One year ago today I wrote to you the sixth weekly “COVID Statement.” At the time we did not know how much longer we would need to be concerned about the pandemic. The first “statement” was dated March 4 and the last “statement” was dated April 22. As of April 29 these columns became “A Moment with the Mission Centre President” and we have tried to deal with many topics since then.

Most of the message from April 8, 2020, seems strangely relevant today. Here is the heart of that message again:

The common first question after “Hello” has become much more heartfelt and honestly intended than had been traditional before our COVID-19 social distancing: “How are you doing?” We are truly interested in the answer to that question. We want assurance that our friends and family are, in fact, staying safe and being well. They wish to know the same of us. Yet we also want to be able to express our support if the answer to the question is the expression of some kind of health issue or personal concern that has arisen in the lives of those we love.

There are families and individuals in Canada West Mission Centre, and elsewhere in the church, who have been directly touched by COVID-19 in the form of illness or job loss. I know of people who continue to struggle with various medical, physical, and personal issues not at all related to the pandemic. And in the unstoppable cycle of life, there are families among us who mourn the loss of loved ones. All of these persons and families are worthy of our prayers of love and support.

So: What have you done to keep your outlook positive in recent weeks? What good news do you seek out to assure yourself that humanity is good and that we will all get through this together? What miracle or beauty in the natural world around you gives you hope and assurance and perhaps even inspiration? What books have you read? What friends have you reached out to by phone or electronically? And, yes, what social media connections have been beneficial for you? What images, stories, or anecdotes have kept you smiling, if not outright laughing? Please email some answers to me (steve@communityofchrist.ca), and I may share them in the future.

That last sentence remains an open invitation.

Many provinces are moving, or have moved, back into tighter lock-down situations due to recent increases in COVID-19 cases, and especially increases in the “Variants of Concern.” In-person church services remain restricted and difficult to hold or justify in most areas. Family gatherings remain small, outdoors, and still physically distanced for most of us. We are facing another summer of cancelled church-sponsored in-person camps and reunions.

And yet – and yet – we optimistically look forward to the easing of the pandemic over the next few months. We hope we can return to something resembling “normal” by late summer or early fall.

May you feel God’s presence and blessings as we continue on this journey, now extended to well beyond a year in length.

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 may be familiar with the Christmas song “Mary’s Boy Child / O My Lord” by Boney M that plays somewhat incessantly over the Christmas radio music period each year. A recurring line in the song is personal pet peeve of mine: “And man will live for evermore because of Christmas Day.” From the perspective, I suppose, that Jesus had to be born in order to eventually die and be resurrected, there may be some validity to the line. But, my friends, if there is any such attribution to be made, “All of us will live for evermore because of Easter Day.”

Then, not to put too much of a fine point on it, it is not “the Day” that is important – it is the event of the day.

Let’s back up briefly. The scriptural records tell us that Jesus and his disciples spent the week celebrating Passover in Jerusalem, beginning with his entry into the city on Palm Sunday (see last week’s MCP Message). On Thursday evening Jesus celebrated the feast of the Passover with his friends in “the Upper Room” and the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper was instituted. They moved from there to the Mount of Olives to engage in prayer. It was here that Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss and Jesus was arrested by the Romans.

On Friday, after a series of appearances before the Jewish and Roman authorities Jesus was whipped and then was sentenced to death by crucifixion. He died on a cross between two thieves nailed to their own crosses. He was buried in a tomb at the beginning of the Sabbath with no time to properly prepare his body as required by Jewish tradition. On Sunday morning, under slightly different circumstances according to each of the Gospels, the women discovered the empty tomb and became aware that Jesus has been resurrected – he had risen from the dead.

And THIS, my friends, is the event that solidifies the promise of eternal life into Christian faith. In Jesus’ subsequent appearances to his disciples and friends he reinforces that this is what his earthly ministry has been about – bring about the immortality and eternal life of all humans.

I invite you to participate in any of the many online opportunities this weekend to celebrate the events of all of Easter weekend. References and links can be found elsewhere in this “Weekly Wire” as well as on the World Church website at www.cofchrist.org. Take a few moments to remind yourself, along with your brothers and sisters in faith from around the world, that because JESUS IS RISEN on Easter, you have been given the promise and opportunity of eternal life through Jesus Christ.

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 11th chapter of the Book of Mark in the New Testament records the “triumphant entry” of Jesus into the city of Jerusalem. This is the focus of Palm Sunday in the Christian calendar, which will be celebrated this Sunday, March 28.

As Mark describes it, the entry into Jerusalem was a colourful affair. Jesus’ disciples first retrieve a donkey or colt for Jesus to ride, then other followers put their cloaks on the back of the donkey to make it more comfortable for him. Finally other followers even put their cloaks on the ground in front of the donkey for it to walk on. These are all signs of respect and honour for Jesus. Mark also says “others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the field” on the path of the donkey carrying Jesus. The similar account in the Gospel of John is the only specific mention of “branches of palm leaves,” but it is from that account that we get the name “Palm Sunday.”

As colourful as this event is, we all know “the rest of the story” – and, for the most part, it is not nearly so triumphant or celebratory.

Some of you may remember the movie of the rock opera, “Jesus Christ Superstar.” In the scene that represents this triumphant entry the crowd around Jesus sings the song, “Hosanna, Heysanna.” At various points the crowd directs some rather poignant words to Jesus, namely:

• “Hey J.C., J.C., Won’t you smile at me?”
• “Hey J.C., J.C., You’re alright by me!”
• “Hey J.C., J.C., Won’t you fight for me?”
• And, finally, “Hey, J.C., J.C., Won’t you DIE for me?”

As the crowd asks for this potential ultimate sacrifice, the camera freezes on Jesus’ face as he momentarily seems to offer a panicked look. The scene continues, the crowd moves on and Jesus proceeds to the next scene.

This question, “would you die for me?”, of course is true foreshadowing of the next few days. Although Jesus is recorded as warning his disciples about his pending doom in Jerusalem, his friends seem to brush aside the warnings and really do not understand or accept what Jesus has been telling them. In this particular scene I think the intent was to show Jesus’ reaction to his words being shouted back to him by the crowd when his closest friends and confidants had refused to accept them as real.

What would YOU say to Jesus if you had the chance to walk along beside him as he rode the donkey? What would YOU ask him at that highly emotional time if you could?

Perhaps most importantly, let me ask: What are YOU doing after the parade?* Do you think you will just go home for supper and maybe tell the family what an interesting afternoon you just had? Will you stick with Jesus and his followers and maybe find out where he will be preaching tomorrow? Will you go with them to find out more about what he is all about so that you can share that with friends and bring them all with you the next time you hear that Jesus will be in town?

