Superficiality and Community

For years now I have read the news on-line vs a newspaper even though in the Toronto market many are free. What I enjoy about the on-line Globe or Star are the comments following the articles. Invariably there are contrary and divergent viewpoints that expand my understanding of issues. Some comments are reactive, some affirmative and some bring brilliant dialogue to the topic which becomes a catalyst for testing the validity of the points expressed. One such interactive dialogue I found so intriguing from the viewpoints posted on all sides (many more than 2 sides to the story) that I copied and pasted the entire 200+ comments onto a word document to enable me to be more informed about the Israeli / Palestine issue which is confusing for me.

There are countless blogs and unlimited dialogue forums on-line about meaningful and diverse subjects. For yourselves, within Facebook there are perhaps a dozen dialogue groups openly discussing any and all topics about our heritage, our theology, our practices, our validity. These forums for me provide insight to the breadth of viewpoints related to our Community of Christ body of people. These forums help me to understand my own faith better as I consider my response to questions posed or perspectives cited. It is not just about protecting my positions of faith. I learn, I grow, I research to verify claims, I am stretched with the new and am enriched. I also always am mindful of our heritage standard to learn by both study and (prayerful) faith.  I would encourage each one to expand your horizons of exposure to faith dialogue. It will also necessitate you knowing your own heritage beliefs with Community of Christ. To know the fundamentals of our faith read the booklet, "We Share" which encapsulates our current enduring principles of faith. If you do not have the booklet, just read it on-line here:

 http://www.cofchrist.org/discernment/weshare/weshare.pdf

To give you a taste of thoughts out there about churches that are being discussed that hold back no punches try these following blurbs people have posted.

"when we are a part of the church, many of us assume that because we are surrounded by people our loneliness will be remedied. Not!  We wonder how genuine the friendships were there in the first place. We were lonely surrounded by people."

I understand the sense of isolation that seems pervasive in church culture. I have spent many hours this past year as a 66 year old trying to determine why this seems to be a characteristic of church community, even in the church that I have been a member of for 35 years and in which I have held leadership positions. When I recently went through a personal crisis, it was my longtime friends and neighbors outside the church community that rushed to inquire about my well being and support me. Interestingly enough, it was not my church "family." I haven't quite figured out the paradox of this situation, but I am working at it.

"going to church could give people the opportunity to mingle with diverse people that are quite different from themselves. In practice, though, many churches tend to attract congregations that tend to be somewhat "the same" and many church communities fear diversity and "the other". In a diverse world when certain communities fear diversity, these "sameness bubbles" will tend to get smaller and smaller. I think that if churches could change their inner psychology and embrace diversity, they could grow their numbers."

"I've never gone to a church where there was ethnic diversity. I have always gone to churches where there was economic diversity. Like you said, the ethnic diversity should have been there, and would have been a great way to get to know and relate to people of other cultural backgrounds. But it didn't work out that way, unfortunately."

"actually, I think the internet is one of the biggest reason for a fall in church numbers.
The internet does two important things:

(1) Community: as related to the post -- it allows community of like minded folks without having to give up 1/4 of your time off each week, drive across town or get dressed up only to have perfunctory nice talks with lots of fake smiles. Well, that is only how church is for some folks.
(2) Knowledge: evidence exposing the foibles of religion are now readily available.
While true that face to face community is important, I think it's important to emphasize a third option on why the Internet may have altered religious practice:
(3) freedom to explore ideas And no topic is considered off-limits. You can share and there will always be someone who can relate, chime in, etc. In the Church, there's too much concern about something being taboo, thus leading to artificial relationships. And our group is not perfect. People say things that offend others, but we're generally quick to make amends without sweeping it under the rug. That doesn't often happen in church. Quite the opposite: the offense is swept under the rug hoping to never be dealt with again. Nothing gets resolved. I'll take real and flawed any day over superficial parading as real and genuine.

Comments like the above challenge us to be relevant, to be real, to explore what needs to change. A full 75% of our total CEM membership is now peripheral to our attending ranks. That says something. Numbers speak volumes. In the sales profession, poor measurables determine the discontinuation of a product or the immediate and critical necessity to change it. Corporate survival is based upon listening, market research, competition, perceived customer benefits, and the cost to acquire that product in comparison to the alternatives. I say it that way as there is a cost to you to attend church in your measurably precious time, your personal inner investment for meaningful intersection with the Divine, courage to engage yourself in social relationships and actual $$ expenditures in gas, contributions etc. Knowing your customer and your customers needs in business creates product loyalty. Loyalty is fading. The comments above about churches are just a small slice of reality in people's thoughts who choose not to attend church.

