Onward Together is the strategic plan for Community of Christ in Canada, developed from the ideas, testimonies, and dialogue gathered in the All Voices discernment process. This FAQ addresses common questions about how creating the Canada Mission Centre—combining Canada West and Canada East into a single Mission Centre—supports our shared vision and strategic plan.
Why One Mission Centre?
How did we get here? In 2021, members across Canada participated in All Voices, a discernment process led by Apostle Art Smith. As we pondered together what matters most, a shared vision for the future of our church in Canada emerged. Onward Together is the strategic plan derived from the ideas, testimonies, and dialogue gathered in All Voices. The All Voices Testimony Tapestry is available at www.allvoices.ca.
What are the advantages of being one mission centre? The two Canadian Mission Centres have similar legal and administrative needs to support congregations, camps, and programs across the country. Some of these supporting services have been duplicated for years, often with the same staff doing the same tasks twice. Having a unified supporting framework will allow for more efficient use of our talent, resources, and assets.
Will people lose their jobs? No. Our staff and volunteer teams will be more available to focus on ministry and mission.
What will One Mission Centre Look Like?
What will the leadership structure be?
Onward Together, our Canadian strategic plan, outlines an organizational structure with five directors reporting to the Field Apostle:
Director of Operations & Shared Services
Director of Communications
Director of Outreach & Innovation
Director of Camping & Campgrounds
Director of Leadership Development
The Directors of Camping & Campgrounds, Outreach & Innovation, and Leadership Development will form the Mission Centre President Team (MCPT) for year one as a pilot.
What changes should we expect at the congregational level? All the services and support that the Canada West and Canada East Mission Centres currently provide to congregations will be served by the Canada Mission Centre. In the near future, more and better services and opportunities will be made available as the strategic plan unfolds, taking advantage of our shared resources and talent.
Conferences and Representation
Who will have voice and vote at Mission Centre conferences? All members in good standing will have voice and vote. This is currently the model in the Canada West Mission Centre. For details about membership and good standing please refer to the Church Administrator’s Handbook.
How will we gather for Mission Centre conferences? Our annual Mission Centre conferences will ensure all members can participate online. In addition, a number of sites can be set up across the country for in-person gathering during conferences. Our goal is to accommodate the needs of all those who wish to take part.
Budget & Funding
What funding model will support the Mission Centre? We will implement a generosity model: voluntary donations from congregations and individuals, as opposed to calculated assessments or quotas.
How will campgrounds be funded? Campgrounds will be funded through a generosity model, camp registration fees, and rentals. Donations will go to your campground of choice.
Will we pursue alternative sources of revenue? Yes. Alternative sources of revenue are being investigated, such as facility rentals, sponsorships/grants for programs, fundraisers/donations for specific purposes, and investment revenue.
What happens if there is a shortfall between expenses and donations? Any shortfalls will be covered by the Mission Centre reserves. Each year, the Mission Centre approves a balanced budget to protect available Mission Centre reserves for future years.
How do we balance tradition with innovation? We are committed to developing leaders who cherish our heritage and faith journey, but at the same time, are equipped to respond to the challenges we are facing today. This includes guidelines and training for coordinating group discernment practices and creating renewal or missional plans that strike the right balance between tradition and innovation at the congregational level.
How do we strengthen connections and invite people to church? We are working to ensure our camping and retreat programs and other in-person offerings are spaces that foster community building for life-long members as well as newcomers. We are creating resources for invitation, spiritual formation, and leaders development that address the specific needs of the Canadian context, expanding the offerings published by the World Church at www.missionalleaders.org and www.heraldhouse.
Mission Alignment and Planning
Will numbers in the east overwhelm the west? The leadership team is committed to promote a culture of inclusion and fairness across Canada. We promote representation of members living in different parts of the country in our Canada-wide programs, committees, teams, board of directors, and other groups assigned to make decisions and recommendations that have national impact. Examples include the All Voices Testimony Tapestry, the Mission Centre Design Team—including its sub-committees. We ensure that Canada-wide gatherings are planned and promoted with attention to time zone differences—even offering multiple opportunities to participate. Examples include the Onward Together Town Halls.
How does the Canadian strategy respond to peace and justice issues? The Onward Together plan states our commitment to practicing stewardship of creation and calls us to strengthen our relationships with Canadian affiliate organizations that pursue peace and justice in Canada and beyond, including: Encounter World Religions, World Accord, Sionito, Zerin, the Agape Society, the MOM Project, and others. We encourage you to bring peace and justice issues forward to be considered at our future Mission Centre conferences.
Communication and Transparency
What is the Canadian Corporation Board? The Canadian Corporation Board oversees and supports the business, legal policies, and operations for Community of Christ in Canada. Their members and reports are available in the Board of Directors page. The board is updating its bylaws to promote more transparency.
How can members share ideas or concerns? We understand there are big questions and concerns on everyone’s mind. Do not hesitate to ask and let us know what you think. We want to foster a culture of openness and trust. Please send your feedback, concerns, and ideas to [email protected].
If you’re unsure, you can always send your message to [email protected]. We’ll make sure it gets to the right person.
How can we foster connections across Canada? First, start by staying in the know about important announcements, events, conferences, new resources, training, workshops, and fellowship opportunities:
Then, reach out! Onward Together calls us to foster interest-based communities despite great geographic distances. We want to support new initiatives and ministries that bring together members across Canada. Let us know what your vision is and what obstacles you are facing. We want to connect you with others who have similar goals and provide guidance and support to achieve success and Celebrate Mission!
