Join us for this year's Nurturing Justice Retreat and make a change in our world!

When: April 22-24
Where: See poster above
Registration via email: nurturingjustice@gmail.com
Please RSVP for more details. All events are free of charge, come to one or all!

“Before any change comes chaos.”
 
My sacred movement teacher shared this truth from quantum physics with us during our meditation this morning. It led me straight into the drama of Holy Week. Did the disciples read their way into a new reality with Jesus? Did they meditate their way in? No, the new reality did not come from a bloodless birth or over the internet or through a book. Not even from a pulpit! The new reality of God’s love in Jesus Christ came through very gutsy things: betrayal, pain, scorn, abandonment.

              “What wondrous love is this, o my soul:
              What wondrous love is this, that caused the Lord of life
              To bear the painful cross for my soul.”

What cross do you bear? If the answer isn’t immediate, let me ask: What chaos are you in right now? I do not believe that we can expect to live into a new reality as Community of Christ here in Western Canada without some chaos. I certainly don’t believe we can think our way into it! If I can believe that Jesus was still held by God during the events of his passion, then I can believe that we find ourselves held by God during difficult conversations about finances, about relevance, about COVID, and about ‘what’s next’. We honour the name we share with Jesus when we humbly hold the remembrance of Holy Week. Let us share the last supper. Let us stay awake with Jesus. Let us gather close as we can as he is tried and beaten. Let us gaze on the cross. Let us be prepared for a tomb, and a stone, and a magnificent wondering: What is this new reality being born?

On Sunday we were encouraged in our worship services to share generously. I’ve had this on my heart as I’ve been driving around the city. There are so many blossoms, and pollinators, and more sunshine than I’m used to seeing! Both the Bible and the natural bible of creation give us abundant examples of generosity. God is love, we love God, so why is sharing hard for us?

Like meditation or prayer, generosity can be practiced and strengthened. Our ‘muscle’ for generosity is our heart. Jesus famously had no place of his own to lay his head, and we have lots of options for our comfort, so this can be tricky work for us.

How can we practice generosity? First, we can increase our awareness of troubles both near and far. Then we can soften into awareness of our capacity to give while overcoming our fears of being overwhelmed. We can pray that God’s will be our will – God’s heart our heart. When we want to treat ourselves, we can also treat someone else. When we hear of refugees, either in the global north or south, we can send money along with our prayers to organizations that we trust, including our church. In the end, generosity comes down to trust – trust that we won’t be abandoned or left helpless if we share what we have and care about the needs of others. Trust that there is enough for all.

As we head toward Holy Week along with Jesus, let’s really listen to what he says in his last sermons about the flowers of the fields and about abiding in Him. Let’s build our relationship with Jesus and our capacity to trust.

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

​Turn to the spirit within you!  As we approach Easter,  look around your world in wonder and appreciation.  

​As snow starts to melt, green grass returns, flowers start to sprout, and the world reawakens. I am privileged to be staying on a beef farm.  I came to the farm yesterday to new birth! A little calf! Joy, hope and a peaceful feeling came over me. I said a prayer for momma and baby thanking God for being there when I was not…from the very heart of a suffering, sacred world.

Our world is in turmoil.  There is a sense of desperation about the war in Ukraine, the next COVID wave in China, news about the increase in racist attacks in Canada and the need to reverse climate change on the planet.

Where do you turn?  Do you wonder how all this affects you?  Do you wonder what you, as one person, can do to make a difference?

Turn to the spirit within you!  Use the tools that you have been taught and the tools we are being given.  I have been very appreciative of the Daily Bread Lenten practices that are offered to guide us.

Daily Bread - March 15, 2022
A Vision

Reads in part...
​
There IS a vision greater
There IS a Spirit moving
There IS a deeper yearning
That means something real

There IS a God creating
And re-creating still
Who continues to call out
In the caverns of your soul
From the very heart of a
Suffering, sacred world.

Read full reflection and scripture here

We are getting closer to Easter.  Our themes from World Church have been our guide.  Enter the Wilderness, Count the Stars and Seek the Lord!  Isaiah 55:6 “Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near”.

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

Our "Green Session" of e-learning classes and MEADS are open for Canadian enrollment starting on March 2.

The following classes are open for a limited enrollment:​​

• Introduction to Scripture (SS400): 8 weeks, April 2-May 27
• Ministry of the Teacher (MP303): 6 weeks, April 2-May 13
• Ministry with Latter-day Seekers: 4 weeks, April 2-April 29
• Children and Youth Workers Core Training: At your own pace for 2 weeks. Starts April 2 and continues until late May
• MEADS - "Living Grace and Generosity": April 25-29 Click here for more info. 