We need "to be with" those in the periphery or those who are "alone" in our congregations to know them. "With" means personal time, $, courage, prayer and life investment in their lives. Many just fade away otherwise. We are superficial friends if we allow that to happen? Were they lonely in our midst because of superficiality. Is our community of joy, hope, love and peace a future image in our minds or a present reality in our midst. Are we community? These questions are for each of us to ask, to feel deeply within, to have tears over, to take us to our knees and pray for ourselves to change, as we are ultimately that product that needs changing.

I challenge myself and you to be honest, to know there is a cost, to know we need to change things in our lives such as praying intently, having an envisioned plan that compels us, increasing our capacity of time to nurture the reality of community where we are and becoming a catalyst by partnering with others to do the same. It is not easy. I open this blog site's stats and pray for everyone on this blog subscription list every day. May I, may the Spirit be a catalyst in yours and my life!!

submitted by Kerry

Occasional

As Marion indicated in her Last post, we have been talking for some time about the future of What’s the Good Word. It is clear from many of your comments and questions that some of you are wondering too. You deserve an answer, so the purpose of this post is simply to share with you what we have in mind.

We began the blog in June of 2009 as another channel of communication and conversation. Marion chose the title as representative of all the good things that were (and are) happening in Canada East Mission, which is primarily what we wanted to share. Marion took the initiative to get it going. Within two weeks I began contributing occasionally and then regularly. For almost 2 ½ years, we have blogged 5 days per week. I guess we must have had a lot to say, because between us we amassed over 600 of these short essays.

During that time, you, our faithful readers and friends, have been generous with your appreciation, often shared with us personally if not in the comments section. We have highly valued your thoughts. At the same time, it sometimes felt a little daunting when people would tell us the blog had become part of their morning devotions! We were glad people found the blog so helpful, but "devotional" really was never our intent. We talked about that, finally deciding (in Marion's immortal words) "it is what it is," and then went on with what we do.

For both Marion and me, writing is part of what we do, and it is generally more of a pleasure than a chore. Still, it takes a little time each day to prepare a thoughtful piece, and Marion’s retirement represents a major transition. Were I now to take on the task of blogging 5 days per week, the task would indeed become a chore and perhaps a burden. We do not want that to happen. Our conversations together should always be joyous and never an obligation.

Consequently, we have decided to shift What’s the Good Word from a Monday to Friday blog to a more occasional one. Occasional is much more the norm in the blogosphere, with many bloggers who began writing daily, moving to semi-regular offerings. We will continue to share good news as it occurs, probably along with other musings, not every day but perhaps two or three times per week. We hope Marion may still contribute occasionally, and who knows, perhaps some of the other CEM staff, either in the office or out, may also find they have something they wish to say.

It you have subscribed to receive the blog by email, you will continue to get it there. It will also continue to show up on facebook. If you miss receiving a daily piece, there are half a dozen fine blogs listed to the left that you may wish to follow, and there are many others available. We may add more from time to time, and you may also wish to suggest some that you especially like.

So…today marks a transition of sorts, or at least a shift in the frequency of the conversations we enjoy together here. As we have often tried to point out, a conversation flows two ways, so let me ask you, dear friends, What’s the Good Word for you today?

Oh, and by the way, Happy Halloween!

Posted by Carman

Last

This is my last regular contribution to What’s the Good Word. More than six hundred posts ago, we launched this blog as a way to stay in touch with the membership of Canada East Mission. It was intended to be somewhat less formal than memos to pastors or weekly announcements. It was offered to any who wanted to read it, no directions, no filters. We meant to let the general population know of all the positive things that were going on in the various congregations and neighbourhoods around our extended Community.

We decided to focus on the idea of the Good Word and to keep our news upbeat. That really hasn’t been difficult, as the good deeds continue to happen and to spread! Our blog evolved as Mission President Carman joined in with an occasional good word too. His participation now is roughly half the postings, so he won’t have any problem continuing as the primary blogger. (But please encourage him with the occasional response; it makes him feel good when you comment.)

