November 4, 2015

Canada West Mission

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Upcoming Events at a Glance

2015

November 6-8 Young Adult Dialogue Retreat #2 Edmonton

2016

Feb12-15 Winter Youth Camp (location to be confirmed)

February 27 Samish Island Kitchen and Cabin Work Day

March 4-6 Nurturing Spirit Weekend Samish Island

March 18-20 Encounter World Religions Program Greater Vancouver

*dates subject to change, always check online or here for the most up to date information.

All camping dates are included at the bottom of the Weekly Wire and on the CWM website.

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This Week…in the Weekly Wire!

Chilliwack Garage Sale and Craft Day

Edmonton Fall Hours

Young Adult Dialogue Project

Prayer Flag due date for World Conference

Chilliwack Voluntouring Abroad, Volunteering at Home

Victoria Gaelic Choir Charity Concert and Christmas Bazaar

Mission Conference wrap up link

Church Pews for sale – Regina

Call for Delegates for World Conference 2016

2016 Camping Dates

Links to our Worldwide Ministries website

We want you to ‘like’ our CWM Facebook Page

Peace and Justice Rod Downing

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This Friday is a ‘Fun Friday’ in Meadow Ridge,

join us if you can!

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MEADS OFFERINGS:

INDEPENDENCE CAMPUS: - 1^st – 5^th February - 2016

Community of Christ Temple, Independence, MO USA

Register online at: www.cofchrist.org/meads-registration

Hebrew Scriptures - Steve Hatch

Course Description: This course provides an overview of the Old Testament and the Apocrypha, with emphasis on how the canon was developed, the different modes of interpreting the writings, and the exegetical skills needed for teaching and preaching out of the Hebrew Scriptures.

Pastoral Care - Pam Cress

Course Description: In this introductory course we will explore some of the relational issues found in ministry with people. Included will be an overview of our many diversities and how they impact relationships, conflict resolution, pastoral counselling considerations, and self care. Students will also explore the covenant discipleship group approaches.

Independence Registration Form

CANADA EAST CAMPUS: - 18^th – 22^nd April - 2016

Community of Christ, 414 Fischer-Hallman Rd., Kitchener, Ontario.

Register with Douglas Bolger, by April 1^st, 2016

douglasbolger@icloud.com (705-495-1322)

Community of Christ History - Mark Scherer

8:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon

Course Description: This course will focus on the background and development of the Community of Christ from its nineteenth-century beginning to the present. Special attention will be given to an analytical approach to Latter Day Saint literature. Attention will also be given to the last few decades and the change to an International Church.

Church Leadership - Art Smith

1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Course Description: This course will introduce church leaders to the concept of church administration as leadership ministry. We will review and discuss important administrative policies, human resource procedures, and legal issues with the intent of understanding them in relation to our mission and our core theological and organizational values. We will especially focus on practical applications in relation to real-life scenarios and the complexities that sometimes arise between administrative policies and pastoral and missional concerns. The course will also touch on how to lead ministry teams consisting of both paid staff and volunteers, on various decision-making processes and the church’s process of working towards “Common Consent.”

We are encouraging Congregations to establish Leadership funds in their congregational budgets under “Developing Disciples to Serve” These funds can then serve to support those wishing to enroll in MEADS.

For further information, please contact:

Douglas Bolger, Coordinator & Registrar

douglasbolger@icloud.com (705-495-1322)

 Canada East Registration Form

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Young Adult Dialogue Project

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Chilliwack’s Annual Garage Sale!

Saturday November 7th 8:30am – noon

Chilliwack Craft Day

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Chilliwack

Voluntouring Abroad, Volunteering at Home

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Victoria Charity Concert and Christmas Bazaar

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Edmonton Fall Hours

beginning October 25th, we will have visiting at 10am

and our worship service will start at 10:30am

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Prayer Flag due dates

If your congregation is making Prayer Flags to send to World Conference, please note that they would like to have the flags by May 1, 2016 in order to connect them and have them ready to hang.

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Church Pews For Sale

The Regina Congregation has 16 Church Pews for sale. They are constructed with White Oak and have a light walnut stain finish. The pews have Hymnal racks. The set also includes the front row divider panels. 12 pews are 10' in length and seat 6-8 people. 4 pews have been shorted to 7’10” to allow a wheel chair beside the pew. The pews are about 50 years old and in good condition. We are asking $2000 for the set. You can contact Gregg Lester at Gregg.lester@sasktel.net

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Canada West Mission Conference

Look for our Mission Conference 2015

wrap up in your inbox or follow this link.

