Breakfast

The components of my breakfast slowly accumulate in my bowl; cereal grains, seeds, nuts, fruit, some milk and honey, then I sit down to eat.  I am conscious that for many, a step was missed.  I did not stop, fold my hands and bow my head in prayer.  And yet I am grateful, profoundly so, for this privilege and abundance I have access to.  

As I slowly eat, I reflect on this divergence of approach.  I think of friends and partners in ministry, for whom not pausing to say a blessing on the food is unthinkable.  I ponder the deep reverence for life in all its forms that this act conveys, the humble gratitude it expresses, along with the desire and need to connect deeply with God.  It is my desire and need as well.  

Oh God, the source of all that is, thank you for my friends and their deep relationship with life and with all that is Holy.  May the blessing of peace found in divine connection be within their thoughts and hearts today.  Some struggle with deep sorrow and the pain of loss. May they know themselves blessed in the midst of these trials.  There are those who do not have enough.  May those of us who do be reminded to offer the blessing of bread in your stead.  May we not be complacent in our gratitude, but disturbed in our blessings and thereby be a blessing to others…in Jesus name.  

Note:  Illustration is a 1918 photo by Eric Enstrom entitled "Grace."  It is in the public domain.

Pray Them Home

She was perhaps, 15 months old. I can’t be sure. I didn’t ask.
Her big brown eyes were framed by a mass of very fine, very black, very curly hair. There was a certain cuteness about her that made me smile.
    C48 began to fill as everyone waited to board the plane.  In an instant, quiet innocence turned into loud inconsolable wailing.  The young mother patiently walked her, rocked her, tenderly bounced her and sang to her.  All efforts to comfort or distract her were in vain. The little one was having, as they say, “a moment”.   Knowing how the  cabin of an aircraft in flight can feel confining, I admittedly thought, “This could be a long flight home”!
    In our seats now, the mother and child are one row across and one forward. The child has cried herself into a deep sleep.  Her soft black curls are cradled in the comfort of her mother’s arms.  As we begin to taxi away from the terminal, a tender moment captures my attention. The young mother, bows her head and closes her eyes.  Her lips move silently. 
    The plane now takes its final pause on the runway.  I notice the mother’s head down, her chin embedded in the soft, mass of black curls.  Again, I notice her lips as they move in silent rhythm. I am supposing that she is praying for a safe flight for both herself and her precious child. 
    I don’t know her name.  I don’t know her story.  Strange, it would seem, that I feel compelled to join in prayer ‘for’ them.  This happens at various times during the flight. I offer a brief prayer when I see the patience needed by the mother to receive assistance from the (not so helpful) flight crew. I pray as I sense the resources of energy that are required from the mother to meet the needs of a small child.
    With a sense of wonder in my heart, I feel that prayers must surely be heard even at 35,000 feet.  I smile in warm delight as, along with intermittent moments of struggle,  they rest together, play together, blow kisses and giggle together.
    We are now one hour from landing.  I take the opportunity to move forward and place a tender touch of caring on the mother’s shoulder.  I tell her she is a wonderful mother, she is doing a great job and her little girl has handled the flight well. 
    It was only a brief moment but it was a moment of true connection.  I learn now that they came to Canada for 3 months so that she could study English.  They are now on their way back home to Brazil. I gasped upon realizing that they still had many more hours of travel ahead of them. 
     It was a brief exchange in the noisy cabin of an airplane but the young mother’s beautiful bright smile spoke clearly of how grateful she was for a stranger’s caring touch and words of praise and encouragement. The few simple words she spoke assured me of her inner strength and faith that would carry her through.  
    Walking off the plane together, I felt so privileged to have been, even in a small way, a part of helping to pray them home.

Ruth Black,
September, 2015    

World Suicide Prevention Day

Today is World Suicide Prevention Day. I am sharing a blog I had written a couple years ago that relates to the theme of Mental Health Awareness that has impacted life in our family.

