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Black Lives Matter
Indigenous Lives Matter Lives of People of Colour Matter It has been a full month since my last “We Share” meditation. Previous entries were on August 13 (“We Share” – general intro to series and to purpose of the phrase) and August 20 (“We Share… a Vision for Creation”). Today, “We Share… A Name.” “Community of Christ,” your name, given as a divine blessing, is your identity and calling.” --Book of Doctrine and Covenants, section 163:1 “Share” here has two definite intended meanings. First, we share the name “Community of Christ” as our denominational name with members around the world. Community of Christ is established in more than 60 nations of the world. The name of the church is officially translated into at least 16 languages (see page 12 of Sharing in Community of Christ). Many primary church publications are translated from English into Spanish and French, which are the three “official languages” of the church. A “core repertoire” of 104 hymns in Community of Christ Sings are provided in multiple languages and are intended to be used in any international and multi-cultural church function settings, including World Conference. Second, we share the name “Community of Christ” with those who visit our services, meetings, and functions and those who seek to learn who we are and what we believe from online and other sources. We share it not only as a name, but also as a statement of our primary identity and purpose: To proclaim Jesus Christ. “Community of Christ” was adopted as our name in 2001. We have been exploring the purpose and the meaning of our name and growing into it ever since. It has truly been the “divine blessing” and the statement of our “identity and calling” as stated in the verse quoted above. “We Share… A Name” in many different ways! 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  Theme: “Unprecedented!” The annual Canada West Mission Centre 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. Please click on the buttons above to register for Mission Conference and to view the entire program. 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 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. See you there! Canada West Mission Centre Staff 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  Learn about religious inclusion at work!
In this webinar, we will explore religion, often the neglected, avoided topic when it comes to diversity and inclusion. For many devotees, religion is not irrelevant but central to their identity. We will learn about a Western bias regarding religion, how this bias leads us to sideline the topic, and how we can begin to correct this sidelining via religious holidays, one area where religion is especially visible at work. Register today and join this webinar led by Brian Carwana, Executive Director of Encounter World Religions, and organized by the Canadian Centre for Diversity & Inclusion. 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  Health Ministries Association, an affiliate of Community of Christ, will offer a live online workshop “Speaking through the Silence: Addressing Issues of Domestic Violence” this Saturday, August 22. Child, elder, and intimate partner abuse, plus sexual assault will be covered by speakers—experts in those fields—during a Zoom conference. Registration is $25.00. Those attending choose one morning topic (child abuse or elder abuse) and one afternoon topic (intimate partner abuse or sexual abuse/assault). All enrolled attend opening and closing speeches. This event is open to the public, with a specific invitation to health professionals and ministers/chaplains. Keynote speaker Catherine Vannier will cover the facets of domestic violence and highlight the challenges of investigating and prosecuting those crimes. Vannier will offer strategies for working with victims seeking safety and care while holding offenders accountable. Vannier is with the Missouri Office of Prosecution Services.
Each topic has two sessions. In the first causes, symptoms, and recognition will be covered. In the second the topics are treatment, outcomes, and resources.
