Canada is suffering with lockdowns that are happening across the country.  Covid-19 and the variant Omicron make human contact further down the road. 

What does this mean to you?  Back to ZOOM church, family only gatherings, in some cases you are double masking and you may know someone who has the virus.  When will this end?  None of us knows. 

Where do you turn when you are feeling alone?  Reach out to someone else.  Call a church member, call a friend, chances are they are feeling isolated too!  Mail a card, thinking about that person even if all you do is put their address on the envelope and sign your name.  If you are computer savvy, you can be virtually in touch.

If it helps, yell at God, he will listen!  Pray about your situation and those who you wish you could help.

We are still in the first month of 2022 and it might help for you to think about what you want to do in the coming year and plan for it.  During Advent, we talked about the Hope that comes from the birth of Jesus Christ.  There are events being planned and an opportunity to attend virtually.  Look at the things coming up in the Weekly Wire.  What appeals to you?  Is this a time to start a class on line, both through the church or from your local learning centres?

Plan to be at reunion this year.  No promises from me that we will be able to gather at our camp grounds, but if the opportunity to gather happens, be ready!  What can you think of that you might be able to bring to reunion for yourself and maybe for everyone?  I have a project that I am gathering the supplies for. 

As I work on what I want to share, I think of who might be participating with me and I get a smile on my face! ​The time is now to plan for the future.   

​Yours in Christ,
Gwyn, Kat, and Shannon
gwyn@communityofchrist.ca
​kat@communityofchrist.ca
smcadam@communityofchrist.ca

In this bright new year, our thoughts naturally turn to the future. Since becoming one of your Mission Centre Presidents, I find my heart is quite tender toward our congregations. I see the effort and devotion offered by our congregational leaders. I yearn for our communities to experience nurturing, hope, and growth! At the same time, a wise friend reminded me yesterday to appreciate what we already experience in fellowship, and the ways we are touched by the gifts of Spirit and community.
 
In this new year, let us remember that all are called. Along with resolutions that focus on physical and economic well-being, please consider examining your discipleship. These questions may help:

• How is God calling me to grow and deepen?
• What gifts can I share in my congregation and community?
• How can I be present to what’s right in front of me?

Your pastor or Mission Centre Presidents would be more than happy to visit with you about your plan of spiritual response to God’s activity in your life. We can only grow and thrive together – the harvest is ready and all are called!

Happy New Year!  2022 has arrived with a world population that is striving to stay healthy.

The world lost a great humanitarian over the Christmas season.  Desmond Tutu lived a life of love for all.  He promoted his objective as “a democratic and just society without racial divisions.” To Archbishop Tutu, forgiveness and reconciliation were the "only truly viable alternatives to revenge, retribution and reprisal". "Without forgiveness," he said, "there is no future”.

Without forgiveness, there is no future.  The beginning of the year 2022 is when people make resolutions.  This year, forgive yourself and start the New Year with a renewed sense of self.  The sacrament of the Lord’s supper is a time of preparation and should include reconciling with others, confessing our faults, and asking for and offering forgiveness.

D & C Sec 163: 10a. Collectively and individually, you are loved with an everlasting love that delights in each faithful step taken.  God yearns to draw you close so that wounds may be healed, emptiness filled, and hope strengthened. b. Do not turn away in pride, fear, or guilt from the One who seeks only the best for you and your loved ones.  Come before your Eternal Creator with open minds and hearts and discover the blessings of the gospel anew.  Be vulnerable to divine grace.

Whenever we meet at the Lord’s table to partake in the Lord’s supper, we have the opportunity to begin anew.  What a great gift from God!

As we all look towards 2022 with hopefulness, we offer up this reflection and update from Lisa Neudorf.




​In the month of December my mind and thoughts begin looking forward past Christmas celebrations and thinking about what the new year will bring. As we approach 2022, foremost on my mind is what programming for Canada West Mission will look like. The word “gather” has been rolling around in my head and I am experiencing a yearning for us to gather in person. We have been fortunate to continue connecting and being part of a community where each of us feel accepted and loved for who we are. Our online community has expanded our borders, created connections and allowed new friendships which may not have otherwise occurred to grow from a distance. There is no doubt online gathering has been a blessing for us in difficult times and for those who simply have not been able to connect in person. That being said, we miss each other and it is my deep desire for us to live the best of both worlds by gathering both online and in person.