If I close my eyes momentarily and envision the many many people I know who unwantingly face the rigors of mental health fluctuations in their lives, I am overcome by their courage and fortitude. Their lives are hard to live. At a funeral I attended yesterday, the speaker said, "Life is good until it isn't." Perhaps a simple statement, but it describes so well the experience of a person encountering the unpredictable winds and waves of what you might call "mind storms". It is like the weather patterns that all are so familiar with. Even the experienced weatherperson can't seem to predict the ebb and flow of sun and cloud or precipitation or temperatures. The severity of storms are beyond knowing, until they shake and pound and cause you to run for cover. The person with mental health storms likewise, are pummeled by the unpredictable trauma of inner torment or anxiety or depression or fear or sounds and sights and grief and despair that overwhelm the circuitry of their operational control panel. Naturally occurring chemical imbalances temporarily stabilized by medications hold back the tides until their bodily chemistry like our immune systems evolve to reduce the benefit of their treatment. The quest to start again with new dosages or new medications interact differently with each patient, some good, some bad. In the meantime those dear folk try to live and function with their lives in turmoil and upheaval in expected normalcy. Most of us barely function with a cold or flu that hits us with short term symptoms for a few days once in a while. The contagious nature of these known ailments are cause or us to take time off from work with the sympathy and thankfulness of our fellow staff. Those with emerging mental health storms that outwardly are pretty much invisible to others are at a disadvantage in being understood by their peers and colleagues. They simply are misunderstood. They are marginalized because society as a whole is far from empathetic; operating on efficiency, productivity and expectations of normalcy.


Compassion, empathy, love and acceptance of different ways of life expressions in people we meet, live and work with is what we need to build awareness of. We all live in the bounties of grace whether we acknowledge its presence in our lives or not. Relating to others as we want to experience acceptance, love and understanding is the golden rule of compassion. Let us remember the imagery of storms as the unpredictable reality of mental heath fluctuations. May we become one measure of peaceful  loving stability in the lives of those who encounter these extended unknown periods of breakdown in the circuitry of their lives.

submitted by Kerry

Hallowed Be Thy Name

As I move into the new role as Mission Centre president (facilitator) I am humbled to have the opportunity to engage in ministry with each disciple, minister and friend of the church across our Mission Centre. Our collective fellowship from young to mature in our breadth of diversity, giftedness and creativity is a blessing in our midst greater than we each comprehend. The synergies of whose we are, in our common identity, within and as Community of Christ; is a calling of transformation. My calling is to help you to feel inspired with being who you are, in being Community of Christ, which some of us may take for granted. My question for each of you when we meet will be, “How can I help you be Community of Christ"? ….. to draw out of you the compelling reason you are Community of Christ.

BE COMMUNITY of CHRIST

I invite you to be sacred community daily in mindful and intentional ways.  Be that people of the Mission Prayer to draw our circle wider.

God, where will your Spirit lead today?
Help me be fully awake and ready to respond.
Grant me courage to risk something new
And become a blessing of your love and peace.
Amen

NAMING WHO WE ARE
Envision yourself wearing a shirt with “Community of Christ” embroidered upon it plainly visible to all. Live that identity, be that identity, express your identity. Know your “10 seconds of courage” creative response to who you are in the context of who you are talking to and say……

“My Community of Christ is…..

“people living peacefully with others who are different”
“a community gathering of friends who share meaningful conversations”
“people, being kind when we sense someone has a need”
“people, making moments better when someone needs to talk”.
“people, linked together to create community wherever we go.”

“Is there some way I can make community real for you?”

IDEAS
You likely know I am always on the search for ideas, your ideas, linking them with other’s ideas and building our vision of the outcome that is ours together. Please take this invitation to openly share your thoughts of possibilities as an expectation. Your one seemingly to you, tiny idea, may be the key that unlocks a whole vista of possibility.

REVITALIZATION
This fall CEM will initiate with you individually and your congregation, personal and collective commitments to participate in “Revitalization”. The pronouncement launch will occur at our Mission Centre conference. Our personal consecration “pilgrimage” that will empower us to change our lives and be revitalized will happen the following weekend at Kirtland Temple with President Steve Veazey during our “Spiritual Venture” together. We have 2 busloads of expectant folks registered to become transformed. I am so delighted by your response.

