The Weekly Wire for January 18, 2011

Graceland Offers Church Members Big Tuition Break!

The program, which will begin in the autumn of 2011, will offer scholarships to all Community of Christ students equal to 50 percent of tuition at the Lamoni, Iowa, campus.

To learn more about the Study and Faith scholarship program, contact the Graceland University Admissions Office
at Admissions@graceland.edu or call 1-866-GRACELAND.

 

Confirmations of Sierra Shaw and Montana Shaw Antonio in Calgary

 

Save the Date…”Arts on the Lake” at Hills of Peace!

A celebration of all fine arts May 27th to 29th…more details coming soon…

High Priest – Evangelist Retreat

March 4-6^th 2011 (Fri. evening to Sun. noon)

Edmonton Community of Christ

(New location) 6919 83 Street NW, Edmonton, T6C 2Y1.  780-469-7510.

Guest Minister’s: Evangelist Larry Norris & High Priest Wim Van Klinken

Joyce Cook will coordinate billeting. phone: (780) 464-0199 or email: gjcook@telusplanet.net

If requesting billeting please provide your name, the number of people needing accommodation in one place, number of beds needed, if you’ll need to be picked up at the airport, arrival times and then also departure times.

We are encouraging people coming from the same home congregation to try to coordinate travel plans so they are on the same flights if possible to minimize the number of trips to the airport for the Edmonton folks.

 

Billeting is available on a first call, first served basis, so please register with Joyce early.  An agenda for the weekend will be out by mid Feb. We have had many successful – Spirit filled Retreats in the past and this one will be as exciting and all will be blessed.

While this Retreat is for High Priests & Evangelists, any others are welcome to attend. As usual there is no specific fee for the weekend, but your generous financial response will help cover our costs.

Submitted by High Priest Gloria Stanton

Senior High Camp at Hills of Peace

 

Mark this on your calendar ! Pre-register for Senior High Camp before June 15th, 2011.

The director for this years camp will be Dan Woynarski. Senior High Camp runs July 2-8, 2011 at Hills of Peace.

We are currently looking for qualified staff to volunteer at this years camp. Please contact Dan Woynarski for information.  dan@communityofchrist.ca

 

Dan Woynarski

Field Minister

(306) 352-1570 home

(306) 539-8775 cell

Write a tribute to your Favorite Campground!

  “Hills of Peace”

What better way to honor your favorite campground than with a song?  Write the lyrics to the piece of music we’ve attached as a tribute to either Hills of Peace or Samish Island.  You can write about one particular summer or camp, or perhaps your piece will include a memories you’ve gathered over your lifetime.

“Samish Island”

This contest will end on Valentine’s Day, February 14th.  And remember that only Brian Gibson and I will read your lyrics, and only I will know who they’ve come from…unless of course you’re the winner!  So there’s no need to feel shy about what you write.

Good Luck and I look forward to receiving your lyrics.

Here is the sheet music:

 

 

 

Here is a link to the recorded music click on “song competition band track”.

And here is how the contest will work:

All lyrics will be submitted to me and given an anonymous file number before it is passed on to Brian Gibson. Brian will then choose the lyric which he feels best expresses his music.  

The winning lyric will be sung and recorded at a professional studio!

 

 

