Weekly Wire for October 26, 2011

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We’re having a Canadian National Conference on June 16^th 2012!

Find out about the topics that will be discussed, get the tools to help you with your decision making process and find out which satellite location is nearest you. Apostle Susan Skoor will present you with a new thought each month until the conference begins so you can make informed decisions and make your voice heard.

Click here to see Apostle Susan Skoor’s video invitation “Connections”

“Get in on the conversation”

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BOO!

Halloween Safety Tips from the Canadian Red Cross

With witches, goblins, and super-heroes descending on neighborhoods across Canada, the Canadian Red Cross offers parents some safety tips to help prepare their children for a safe and enjoyable trick-or-treat holiday. Halloween should be filled with surprise and enjoyment, and following some common sense practices can keep events safer and more fun!

• Costumes should be light-colored and flame resistant with reflective strips so that children are more easily seen at night.  (And remember to put reflective tape on bikes, skateboards, and brooms, too!)
• Costumes should be short enough to avoid tripping.
• Remind children to keep away from open fires and candles. (Costumes can be extremely flammable.)
• Use face paint rather than masks or things that will cover the eyes.
• Remind children to walk, slither, and sneak on sidewalks - not in the street.
• Explain to children that calls should be made along one side of the street first and then the other, and that it's best to cross the street only at intersections or crosswalks.
• Remind children to look both ways before crossing the street to check for cars, trucks, and low-flying brooms.
• Provide yourself or the children with a flashlight to see better and to be better seen.
• Have children plan their route and share it with you and the family. 
• Trick or Treaters should travel in groups of four or five.  Young children should be accompanied by an adult.
• Visit homes that have the porch light on.
• Make sure children know they should accept treats at the door and must not get into cars or enter the homes or apartments of strangers.
• Remind children not to eat their treats and goodies until they are examined by an adult at home.  And candy should not be eaten if the package is already opened. Small, hard pieces of candy are a choking hazard for young children.
• Make sure you and your children know where the Block Parent houses are located in the neighborhood.
• Set agreed-to boundaries with your children.  Explain the importance of staying within them and arriving home on time.

 

Goblin Feet Cookies

 

Ingredients

• Half package (7 ounces) green meltable candy wafers
• peanut butter cookies, such as Nutter Butter brand

• cashew halves

Instructions

1. Follow the instructions on the candy wafer package to melt the wafers in a wide bowl. For each goblin foot, hold the edge of a cookie and dip it in the melted candy.

2. Place the cookie on a sheet of waxed paper and use a spoon to smooth the candy over the spot your fingers covered.

3. Place three cashew halves on the cookie for claws. (The candy may need to cool a minute or two for it to be stiff enough to hold the nuts in place.) Let the cookies set at room temperature.

Happy Halloween!

Video Teaser for October 25, 2011

Weekly Wire for October 19, 2011

 

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Fine Arts Retreat at Samish Island is back

for 2012!

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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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Canada West Mission Centre Women’s Retreat in BC
October 21 - 23, 2011 has been cancelled. Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience.

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Friendship

Video Teaser for October 17

 

Weekly Wire for October 12, 2011

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Canada West Mission Centre Women’s Retreat in BC
October 21 - 23, 2011 has been cancelled.  Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience.

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Fine Arts Retreat at Samish Island is back

for 2012!

