The Weekly Wire for December 21, 2016

Canada West Mission

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Upcoming Events at a Glance

2017

Feb 17-20 Winter Youth Retreat Edmonton

February 24-26 Encounter World Religions Program Vancouver

March 3-5 Nurturing Spirit Weekend Samish Island

March 3-5 Encounter World Religions Program Calgary

*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!

New Worship Planning Resources

Canada West Mission Christmas Closures

Christmas Letter from Apostle Art Smith

CWM Youth Retreat

Nurturing Spirit Retreat Samish Island

Women’s Retreat Medicine Hat

Fishermen Helping Kids with Cancer- new high

Encounter World Religions Weekends

Project Zion

Spiritual Formation Events

Community of Christ App

Shopping on Amazon.ca

Links to our Worldwide Ministries website

We want you to ‘like’ our CWM Facebook Page

2017 Camping Dates

Quote of the Week

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Merry Christmas!

from your Canada West Mission Staff

Steve Thompson

Debra Donohue

Lisa Neudorf

Parker Johnson

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Greetings Sisters and Brothers!

May the peace of Christ be with each of you, members and Friends of Community of Christ in the Canada, Mexico/Texas and Haiti Field. 

Taking advantage of this very special season, I wanted to share my best wishes and sincere thanks. I give thanks for the wonderful experiences we’ve had together in your various countries, cities, towns and congregations over the course of 2016. I don’t have words to express just how blessed I feel to have benefited from your generosity of spirit as I’ve visited you where you live and also your congregations.  What we share as brothers and sisters in Christ and in the Community of Christ is most beautiful.

My wish for each of you is that you might enjoy a quiet Christmas with all that you need, and that the coming New Year 2017 is filled with blessings. I particularly hope that, just as in 2016, we’ll be granted many great moments together in Christ’s mission in 2017.

May the peace of Jesus Christ always be found in your homes and congregations.
Blessings,
Art Smith
Apostle to the Canada, Mexico/Texas and Haiti Field. 

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Canada West Mission Christmas closures

The Canada West Mission offices will close for Christmas on Friday December 24th and will reopen Tuesday January 2nd.

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CWM Youth Retreat

Mark your calendars … the 2017 CWM Youth Retreat will be in Edmonton from Friday, February 17, 7:30 pm to Monday, February 20, 11:30 am. Online registration  CWM_Youth_Retreat_Registration  please register early.

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Click on the link below to see

CWM Camp Community 2017 theme revealed

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What’s Up…In the CWM is online!

Watch for printed copies in your mailbox or at church.

Find your local congregation’s Christmas service times here!

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Wow! 

After a final donation on Saturday night,

$100,000 dollars was raised to help kids with cancer.

Way to go everyone!

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Women’s Retreat in Medicine Hat!

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Weekend of World Religions Vancouver

It’s time to Register!

*locations subject to change

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Weekend of World Religions Calgary

It’s time to register!

Brian Carwana, Director of the Encounter World Religions Centre 

Brian Carwana is the director of the Encounter World Religions Centre, an educational organization designated as a “Gift Of Service To The World” by the Parliament of World Religions. Brian has worked as an educator in religions and cultural diversity for fourteen years and finds religion endlessly fascinating for understanding global issues or individual lives. He has taken thousands of people to places of worship, observed rituals and festivals, and formed lasting relationships with Muslim imams, Jewish cantors, and Wiccan priestesses. Brian also brings a strong academic background with a Masters degree in religion and culture and is currently a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Toronto. Audiences repeatedly comment on how his lectures combine great learning with an approach that is enjoyable and accessible. He has delivered conference keynote speeches, lectured at universities, been a visiting scholar in the United States, and taught in varied settings including corporate, churches, hospitals, and police forces. He looks forward to sharing with you the extraordinary worlds of humanity's religious traditions.

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Nurturing Spirit Retreat Samish Island

Registration is now open!