January 2011 Keeping the Church Connected In the United States, please see the linked letter about the 2012 USA National Conference, “Together in Christ: A Journey of Faith.” Please read it to congregations when you next meet and include the message in your congregational newsletters and websites. In January and February, priesthood members in the United States will receive an invitation from President Steve Veazey to consider increasing their giving to World Ministries by $10 or more a week. With 16,000 priesthood members in the United States, that could mean an additional $8.3 million to launch and expand ministries in our communities throughout the world. Imagine what could happen! For many of us, $10 might equal two lattés, one movie ticket, or lunch out with friends. That same $10 in Bolivia, Haiti, Malawi, and many other places will transform lives! As a disciple of Jesus Christ, each of us is invited to consider giving at least $10 more a week to World Ministries Mission Tithes to support God’s mission throughout the world. Find the right option for you to answer this call and support World Ministries at www.CofChrist.org/give (in Canada, visit www.communityofchrist.ca). Enroll in pre-authorized monthly checking account transfers. Contribute online with a debit or credit card. Mail a check to Presiding Bishopric, 1001 W. Walnut St., Independence, MO 64050 USA. Use your offering envelope in your congregation. Membership preparation materials for baptism and confirmation are being produced. Community of Christ welcomes and accepts the baptism of other Christian denominations as a result of new policy established through Doctrine and Covenants 164. An interim policy will be effective January 1 and official policy will be effective September 2011. In the interim, please use Of Water and Spirit for children and Of Water and Spirit, Deepening the Journey for youth. Download the interim lesson suggestions for children and youth or contact Customer and Member Services at (816) 833-1000 ext. 1004, for materials. Invite children, youth, and their families into the ministries and fellowship of the church, for their baptism in another Christian faith community is welcome here. Reach out and embrace them, for their presence enriches our lives and the church. Witness the Word is a new quarterly series featuring some of the most sought-after preachers in our faith community. This DVD series offers opportunities for your congregation to connect with Community of Christ’s message through fabulous sermons centered on mission and identity. The first DVD will include an Easter message by President Stephen M. Veazey and sermons by Tony and Charmaine Chvala-Smith and Carla Long. DVDs will be mailed to pastors in Australia, the British Isles, Canada, and the United States in early March. Enjoy Witness the Word and watch for the next installment in June. Videos will also be available for download at www.CofChrist.org. “Wholeness through Christ: Balance and Connection” is the 2011 reunion theme. Free downloadable reunion resources will be available in January on the Community of Christ website at www.CofChrist.org/OnlineResources/Reunion. You will find an adult facilitator guide; worship helps; and children’s, youth, and intergenerational resources. Contact Estate and Financial Planning to learn about a special opportunity in the USA to share the peace of Jesus Christ through an IRA rollover gift. Legislation recently passed by Congress reinstates the IRA Rollover for 2010 and 2011. Taxpayers who make a qualified rollover to the church through January 31, 2011, can elect to have it treated as if it was made on December 31, 2010.If you are 70½ or older and considering making a gift to the church through your IRA, call 1-800-884-7526 or e-mail efp@CofChrist.org for more information. See clips from the 2010 Advent service that was webcast from the Temple in Independence, Missouri. Visit www.CofChrist.org/broadcast/2010archive.asp#Advent2010 to see President Steve Veazey's homily and the choir, brass ensemble, and congregation singing "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel." March 6 will be World Hunger emphasis Sunday. Visit www.CoChrist.org/hunger for a variety of resources and ideas to help heighten awareness of hunger issues. Try personal and congregational assessment forms at www.CofChrist.org/hunger/assessment-forms.asp to raise awareness, broaden understanding, and brainstorm ways you and your congregation can minister to those who are hungry. Celebrate the 175th Anniversary of the Kirtland Temple as a new volunteer! The coming year will be the 175th anniversary of the Kirtland Temple dedication and a significant year in Community of Christ history in Kirtland. Early church members depended on volunteer labor and sacrifice to construct and maintain the temple. Likewise, we rely on volunteer service to preserve and share the historic “House of the Lord” today. As you make plans for the coming year, consider linking hands with early church members by becoming a Kirtland Temple volunteer in 2011. Volunteers are needed to assist in the temple gardens, hosting visitors on tours and in worship services, and helping maintain