Now let’s ask the really difficult questions: Where will you be on Thursday evening when Jesus is betrayed by Judas and arrested? Where will you be on Friday morning when Jesus is being tried and tortured? Where will you be on Friday afternoon when he sentenced to death and then taken to the edge of the city and crucified by the Romans? Where will you be on Sunday morning when the women discover the empty tomb? Will you believe them when they tell you about it? And then… And then… What will you do?

Just a few “easy” questions for your consideration on Palm Sunday.

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 question shamelessly stolen from a sermon by Danny Belrose in Edmonton more years ago than either of us will admit to.

Community of Christ Enduring Principles Spotlight​

Here we are, my friends: we are officially one year into our “COVID world.” It was one year ago this week that the world truly did begin to change significantly. One year ago this week, with the announcement of various types of shut-downs in response to the pandemic, we began to feel impacts as individuals, as communities, and as the church.
 
Many people suddenly found themselves working from home. Many others found themselves with jobs that suddenly were ended.
 
We were encouraged to “just stay home.” Most of us did. Streets were quiet. Even main highways were comparatively quiet. Businesses lost customers and had to close at least temporarily. For some as yet unknown reason, panicked shoppers hoarded toilet paper!
 
One year ago this past Sunday, most of us enjoyed our normal Sunday routine of an in-person worship service with no restrictions. Then one year ago this week our international church leadership issued the direction to congregations around the world to close for the next Sunday and to await further instructions before re-opening again. Suddenly we found ourselves in an unanticipated world of online services which quickly grew to include online classes, youth camps, retreats of all kinds, family camps, and even mission conferences. An initial expectation of short-term closures for a few weeks or maybe a couple of months, extended into several months. Here we are a year later and many/most congregations have yet to re-start in-person meetings and nearly everyone has become accustomed to our online meeting environments. Everyone is eagerly anticipating being able to meet again in-person, share handshakes and hugs, enjoy sitting together, and break bread together in pot-luck lunches as well at restaurants.

Some of us were affected directly by the virus, falling ill with symptoms that varied person-to-person from minor and short-lived to serious and long-lasting. A few of us died. If we were not directly affected by the virus in these ways, most of know someone who was. And those impacts continue though hopefully with decreasing frequency now.

In well under a year the medical and scientific community has produced and tested and begun distribution of vaccines to protect against the virus. Hope and optimism is growing.

Throughout this past year most congregations have done their best to reach out to members and friends in attempting to maintain a sense of connection to one another. Besides the online gatherings of many kinds there have been telephone visiting campaigns. In good weather there were outdoor, physically distanced, informal gatherings such as ice cream socials and just general visiting. Other creative ways of bringing people together – if only in spirit rather than in person – were implemented and were greatly appreciated.

Thank you to everyone who has come through this past year. Thank you to everyone who provided new kinds of leadership and programming this past year. Thank you to everyone who did their best to maintain some sense of connection among the members and friends of your congregation. May we all look forward to a return to some semblance of “normal” in the next few months, even if it does not look exactly like the “normal” we left behind one year ago. God’s spirit was leading us then. God’s spirit is leading us now. And God’s spirit will continue to lead us in the future. May we always be aware of God’s leadership in our lives and look to God’s love and comfort in all situations.

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 

​Stop! Go back up and re-read that “Worth of All Persons” stuff before you keep reading. Read ALL of it, please!
 
Do you ever feel personally challenged by “official” statements from Community of Christ? In response to most official statements I will often pause and recognize good thoughts or words or intentions. I may or may not recognize a role that I, personally, must take up in response to such statements. I have to confess that I do not often feel “personally challenged.”

For the last three weeks I have been highlighting the church’s Enduring Principles in the “header” of this column. This is week four. There are five more to come. As important as I believe all of our Enduring Principles are, this is the first one that has demanded my attention as I copied it onto this page.

“Worth of All Persons.” With these four words the church proclaims that, with Christ, we believe all persons are human, all persons are created in the image of God, and all persons are of inestimable worth in the sight of their God – and in OUR sight, and in MY sight! NONE of these phrases should be taken for granted. Not everyone in the world believes that all other men and women in the world are truly “human” in their worldview. Even if some people believe in a creating God, some people will reject that some “others” are actually creations of the same God that created them. And “inestimable worth”? It is but folly to consider that all humans have anything close to “equal,” let alone “inestimable,” worth to other humans of particular characteristics in the eyes and minds and opinions of way too many people in this world.

Jesus uplifted the poor, the prostitute, the woman caught in adultery, the tax collector, the woman at the well, and even “Samaritans” (just to name a few) as persons as worth, even though they were considered on the lowest rungs of society in his time.

Who do we have to uplift today? The last year has shed light on too many societal situations to mention in which the principle of “worth of all persons” is not only not recognized, but also essentially ignored and denied. For just a few examples consider: the continued abuse of persons who are Black, Indigenous, and persons of colour across North America; the dithering of local and provincial governments about how best to respond to the related issues of homelessness, mental health, and drug abuse in pretty much all communities across the country; and internationally consider situations where democracies and human rights are being trampled by governments (those in today’s news: Myanmar, Hong Kong).

The four bullet-points that follow the main statement each are challenging as well. The first two begin with “God views…” and “God wants…” Does that mean that we just leave those statements up to God? What role do we have in making those two statements reality in today’s society?

The last two, though, begin with “We seek…” and “We join with Jesus Christ…” Not to put too fine a point on it, but “We” means “you and I!” So – what are “you and I” going to do about “uphold(ing) and restore(ing) the worth of all people individually and in community, challenging unjust systems that diminish human worth?” What are “you and I” doing about “bringing good news to the poor, sick, captive, and oppressed?”

Are you bored yet? Or just intimidated? This is only the fifth of nine Enduring Principles. We are already way behind, my friends. What are “we” going to do about 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

​Continuing Revelation

On Sunday afternoon, February 28, an online service was held to bid farewell to the Meadow Ridge Congregation. It is generally a sad occasion for a mission centre president to preside over the sale of property and the dis-organization of a congregation. Sunday’s service, however, was truly a celebration instead. It was a celebration of almost 40 years of mission and ministry to members and friends of the congregation. It was a celebration of contributing to the surrounding community. It was a celebration of many happy and significant events that happened in the life of the congregation since its organization in December 1982.
 
Current Pastor, Gary McDonald, led the service. Greetings and congratulatory remarks recognizing the work of the congregation came from the Apostle for Canada, Art Smith, the Bishop of Canada, Dar Shepherdson, and the Canada West Mission Centre President, Steve Thompson.

