| June 2011
Keeping the church connected The church has been introduced to five mission initiatives that will change lives, the church, and the world! Learn more by watching President Stephen M. Veazey’s address that he shared with the worldwide church on April 10: www.CofChrist.org/presidency/sermons/ and at www.CofChrist.org/mission/. Christ’s mission is our mission! From this point forward, all ministries, personnel, and resources of the World Church will be focused on the whole mission of Jesus Christ through these mission initiatives: - Invite People to Christ—Christ’s mission of evangelism
- Abolish Poverty, End Suffering—Christ’s mission of compassion
- Pursue Peace on Earth—Christ’s mission of justice and peace
- Develop Disciples to Serve—equip individuals for Christ’s mission
- Experience Congregations in Mission—equip congregations for Christ’s mission
The World Church Finance Board discussed the initiatives at its May meeting. See the response in a news story at www.CofChrist.org/news/2011/may/2012budget.asp or in the July Herald.
Get involved and stay connected with how the mission initiatives have the power to transform lives on Community of Christ’s Power of 10 website: www.GiveYour10.org. In the USA, use your mobile device to text MISSION to 74574 to get to the site. During your visit, share mission stories from your community, read others’ stories, and connect to the financial and emotional results of your giving to mission initiatives.
Early retirement has been granted to President of the Council of Twelve and Director of Field Ministries Jim Slauter. See Letters of Counsel Regarding the Presiding Quorums, letters from Jim and the Council of Twelve Apostles, and details about new apostolic assignments at www.CofChrist.org/council-12/.
New resources to prepare for the USA National Conference are at www.CofChrist.org/usaconf/ and were mailed to the following people in the USA: pastors, congregational financial officers, field specialists and appointees, and mission center presidents and financial officers in the USA. - Letter from the USA Team of Apostles
- Process Overview for “Ways of Discovering God’s Will” model with a resource timeline
- Together in Christ—A Journey of Faith: Reflective Questions and Spiritual Practices for the Journey to the 2012 USA National Conference
Members and congregations are invited to join in daily prayer for the church in the United States and actively engage in this journey of faith using these resources.
The 2011 Community of Christ International Peace Award will honor visionary author and environmentalist Terry Tempest Williams. Throughout her life she has focused on how to make the broken fragments of life into something whole and beautiful again. Her book, Finding Beauty in a Broken World (2008), uses mosaic as a metaphor to explore the injustices and brokenness of two types of genocide: extermination of prairie dogs in western USA and the 1994 slaughter of 1 million Tutsi in Rwanda due to ethnic tensions. Through these heartbreaking journeys, Williams finds the beauty, peace, and hope of restoration that can come only through a Spirit-filled soul. Read more in the June Herald and on June 1 at www.CofChrist.org/peaceaward. The Peace Colloquy theme, “Creating Hope, Healing Earth,” honors her work to promote peace with an ethical stance toward life. Attend the Colloquy (October 21-23) and see her accept the award and share a keynote address. The peace award ceremony will be at 7:30 p.m. central, Friday, October 21, at the Temple in Independence, Missouri. It will be webcast live in English, French, and Spanish at www.CofChrist.org.
In times of crisis, Community of Christ responds as a worldwide church through your prayers and contributions to the Oblation Fund and the Abolish Poverty, End Suffering mission initiative. There have been several tornadoes in the Midwestern USA recently. Local and World Church leaders are working together to assess immediate and long-term needs in affected communities. As of May 24, all members of the Joplin Congregation in Missouri were accounted for after a devastating tornado on May 22. Apostle Rick Maupin reported that “the church is providing aid to church families through Oblation funds as needs are identified. The church building was not damaged.” Meals, bottled water, and an opportunity for worship to assist in the healing were shared. Visit www.CofChrist.org/news/2011/may/joplin.asp. Thank you for sharing this story, offering prayers, and giving generously. You can give using offertory envelopes in congregations or online at www.CofChrist.org/give/contribute/.
Explore more deeply what Doctrine and Covenants 164:6a–b has to say about relationships in a Herald series. Apostle Stassi Cramm’s commentary explores how the principle of mutual respect gains traction when two cultures brush against each other during a presentation in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Send your reflections about articles to Herald@CofChrist.org and we may print them in a future issue. See the series at www.CofChrist.org/D&C164/ or sign up at www.CofChrist.org/subscribe.asp to get them delivered free to your e-mail.
“God’s Presence in the Everyday” is a sermon by Dave Schaal, First Presidency, that you can see at www.CofChrist.org/worship/sermons.asp and on the Witness the Word DVD that was mailed to pastors in Australia, British Isles, Canada, and the United States. You can also watch and download Witness the Word sermons online.
Revised guidelines/criteria for World Hunger and Tangible Love Funds can be found on their respective websites www.CofChrist.org/hunger and www.CofChrist.org/tlove under “Application and Reporting.” Financial resources from the two funds are made available through “seed” grants to help congregations and mission centers abolish poverty and end suffering through development of collaborative, innovative programs that restore or protect the worth of persons and sacredness of the Earth. Your congregation is encouraged to get involved in your community by developing hunger related and/or justice, peace, and compassionate ministries. The two websites provide ideas and ways to make this happen. Check them out.
Are you interested in starting a Young Peacemakers’ Club (YPC) in your congregation? Do you already have a YPC? Please contact Dr. Rebecca Newcom Belcher at the Children’s Peace Pavilion (rbelcher@kidpeace.org) to access a YPC Leader’s Handbook and introductory curriculum.