 

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LIVE WEBCAST Friday, October 21 Community of Christ International Peace Award Come to the Temple in Independence, Missouri, or join a live webcast at www.CofChrist.org Friday, October 21, at 7:30 p.m. CDT.  The 2011 Community of Christ International Peace Award will be presented to Terry Tempest Williams during a ceremony that also opens the annual Peace Colloquy. Williams is a visionary author, naturalist, and environmental activist.  Her books include Finding Beauty in a Broken World and The Open Space of Democracy.  She will share a keynote address, “Finding Beauty in a Broken World,” and accept a sculpture and $20,000 (funded by Bank of America Guy I. Bromley Charitable Trust) to benefit the Environmental Humanities Graduate Program at the University of Utah.  Learn more at www.CofChrist.org/peaceaward. Peace Colloquy to Focus on the Environment The 2011 Peace Colloquy will be held October 21–23 at the Temple in Independence, Missouri, with the theme “Creating Hope, Healing Earth.” Join us for another exciting and spirit-filled colloquy of community building, learning, and encouraging each other as we pursue peace on Earth by fostering the healing of all of Creation. Register today! Christ's Mission...Our 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. Christ’s mission is clearly articulated in five, life-changing, church-changing, and world-changing mission initiatives. For more information about these mission initiatives, please visit www.CofChrist.org/Mission. Connect Online Make Community of Christ part of your online network through our home page links to Facebook, Twitter, and Linked In. What's New See all new items posted on the Community of Christ website. You are receiving this email because you subscribed at our website - www.CofChrist.org. Please send feedback about this e-mail to Communications@CofChrist.org. Update your profile to change your subscription options. Forward this email to a friend Our mailing address is: Community of Christ International Headquarters 1001 West Walnut Independence, MO 64050 Our telephone: 816.521.3042 Copyright (C) 2007 Community of Christ International Headquarters All rights reserved. Unsubscribe debra@communityofchrist.ca to be removed from all subscription options on this list.

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Mission Conference 2012 Regina, Saskatchewan

Mark your Calendar for next year – Mission Conference in Regina, Saskatchewan

August 31st – September 2nd

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Love

 

Weekly Wire for October 5, 2011

 

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Hi Everyone, I will be out of town until October 8th, but keep sending your articles, wrap-ups and photos…I’ll be back before you know it!

Debra – debra@communityofchrist.ca

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What’s Up… in the CWM

We want to hear your summer stories!

Did you have a great time at a camp, retreat or reunion this summer? Did you attend Mission Conference? Did your congregation hold a special event? Did you volunteer this summer? Tell us about your experience in 1 to 5 sentences and send along a photo. Please submit by October 8th for our next issue of What’s Up…in the CWM.

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Canada West Mission Centre Women’s Retreat in BC
October 21 - 23, 2011

Jesus
Gives Me
Joy!

Guest Ministry: Kris Judd

Location: Twin Cedars Lodge,
Abbotsford, BC
Cost: $190
Includes: 2 nights accommodation, 5 meals, 2 snacks,
lots of laughter, a ton of fellowship and much more!
There are only 35 spaces available, so book early!!
To Register: Contact Bonnie Levitt
bjlevitt1@yahoo.ca or call 604-792-1023

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Mission Conference 2012 Regina, Saskatchewan

Mark your Calendar for next year – Mission Conference in Regina, Saskatchewan

August 31st – September 2nd

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As you may have heard, World Accord is beginning the process of branching out into the greater community - starting with our own back yard of Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge and Guelph. Our first attempt ever at building awareness here will be a special event. It will be an intimate dinner with Dr. David Suzuki at the Borealis restaurant in Kitchener on November 19. Borealis is all about using local "everything". The keynote address will be on achieving sustainability in our lifetime. We will also have a pre-event called the World Accord Passport to Sustainability Tour where locals are encouraged to visit participating suppliers of local food, goods and services. First they pick up a Passport and then get it stamped as they visit these local suppliers. The stamped passports become their draw tickets. Then we have a remote radio feed from the St. Jacobs Market on the day of the draw to win two seats at David Suzuki's table. There will also be another draw to win a Construction Expedition for one to Honduras.
As the focus of this event is all about building awareness, most of the tickets for the dinner (there only 100 tickets in all - we want it to be very intimate and special) will be going to the sponsors for the event and also used as prizes for radio stations to give away in their contests. World Accord will be splashed everywhere in the lead up to the event. The social media wires will be humming and it has started already. We wanted you to hear about it here first. Visit www.worldaccord.org for more information. We will have a few tickets for sale that will be done through telephone sales that start at a specific date and time. To keep everything fair - this is the only way tickets will be sold. (Though there are a fixed number of tickets set aside for corporate sales that will not be handled the same way and of course they are more expensive) Keep an eye on the website and on our facebook page if you interested in tickets.