Founding Pastor, Ed Salahub, provided a wonderful history of the congregation from its beginnings to its conclusion. Ed was Pastor, in two separate terms, for a total of 21 years of Meadow Ridge’s existence. He recognized the leadership and support of others who served as Pastor and of the gifts of many other members and friends of the congregation over the years. Darrell Belrose, former Canada West Mission Centre President and most recently a Congregation Missionary with Meadow Ridge as one of his assigned congregations, spoke lovingly of his experiences with the congregation and of the way the members supported each other and any person who happened to walk through the doors of the church.
 
A letter from the First Presidency of Community of Christ was read that also recognized the legacy of the congregation and thanked all those who had served as Pastors and leaders and members over the years.
 
There were at least 54 different “screens” logged on to the Zoom service, representing approximately 79 persons. When given the opportunity to offer individual thoughts many remembered fondly their time as a member of the congregation or as a guest minister or visiting for any reason. There were many wonderful and meaningful memories shared of how much Meadow Ridge had meant in the lives of so many people.
 
The place of the Meadow Ridge Congregation in the hearts of members of other nearby congregations was effectively symbolized by the beautiful recordings of two hymns for use in the service – piano and solo voice – by two members of the Vancouver congregation. (Thank you, Leah Christensen and Kat Goheen!)
 
It is tempting to mourn the loss of a congregation, and emotionally it is probably necessary to do so. But rather than mourn the loss of what might have been (after all, who can predict an uncertain future), it was best on this day to celebrate what is known to have been: a small congregation with dedicated, visionary leadership, and enthusiastic members who provided a safe and welcoming space for anyone who came under their influence.
 
The Holy Spirit was most certainly a part of our service on Sunday. May God’s blessings follow all the members of the Meadow Ridge Congregation as they move on to continue to represent the mission of Jesus Christ wherever they choose to serve.
 
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
 
PS: In case you missed the service and are interested, here is a link to the recording of the service: Meadow Ridge Farewell Service. The main service is almost 90 minutes in length. This is followed by about half an hour of additional visiting and sharing of memories about Meadow Ridge Congregation.

Note: you should be able to just click on the link and the video will load in your default browser. You will need to click on the “play” button that will probably appear at the bottom of your browser window.

 
​   Grace and Generosity

• God’s grace, especially as revealed in Jesus Christ, is generous and unconditional.
• Having received God’s generous grace, we respond generously and graciously receive the generosity of others. 
• We offer all we are and have to God’s purposes as revealed in Jesus Christ. 
• We generously share our witness, resources, ministries, and sacraments according to our true capacity.

https://www.cofchrist.org/enduring-principles

Mardi Gras, Shrove Tuesday, Ash Wednesday and Lent

Which of the terms in that title are familiar to you? You may recognize “Mardi Gras” as referring to the colourful (to say the least) celebrations famously held in New Orleans (and other locations) each year at this time. Mardi Gras, in all its celebratory excesses, actually arises from the more restrictive and definitely religious tradition of Shrove Tuesday in which Anglo-Saxon Christians went to confession with their local priest and were “schriven” (i.e., absolved of their sins). Associated with Shrove Tuesday is the tradition of “Fat Tuesday” – which is the direct translation of “Mardi Gras” – in which people attempted to use up the fats and sugars in their pantries in advance of the tradition of fasting for Lent (see below for more on Lent). This is the origin in England of what you may have heard of as “Pancake Tuesday” and thus the pancake suppers held usually at Anglican churches.

Ash Wednesday is the day after Shrove Tuesday. The ashes are traditionally made from the dried palm leaves of “last year’s” Palm Sunday celebrations, just before Easter. A pinch of ash is traditionally smudged on a person’s forehead by their priest as a sign of penance (perhaps in response to the excesses of the night before?!). (All of this information, and more, is readily accessible from a variety of sources through a “Google Search”.)

Finally, Ash Wednesday (February 17 this year) is the first day of the season of Lent.

Lent is a time of preparation. A time when we move toward the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. A time to move intently toward God, ridding ourselves of the distance and distractions we have built into our relationships. Lent is when we are called to respond with radical generosity and spiritual discipline to God’s covenants that we may draw near to the One we seek.

                                                             -From “A Guide for Lent,” p. 2

You may be familiar with the question, “What are you giving up for Lent?” This arises from the spiritual practice of fasting that is connected with the tradition of Lent – thus the purging of fats and sugars on Shrove/Pancake Tuesday.

None of these terms or occasions have been traditionally a part of the practice of Community of Christ. I was aware of Pancake Tuesday as a child only because we went to the Anglican Church every year for the pancake supper! I was distantly aware that some of my Catholic and mainline Protestant friends were marking this season of Lent.

In the last fifteen to twenty years or so, you may have heard a bit more about Lent in our church because it is a major part of the Christian calendar that provides the themes for our worship planning guides. Although fasting may be mentioned in those resources, the main emphasis is on meditation and spiritual practices that focus on preparing for the Easter season. Easter Sunday occurs 40 days after Ash Wednesday (not including Sundays) – which recognizes the 40 days that Jesus spent in the wilderness after his baptism and before he began his formal ministry.

Check “A Guide for Lent,” on the church website for more information and six weeks’ worth of suggestions for meditations and worship leading to Easter.

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

Community of Christ Enduring Principles Spotlight:
Hey! What happened to the statements about whose lives matter? Glad you asked. Glad you noticed!
Repeated messages often begin to be ignored after a certain amount of repetition. Sometimes a change helps reinforce intended messages.
​
Watch this space over the next few weeks for an emphasis on issues related to Enduring Principles and their application to Christ’s Mission, Our Mission.

In last week’s “moment,” I presented some thoughts on the Post-Pandemic Church that were generated by a workshop sponsored by Canada West Mission Centre in January. The workshop challenged us to consider how the experience of living with COVID might affect our expectations of church after the pandemic.

This week, I want to be sure you take a few minutes to watch a video prepared by Apostle Art Smith on the topic, “All Voices Discerning Across Canada.”

Through the video Art is inviting all of us to participate with him in a conversation about discerning the future of Community of Christ in Canada. Art’s challenge is similar to that presented by the January workshop which, in turn, is consistent with the challenge of “Metamorphosis” that was presented by President Stephen Veazey in an article printed in the “Herald” magazine a year ago.

The point of all three of these “challenges” is that Community of Christ is anticipating a period of significant change over the next few years. “What!?,” you might exclaim, “Has the church not changed enough over the last few decades? Can’t we just stay the way we are for a while and catch our breath?” The realistic answer to that question is, “No.”

