The Advocate

Self-emptying, open vistas, pondering and praying, dwelling and discerning, writing and wondering. Names flash before me, Faces emerge. Thoughts surface. Words form.

As unproductive as these moments of reflection may be viewed within the world of business, it has become the norm for me to start my day this way. I now have confidence in the outcome of listening within and allowing the notions that arise to influence my day’s agenda and actions. Ultimately, I have become engaged and aligned in the Mission of a church that I see is “on course” The above spiritual practice I participate in, is what I have learned from our CEM Mission Advocates, from the Leading Congregations in Mission retreat and in exploring the world church website. These practices have been introduced to the church from our insightful leadership at World Church who themselves participate in and are advocates for these spiritual practices that guide the workplace sensitivities, governance, and administration of a church that exists differently in the world than that of a business or other governing bodies. World Church is the hub of a wheel from which redemptive ministries flow. Our Mission Centres are an extension of those ministries which cascade to congregations, members and ministers. Ministry as members or apostles begins with prayerful listening moments. These moments inform our lives, the life of a church and the lives of those who are impacted by our ministries that emerge.

I am grateful for a World Church whose first principle of “being” both within its individual leaders and governance holds forth discerning spiritual practices as where we begin in each and every decision. We are recipients of grace through the ministries of World Church. Even though we may perceive the functions of World Church are similar to a corporate head office in structure and communications, there is a fundamentally different foundational awareness of presence and mission that permeates the interactions and ministries that flow from its centre.

As members who are distant geographically from these interactions, we presume the corporate World Church operates with the same business protocols as what we are familiar with where we work. How do we become attuned to who we are as a Church that is “in the world but not of it.” We need to get to know the very heart of our being as a people and not take World Church for granted. It is a blessing in our midst. May we each proactively as a beginning place in our relationship with World Church allow it to be a source of blessing in our lives. May we put aside any we/they attitudes that may exist and allow ourselves to be open to the ongoing flow of ministries from our Centre. We need to view our context with World Church as a relationship. Therefore, let us choose to know the other. Let us delve into the World Church website and meet our leadership, our devoted staff that support us and explore the wealth of resources that are there for no other reason than for us. Someone, dedicated, prayerful and insightful wrote and prepared every resource that is shared……just for you…., to bless you personally, to be a blessing through you to others.

If we are to be Community of Christ, our calling, a blessing in the midst of our neighbourhoods, then the call to us is to become aligned with the heart of who we are. If World Church is a far off entity in your life, we have lost our soul as a church. I invite you to reconnect, to envision yourself beyond your own life, your own congregation to the source of our identity as Community of Christ. World Church is a blessing and resource and most of all, gifted, loving and giving people we need to get to know and affirm as they affirm us.

Ultimately, our contributions maintain the ministries of World Church. Unlike a business, there is no products to sell to generate revenues, no sources of income to fund operations solely focused to bless our lives. Although we live within the day to day of congregational life which we financially support, World Church relies on you and me to fund all of its ministries. May awareness of the grace of this source of blessing in our midst allow us to also start contributing to World Church or to increase our generosity. It is greatly needed. Thank you for your new or renewed relationship with the heart of our Church. Thereby your life will continue to be blessed but you now also have a renewed awareness, a new connectedness and an emerging relationship that will broaden the scope of your life and ministries. Thank you.

Submitted by Kerry