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Call for Delegates for World Conference 2016

If you are planning to attend World Conference June 4-11, 2016, please send me your name so I can add you to the list.

debra@communityofchrist.ca or 1-877-411-2632 ext 4

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 CWM Facebook Page!

Go to our facebook page to see what’s going on in the CWM

and be sure to ‘like’ us.

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Community of Christ website links

Community of Christ Upcoming Events: Visit the Community of Christ Calendar to see upcoming events, links to Daily Prayer for Peace, and Worship Resources.

Community of Christ Current Announcements: See the most current announcements on Community of Christ homepage or on the Announcements page .

Community of Christ Mission Stories:  Mission Stories

The next link is to a great video produced by the Community of Christ that everyone should see.

Community of Christ, What We Offer You Video

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Peace / Justice  --  Human Rights

October 31, 2015

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. 

As promised in the last newsletter this brief newsletter focuses on the Syrian crisis and possible responses we can make.  In addition there is further news on oil drilling in the Arctic and disturbing new about tuberculosis.

The blog associated with this newsletter is at: http://untilall.org/blogs/newsletter/.  Feel free to comment on any topic.

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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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RESPONDING TO THE SYRIAN CRISIS

The Western world has been bombarded with images of desperation as waves of refugees have boarded rickety boats or endured parched and hostile journeys.  This crisis has reached a threshold in our world, resulting in a call for extraordinary action, just like the “Vietnamese Boat People” of the 1980s.

This article will not attempt to cover the complexities of this crisis (though please raise any issues of concern via the above blog link).  What follows is simply a quick sketch of possible responses:

1. A time for repentance.  Human creativity has put men on the moon and created driverless cars.   Canadians just spent $1 billion on Halloween.  Contrasting that incredible ability and such disposable income with all the preventable and curable diseases that still ravage the world; with the existing 60 million refugees and others suffering unnecessarily (eg., Darfur’s forgotten yet continuing atrocities); with the recognition that we are all created in God’s image; and with an earth that still has enough and to spare, seems – at best - like the definition of “primitive”. I start here, not to evoke any guilt, but to step back, attempt to ground myself better in what life is really about, and thus hopefully engage in new possibilities.

2. Support credible humanitarian help.  One aspect of the deluge has been the under-funding of the normal crisis agencies.  For example, the World Food Programme had to cut its funding to Syrian refugee camps by 50%.  Such underfunding forces people who were desperate enough to go to refugee camps, to consider leaving them, thereby adding to the exodus to Europe.
To be clear this point must be seen in the context of the entire list.  It is not a subtle attempt to keep such people “over there, away from my country”, nor that refugee camps should be seen as normal, permanent fixtures on the world scene. It is more basic – for now they are simply the first line of refuge for a traumatized people and should be able to provide all essential resources for this stage.  But they do not.  There are many issues outside the scope of this article – the inconsistency of other stages, issues of land and local relations for the camps, etc. – that must be left for another article.
Thus within the context of this entire list, this aspect does need support and it can take two forms:

a. Donate to the reputable charitable aid agencies;

b. Press your country to increase its funding to the UN aid agencies;

3. Support agencies in your area that provide resources that help refugees adjust to life in Canada.  These are not the sponsoring groups themselves, but agencies that assist immigrants with the basic tools and resources to integrate into one’s society (language classes, translation resources, basic living skills, etc.).  Support could be donations of money or time;

4. Sponsor one or more families with another group. Details for this will depend on your country.  But if feasible it is an easier path to join with a group (United Church, Mennonite Central Committee, etc.) who already has expertise in sponsorship;

5. Fully sponsor a family.  Again this will depend on your country.  But if feasible one must be clear-eyed about the commitment. The very basics usually involve:

a. A substantial cash outlay (usually at least $30,000 for a one year commitment to fully support their needs);

b. Enough volunteer time to help them get established (housing, schooling, medical, language, jobs, etc.).  It would involve substantial time at the start, though a pitfall can be that once the basics are stablished that the continued support falls off.  As well, some people will have extra needs due to trauma, low literacy rates, etc. (This must be clearly factored in, but is also a doubly wonderful gift to give them if it is viable).  One needs to be clear-eyed about this year-long commitment, and hopefully beyond;

c. For both this point, and the one above, “sponsorship” does not need to mean a Syrian family.  If your country has a good policy on refugees, it can be best to simply take what they deem the most critical need.  Remember, there are currently 60 million refugees around the world (4 million Syrians).  Our longitudinal study of Darfur should have taught us that “being in the spotlight” does not necessarily mean “the most critical need”.

