CASA - Gracias!

On January 30, What's the Good Word featured a story and pictures of a Casa (house) in Honduras belonging to Reyna and Pablo. The story was about an amazing lady who touched my heart with her wonderful spirit of gratitude and generosity. The post included pictures of their very humble home and invited those who might care to help to contribute to World Accord's Families for Families program in order to help build Reyna and Pablo a new one.

Side View of Reyna and Pablo's Old Casa

Some Neighbours at the Old House before Demolition

The response to that post was immediate and overwhelming. Several individuals promised to contribute personally, and at least two congregations went into fund-raising mode and gathered money for this cause. Consequently, since that time a nice, new little house has been built for Reyna and Pablo, one with a real floor and a roof that doesn't leak! Life has certainly changed for them.

Since that time, I have been aware that this story would not be complete until What's the Good Word had a chance to say thank you, but I needed to have pictures of the new house to show you what you accomplished. I now have those pictures and they speak eloquently so I will let them speak for themselves.

Volunteers Laying Blocks at the New House

Raising the Walls

A Nice New Home on the Hill

A Party to Celebrate

The Key to your new Home!

Pablo and Reyna with Al Wygood

On behalf of What's the Good Word, World Accord, and Reyna and Pablo, sincere thanks to all those who contributed to this effort, either physically or financially. You have made a difference in this world.

Posted by Carman

Siguatepeque

Siguatepeque is the name of a small city of perhaps 65,000 people in Honduras. For me, however, it will probably always be the site of a special school and the culmination of a truly remarkable story. An abbreviated version of that saga follows.

Until January 20th I had never heard of Siguatepeque. It was our sixth day in Honduras, and Al Wigood announced to the World Accord build team that we were going on a field trip. In part, this was to help load a truck with some scaffolding we needed to complete our work, plus a variety of other supplies. More to the point, however, the trip was to show us a special school for the handicapped in that city. While the school was all new to me, its existence was known to many of the Western Canada members of our team.

Ready to Head Out on the Highway!

Consequently, we piled into the back of Al’s pickup and headed off at full speed down the highway. While this is not something we are used to in Canada, it seems to be one of the most common means of travel in Honduras.

To start at the beginning, the Canadian connection to this school really begins with Magdalene Marie Ungstad from Edmonton, better known to everyone as Mag.

Mag Ungstad in 2010

In the 1960s, Mag adopted a child from South Korea, a little girl whose name was Me Ai. Me Ai had a physical disability resulting from Polio and a childhood dislocated hip that caused her to walk with a limp. She was Mag’s pride and joy.

Me Ai grew up and married, providing Mag with three beautiful grandchildren. Then in 1992, Me Ai and two of the children, seven year old Kristi and two year old Tyler, were killed when their van was hit by a train. Me Ai’s nine year old son Matthew was seriously injured but managed to survive.

In the years following this tragedy, the desire grew in Mag to do something significant in memory of Me Ai, Kristi and Tyler. A strong supporter of World Accord, Mag met Terry Fielder at Hills of Peace Camp one summer and discussed the plight of children in the world and a suitable opportunity for her support.

Meanwhile, in Siguatepeque, a group of parents had formed an organization seeking to create a special school for disadvantaged children. This was only the third such organization in all of Honduras where social support for such children and their families is not common. These children have a variety of challenges including Downs Syndrome, Learning Disabilities, Attention Deficit, Cerebral Palsy, Autism, and Brain Damage caused by Convulsions. In conjunction with World Accord, the group managed to build the first phase of the school; three classrooms and unfurnished washrooms, however the school remained incomplete. Phase two of the school was needed before it could open.

The (now) Nearly Finished Siguatepeque School

I’m sure you can see where this is going. These two parts of the story came together like a marriage made in heaven. The fact that this is a school for children with handicaps was a wonderful fit with Mag’s dream because of Me Ai’s disability, and she decided to see the school completed.

Al Wigood with the Commemorative Plaque which Reads (in Spanish):
This School Was Constructed in Memory of Kristi, Tyler, and MeAi Harder.

When our team arrived at the site on January 20th, we were met by some of the parents and members of the board.

