Last week’s MCP Moment told you what was going to happen at Mission Conference this past weekend. Guess what? It all happened pretty much as planned!

I won’t go through every session in detail. I kind of did that last week. And everyone who was involved in all those sessions did an excellent job! If you were not there you missed excellent events from Debra Donohue’s Coffee and Conversation event on Thursday evening, through Shannon McAdam’s very creative online “Community Dinner” on Friday evening, Lisa Neudorf’s opening worship on Saturday morning, even the presentations by Dar, John, and Steve on Sunday afternoon, and, finally, the closing mini-concert by Edith Wallace.
 
I will share some of the highlights from my perspective that I think will have some longer-term implications for us in Canada West Mission Centre.
 
On Friday evening Apostle Art Smith brought us up to date on preparations for the “Testimony Tapestry” project and website and a second Sunday service focused on the Testimony Tapestry coming up on September 25. For current and up-to-date information, check the Testimony Tapestry webpage regularly. You can be involved! Consider the following questions, write your responses, and send them to Art Smith at asmith@cofchrist.org.

• What in your life has inspired you to be part of Community of Christ in Canada?
• What experiences have shaped your sense of calling?
• What are you doing to further Christ’s mission of building the peaceable kingdom in your community?
• What are your hopes and visions for our future path as a church?

 
During Saturday’s annual business meeting, the following decisions will have long-term positive impact on the Canada West Mission Centre.
 
First, a new volunteer Mission Centre President Team was recommended by the church’s First Presidency and approved by the conference. The new MCP Team consists of Gwyn Beer from Chilliwack congregation and Kat Goheen and Shannon McAdam from the Vancouver congregation. Following their approval, the three (despite Gwyn’s absence due to a personal commitment) were blessed with a prayer of “setting apart” by Art Smith. They officially take over their new duties on November 1. Watch for updates and details on the transition process from the “old regime” (i.e., me) to the new team.
 
Second, two new priesthood calls were approved. This was not necessarily any more remarkable that any other approval of calls at a mission conference. Just as any approved call to ministry has the potential to have impact for a person’s local congregation as well as the mission centre at large, that was certainly the case for these calls. Kathy McAdam (Chilliwack) was supported in her call to the office of High Priest-Evangelist. Kat Goheen (Vancouver) was supported in her call to the office of High Priest. Both were ordained during a special ordination service on Sunday morning. I believe both women will serve very well and will be well respected in their new priesthood roles.
 
Finally, on the “business side” of things, the conference approved the “re-assignment” of four purpose-specific restricted funds of the mission centre into the general operating fund of the mission centre. This simplifies the processes of accounting and of approval of funds by the mission conference for current and future programs of the mission centre. This is one of those decisions that may or may not be considered significant right now, but which may well be recognized as VERY significant two or three years from now when funds can more easily be approved for new and creative initiatives of ministry, outreach, and mission.
 
In closing I thank everyone for the contributions to the success of the conference including the presenters (most of whom were mentioned above), plus the people who planned and prepared for conference, and those who supported sessions in the background as “tech support” for the presenters. I also thank all those who attended all or part of the conference. The contributions and participation by so many people made this conference a weekend to remember!
 
As always, I pray for you God’s blessings of joy, hope, love, and peace in these challenging times.
 
Steve Thompson
Canada West Mission Centre President
steve@communityofchrist.ca

The Canada West Mission Centre Annual Conference begins Thursday evening with a “Coffee and Meaningful Conversation” session hosted by Canada West’s Creating Connection Director, Debra Donohue. Debra will model her weekly conversation events for us by asking us to share a response to the question, “What are you so excited about right now that you can’t help but sing it to the world?”

The last bit of that question arises from our conference theme: “How can we keep from Singing?” After a year and a half of limited in-person interactions, it is time to “break out” just a bit and share in some celebration of our faith and of our relationships.

Here is a different session for you: On Friday evening Shannon McAdam (Vancouver Congregation) will host an online “Community Dinner.” Come along and see what that is all about. A bit later on Friday evening, Apostle Art Smith will bring us up to date on the Canada wide discernment project and the developing “Testimony Tapestry.” (No spoilers here – you will have to attend to find out what that even means!)

Saturday is almost all business, all day. There will be an opening worship session, followed by our “Pre-Legislative Meeting” during which we get a preview of the main business items up for discussion without the constraints of parliamentary procedure. We will also honour those who have passed away since our last meeting a year ago, and we will celebrate life milestones experienced by many of us.

The business meeting will feature the usual consideration of last year’s minutes, this year’s financial outlook, next year’s budget, and reports on all manner of activities of the mission centre. Of special interest will be the presentation of a new Mission Centre President Team who will take over my duties as early as November 1. (More on that in a future column – you can count on it!) In addition, calls for two persons to new priesthood responsibilities will be presented for our support.

Sunday morning will include a service to celebrate the ordination of the two individuals referenced above. Kat Goheen (Vancouver) will be ordained to the office of High Priest. Kathy McAdam (Chilliwack) will be ordained to the office of High Priest-Evangelist. That will be followed by our mission-centre-wide communion service, with speaking ministry by Apostle Art Smith.

Sunday afternoon will include a presentation of mission centre highlights by three leaders: Dar Shepherdson, Bishop of Canada; John Glaser, President of Seventy; and, yours truly, Steve Thompson, Mission Centre President (for now!). We will close our conference with a special musical “Satsang” session, led by Vickie and Doug MacArthur (Lethbridge), with special guest Edith Wallace (Vancouver).

I have intentionally left out lots of details. Please go to our “Conference Hub” to get all the details (including times for all events), as well as your invitation to register (at no charge) for the whole event – or just the sessions that interest you. You MUST register to obtain the Zoom logon information for the events.

Come along and join the fun, the celebration, the information sharing, and the general fellowship. Especially, come and share “How can we keep from singing?”

As always, I pray for you God’s blessings of joy, hope, love, and peace in these challenging times.

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

You have made the moon to mark the seasons
the sun knows its time for setting.
Psalm 104:19 (NRSV)

I have mentioned in a few posts in the last three months or so how quickly the year seems to be going by. Now – here we are at September 1 already! Just how did that happen?
 
September is similar to New Years. It signals the start of the new year recognized by most of us: a new school year. It also signals the “end” of summer – even though summer does not officially end for another three weeks. Suddenly the weather feels a little cooler (whether it actually is or not). And those of us with gardens (or crops) begin thinking about when that first frost is likely to show up.
 