In talking about the future of the CEM Blog, Carman and I have identified several ways we have benefited. Identifying a “good word” or a “reportable item” has given our ministry an important focus. We’ve never collaborated or consulted with one another about what we’ll post; and yet, we almost always find ourselves lifting up similar issues or questions or wonderful observations we’ve noted in our travels and communications around the Mission. Sometimes our “news” turns into an almost-meditation as we try to articulate feelings we’re having or struggles we’re thinking about. We long ago decided that these too qualify as “good words.” So those postings that feel more like poems have crept into our blog.

Both of us have poetic tendencies, as you’ve noticed. And this has been an excellent writing practice for me. But herein lies the reason for my decision to make this my “last post.” I really do want and intend to establish an ongoing writing practice. I need to shift my focus from a daily five-hundred word commentary on a current Mission issue and let it loose into whatever new country my imagination needs to explore. I need to unhitch my thoughts from the discipline of regular blog-writing into something new.

I believe Carman intends to allow me the occasional guest blogger position. I know he needs to change his implied promise to a daily blog. He may even be able to recruit some other guests to help him maintain this essential conversation. In other words “What’s the Good Word” will continue! But for me, I wish him and all of you a bright future. Thank you for all your encouragement, for your faithful reading and thoughtful reflections. This is my last regular post, but I’ll let you know when my writing practice yields something new for you to read (perhaps even a personal blog, eventually). Meantime, keep on with following “What’s the Good Word.”

Posted by Marion

Haiti

We often speak with much affection of our Montreal congregation, led by Pastor Albert Cineus. Check the Archives, over there in the left sidebar, for some old stories about them. Or do a word Search to pull some up to re-read.

Today I'm referring you to Art Smith's blog Impressions of Haiti for pictures and commentary of his latest visit to Pastor Albert's homeland. Many of our Montreal families have their origins there.

We all, along with our Montreal folk, have worried and wondered and prayed about the future of Haiti following last year's earthquake and several disasters that have followed. You'll get a bit of an update if you read Art's blog. You'll also read his reference to visiting Montreal years ago and enjoying the hospitality of that "small congregation." At 100 or more active members and friends, they are no longer small, but are one of the larger groups in CEM.

If you haven't thought about Haiti for awhile, let this be a reminder that there is still a great need. And if ever you have a chance to visit, know that you will be welcomed and mightily blessed by a generous people.

Posted by Marion

Appreciation

This is the summer of my “Farewell Tour” – and No, it’s not the least bit like Cher’s. While I’m mostly holding the fort at the office while my colleagues take advantage of all the summer's reunion/camping opportunities, I do bob in for a day from time to time. I like to see the people and enjoy a bit of a conversation. ( I like conversations and think they are very important!)

You may also remember that there have been many occasions to come together to memorialize some of those we’ll be missing as our community goes forward. On one of those occasions I reminded us all via our blog that it’s important to let people know how much we appreciate them while we still have the chance.

Now this last point is the one I’m going to talk about today. I’m realizing as I’m out and about talking to folks just how often those folks have been expressing appreciation to me. They’re taking the time to say it out loud, in a few nicely-thought- out words, some of the things they’ve appreciated about me! While this was not what I expected and certainly not what I was “asking for” it has been lovely, nonetheless. I’ve most certainly noticed for years and years how most people do like to get positive feedback. People thrive on being told what they do that others like and appreciate about them. It’s part of the glue that binds our communities together. And you know, it feels darned nice to receive it too! Thank you.

When we started our “What’s the Good Word” blog, we established a philosophy of “good news,” of sharing some of the many, many things worthy of celebration going on in our particular faith community. It was a deliberate attempt to affect the tone of the conversation among our members and friends, in our congregations and out there on the margins and fringes.

Oh yes, there will always be something to complain about. (I confess; I can have a pretty good time in that camp as well.) But at the risk of being maudlin, we’re just so much better when we’re celebrating our positives. As Ralph Waldo Emerson famously said: “a man is what he thinks about all day long.”

So once again, let me say how very much I appreciate the expressions of appreciation I’ve been hearing, observing, receiving from so many of you out there. The best ones may be the specifics e.g. “I used that blog post in an offertory” or “I really like that you suggest books that are exactly right for me” or “thanks for letting everyone know about our achievement; it helped us meet our goals.” I love hearing them too. “Good job, kiddo. You really cleaned up those dishes in quick order tonight. Thanks.” And “Thanks so much for insisting folks use the microphone; I normally have a hard time hearing the whole discussion.”