Church leadership must continue to look to the future to be sure we are financially secure. (Aside: See the very encouraging most recent Contributions Update that show: first, that we are now over $80 million towards the goal of $120 million for the “Bridge of Hope” campaign; and, second, that, despite the congregational and church facility closures of 2020, contributions to World Church Mission Tithes were within the budget goal range for the year!) Thank you to all who made or continued their generous gifts to the church! Adjustments to programming and staff must always be considered against the expected generosity of contributors from year to year.

Further, church leadership at all levels must continue to look to the future just to stay ahead of where church members are taking the church by their various levels and kinds of participation. Church members (and friends) strongly influence the direction of the church through their participation (or lack of it) at the local and mission centre level.

In the video Art mentions the efforts of the World Church Leadership Council to discern elements of the future for the church. Such discernment is only possible through prayerful consideration of the leadings of the Holy Spirit AND through direct involvement with, and understanding of, the priorities that are being expressed by members at local levels through the kinds of mission activities they are supporting (or not supporting).

These conversations all support each other and are intended to support both church members and leaders as we all try to discern Christ’s Mission in our communities and in today’s world. I invite your active participation in such conversations with your congregation, your mission centre, and your apostle!

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

Black Lives Matter
Indigenous Lives Matter
Lives of People of Colour Matter
 
For two Saturdays in January at least twenty-eight congregational leaders from Canada West and Canada East Mission Centres participated in a workshop on the theme: Exploring a Post-Pandemic Church: Discern, Plan and Act in Hope. The workshop was sponsored by Canada West and was facilitated by Joan and Carman Thompson from the Kitchener, Ontario, Community of Christ. For about five hours each day (plus homework assignments in between the days!) we were challenged to consider how the experience of living with COVID might affect our expectations of church after the pandemic.
 
Here is just one sample question from early in the workshop: What might be the difference between gathering together to follow a worship outline, versus gathering together to engage meaningfully in each other’s lives?
 
We discussed societal changes that are affecting the growth and ministry of Christian churches. We discussed models of doing things “To” people (typical of oppression and injustice), “For” people (typical of arrogance and band-aid solutions), and “With” people (typical of transformation, meaningful relationships, and, wait for it… “Mission!”). We talked about various experiences of exercises of discernment in our lives and in our congregations to determine what we felt God was calling us to do.
 
Here are some key phrases and challenges from the workshop that may be useful to you:

• If you were building a congregation “from scratch,” what would you include in it? What would you intentionally NOT include?
• “It is not about time; it is about direction. It is a long journey with no shortcuts. We must be willing to be shaped by the Spirit.”
• Consider the potential effectiveness of a small “mission group” of 2 or 3 or 4 people – not the entire congregation – with a commitment to determine one or two specific needs of the community they feel called to serve and feel the empowerment to go and do that.
• “How do we become Communities of Christ in a fearful world?”

 
Here are a couple of my own questions for you:

• What have you missed from your previous “normal” church life in the last 10 months? Will you do them any differently in the future?
• What have you NOT missed for the past ten months and may even dread having to deal with again when the pandemic restrictions are over? How could you do them differently in the future? Or could you just not do them at all?

As with all good workshops we came away with a few good ideas and lots more challenges.
 
I enthusiastically urge all congregation leaders and members to consider how we might “do church different” after the pandemic. We have had almost a year of doing church differently and I think we are actually surviving better than we thought we might have. What can you and your congregation learn from your experience and the experiences of others as you explore and build your post-pandemic church? This may be our opportunity to build the Community of Christ that we have always thought we could be!
 
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

Black Lives Matter
Indigenous Lives Matter
Lives of People of Colour Matter

How many stories do you know from the Bible? I know that today many people are not as familiar with Bible stories as they once were. There are many reasons for that – which is not the point of what I want to discuss today. Suffice it to say that some of you reading this will be able to name many Bible stories and others – well, not so much. And that’s okay!

I have many Bible stories that I have come to love and to respect over my lifetime. On this past Sunday I had the opportunity to use the Book of Jonah in the Hebrew Bible (or Old Testament) as a primary text for a sermon. If you are not familiar with the whole story of Jonah, I encourage you to look it up and read it. It is short – only 4 chapters and a total of 48 verses. But the writer of Jonah manages to pack a lot of action into those 48 verses!

If people know anything about Jonah, they know that he was swallowed by a giant fish (sometimes mis-characterized as a whale) and that he lived in the fish for 3 days and nights before being thrown up by the fish (sorry for the imagery!) on the seashore. From there he finally obeys God’s direction to go to the city of Nineveh. God asked Jonah to invite the people who lived there to repent of their evil ways. (To “repent” means “to feel such sorrow for sin or fault as to be disposed to change one’s life for the better.”[i]) The unstated assumption, at least on Jonah’s part, was that if the people did not repent God would bring destruction on the city.

The story tells us that Jonah went to Nineveh, walked about a third of the way across the city, stopped, and preached to the people only five words in Hebrew (8 in English): “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” (Jonah 3:4) From those few words the Ninevites responded! They did NOT throw Jonah out of the city! No – they repented! They, along with their king, committed to change their ways and they all wore “sackcloth and ashes” as a symbol of their humility and repentance.

If the story ended there, it would be a happy ending. But it continues with Jonah complaining to God that God did not follow through and destroy the city. Jonah felt that his credentials as a prophet had been undermined. But God responded that he simply could not ignore the well-being of that many people in such a large city after they had responded so positively to Jonah’s (very brief) sermon.

The lesson for Jonah and the book’s readers is that “a prophecy of destruction is meant…to educate and bring repentance.” Even for foreign nations (Nineveh was in a foreign nation outside the boundaries of Israel) “the prophecy of doom is a conditional prophecy that will come true only in the absence of repentance.”[ii]

Our God is a loving and patient God, always prepared to extend forgiveness when we stray from his expectations of how we should conduct ourselves. As humans we can never truly be “perfect”. In the eyes of God, we are always persons of worth and human beings subject to the unearned gift of forgiveness from God when we stray.

May God bless you as you seek to repent of old ways and try to do better in new ways.

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] Dictionary.com
[ii] New Oxford Annotated Bible, NRSV, 4th edition, p. 1302

Black Lives Matter
Indigenous Lives Matter
Lives of People of Colour Matter

New Reading for a New Year

Might you be interested in some new books for your reading pleasure in 2021? Let me share some titles that have recently appeared on the Herald House website.

Exploring Community of Christ Basic Beliefs: A Commentary is a contemporary successor to two previous editions of Exploring the Faith texts that were published in the 1970’s and 1980’s. The introduction to the book makes it clear that this work has been in the making for many years. The “commentary” is on the statement of Basic Beliefs of the church that was first released in 2009. This is part 1 of a 2-part series. It is currently only available as an e-book for purchase from Amazon.ca here. Of interest to Canada West readers will be that Shannon McAdam (Vancouver) is acknowledged as writing one of the chapters, and Kat Goheen (also from Vancouver) is acknowledged as a co-editor of a previous draft of the chapters.