6. Advocate an end to the civil war via all political and diplomatic means, so that the exodus will be stopped and the people will be able to return home.  Again the complexity and layers involved are well outside the scope of this article;

The above barely touches all the factors in this complex disaster.  But “complex” does not need to mean “immobilized”! The above responses do make a difference. While no one can heed DC 163:4a in every instance, we can consider which of the above steps we might take:

4 a. God, the Eternal Creator, weeps for the poor, displaced, mistreated, and diseased of the world because of their unnecessary suffering. Such conditions are not God’s will. Open your ears to hear the pleading of mothers and fathers in all nations who desperately seek a future of hope for their children. Do not turn away from them. For in their welfare resides your welfare.

Finally, I do what to raise up a counter sentiment to the start of this article.  While it is clear how primitive we are, especially on point #6, there are also numerous people and organizations using the creative human ability to envision and create organizations and resources that are slowly building alternative patterns to move us forward (such as the value of transparency and good governance, the transformative role women can play, the indicators of a failing state so that it can be caught before it fails, and so on).  World conditions are improving, due to such wonderful people and efforts.  Unfortunately it remains at an abysmal pace and is continually undercut by other dynamics, thus keeping the word “primitive” the most apt overall label.

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=== FOLLOW-UP TO PREVIOUS ISSUES ===
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US curbs Arctic offshore oil and gas drilling

The US government has announced new curbs on oil and gas exploration in Arctic waters off Alaska's northern coast.  It comes after oil giant Royal Dutch Shell last month stopped its Arctic activity citing "disappointing" tests.  These are further hopeful steps on this issue.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-34557099

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=== ARTICLES OF INTEREST ===
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TB 'joins HIV as most deadly infection'

Tuberculosis now ranks alongside HIV as the world's most deadly infectious disease, the World Health Organization (WHO) said.  While there had been a great drop in TB rates (cut in half since 1990) it is more difficult now due to more resistant strains of TB, and a lack of global focus.
http://www.bbc.com/news/health-34658015

In appreciation and support,
  Rod Downing

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Canada West Camping and Event Calendar

2015

November 6-8 Young Adult Dialogue Retreat #2 Edmonton

2016

Feb12-15 Winter Youth Camp (location to be confirmed)

February 27 Samish Island Kitchen and Cabin Work Day

March 4-6 Nurturing Spirit Weekend Samish Island

March 18-20 Encounter World Religions Program Greater Vancouver

April 15-17 Pastors Retreat (location to be confirmed)

April 21-24 Fine Arts Retreat Samish Island

April 25-30 Samish Island Work Week

May 27-29 Young Adult Retreat Hills of Peace (to be confirmed)

June 3-5 Camp Genesis (8-9 yrs) Samish Island

June 4-11 World Conference - Independence Missouri

June 13 Samish Island Work Day

June 25-July 1 Adult Reunion Samish Island

July 3 - 8 CWM Youth Camp Hills of Peace

July 9 - 14 Family Reunion Hills of Peace

July 15 - 18 Junior Camp (8-12 yrs) Hills of Peace

July 16-23 Family Reunion Samish Island

July 16-23 Spectacular Graceland University tentative dates

July 24-30 Camp Kluane (girls 12-14 yrs) Samish Island

July 31-Aug 6 Camp Chimacum (boys 12-14 yrs) Samish Island

August 7-13 Camp Kimtah (15-18 yrs) Samish Island

August 6-7 Nurturing Spirit Retreat Hills of Peace

August 14-20 Camp Mungai (10-11 yrs) Samish Island

Sept 2-4 Canada West Mission Conference – Ribstone AB

Sept 23-25 Men’s Retreat Hills of Peace

Sep 30–Oct 2 Women's Retreat Chilliwack

October 28-30 Singles Retreat Samish Island

Note: Hills of Peace Spiritual Retreat cancelled for 2015 due to WC

Dates are subject to change, please register early

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Thought for the Week

‘A mind is like a parachute

It doesn’t work if it isn’t open!’