST: Free! REGISTER: Registration is required. Zoom links will be sent to the email on the form. -SCHEDULE-
(all times are listed in Central Daylight Time) After considering the many time zones in which our SPEC family lives, this timeframe allows the greatest opportunity for participation during our typical “awake” hours.
Use this event time converter to see what time SPEC One-day starts in your area: SPEC Today 2:30-4 pm One of the core values of SPECTACULAR is to provide a safe place to risk something new. We believe having difficult and sometimes awkward conversations with room to explore and learn are critical as we try our best to follow Jesus. Our SPEC Today session will explore the question “Where do we go from here?” with a focus on racial justice. SPEC Today starts with a large group session and then we’ll move into breakout sessions. On the registration form, you’ll get to choose which one you’d like to attend. Breakout Sessions:
Adventure Classes 4:30-6 pm We have a selection of some of the Adventure class favorites to choose from that could be transferred to the digital realm. Make your selection on the registration form.
Worship and Backwards Campfire 6:30 pm Come experience a SPEC Worship and hear from campers, the worship team, and Community of Christ President Steve Veazey! We’ll end our day with a backwards campfire led by the Seagraves family. You won’t want to miss it! **Campers… want to be part of the unique experience of creating a SPEC worship?** Contact worship leaders Daniel & Emily, and plan to join them on Wednesday, July 15 at 2:00 CST via Zoom. This class will include “homework,” so be prepared to carve some time into your schedule on Wednesday and Thursday to work on some special projects! Having a smart phone or device that can record video will be helpful to have if you plan to be involved. We hope you can join us! Daniel Harmon [email protected] Emily Rose [email protected]  President Steve Veazey has released a video statement on racism and the response to it that is required by all members of the church. He shares some of his own experience in awakening to and confronting racial injustice. His challenge focuses on how racism denies the Worth of All Persons, one of the church’s Enduring Principles. Racism operates in opposition to the reign of God on Earth. And if we are FOR the Worth of All Persons and the reign of God on Earth—as Jesus calls us to be—then we must speak and act AGAINST racism in all its subtle and not-so-subtle forms. Please take a few minutes to watch this video and consider your personal response.
 Greetings – Earlier this month church leaders in Canada were made aware of a unique opportunity to partner with the Canadian Council of Churches (CCC) in a timely joint statement recognizing and marking the International Decade for People of African Descent (IDPAD) in the Canadian context. As the world continues to reel from George Floyd’s murder in the United States, it is imperative that we look inward at our own racial biases here in Canada to support positive change in our own communities. With this opportunity to stand up for racial justice in mind, we distributed a survey to you via our mission centre mailing lists as well as our social media channels. You responded with swift and overwhelming support. We received over 100 responses from all across the country, and the results are in:
We hear you, and I have asked Kerry Richards, our designated representative with CCC, to proceed in formally adding Community of Christ’s support to the joint statement. Jonathan Schmidt, Intercultural Chair of the Canadian Council of Churches, had this to say about our process to survey membership: “I really like the engagement you are doing across Canada--making this more than simply signing on as a leader, but also engaging your communities in conversation.” We see value in- and are proud of- our culture of theocratic democracy. Thank you for helping us to bring this unique aspect of our tradition to the CCC. While signing a document in and of itself is not enough, it is the beginning of a larger ecumenical conversation and actionable steps. By joining this declaration, we are making strides toward fulfilling our call to “…work tirelessly to tear down walls of separation and to build bridges of understanding.” (Doctrine and Covenants 162:6b) We seek reconciliation within our own denomination and through our communities across Canada, and we look forward to hearing from you about the unique ways in which you prioritize to combat anti-Black racism in your congregations. With gratitude, Art Smith Field Apostle for Canada Black Lives Matter
Indigenous Lives Matter Lives of People of Colour Matter Stories. “The truth about stories is that that’s all we are.” So says Thomas King, an Indigenous author and broadcaster in his book, aptly named, The Truth about Stories. The book is a collection of his “Massey Lecture Series” given across Canada in 2003. The lectures deal with the power of stories to shape lives and to shape culture – in this case from an Indigenous perspective. (I recommend the book or the CBC podcasts of the lectures.) What are the stories that have shaped or helped define you? Are there family heritage stories passed down through your generations that retain and reinforce some sense of identity? Are there stories from literature that have challenged you personally and helped make you what you are today? Are there, perhaps, some stories or passages from scripture that have helped define you? The “Revised Common Lectionary” is a tool that is used by Community of Christ to help plan and structure our worship services each week. The current two weeks (July 12 and July 19) focus on the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 13 in which Jesus is recorded as telling no fewer than seven parables – stories that teach a lesson. Many readers will be able to name a parable, perhaps several, which they know well and have heard, or have read or have been taught often. Perhaps one of Jesus’ parables is one of those stories that has been influential in your life. In our Virtual Visiting Fellowship meetings this week -yes, we are still going! See the announcement elsewhere in the Weekly Wire and consider joining us if you can- I asked our participants to share their favourite parable and why it was meaningful to them. As of this writing our Thursday evening group has yet to “have a go” at this exercise, but the sharing on Tuesday morning was really quite remarkable. Many people shared many different parables (and some shared the same parable). Some people chose to share a “parable” from their own experience from which they had learned some lasting life lesson. I felt that in the space of a half hour we heard about a dozen two-minute sermons that were as effective and meaningful as our traditional twenty-to-thirty-minute sermons on Sunday morning. Many of Jesus’ parables are “arch-types” in our culture and part of the daily lexicon. For example, “The Prodigal Son,” and “The Good Samaritan.” I fear slightly for our culture as the general population turns more and more away from organized religion. The words may remain, but the understanding of their origins and the significance of their lessons may be lost. I encourage you to think about “what is your story?” What does it mean to you? What might it mean to others if or when it is shared? What stories (parables, other scripture stories, or stories from other literature) have helped form who you are today? What new stories might you be encountering that are affecting your life and perspective now? As always, 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]  Learn about the fascinating World of Religions!