Family and Board Members with the World Accord Team

The school construction was nearly complete: the walls were up, the roof was on, the floors were installed, and the windows had been purchased. The obvious question was, when would the school open? To our surprise, the answer was, "We don't know!" It turns out that at least one more hurdle remained to be overcome. The problem was that there was no sidewalk, and the children, some of whom are in wheel chairs or use walkers, could not get from the street to the school without one. Oh...well, how much would that cost? The answer was about $800.00 for the necessary cement, sand and gravel; not a huge sum in Canada but well beyond the reach of most people in Honduras.

The View of the School from the Street, with No Sidewalk

Upon returning home, the problem of the missing sidewalk continued to percolate in the minds of the Western members of our team, most of whom are acquainted with Mag personally. While we in Canada East were raising money for a new Casa for Reyna and Pablo, the folks from Canada West were raising money for a sidewalk. They went to work, and in a matter of days, the necessary funds were available. Consequently in the heat of March, Al, Jens, Freddy and their team will build a sidewalk so a group of children in Siguatepeque, Honduras can go to school. It is the end of the beginning of a wonderful story.

Isn’t it amazing how easily the lives and stories of people around the world can come together when we open the eyes of our hearts and catch a glimpse of what God’s Spirit would like to see happen?

Special thanks to Stephen Thompson and Mag Ungstad for clarifying some details of this story.

Posted by Carman

Casa (house)

I spent the past two weeks in Honduras having my first experience on a World Accord build. World Accord building projects are having a positive impact on life in rural Honduras, especially the school builds. Life is improving there, although many people still live in real poverty. Our project was to provide additional space to an existing technical school in the village of Horcancitos. This is excellent because teaching students how to do electrical and other work in the trades gives them skills with which to earn a good living. Education is clearly the key to the future.

On the first day of this adventure, we took a trip, riding in the back of Al Wigood’s pickup truck, up through the beautiful mountain country near La Buena Fe.

It was in one of the small villages there that I met Reyna, a woman whose situation touched me deeply. Reyna stood on her one leg and crutches, shook my hand, looked me directly in the eye and spoke to me in Spanish. My limited Spanish did not allow me to understand many of her words, but the passion and gratitude she was expressing for the work of World Accord was unmistakable. She then invited us to visit her in her casa (home).

Reyna lives with her husband Pablo in their mud and stick house up on a hill on the side of the mountain. It is accessed up a rough, stony path, which Reyna navigates easily on her crutches. Pablo earns a subsistence living working in the coffee fields. Al tells me that Pablo is crippled up with arthritis which means they both have physical barriers they cheerfully overcome.

Reyna’s house is one of the poorest I have ever seen. She did not seem to be the least bit self-conscious or embarrassed about that, but warmly welcomed us in for a visit. Clearly her attitude was, “Me casa es tu casa”, My home is your home.

The exterior walls are leaning and falling apart, making the house look like it could fall down at any minute, which is probably true. The interior walls consist of a plastic tarp, suspended from the roof to provide rooms. There is a dirt floor and no chimney, which means the smoke from the cooking fire fills the house and eventually finds its way out under the eaves of the tin roof, which it has no trouble doing.

As the days progressed, I could not help thinking of Reyna’s house. I talked with Al and we both agreed that, clearly, something needs to be done. Al and Freddie, our foreman on the build, said they would build her a new home, starting as early as February. I said I would try to raise the money.

If this story has touched your heart at all, you are invited to help. The cost of building a new, cement block home for Reyna and Pablo is approximately $2,000 Canadian. Its not a huge sum, and we can do this. If you would like to assist, please send your cheque, payable to World Accord and mail it to:

World Accord
1C-185 Frobisher Dr.
Waterloo, Ontario
Canada N2V 2E6.

Mark you donation for the “Families for Families” program. All donations are tax deductible, and receipts will be issued at the appropriate time. Thank you for even being willing to consider this request.

Together we can help abolish poverty and end suffering for this gracious lady and gentleman.

Posted by Carman

Generosity

In 2010, the Lowbanks congregation stepped up its Christmas charity efforts by adopting a family in need. The family consisted of a single father and three children.

So generous were the donations, this year they decided to adopt two families. While everyone enthusiastically agreed to this suggestion, it was an ambitious undertaking. Lowbanks is a relatively small congregation. They would need to provide grocery vouchers worth $275 as well as gifts for three parents and six children. Adding to the challenge was the short time frame from when the family information was provided and when the gifts had to be delivered (less than two weeks).