There is nothing unexpected in the changing of the seasons. However old you are, that’s how many years you have been experiencing them. The Psalmist, writing at least 2600 years ago, recognized the moon’s movements as marking the seasons. Even the author of the first chapter of Genesis recognized the wisdom of God in placing the lights in the sky:
 
And God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth.” And it was so.
Genesis 1:14,15 (NRSV)
 
Perhaps the most recognizable biblical verse celebrating the seasons (of life) is the first verse of the third chapter of Ecclesiastes: “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven…”
 
The writers of literature that became our scriptures were struck by the passing of the seasons. The seasons, the sun, the moon, and the stars have been subjects of poetry and song for millennia. It must be okay for me to note the passing of the seasons today (even if I lament how quickly they pass!). May we give thanks to God for the amazing cycles of the universe and may our wonder be focused on the blessings that God’s universe brings to us in every season.
 
Unrelated closing paragraph:
Last week I mostly wrote about the upcoming Canada West Mission Conference. There is not yet anything really new to write about the event – so I won’t. I still need to remind you about it. Please go to the Canada West Online Mission Conference hub to see the schedule and to register for the online event. More information will be posted on this site in the next few days and as we get closer to the conference weekend. Please come along!
 
As always, I pray for you God’s blessings of joy, hope, love, and peace in these challenging times.
 
Steve Thompson
Canada West Mission Centre President
steve@communityofchrist.ca

I encourage you to have a look at the information currently available about the Canada West Mission Online Conference available here. The first thing that shows up on that page is an invitation to “Register Now!” Please do so.
 
Scrolling down you will find a “short form schedule” for the conference. Activities begin Thursday evening, September 9, and continue through Sunday afternoon, September 12. Sessions are well spaced out, so you need not worry about being glued to your computer screen for eight hours a day. I won’t summarize the schedule here. After all, it is already a “short form schedule.” Watch for more details to be released in the next week or so.
 
At this time last year, we had optimistically (realistically we thought) believed that we would have an in-person conference this year. As we went through the peak of the “third wave” earlier in the year and we were faced with making the decision about in-person or online, it was simply more prudent to plan for online.
 
Then as the pandemic seemed to ease in June and early July it was easy to second-guess ourselves and wonder if we should have opted for the in-person option – which would have been hosted by the Chilliwack Congregation. It seemed too late to “pivot” to in-person, so we have continued to plan for on-line.
 
Now it is clear that had we opted for in-person, we would have been pivoting back to online on short notice. COVID infection rates are increasing in all four of our provinces in Canada West Mission Centre. It would be difficult right now to justify an in-person conference with the risks of travel and of bringing people together from across the mission centre.
 
Despite the disappointment of not meeting in-person, I trust that most members understand the necessity of the on-line option yet again.
 
And – yet again – we optimistically look forward to meeting in-person for next year’s mission conference.
 
Meanwhile – register for conference and come along as we celebrate our theme: “How Can We Keep from Singing?”
 
As always, I pray for you God’s blessings of joy, hope, love, and peace in these challenging times.
 
Steve Thompson
Canada West Mission Centre President
steve@communityofchrist.ca

How about a brief sermon today?

When I was in high school, I was part of a Christian group of students that met once a week at lunch time for a scripture study and occasional “testimony sharing” (for lack of a better term.) One friend continually referred to his Bible as “my sword.” As an RLDS lion-and-lamb-peace-seal-loving teen-ager, I wondered where this imagery came from. It originates from Ephesians 6:17: “Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” It concludes a series of verses that exhorts believers to “put on the whole armor of God” so as to “stand against the wiles of the devil.” (v.11) Further, “fasten the belt of truth around your waist and put on the breastplate of righteousness.” (v. 14) And “take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” (v. 16)

In the online newsletter, “Sunday’s Coming,” (published by the “Christian Century” magazine) the writer Austin Crenshaw Shelley has written a piece titled, “Needing a Warrior God.” He describes being disturbed by biblical images of violence and bloodshed. He expressed to his seminary class, “’I tend to prefer the image of beating swords into plowshares and the vision of the wolf lying down with the lamb to those of waging war.’” In response a classmate, a Coptic Christian from Egypt, declared, “’You prefer verses about peace because you have never needed a warrior God.’” He then went on to share about his church being the target of a terrorist bombing and his need to pray for God to fight on his behalf and protect his family. Further, he shared about the “Egyptian Muslims who showed up on Christmas Eve to form a human shield around the sanctuary to defend the church from further acts of terror on a high holy day.”

In Community of Christ, we have been pursuing the God of Peace at least since the revelatory declaration that “The temple shall be dedicated to the pursuit of peace. It shall be for reconciliation and for healing of the spirit.” (Doctrine and Covenants, s. 156:5a). At the most recent World Conference we passed a motion on non-violence. In preparation for further discussion of the impact of that motion, we are encouraged to consider the question, “Are we moving towards Jesus, the Peaceful One?” Of course, most of us are still incredibly proud of, and inspired by, our nearly 160-year-old and incredibly prophetic lion-and-lamb church seal.

We are quite rightly (in my humble opinion) on the path of the peace of Jesus Christ. It is still important that in our quest for peace we do not ignore or just brush off the violence that is part of our world today. (See: any newspaper front page or many lead stories on television news.) We also must not brush off the frequent violence described in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament (e.g., the murder of Abel; the drowning of the Egyptian army; the destruction of other enemies of Israel, to name but a few), and the occasional violence of the New Testament (e.g., beheading of John the Baptist). As a denomination there is violence in our past (see: “The Massacre at Haun’s Mill,” in The Journey of a People: The Era of Restoration, Mark A. Scherer, Community of Christ Seminary Press, p. 320-325) and we need to become more aware of the violence and racism expressed in our Book of Mormon.

Whether or not we have needed a “warrior God” in recent years, there is ample evidence that God has fulfilled that role in the past. I hope that we never need to call on the “warrior God” for protection. My personal pacifist nature trusts in Jesus, the Peaceful One. I continue to look to the Temple to inspire our pursuit of peace and seeking of reconciliation and healing of the spirit. And yet, to fully appreciate the significance of the pursuit of peace, of reconciliation, and of healing of the spirit, we need to understand and appreciate the circumstances that lead to those significant needs on our world.

May we acknowledge the violence in God’s world even as we pursue Jesus, the Peaceful One. In our support for, and pursuit of, non-violence, may we seek peace through tools of reconciling justice. The task is daunting and overwhelming. Perhaps some of that metaphorical “armor of God” from the Book of Ephesians might come in handy.

As always, I pray for you God’s blessings of joy, hope, love, and peace in these challenging times.

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

It is the middle of August. Are you looking ahead to September yet? Return to school? Return to work? Return to church? Return to “normal?”

It’s about that “normal” state that we seem to be longing for. Whatever the “normal” is that we get used to in the next couple of months, it is unlikely to be completely like the “normal” that we left behind in the middle of March 2020. Many aspects of our lives will likely be different in some ways – perhaps many ways. Our church life will almost certainly also be different in some ways – perhaps in many ways.