Against the backdrop of the events and protests of the past few weeks, the recent lectionary theme of “Welcome the Stranger” challenges us—as disciples and as a church—to examine our assumptions and attitudes about those who are different from us, and to take concrete steps to educate ourselves about the diversity in our communities. The upcoming Encounter World Religions Online Discovery Week (July 5-10) is a great opportunity to learn about the religious diversity of our neighbours, colleagues, and classmates. Register now or learn more about the week at the Encounter World Religions website. Although we are still self-isolating, this is an opportunity to learn together, and congregations are encouraged to consider using their Education or Leadership Development budgets to sponsor members to attend. Contact Brian Carwana at [email protected] for information about discounts for groups of attendees from the same congregation. This event is open to the public as well. All are welcome! If you have ever wanted to take Encounter's Discovery Week but it was beyond your budget or clashed with summer camps, this new online format will bring the 2020 Discovery Week to you at the most affordable price ever. Click on the button "learn more" to take a look at the poster and share this information with friends who might be interested. We hope you will consider joining us for this amazing virtual experience. Thank you for your consideration! From The First Presidency on behalf of the World Church Leadership Council:
Community of Christ, a member of the National Council of Churches USA, fully endorses the statement issued by the NCC expressing outrage because of the death of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. (See: nationalcouncilofchurches.us/floyd-murder/). Community of Christ accepts the challenge to be “beacons of light in their own [our] communities by addressing racism where they [we] are, acknowledging the trauma experienced by those in the Black community and working tirelessly to end racism and white supremacy once and for all.” The same commitment applies to the suffering of all people who experience racial discrimination and violence in all nations where the church is established. The USA Team of Apostles urges friends and members of Community of Christ to read a statement from the team released June 1 regarding current events. The statement also will be posted across the church's social media network.
Thank you for you faithful support of Christ’s mission.  Purely by the accident of birth I am blessed to call Canada “my home and native land!”
I use the term “blessed” enthusiastically and yet with a sense of humility. I know that there are many other countries in the world whose residents experience a high standard of living and benefit from basically the same rights and freedoms I enjoy. I know there are many other countries which, for any number of reasons, are not in that same situation. I am humbled because I know that some residents of Canada do not have the same advantages and positive life experiences that I have known and loved. Constraints such as poverty, hunger, racism, discrimination and prejudice based on many factors, chronic disease and pain, physical and mental disabilities, unequal access to education and social assistance tools, and many other conditions prevent many of my fellow Canadians from enjoying all the benefits that this land has to offer. The emphasis of my remarks over the last few weeks have been driven by this banner: Black Lives Matter Indigenous Lives Matter Lives of People of Colour Matter To take these issues to heart will go a long way towards resolving some (certainly not all) of the other issues noted. Despite these issues, there is so much to celebrate about our country on Canada Day. Our freedoms. Our democracy. (I know some may complain and nitpick on both of those things.) Our Indigenous, and French and English founding cultures (despite the conflicts that occasionally – regularly? – flair up). Our social diversity and generally celebrated multicultural ethic. Our “coast-to-coast-to-coast” geographic diversity: ocean coasts, old growth forests, mountains and glaciers, prairies, Canadian Shield, tundra, the arctic, boreal forests, great rivers and Great Lakes, farmland, small towns and villages, vibrant cities. Our strong government and social programs. Our equally strong private sector and wealth-producing businesses – large and small, corporate and “mom and pop.” Ten provinces and three territories across which all of us are free to live, to travel, to visit, to enjoy, and from which to experience life-enriching experiences and inspiration. I have been fortunate to travel reasonably widely across the world. I have enjoyed all of the places I have visited – and a few where I have lived briefly. However, there is something about getting through that last Customs check and having the Border Services officer greet me with “Welcome home” (even though I may still be thousands of kilometers away from where I live) that brings a sense of pride in my country and those with whom I share it. I hope that you have been able to mark Canada Day in some meaningful way. I hope you are able to give thanks to God for the blessings that you enjoy just because you live here. As always, 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] |
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