properties. If you are interested in serving, please contact Lachlan Mackay, historic sites coordinator, at lmackay@kirtlandtemple.org or (217) 453-2246 Help update the online Congregational Directory. Has your congregation elected a new pastor, added co-pastors, or changed its meeting address, e-mail address, phone number, or website? Check your congregational entry at www.CofChrist.org/directory/activedirectory.asp to make sure it is current and correct, so those seeking to worship with you can easily get in touch. Several changes will be implemented in 2011 for Community of Christ scripture products. First is a price increase (estimated 10–25 percent) to cover increased cost of paper and printing. Second, the 3-in-1 option will be phased out due to excessive production cost and low sales. In its place, sets of the three books of Scripture (leather, hard cover, paperback, and large print) will be available for a discount. Third, in response to customer requests, a paperback Inspired Version will be available. Scriptures are available from Herald House at www.HeraldHouse.org. Temple School has a long history of providing resources to assist adult learners in their quest for knowledge, leadership skills, spirituality, and personal development. Beginning April 2011, Temple School courses will cost $20. More than 20 courses are available in the Temple School curriculum. Visit www.CofChrist.org/TempleSchool/Curriculum/ for a complete list. As people consider the start of a new year, it’s a great opportunity to do a “spiritual inventory” to determine what they may want to do in order to grow spiritually, strengthen their spiritual life, and deepen their relationship with God. In the process they may realize they need some “spiritual direction” which may call for ministry from someone else, someone who can be more than just a sounding board; in other words, a spiritual director. Check out Health Ministries Association’s website for our latest bulletin inserts related to Spiritual Inventory and Spiritual Direction at www.CHM@HMACofChrist.org. Also, check out the December insert on a healthy way to look at generosity, making the connection between giving and good health. Catch January generosity stories at www.CofChrist.org/generositystories. PowerPoint presentations are included with each week’s story except January 9. Save the date for the webcast of President Stephen M. Veazey’s annual address to the worldwide church. He will talk about critical issues and opportunities facing our worldwide church as we pursue God’s mission. This worship service will be webcast live in English, French, and Spanish from the Community of Christ Temple in Independence, Missouri, at 6:00 p.m. CDT April 10. Make plans now to watch or attend! See www.CofChrist.org/broadcast/upcoming.asp for more details. Free e-subscriptions are available at www.CofChrist.org/subscribe.asp. Sign up to receive any or all of the following, plus more: news from around the church, weekly inspirational thoughts from Daily Bread, monthly commentaries exploring Doctrine and Covenants 164. The World Hunger-Tangible Love Team in November approved funding for 15 World Hunger projects totaling about $500,000. The team also approved $135,000 on behalf of 11 Tangible Love programs. Emergency disaster relief grants were also distributed in 2010 for Pakistan and Guatemala. World Hunger grants are available to Community of Christ congregations and mission centers wishing to initiate projects for the purpose of ministering to persons experiencing poverty and hunger. Applications should be received by your field apostle and mission center president and financial officer by February 1 and the World Hunger administrator by March 1. Detailed information is available at www.CofChrist.org/hunger. Tangible Love grants are available to Community of Christ congregations and mission centers willing to work in collaboration with other agencies and groups in their communities desiring to foster peace, justice, and compassionate ministries. Applications should be received by your field apostle and mission president and financial officer by February 1 and the Tangible Love administrator by March 1. Get details at www.CofChrist.org/tlove. Daily Prayer for Peace—A brief worship service is held daily at 1:00 p.m. central time at the Temple. Join us in prayer from wherever you are. For details and the text of each day’s prayer, visit www.CofChrist.org/prayerpeace/ World Ministries Contribution Update UPCOMING EVENTS January 1: International Headquarters offices closed—New Year’s Day January 6: Epiphany January 7-9: Oklahoma USA Vision Project January 10-14: Melbourne, Australia, Vision Project January 14: Northern California USA Vision Project January 15-16: Perth, Australia, Vision Project January 16: Racial Justice Day January 17: International Headquarters offices closed—Martin Luther King Jr. Day (USA) January  24-28: Seminary Focus Session February 6: Jan Kraybill—Super Bowl XII Organ Recital February 7-11: MEADS February 13: Youth Ministries Day February 21: International Headquarters offices closed—President’s Day (USA) March 6: World Hunger Emphasis March 9: Ash Wednesday March 25–27: Order of Bishops