What have you missed from your church life? Usual answers have been seeing people in person, being able to give friends a handshake and a hug, having a good old-fashioned pot-luck lunch after church, and – the big one – singing! I look forward to all these things coming back. Beyond these things, what else are you expecting from returning to some semblance of a normal weekly routine of church activities?

There has been much written in various church publications (Community of Christ and beyond) about what the post-pandemic church will look like. Generally, there is expectation that there will be a stronger presence of technology in our worship spaces to enable the continued online participation by those who, for any number of reasons, are not able to attend in-person. Online worship and gatherings over the past year and a half have shown that people can and will log on to online services. Many congregations which have offered online services have found that persons “attend” from great distances away – from farther away than they would normally drive to attend in-person. Online attendance has also enabled persons with mobility and other health challenges to participate in the life of their online congregation. Some have even chosen to participate in more than one online congregation – meaning congregations which may meet at slightly offset times, or some participants seek out worship and social opportunities beyond their time zone.

President Steve Veazey has been featured in a new video on the church website. You can find it here: President Veazey on the Return to In-Person Church. I commend the whole video to you. Here are a couple of good quotes:

• At 3:20: “While “opening up” church facilities is important, let’s give as much attention to discovering how we are being “opened up” to the future-oriented work of the Holy Spirit.”
• At 4:21: “God is not waiting for a return to normal! God calls us to discern the potential in the unexpected and to do something wonderful with it!”

Also, in a recent Project Zion Podcast, President Veazey said:

I think the future holds the following: church groups that develop a healthy balance of in-person and online ministries, some call it the hybrid approach, will flourish more in the future than those who ignore that tool, who ignore online opportunities. I also think that churches, and I'm speaking there of local churches, congregations and groups, but also denominationally, that value and celebrate people who participate only online, by their choice, or because of their circumstances, will flourish more than those who view those participants somehow as secondary, or less than. So, online participation should count as much in every possible way as in-person participation, including in the attendance count because it all counts. I think church groups that plan activities and ministries from the beginning with online options in mind, and online participation in mind, rather than as an afterthought, will flourish more in the future.

Our full return to in-person services and gatherings will feel good. I am sure that mostly they will feel familiar and like an old friend. I am also sure that there will be elements that will be different and that will improve our relationship to that old friend in ways we have yet to discern.

As always, I pray for you God’s blessings of joy, hope, love, and peace in these challenging times.

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

Here we are at the end of July already! I ask again: How did that happen? The summer is just going by too quickly.

Meanwhile, there are still important events and dates for me to remind you about at least one more time.

A Taste of Samish Online Reunion: The most imminent event to be aware of RIGHT NOW is the “Taste of Samish Online Reunion” that gets underway on Thursday, July 29. First up at 8 a.m. Pacific time is a Meditation opportunity with Vickie MacArthur, followed by “Morning Gathering” with Kat Goheen at 10 a.m. and a discussion session with Apostle Janné Grover at 11 a.m. For full details see the event announcement here and the full schedule there. (Yes – those two words are links.) There is a Zoom link for all sessions of the reunion that has been circulated to everyone who registered by Wednesday evening. If you have registered, but did not receive your link, please contact the event director, Kat Goheen at: jkgoheen@shaw.ca If you still need to register, go to the Reggie registration system.

Samish Island Campground Association Canada West/BC Caucus Meeting: This annual meeting is scheduled as the last event of the Samish Online Reunion. It will start at 1:30 p.m., Pacific Time, on Sunday afternoon, August 1. The meeting will be of specific interest to all members and friends in British Columbia who call the Samish Island Campground their camp home. The two main aspects of the meeting are to elect one new Board member, and to hear about what has been happening at the Samish Campground during the last two years of no camps and reunions. This will include a brief financial update. Follow this link to the meeting materials: BC Caucus Meeting. And use the link for the Samish Online Reunion sessions to log on to this meeting. If you have any questions before the meeting, please email me at steve@communityofchrist.ca.

Posting for Mission Centre Presidency Volunteers: The application deadline date for the Volunteer Mission Centre Presidency has been extended to Monday, August 9. For details you can find the posting here as well as the detailed position description. Please have a look. Consider the opportunity for yourself. Or be sure you bring it to the attention of someone you think might do well in one of the three positions.

Remember Leadership in Your Prayers: In your prayers and meditations over the next couple of weeks, please remember the leadership needs of the Canada West Mission Centre, as identified in the paragraph above. Pray that those who might feel “called” to these roles will respond. Perhaps pray that those who may not be sure if this is right for them will express their interest in trust and faith. Pray that those selected for leadership will be blessed with God’s direction and vision. Mission centre leadership requires confidence to discern Christ’s Mission for Canada West’s Mission. May your prayers support all these needs.

As always, I pray for you God’s blessings of joy, hope, love, and peace in these challenging times.

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

When I was a young boy of 10 or 12 years of age, I would go over to a friend’s house to play. He had an older brother – seemed much older, and apparently wiser, but he was probably just in high school at the time. In one series of visits to their home I recall that, after he said, “Hi,” he would ask me, “So what do you think of the world situation?” I do not recall exactly how I responded, but I do remember wondering, “Exactly what IS the world situation?”

Today, as I am certain it was in the middle of the 1960’s, the “world situation” is constantly changing, occasionally positive and promising, but regularly negative and challenging. I will share just four things from recent news headlines that have been at least partially defining the “world situation.”

First: Wildfires and smoke in Western Canada. Pretty much the entire town of Lytton, BC, was consumed by a forest fire a couple of weeks ago. At last count over 350 fires were active in British Columbia. Smaller numbers in Alberta this summer, but larger numbers again in northern Saskatchewan, as well as in some areas in the United States. If you have not been affected directly by a fire, but live anywhere in Western Canada, you have probably been affected by smoke in the air, which has originated in those fires. I am not aware of church members directly affected by the fires. Prayers, of course, are in order for all residents in the path of fires and for all those involved in fighting them.

Second: Deadly Floods in Western Europe. The World Church “announcements” web page reiterates the situation of over 100 people dead in Germany and another 1,300 missing. The national ministry coordinator for Germany reports that Community of Christ members are thought to be safe. The coordinator for Belgium notes families may be without water, electricity, mobile connections, and had little food. Prayers are requested for everyone affected. No mention in the announcement of financial aid being needed or extended from the church at this time.

Third: India is being affected by continuing growth and persistence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Community of Christ has sent over US$102,000 to assist the seven mission centres in the country with providing help to over 4,300 families with “masks, soap, and other supplies as well as rice and other cooking items.” Prayers are requested at this time for church members and other residents of India during this devastating time.

Fourth: Haiti is dealing with political and social turmoil which has arisen following the assassination of their President. This is simply added to the continuing crises arising from surging COVID-19 cases, growing poverty, violence, and general political unrest. The president of the Great South Haiti Mission Center has requested “prayers for Haiti and for Community of Christ in Haiti as everyone navigates the days to come.” Aid will be provided by Community of Christ as the needs of members and friends are identified. Canada West has an indirect connection to the church in Haiti because their Apostle is also our Apostle, Art Smith.