See what I mean? Appreciation is the glue that binds us together; it’s the oil that keeps this machine humming.

Appreciation posted by Marion

bloggers

I had a note from one of my sisters the other day. Her email contained the disappointing news that she is not able to come for a visit, but it also held a delightful surprise. My sister shared a link to some writing she has been doing on a blog of her own. I read her posts, and was totally delighted. It was enough to make me feel a sense of instant connection. I had a glimpse into her distant life, her relationship with her now grown children and even her dogs. It was wonderful and made me want more.

That lovely surprise got me thinking about you, and made me wonder how many of you are writing. It occurred to me that, of all the blog links we have on the lower left of this page, only one is written by a reader and follower; our delightful Tomato Transplants. Surely that is just not right! While we do not know exactly how many there are who follow these pages, we know there are more than a few hundred who check in with some regularity. It seems highly unlikely, therefore, that there is only one writer in the whole bunch!

Are there other bloggers out there that we don’t know about? Come on now, fess up! Are you writing and not sharing? This need not be a one-way conversation you know. If you are writing, will you not share with the rest of us?

If you are writing and willing to share (and I can’t think of a reason you would write a blog unless you were), would you please send us the link? You can do it privately if you wish, but we would be delighted to read your poetic verse or prose. And just in case you are shy, I promise we will not publically add you to the list of blogs we follow unless you give us permission.

So how about it; are you writing and willing to share with the rest of us? After all, enquiring minds want to know! Lets make this more than a one way connection, okay?

Posted by Carman

Pen pal

Did you have a pen pal when you were a kid? I think most of us, at least of a certain generation, have the experience of having a teacher who offered the idea of corresponding with someone in some other part of the world. She or he had found some addresses or made a connection and encouraged us to select someone and to write them a letter. Maybe you did, and maybe you heard back from that new "friend." Perhaps the correspondence lasted and perhaps it didn't. Experiences vary.

But whether it was once or whether it happened for years and years, receiving that letter in the mail from someone far off was always exciting.

Today we have the Internet to connect us to people around the globe. If you're reading this blog then it's pretty likely that you have email and hear from people near and far--sometimes more than you wish for!

As I was browsing through the World Church's website I happened upon a pen-pal you might like to know. You can have regular emails directly from the desk of the President of the Church. All you have to do is sign in and every so often (he IS a busy man you know, so he can't write too, too frequently) you will receive a message.

He's very friendly you know, and loves to keep us all in touch with what's going on around the church. So go ahead. Click on the link below and sign up to receive your very own note from Brother Steve. Be sure to register so you can get the note directly in your In-Box. His last message was in mid-January, so I'm thinking we're about due for a new message. Go ahead, you'll like him.

click here to link to Steve Veazey's blog

Posted by Marion

Laughing

I'm sending you to this blog post of Art Smith's just in case you haven't found it on your own yet. This posting is called I loved the laughing... Have a look; you'll love the laughing too I'm certain.

Art and Paul Davis have a blog based on their travels in different parts of the world, different parts of the church. The blog is called This is What I Know... and in it they share pictures and stories from their respective travels. You can subscribe and have updates mailed directly to your email box, just as you do What's the Good Word!

Both Paul and Art are avid photographers, so you'll see many, many beautiful pictures. But you'll also see faces--faces of pastors and ministers, of children and youth, of places and plants, of food and festivals! (I'm sorry for all these exclamation points; good writers ought not to over-use the exclamation point. But what can you do when every sentence is exclamatory!)

I like the opportunity to see the faces of the World Church. I remember very well that statement we embraced back at the turn of the century:

We will become a worldwide church, dedicated to peace, reconciliation and healing of the spirit.

Art and Paul give us a picture, both in word and photograph of what some parts of that worldwide church look like. I love to see those faces, to hear the story of how the worship went, what the youth camp looks like, where the congregation went for lunch together, what new community projects they're starting up, how the new church building construction is coming along. You will too, I'm sure.

Take the time to check out the link. And let us know what your thoughts are as you see those friendly Community of Christ faces from around the world.