As soon as the details was provided to the congregation, Billy said "We'll take care of the $150 grocery voucher for Family #1". Immediately Marg and Becky responded "We'll take care of the other one". Eunice said "I'll take care of the 5 year old boy in Family 1". From there it snowballed until every need was met and more ... much more.

The response was overwhelming. The Thank You cards from the families speak of a Christmas they will never forget.

Here is a congregation in mission. For a brief time, two families were relieved from their poverty and suffering during the holy season of Christmas.

from Marilyn Graham, Mission Advocate

Billboards

I’ve just come through a couple of days of billboard country. Mile after mile, high and low, both sides of the road they call out to me as I drive along. There’s really no way to avoid the clear message: I am the most important person in the world. I am the centre of the universe. I am entitled to the best, the biggest, the sweetest. Everyone out there was created to serve me and my every need, my every want, my every whim or desire.

There is not a restaurateur, realtor, insurance agent or health care provider not poised at the ready to serve me with comfort, luxury, healing. Come to us and we’ll make you feel like one of the family they offer. (Somehow I don’t get the sense they want me to wash the dishes or take my turn cleaning the toilets.)

As I drove along in the glow of all these extravagant offers coming at me from billboard after billboard it occurred to me that most of modern life is quite this way for those of us who live the typical North American lifestyle. Certainly if we’re not careful. We are “marketed at” constantly.

No wonder that we can so easily fall into a feeling of entitlement. We may think it just normal that our politicians promise us things. Why would we not want them to take care of us, cut our taxes, preserve our favoured services. After all, am I not Number One? I’ve been hearing it forever.

One little conversation from the previous family weekend comes to mind. “How do you teach values to children who have everything they need, and most of what they want?”

I think it isn’t just our children we need worry about. I think it’s so important to talk, teach, practise and model generosity. How easy it would be just to allow ourselves to be lulled by the marketing messages bombarding us on every side. We start to believe that we deserve all that we have, that somehow it’s our due. It’s pretty easy to become convinced that we’ve got here by our own efforts, our own hard work, our own "just because" we're just so fine.

And yet the facts are otherwise. We who live at the top of the heap must take seriously the need in our world. Not just in countries far away, although for sure it is there. But right here in our own neighbourhoods. At the base of those billboards there live hungry children, working poor, communities of people who don’t enjoy all that good food and luxury and comfort pictured up above them there.

Fifteen hours on the road, looking at all those billboards has brought me to a place of thinking just what all these messages convey. I don’t want to forget to be generous and thoughtful about my resources. Here’s my suggested antidote one more time: Talk, teach, practise, model generosity.

Posted by Marion

Thank you

This morning’s post is to express my appreciation and to give you one last update on something that started out almost by accident. About three weeks ago, I mentioned in a post called Camp that there was a larger than normal number of would-be campers this year whose families were unable to afford the camp fees. I had not consciously planned to include that information; it just sort of wrote itself from my fingers to the screen. I looked at it and decided to leave it there to see what would happen.

The first call came in immediately. I briefly mentioned the situation again the next week in a post entitled Camp II, once again as an add-on. More people made enquiries and pledged to help send a kid to camp. A week or so later, I wrote the post Camperships. This was really to express my appreciation for that response, and to provide a slightly fuller description of the situation. Once again, an immediate response occurred.

What an amazing group of generous disciples you are! As of now, we have received enough money to cover the camp fees of every child or youth who has requested assistance! I am not really surprised, but I am overwhelmed. Thank you sounds so inadequate to express the gratitude we feel, but I don't know what else to say.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!

In the past, local congregations and the Frank Clifton fund have helped send kids to camp, but this year they were unable to fill the gap. You have stepped into that breach and done the job.

If you are one who provided the means to make this happen, I want you to know that you have made a huge difference in the life of a child. I have personally met many of these children, so trust me when I say that you have done a very good thing.

With heart-felt appreciation,

Carman

Camperships

This morning’s blog is in appreciation for the response to a casual and initially unintended comment included in a recent post entitled Camp. That post was followed the following Monday with Camp-II.

Both articles referred to a larger than usual number of children that wished to go to camp whose families were not able to pay for them to attend. The response was immediate. I first received a message that one person would be happy to provide a campership for a child to attend camp. That was followed by another offer to pay for a child from another generous heart. Then a pastor emailed to say that her congregation would like to provide two camperships. At the current time, we have received offers of support to send five children to camp! Thank you so much to those persons who have made this possible.