These are just four situations that are prominent in our news sources at the moment. Others could also be mentioned. There may even be a good news story or two that could be shared.

My point in writing today is to point out that the “world situation” is comprised of events that affect real people in real ways – in some case real people who may be close to us and real ways that we may be able to assist with.

Please remember to contribute to the church’s Oblation funds (“Reduce Hunger, End Needless Suffering”) to assist the three situations described above that originate from the church’s announcements page. There are a number of organizations accepting donations to assist those affected by the fires in BC and elsewhere – please consult your local community service organization listings. If you are aware of any church members or friends who have particular needs arising from the fires, please contact your Pastor or your Congregation Financial Officer, or the Mission Centre President (steve@communityofchrist.ca) or Financial Officer (sam@communityofchrist.ca).

As always, I pray for you God’s blessings of joy, hope, love, and peace in these challenging times.

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

Last week I highlighted the “Taste of Hills of Peace” online reunion which happened this week. Those attending enjoyed a very good few days with Apostle Janné Grover and other guests. I also briefly highlighted the upcoming “Taste of Samish” online camp and promised more information this week. The following was provided by camp director Kat Goheen.

“Toward the Peaceful One” is the theme of our Taste of Samish online camp, July 29-Aug 1. This Thursday-Sunday experience hopes to offer not just a taste of the campground that we love, but also of the in-person events we love to do there: Reunion, youth camps, Kimtah, and Nurturing Spirit. The full days begin with meditation, two with Vickie MacArthur and one with dancing! We then have an intergenerational worship gathering. Janné Grover will offer a discussion class on Thursday and will offer preaching ministry on Thursday evening and Sunday morning at our communion service. Our elementary and middle-school aged kids will have fun with our games and fellowship during our early afternoon canteens with Laura Harrop and Kat Goheen. We have another class offering on Friday morning with Rod Downing and the North American Climate Justice Team, and classes on the enneagram with Lanette Vawter and Kat Goheen on Thursday and Saturday afternoons. Vickie MacArthur will lead us through a sabbath experience of yoga nidra on Friday afternoon. Reunion wouldn’t be the same without our community campfire, which Dan Beer will stick-handle on Friday, and we’re pleased to announce that Alexis Beer will host our Talent Show on Saturday night. Both of them would appreciate your recorded submissions! Our teens will share with Sean Langdon, Alexis Beer, and Shannon McAdam at our Teen Late Nights.

Our schedule is spacious, yet generous, and hopefully provides food for thought and for soul. Please make room in your calendar to join us for our taste of Samish! Click here to register! Contact Kat Goheen (jkgoheen@gmail.com) with any questions.

Other events are also still upcoming. The following information is repeated from last week.

Campground Association Meetings: Meetings will be held in association with both online reunions for members from their respective areas to receive updates on “their” campground, receive financial information, and elect Board members for the next term.

For information about the Hills of Peace Campground Association All Members Meeting, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Alberta time on Thursday, July 15, please click here: HOP All Members Meeting. This meeting will be of interest to members of congregations in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Email steve@communityofchrist.ca to advise of your interest in attending and Steve will send you Zoom link information for the meeting.

Similar information for the BC Caucus Meeting of the Samish Island Campground Association will be available next week. It is scheduled for Sunday afternoon, August 1, starting at 1:30 p.m. BC time. This meeting will be of interest to members in British Columbia.

In addition to these events, check information in the CWM Summer Programming 2021 announcement about the “Hang Out” for Junior High and Senior High youth on July 20, 27, and August 3 and 10, as well as the “Discover Peace” camp for Junior aged children scheduled for August 16 to 19.

Please Register NOW for the events you wish to attend. We are planning for all events to be of interest to, and very worthwhile for, everyone.

As always, I pray for you God’s blessings of joy, hope, love, and peace in these challenging times.
​
Steve Thompson
Canada West Mission Centre President
steve@communityofchrist.ca

Last week “Summer Beckons” was my theme. I invited you, somewhat in passing, to be sure to look for information about the online camps coming up for Canada West. This week I want to be sure you have access to full information about them – because they are coming up SOON! Links to registration processes are provided in the event details for which links appear below for each event. Register NOW!

A Taste of Hills of Peace: starts THIS SUNDAY EVENING (July 11). The theme for the online reunion is “Let Peace Dwell Here.” Our guest minister is Apostle Janné Grover who will join us “virtually” from Independence, Missouri. Janné will be speaking at the opening service on Sunday evening and leading a discussion each morning from Monday through Thursday. In addition, the North American Climate Justice Team of Community of Christ will make a presentation on Monday evening, David Barth will bring us up to date on World Accord on Tuesday evening, and Wednesday evening will be a “sharing and connecting” opportunity for all attendees. On Thursday morning there will be a closing worship following Janné’s class. For more information click on these links: Taste of Hills of Peace Details and Taste of Hills of Peace Schedule

A Taste of Samish runs from July 29 to August 1. The theme is “Toward the Peaceful One” and Apostle Janné Grover will also be a guest minister for this event (although she will not be leading the daily class discussions here). Additional guest ministry will be provided by Sean Langdon, Leadership Support Minister (among other titles!) with the Greater Pacific Northwest Mission Centre, and Vickie MacArthur from Lethbridge, Alberta. There will be a variety of programming that cannot really be well summarized in the space available here. More information will be published next week. Meanwhile, check the schedule here: A Taste of Samish.

Campground Association Meetings: Meetings will be held in association with both online reunions for members from their respective areas to receive updates on “their” campground, receive financial information, and elect Board members for the next term.

For information about the Hills of Peace Campground Association All Members Meeting, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Alberta time on Thursday, July 15, please click here: HOP All Members Meeting. This meeting will be of interest to members of congregations in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Email steve@communityofchrist.ca to advise of your interest in attending and Steve will send you Zoom link information for the meeting.

Similar information for the BC Caucus Meeting of the Samish Island Campground Association will be available next week. It is scheduled for Sunday afternoon, August 1, starting at 1:30 p.m. BC time. This meeting will be of interest to members in British Columbia.

In addition to these events, check information in the CWM Summer Programming 2021 announcement about the “Hang Out” for Junior High and Senior High youth on July 20, 27, and August 3 and 10, as well as the “Discover Peace” camp for Junior aged children scheduled for August 16 to 19.

Please Register NOW for the events you wish to attend. We are planning for all events to be of interest to, and very worthwhile for, everyone.

As always, I pray for you God’s blessings of joy, hope, love, and peace in these challenging times.

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

It is June 30. How did that happen? Wasn’t New Year’s just a week ago – or maybe two?
 