I am pleased to announce in 2022, the CWM Camping and Retreat programming will be known as Gathering Ministries. To gather means to bring together and ministry is the humble service offered according to the model of Jesus, who calls every disciple for the world (Sharing in Community of Christ, p. 37). In my heart, I feel the swell of God’s love and emotion confirming this is the direction we are to go in. In my head, I sing the “As we gather may your spirit work within us, As we gather may we glorify your name, Knowing well that as our hearts begin to worship, We’ll be blessed because we came.” Community of Christ Sings, 2013, Hymn 73.

JOY - Third week of Advent 

I live in a condo in the city.  When I sit out on my balcony at night, I look for stars.  I usually only see the brightest stars and there does not seem to be many, yet I know they are there.  Ambient light interferes with how many I can see.  When I am out on the farm, there is less ambient light and I see more of them.  I always look for the brightest star and think about the wise men who followed a star to find the newborn King.
 
Matthew 2 : 9-10
When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was.  When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy.
       
The wise men left King Herod to continue following the star till it stopped over the place where Jesus lay.  Would I notice a new star and followed that it across the horizon?  If I knew that I would see the Messiah, would I step out in faith and follow where it leads?  Look up at the sky tonight and remember the journey made by wise men to the manger that holds the Messiah, the King of the Jews.  Advent represents this star by a candle that reflects the joy that comes through Jesus’ arrival, and through the salvation he has gifted us. Think about your faith journey and where it has taken you. May you be filled with JOY this advent season!

Hymn 438 refrain - O star of wonder, star of night, star with royal beauty bright, westward leading, still proceeding, guide us to thy perfect light!

LOVE - Second week of Advent 

As I prepared for the December communion service, I thought about the ultimate gift of LOVE that we all received.  The baby born to Mary in Bethlehem!  This week is the second week of Advent and our thoughts have focused on LOVE. As the second candle is lit HOPE and LOVE are offered up in the form of a child, Jesus.  His birth, life and ultimately his death give us HOPE for eternal life.  The teachings he shared taught us the importance of LOVING one another.  We all do give gifts this time of year, but we can pass along Jesus’ gifts to others.
 
John 3:16
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
 
Material gifts are appreciated, but some gifts just feel right!  The gift of time serving in a kitchen at reunion, time given to prepare for Sunday school classes, time volunteering in the hospital auxiliary, time preparing for a Rotary club book sale, time filling boxes for a food bank, time gleaning fields for the food bank, time visiting someone in a nursing home, time taking someone to an appointment, time making cards to send to strangers and friends, time to shovel a neighbour’s walk, time … you get the idea.

Mark 12:30-31
you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
 
I have never given a gift as great as God gave us. Through Jesus Christ, we have been gifted with LOVE and Eternal life.  May you be gifted with Hope, Love, Peace and Joy !

​Yours in Christ,
Gwyn, Kat, and Shannon
gwyn@communityofchrist.ca
​kat@communityofchrist.ca
smcadam@communityofchrist.ca

HOPE - First week of Advent

This is the first week of Advent and as we move toward the day set aside for the birth of Jesus Christ, we are filled with Hope!
 
Hope this Christmas season is for good health!  I am hopeful that we are learning to live with COVID, masks, social distancing and health passports.  There is hope that, with vaccines, our health care workers will get some relief from their long days and hard work. 

Hope this Christmas season is for a healthier planet!  I am hopeful that we are learning how to care for the earth, that we can reverse some of the damage that has been done and slow down climate change.  There is hope that the world leaders will work together to reduce our carbon footprints.

Hope this Christmas season is for a true awareness that every child matters!  I am hopeful that we are learning to respect each person’s differences and that we are learning to look for our similarities. As we grow in knowledge of others and we turn to God to bless us with understanding of others, the new year will bring blessings to everyone.
 