Posted by Marion

Top 10

As we’re approaching the end of the year 2010 it seems that everyone is thinking about the Top Ten list of some sort or other. What are the Top ten news stories, the top ten movies, the top ten songs or tv shows or novels or whatever? Did the BP Oil spill or the Chilean miners’ rescue or the Haitian earthquake make a greater impact on our news consumption? How does one compare Toy Story with Inception, Harry Potter and Social Network? I don’t know; I didn’t see any of them!

Yet, I do want to get into the spirit of year end and suggest a Top Ten list for us to think about. Reflection is a good thing; it’s one of the ways we learn our best life lessons. So let us reflect a little on where we’ve been. Your task, dear reader, is to provide the content for our Top Ten list.

Do you have a favourite Blog post? What topics do you remember best? Are they the ones that received the most comments? Those would be dealing with community involvement, books and reading, fair trade practices and why people do or don’t come to church! Do you recall those conversations?

In 2010 What’s the Good Word signed on to facebook with more than 200 friends and followers. It’s not unusual for us to have more than 400 “hits” on any given post on our facebook site. Of course, some of those would be me checking on how many hits we’ve had, but be assured, I don’t have time to be running up those stats unduly, so I know someone out there is reading The Good Word.

People ask us how we coordinate out messaging. We don’t! Blog posts arise out of what we’re thinking about, what we’re paying attention to, what the current issues, challenges and good news items are coming to our attention. Carman and I do not compare notes or decide who will write which message. We just post when we feel prompted or have an idea. And we’re usually as surprised as our readers by what’s on each other’s mind.

We know that we are being urged by Church leadership to engage in the ongoing dialogue and discernment process, to figure out together “what matters most.” This Blog is just part of that ongoing conversation. It’s one important reason we do keep urging you to add your Comments, to send us your ideas and feedback. We very much intend for this conversation to have more than one (or perhaps two) perspective(s). I am also assured that the conversation does go on, even when there are no Comments posted. You tell me that you are reading and that you are thinking about what you read and even that you’ve quoted us in sermons or conversations in your congregation.

We appreciate that sometimes the technology isn’t quite as welcoming as we might like and that it just isn’t as easy to comment as we’d prefer. [Just an aside here: if you want to comment, the easiest place is on facebook where you don’t need to create an identity or type a secret password…just Comment for all to see.]

So there you have some of the Insider information about our Blog. Now I challenge you to offer your nomination for our Top Ten List. What was your favourite blog post of 2010?

Posted by Marion

Diary

Did you ever keep a diary? Did you have one of those neat little books with a lock and key that you had to hide from your kid brother or your parents? Did you write down your innermost thoughts and record your deepest questions for the universe? Or were you one who just wrote down the bare facts of what happened that day? [got up, ate breakfast, math test, came home, supper, bed] Have you ever looked back at a diary or journal from bygone years? Did you recognize that person? Are you the same person?

One conversation at our recent get-together with new high priests centred around the notion of “I’m not the same person I was when I first felt a call to ministry.” But how are you different? And how do you know you’re different? How do you track your story?

Some write diaries; some keep journals; some read back through old day-timers or office organizers. Maybe you look at snap-shots or keepsakes from events, ticket stubs, church bulletins, prize ribbons or report cards from school days.
All these things are the building blocks of our life stories. Each one is a story and each is a small bit of the bigger story. Just like our blog posts as “What’s the Good Word” unfolds.

A blog is a kind of diary. The word comes from “web log” equivalent to a ship’s log, kept every day by the captain. But this diary is kept on a computer and posted on “the world-wide-web.” I read recently that the country that has the largest number of blogs is Japan; and that Japan (I didn’t know this either) has a long tradition of keeping diaries!

If you’re interested in the idea of Blogging as a way of keeping a congregation’s life story you can read it here. Just as a diary entry is a very personal notation, a tiny piece of an individual’s life story, so are our blog-posts, personal commentary on what’s happening in this part of a much larger unfolding story. Our gathered high priest ordinands considered ways available to stay in touch, to create support networks, to learn from each other and share perspectives. The essay I’ve cited suggests using a blog as a way to preserve our congregation’s history. You might want to consider that.

How will we know who we are and how we’ve grown and changed or what has endured and remained stable and solid in our lives without tracking our story? Join our blogging community. Read along or send us your stories to be packaged in with the rest. These are exciting times and it’s good that we’re keeping a diary.