In Edmonton we are now in about day 5 or more of “Heat Warnings” from Environment Canada. My weather app says it is 36° C and it supposedly “feels like” 39° C. My thermostat tells me it is 32.5° C on the main floor of our house. It is much warmer on the second floor. (Sleep much?) I am working in my somewhat cooler basement – but even it is not quite the cool respite that it was over the weekend as the heat gradually makes it way down our stairs.
 
I am sure that at some point during the -40° C cold snap last January I promised not to complain about the heat of the summer. But we are just human. There are different risks. The extremes of temperature are simply equally difficult to deal with. We are in Canada. We just do it. And we complain just because we can and we know no one can do anything about the cold or the heat. It is a socially shared climate experience every year.
 
It is June 30. Tomorrow is July 1 – Canada Day. And that is normally a pre-cursor to all the fun and events of the heart of the summer. No school. Summer vacations. Days at the pool or the beach. Back yard barbeques. Ice cream. Various fairs and festivals. The mid-way. Mini-Donuts! Special events. Community celebrations. Fun!
 
Oh – and church camps. And reunions or family camps. Trips full of anticipation to and from the campgrounds. Good times. Great ministry. Spirit-filled worships. Crazy campfires. Old skits that we laugh at just the same. Old friends. New friends. Hot weather! Rainy days! Swimming. Mosquitoes. Horseshoes. Canteen. Laughter. Fellowship. Love. “Isn’t this just like Zion?” “Have we experienced just a touch of the Kingdom of God on earth this week?” Can we just stay here and enjoy this for another few days? No – it’s time to go home. See you next year! It is a wonderful, shared social and spiritual experience every year.
 
Except last year. And except this year. But things are looking up for next year!
 
Look elsewhere in this Weekly Wire for information about online summer events planned for the next few weeks. They will be a good time. They will be memorable. They will not be the same. Like you, I look forward to NEXT summer and getting back to the normal that usually beckons at this time of year.
 
Meanwhile, have a fun and blessed summer THIS year! Enjoy the blessings of God that have been bestowed upon you in whatever form. Enjoy the sun and the heat – and inevitable rain. God’s creation is wonderful in all of its glory. Give thanks. Sing a camp song or a favourite hymn just for the fun of it!
 
As always, I pray for you God’s blessings of joy, hope, love, and peace in these challenging times.
 
Steve Thompson
Canada West Mission Centre President
steve@communityofchrist.ca

This is the third and last in a series of columns that may be difficult for some people to read because of the content they bring forward.

Two weeks ago I wrote about the remains of 215 children found in unmarked and undocumented graves near the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. As Canadians, it is difficult to be confronted with news like this. Yet we must find a way to deal with the continuing impacts of Indian Residential Schools if our country is ever to approach the ideal of reconciliation between our First Nations and the rest of Canada.

Last week I wrote about the Muslim family run down in an apparent hate crime in London, Ontario. Such events reveal suspicions of “the other” in our society, outwardly demonstrated as racism and hate, that we prefer to believe does not exist. We must find ways to improve our own understanding of cultural differences to be able to support efforts towards peace in our communities.

This week I will address the topic of June as “Pride Month”. This is widely recognized in Canada and the United States to encourage greater understanding in society of the challenges faced by members of LGBTQ2SIA+ community as well as to recognize contributions to society by members of that community. Like the previous two topics, this is subject matter that is not completely understood by many segments of society and is still completely and vehemently opposed in some segments.

Let’s start by spelling out that acronym, LGBTQ2SIA+. It seems this is presented in slightly different forms, and more letters seem to get added to it every once in a while. This particular version was taken from the announcement about the  Beyond the Walls Service for this coming Sunday, that will focus on “LGBTQ Pride.”  That shortened acronym is very commonly used. The longer acronym includes these terms: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and/or Questioning, 2 Spirit, Intersex, Androgynous and Asexual, and the “+” is to include additional sexual orientations and gender identities. These details were provided on the Kids Help Phone website. Please go to that website for further definitions of each individual term.
 
For a brief history of Pride Month please consult this article on “Everything You Need to Know about Pride Month.”

So – why do we care about Pride Month in Community of Christ? It is not so much because of the month itself (as important as it is), it is because we care about our church members and friends who identify as members of the LGBTQ community. Community of Christ went through a painful and divisive internal debate through the late 20th century and early 2000s about the place of LGBTQ persons in the church and especially in priesthood and leadership. The debate culminated in “national conferences” in 2012 and 2013 in several countries, including Canada and the United States, which resulted in the affirmation and acceptance of LGBTQ persons as priesthood, and as couples in same-sex marriages. For information and insight into current LGBTQ issues relevant to Community of Christ, consult the Harmony website.

Official acceptance of conference motions and church policy from ten years ago does not automatically result in all members of Community of Christ personally supporting the role of LGBTQ persons in the life of the church. It is worthwhile pointing out that there are still individuals, and perhaps even congregations in some areas, who are not supportive of ordaining women to priesthood offices, and that direction came nearly 40 years ago. Non-support in both issues is rooted in personal beliefs and traditional positions. Scriptures also have been debated. Regardless of personal positions, it is expected that members on both “sides” of these issues (and there may be more than 2 sides, and there may well be more than these 2 issues!) will conduct themselves respectfully when encountering opinions different from their own. Understanding, even if it is not accompanied by acceptance, can only be achieved through communication. Keep those communication channels open!

All three of the issues discussed in the last three weeks are issues because some members of the majority in society carry suspicion and even fear of “the other” (usually a minority) in society. Such fear and suspicion is based in racism, or hate, or homophobia, and likely a lack of desire to even try to understand “the other” whoever “the other” might be. May each of us do our best to understand, to communicate, and to extend the principle of the worth of all persons in all of these complex issues and relationships. No one suggests that this is easy or simple work. But all of us have a role to play in “moving (us) toward Jesus, the Peaceful One.”

As always, I pray for you God’s blessings of joy, hope, love, and peace in these challenging times.

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

Last week I introduced three topics to be discussed in this space:

Topic 1: June is “Pride Month.” I will come back to Pride month next week. In the meantime, please consult Harmony’s “Pride Month 2021 Activities” page. Pick a couple of activities that catch your interest. And be sure to check out the “Resilient” t-shirt offer!
Topic 3: Remains of 215 children found in unmarked and undocumented graves near the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. See last week’s column.
​
Topic 2 in last week’s list was: Muslim family run down in apparent hate crime. This is today’s topic. To be sure you have the details of event in mind, you may wish to read this article published the day after the event: Muslim family killed…driver charged with murder. The article contains link to other articles published since then.

In very brief summary, on the evening of Sunday, June 6, a young man, 20 years of age, ran down a family of five people out for a walk in their neighbourhood in London, Ontario. The family was dressed in a manner that identified them as Muslim. This is what made them the target of the driver of the truck. Four people are dead and a young boy was taken to hospital. The tragedy has been described as “terrorism” and as a “hate crime.”