COLLABORATION
If we are to effect revitalization which I am presuming we want? ….as the writing is on the wall if we do not……. we need to work together, create safe places for dialogue, listen and affirm each other. One of the structural implementations we will introduce at the CEM Conference is a Mission Centre Council which some other MC’s already have. I would be interested in your ideas as to the skillsets and demographics of possibly elected participants as well as the types of roles these individuals might have within the CEM structure. Overall, let’s make this a participatory governance model within our common consent culture.

COMMUNICATION
Look for the inaugural Mission Centre newsletter in Sept in both on-line and hardcopy formats (where required) to draw us into closer recognition of our MC community and to keep before us the Mission we are collectively engaged in.

Our Mission Centre staff of Dar, Tim, Melissa, Emily and Brian are dedicated to their respective roles of ministry and function. Let us have faith in our present and our future as we recognize and know deeply within ourselves what it means to be Community of Christ. Lord, “Hallowed be thy Name” as we live community.

submitted by Kerry Richards

Missional Recruiting Increases Capacity

How many times do we all ponder an idea? Often! As we read, listen, discuss, watch others, run into circumstances that require some change; ideas emerge. Usually we are just connecting the dots from each of these interactive inputs of others into our lives and we visualize how to tweak these multiple inputs in a different way. Many of us formulate these ideas but are unable to actualize and execute their possibilities for many reasons. It might be that you just forget to write it down. Seriously, in the mix of a busy day ideas escape never to be recalled. Time is of the essence right? The idea sits there and someday another person suggests it and you think, wow that is what I came up with a long time ago. Perhaps the logistics of “how” are a quandary for you? Another hurdle is to attempt a solo effort. You see the idea in your mind but don’t have the capacity to make it happen.

Capacity is an incredibly powerful “non-fixed” resource we all possess. It can lie dormant within us or expand beyond our wildest dreams. The nature of our calling as disciples is to magnify our divinely blessed capacity within ourselves and others. Ideas inspire and create the capacity for more capacity. Our individual development of an idea may generate hope and empowerment within ourselves, but just expressing that idea to another unwraps the possibility of the thought and magnifies its potency. Your capacity just expanded. You also released capacity within the other person. Together there is a further capacity being unleashed. Capacity has a viral component that exponentially magnifies and makes possible unenvisioned and unexpected blessings.

Recruiting is inviting another into the dream, for them to view possibilities through your eyes and the passion of your heart as you share the dynamics of the potential outcome. Recruiting is also about listening. That may result in adjusting the whole or tweaking a detail to enhance and include yet one more participant. Once the other hears your version of possibility….. for them to be truly invested in the vision, for their capacity to be ignited, they need to experience their own personal version of the dream. Dialogue builds dreams. Then your “me” merges with their “me” into our “we” and our capacity is stimulated to new heights of possibility. 

From a missional perspective; recruiting and inviting others empowers every idea just because it is shared. Our combined prophetic imaginations create new potential capacity. We need to share these ideas that then become the fuel, the fusion for increased missional capacity that has no bounds. Right now, as Community of Christ, as we listen both within and without and interact with life; needed ideas will emerge of how we can be the church in new relevant expressions that become the catalysts of widening capacity. You might be the one that enlightens us all. This domino effect starts with you. Bless you for being “unique” you and offering your contributions to the whole. The spirit is with you! Capacity will surely astound you as others along with you bring to fruition a dream that draws “in” others and sends “out” magnified capacity. By the way, a kindred spirit also is fostered through this means of missional recruiting. How blessed is that. 

Submitted by Kerry

Revitalization - The Measurables

On our CEM website on the home page is a link http://www.communityofchrist.ca to a page that has a posting for 4 new full-time Mission positions to start in Oct. There is also a description of the "Revitalization" program we are launching into congregations. It is exciting and will be challenging for you as it puts our faith individually and collectively to a test. Outcomes and Results will be measured.

The measurables are quite simple yet as simplistic as the equation is, it will only be by transformation that we can reach our goal. There is a growth chart across Canada over 5 years but this is the model:

The envisioned growth is 2 new invitee/participants per month collectively within any of the program activities that a congregation creates or currently offers.

The blessing is in the continuing invitation month after month and that all within the congregation catch the vision and participate in the momentum. For each congregation the Revitalization Minister (RM) is inserted within, there is a 60 day period of “attunement” where there is no expectation of intentional invitation. From that time forward as the congregation creates relevant new expressions to meet people where they are…..2 new invites / mo collectively is the goal. In the first year, the cumulative growth would be 10 months x 2 /mo is 20 new invitees participating collectively in various programs offered by the congregation.