Katie Harmon McLaughlin of Community of Christ’s Spiritual Formation Ministries will close the day’s events with "Hearing Silenced Voices: Spiritual Companionship in Violence and Trauma." Workshop participants have an opportunity to reflect on experiences of the day and process spiritual implications for their lives and communities. Health Ministries Association is an organization within the church of health professionals and others passionate about health and spirituality in the US and other countries. The organization promotes wholeness of body, mind, and spirit. Click here for more information on “Speaking through the Silence: Addressing Issues of Domestic Violence." Black Lives Matter
Indigenous Lives Matter Lives of People of Colour Matter This is the second in the series about Sharing in Community of Christ: Exploring Identity, Mission, Message and Beliefs. For background see the August 12 column. “We Share… a Vision for Creation” Into any discussion or experience we all bring our own past experiences, knowledge and opinions. Have you ever noticed that? What do you interpret from the word “vision” in the title above? What do you interpret from the word “creation”? If I could hear responses from all of you who are reading this, I expect that I would hear some ideas in common, but I also expect that I would hear many different ideas as well. “Vision” to different people might mean a powerful dream-like experience in which a message from God is received; or it might mean a guiding idea or principle; or it might mean the ability to see clearly whatever is in front of us. “Creation” might conjure majestic views of mountains or oceans or other landscapes or wildlife; or it might mean the processes through which God brought the universe into being; or it might mean everything around us that is a visible part of God’s universe: land, sea, animals, insects, marine life, all manner of plants and vegetation, humanity in all of its diversity, and all the stars and planets that populate the vastness of space beyond our world. All of those perspectives (and there will undoubtedly be others) are reasonable and valid. So what does it mean to “share a Vision for Creation” in the Community of Christ context? Two significant symbols help with this explanation. First, the empty Christian cross represents the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ who, in all of those manifestations, proclaimed peace for those who followed his teachings and example and for all people in the future reign of God on earth. Second, the church’s “peace seal” represents the lion laying down with the lamb and both being led by a child as described in the book of Isaiah 11:6-9. This symbolizes the church’s faith and belief in a world in which all of creation can exist in a state and attitude of peace. Our text expresses it this way: “The purpose of the church is to form disciples who faithfully share the gospel of peace in Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Sharing in…, p. 10) It is that purpose that will be reflected and restated and applied to all of the other “We Share” statements that we will consider in future weeks. May we see ourselves in our own personal, faithful, and action-oriented expression of “We share a vision for creation.” 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  Dear friends,
Earlier this summer, Canadian church leaders were made aware of a unique opportunity to join with the Canadian Council of Churches (CCC) as a signatory on a joint statement condemning anti-black racism in Canada. While Community of Christ in Canada has not yet been admitted as a full member of the council, our engagement has been highly meaningful, and we have been building good ecumenical relationships. In our June 2020 survey of church members across Canada it was clear that there was a strong degree of support for our denomination’s participation in this effort, and we have been busy following through with this mandate. With 107 responses from across Canada, the results provided us with the feedback we needed to proceed in a way that honoured our tradition of being guided by the wishes of the body. It is worth mentioning that the Intercultural Chair of the CCC praised our democratic and participatory process indicating that he felt we were taking the time to connect with members rather than simply having our leaders sign on to a statement. With the support of the membership, Canada East Mission Centre President Kerry Richards, our designated representative with CCC, formally added Community of Christ in Canada’s support to the joint statement. View the official CCC joint statement here. While we recognize that signing a document in and of itself is not enough, it signals the beginning of a larger ecumenical conversation and actionable steps. By joining this declaration, we are making strides toward fulfilling our call to “…work tirelessly to tear down walls of separation and to build bridges of understanding.” (Doctrine and Covenants 162:6b) We seek reconciliation within our own denomination and through our communities across Canada, and we look forward to hearing from you about the unique ways in which you prioritize to combat anti-Black racism in your congregations. Thank you for your participation in this process. With gratitude, Apostle Art Smith  August 6 and 9 mark the somber 75th anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan. World Conference Resolution 1178, Nuclear Arms Reduction; and WCR 1303, Action toward Nuclear Weapons Abolition, encourage the church to denounce the violence of nuclear weapons and acknowledge the suffering they cause.