What should be the response of the Community of Christ to events such as this?

In no uncertain terms, we must condemn this senseless act that took 4 lives and has irreversibly affected the life of a young boy. To attack a family due to visible clues as to their religious faith is shocking to any of us. We are a church that upholds an enduring principle of the “worth of all persons.” We have a mission initiative that encourages us to “pursue peace on earth.” This event violates much that we hold dear in our Christian faith.

We must express our support for those in our community who are of the Muslim faith. Send a message of condolences and support to the mosque in your city or neighbourhood. Better yet, go visit them and express your support directly. I have not yet done this in response to this incident. At the time of the mass shooting in the mosque in New Zealand two years ago, I went to the local mosque to express my support for them and was received very well and with much appreciation.

Education is always a good option. Learn about the Muslim faith to increase our understanding of their beliefs and practices. Again, perhaps visit the local mosque. Maybe pick up a good book or two about Islam from the library (once libraries are open again!). Or –my favourite– participate in an event offered by the Encounter World Religions Centre.

In our early church history “we” were “the other” in a number of communities in which our church was established. Members were persecuted and actively encouraged to “leave town.” There were even some notable violent incidents in which people died. (Contact me if you would like details about such events.) The persecution and violence against church members was unjustified at that time. The suspicion, hatemongering, and even violence raised against Muslims in our communities is also unjustified.

In our communities many of us can identify people living not far from us who originate from almost any region of the world and practice almost any religion (or none!). The more we can live in peace with each other in our communities, the better the opportunity for the world as a whole to live in peace as well.

As always, I pray for you God’s blessings of joy, hope, love, and peace in these challenging times.

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

So Many Topics, So Little Space

Quite often as I sit down to write this weekly blurb I have difficulty knowing what to talk with you about. This week there are three topics that need mentioning. I can really only do justice to them one at a time. I will discuss one today and discuss the other two in the next two weeks.

Topic 1: June is “Pride Month.” There is too much to discuss in a paragraph. But rather than let the month slip away too far, please consult Harmony’s “Pride Month 2021 Activities” page. Pick a couple of activities that catch your interest and log on. And be sure to check out the “Resilient” t-shirt offer! I will come back to this topic in 2 weeks.
Topic 2: Muslim family run down in apparent hate crime in London, Ontario. Check your local newspapers for coverage of this horrific story. I will come back to this story next week.
Topic 3: Remains of 215 children found in unmarked and undocumented graves near the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. Here we go…

Indigenous lives matter. Just before the weekend of May 29, Canadians were shocked to learn that the lives of 215 children did not matter at the time they died while attending an Indian Residential School in Kamloops, BC. The remains were found in unmarked graves on the grounds of the former school. For just one of many media stories about this tragedy see: Remains of 215 children found (story includes text and short videos from CTV News). The school was operated by the Catholic Church from 1890 to 1969.

The discovery, while distressing to most Canadians, was sad confirmation to most First Nations persons of the family and community stories that had been shared among them over the past many decades. Stories that told of children taken away to residential schools but who never returned. Parents and other family members may not even have been told exactly what had happened to the children.

As members and friends of Community of Christ, what are we to do in response to this news? It is as difficult a question for us as it is for most Canadians. This adds another layer of complexity to the processes of reconciliation which, at some level, have been under way since the conclusion of the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 2015. As in most uncomfortable human situations, the first step is compassion, communication, and education, all of which can lead to greater understanding.

Let me suggest these actions as reasonable options:

• View one, two or more videos about the work and conclusions of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. (Google search for: truth and reconciliation commission Canada)
• Read the 94 Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission
• If you are really into reading, consider reading one or more of the reports of the TRC or the follow-up reports by other organizations published in the years since the TRC completed its work. A comprehensive list of links can be found here: Reports.
• Actually get to know an Indigenous person or family – or several. Consider contacting your local Native Friendship Centre – or similar community organization – and inquire how you might be able to participate in their public activities.

For a bit of inspiration, I further recommend to you the story and the recording of how the First Nations country and folk singer, Don Amero, approached his task of singing “O Canada” before the Jets-Canadiens hockey game on Wednesday, June 2 in Winnipeg. In addition to singing a “stunning, mournful anti-anthem” rendition of the song, he was flanked by an elder holding tobacco and an eagle feather, and a woman cradling a pair of baby moccasins. Powerful stuff! If a professional hockey team can enable a touching and meaningful recognition of this tragic event, surely we can afford at least a moment of silence at a church service this weekend (if you have not already had one).

Reconciliation is one of those things that requires some large enabling actions on the part of national and First Nations governments. But the most meaningful part of reconciliation must occur “on the ground” between individuals and communities. I commend to you the challenge to find your way to contribute to this incredible national imperative.

As always, I pray for you God’s blessings of joy, hope, love, and peace in these challenging times.

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

Catchy title? What does this mean to you? A statement of fact? A question? A challenge?

First, let me be clear that I have shamelessly stolen the title from a recent “Disciple’s Generous Response Moment” by Zac Harmon-McLaughlin. Zac’s point is essentially that many people have invested in him from the time he was a child, through his teen years, and into his young adulthood. Yes, some of that “investment” involved providing some financial assistance to ensure he could participate in some important and meaningful experiences which he now credits with changing his life in various ways. Mostly, however, that “investment” was in the form of others who cared about him, who mentored him, who encouraged him, who motivated him to learn and to understand many lessons of life in the context of many “communities of Christ” as well as specifically within the Community of Christ.

I am using that title as a question: Who has invested in you to bring you to this point in your life? Who cared enough about you to ensure that you were exposed to good and meaningful experiences such as, for example, youth camps or SPEC or travel? Who has helped you find your way in life when life has been confusing? Perhaps it has been your parents or grandparents or other relatives. Perhaps it has been people from your congregation who wanted to do what they could to ensure you had a positive and meaningful experience at church or activities related to church. Or perhaps it was a teacher or a coach or a camp counselor or other friend who provided encouragement in just the right way at just the right time.

I am using the title as a challenge: Who are you investing in? A child or teen who needs encouragement? A friend of any age who just needs a friendly listening ear and maybe a bit of good advice as they deal with one (or more) life’s challenges? Or maybe a family member that just needs to be reminded once in a while that they are loved? Are you “paying forward” investment in others that at some point in your life benefitted you?

There are lots of questions here. Answers may not be obvious for some people. Perhaps you really have difficulty thinking of people who invested in you at some point in your life. Or perhaps you don’t feel you have the skills or opportunity to invest in others now. It is possible that life has been hard and just continues to be hard.