To enroll, go to developmetrics.org and click on the "Canadian Registration Form".

​Classes cost $7.50 each, MEADS class cost $30 and should be paid before class via eTransfer to: cwm_mcfo@communityofchrist.ca

​Should you have any questions, please contact David Lloyd. 

Join us for the online follow-up conversation on:

• Sunday, April 3, 2022 at 2pm PT/ 3pm MT/ 4pm CT/ 5pm ET

Join us in exploring uncomfortable truths about systemic injustices and issues of conflict connected to climate change.  Go deeper, opening yourself to the lessons provided by marginalized communities in touch with creation.  Along with ethnic and indigenous leaders, we can unite to find a more hopeful way forward.   

All sessions are free and participation in previous webinars and conversations is not necessary to join. ​​If you registered for a past webinar or conversation, you do not need to register again. Once registered, you will be sent a link to join the sessions. 

​For more information about the series please visit the Climate Change Colloquy website.

“With a deep mindful breath, we announce the passing of our beloved teacher, Thich Nhat Hanh, at Tu Hieu Temple in Hue, Vietnam on 22nd January, 2022 at the age of 95.”  
As I read these words through a blur of tears, memories of being with this dear Buddhist teacher on retreat at his monastery in southern France come flooding back: the slow, measured way he entered the meditation hall, as if imprinting peace with every step, the way his delicate hands cradled his cup of tea before savoring a long slow sip, the way his dazzling smile could light up every person in the room, the graceful arc of his arm as he drew it back before inviting the sound of the meditation bell to awaken our hearts and minds, the peaceful countenance of a Zen master deep in meditation, the child-like wonder as he gazed at the first lotus blossom of the season, the playful glint in his eyes as he invited the children to come forward, and finally, the way he would stop and look at you in the middle of a dharma talk, his wise words seemingly speaking to the deepest questions of your heart. 

Since his passing, there has been a huge outpouring of both grief and gratitude around the world for this peaceful and courageous Buddhist monk. A true bodhisattva, his teachings on mindfulness, along with his life of compassionate action, have touched millions. Born in Vietnam in 1926, he lived an inspiring life of both contemplation and service: entering the monastery as a novice monk at the tender age of sixteen, choosing to leave the safety of the monastery to help rebuild bombed-out villages during the Vietnam war, traveling to the United States to advocate for the end of that war, with the help of Dr. Martin Luther King, then being exiled from his homeland when he tried to return.  Eventually settling in France, Thich Nhat Hanh continued to advocate for peace and eventually built a thriving monastery near Bourdeaux, ordaining hundreds of monks, nuns, and dharma teachers who continue to teach and offer retreats all over the world.  (Read more at www.plumvillage.org.)

Although Thich Nhat Hanh has been described as an artist, a poet, a mystic, a scholar, and activist, it is his loving and compassionate presence that has touched me to the core. Looking into Thay’s eyes was like looking into a mirror that was a pure reflection of love. It felt like looking into the eyes of the “Living Buddha, Living Christ.” Thay’s book of the same name connects Buddhism and Christianity; his legacy ensures that millions now also see the deep connections between these two great traditions.

Watch for Vickie’s upcoming spiritual memoir, A Lotus On Fire: How a Buddhist Monk Ignited the Love in My Heart
​www.vickiemacarthur.com

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

Join us Saturday, March 19 with a worship service on Sunday, March 20 for "We are One, We are Many", an online women's retreat with Jeannine Ward.

Time Zones: 9am Pacific / 10am Mountain (SK) / 11am Central

Registration Fee: $20
Register at www.cwm.events or click on the button above.
 
Should you have any questions, please contact Lisa Neudorf lisa@communityofchrist.ca

We are in the second week of Lent.  As I think about Jesus spending 40 days in the wilderness fasting and praying, I feel the need for prayer myself. In this world today, the need for prayer and the desire for peace are so prevalent.  How can we make a difference in the situation that is so close through the media and yet so far away? Prayer for peace and understanding can make a difference.  Reach out in comfort to anyone you know who needs it. Just listening and offering prayer can help ease someone’s stress about a situation to far away physically.

I want to offer the information below for your consideration.