We are grateful for the global hibakusha (survivors) who have courageously borne witness, often amid great difficulty. As a people dedicated to peace, reconciliation, and healing of the spirit, Community of Christ joined 189 organizations that signed a statement in opposition to nuclear weapons, making it one of the largest and most diverse interfaith proclamations against nuclear weapons to date. The signatories, coordinated by Faith Communities Concerned About Nuclear Weapons, remind us that we can act together from a place of determination, resilience and joy to make the world a different place. Jewish, Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu, Jain and indigenous voices came together on this statement. Doctrine and Covenants 161:2a reminds us to: “Become a people of the Temple—those who see violence but proclaim peace, who feel conflict yet extend the hand of reconciliation, who encounter broken spirits and find pathways for healing.” The church continues to find those pathways through its prayers and ongoing programs, Toward Jesus the Peaceful One; a series of internet lectures from Europe, Peaceful Humanity—A New Creation; and the Daily Prayer for Peace, among others. Black Lives Matter
Indigenous Lives Matter Lives of People of Colour Matter For a continuing theme for my remarks in this column I will write for the next few weeks with a brief discussion of some portion of the book, Sharing in Community of Christ: Exploring Identity, Mission, Message, and Beliefs. If you do not have your own copy of the book, you can download a PDF version from the church website here or you can order a hard copy from Herald House, the church publisher, here. Pricing is in U.S. dollars and there will be a shipping charge. I encourage congregations to order a few copies to have on hand to share with visitors who may be interested in knowing more about the church. I also suggest this is a good resource for congregations to purchase for its active member individuals and families. It is an excellent resource for personal study and for group study and discussion. As other issues of current significance arise, I will write about them and then return to this book the following week. For today, here is an introduction to what the book is about and why you might be interested in it. The book uses the phrase “We Share…” to introduce most of the sections of the book. The phrase is intended to be taken with a double meaning as explained in these quotes:
So, the phrase we share defines both what we generally hold in common and what we generously offer to the world. (We Share, p. 9) This brief book is the best current summary of the faith and beliefs of Community of Christ as a global denomination. It serves as a unifying text to provide the same statements to church members around the world. It is available in English, Spanish, and French (both the free download version and the paid hard copy). As suggested above, it can serve as a multi-week focus for discussions in Sunday school classes or for small groups in home-based situations. The book is also a short, inviting, and non-threatening text to share with those who may be curious about the church. In addition to the book there is a series of brochures available that provide the content of specific portions of the book. You can find them here. Come back over the next few weeks as we consider some highlight portions of the book. 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  Enrollment Information for eLearning Classes
The following credit classes will open for a limited enrollment June 29 - August 1:
Class cost is $7.50 and should be paid before class via e-transfer to: Sam Smalldon sam@communityofchrist.ca To enroll, go to developmetrics.org and click on the "Canadian Registration Form". If you have any questions please contact David Lloyd.  Welcome to CWM Reunion 2020! My name is Chris Phelps and I am your Reunion director. I hope to get to know you better during our Reunion time together, but in the meantime - join the fun, strike up conversation with whomever is around, and make yourselves at home in our virtual space. The Zoom link below is for all Reunion Events. It is set up as a recurring meeting so you can log in anytime and see who is around. Copy and paste this link someplace convenient so you aren’t searching for it all the time. Check out the full schedule for the week here. All times are listed in Pacific (PDT).
The most immediate pieces are: Thursday July 30 8:00 AM Morning Meditation with Katie Forest/Nature Walk (alone or in small groups) 1:30 PM Rest period 2:30 PM Canteen and Activity Storytime with Kathy Get your scavenger hunt videos and pictures to Beckie today! 7:00 PM Talent Show - hosted by Eman Invite any and all who may want to attend. Send videos to Chris Phelps if you want to participate. Friday July 31 8:00 AM Check in from Samish and Morning Worship with Leah 9:15 AM Adult Class with Katie and Zac 1:30 PM Rest period 2:30 PM Canteen and activity Storytime with Kathy 6:00 PM Shared Meal Online cooking lesson and visiting **Some important schedule notes**
**Instructions for the Gratitude Scavenger Hunt**
I hope to see many of you at many of the events throughout the week. If you have any questions please feel free to email me and I will get back to you ASAP. Chris Phelps Reunion Director chrisinlangley@gmail.com Black Lives Matter