At this point, let me reinforce one of the enduring principles of the church: all persons are of worth. All persons are of worth in the sight of God. All persons have worth, whether they recognize it or not, in their families, in their communities, in their schools, and/or in their workplaces – and in their congregations or whatever constitutes their church community.

As persons of worth, we can be invested in. As persons of worth, we can invest in others. And that investment can be in the form of support, of friendship, of good advice, of a listening ear, of sharing important experiences – and, yes, sometimes of helping in some monetary way.

Jesus challenged us with the two greatest commandments: 

This is the greatest and first commandment. “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” (Matthew 22:37-39)

Invest in each other!
 
As always, I pray for you God’s blessings of joy, hope, love, and peace in these challenging times.
 
Steve Thompson
Canada West Mission Centre President
steve@communityofchrist.ca

This past Sunday, May 23, was celebrated as Pentecost in the Christian calendar. You may know that Pentecost, as a Christian event, originates with the story in Acts 2 of the gift of the Holy Spirit to Christ’s followers in the form of wind and of fire and of speaking in tongues (people speaking in foreign languages but being understood by all those around them). The event gains further emphasis from the sermon of the apostle Peter addressed to the large crowd that had gathered, apparently numbering in the thousands, following which about 3,000 persons believed what they heard and were reportedly baptized. This mass conversion is sometimes recognized as the actual beginning of the Christian Church.

As both an event and a word, “Pentecost” has some fascinating history behind it. Much of it that is directly related to its Christian significance is easily found from many sources. For example, the word “Pentecost” literally means “fifty” or “fifty days.” It marks fifty days since Easter. (Actually, it is seven weeks since Easter, so technically only 49 days – but that may be quibbling.) I found an article titled, What is Pentecost and Where Did it Come From? that explains the Jewish heritage of the day in a clear and concise a manner. I encourage you to read the article.

Among other interesting facts is that, although it was also known as “Pentecost” in the Jewish tradition, it also had an alternate name of the Festival of Weeks: seven weeks of seven days (a “week of weeks”) since the feast of the Passover. As you will recall, it was the celebration of Passover that had brought people into Jerusalem in the week before Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. The Festival of Weeks had brought people into Jerusalem from many nations of the known world – thus the opportunity for the miracle or gift of “speaking in tongues” that was a manifestation of the Holy Spirit for Christ’s followers.

On Sunday, the Beyond the Walls online service from the Toronto congregation took on a very interesting challenge to mark Pentecost. The planners set out to have 50 languages spoken during the service, taking that cue from Pentecost’s meaning of “fifty” as well as the cacophony of languages reported in Acts 2. They fell slightly short with “only” about 40 languages represented in the service. It was still quite remarkable. A person speaking each language read a portion of scripture related to Christ’s ministry. The screen showed the language – often in its own script rather than the Arabic-based script of English writing – as the person read the few verses of scripture, along with its translation into English, French, and Spanish. If you have not seen the service, it can be found here: Testify in 50 Languages.

The story of Pentecost in Acts 2 is a representation of the impact of faith in the public square. Peter had to assure those watching that the people speaking in strange languages were not drunk. (It was apparently too early in the morning for that!) Then, having defended the language (and sobriety) of his friends, Peter preached the good news of Jesus Christ to the assembled crowd and, according to the record, convinced a good portion of these unbelievers to believe and to respond by being baptized.

The lesson for us is to not be ashamed when some element of our faith becomes visible to those around us, and that to then confidently share what that faith is all about may have more positive influence on those people than we might expect. It is a call to courageously share our faith more often.

As always, I pray for you God’s blessings of joy, hope, love, and peace in these challenging times.
 
Steve Thompson
Canada West Mission Centre President
steve@communityofchrist.ca

The first event of the “All Voices Canada” conference occurred on Saturday, May 15. It brought together over 140 people from across Canada to share with each other what Community of Christ means to them. We heard recorded “testimonies” from seven people in response to two questions:

1. What passions or experiences inspire you to engage with Community of Christ?
   
2. What would you be excited to do and/or see as we step forward as a community?

Then everyone was invited to discuss their own responses in break-out sessions of smaller numbers of participants. These sessions enabled people from Canada East and Canada West mission centres to gain understanding and appreciation of what the church means to each of them from all areas of the country.
 
The next day, on Sunday morning, the Beyond the Walls online church service, originating from the Toronto congregation, provided the opportunity for seven more testimonies to be shared. A recording of this service is available here: Beyond the Walls May 16. You may note a majority of voices from Canada West in this service. The reverse was the situation for the Saturday conference. A recording of the Saturday conference is not available.
 
About 40 testimonies have been received in writing and many of them have been recorded. You can watch for those recorded testimonies (including those shared at the Saturday conference and the Sunday service) to be posted to the website: www.AllVoices.ca. As of today (May 18) the recordings have not yet been posted. However, if you scroll down to the “Testimony Tapestry” area of that page, you will find the invitation for you to write your own contribution and forward it to Apostle Art Smith. I invite and urge you to take advantage of this opportunity to include your story in this growing “Testimony Tapestry.”
 
A second major online event also occurred on Saturday. This was a fundraiser organized to benefit the Samish Island Campground as it makes its way through a second year of hosting no church or community events and therefore realizing no rental income. The event featured sharing by people with long histories with Samish and what the campground has meant to them. This included church members as well as representatives of organizations who have rented the grounds for their events for many years. The sharing of these individuals was interspersed with professional musical entertainment from church members and from other artists who responded to the invitations of friends to perform for the benefit of the Samish Campground.
 
The stated goal of the event was to raise $30,000 for the campground. The two co-hosts for the event (Alexis Beer from Canada West Mission Centre and Sean Langdon from Greater Pacific Northwest Mission Center) did a marvelous and entertaining job. Besides enthusiastically introducing the program participants and musicians, they regularly reminded all viewers/listeners of the purpose of the event and provided invitations to donate and instructions on how to donate – plus tactful and entertaining requests to donate MORE! By the end of the evening, they announced that the total raised had exceeded $50,000!

Congratulations to everyone involved in this very successful event! There are too many individuals to name here. By categories they include the organizers and planners who did their work for the last few months, Alexis and Sean for their skillful hosting work, the people who provided the supportive testimonies of what Samish means to them, the behind-the-scenes people who made sure the program and videos all ran on schedule and that donation updates could be provided throughout the evening, all the artists who contributed so generously of their musical talents, and, finally, all of those who generously financially supported this event. Thank you to all!

Both of these events are examples of “community in action.” All Voices Canada brought members and friends of Community of Christ together to discuss what is important to them about the church in Canada. The Samish Campground fundraiser brought together a diverse set of people from western Canada (mainly BC) and the U.S. Northwest – all friends of the campground regardless of their connection to the church – who recognize the importance of a place of spiritual and social significance to them and to so many others.
 
Well done, everybody! Well done!
 
As always, I pray for you God’s blessings of joy, hope, love, and peace in these challenging times.
 
