| October 2011
Keeping the church connected Come to the Peace Colloquy, “Creating Hope, Healing Earth,” October 21–23, to work together as a faith community to learn, encourage one another, and take action that fosters the healing of the Earth. Come early on Friday for the Prayer Retreat, “Earth Prayers: Wonder, Weeps, Walk Lightly.” Sign up children grades 1–5 for Saturday programming and junior and senior high youth for the “Diggin’ Dirt for God!” retreat. Other highlights of the weekend will include presentation of the Community of Christ International Peace Award to Terry Tempest Williams and her address and book signing; an address by The Rev. Fletcher Harper, executive director of GreenFaith: Interfaith Partners for the Environment; and a concert and CD signing by musician and songwriter Peter Mayer. Learn more and register at www.CofChrist.org/peacecolloquy or ext. 1442. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Invite young adults to read and discuss Community of Christ International Peace Award recipient Terry Tempest Williams’ book The Open Space of Democracy (just 100 pages). This “Young Adult Read Together” event will unite young adults across the church unite in action for justice and peace, even if they cannot attend the Peace Colloquy. Join the online book discussion at www.YA-CofChrist.org. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Live webcast of the Community of Christ International Peace Award ceremony, Friday, October 21 at 7:30 p.m. central time—join us at the Temple in Independence, Missouri, or tune in at www.CofChrist.org. Visionary author and environmental activist Terry Tempest Williams will receive the award and share her keynote address. It will be webcast in English, French, and Spanish. This event is open to all and will launch the Peace Colloquy weekend of “Creating Hope, Healing Earth.” Throughout Williams’ 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 about Williams at www.CofChrist.org/peaceaward. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mission initiative lessons in the Disciple Formation Guide (DFG) are designed to engage adults in exploring the mission initiatives in classes or small group settings. If you are interested in connecting the mission initiatives to what’s happening in your congregation, then check out the latest postings on the Lesson Plans tab of the DFG at www.CofChrist.org/dfg. These six lessons, taught in sequence, explore the mission initiatives and help members see how their congregation’s efforts connect with World Church goals: lesson 1 – The Mission Matters Most! Poised to Fulfill Christ’s Mission (introduction); lesson 2 – Invite People to Christ; lesson 3 – Abolish Poverty, End Suffering; lesson 4 – Pursue Peace on Earth; lesson 5 – Develop Disciples to Serve; lesson 6 – Experience Congregations in Mission.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Council of Twelve Apostles elected officers during a meeting presided over by President Stephen M. Veazey on September 12, 2011. Apostle Scott Murphy, director of Field Ministries, was elected to serve as president of the Council of Twelve. The council then sustained Apostle Linda Booth to continue to serve as secretary of the Council of Twelve. The Presidency wishes to express its gratitude to Apostles Murphy and Booth for their willingness to serve in these roles in addition to their other apostolic assignments. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out new curriculum resources for Young Peacemakers Clubs at www.kidpeace.org. Click on the Young Peacemakers Club tab to access the latest curriculum for your club. While on this page, please sign up for the mailing list to receive curriculum updates and resources. For additional information contact Dr. Rebecca Newcom Belcher. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The First Presidency and Graceland University seek nominees and applicants to serve as dean of the Community of Christ Seminary. The seminary offers a master of arts in religion degree for people who wish to increase their theological understanding and gain the skilled wisdom vital for church leadership, ministry, and mission. A PhD is required, and ordained Community of Christ priesthood is strongly preferred. Review of applications will begin November 30. The position will remain open until filled. See full position description and application process at www.CofChrist.org/hr/jobs.asp.
For further information, interested persons should contact Parris R. Watts, vice president for Academic Affairs at Graceland University, 1 University Place, Lamoni, IA 50140; (641) 784-5115.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Catch October generosity stories at www.CofChrist.org/generositystories. PowerPoint presentations are available for each week’s story except October 9. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you are 70½, you can make mission real through an IRA rollover gift in 2011! Contact Estate and Financial Planning to learn more: 1-800-884-7526.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Celebrate Advent at the Temple in Independence, Missouri, or via live webcast Sunday, December 11 at 7:00 p.m. central time. The evening of lessons and carols will feature the Spire Symphonic Chorus and the Emporia State University Faculty Brass and Percussion Ensemble with conductor Ben Spalding. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nominations for the 2012 and 2013 Community of Christ International Peace Awards are being accepted by the selection committee. The peace and justice question of nuclear weapons and energy is the theme being considered for the 2012 Peace Colloquy and Community of Christ International Peace Award recipient. For 2013, the Colloquy and award will be themed around music, worship, and peace and justice, including the launch of the next Community of Christ hymnal. Please submit your nominations for 2012 and 2013 award candidates by November 1, 2011. Forms and selection criteria in Spanish, French, and English are linked from www.CofChrist.org/peaceaward/. Please direct any questions to Brad Martell, secretary of the selection committee: (816) 833-1000, ext. 2355; Peace and Justice Ministries, 1001 W. Walnut St., Independence, MO USA 64050-3562 .