Indigenous Lives Matter Lives of People of Colour Matter How are you doing? How is your summer going? Have you been able to “stretch” just a little beyond the COVID-19 restrictions of the past few months? Or have you continued to feel mostly restricted to your home? What has been a regular joyful thing for you: Family? Friends? Phone calls? Video calls? Reading? Netflix? The return of TV sports? What has been disappointing or even a source of sadness for you: Not getting out of the house? Family? Friends? Netflix? The return of TV sports? Illness? Loss? Sense of personal isolation? My impression is that individual experiences have been different. Some have felt that life has slowed down from its usual pace and this has been seen as a blessing and an opportunity. For others the loss of employment and income have caused new stresses to afford food and shelter and to continue supporting a family. Some, of course, have been directly affected by COVID-19 as a serious life-threatening illness. Some have “tested positive” but experienced no symptoms. The very large majority of us have not been directly affected by the virus, although most of us will likely know someone who has been directly affected. Late in the 4th chapter of the Gospel of Mark, Jesus is sleeping in a boat when his disciples woke him up because they were afraid of the storm. “(Jesus) woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, ‘Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?’” (Mark 4:39, 40 NRSV) Perhaps we are riding out a “COVID storm.” Perhaps we feel we need Jesus to “wake up” and calm it for us. It is instructive, however, to note that following his “miracle” Jesus essentially chastised his disciples for apparently being afraid and having no faith. Perhaps the lesson for us is that Jesus may or may not be sleeping through this storm along with us, but Jesus most certainly is with us. And, furthermore, given the disciples’ experience, we need to retain our faith and exercise our confidence that this storm will pass. Afterwards we will look back and recognize the places where we benefited from the blessings of God going through the storm, and we will be able to give thanks to God when we have safely come out the other side. Despite our challenges, may we look for the good and positive experiences of the last few months. And if that is in itself a challenge for us, may we look forward with hope to the passing of the storm in the future so we can once again enjoy smoother sailing. I pray for you God’s blessings of guidance, understanding, hope, and peace in these challenging times. Steve Thompson Canada West Mission Centre President steve@communityofchrist.ca  Everyone,
As it is almost halfway through this fiscal year it is important to provide you with a brief update on the status of our 2020 budget and our budget management decisions to be effective July 1, 2020. For quick reference, we started 2020 with an approved budget from the September 2019 Mission Conference. This was a balanced budget for $544K in expected revenues and associated expenditures. Our revenue budget for 2020 was comprised of a stretch target of $150K from Congregational Support which was 50% more than in 2019. Our current forecast suggests this target will not be met and only $100K is expected for this fiscal year. Donations of $64K as Contributions from Individuals does seem to be keeping pace with our 2020 revenue budget and so our forecast is for this revenue target to be met. We have also budgeted $10K from Investments as returns and we remain hopeful this target will be met by end of this fiscal year. Revenue from Programs and Activities was budgeted for $201K in 2020. Our forecast is this will definitely not be achieved, however the counterbalance to this shortfall is there have also not been any significant expenditures for Programs and Activities so far for various reasons; and although this means we will miss on the revenue target this will likely be offset by a reduction (or savings) in the expenditure budget. In 2020 we were planning to have $119K transferred from reserves to support the operating budget but based on the final accounting for 2019 we had greater use of our reserves available than was expected, so this reserve transfer is not recommended at this time. In total, we forecast shortfalls in 2020 revenues and reserve transfers of $169K plus other expenditure savings of $51K for a total $220K in budget and amendments. This will reset our annual budget to $324K ($544K-$220K=$324K). Our objective with a balanced budget is to apply budget management so we remain sustainable for the remainder of 2020. This means we have made reductions to our operating costs by $220K in order to balance our budget at $324K for 2020. To take us quickly back to what we knew in September 2019 when we set this 2020 budget, we realized we had a sustainability problem is 2021. We realized 2020 was not sustainable or feasible without using investment reserves. We forecasted 2021 would only be feasible if Donations, Contributions and Congregational Support maintained the 2020 budget levels. We realized we may need to take from Investment reserves in 2020 and again in 2021. When we approved this 2020 budget we expected we had approximately $330K in Investment reserves and this would leave approximately $130K in reserve at the end of 2021, but only if this plan was successful. This plan has