Steve Thompson
Canada West Mission Centre President
steve@communityofchrist.ca

​In the Virtual Visiting Fellowship groups this week we are discussing two scriptures involving talking God out of punishing the people. In Genesis 18:20-33, Abraham talks God out of destroying the city of Sodom even if there are only five “righteous” people living in the city full of otherwise sinful people. And in Exodus 32:7-14 Moses argues with God about God’s intention to punish the people for their misbehavior while Moses was on the mountain to get direction from God. The links given above will take you to the stories in the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible. In Exodus 32:14 God “changed his mind” and did not punish the people. In the King James version the verse says, “And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.” Most modern translations use some variation on the NRSV wording, so it may be a more accurate expression of the original language. However, the KJV presents an interesting concept. How can God “repent” of anything? And how could God possibly think of “evil” to do to his people?
 
These two stories are examples of significant bargaining with God. In our own lives the extent of bargaining with God in a stereotypical sense involves trying to make a deal with God as in, “Dear God, If you will get me out of this mess (that I know I have created), I will go to church every Sunday from now on.” Or maybe it’s “heal my disease,” or “help my family reconcile,” or any other of life’s major challenges. Seldom do such deals work out as well as the two situations in the Old Testament did.
 
In the Gospel of Matthew, we find Jesus giving this advice: “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” (Matthew 4:7) This is the more likely example we should be following. No matter the situations in which we find ourselves, it is expected that we will reach out to God in prayer and supplication to seek his special blessings of wisdom and relief. We may feel God’s direction and inspiration as we find our way to healing (or even if the answer to our prayer is not what we expected or requested). Mostly, it is reasonable to believe that God knows what blessings we require before we ask. We do not need to follow the example of Moses or Abraham in bargaining with God. We need to follow Jesus’ advice to not “tempt” God, but rather to simply seek God’s blessings.
 
As always, I pray for you God’s blessings of joy, hope, love, and peace in these challenging times.

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

​Spring seems to have finally come to Edmonton. As I write I am sitting at my kitchen table and looking at my sun-filled back yard. We have put our deck furniture out which adds to the impression (illusion?) of warmer weather. It is 16 degrees (Celsius, of course) and quite pleasant. But we have been teased by warmer weather a few times in the last month and then forced to endure another few stretches of cooler weather including sub-zero overnight low temperatures.

I have described Edmonton’s weather because I know that the weather is vastly different in other parts of this province, let alone in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, or Manitoba. In my twice-weekly “Virtual Visiting Fellowship” meetings, I have been reminded since some time back in March that things are warmer and greener and more “blooming” in BC, but also that rogue snowstorms have happened in southern Alberta and in neighbouring Saskatchewan - storms which never touched Edmonton.

Is this not like so many other things in our lives? Our perspective on many things are affected by the angle from which we view them. The poem of The Blind Men and the Elephant has each man touching different parts of the elephant and each of them concluding that “elephants are like… (different things).” Similarly, our family up-bringing and childhood-through-adolescence experiences affect how we see the world as adults. The generation of which we are a member may affect how we view government and politics, social issues, music, the media, and technology (to name just a few issues). And each of our individual perspectives results in different views on religious faith and belief – also often formed by the generation of which we are a member or by our unique experiences as children, youth, and young adults, or, perhaps, by our educational and even vocational choices.

And yet, somehow, most of the time, it all works. Somehow, we find ways to get along:
Men/women
LGBTQ/straight
Young/old/somewhere-in-between
Left/middle/right
Traditional/progressive/I-don’t-really-care
Spiritual/religious/both/neither

The scriptures are full of conflict and eventual reconciliation with the help of the Spirit of God. A recent inspired message to the church provided this guidance:

Listen together to one another, without judgment or predisposition. Do not assume that the answers to matters of conflict have yet been perceived. There is much labor to be done. Reason together in love, and the Spirit of truth will prevail.
                                        --Doctrine and Covenants, Section 162: 5c

And there is the key. Whatever may tend to have us see things from different angles and points of view, whatever may threaten to divide us, if we will only “listen together to one another, without judgement and predisposition” we have hope within the faith and fellowship of Jesus Christ to come to a peaceful understanding. Not necessarily agreement! But at least understanding.

Are we moving toward Jesus, the peaceful One?

If you have any comment or question about this weekly message, please do not hesitate to contact me using the email address provided below.

As always, I pray for you God’s blessings of joy, hope, love, and peace in these challenging times.

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

Are we moving toward Jesus,
the peaceful One?

The 2021 guiding question is the same as the question suggested for 2020: Are we moving toward Jesus, the peaceful One? President Steve Veazey encourages the church to continue considering and meditating on the question in this video: 2021 Guiding Question.

The question was first posed by President Veazey in his closing sermon for the 2019 World Conference. The question was presented in early 2020 with a video recording of those comments: 2020 Guiding Question.

The question puts the responsibility for our relationship with Jesus directly with each of us. I feel that there is a call to movement presented for us. A call to change. A call to do better.

We are often presented with the challenge to “follow Jesus.” This is a good challenge and you could certainly do worse than finding ways to follow Jesus. You follow and you do what he says to do. You follow and you try to live the way he tells you to live. You follow and you watch and learn as you hear him speak through the words of scripture. If you are diligent in following Jesus in your personal prayer and meditation life, perhaps you will hear Jesus’ still small voice speak to you to encourage you to continue following him.

For me, the call to “move toward Jesus” is not quite the same as “following” him. To move towards Jesus might involve overcoming some obstacles to get closer to him. To move towards Jesus might mean getting further away from some less positive influences in our lives. To move towards Jesus might require that we set our compass accordingly and find our way despite the twists and turns of life and those temptations that will distract us from our goal.

Interestingly, the question suggests “moving toward” – it does not assume that we will actually closely approach him or suggest that our movement will necessarily end. We are just challenged to move toward him.

And then there are those last three words: “the peaceful One.” Inherent in those words is the challenge for us to move towards peace in our own lives. For many people this may be as great a challenge as thinking about moving towards Jesus. They also echo the challenge of the peace-related motions on non-violence passed by the 2019 World Conference and the words point us towards preparation for further discussion of peace and non-violence at the next World Conference, now postponed to 2023.

The church has created a series of resources built around this challenge. They include a series of articles in the “Herald” (the church magazine), supporting videos and online discussion sessions, and some Project Zion Podcasts. If you are interested, you can find a comprehensive list of links to these resources here: Guiding Question Page of Resources

I challenge you to consider studying the question and considering your own personal response through this year. I will try to come back to this question regularly through the rest of this year, just to check in and see how you are doing.

If you have any comment or question about this weekly message, please do not hesitate to contact me using the email address provided below.

As always, I pray for you God’s blessings of joy, hope, love, and peace in these challenging times.

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