The following eLearning classes are open for a limited enrollment: 

• Introduction to Scripture (SS400): 8-weeks,  April 2 - May 27
• Ministry of the Teacher (MP303): 6-weeks, April 2 - May 13
• Ministry with Latter-day Seekers: 4-weeks, April 2 - April 29
• Children and Youth Workers Core Training: At your own pace for 2 weeks - starts April 2 and continues open until late May
• MEADS - "Living Grace and Generosity" - April 25-29, 7:30pm-10:00pm (Eastern) Live via ZOOM. Instructor: Lew Shepherdson. Click for more details.

​Temple School Classes cost $7.50 each.  To enroll, go to developmetrics.org and click on the "Canadian Registration Form."

MEADS class costs $30 and should be paid before class via check to: Canada East Mission Centre, c/o Melissa Freer, 355 Elmira Road North, Unit 129, Guelph, ON  N1K 1S5

Have you ever taken a course through Developmetrics?  The courses are all online.  Learning is something that we all do every day when we watch something new to us or read something new or try something new.  Why not take an introduction to Scripture to just open up your mind? Maybe take the Children and Youth Workers Core Training even though you may have raised your family and / or taken something like it before?  We can always use help with our children and youth and this course will make helping easier to step up and assist. What's the next step on your discipleship path?

After nearly 24 years of service to World Accord - its people and partners - David Barth is retiring as the organization's Executive Director. Please join us in celebrating his life's work on Saturday, March 12th at 5pm PST, 6pm MST, 7pm CST, 8pm EST via Zoom. 
 
After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing  a link to join the session. To register click on the button below. ​See you there!

Any questions? Please email leah.p.christensen@gmail.com

Community of Christ members in Ukraine struggle as the war continues. The church has about 140 members in Ukraine. Apostle Richard James works to keep in touch with members as fighting continues, but communication is difficult. 

He said in late February that a member and his wife who live in Kyiv were “doing ok” but fearful about what was happening in their nation. Another member and her family in Kyiv were spending their nights in her basement, attempting to avoid shelling. “She is very frightened,” James said.

These individuals and others mentioned here, whose names were withheld for security reasons, appreciated very much the prayers and concerns of the church, James said. Across the border in Russia, former church staff also expressed appreciation for messages of support received from the church.

As fighting in Ukraine escalated, at least one church member family left Odessa and is in the Republic of Moldova. Other members are safe in Spain and Russia. Yet two other families are still in the Donbass region, the Russia-affiliated area, and are not threatened by shelling.

Not many houses in Kyiv have basements and the only bomb shelter available nearby is the subway, a church member explained to James. “We are not able to reach [the subway] during air raids, so the only alternative is to stay in the apartment, sitting with our backs against weight-bearing wall in the hallway.”

James said that until the recent invasion, congregations in Odessa and Kyiv had continued to meet. Outside Kyiv, congregations in Donetsk, Gorlovka, and Yasynuvata have endeavored in recent months to meet, but this area is held by rebels aligned with the Russian government and gathering isn’t always safe. Members attempt to keep in touch by phone.
 
Church leaders in Germany will meet in coming days to determine how best to help Ukrainian refugees who likely will settle in Europe.

Steve Graffeo, counselor to the presiding bishop, announced that $20,000 USD in oblation aid will be donated to four organizations with the ability to get aid to areas affected by the conflict. Your ongoing generosity to the Worldwide Mission Tithes makes this possible.

Each of these organization will receive $5,000 from Community of Christ:

• Global Empowerment Mission is on the ground in Medyka, Poland serving and relocating thousands of evacuees from Ukraine. 
• Global Giving Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund is supporting humanitarian assistance in impacted communities in Ukraine and surrounding regions where Ukrainian refugees have fled through local partners who are bringing relief to terrified and displaced communities.  
• International Rescue Committee is on the ground in Poland and preparing to support displaced families with food, medical care and emergency supplies in countries like Ukraine, Afghanistan, Syria, and Yemen.
• Save the Children is focused on the 7.5 million children in Ukraine who are in grave danger of physical harm, severe emotional distress and displacement by helping to provide children and families with immediate aid, such as food, water, hygiene kits, psychosocial support and cash assistance.

May our prayers for peace continue to shape and inspire our actions.

This is the first week of Lent.  I had pancakes this morning to celebrate Shrove Tuesday.  Shrove Tuesday   is observed by many Christians  who "make  a special point of self-examination, of considering what wrongs they need to repent, and what amendments of life or areas of spiritual growth they especially need to ask God's help in dealing with.”