Commentary on the Community of Christ Doctrine and Covenants, Volume 2, by the late former Apostle Dale Luffman, has just been released. This is a “must-have” for preachers, teachers, and students of church history and theology. This volume covers sections of the Doctrine and Covenants from 1860 to the present. Volume 1 covers earlier sections originating with Joseph Smith, Jr.

Just a warning: there is a “double-sticker shock” effect on these books. First, they are on the expensive side and the currency exchange rate only makes that worse for Canadian purchasers. Second, the shipping charges from Independence make the total expense nearly double the purchase price (that might be mitigated somewhat if you are ordering both books at the same time). Sadly, until we can travel into the U.S. again, we cannot just ask someone going to headquarters to pick them up for us. Mail-order is the only option.

The Non-Violent Life is written by John Dear (not a Community of Christ author). In follow up to the motion on non-violence approved by the 2019 World Conference, this text is an important resource for gaining some perspective on the issues surrounding the idea of non-violence and how individuals can pursue a lifestyle that actively supports non-violence. It is available in e-book and paperback format on Amazon.ca here, which enables avoiding U.S. dollar exchange and those shipping rates!

I will also just mention three other slightly older titles in case you missed them somehow.

God All Round is a book of personal stories and testimonies from former Apostle Linda Booth. It is also a manual that emphasizes the importance of storytelling in ministry and teaching. It is available as an e-book from Amazon.ca here.

A Way of Life: Understanding our Christian Faith, by Anthony Chvala-Smith, is a very readable theological consideration of Community of Christ faith. I am currently using this text as a discussion guide for our “Virtual Visiting Fellowship Meetings” each week (a shameless plug, just in case you are interested). The e-book version is on Amazon.ca here.

Choose Generosity: Discovering Whole-Life Stewardship, as you might expect, has been prepared by the Presiding Bishopric to promote a reasonable and faithful stewardship perspective among church members and friends. I could not find this book on Amazon in either Canada or the U.S.

I hope there is something here that “tweaks your interest” either for personal reading or perhaps for a study group at some point in the future.

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

Black Lives Matter
Indigenous Lives Matter
Lives of People of Colour Matter

Last week I provided information about programs and activities from Canada West Mission Centre coming up in the next two months. You can review that entry here. It includes summary program information and links to more details about each one.

I want to repeat the notice for this program coming up this weekend:

• Exploring a Post-Pandemic Church: Discern, Plan, and Act in Hope: This session will provide a focused opportunity to learn about, discuss, and begin discerning what church will look like once we emerge from the constraints of the pandemic. This workshop takes place over two Saturdays, 2 weeks apart (January 16 and 30). All congregational members and leaders are urged to participate in this workshop. We have had a good response to this workshop. In fact, we currently have more folks from Canada East registered than from Canada West! It would be great to have a last-minute influx of CWM people. Please register right away to take advantage of this important workshop.

Now on with THIS week’s message: Have you noticed that we are in a new year?

The theme scripture for this past Sunday from the church’s worship resources was the first five verses of the Bible:

1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. 5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
                            --Genesis 1:1-5, Authorized King James Version

What if we were to approach the new year as if it is a new creation? A new beginning? An opportunity to do things differently – and better?

This analogy may go sideways sooner than later, but bear with me for just a few more sentences… If we are leaving 2020 behind us and consider it to have been a less-than-ideal year, might we consider 2020 analogous to being “without form, and void” and perhaps even a place of darkness? And can we pray that the Spirit of God might move upon the face of our waters. And, oh, that God might command, “Let there be light!” And that “there (would be) light” to help show us the way through this new year. Surely, we would celebrate that evening and that morning being the divinely promising first day. And surely, we could promise God that we would celebrate that new creation and build the new year so much better than the last as each day succeeded the other.

Well – certainly, we can pray. And, most definitely, we can conduct our lives in this new year so as to recognize the points of joy that come our way as we are privileged to enjoy them. And may we give thanks to God for this new beginning and for the blessings that will come from it.

You can judge how well that hopeful and well-intentioned analogy worked for you. My intent and my conclusion is that 2021 is now upon us with a “blank slate” ahead for the next twelve months. It is up to us to make it a better year than the last one and, come next December, to be able to look back on it and declare with God that “it was good!”

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

Black Lives Matter
Indigenous Lives Matter
Lives of People of Colour Matter
 
Happy New Year to you! I hope that everyone has had a good experience over the Christmas and New Year’s period. Along with you, I look forward to 2021 with expectations of a better year.

For today’s message I will highlight the variety of programs and events that are already on our Canada West Mission Centre calendar for the first couple of months. There are MANY of them. Truly, there is a plethora, some would even say a cornucopia, of choices! Full information about all of these programs appears elsewhere in this week’s Weekly Wire. Here is the summary of what is upcoming – click on the links where you can find more details.

First, a cancellation announcement followed by a replacement announcement: The Canada West Mission Centre e-Conference (i.e., online conference) scheduled for Saturday, February 6, has been cancelled because of a lack of enough business to conduct that would justify the meeting. Check with me or with your Pastor for more details.
 
In its place an Online Ordination Service is being planned. It will be on the same date, February 6, and will begin at 10 a.m. Pacific Time/ 11 a.m. Mountain Time/ 12 p.m. Central Time. Two persons will be ordained: Brenda Senga (Saskatoon), to the office of Evangelist; and Doug Hayden (Calgary), to the office of High Priest. Both calls were approved at the 2019 Mission Conference in Edmonton. We will be using the principles and guidelines for offering the sacraments through online means provided by the First Presidency last fall. Watch for more details about this service in the coming weeks.
 
Here are three multi-session events that are highly recommended:

• Community of Christ Adult Lessons Online: Beginning Sunday evening, January 10. If you have been missing the in-person banter of Sunday morning discussions, here is your chance to regain a taste of it. Everyone is encouraged to participate in these classes if possible. There is no fee. Registration is required.

 

• Exploring a Post-Pandemic Church: Discern, Plan, and Act in Hope: This session will provide a focused opportunity to learn about, discuss, and begin discerning what church will look like once we emerge from the constraints of the pandemic. This workshop takes place over two Saturdays, 2 weeks apart (January 16 and 30). All congregational members and leaders are urged to participate in this workshop.