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Office moves mean a new mailing address for Temple School. If you have materials to mail to Temple School, please use the following address: Temple School; c/o Customer Service; 1001 W. Walnut St.; Independence, MO 64050-3562 USA. If you have any questions, contact Norma Cross: 1-800-825-2806, ext 1409.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kids can do mission, too! The “Jack and Jenn” video series helps teach the principles of A Disciple’s Generous Response and explain mission initiatives. The first video, “The Story of Jack and Jenn” premiered in April. It and four new “Jack and Jenn” videos will be at www.CofChrist.org/jackandjenn this month. Also read an interview with Jack and Jenn in the September Herald.
A DVD with five “Jack and Jenn” videos and a lesson plan will be mailed to all USA pastors this month with the next installment of Witness the Word: Sermons on Demand. Two more “Jack and Jenn” videos and lesson plans will be available in January.
• “The Story of Jack and Jenn”
• “Jack and Jenn and the Not-so-secret Mission”
• “Jack and Jenn Invite People to Christ” • “Jack and Jenn Abolish Poverty, End Suffering”
• “Jack and Jenn Pursue Peace on Earth” -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Hymnal Project Team has begun releasing names of church members who have written, arranged, and composed items that will be included in the next Community of Christ hymnal. People will be notified in three cycles to seek permission to use their work. The process will be completed by November 30. There has been an outpouring of creativity around the church! We are blessed to have a supply of rich material for potential multiple uses in the future. Several factors guided the selection process, and there were multiple filters each anonymous song or hymn had to sift through. Each was ranked. Though many pieces could have been included, limited space in a bound book along with a need to balance topics made selection of compositions difficult. More than 4,500 submissions were received. We regret we do not have personnel resources to contact every participant. We are deeply grateful to all who contributed an original or derivative composition. Thank you! And, thank you for your understanding. Please continue to check www.CofChrist.org/hymnal for project updates and a complete list of 2013 hymnal Community of Christ contributors of original compositions. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Find minister biographies on CofChrist.org. Biographical sketches for Community of Christ ministers can be found in the Staff Directory at www.CofChrist.org/directory/staff1.asp. People with a biography on file will have a small “BIO” icon in front of their name in the directory. These brief biographies include a photo when available. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Please share this invitation: Herald Team seeks testimonies from new members. In January, Community of Christ began confirming into membership some people who had been baptized in other denominations. If you’re among them, we’d like to know about your experience. Please write us by October 15, telling how you came to your decision, what the experience was like, and how it has changed your path of discipleship. Stories should be 500 to 2,000 characters with spaces. Please also send us a head-and-shoulders color photo of yourself. If you have other good photos of your experience, send them, too. Photos should be at least one megabyte. Cell phone photos rarely work. Send your stories and photos to Herald@CofChrist.org. We’ll share them with our readers. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Your reunion listings for 2012 are requested. The 2012 reunion list will be in the February 2012 Herald. To make sure your reunion date is listed in the Herald, please send information to Patty Wilson at pwilson@CofChrist.org before December 1. Please include reunion name, dates, location, and the reservation contact person’s name, address, and e-mail address. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How does your congregation support the mission initiatives? How do you Invite People to Christ, Abolish Poverty and End Suffering, Pursue Peace on Earth, Develop Disciples to Serve, and Experience Congregations in Mission? All five are needed to be true to the whole mission of Jesus Christ. We’d like to read about your ministries and consider giving them a voice in the Herald. Please send photos (one megabyte or larger; not taken by cell phones) and stories of how you, your congregation, or your mission center is carrying the mission initiatives into community. We’ll be waiting at Herald@CofChrist.org -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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/. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UPCOMING EVENTS October 16: Children’s Sabbath
October 21–23: Peace Colloquy
October 21: Community of Christ International Peace Award ceremony (webcast) November 24–25: International Headquarters offices closed—Thanksgiving (USA)
November 27: First Sunday of Advent December 2–4: 95th Annual Independence Messiah Choir Performance—Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
December 5–9: Council of Twelve Apostles meet
December 11: Temple Advent Service: Lessons and Carols (webcast)
December 12–15: World Church Leadership Council
Dec. 24–Jan. 2: International Headquarters offices closed—Christmas and New Year’s holidays 
Contribution Update
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Come to the Temple in Independence, Missouri, or join a live webcast at 
Peace Colloquy to Focus on the Environment
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