​May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13 

As “Giving Tuesday” fast approaches, we offer up this reflection on generosity from our Bishop of Canada, Dar Shepherdson. Watch your email the next few days for invitations to share generously!

Tithing: God’s Grace in todays world

When I was 8 years old, in our pre-baptismal class we were told that tithing was 10% of our income, this thinking has long been the traditional thinking within Christianity and one I accepted without question – and I meticulously recorded my dimes and quarters as income and faithfully gave 10%.

A few years later the Church’s position on tithing had morphed from 10% of income to 10% of “increase”, again without much question I meticulously categorized my expenses as necessities or increase and paid my 10% accordingly. In looking back, it was interesting that most of the deep discussions we were having about tithing was not that the premise of giving had changed but “what constituted a necessary expense”.

Little did I realize that even these accounting discussions were my early introduction to the discernment process and into what it meant for us to become a prophetic people.

You have been given the principles of generosity, rightly interpreted for a new time. These principles call every disciple to tithe faithfully in accordance with means and capacity.
—Doctrine and Covenants 162:7c

The giving of our tithing from our generosity or capacity is not an end to our responsibility but the beginning of our becoming the embodiment of Jesus the Peaceful One in extending his Grace to a world in need through our generously giving.

The tithing dollars we generously give should support all the jurisdictions of the Church equally – Local, Mission Centres, and Worldwide Mission, and it is our responsibility not only to use these funds wisely within our own congregations but to faithfully support others who are also bringing hope and peace in areas throughout the world where we cannot.

In a recent Daily Bread article Michele McGrath introduced me to a book “A Bigger Table” where the author John Pavlovitz suggests there are two kinds of Christians: those who see sin and those who see suffering. When we begin to recognize and see suffering, our tithing truly becomes an act of generosity, an extension of God’s Grace – fulfilling God’s call to be a prophetic people.

Last night, a friend of mine wryly commented that we’ve been hearing warnings in the West this year, with pandemic restrictions to start us off and then the heat dome, drought, massive wildfires, and now unprecedented rainfall and flooding. This weekend we have watched roads and train tracks in BC wash away, and we have all heard stories of families stranded, homes lost, and movement of people and goods brought to a standstill. If you are affected by these events, please reach out to us at the Mission Centre! We are here for you.

As people of faith, we react to these events not just with fear and pragmatism, but also with the spiritual vision of our hearts. We believe in the Sacredness of Creation, so we groan along with creation when the balance gets upset. We believe that God cares deeply about the condition of all creatures, and so we care as well. It is becoming clear that our lifestyles affect this loss of balance with creation. How do we respond?

To paraphrase Thomas Merton, when we care passionately about an issue, our first responsibility is not to preach on street corners and try to change other people’s minds. He says, “Just take the time to become what you profess to be. Then you will know what to do.” Our inner work reveals the natural outflow of our heart’s commitments.

As we enter this season anchored around giving, let us remember our hearts’ pull toward the Sacredness of Creation. Let us listen to our hearts and to the still, small voice that teaches us how to walk lightly on the earth. Let us not walk in fear, but have reason for the hope that is within us.

Kat

​Yours in Christ,
Gwyn, Kat, and Shannon
gwyn@communityofchrist.ca
​kat@communityofchrist.ca
smcadam@communityofchrist.ca

Where does your mind go when you see the Poppy?  Do you wear a poppy on your jacket in November? 

Remembrance Day is commemorated on November 11th each year and marks the end of World War I in 1918. The armistice took effect at eleven o'clock in the morning - the "eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month."

November is the month that we honour the military personnel who have defended both our borders and other international borders.  I know some who have been part of both Canadian and US military and I want to thank them for their service.

How do we align our mission initiative “Pursue Peace on Earth” with the need to have a military that is here in Canada and operates through the world when asked? Canada has been known to participate with the UN in peacekeeping operations.   The Canadian military has been called upon in the last 2 years to assist the health care teams “fighting” COVID - 19.  They have gone into care homes and hospitals.  They have established care places in school gyms and warehouses and helped the health care system any way they could.

Many people have benefited with getting education paid through the military and all they have to give is time as an active military member. 