--
Peace and Blessings
David
David Barth, Executive Director
World Accord 1C - 185 Frobisher Dr.

Waterloo, ON N2V 2E6 CANADA

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September 2011 Keeping the church connected New offering envelopes and a Contributor Guide arrived in homes of contributors in Canada and the United States during August for use beginning this month. Envelopes make it easy for contributors to support Christ’s mission—our mission—by giving to the mission initiatives or designating their dollars for “use where needed most.” All ministries, personnel, and resources of the World Church are aligned with these initiatives, keeping us focused on the whole mission of Jesus Christ. Learn more at www.CofChrist.org/mission. New children’s offering envelopes for September are being reprinted. Near the end of August, we learned the first set of new children’s offering envelopes mailed to homes for use in September were misprinted. Because of their error, the printing company agreed to reprint and mail corrected children’s envelopes at no cost to the church. They are being sent out immediately. Please recycle the misprinted envelopes. The new children’s offering envelopes include the mission initiatives and feature “Jack and Jenn.” Check out “The Story of Jack and Jenn” video where these young friends learn what it means to be generous disciples. Visit www.CofChrist.org/jackandjenn to watch or download it to share. 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/jackandjennthis 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” Sunday, September 11 marks the 10th anniversary of the tragedies of September 11, 2001. Some congregations (particularly in the United States) plan to acknowledge the anniversary as part of their corporate experience focused on “Forgive from Your Heart” with focus scripture, Matthew 18:21–25. Visit www.CofChrist.org/worship/Samples/911Memorial.asp for a worship outline that can be adapted to meet your worship needs. The Hymnal Project Team will begin releasing names this month 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. The Community of Christ International Peace Award will be presented to Terry Tempest Williams at 7:30 p.m. October 21. Join in a special worship at the Temple in Independence, Missouri, or via live webcast in English, French, and Spanish at www.CofChrist.org. The peace award service will open the Peace Colloquy, “Creating Hope, Healing Earth,” that runs October 21–23. Come to this Spirit-filled colloquy for community building, learning, and to encourage each other as we Pursue Peace on Earth by fostering the healing of all of creation. Visit www.CofChrist.org/peacecolloquy/ to learn more and to register now. A Community of Christ World Hunger grant is providing drought relief in the Horn of Africa where more than 11 million people are in acute need of food assistance. A declaration of famine in parts of southern Somalia was issued. The crisis extends across parts of Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda. World Church leaders are in contact with our leaders in Kenya, where we have a strong church presence. The $20,000 grant (funded through your contributions to the Abolish Poverty, End Suffering mission initiative) was sent through Mercy Corps International. You can give to Abolish Poverty, End Suffering at www.CofChrist.org/give/contribute and on the worldwide ministries side of your offering envelopes. Because of your ongoing contributions to this mission initiative, Community of Christ is able to respond as a worldwide church to the famine in East Africa. Read more at www.CofChrist.org/news/2011/july/famine.asp. Find minister biographies on CofChrist.org. Beginning in September, biographical sketches for Community of Christ ministers can be found at www.CofChrist.org/directory/staff1.asp. People with a biography on file will have a small “BIO” icon before their name in the directory. These brief biographies include a photo when available. Worship Resources Year B is online and in print! Order your copy from Herald House at www.heraldhouse.org or by calling Customer and Member Services at 1-800-767-8181. You can also go to www.CofChrist.org/Worship11-12/default.asp to browse and download free what you need for your Sunday worship moments. Prices for Worship Resources Year B: CD-ROM $10.00; book only $21.95; book and CD-ROM $25.95. Community of Christ members sometimes refer to themselves as “a covenant people,” and our eight