Weekly Wire for January 4, 2017

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!

Worship Planning Resources

Interim Mission Centre President and update on Steve Thompson

CWM Youth Retreat

Nurturing Spirit Retreat Samish Island and Youth Spirit Kitchen

Women’s Retreat Medicine Hat

Encounter World Religions Weekends

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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A message from Apostle Art Smith

Darrell Belrose~Interim Mission Centre President after January 15th.

email  darrell@communityofchrist.ca 

phone 403-803-7601

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Steve Thompson’s surgery was postponed until today, Wednesday January 4th.  Please see the following note from Steve regarding this delay.  We will be sending updates to your pastors as we have them.  Debra.

Hello many family and friends.

After waiting many hours Friday, we (Marian and I, that is) were formally advised that my surgery has been delayed to Wednesday, January 4. No specific time has been identified yet.

The delay was caused by an extended, complex, surgery (not "just" bypass surgery) being performed by my surgeon. It took several hours longer than anticipated.

This is frustrating, but not uncommon. Most of the delay in just getting to this point is due to a reduced scheduled surgery schedule over the holidays, and it is the same story for the delay to Wednesday: weekend, plus holiday on Monday for New Years, plus whatever is already scheduled for Tuesday.

I have been humbled and strengthened by the prayerful expressions of support over the last several days. I will take those good thoughts with me and apply them to next week's new scheduled time.

Thank you so much! Happy New Year!

--Steve Thompson

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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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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!

Youth Spirit Kitchen

As a part of our spiritual practice this year at the Nurturing Spirit Retreat, we will be offering an opportunity to focus on the blessing of giving and receiving food in community.

As a child I was captivated by the story of a hungry crowd, some fish, 5 loaves of bread and Jesus. Shelby too, counts this as her favourite Bible miracle. But what really happened?

Today I still wonder what it takes to make food sacred. Why do I feel so special when I take in the bread and the juice of communion? Why does food taste different on holidays or with special friends? What can we do as cooks at an event like NSR to bring the Spirit not just calories to the table?

And, what makes Reunion cooks so awesome? And how do people turn into cooks? It must be something like the loaves and fishes, a little sharing, a lot of love, and a willingness to step up and be seen.

If you are youth and are curious about cooking, learning about the Samish kitchen, curious about God and Spirit, and the really cool relationship between them, consider spending a week end in service at Nurturing Spirit.

Get in touch with Debra or Lana. Youth Spirit Kitchen spaces are by donation, are limited and we have 2 registered already!

And, no we won’t be dividing up fish, its vegetarian all the way!

Lana Cullis ~ Head Cook lanacullis@gmail.com

Debra Donohue~Camp Director debra@communityofchrist.ca

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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

  I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You're doing things you've never done before, and more importantly, you're doing something.

~Neil Gaiman~