Unlike today, the reference to the particular need was not one I had intended to write about when I sat down at my computer that morning. Somewhat impulsively, it just sort of popped onto the screen from my fingertips. I decided to leave it there so you would know the situation, but did not provide any details.

Specifically, I did not say is that we were aware of at least fifteen children from one congregation whose families could not afford to send them to camp. We were contacted by their congregational leaders who wondered what to do. We responded that they should register the kids for the appropriate camps, and we would find the money somehow.

You can guess where this is going. At the present time we have the camp fees of five of those fifteen covered. Ten remain. We do have money in the youth fund we can and will use for this purpose, but I thought you might like to know the situation.

Perhaps you thought of sponsoring a child but didn’t know how. The fastest way is to click on the CEM Website and find the button that says, Donate Now through CanadaHelps.org. (This is a secure site, but you will need a credit card to complete this transaction.) When that page opens, insert the amount you wish to donate, then open the drop-down box and click on # 7 Canada East Mission. In the Message/Instructions space, tell us that you wish to sponsor a child to camp. After that, just follow the remaining instructions. The cost is $230 for Jr. High or $243 for Kids Camp. We would be glad to have help with either. If you would like to help but can afford only a partial campership, that would be fine too.

Alternately, if you wish to donate but are not comfortable with using your credit card on-line, you can simple send us a cheque in the mail now that the postal strike is supposed to be over.

Whether or not you are able to sponsor a child, we sincerely appreciate the generous spirit that is evident in the response already received. Its going to be a good summer for these 15 kids. Thank you for your generous heart.

Posted by Carman

Seekers

One Sunday evening some years ago, I was a visitor at a certain church in a town near where I lived. I had heard good things about this church. In fact one of my (then) teenage sons had been there and said he liked it. I recognized the possibility that my son’s “liking” for church might relate more to a certain red-haired girl in whom he had a passing interest than it did to the church experience, but for him to like church for any reason was unusual enough to get my attention. Consequently I decided to go and check it out myself. It was all good and I learned a few things, but one incident in particular has stayed with me.

Whether it was because he noticed the presence of this stranger (me) in the crowd or for other reasons entirely, the Pastor chose that evening to put out an invitation to those who might be seekers, inviting them to come have a visit with him. In fact, I think he said he was thinking of starting a seekers class. What was in his mind I am not sure, but my perception of this invitation was, “If you have questions, come and I will do my best to give you the answers.” I don’t think many pastors would knowingly send that message today.

A few years ago it was popular to use the word “seekers” to describe people within any given population who were thought to be seeking God or needing a church. The thinking was, if a church could just find more seekers and give them our answers, the church would grow and everything would be fine. It didn’t generally work out that way. Either we weren’t very good at ‘seeking seekers’, or the entire model was faulty.

Since that time I, at least, have come to recognize that there appears to be a greater truth involved in this word. We are all seekers! Every one of us, at least at some point in our life, is seeking after a greater understanding of, or a relationship with, God. I don’t know one single person who has it all figured out. Over the years I have met a few who claimed to know all the answers, but somehow their answers never seemed to work for everyone else.

Recognizing this fact makes a big difference in how I might choose to think of or use that word. We are all seekers. Not one of us knows all the answers. There is no divide between seekers and ministers, the churched and the unchurched, or even those who are knowledgeable about the Bible and those who are total novices. We are all on the same playing field here, although some may have been playing at it longer. Even if you have never tried to pray in your life, your prayers seeking answers are just as important as the next person. Consequently, if I were thinking of starting a seekers class, it would not be to invite a bunch of people who didn’t know God so I could give them all the answers, it would be for me and anyone else who wanted to join so we could discuss the questions together.

There are times when a class to teach information is just what is needed, such as a class for those seeking baptism, or a Good Sense class for those who need financial information. But when it comes to developing a stronger relationship with God, lets admit that we are all seekers, and simply share our journey together.

Posted by Carman

Reflect

No, this isn't another of my "pause and reflect" posts. I'm actually thinking today about the other meaning of the word: [ri-flect] (1) to cast back (heat, light, sound) from a surface -- as a mirror reflects light into the room (2) to give back or show an image of as a mirror (3) to reproduce or show, as followers reflect beliefs of a leader...