Restoration Studies invites submissions. It has been published by the church on an occasional basis since 1980. For the last three years (volumes X, XI, and XII) it has been published annually by the John Whitmer Historical Association under special arrangement with the church. This publication includes articles on theology and culture in the church and the broader Latter Day Saint movement. Although most of the articles are scholarly, research-based works, papers of a more reflective, testimonial nature are also included. Articles may be submitted to the editor (Peter Judd at pjudd@CofChist.org) by September 15, 2011, for the 2012 issue. More information about specifications (length, format, etc.) are available from the editor. Restoration Studies promotes the free expression of carefully considered points of view on matters related to Community of Christ and the broader tradition of which it is a part.
Visit the Children’s Peace Pavilion at Community of Christ Auditorium in Independence, Missouri. A new director (Dr. Rebecca Newcom Belcher), a renovated Pavilion, and new exhibits all await you. Come experience peacemaking. Visit the website at www.kidpeace.org for information on planning your visit. We look forward to visiting with you this summer.
MEADS offers a new course on Worship, August 1–5 from 1:30–5:00 p.m. at the Community of Christ Temple in Independence, Missouri. All are welcome to enroll. Jane Gardner, director of Integrated Formation Ministries and High Priest Quorum president, will be the instructor. The course will address many subjects on corporate worship along with new planning and leadership skills for worship experiences in various congregational settings. This course is offered in addition to the MEADS certificate program courses, but is not part of certification. For those enrolled or interested in starting the certificate program, August courses are New Testament, taught by Tony and Charmaine Chvala-Smith; and Theological Foundations for Christian Ministry, taught by Wim van Klinken. Cost is $88 for one class, $175 for two. A senior rate (55+) of $25 is offered for the Worship course. For more information or to register, contact Michelle Booth: mbooth@CofChrist.org. To learn more about Ministerial Education and Discipleship Studies and future classes, visit www.CofChrist.org/MEADS.
Did you know the church’s website at www.CofChrst.org has a search feature that helps you find information on the website quickly and easily? Just enter a word or phrase that describes what you’re looking for and hit the “Enter” key on your keyboard.
In a few short years people have become comfortable communicating and transacting business on their computers and telephones. Personal information now must be guarded more than ever. This month’s Community of Christ Health Ministries Association health brief reviews how to retrieve a free credit report and other suggestions to protect financial, emotional, physical, and mental health. We also provide information to keep children safe online while they are spending more time this summer on social networks and the computer. Go to www.CHM.HMACofChrist.org for the latest health brief/bulletin insert on “Safety in the Electronic Age.”
Catch the June generosity stories at www.CofChrist.org/generositystories. PowerPoint presentations are included with each week’s story except the June 12 contribution update.
Did you know when you fund a gift annuity with Community of Christ, the church agrees to pay you at a fixed rate as long as you live? The beauty of a charitable gift annuity is that it never changes—no matter what the economy does! Incredibly reliable. Simple to understand. Contact Estate and Financial Planning to learn more: 1-800-884-7526; efp@CofChrist.org. Visit the website at www.CofChrist.org/estate.
Check out the Disciple Formation Guide at www.CofChrist.org/DFG/. As disciples of Jesus, we seek to grow more like Christ every day. The Disciple Formation Guide is an online tool designed to help you find and use disciple-formation resources from Community of Christ to further this growth. It links you to tools that will help you create customized resources for your classes, groups, congregations, and more. Explore the possibilities today!
Please share the following information with those serving in a capacity to share information about resources and coordinate group orders through Herald House. Remind your congregation they can always shop Herald House online at www.HeraldHouse.org. - Walking With Jesus: Disciples in Community of Christ (Revised) is used to prepare people for baptism, confirmation or both. This recently revised book is a disciple’s guide for people seeking to follow Jesus Christ as a member of Community of Christ. Ten easy-to-read chapters offer insight to various areas of participation in Community of Christ. 9780830914708 $9.95
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 Contributions Update Align Your Giving with What Matters Most The church received an estimated $775,000 in World Mission Tithes in April, 6% less than the budget for the month. Even with this one month under budget, more than two-thirds of our congregations have increased their giving over this time last year. Ten months through the fiscal year, we are exceeding budgeted income by 5%. Your dedication and sacrifice as generous disciples is deeply encouraging. The Spirit has been moving through the church—inspiring, challenging, and encouraging us in our call to become more generous disciples. In his address to the worldwide church on April 10, President Steve Veazey challenged us to consider how much the mission of Jesus Christ really matters to us. “Words and good intentions are not enough,” he declared. “Are we willing to align our time, energy, and means to show the mission of Christ matters most?” Steve asserted that “Generous response from all, according to true capacity now and in the years ahead…will make mission happen beyond what we now can see” (www.CofChrist.org/presidency/sermons/). Are you responding to God’s generosity by giving to your full capacity to worldwide and local ministries? Your contributions in July will launch the 2012 fiscal year, and will be directly aligned with Christ’s mission through the mission initiatives. Christ’s mission is our mission! Thank you to all who support the ministries we are called to share with the world. Learn more about the mission initiatives and giving options at www.CofChrist.org/give or www.GiveYour10.org. Due to manual reporting by some jurisdictions, actual income may take several months to finalize. Numbers provided are estimates based on reports received.
Upcoming Events
June 6–10: Seminary Focus Session
June 12: Pentecost/Endowment Day July 4: International Headquarters offices closed—Independence Day (USA)
July 23–30: Spectacular—Graceland, Lamoni, Iowa (USA) August 1–5: MEADS
August 19–20: Health and Spirituality Workshop | 
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Nowadays,the need for broker for church loans in USA has been increasing. To support the struggling churches, more lenders are coming forward. Church just need to choose the right one for itself.
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