Approximately 118 Canadians were serving in peace operations as of 31 August 2021 (58 in UN missions).

Pause for a moment when you see a Poppy and  remember that we have our freedom of religion and speech and live a more peaceful existence than most. 

Lest We Forget

Our First Weekly Wire column!
 
Hello from your new Mission Centre President Team! We are so excited to share our first Weekly Wire column. We want to start by saying thank you for the notes and greetings of support we have already received. We are so happy to hear from you.
 
The three of us would like to take this opportunity to give a warm thanks to Steve Thompson on behalf of the entire Canada West Mission Centre. Steve has modeled servant ministry in his seven-year tenure as Mission Centre President and has helped us be sustainable by serving as both Mission Centre President and Chief Financial Officer for a time, and by taking us into the territory of volunteer leadership even through the difficulties that COVID have presented us. His connections throughout the Mission Centre are strong, and he has shown by example how to strengthen the body of Christ in Western Canada. We wish Steve well, we're glad he's not disappearing, and we offer our sincere thanks!
 
We would also like to share an update with you on how we are moving forward with some aspects of our new MCP role. This is a “work in process” as we discern how best to serve in this shared leadership model. One of the metaphors we’ve been using to describe ourselves is Kat being the heart, Gwyn the hands, and Shannon the head! But you will often find us cc’ing one another on emails so we can all stay in the loop on what’s going on. When in doubt, email all three of us.
 
Here is how we are beginning to share out the work:

• Kat will serve in the role of Pastor to the Pastors, and will follow the currents of Spirit as they lead from there.

 

• Gwyn will be the liaison for the President team on the 2 campground boards. Gwyn is hoping to visit Hills of Peace in the spring of 2022. She also would like to be the team’s person in touch with the non-resident church members. Gwyn will also take on the registrations for ministers to perform marriages in different provinces. As we step into this position, there will be other things that Gwyn hopes to help with and participate in. Gwyn looks forward to meeting with all of you in person. 

 

• Shannon will take on the staff supervision aspect of the role to ensure these talented folks have the support they need to serve the Mission Centre alongside us. Shannon is our de-facto meeting convenor and facilitator/chairperson. She is also very excited to encourage and support new expressions of ministry and mission around the mission centre.

 
We are keen to mobilize as many volunteers as we can to support the mission centre, so we humbly ask you to share with us what aspects of Christ’s mission in Canada West speak to your heart and calling. Financial stewardship? Camping? Spiritual formation? Innovative new ministry ideas? Leadership development? Diversity and inclusion? Truth and reconciliation? Care for creation?
 
As we reflect on what a Mission Centre is, perhaps we may sometimes think of it as a president and staff, or as a once-a-year conference gathering, or perhaps gathering at camp, but really, the Canada West Mission Centre is you! And it’s us, and it’s a large, interconnected group of diverse disciples who are moving toward the Peaceful One together.
 
Our email inboxes are ready and waiting for those of you who feel the call to serve, and to those who have questions and wonderings.
 
Yours in Christ,
Gwyn, Kat, and Shannon
 
kat@communityofchrist.ca
gwyn@communityofchrist.ca
smcadam@communityofchrist.ca

This is my last weekly message as the Canada West Mission Centre President. (My apologies that it is a bit long!)

On November 1 the new Mission Centre President Team will assume their responsibilities – and among those responsibilities will be this column for next week and for each week thereafter. Watch for it!

The focus of this column is to express to all readers how much I have enjoyed being your mission centre president since July 2014. It has been a wonderful seven years for me with many blessings of God’s spirit to assist me.

This ministry has given me many fulfilling opportunities to interact with members from across the mission centre. I have worked with and supported Pastors, Financial Officers, and other leaders from all our congregations from Winnipeg to Victoria. Let me affirm the welcoming and accepting congregations that comprise the Canada West Mission Centre. It has been a privilege to meet with members in all congregations multiple times over the years.  Similarly, the chance to enjoy the fellowship of our annual reunions and family camps at Hills of Peace and Samish Campgrounds have been true highlights. Let me also affirm the beauty of God’s creation exhibited in the Canadian landscape from the prairies to the mountains to the ocean coast.