The program will continue to be guided by the CSM (Congregational Support Minister) as the RM moves on to another congregation. So there will be growth of 2 / mo x 12 = 24 the 2nd yr and so on. It is anticipated that living in the midst of mission, with each one being a 2x2 companion to another; experiencing the reality that any activity can be transformed to be a sacred moment of grace and meaningful relational fellowship; will foster momentum. So yes, the #’s can be extrapolated based upon the power of 2 / mo over a period of 5 years. The reality is being mindful that amongst all the participants within a congregation, the model is 2 invites /mo.

Having faith and recognition that everyday activities people are being invited to or which are being created around them to match their passion; are transformed into appealing, meaningful, new expressions of fellowship that become “invitable” is key. Momentum will grow out of this experience of everyday missional fellowship. It is like everyday bread and wine being transformed into  sacrament. We will mentor you to transition the common into meaningful.

So measurables start with our existing baseline of congregational members and participants. We each need to be missionally transformed for this to happen. You will be introduced to 2x2 companioning which will be the means of enablement to keep us fulfilling our covenant to and with one another and with God. Solo efforts will always fail us. The “tipping point” of behavioural change will emerge from 2x2 companion commitment to be spiritually formed and to live that which we envision and commit to. Daily affirmations and check-ins with one another will enable fulfillment. Out of that model, amongst all the 2x2 companions, within a willing congregation, missional momentum of 2 invites / mo. will happen and continue.

That is the vision of our Canadian Congregational Revitalization model we hope to integrate within each one of you.    

submitted by Kerry

Community Fellowship

On Thursday, June 18, 2015 Grand Valley hosted their annual strawberry supper.  Of course, the planning starts at least 2 weeks earlier, when the lists are made up and passed out as to what is required in food – whether your list involves donating butter, coffee, tea, homemade salad dressing, devilled eggs, jelly salads, or iced cakes.  Everyone takes their list and  willingly gets ready for the event.  The day before, all who are able arrive at the church at 9 am and start to prepare for our dinner.  Potatoes are peeled and cooked, cabbage shredded, silverware wrapped, tables and chairs are set up in preparation to being host to the community.  By noon, the inside of the church is ready – enough work for Wednesday.

Strawberries arrive at 1 pm on Thursday, and the crew is on deck again, washing and hulling the berries.  During these work bees there is always laughter and fun as the work is accomplished. 

This year, weather reports were saying rain would start by 4:30, the time our supper was to start.  Regardless of the weather reports the dining tent was erected on our beautiful church lawn – and God gave us a beautiful evening, sunshine and blue  skies. What a blessing!  People began to arrive, and at one time almost 200 people were eating at the same time – using the setup downstairs in the church and the tables and chairs set up on the lawn.  It was such a blessing watching people chatting, visiting and enjoying their evening under God’s great canopy of trees and skies.  A beautiful community of people gathered together!

Our congregation is so blessed with having eager workers.  We reach out into our community with hospitality and love and we are blessed with the community attendance to the dinner; and, our congregation is blessed by them attending.  The churches in our little village of Grand Valley have a wonderful compassion for one another and support each other in many activities.

Today, Sunday, June 21, our congregation was invited to John and Marlene Black’s new barn for our church service.  Many of you know, this is not an ordinary barn.
We were so blessed again, Sunday school (with coffee) was led by Ron Yager, from Independence, Missouri, who related the story of his father, Joe, who served as a missionary his whole life in service to Christ.
  Ron was the speaker for the worship service and brought a challenge to us by relating his life’s stories; and, how we can apply and grow with our own life’s situations.  We had a guest soloist, Dorothy Miller, who took part in the service.  We were ministered and blessed many ways during the morning.  Thank you so much John and Marlene for inviting us to come and worship at your place. Thank you for the many who helped organize the service and those taking part in the service. 
 Of course, we cannot forget the potluck lunch that followed the service, the icing on the cake again was the fellowship we enjoyed.
The congregation had a busy week and we have been truly blessed with our activities. 

Submitted by Kerry for Diane Franks