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Project Zion Podcast

Project Zion features a variety of guests and panelists with roots in the Restoration tradition, including LDS and Community of Christ, Project Zion Podcast explores the unique spiritual and theological gifts the Restoration offers for today’s world.  Project Zion publishes full-length episodes every other Tuesday, with occasional “extra shots” of shorter, high impact content in between.  Feel free to contact us with questions, comments, or episode suggestions!

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New Worship Planning Resources Again this year, Worship Resources is a two-book set. Worship Resources This book contains suggestions for worship planning for Advent 2016 up to Advent 2017. Weekly worship outlines include Community of Christ worship themes, lectionary-based scriptures, ways to engage all ages, recommended hymns from Community of Christ Sings, drama scripts and responsive readings, special prayers, focus moments, worship settings, and more. Sermon & Class Helps This book contains sermon and class helps based on focus scriptures listed in the Revised Common Lectionary for Sundays and special liturgical days with emphasis on the New Testament, particularly on the Gospel according to Matthew. Each sermon help includes Exploring the Scripture, an exegesis of the text including critical interpretation of the context, people, and events described in the featured scripture passage. Sections called Central Ideas and Questions for the Speaker contain suggestions for a sermon thesis and questions to help the preacher frame the ideas. Order online today at Herald House. Book Set Book Set plus CD-ROM CD-ROM only

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Spiritual Formation Centre Upcoming Events

Encountering God at Home:  Spiritual Formation with Children, Youth and Families – April 7 – 9, 2017

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Community of Christ App for Android and IOS

Community of Christ launched an app for Android and iOS devices. The app is available for download from Google Play and the App Store on iTunes.

With the Community of Christ app, you can read daily spiritual devotions, watch inspiring videos, stay in touch with mission happening around the world, and much more.

The app development was funded through the generous offerings received during the USA National Conference after event expenses were met.

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Here is the  link for “Community of Christ and Amazon.ca ” to make purchases and have up to 8.5% returned to the Canadian church.

Learn how it works here Community of Christ Amazon video

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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

To those seeking a spiritual home, Community of Christ is a welcoming, loving, worldwide faith community that values the worth of every person as a child of God, and provides a safe space for you to explore and deepen your relationship with Jesus Christ and each other.

In Community of Christ, you will receive love and support as you discover renewed purpose for your life through compassionate, Christ-like service that ends suffering and fosters justice and peace.

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Canada West Camping and Event Calendar

2017

Feb 17-20 Winter Youth Retreat Edmonton

February 24-26 Encounter World Religions Program Vancouver

March 3-5 Nurturing Spirit Weekend Samish Island

March 3-5 Encounter World Religions Program Calgary

March 31-April 2 Women’s Retreat Medicine Hat, AB

April 21-23 Arts Retreat Samish Island

April 24-29 Samish Island Work Week

June 2-4 Camp Genesis (8-9 yrs) Samish Island

June 2-4 Spiritual Retreat Hills of Peace

June 10-16 Adult Reunion Samish Island

July 2-7 CWM Camp Community - Youth Camp Hills of Peace

July 8-13 Family Reunion Hills of Peace

July 15-22 Family Reunion Samish Island

July 15-19 Junior Camp Hills of Peace

July 22-29 Spectacular Graceland University tentative dates

July 23-29 Camp Kluane (girls 12-14 yrs) Samish Island

July 30- Aug 5 Camp Chimacum (boys 12-14 yrs) Samish Island

August 6-12 Camp Kimtah (15-18 yrs) Samish Island

August 4-7 Nurturing Spirit Retreat Hills of Peace

August 13-19 Camp Mungai (10-11 yrs) Samish Island

September 1-3 Canada West Mission Conference – Vancouver BC

September 22-24 Men’s Retreat Hills of Peace

November 3-5 High Priest, Evangelist and Seventy Retreat –Edmonton

Dates are subject to change, please register early to avoid cancellation of your event.

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Quote of the Week

 

Christmas is the spirit of giving without a thought of getting.

It is happiness because we see joy in people.

It is forgetting self and finding time for others.

It is discarding the meaningless and stressing the true values.

Thomas S. Monson