I need to express my sincere appreciation to the staff of the Canada West Mission Centre for their work and accomplishments over the years, for their true professionalism, and for their enthusiasm for the mission of Community of Christ. If it were not for the work of Lisa Neudorf, Debra Donohue, and Sandra Rodriguez, we would not enjoy the quality of programming, communications, and creative expressions of the church that we might take for granted. If not for Sam Smalldon as mission centre financial officer our finances might not be in good order, and they would not be in the strong position they are now. If not for the work of Linda Klughart as our recorder and inputting contribution data, our membership rolls would not be up to date and our tax receipts would not arrive on time. I also want to acknowledge our now-retired mission historian, Anita Bates, who promoted the significance of maintaining congregational and mission histories each year and developed a truly positive impression for the mission centre in the eyes of the World Church Archivist and Librarian. Let me also acknowledge the significant role of Parker Johnson for his five years of service to the mission centre and the Calgary congregation in so many different ways.

The support from our Apostle, Art Smith, and the Bishop of Canada, Dar Shepherdson, has been fully appreciated and accepted in more ways than can be adequately stated. And thanks to John Glaser, our President of Seventy, for his enthusiastic support and encouragement.

My thanks to the members of the Mission Centre Advisory Council for serving in that role (Carl Bolger, Shannon McAdam, Caitlyn D’Esterre, Denise Esch, Corleen McLean, and Stan Freer). I am only sorry that I did not use their skills more frequently. That is my loss.

There are many other volunteers who I cannot adequately recognize here who contribute their time, expertise, and enthusiasm as event directors and staff to ensure that camps, retreats, and reunions are planned and operate effectively and safely. Others work in congregations doing work that is somewhat invisible, even to the rest of their members, that keep buildings operating, ensure worship and other programs happen, and undertake communications methods to keep members informed about what is happening from week to week and month to month. The same appreciation must be expressed to our campground board members and staff who ensure that those facilities are available for our use and enjoyment.

My prayer for the Canada West Mission Centre is multi-faceted. I pray that congregations can find ways to strengthen themselves, to be of true service to their surrounding communities, and to avoid further decline in membership or participation. I pray that the next seven years will show growth in the church in western Canada. I pray that we can find relevancy in the lives of young adults and young families and enjoy the vibrancy that they can bring to congregations and camps and reunions. I pray that the lessons learned during the pandemic of the usefulness of technology in our congregational and mission centre operations will be reinforced and continue to be implemented.

Mostly I pray that each of you will find meaningful ways to support your new Mission Centre President Team: Shannon McAdam, Kat Goheen, and Gwyn Beer. They have taken on the role in a truly experimental manner: trying to divide the MCP role between them as volunteers while carrying on other commitments to their employers, families and home congregations at the same time. Please watch for ways to support these energetic and creative people as they begin to lead the Canada West Mission Centre in new and exciting ways.

My friends, with the strength and assistance of God’s Holy Spirit, it has been my pleasure and my privilege to serve with you in pursuit of the mission of Jesus Christ. I look forward to continuing my relationship with many of you in the years to come. I may be retiring as Mission Centre President, but I am not going away!

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 (Retired)
steve@communityofchrist.ca

Every week on Wednesday morning I get an email from Sandra Rodriguez reminding me that my message for the Weekly Wire is due that day. Then she asks, “Are there any other announcements?” Despite writing this column almost every week for the last 19 months, I actually occasionally forget about it, so Sandra’s reminder is always appreciated. In response to that second question – sometimes there is another announcement (or two), but most times there is not.
 
Today you will see an announcement elsewhere in the Weekly Wire about the Advent Service that will be webcast by the Community of Christ headquarters, but which will involve participants from around the world. I know from the last couple of these services that it will be a good experience. I encourage you to add it to your calendar and to tune in.
 
After I asked Sandra to add that announcement to today’s information, I realized there are actually a number of interesting events coming up that are also highlighted on the church’s “Announcements” page. I will briefly profile a few other events that I think may be of interest to some members and friends.
 