Lent – the 40 days leading up to Easter – was traditionally a time of fasting and on Shrove Tuesday, Christians went to confession and were “shriven” (absolved from their sins). A bell would be rung to call people to confession. This came to be called the “Pancake Bell” and is still rung today.  Shrove Tuesday was the last opportunity to use up eggs and fats before embarking on the Lenten fast and pancakes are the perfect way of using up these ingredients.

What are you giving up for Lent?  As Shannon explained last week, she does not use the snooze button on her alarm clock.  She uses that time in meditation.

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday which is March 2, 2022.  Ash Wednesday marks the official beginning of this 40-day period of abstinence. Click here to read "Blessing the Dust for Ash Wednesday" by Jan Richardson.

Though not every person observes Ash Wednesday in the same way, Ash Wednesday is the time when you may finally decide on what you want to give up for Lent, or perhaps it's an opportunity to spend a quiet moment on some Easter prayers. Maybe it is not GIVING something up but ADDING a new practice.  With the world climate issues, pending war in Russia and Ukraine, continuing health concerns and the opportunity to “get back to the old way of life”, you can add something for 40 days. 

There are two ways that you can join other Community of Christ friends and members on a Lent journey this year:

1. Beyond the Walls congregation has a Lent devotional group that will be meeting daily at 9:30am EST. Find out more details by checking out the events section on their Facebook page
2. Daily Bread will be observing Lent as well, with new stories shared each Sunday and Monday that reflect on Lenten themes connected with the lectionary scriptures for the week. Tuesday- Saturday will be offered in a devotional style with contemplative writings, scripture meditation invitations, and a question for reflection. You can subscribe to Daily Bread emails by clicking here!

This week we offer this column to Debra Donohue, Creating Connection Director for Canada West Mission, who brings us some exciting news! 

"Creating Connection One Person at a Time"
Written by Debra Donohue 
Creating Connection Director Canada West
debra@communityofchrist.ca
1-877-411-2632 ext. 4

I want to share some news with you that I am very excited about.  My role as Creating Connection Director for Western Canada will be changing a little.

Before I became the Creating Connection Director, I was the Congregational Outreach Specialist for BC.  Now I have been given the opportunity to take the best of what I learned as Congregational Outreach Specialist, and the best of what I learned as Creating Connection Director, to embark on a new vision of Creating Connection.

I hope to become a bridge between Community of Christ and your local communities.  I know that many of you already have wonderful relationships with your communities.  It’s my hope to build on those relationships through the resources and advertising we can do through meetup.com and other platforms.  Rather than create new projects and extra work, I want to take the good work you are already doing and promote it, ask for volunteers from the community, and ultimately introduce like minded people in your communities to you in a way that is comfortable for you both. Of course, I would love to help you with your new ideas too.

I’ll be communicating with the Pastors, Pastorate and Leaders in your areas to find out where I can be the most help and I ideally, we’ll have a group from each congregation that may or may not include the pastor to figure out what areas I can assist with. Please let me, or your leadership team, know if you would like to be part of an informative zoom call. For you to gather information from me, and for me to gather information from you.

In Creating Connection we’ve had great success advertising on Meetup.com, Facebook and Eventbrite.  Through meetup, we can really pinpoint our message to people in your local areas. I’ll give you some examples of activities I’m thinking about.

Does your congregation or group do a Peace Walk, or a River Cleanup, or a day at the Food Bank, or provide Christmas gifts to a charity or neighbours?  Do you have an online activity like prayer shawl knitting, or a conversation group you could invite people to join?  Do you hold a workday at your church building or campground where we could invite others in the community to volunteer? I can help connect you with like minded people in your community who want to be part of something meaningful.  They may not realize yet who we are in Community of Christ, and how similar our feelings are towards inclusivity, peace and justice, environmental causes, and supporting community.

I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas.  Please reach out me by phone or email or connect with your pastor. To learn more about Creating Connection events visit the Creating Connection Meetup Event Page! 

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

SPECTACULAR 2022 UPDATE for families of youth in Canada West Mission who are eligible to attend SPEC
 
It was recently announced SPECTACULAR will return as an in person event from July 16-23, 2022 at Lamoni, Iowa. Any youth who have finished grades 9 through 12 are eligible to attend.

We are interested in hearing your feedback and feelings about Canadian youth attending SPEC. If your household has youth who are eligible to attend SPEC (finished grade 9 through 12 by the end of June 2022), please click on the buttons below to read the document and complete the feedback survey by March 1. This will help us in our planning and decision-making process. 

We are asking for responses from all families whether or not your child is planning to attend. We will keep you updated as we move along in this decision-making process and anticipate a final decision if Team Canada will attend SPEC will be made by the end of April.