 

• Nurturing Spirit Retreat: This long-standing retreat was popular in its in-person format and retained most of its participation last year as one of our first on-line options early in the pandemic. It has a varied program with many excellent facilitators. It is scheduled for the last weekend of February (26th to the 28th); plan now to attend.

 
All of the following events also are scheduled in the next few weeks. Without providing any details here, follow the links to these events:

• Starting this week: selection of priesthood and other classes from Developmetrics. (Check for the possibility of joining late if you are seeing this after the start dates.)
• A series of several Creating Connection/Nurturing Spirit events including:
  • Afternoon of Nurturing Spirit
  • Coffee and Meaningful Conversation
  • Book Club
  • Satsang: Singing into Silence
• January 10: Climate Change Colloquy Series (note participation of President Veazey)

 
There is obviously LOTS of activities from which to choose. I invite you to register now in the events of interest to you.
 
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

Yes, in case you were wondering, even at Christmas:
Black Lives still Matter
Indigenous Lives still Matter
Lives of People of Colour still Matter
 
This afternoon, Marian and I served a 4-hour shift at the Edmonton Community of Christ to help distribute food hampers to clients of the Edmonton Food Bank. The church has served as a weekly depot for the Food Bank for many years. It is a good community service for the congregation. Today we received 32 hampers to serve 15 families. A “family” could be a single person receiving one hamper, or a family of 5 or 6 persons receiving up to four hampers. Today, all recipients were receiving with their hampers a frozen turkey or ham for their Christmas dinner. The people receiving hampers are all good people who have found themselves, usually temporarily, in need of the Food Bank services.
 
I had not been in the church building for at least two, maybe three, months. I was struck by how good it was to see and greet the three people we were relieving who had been at the church since mid-morning. Not just greet them, but greet them in person! (Yes, physical distancing happened. No hugs.)
 
There were some nice (artificial) poinsettias which had been placed in the foyer to add some Christmas colour to welcome our food bank guests. There was very pleasant instrumental Christmas music playing on the sound system. Still, it is sad to know that tomorrow evening, Christmas Eve, there will be no service here. No collective sharing of the Christmas story. No energetic community singing of favourite songs. Along with all of you, I miss the people. I miss the sound of visiting. I miss the laughter. I miss the sharing of the week’s stories. I miss the worship. I miss the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our worship services – especially at Christmas.
 
Let me end on a positive note. In our “Virtual Visiting Fellowship Meeting” this week I shared a video clip from “A Charlie Brown Christmas” in which Linus shares with his friends the “true meaning of Christmas” by reciting the story of the appearance of the angels to the shepherds and their message to them. Follow that link to see the clip yourself. (Watch for Linus symbolically dropping his security blanket just as he begins to quote the angels, “Fear not…”) Or, better yet, re-read the Christmas stories yourself: Luke 2:1-20 (the one with the shepherds) and Matthew 1:18 to 2:12 (the one with the wise men). Besides reminding you of the reason we celebrate Christmas, these stories can bring hope and encouragement in a year that has been lacking in positive community emotions.
 
Marian and I felt good about our minor role in helping ensure a few Food Bank clients had a happier Christmas. We look forward to our “virtual” gatherings with family over the next few days. We also look forward to returning to in-person congregational gatherings sometime in the new year.
 
I wish for each of you the best of the Christmas season. May you feel the blessings and promise of the birth of the baby Jesus. May you remember in your celebrations all of the blessings that may be a part of your life. May you also take time to remember those who need an interest in your prayers of support for the challenges they may be facing. And then, may we all look forward to a good and happy new year!
 
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

Black Lives Matter
Indigenous Lives Matter
Lives of People of Colour Matter
 
This coming Sunday (December 20) will be the last of the four Sundays of Advent. Advent is the first season of the liturgical year as supported by the “Revised Common Lectionary.” Some of you may be asking, “Steve – what does that sentence even mean?” Let me deal with those key terms in reverse order and ultimately concentrate on Advent.
 
The Revised Common Lectionary is a three-year cycle of weekly themes and related scriptures that cover the major stories of the Bible. It is around these themes and scriptures that the weekly Worship Resources are based, as published each year by Herald House. The Revised Common Lectionary has a history that I cannot summarize here but that is well documented in the introductory pages of the print version of our Worship Resources each year. The Revised Common Lectionary was adopted by the church in 1995 as a basis for our worship planning. Relevant scriptures from the Doctrine and Covenants and/or the Book of Mormon are added on most Sundays to ensure representation of our “additional witnesses of Jesus Christ” in our worship planning.
 
The “liturgical year” is the calendar of significant events in Christianity around which the Revised Common Lectionary is built. It includes the seasons of Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Holy Week, Easter, Pentecost and then “Ordinary Time” for the months between Pentecost and Advent. Other than Christmas and Easter, I associated those terms with other “main-line” Christian denominations – Catholic, Anglican, Presbyterian, Lutheran, etc. – from the time I first became aware of them (probably in high school) until well into young-adult-hood (early to mid-1980’s). Then we started to hold “Maundy Thursday” services just before Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Then Advent became part of our worship planning in the early 1990’s or so. And the other seasons became known to us as we became more familiar with the worship planning cycle.
 
“Advent” has two meanings in Christianity. It refers to “a time of preparation and penitence before Jesus’ birth” (Worship Resources). “Advent also refers to the second coming of Christ and the final judgment that accompanies the coming of the kingdom of God.” Also, “historically, Advent is a time of fasting and repentance, yet it has strong overtones of joy as the Christmas season approaches.” (Dictionary of Bible and Religion, Gentz) That “fasting and repentance” part has somehow escaped me for all these years. I generally look to the prevailing themes of hope, joy, peace, and love as precursors to the celebration of the birth of Jesus on Christmas. The “overtones of joy” have definitely taken precedence for me.
 
My hope is that you are enjoying the hope, joy, peace and love aspects of this Advent season. It has not been an easy year for us. Despite the restrictions on household gatherings in most areas, I hope you are being able to plan events that will enable you to be in contact – even if by phone or video conferencing tools – with your loved ones. This will undoubtedly be a Christmas that we will all remember for a long time – but for reasons that none of us anticipated last Christmas.
 
May you truly be able to celebrate this last Sunday of Advent with its emphasis on love. It is important that we remember and celebrate both the human love we have for one another and the divine love that is shared between God and each and every one of us.
 
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

Black Lives Matter
Indigenous Lives Matter
Lives of People of Colour Matter
 
I will return to the “We Share” series next week.
 
This column, “A Moment with the Mission Centre President,” got started back in March for the purpose of addressing the rapidly changing situation with the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the members and congregations of Canada West Mission Centre. The current situation with the pandemic of the last couple of weeks makes addressing it from a church context relevant again.
 