The first two announcements you will see are financial in nature: an announcement about the availability of the 2020 audit and then a promotional note about the “Generosity Cycle and links to information about how and why you should be involved.
 
After that is the schedule for the next round of “Historic Sites Lectures” over the next month. For those of you with an interest in church history this could be fascinating. Presentations will be made about various aspects of Community of Christ history in Wales, in the former “Iron Curtain” countries of Eastern Europe, in Australia, and in England. I know at least three out of the five presenters named. I am sure you will enjoy what any one of them have to say.
 
Then comes the announcement about the Advent Service on December 12.
 
Next is notice of “Free Earth Stewardship Lessons” on the Herald House website. If you ever think about what meaningful things you can do as an individual or a family/household to help care for the future of our planet, this link is for you!
 
Then a very useful announcement warning about scam emails that may appear to come from church leaders. Sadly, this announcement appears every few months because it is an ongoing concern. Be aware! And do not be taken in by these scams!
 
Then comes an announcement about the latest round of “Witness the Word” videos that were released late in the summer. I know some congregations use these videos during worship services for both main messages (sermons) and for their Disciples’ Generous Response moments. You can view and download them on the Community of Christ website. (Tip: the page will appear empty. Select “Video” from the list on the left, then click on “Submit” and the list of videos will appear. The first six videos with the date July 2021 are the ones highlighted by the announcement.) They are also available for playback on YouTube. Your Pastor also should have received a CD with the videos sometime in the last few weeks.
 
The last two I will highlight have both a mission and a financial component. First is “Responding to Haiti’s Devastation” that describes the church’s response to needs in that country following the recent earthquake. And, finally, there is an update on the “Bridge of Hope” campaign. The good news on this is that the church is within $27million of its $120m goal! That goal seems more and more attainable by January 1, 2024!
 
If you want to be kept up to date on announcements from World Church you can choose what you want to hear about regularly from the “Subscriptions” page.
 
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 discussed the importance of symbols in our lives. Here is a potent symbol in Community of Christ: Zion.
 
In our “Virtual Visiting Fellowship” groups this week we have discussed Zion, with a focus on four hymns from Community of Christ Sings. These included (with selected lines):
 
#386, “The Cause of Zion Summons Us,” by Geoffrey Spencer
“The cause of Zion prophecies the future yet to be,
When men and women everywhere shall walk in dignity.
We now anticipate the day when pain and tears shall cease,
When humankind shall live as one in righteousness and peace.”
 
#622, “Send Forth Your Light, O Zion,” by Roy A. Cheville
“Send forth your life, O Zion! Not for yourself alone
Have come life-giving powers by which the soul has grown.
Your promise builds a people well-skilled in mind and hand.
Your life is like a leaven of hope in every land.”
 
We also looked at these two hymns:
#381, “Come Now, Sound the Call of Zion,” written by Eric Selden
#390, “Onward to Zion,” by Frederick M. Smith
Other hymns with Zionic themes were referenced by members of the groups.
 
The idea of Zion has been a beacon and a guiding light through most of the church’s existence. Joseph Smith, Jr., first identified Zion as a city in the prophet Enoch’s time in section 36 of the Book of Doctrine and Covenants. It was described as the “city of holiness” and was said to have been taken up into heaven in its entirety. Thus, it became a goal to recreate Zion on earth.
 
What has been your experience with the notion of Zion? Is this actually a new term for you? Or might you have family members who “gathered to Zion” (i.e., Independence, Missouri – the “Centre Place of Zion”) at some point in the past? Perhaps you are old enough to remember the rare references to Zion in the 1980s and 1990s. (No particular reason for that – it just seemed to happen.) Perhaps you have been pleased to see a somewhat renewed emphasis on Zion as a concept and goal, but something that represents community wherever it can be established, not a limited location.
 
Room does not permit a greater discussion of Zion. Let me just encourage you to consider what it might mean to you. There are many resources published by the church – some current, some rather old and historic. Let me know if you would like to be pointed in the direction of anything specific.
 
I will close with these two comparatively recent references to Zion from the Book of Doctrine and Covenants.
 