Posted by Marion

Paper

As I've been considering how to recognize our one year "blogiversary" this week I've happened upon the list of traditional anniversary gifts. I note the touch of irony in the first year gift: paper. While we've been producing a year of written offerings, not one of them was offered on the traditional medium of paper. Not one of these posts was created or delivered on paper.

Most of us have heard the question: paper or plastic? And many of us have moved beyond both and try to remember to bring our own cloth or other reusable shopping bag. In the office, the question is more likely to be: paper or electronic? We try to reduce the amount of paper by shifting to electronic files and communication wherever possible. I recently dealt with a smart young woman offering a quote to wash my windows. "We don't do paper. If you need a copy, I'll email you" was her very sensible statement.

I really don't need more paper in my house. It accumulates beyond my capacity to control it! Piles of paper--newspapers, magazines, letters from charities and businesses soliciting my attention, junk mail and advertising flyers threaten my efforts to declutter.

And yet, I do love paper. As a writer I cherish a good pen and a lovely notebook. Even a good old-fashioned scribbler cries out to be filled up with lists, notes, ideas for stories, sermons, lines of poetry. Nothing is more dear--or more menacing--to a writer, than a blank sheet of paper.

I think we still are in a very long transition period between paper and something else. Some of our readers still beg for a paper copy. They want a newsletter, or a paper receipt, or a print copy of something that really only is available (at least for convenience, cost and efficiency) electronically. Does the auditor really need a paper trail for everything? What about the historian? Where will future historians find the stories we tell if they're all stored on some disk, or email archive or lost in the ether of the blogosphere? I believe historians are truly troubled by the question.

But for What's the Good Word, this is the way we'll proceed. Each day, Carman or I will sit down in front of this blank electronic "box" and we'll write a New Post, and hit the word Publish. Our thoughts will vanish from our screen and go out to you, our dear readers. No paper copy, no print version, no collected works or anthologies, just a thought, an idea, a question or a concept from one mind to another.

What will you do with it? It's yours now. Have a good day.

Posted by Marion

Follow-up

I'm not sure just what kind of word this is; it may or may not be exactly the right word for the conversation I want to introduce here. You can let me know later.

Several folks have commented that they faithfully read What's the Good Word every day. They may even consider it as a daily devotional. We appreciate this though it was never really intended to be devotional but to be part of an ongoing conversation about the (generally) good things that are going on in our Mission. We encounter many, many people engaged in wonderful works and we want to let the rest of you know about them, and to encourage you to be similarly engaged and to share your stories with us.

One of the good friends of the blog recently noted how few comments there were to this or that topic that he considered really needed some response. "What can we do to get more people to comment? or to read the comments that are offered?"

I don't know. I'm not sure how important it is. I realize that there are other blogs that I follow faithfully, where I sometimes comment; more often I do not. But one thing I do if the topic is of particular interest to me is to follow-up. By this I mean, I make a point of going back to those interesting topics to see what kind of conversation is going on. And it is in these intentional follow-up visits that I do indeed find real treasure.

Today I wanted to let you in on this original objective of our blog--that is, to start some interesting, relevant, even important conversation on prioirity topics for us in Canada East Mission. Most of those conversations may be happening in your congregation, around your dinner table, at your adult class or with a neighbour across the back yard fence. And that is OK by me. But some of them could also be happening in the Comment section of this very page you're reading right now.

If that is to happen, you'll need to keep reading the Comments. You'll need to occasionally Post a Comment. And from time to time you'll need to follow-up. That is to say, you'll need to come on back to see what has been happening since you first checked in. You may be surprised to see how much has been added to the original posting of Distinctives, or Pastor or even Apostrophe!

Today's post may not be inspiring for your morning devotion, but I hope it's helpful as a suggestion for using this resource in a way you might not have thought about, and that perhaps you'll get to know some other Good Word readers in a whole new way.

Labels

I've been reminiscing back through ALL the blog posts we've put up here on What's the Good Word? over a few months now. I'm very pleased by the thoughts we've put out there and the comments you've posted back to us.

One way to browse through some of those thoughts and consider them again is to use the "Labels" function at the bottom of each little essay. There you'll find two or three words that the author of each post thought might suggest a connection for you, our readers, and that might send you back to an earlier message with a connection.