not been successful and our fiscal problem moved from the fourth quarter at December 31, 2020 to the second quarter at June 30, 2020 as a result of unmet budget revenue targets and spending more by the end of 2019 than expected. Our beginning Investments at the start of 2020 were $230K not $330K based on overspending in 2019. In financial terms, the problem with deferring is avoiding the inevitable. The decisions we must contemplate now would be the same ones required at the end of fourth quarter December 31, 2020 anyway, based on our forecasts. Not following through on decisions now will mean using our Investment reserves as resources to postpone for no identifiable benefit. Our budget management guidelines and our accountabilities should not buy more time if nothing will change. In simple terms, we need to use resources to move us forward, not just maintain or avoid the inevitable. In fiscal terms at June 30, 2020 we need to move to a sustainable and balanced budget in order to achieve our sustainable operations and programs at the end of 2020 and carry forward into 2021. Therefore, effective July 1, 2020 our Mission Leadership Team have taken steps to reduce commitments for the remainder of the 2020 operating budget to half of $324K and resetting the budget for third and fourth quarters of 2020 (6 months) to a sustainable $162K as follows; Our identifiable sustainable costs are: Program Management $32K Revitalization $23K Canadian Strategies $12K Administration $10K Programs (cost recovery) $85K Maximum Commitment $162K Our forecasted sustainable revenues are: Programs (registrations) $85K Congregation Support $50K Donations /Contributions $27K Maximum Opportunity $162K These budget management changes will make a sustainable budget adjustment now in 2020 at June 30, 2020 and will enable a 2021 budget with the same elements to continue forward as a new base for sustainability. Further, this would protect our $230K in reserves for investments as much as possible for 2021 and the future. Certainly, if there are any questions, please contact me. Respectfully submitted, Sam Smalldon Mission Centre Financial Officer sam@communityofchrist.ca Black Lives Matter Indigenous Lives Matter Lives of People of Colour Matter The theme that is being explored in this week’s Canada West 2020 Online Reunion is, “Connection in an Age of Isolation.” This is a challenge that the reunion itself is trying to answer. It is bringing people together, electronically of course, from across the Canada West Mission Centre, plus Washington, Oregon, Missouri, and even Ontario. It is really quite a remarkable thing. In each session so far I believe I have heard someone say something to the effect of, “I miss seeing all of you in person,” which is inevitably answered at some other point in the gathering with, “It is so wonderful to see all of you! I am glad you are here!” People have sought out “connection” through this event directly because of their current “isolation” due to our COVID-19 restrictions. In the midst of a disruptive pandemic we can find the blessings of community and the ministry of the Holy Spirit, experience worship and celebrate the blessings of God, and give thanks for all of this in the name of Jesus Christ. Despite its challenges, is this not a blessed and wonderful time in which we live? By the time you have the opportunity to read this – hopefully some time on Thursday, July 30 – there will still be lots of reunion activities to take in before they wrap up on Sunday around noon. Find event details elsewhere in this Weekly Wire that will point you to a schedule and to how to log on to all events. As I mentioned last week, next up on our calendar will be the online edition of the Canada West Mission Conference. We are still nailing down program and schedule details. An outline of events includes:
More details next week. And I will remind you of this one more time as well (in case you are not already aware of this opportunity) – check with your Pastor about being a delegate for your congregation for the business meeting. If you are not registered in a congregation and live in any of the provinces and you are interested in being a delegate, please contact me. As always, I pray for you God’s blessings of guidance, understanding, and peace in these challenging times. Steve Thompson Canada West Mission Centre President steve@communityofchrist.ca  To our Members in BC - The annual Canada West Mission Centre Caucus Meeting of the Samish Island Campground Association will be held on the evening of Saturday, July 25, 2020, beginning at 7:00 p.m. PDT. Participation in the meeting is open to any and all members of the four Community of Christ congregations in BC and any “non-resident” members in BC (registered members who live in BC but are not registered with a congregation). The meeting will be held electronically via Zoom. The link to log in to the meeting is the same as the one being circulated for all of the Online Reunion Events in the post below. You should be able to click on the link and it will take you directly into the meeting. If you do not have Zoom loaded on your computer clicking on the link will download a small Zoom program onto your computer, open the program, and then bring you into the meeting. This will be the first gathering of the CWM Online Reunion. More details on that event are provided in the announcement below.