This compelling and motivational verse is often missed as it is the closing verse of section 156, which authorized both the ordination of women and the planning for construction of the Temple:
 
Dear Saints, have courage for the task which is yours in bringing to pass the cause of Zion. Prepare yourselves through much study and earnest prayer. Then, as you go forth to witness of my love and my concern for all persons, you will know the joy which comes from devoting yourselves completely to the work of the kingdom. To this end will my Spirit be with you. Amen.
Section 156:11:a,b; given through Wallace B. Smith, President of the Church Independence, Missouri, April 3, 1984
 
And this verse is possibly responsible for the “rebirth” of the concept of Zion as a prominent feature in Community of Christ:
 
Heed the urgent call to become a global family united in the name of the Christ, committed in love to one another, seeking the kingdom for which you yearn and to which you have always been summoned. That kingdom shall be a peaceable one and it shall be known as Zion.
Section 161:6b; given through President W. Grant McMurray, April 2000.
 
It is my prayer that our movement may always look towards developing the “spiritual conditions” (see D.&C. section 140:5c) that will bring the ideals of Zion closer.
 
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

Symbols are amazing things in our society. Words can be symbols. Pictures can be symbols. Corporate logos are symbols. Names of people – famous or infamous, successful or not-so-much – can be symbols. Even geographic names can be symbols that evoke some imagery in our mind. Religion is full of symbols. I have not yet named any examples and yet I am sure that you have been thinking of examples in your own mind of each one of these categories. As you have thought of those symbols, what related thoughts have come to mind? What emotions have you felt? What memories have come back to you? That is the entire point of symbols: they mean much more than what appears on paper (or on our TV or computer screens or on signs along our streets and highways or on products in our homes).
 
Earlier today I accepted a phone call from a person conducting a survey. He would not tell me for whom the survey was being done. I suspect it was for either a political party or a media organization. The questions were all about issues and politicians in Alberta. I was surprised at how emotionally charged I felt by the end of the 8-minute interview. The questions were framed as neutral. But the images that the terms evoked in my mind brought on more strong feelings than such questionnaires usually do.
 
Immediately after the survey I was listening to a program on CBC radio. It included an interview with an Indigenous artist who had been commissioned by her city to design an art installation to take the place of a now-removed statue of a prominent Canadian politician with historic connections to the design of Indian Residential Schools. I was struck by the depth of negative emotion that the artist had felt in the presence of the statue – for her it was a symbol of oppression and racism. I was further struck by the assumption by the city that an indigenous art installation would be received more positively by the community at large – as a symbol of reconciliation and cultural understanding. I hope and believe that the city is right. It is likely that the artist’s work will be recognized and positively celebrated for much longer than the politician’s statue existed in that space.
 
What symbols are truly important to you? Which ones evoke positive emotions, perhaps happiness or commitment? Which ones evoke negative emotions, perhaps anger or shame?
 
I am going to name and briefly discuss two potent symbols. I need to clearly acknowledge that these symbols will mean different things to different people – as symbols often do. Please consider your own emotions and beliefs that are either sustained or challenged by these symbols.
 
The cross. What image is first evoked by that word? Do you see Jesus nailed to an imperial symbol of punishment, torture, and death? Do you see a crucifix intended to symbolize Christ’s death as atonement for the sins of all humans? Do you see an empty cross intended to symbolize the risen Christ as the promise and potential of eternal life for all humans? Do you, perhaps, see another one of many representations of the cross that has been used through the centuries to symbolize things we still consider good and honourable or things we have come to regard as evil and regrettable? If you are a “church member of a certain age,” do you remember debates about including a cross in a sanctuary or on the exterior of a new church building?
 
The Community of Christ logo of the lamb laying down with the lion with a child standing comfortably with them. What thoughts or feelings does that image bring to you? Does it realistically symbolize peace for you? Do you connect it to prophetic scripture from the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament? Do you have memories related to our “church seal?” Do you have any negative associations with this image?
 
I have asked many questions in these few paragraphs. There are no right or wrong answers to any of them. They are simply your answers. In another set of circumstances, the questions and answers would lead to some very interesting discussion. If you feel inclined, please respond to me at my email address which you can find below.
 