sacraments all include an expression of covenant. President Steve Veazey explores the concept of covenant in the series on Doctrine and Covenants 164. Read it at www.CofChrist.org/D&C164 and in the September Herald. To get commentary series articles delivered free to your e-mail, sign up online at www.CofChrist.org/subscribe.asp. Canadian National Conference—A Journey of Trust is scheduled for June 16, 2012. It will occur in multiple places, linked by Internet through conferencing technology. Mission center officers are working on logistics. All Canadian church members will be invited. Read more in the September Herald, pages 16–17, and stay up to date at www.CofChrist.org/canadaconf/. Register now for the next session of Ministerial Education & Discipleship Studies (MEADS). It’s time to begin reading and preparation for February 6–10, 2012, MEADS classes to be held at the Temple, in Independence, Missouri. Courses offered will be: Public Ministry with Robin Linkhart (8:30 a.m.–noon), Hebrew Scriptures with Wim van Klinken (1:30–5:00 p.m.), and Pursue Peace on Earth with Brad Martell (1:30–5:00 p.m.). The Pursue Peace on Earth course is an excellent opportunity to go deeper into this mission initiative. The hope of Zion will become reality when we live Christ’s peace and generously share his peace with others. This course is not part of the MEADS 12-course certificate program, however, you can earn Temple School credit. Cost for this course is $25.00. Fees for Public Ministry and Hebrew Scriptures are $50 to audit one course, $88 for one course, or $175 for two courses. To register or if you have questions, contact Michelle Booth: mbooth@CofChrist.org; ext. 1459. 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. Catch the September generosity stories at www.CofChrist.org/generositystories. PowerPoint presentations are included with each week’s story except for September 11. You can do something incredible to support Christ’s mission! Give voice to your legacy through a bequest. Contact Estate and Financial Planning for information on wills, trusts, and bequests: 1-800-884-7526; efp@CofChrist.org. 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: bmartell@CofChrist.org; (816) 833-1000, ext. 2355; Peace and Justice Ministries, 1001 W. Walnut St., Independence, MO 64050-3562 USA. The World Hunger and Tangible Love Team earlier this year approved $423,000 in funding for 17 world hunger ministries in nine nations. In addition to those projects disaster relief was granted for victims of the earthquake and resulting tsunami in Japan and for those suffering from the extreme drought in the Horn of Africa, which includes Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia, and Djibouti. Throughout the world, many people go to bed hungry, not knowing how they will feed their children the next day. The generous support of contributors to the Abolish Poverty, End Suffering mission initiative helps extend financial assistance to people around the world who find themselves in desperate need. You can fight hunger by giving through offertory envelopes, pre-authorized monthly checking account transfers (PAT), or other options at www.CofChrist.org/give. 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. 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. Seasons of the Spirit™ curriculum uses the lectionary to integrate education and worship, and is designed for formal and informal, traditional and non-traditional church settings. For more information visit www.CofChrist.org/dfg/seasons.asp. Community of Christ: An Illustrated History is a pictorial collection of Community of Christ history. It is ideal for Sunday school classes, new and old members, and those curious about the ongoing story of the church. 9780830914906 $19.95 House of the Lord: The Story of Kirtland Temple is a richly illustrated, full-color guide, in which the story of the Kirtland Temple is told by two of the people who know it best. 9781934901069 $14.95 UPCOMING EVENTS September 4: World Hunger emphasis September 5: International Headquarters offices closed—Labor Day (USA) September 12–16: Council of Twelve Apostles meet September 18: Heritage Day September 19–22: International Leadership Council October 16: Children's Sabbath October 21–23: Peace Colloquy November 24–25: International Headquarters offices closed—Thanksgiving (USA) November 27: First Sunday of Advent 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/ Contribution Update