The ”second wave” of the pandemic was predicted almost from the very beginning of the “first wave” in the early part of this year. Further, it was predicted to be worse than the first wave. That is exactly the situation in which we find ourselves across Western Canada at this time: more diagnosed infections than in the spring; more people in hospital and in Intensive Care Units; front-line workers who are even more exhausted than in the spring; and, sadly, more deaths in all jurisdictions.
 
You, and your circle of friends, acquaintances, and associates, will all have experienced the last 8 months quite differently. You may or may not know people who have been infected – with or without symptoms, with or without hospitalization. You may or may not know anyone who’s death was attributed to COVID-19. You, or someone you know, may be confined to a continuing care facility where COVID-related restrictions have affected everyone, whether infected or not. Perhaps you or someone you know have had scheduled surgeries or treatments delayed due to the priority assigned to dealing with the pandemic.
 
The church gave initial direction on closure of congregations around the world in mid-March. This was followed by several updates up to, and including, the release of guidelines for cautious re-opening of congregations in late May. Over the summer, church leadership released guidelines for the conduct of sacraments (other than baptism) in situations where officiating priesthood members and receiving members could not be in close proximity to each other. On the more “business” side, guidelines were also released to help local jurisdictions hold meetings to conduct needed business using video-conferencing tools.
 
Pastors and leaders in all congregations in the Canada West Mission Centre have been doing what they can to maintain communication with members. Those efforts have included online meeting opportunities and/or regular messages or newsletters sent to members. I am also aware of some very intentional telephone ministry that has occurred to ensure contact is maintained, comfort is provided, and spiritual connection and support is reinforced. Over the summer some congregations were able to enjoy some outdoor activities that at least brought people together in a physically-distanced manner. Beginning in September some congregations initiated in-person weekly worship services while abiding by World Church and local health authority directives and guidelines. Most have discontinued in-person services again in the face of the “up-tick” in cases in their surrounding areas.
 
Our camps and retreats were cancelled in their usual in-person formats. Many were “re-incarnated” in online formats that appear to have been mostly well-received.
 
All of us are looking forward to getting back to some semblance of “normal” whenever circumstances allow. It is very likely that the new “normal” will be different from the old “normal” that we left behind in March. I expect that congregations will continue to offer online ministry for members and friends in some form. Camps and retreats may also very well continue some form of online components. Personal attendance and participation habits in all church activities have been interrupted by the pandemic and may or may not return to their habitual and traditional forms.
 
Our collective and individual experience of church and of our life of faith may be quite different in the months following the pandemic. The world and life, generally, certainly will be quite different as well. Speculation about all of that will need to wait for another time.
 
Let me close this review and summary with the affirmation that God, directly and through the Holy Spirit, continues to be with us and to bless us in all of our lives. A scripture shared in a “Virtual Visiting Fellowship” meeting this week seems appropriate to close with here:

Do not be discouraged. You have not been promised an easy path, but you have been assured that the Spirit that calls you will also accompany you. …
Do not be defined by the things that separate you but by the things that unite you in Jesus Christ.
(Book of Doctrine and Covenants, section 162:3a,5a)
 
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

Black Lives Matter
Indigenous Lives Matter
Lives of People of Colour Matter

Our first weekend-long online mission centre conference was surely a success by any measure. (Full disclosure: I am undoubtedly somewhat biased due to being so close to the organization process.) We started on Thursday evening with Debra Donohue leading a discussion on “Hopes, Ideas, and Concerns for Re-Opening our Doors” in which we talked about going back to church in our COVID-19 world. On Friday evening I lead a discussion on “Metamorphosis,” which meant ongoing change in the church as a result of budget restraints and cultural or societal evolutions. Saturday evening was a true highlight with guest minister Joey Williams leading an hour of “An Unprecedented Musical Event,” that challenged us to make music in ways that “never have I ever” done that before! It was fun! It was music! And it was truly active participation in our Zoom connections across the mission centre and beyond!
 
We conducted the business of the mission centre in our Pre-Legislative Session and our Business Meeting on Saturday. We elected and appointed people to various positions. We approved audit reports and budgets. We remembered those who have passed away since the last time we met. We celebrated significant life events in the lives of many of our members and friends. And we read reports on the activities around the mission centre from the past year – including a special report on our CWM Online Reunion and viewing a video of our online “CWM Virtually Together” Junior, Junior High, and Senior High Camps.
 
On Sunday we enjoyed a communion worship service with the theme, “Our Unprecedented Journey.” It included a beautiful opening ministry of music by the “Vancouver Ensemble,” a truly invigorating sermon by Joey Williams, ministry from Apostle Art Smith and Bishop of Canada, Dar Shepherdson, and all other worship components were provided by members of the Canada West Mission Centre, representing all four of our provinces, including the CWM Choir singing the closing hymn. Special thanks to the “Beyond the Walls” congregation from Toronto who’s organizational and technological support enabled our service to be shared with over 400 persons who logged onto the service through YouTube and many others who watched via Facebook. See the service again here: “Our Unprecedented Journey.”
 
Sunday afternoon concluded with a beautiful “Afternoon of Nurturing Spirit” with a theme of “Satsang: Singing into Silence,” hosted by Debra Donohue and featuring Vickie and Doug MacArthur leading us in singing and meditation. We also enjoyed a brief final appearance of Joey Williams.
 
The conference finally concludes this Wednesday evening with the Hills of Peace Campground Association “All Members Meeting,” involving members from Alberta and Saskatchewan.
 
It was truly a “long” weekend, but it was an exciting and fulfilling weekend. Thank you to all of the people (too many to name in this space) who planned, organized, and in any supported the conference events. And thank you to all of you who attended and lent your support through your presence and participation. I hope you all agree that it was truly a weekend to remember!
 
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

Black Lives Matter
Indigenous Lives Matter
Lives of People of Colour Matter

I have promoted the “Unprecedented” Canada West Mission Centre 2020 Online Conference in my messages for at least the last two weeks. Many of you will have received reminders about the conference as a whole and about specific sessions through your email. Consider this your last reminder from me. Events begin Thursday evening and continue Friday evening, most of Saturday, Sunday morning and afternoon, and concludes with a meeting on the following Wednesday evening. All of the details, including registration details, are available here. Note: Registration is required to ensure you receive log-on information for each event, but there is no fee for registration. This is a free event.
 
Let me just specifically highlight our Sunday morning worship service. Joey Williams will be our guest speaker and participants from across the mission centre will serve in the other roles in the service, including the debut performance of the Canada West Mission Centre Online Choir! We will celebrate communion in this service, so be sure to have your communion emblems (bread and juice) ready in your home or wherever you will be joining the service from. This service will be supported by the “Beyond the Walls” online congregation from Toronto. Access is available through this YouTube Link. The service will begin at 9 a.m. BC time, 10 a.m. AB and SK time, and 11 a.m. MB time.
 