Meanwhile, I simply encourage your awareness of the symbols that surround us in our 21st century lives. Understand why you recognize them. Understand your responses to them.
 
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 have brought back the three-line header as a reminder that the issues of prejudice, discrimination, and racism continue to plague our society. The focus today is on “Indigenous Lives Matter.”
 
Thursday, September 30, 2021, will be the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The day has been established by the federal government of Canada to provide an opportunity for all Canadians to reflect on the legacy of Indian residential schools specifically, and the effects, generally, of other examples of systemic racism experienced in the daily lives of Indigenous persons in this country.

Beginning in early July, I have been participating in an online course called “Indigenous Canada,” which is offered through the University of Alberta. Topics covered included the fur trade and other exchange relationships, land claims and environmental impacts, legal systems and rights, political conflicts and alliances, Indigenous political activism, and contemporary Indigenous life, art, and its expressions.

We have had a weekly discussion group of people from Canada West Mission Centre (and a few from Canada East) to debrief what we heard and saw in each week’s presentations. It has been an informative and illuminating experience and I encourage anyone to check it out. The course is available for free.

The course has provided much food for thought as I consider the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The course presented excellent history and background on the experience of the Indigenous community in Canada over the last 150 years – and really the last 500 years. I am still considering what kind of a response it requires of me to be supportive of the initiatives of reconciliation.

For a quick (or in-depth, if you choose) introduction to the issues of reconciliation, consult the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, and especially their resources supporting “Truth and Reconciliation Week.”

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation has been set on September 30 because that is the date used in recent years to mark “Orange Shirt Day.” I won’t take up space here to tell that story. You can read about in the words of the woman who had her orange shirt taken from her on her first day at a residential school here.

When we act to support reconciliation with Indigenous persons, I suggest that we are being consistent with Jesus’ statement of the “second” commandment (after “love the Lord your God…”): “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:39) We also give expression to a number of our church’s “Enduring Principles,” including “Worth of All Persons,” “Pursuit of Peace (Shalom),” and “Unity in Diversity.”

Even if you are reading this after September 30, I encourage you to give some thought to the priority of reconciliation in our communities and what role you might find to personally support those efforts.

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

​Today I will highlight two events that you might have missed that may be worth going back to have a look at, and two events that are coming up that will certainly be worth putting on your calendar.
 
First, did you know that Wednesday, September 22, was officially designated by the United Nations as the “International Day of Peace?” In recognition of this event the daily prayer for peace from the Temple in Independence focused on this theme. Here is the announcement from the World Church Announcements page that provides the links relevant to the Daily Prayer for Peace:
 
International Day of Peace Online Event on 21 September
An online observance of Daily Prayer for Peace will focus on the International Day of Peace.
Apostles Richard James, Mareva Arnold, Janné Grover, David Nii, Art Smith, Bunda Chibwe, Robin Linkhart, and Carlos Enrique Mejia recorded sections of the service, which can be seen on the Community of Christ Facebook page. (NOTE: You may need to scroll down to find the recording of the service.) Some portions of the event will be in English, some in Spanish, and some in French. Participants can follow the script online. You do not need to be a Facebook member to watch the video.
 
Second, did you know that this past Sunday, September 19, was “Heritage Day” for Community of Christ? This is an annual day intended to encourage some concentration on the church’s rich history. You might enjoy watching a recording of the Beyond the Walls Service from Toronto, which consisted of a festival of hymns from different eras of the church as well as presentations of historical information by various persons.
 
Coming up THIS SATURDAY, September 25, is the official unveiling of the “Testimony Tapestry” website. See the full announcement elsewhere in this edition of the Weekly Wire.
 
Then, in follow up, don’t miss the Beyond the Walls Service the next day, Sunday, September 26, for a special service also highlighting “A Tapestry of Testimony.” Watch it live on YouTube or catch a recording of it later at the same link.
 
These weekend events will both feature Apostle Art Smith presenting this unique and important project to bring together voices of testimony from across Canada.
 
I hope you will enjoy some or all of these online opportunities.
 
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’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