That's probably enough examples to let you catch my meaning. I've been reading Carol Howard Merritt's "Reframing Hope" again. (Highly recommend this great book!) She comments that most of our congregations tend to reflect society around us. We tend to ask the same questions, be concerned about the same issues, as our neighbours.

Certainly I see examples of this as we meet with congregations and their leaders. The questions we're asking are about our needs, those things we look for to make us comfortable, help us feel connected to this community of friends, brothers and sisters. What facility will most appeal; what worship style will most resonate?

As I listen to all those "targeted" political ads in this election time that promise to leave more cash in my pocket, take care of me in my old age, help me avoid paying those nasty taxes, I'm feeling a certain message being reflected at me. And it's a message that the folks delivering it must be quite confident about because I hear it over and over again.

Yet, my reading in Merritt's book suggests that our congregations ought to be doing something other than merely reflecting the society around us. In fact this is the message that came from President Veazey's address too. It isn't our job to merely reflect what we see around us. Our job is to reflect the love and mission of our leader Jesus.

When I'm hearing someone ask for something to make their pew experience more comfortable, or I hear a politician suggesting I keep all my hard-earned cash and let the ne'er do wells assume the consequences of their life-style choices, I am called to reflect something different:

Radical hospitality--Extravagant generosity--Extreme compassion!

What will THAT look like?

President Veazey didn't demand we get it all right immediately. He suggested we pick something and start there. And Carol Howard Merritt acknowledges it isn't easy. Society's pull is pretty strong. But so is the call to mission. What will we choose to reflect?

Posted by Marion

Oblation

As I sit at my kitchen counter writing these words, the TV screen in my living room is suddenly filled with images of devastation in Japan brought about by an earthquake and resulting Tsunami. Another incredible natural disaster brought right into our living rooms! Once again, I know the church will want to help, and I hope we have the funds to do so.

There are many reasons why I personally choose to pay tithing into the church’s oblation fund, but the main one is because I want the church to have the capacity to help people at their point of greatest need. When the earthquake happened in Haiti, Community of Christ had the resources available to help people on the ground. Those resources were there because ordinary people like you and me cared enough to give. I say “ordinary people” because the oblation fund is most often supported by people of average or modest means who pay tithing on whatever they have. Sometimes that is as little as two dollars, but even with that amount, they do so thanking God for the opportunity and capacity they have to give.

The importance of the church having both that capacity and priority was already brought front and centre earlier this week with the news that our church members and others in Ivory Coast are needing to flee their homes because of the very real threat of violence. These are ordinary people, like you and me, who find themselves at risk because of serious political discord. If you have not already done so, you can read President Veazey’s heartfelt comments about that situation by clicking on it here.

Oblation is a big part of our giving. From the earliest days of the church, giving to support those in need has had a high priority. As early as 1831, Joseph Smith Jr. brought direction to the church that made it clear just how important such giving is.

And remember in all things, the poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted, for he that doeth not these things, the same is not my disciple. (Doctrine and Covenants, Section 52:9c)

The priority of giving to the needs of others is also highlighted by the fact that on the first Sunday of every month, all offering funds not designated to go somewhere else go to the oblation fund. The first Sunday of every month; it is that important.

Now-a-days, many of us give by means of “PAT” or Pre-Authorized Transfer. This is an excellent method because it means that the money is given whether we happen to be at church on Sunday or not. Hopefully we have remembered to include the Oblation Fund in that automated process.

If you would like to use PAT to make your donations regular, you can find the Pre-Authorized Transfer form here. If you do so, I encourage you to include the oblation fund in your giving.

Posted by Carman

Free

I was pretty sure this “good word” must have been addressed at some point in our blogging history. Sure enough, but the interpretation was “free as the breeze” not “at no cost.” I’m in the midst of a conversation about the other definition of the word. We’ve been talking about our church culture that likes to have as many things as possible free to all.

We love potlucks, where we can invite everyone at church because we know there’ll be plenty of food to share. “Y’all come,” we say. “It’s free!” We love this aspect of our welcoming and inviting ministry. Come one, come all, it won’t cost you a cent. There may be a basket somewhere if you’re inclined to leave a toonie, but really, don’t worry about it; it’s free!

We send each other to the World Church’s website to download resources. There are tons of them there. You can find whatever you need to plan your worship, lead your adult class discussion, find the policy statement you need, read the most recent blog from the President or the Herald article you want to copy for your friend. And it’s all “free”! What a wonderful world.