(Raise hand, change topic.)
 
In the midst of preparing for our conference, the world around us just continues to do what the world around us always does. Life happens. Death happens. The miracle of new lives come into the world. The trials and tribulations, as well as the blessings of life continue to form the lives of everyone on the planet. People fall ill. Many recover. Some do not. The amazing experience of our human lives continues to come to a close for many people each and every day. Sometimes that final breath is expected and may even be celebrated for someone who suffered in the last days of their life. Sometimes that final breath comes suddenly, unexpectedly, sometimes accidentally, sometimes violently.
 
Earlier this week Clifford Olson passed away in the town of Porcupine Plain, Saskatchewan, where he had been an active member of the local Community of Christ congregation for many years. He was also well known at camps at Hills of Peace, often because of the inventive things he would bring along for some purpose – sometimes practical, sometimes just for the entertainment and enjoyment factor. I mention Cliff specifically because on February 17 he celebrated his 109th birthday! At the time an article in the local newspaper said he was Saskatchewan’s oldest person and Canada’s second oldest man. Cliff had a good and long life and he will be missed by his family and friends.
 
I invite you to pause as you read this to remember some significant event in your life or in the life of people close to you. Maybe a birth of a child. Maybe a graduation or a new job. Maybe a marriage. Maybe something as worldly as a new home or a new car. Or maybe the challenge of an illness or injury. Offer a prayer for the person(s) involved. As creations of God we are all miraculous manifestations of the divine spirit in our human forms. In the “busy-ness” of life may we always recognize the miracle that life is and appreciate every moment and blessing that we are given – even if we are given 109 and a half years of such moments!
 
I pray for you God’s blessings of understanding, hope, and peace in these challenging times.

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

Black Lives Matter
Indigenous Lives Matter
Lives of People of Colour Matter
 
The Canada West Mission Centre 2020 Online Conference will happen in a series of online events from Thursday evening, September 10, through Sunday afternoon, September 13 (plus the Hills of Peace “Members’ Meeting” on Wednesday evening, September 16).
 
The theme for the conference is “Unprecedented!” which, not surprisingly, comes from the over-use of the term to describe almost everything that was happening in the world early in the COVID-19 pandemic. This conference itself is “Unprecedented” in that we are meeting online instead of in-person. It is the first time since the Canada West Mission Centre formed in 2004 that an in-person conference has not been held on the Labour Day Weekend. I want to invite you to register for the event as a whole (there is no fee for this event) and encourage your participation in whatever sessions will be of most interest and benefit to you. The full program is available for you to review or download here.
 
There will be two unique opportunities to gain a better understanding of the Creating Connection initiative in the Canada West Mission Centre. Debra Donohue will host sessions on Thursday evening (modeling her “Coffee and Conversation” meetings) and Sunday afternoon (with “An Afternoon of Nurturing Spirit” featuring Vickie and Doug MacArthur).
 
Steve Thompson will make a presentation and moderate a discussion on Friday evening on the theme of “Metamorphosis,” highlighting an article by President Steve Veazey from the January/February “Herald” magazine. The session will deal with the challenges facing the church and some of the changes that have already occurred and that may happen in the future as we make our way through the first half of the 21st century.
 
On Saturday evening our guest minister, Joey Williams, will present “An Unprecedented Musical Event” for our enjoyment. Anyone who has enjoyed Joey’s ministry in the past will tell you that this should be an energetic and entertaining evening. He has invited us to, “Come ready to sing, compose, play whatever instruments (we) have available, and enjoy a fun-filled musical experience, together!”
 
A primary purpose of our conference weekend is to conduct the business of the Canada West Mission Centre. On Saturday morning we will participate in the “Pre-Legislative Session” to ensure we understand the business that we will conduct at the Business Meeting in the afternoon. Delegates have voice and vote in the Business Meeting. Everyone is invited to attend.
 
A second focal point of our conference weekend is always our Sunday morning worship service. Joey Williams will be our guest speaker and participants from across the mission centre will serve in the other roles in the service. We will celebrate communion in this service, so be sure to have your communion emblems (bread and juice) ready in your home or wherever you will be joining the service from.
 
Our conference will be different. It will be memorable. It will be “Unprecedented!” Please plan on attending!

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

Black Lives Matter
Indigenous Lives Matter
Lives of People of Colour Matter
 
I will get back to the “We Share” series next week. There are more pressing issues today.
 
That “Black Lives Matter” part of my banner above unfortunately needs to be highlighted again. I am sure I do not need to repeat much of the news of the last couple of days. Jacob Blake has been shot in the back by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin. He has survived but may be paralyzed from the waist down. More demonstrations have been held in response. More violence arising from the demonstrations. As a society we need to support and demand good policing. As a society we need to express the need for change when Black people continue to be subject to violence at the hands of police when other options appear to be available. The high-profile incidents seem to occur mostly in the United States. But as we have seen in the Canadian response to these incidents, Black Canadians, Indigenous persons, and people of colour in Canada have very similar and disturbing personal experiences to share. We all must increase our knowledge and awareness of such experiences and do what we can to create a safe society for all of its members.
 
From that rather serious societal issue, I need to move to the much more mundane business of the Canada West Mission Centre. Our annual mission conference will be held online this year. It will consist of a series of events beginning on Thursday evening, September 10, and concluding with a final meeting on Wednesday evening, September 16. A “brief” version of the schedule was released a couple of weeks ago. Please view the entire conference brochure here.
 
It is expected that the different events will appeal to different people across the mission centre. If you are a delegate, or just personally interested in the business of the mission centre, you will need to be a part of the Pre-Legislative Session and the full Business Meeting on Saturday morning and afternoon. If you are interested in knowing more about what “Creating Connection” is all about in Canada West, there will be sessions on Thursday evening and Sunday afternoon that you will not want to miss. On Friday evening there will be a presentation and discussion of current and expected changes in the church as raised in a recent article by President Veazey called, “Metamorphosis.” You will have a chance to get to know our guest minister, Joey Williams, in a session on Saturday evening, and then when he offers ministry as our speaker for our mission-centre-wide worship service on Sunday morning.

​Finally, members in Alberta and Saskatchewan will want to be a part of the Hills of Peace Campground Association “All-Members Annual General Meeting” on Wednesday evening. And that is your snapshot of this year’s conference. Watch for details about logon information in the week that events get underway.
 
I pray for you God’s blessings of understanding, hope, and peace in these challenging times.

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