I don't do it often, but today I've been clicking on the labels and re-reading what I or Carman was thinking about last August or October about vision, home, or generosity or whatever. Perhaps, if you too are in a nostalgic mood or have an extra few minutes for reading, you might like to do this too.

Who knows what thoughts you might think, or even be prompted to share about something you thought you'd forgotten?
(posted by Marion)

feedback

I remember hearing once that "Feedback is the breakfast of champions"!

I'm so grateful for all the comments that are coming in to our good word blog reports about the things that are happening around our mission. We know you're out there reading and thinking about the things we're telling you. It's really heartening to feel your encouragement.

This week is a pretty special week as our dozen CPI pastors are in the middle of their first, very intense, formation week. You should see them digging into their scriptures, into the Bible dictionaries and commentaries. (Diane actually took a volume of the New Interpreter's Bible Commentary to her room after the movie tonite!) What dedication!

Be sure to let them know you appreciate the effort they're making to equip themselves to be better servant ministers. It's not enough that we all know you appreciate them; it's so much more energizing to hear that kind of feedback. Or to read it in an e-mail or on facebook or maybe even a note. I know some of you still do that. I have a special box where I keep and treasure the cards and notes you send to me.

Of course, the best is that you're out there doing the things we're reporting!

And we'll keep spreading the good word of all those great things you do. Then let's all remember that important principle: feedback! It's the breakfast of champions!

PS Kudos to our amazing instructors Don Compier and Art Smith and to Doug Bolger, our esteemed Coordinator. You are all the BEST!

Blog Template Updated

On Thursday's (Nov 4) post, Marion suggested that you should click on the link to open the blog in a new window so that you could get access to all the other good blog stuff, such as reading and making comments.

Well, you don't have to do that any more. With a little smoke and a couple of mirrors, I have updated the blog template so that the actual blog is integrated into the website. That makes all the good stuff Marion wants you to see available right here.

As always, let me know if you spot any issues.

Lew (Webadmin)

window

If you are seeing What's the Good Word on the newly launched incarnation of the Community of Christ, Canada website here then you're being invited to Read the Blog in a New Window.

Please do that!

It gives you access to lots of additional valuable stuff--Comments and ongoing Conversation, an opportunity to Join that conversation, easy access to old posts and earlier conversations, Sidebar suggestions of other excellent blogs you can link into and pictures of some of the folks who "follow" us.

It's almost always a good idea to look through a new window when you're invited to do so. Let's explore what me might find there.

Lurker

Hello everyone out there reading our Blog! For several days now I've been part of the "lurking" readership. (Thanks Carman for a very exciting series.) Today I thought I'd talk about this name given to those of us who read but don't comment--lurker.

Many people have shared with me that they've been reading along with the blog postings. And that's good! Sometimes they add a sheepish confession that they aren't smart enough, or technical enough, or quick enough...to write a response.

I just want to assure all you lurkers that I don't mind a bit. You too have a place in Blog-world. Of course I will encourage you --have even done so from time to time in the blog posts themselves--to screw up your courage and post a Comment about what you're reading there.

But the reading itself is valuable and valued. The conversations you have at the dinner table, or at the priesthood meeting or in the adult class, or via the blog post copied and posted on the bulletin board or in the Sunday bulletin (thanks Woodfield!) are part of the greater conversation going on in our extended community.

One of these days we'll post some statistics about just how extended our community is. Ask around for yourself. How many of your friends have joined the circle? Tell them about it if they haven't. Do join the conversations that are going on there, and someday, let's hear from you too.

Meanwhile, I salute all you lurkers out there. Enjoy your status as a significant, probably even the largest, part of our What's the Good Word world.

Sidebar

I learn so much from paying attention to sidebars!

Those are the extras that bloggers and web-designers put over there at the side of the main content. I've tried to put some useful stuff into the sidebars of this blog as well. I hope you go over there to the right side of your screen and look at the other blogs we're following.

Every day you can choose to link to A Church for Starving Artists, or Tribal Church. I can pretty well guarantee you'll find something useful there.

And for a little bit of fun, check in with Tomato Transplants or Beauty Tips for Ministers. I like them; I hope you will too.

If you're receiving What's the Good Word? via your e-mail subscription, you'll need to go the the actual Internet site to get these bonuses. Please make a point to do that every so often. You'll want to go there as well to check in with the Comments. Conversations have been known to pop up and take us into some new and interesting territory.

Just check the sidebar for added value.