Of course we sometimes bump up against that undeniable fact that, while it may be “free” it isn’t without “cost.” We find ourselves dealing with budgets and tax receipts and the high cost of living. How do we balance our desire to be as welcoming as we can be and as gentle with what we charge for products and services?

I think we all understand the hard facts that there is seldom anything that is totally free. We know that someone, somewhere is paying the price. Maybe it’s rolled up in our tax bill, or our Mission assessment or our tithing dollar. So be it. But those dollars have been hit hard by the times, the declining population and the high cost of living. (Isn’t that where we came in?)

Part of the answer does need to be a focus on our vision/mission. What is our priority? What matters most? And how shall we pay for it? Once we’ve decided that something is truly worthwhile it becomes a lot easier to find the funding. Nobody wants others to suffer hardship, and having the whole story will inevitably bring good people’s true generosity to the fore.

One thing for sure, there isn’t a single one-size-fits-all answer. Some things, for some people, need to be “free.” Some users can pay, others will need help. Maybe the taxes, the tithing, the assessment can help subsidize the cost. Having this kind of conversation can really help us decide what our priorities are, what things are truly worth to us. Don’t leave it to the financial folk to make these decisions alone. It’s not strictly a finance question.

Best of luck to all of you out there who may be struggling with the budget. While it still may be true that “the best things in life are free” it is also true that most likely, someone, somehow is bearing the cost. Together we can work it out.

Posted by Marion

Solutions

Here is a link to a "golden oldie"-- that is, a blog post from a year ago!

I've noticed how many of you have been inspired this week to share stories of what YOUR congregation is doing to be a solution for someone: needy families, third world children, kids with cold hands and folks who just need some extra spaghetti in the pantry.

And I was reminded of that year-old blog post suggesting that we not toss ALL the requests for help that come our way at this Christmas season. For some of them, we can actually be part of the solution! Keep your stories coming. Post in the Comments. We love to read what you're up to.

Bless you for your generosity.

Posted by Marion

Spaghetti

The following post was lifted entirely (and shamelessly!) from the Wiarton Community of Christ Facebook page. Thanks to Pastor and Mission Advocate Linda Porter for leading and sharing with the rest of us, and to the Wiarton Congregation for sharing with their community. We love you!

Today 400 packages of spaghetti will be donated to the Wiarton Christmas Food Hamper at the Salvation Army. This was possible only because of the generosity of the TOPS, Wiarton church members, friends and everyone who attended the Nov. Cluster Weekend with the Apostle. THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY!
A very Merry Christmas to all!

A very Merry Christmas, and a big "THANK YOU" to the members and Friends of the Wiarton Congregation.

Alright, the rest of you, what is your congregation up to?

Posted by Carman

Wrap

This past Sunday afternoon, our beloved little community known as Fired Up met for a party. In addition to visiting, playing games, drinking pop/juice and eating cookies, this was a wrapping party. That is a wrapping party, not a rapping party. In other words, the community gathered to wrap gifts, not to rap lyrics. (Smile!)

The wrapping party was organized to sort, group, and box or bag an assortment of gifts that were purchased two weeks ago at an earlier Fired Up event. The selection included items such as socks, mitts, hats, toiletries, children’s books, and even a few baby clothes. The recipients of these gifts are people who have never heard of Fired Up, or perhaps even Community of Christ. The recipients will be homeless youth or others who are in need. I do not know their circumstances, but I am certain they will each appreciate that someone, somewhere, cares.

Of course this is not the first time Fired Up has done this kind of project, but it is encouraging to see the group starting out in such a positive direction. Their desire to reach out and bless the lives of people in the surrounding community is not only heartening but exciting in its own small way. If every Christian congregation had the same desire, it would definitely make our communities better places for all to live, and probably go a long way towards relieving some of the negative stereotypes many people have of Christians and churches.

Each of us are in the process of living out our Christian discipleship, and it is easier to do that when we work together with our community/congregation. In addition to providing encouragement and support, we can celebrate our successes together. If your congregation is doing something to bless or help people who live nearby this Christmas, would you be willing to share that story here? Just click on the comments button and tell the rest of us what is going on? After all, it is almost Christmas, so lets wrap (or rap)!

