Month: October 2020

2020 Collins Summit: Shalom in Divided Times

2020 Collins Summit: Shalom in Divided Times

On Wednesday, November 18, from 7-8:30 PM (Pacific), Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon (EMO) will be hosting their annual Collins Summit online. This provides a greater opportunity for people not just from Oregon but all over to participate. 

It’s no secret we are living in unprecedented and divided times. Racial unrest, political tensions, and COVID-19 have impacted nearly every aspect of our lives. What does shalom and unity look like in 2020? Shalom is a Hebrew word that means wholeness, harmony and peace. It’s a complex idea, often oversimplified, similar to the way “unity” becomes a euphemism for sameness. 

Through a virtual format, we will explore these racial, political and social divisions, asking how we bring our whole selves to the table and stay engaged in light of our differences, not in spite of them.The Summit will include a lecture from Lisa Sharon Harper, a live Q&A, and the opportunity to hear from members of the Common Table and their important work. 

Individual registrations are only $10 per person. To get more information and to register: https://emoregon.org/event/2020-collins/.  

Sacredness of Creation: Conversation #4

Sacredness of Creation: Conversation #4

Hope for a New Creation:  Building a Bridge to the Future

Come join us in the fourth conversation about the Sacredness of Creation as we acknowledge the evidence of creation increasingly out of balance.   Share your hope for the future and the evidence of God’s activity even when creation is unraveling in climate crisis.  Invite your friends to join as well.  All sessions are free.  Participation in previous conversations in the series is not necessary to join in this opportunity.

LOOKING AHEAD:  Phase II of our series begins with a Sunday webinar “The Unraveling of God’s Sacred Creation” with Dr. Richard Gammon on November 15, 2pm PT, 3pm MT, 4pm CT, 5pm ET.  Dr. Gammon will be sharing with us scientific data underlying the concerns about climate crisis, and the projections resulting from that data.  Dr. Gammon was among the scientists who drafted the first UN report for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.  He brings both expertise and experience to his 1 ½ hour presentation at our webinar. You won’t want to miss it!  Our conversation sessions later in November will provide opportunities to discuss the ideas Dr. Gammon presents. 

During the winter of 2020 and 2021, there will be six more conversations/presentations, each building on a webinar by a qualified presenter.   We will explore the unraveling of God’s sacred creation, the re-weaving of the web of life, climate change and the Community of Christ, and lifestyle practices that foster hope.  Dates for these subsequent conversations will be publicized in your mission center news briefs and on the website below.  Watch for them!

What:  “Hope for a New Creation:  Building a Bridge to the Future”

When: Thursday, October 22, 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm PDT

and Sunday, October 25, 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm PDT

Where: Online Ministry

To connect to “Hope For a New Creation:  Building a Bridge to the Future,”                                    please register at https://www.cofchristclimatejustice.org.

Once registered, you will be sent a Zoom link a few days before each session of the series.

Download Flyer.

Sacredness of Creation is an online ministry sponsored by the Greater Pacific Northwest USA Mission Center for Community of Christ.  The North American Climate Justice Team includes members from GPNWMC, Canada East, Canada West, Inland West, Sierra Pacific Mission Center, and Southwest Pacific International Mission Center. 

Mission Center Online Conference 2020: Claiming Our Prophetic Voice

Mission Center Online Conference 2020: Claiming Our Prophetic Voice

Mission Center Conference will be held on Saturday, Nov. 7th this year, via Zoom. As your Mission Center Leadership Team discussed the options, we agreed that thanks to our many worship and fellowship opportunities offered over Zoom since the pandemic began 6 months ago, our mission center is adept and familiar enough with this platform to successfully conduct the necessary business of the mission center this way.  We will be exploring different voting applications and tools, and will provide training prior to Conference on how to use them. Another significant change to this year’s Conference is that we will move to a Non-Delegate Conference, meaning all members in good standing may attend and may vote on the business presented.  This decision has been approved by our Field Apostle Ron Harmon and the First Presidency, due to the special circumstances resulting from the pandemic.  

Our Conference theme this year is “Claiming Our Prophetic Voice.” It may sound cliché at this point, but we are in unprecedented times and face an uncertain and unknown future. We have talked and explored for the last several years about what it means to be a prophetic church in the 21st century, and now find ourselves with unlimited opportunities to truly experiment with and practice becoming something NEW.  In order to move into the future, we must not shy away from the opportunities on our doorstep in favor of “returning to normal!” NOW is the perfect moment to step into a new expression of our calling, with faith that our identity as a prophetic people is shaped and guided by the Holy Spirit.   

There will be online training for voters to learn to use the voting app effectively, and how we will use zoom for our business meeting. All registered voters should plan to attend one of the training sessions November 3rd or 5th, 1pm or 7pm (PT).

Saturday’s Conference schedule will include a Business Orientation Session in the morning, followed by a lunch break, and our Business Session in the afternoon. The Business Session will include sustaining of Mission Center officers and committees, approval of the 2021 Budget and at least 1 resolution for consideration. More details will be available here on NewsBriefs in the coming weeks. We hope to also include a Saturday evening fellowship opportunity such as another Talent Show. On Sunday, Nov. 8th, we will offer a worship service featuring Apostle Ron Harmon as our speaker.    

Please note that any congregations wishing to submit a resolution for consideration in our mission center, or a resolution to be approved for presentation to World Conference 2022, must be submitted no later than Oct. 10 (4 weeks prior to Conference) in order to be considered. (World Conference Resolutions must be submitted to The First Presidency no later than June 3, 2021.) 

The Saturday Bulletin will be provided electronically at least 2 weeks prior to Mission Center Conference. If any members need a printed copy, please contact your pastor or congregational communications coordinator to request this.  

Please check our weekly e-newsletter for updates! Thank you for your understanding of the many adjustments we must make this year due to the pandemic. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact any member of the Mission Center Leadership Team.

Faith & Formation Videos: September 2020

Faith & Formation Videos: September 2020

Faith and Formation (which meets online on Wednesday evenings) has been viewing presentations by religious leaders, scholars and philosophers of various faiths and denominations to expand our personal and communal theological understandings. At the end of every week, we ask the important question: “What about this presentation was compatible or incompatible with Community of Christ theology?” Unfortunately, I cannot share with you the amazing discussions we had after watching the videos. But maybe you could also glean important lessons from these videos.

The videos we viewed in September 2020:

September 16: Lesley Hazleton “On Reading the Koran” & Alaa Murabit “What My Religion Really Says about Women

September 23: Jonathan Merritt “The Death and Resurrection of Sacred Speech

September 30: Brent Strawn “The Greatest Story Never Told: Re-Thinking the Bible as Poetry

Join us Wednesdays* at 7pm (PT).

*The first Wednesday of the month is prayer service.

Theme: Overlay by Kaira Extra Text
Cape Town, South Africa