19 days until Spring!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tuesday March 8th is International Women’s Day
Each year around the world, International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated on March 8. Hundreds of events occur not just on this day but throughout March to mark the economic, political and social achievements of women.
Organizations, governments and women's groups around the world choose different themes each year that reflect global and local gender issues.
While many people may think there is one global theme each year, this is not always correct. It is completely up to each country and group as to what appropriate theme they select. Canada’s theme this year is: Strong Leadership. Strong Women. Strong World: Equality
Click here to find out about International Women's Day events in Canada.
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EVANGELIST HIGH PRIEST RETREAT
EDMONTON, AB. MARCH 4-6 2011
GUEST MINISTER: WIM VAN KLINKEN
FRI. 4TH
7:30 – 9p.m. Registration & Gathering with fun & relaxation
SAT. 5th
9:00 – 9:30 Worship
9:30 – 10:15 Ministry of Bridge Building – Part 1
10:15 – 10:45 Break
10:45 – 11:30 Ministry of Bridge Building – Part 2
11:30 – 11:45 Break
11:45 – 12:30 Ministry of Bridge Building – Part 3
12:30 – 1:30 Lunch
1:30 – 2:00 Worship, including Prayer for Peace
2:00 – 2:45 Priesthood Faithfulness and Mission
2:45 – 3:15 Break
3:15 – 4:00 DGR, Ministry Plan
4:00 – 4:15 Break
4:15 – 5:00 Q&A
5:30 Dinner
Sun. 6th
10a.m. Adult Class
11a.m. Morning Worship/Sacrament Service.
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.
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Chilliwack Workshop February 26, 2011
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Pick up your 2011 Camping schedule at church, or look at it right here!
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The Mission Matters Most
Join together at the Temple in Independence, Missouri, or via live webcast for an evening of worship featuring President Stephen M. Veazey’s annual address to the worldwide church on Sunday, April 10, at 6:00pm CDT. We will focus on the mission of Jesus Christ and how we can live that out now and into the future as Community of Christ. Webcast details are at www.CofChrist.org/broadcast/upcoming.asp.
Last week we reported that you could donate via your cell phone. Unfortunately that is only available to US residents. You may give to World Mission Tithes either through your offering envelope, on line through the “Donate Now” icon on the web page, or you can send it directly to the Canadian Headquarters in Guelph.
Stay in the loop! Sign up to receive the 10-Minute News Report electronically at www.CofChrist.org/subscribe.asp.
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Mark your calendars
Canada West Mission Conference will be held at the
Vancouver, BC Congregation
September 2-4, 2011
Stay tuned for more details!
English Bay, Vancouver BC
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SAMISH ISLAND CAMP KITCHEN WORKDAY
March 5, 2011
9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Come, bring a friend, help with our annual kitchen deep clean!
With the recent construction, we need a few more hands to make the kitchen shine!
Your help will be so appreciated for getting the kitchen ready for the 2011 camping season!
Lunch is provided
RSVP Penny Chapman, pennyatsamish@gmail.com, by March 4, 2011
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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
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Peace and Justice -- Human Rights
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Welcome to this issue from the “In The Forefront” mailing list. To alter your profile, follow the steps at the end, where your profile is listed.
This newsletter is being cut short this month to allow immediate response to the repugnant dynamics in Libya. To be clear, the actions below regarding Libya are largely symbolic – the U.N. and other diplomatic efforts are as fully engaged as they are likely to be. Plus the dynamics of the past several weeks have many nations scrambling to try to keep their espoused ideals, foreign policy rhetoric and foreign policy realities from tripping over each other. So a massive plea for basic human decency may be supportive somewhere in this messy mix, and regardless even a symbolic action is far preferable to silence.
The second action – regarding Darfur – forms the opposite end, specifically how unresolved and desperate situations easily fade from the scene. Darfur has been suffering some of the worst violence since its massive eruption in 2003-2004. Yet due both to the dramatic news from Northern Africa, and also the sensitivities of Sudan’s North-South split and not wanting to jeopardize that delicate situation, Darfur is significantly downplayed.
The final action is the most concrete, involving a single person in Colombia. As such, it could be the most likely to have an impact.
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Pour la traduction française: cliqueter ici; et cliqueter alors le bouton de traduction sur la page Web.
Para la traducción española: clic aquí; y entonces hace clic en el botón de traducción en la página web.
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LIBYA: STOP THE CRACKDOWN
While many countries are facing pressures sparked by Tunisia and Egypt, for those who are familiar with Libya’s highly erratic leader, Muammar el-Qaddafi, it needed no crystal ball to presume he would use force on his own people, even bringing in mercenaries. Due to Libya’s closed nature, reliable facts about the death toll are impossible to know. While the eastern part of Libya has been freed, even there he has threatened to send in planes to bomb opposition strongholds. The urgency of this crisis is because a heinous massacre is a real possibility. While several prominent figures have dropped their support of him, and it is not impossible to conceive of him being largely deserted, there is a core of leaders plus mercenaries that could turn the country into a terrible battleground.
The first action, below comes from Avaaz, who remain the premier organization to mount a massive email campaign, currently just reaching 200,000 signatures. They call on the U.N.’s Security Council and European Union, who are both currently in talks regarding action on the Libyan crisis, to consider actions such as sanctions, a freeze on assets and a no-fly zone. The second action comes from Amnesty International (U.S.) and calls on the U.S government to take strong role in helping resolve the crisis.
Finally, there is a brief background article indicating that due to his completely erratic style of governing, essentially without much resilient structure, there will be a vacuum of people and ideas that could result in civil war or another despot. That said, it can only be hoped that somehow the power of the ordinary person, who in some of the Eastern cities, have self-organized at local levels, might somehow have a core influence in such circumstances.
Petition to U.N. and E.U.:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/libya_stop_the_crackdown_1/?cl=954690560&v=8459
Petition to U.S. (open to all):
Email to US Representative to UN
Background: Pondering life without Qaddafi:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2011/02/23/f-gadhafi-family.html
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DARFUR – PETITION TO OBAMA
As mentioned, the Darfur conflict has flared up to levels not seen since the eruption in 2003-2004 that brought it to world attention. With the South set to secede in July 2011, and many key issues left unresolved, many diplomats (and press) have tended to downplay the acute deterioration in Darfur. The following petition outlines a “Roadmap” for Darfur that will address the current failed approach and misguided policies, while also being aware of the need within the ‘new’ Northern Sudan to open it up to the same calls for basic freedoms and rights and political process that are being demanded in other countries in the region:
Tell Obama to Follow Three-Point Roadmap for Darfur:
(open to all; be aware of additional mailing checkboxes)
Email US President Obama
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COLOMBIA: PRESSURE AUTHORITIES TO FIND SANDRA VIVIANA
Civil society organisations in Colombia have reported the disappearance of Sandra Viviana Cuellar Gallego, on February 17. She worked on environmental issues. Thus, while criminal foul-play can’t be ruled out, political motivations may have played a role. The call has gone out to pressure the government to step up efforts to find Sandra and bring any perpetrators to justice. As was mentioned, too many environmentalists have been murdered or "disappeared" in Colombia, and thus a strong message needs to be sent so authorities will know they are being monitored.
Take Action:
http://www.foei.org/en/get-involved/take-action/sandra-gallego
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Missed an action email? An archive is kept at:
http://www.cofchrist.org/humanrights/hr-newsletter/default.asp.
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In appreciation and support,
Rod Downing
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