Posted by Carman

Fair Trade

This morning I had opportunity to review the notes from the Canadian Peace and Justice Committee in preparation for their next teleconference. This committee is working on some serious issues such as human trafficking in Canada, etc. and needs to draw some of their earlier work to conclusion. This blog is in support of their efforts, so the following comments should in no way be read as criticism. It is not the committee that is the problem; it is us!

The notes provided for the coming meeting include a discussion on Fair Trade coffee as well as other fair trade products such as sugar, bananas, chocolate, tea, etc. As I read the notes, I began to get a sense that someone thought the campaign to raise awareness about this issue was now at or near completion. NO! From my point of view, we are nowhere near done; in fact we have really hardly started. Consider the following questions.

We have between 45 and 50 congregations in CEM, depending on how you count. Are any of them using Fair Trade coffee in their gatherings? If so, I would very much like to hear about it.

We have six CEM reunions. Do any of them serve Fair Trade coffee or do we just go with whatever is cheapest? I am not aware of any reunion or camp paying the extra so the coffee grower’s can feed, clothe, and educate their families.

The only time I am aware of that Fair Trade was upheld in any of our gatherings during the past year was at the 2009 CEM conference. Here we served very fresh and delicious Fair Trade coffee, and ran a video beside it talking about the women who grow and harvest the beans in Latin America. Is the job done? No!

Fair Trade coffee is readily available almost everywhere these days, even at the grocery store. Even President’s Choice sells coffee bearing the “certified Fair Trade” logo. I buy mine from a small but growing cooperative in Guelph called Planet Bean. They roast the beans themselves, so the coffee is always very fresh. They also offer Fair Trade cocoa, tea and perhaps other products. Other cities have similar stores and roasteries. Yes, the coffee is more expensive than buying the national brands (I pay $15.99 per pound) , but at least you know you are making a difference in the life of the families who grew the beans!

If you are a coffee drinker, what about you? Do you buy Fair Trade? Are you willing to pay the extra for the cause of peace and justice? Do you call upon your congregation to buy and serve it?

It is possible that I am totally wrong on this issue and we are doing better than I think. If so, I would love to hear from you. Tell me!

Posted by Carman

You

You are the light of the world.

You!

Did you get that?

YOU are the Light of the World!

Not someone else; YOU! Jesus said so in the Sermon on the Mount. (You can look it up. See Matthew 5: 14).

So…you are the light of the world.

What does light do? It gives light! That’s all. Simple, right? It just gives light. It is what it is and it does what it does. It gives away what it is, and it is not diminished by the giving. It does not ask, “How much will it cost me to give this light?” It does not grumble “I have already given away light today, or this week, or this year, or 40 years ago.” It does not complain if it is turned on at 3:00 in the morning. It just gives light.

And yet the effect that light produces in people who behold it is really quite startling. People who walk in the dark of unknown paths somehow gain a sense of hope, assurance, safety, peace, security, trust, confidence, faith, encouragement, and even joy in the presence of that light. The light just did what it does, but the people who saw it experienced blessings. It is a wonderful metaphor for people who know themselves to be vessels of God’s light and love in the world.

So, you who are the light of the world, how is the light business? Are you shedding light for others to walk in? Wonderful, isn’t it? What a privilege to be called to be the light of the world!

“You are the light of the world.
A city built on a hill cannot be hid.
No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on
the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house.
In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16)

Posted by Carman

Ask

“If you need my help, just ask.”

Have you said that? Has someone said it to you? How often do we hear it or say it? All you need to do is “ask.”

And then, how often have you asked? And how often has someone asked you? I suspect the balance swings much farther to the former than to the latter. It’s kind of easy to say “Just ask.” But it’s lots harder to “Ask.”

Last Saturday I had the privilege of getting together with a group of wise elders who’ve been invited, and who have accepted the invitation, to become mentors for our first contingent of CPI pastors. They have each been paired up with one of these in-training congregational leaders and have been tasked with encouraging, supporting, listening, suggesting, helping, as they are able, or as they feel led. One thing we tell them is that they must do that task, whether or not they are asked.

Our community comprises some of the most generous people I know! Seriously! They’ll do anything for you. They’ll offer the proverbial shirt off their backs. But they are reluctant to ask for help! With this CPI project, one objective we’ve identified is to change this culture. Oh we do not want to make people less generous, or less resourceful. I’m not certain we can ever make people more willing to ask for help—Maybe.