The current draft agenda is:
If you have any questions about this meeting please contact Steve Thompson. We look forward to your attendance and participation! Black Lives Matter
Indigenous Lives Matter Lives of People of Colour Matter It is already the FOURTH Wednesday of July! How did that happen? It is a beautiful day here in Edmonton as I write, but it does not seem that we have had our quota of really warm (read “hot”) summer weather yet. Perhaps where you live summer has been more generous. As the last weekend of July approaches, I realize that I am truly missing the in-person camps and reunions that normally mark my time at this time of year. But our online alternatives have proven to be very well received. We have had 36 kids registered across the Junior, Junior High, and Senior High online camps. Participation has come from BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and even Washington State. A real benefit of this platform for the camp has been bringing youth together from across the mission centre and beyond. A big thank you to Lisa Neudorf, and her event directors, for putting this program together. Coming up, starting this weekend, is the Canada West Mission Online Reunion 2020! You will find program details and logon information elsewhere in this week’s Weekly Wire. I want to encourage participation across all of the mission centre in this event – just like the kids have shown us by example. You can pick and choose the events that most interest you, and you need not feel guilty about skipping the ones that do not. There are events aimed at every age group. Check out the schedule and mark the sessions of interest to you on your (electronic) calendar. We will have guest ministry from Zac and Katie Harmon-McLaughlin – who were guests at last year’s Hills of Peace Reunion. And I would be remiss if I did not suggest that both the online campfire and the talent show promise to be highlights of the week, just as they always have been in the traditional Samish Reunion. Thanks to Chris Phelps and his planning team for putting together this event. Next up will be the online edition of the Canada West Mission Conference. It will happen from Friday evening, September 11, through Sunday, September 13. Watch for program details in next week’s Weekly Wire. Joey Williams, who was our originally scheduled guest minister for the conference, will join us for some of our events. Watch for that information and keep those dates on your calendar. Also – in case this invitation has not come to you – check with your Pastor about being a delegate for your congregation for the business meetings. If you are not registered in a congregation and live in any of the provinces and you are interested in being a delegate, please contact me. As you are all aware, we are not “out” of this COVID-19 pandemic yet. It is the reason our camps are online. It is the reason we are not yet back to weekly worship services in our congregations. Please continue to exercise the infection-control measures recommended by all health authorities. Hopefully we can re-start weekly services in some form in September. As always, I pray for you God’s blessings of guidance, understanding, and peace in these challenging times. Steve Thompson Canada West Mission Centre President steve@communityofchrist.ca  REGISTRATION CLOSED
Camp Schedule Note: July 2 orientation has been cancelled and will take place at beginning of each Week 1 virtual gathering. Junior Camp – Wednesday nights (7:30 to 8:30 mountain time) Week 1 (July 8): Cooking activity *gathering will be from 7:30 to 9:00 for orientation Week 2 (July 15): Nature activity Week 3 (July 22): Art activity Week 4 (July 29): Handyman activity Junior High Camp – Tuesday nights (7:30 to 9:00/9:30 mountain time) Week 1 (July 7): Paint Night Week 2 (July 14): Nature activity Week 3 (July 21): Nailed It (baking activity) Week 4 (July 28): Give Back project Senior High Camp – Thursday nights (7:30 to 9:30 mountain time) Week 1 (July 9): Paint Night Week 2 (July 16): Nature activity Week 3 (July 23): Nailed It (baking activity) Week 4 (July 30): Give Back project To answer some questions you might have:
If you have any questions, please contact me. Lisa Neudorf Camping and Retreat Specialist lisa@communityofchrist.ca |
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