But we want to make our wise elders, our natural mentors, our experienced pastors, leaders, and coaches more intentional about offering support where it is needed, even if they have not been asked. It will take a real effort to be sensitive, to establish deep relationships in order not to offend. It will require developing a new skill set, perhaps. It will be work.

So right now, let me offer my sincerest thanks to this team of CPI Mentors who have willingly stepped forward to learn some new lessons themselves, in support of a hard-working team of pastors and congregations breaking fresh ground for growing healthy congregations and preparing to serve the mission of Jesus Christ—what matters most for the journey ahead. (D&C 164:9f)

Posted by Marion

Within

At the end of my quiet time this morning, my eye fell on the Daily Bread. I had not opened this book since before World Conference, and it had migrated to the bottom of the small pile of books I am currently using for spiritual formation and reflection. Somehow the book called to me, so I pulled it out and turned to the reading for today, Thursday, April 29, 2010.

I discovered that today’s thoughts were prepared by a member of the Toronto congregation whom I have known for many years. Her piece speaks of a quiet revelation she experienced early one morning in which she was urged to “Follow the Light;” the title of her piece. The author shares how the guidance of that moment was confirmed to her over and over during the days that followed. Her writing reflects and conveys the quiet joy she experienced in that experience with God, and in the succeeding encounters.

As I reflected on her writing, I realized how little I really know this author. While we have encountered each other casually at church functions many times over the years, we have seemed separated by many factors such as differing generations, experience, and geography, all of which now seem artificial. We may have different experience in life, but we also have things in common. Chief among these is the universal longing after God that seems to be the human birthright. I now realize I am poorer for not having taken time to get to know her better.

This realization is a blessing I do not want to take lightly. Within each human breast is a heart that beats just like our own. Each of us have thoughts, feelings, and desires; we have more in common than we often realize. Our various backgrounds and experience prompt different ways of looking at the world, and if we are not careful, these can lead to walls of ideas that separate us and cause us not to see each other as the delightful child of God we really are.

May we look at every person we encounter today with open eyes, and see beyond the facade to the precious Child of God that lives within.

Posted by Carman

The Season (continued)

The season. It sounds so…singular! In fact, it is anything but. It is a multi-faceted, multi-location, multi-level program. Consider the following numbers.

¨ One Kids Camp
¨ One Senior High Camp
¨ One Music Camp
¨ Two Camp Quality(s)
¨ Two Junior High Camps
¨ Four campgrounds with four campground boards.
¨ Six Family Camp/Reunions
¨ Twelve or more retreats
¨ Several off-site ventures like Canoe Camp, SPEC, Women’s Retreat, and Encounter World Religions
¨ Hundreds of staff, all volunteers
¨ Thousands of meals generously prepared by so few cooks and eaten by so many hungry campers
¨ Thousands of hours of work, all donated with loving care by hundreds of people.

Why do they do it?

Why do they do it? Because somewhere along the line, their hearts have been touched and blessed at camp and they want the same experience for you. They do it because they love camp, and because they love you.

Its true! It is all done in the hope and trust that somewhere during the course of the camping season, there will be persons who find themselves touched and blessed, or as Doctrine and Covenants 163:2b put it so eloquently, "restored to healthy or righteous relationships with God, others, themselves, and the earth. "

The season is definitely coming and the buzz is getting louder. Can you hear it?

Posted by Carman

Vision

The genius who conceived the idea of Walt Disney World in Florida was Walt Disney himself. Unfortunately, Walt died long before the park was completed. He never saw this dream come true.

And yet, in another sense, he did see it. In fact, he could “see” it when there was nothing there to see. I am guessing that before he even committed to the project, he could see the whole thing in his mind’s eye. As he developed the plans and blue prints, he could envision every detail of how the park would look and work. His was the genius behind the plan, and it was this vision that allowed it to happen. That was Disney’s vision, and his vision inspired his leadership and creative genius.

Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.”

Rick Warren always says, “Where there is no vision, the people move to another parish!”

Vision is a powerful and wonderful thing, yet vision is just imagination blessed with intention. Every child is born with imagination. We could all see great possibilities when we were young, and the visionaries among us still can. A leader is merely one who says, “I can see it, and we can do it!”

Some congregations are dying for lack of vision but it doesn’t have to be that way. We can envision and create a different reality. Which future can you see?