Expanded Ministries

Category: Expanded Ministries

Discernment Journey Videos Released

Posted on May 20, 2022 by GPNW2020

In the fall of 2020, the Bridge of Hope Strategic Planning Team for the Greater Pacific Northwest USA Mission Center followed a nudge to not just focus on how we were going to raise funds to meet our funding goal but also discern a “Bridge of Hope” to the future of who we are called to be as communities that live into our name, Community of Christ. What came out of the planning and conversations that followed was an invitation to our congregations and campgrounds to begin a journey of discernment. The discernment journey invitation provided a way for congregations and campgrounds to ground themselves in the holy work that was unfolding within God’s invitation for them as a community. To help with this, a discernment companion was assigned to journey with them. Many of our congregations, along with Lewis River Campground, have begun the journey!

At our recent Nuts & Bolts workshops, Kim Naten and I lead a session focused on discernment. As part of our planning, we recognized that we wanted folks to hear from disciples in our Mission Center who have been engaged in discernment. Therefore, three videos were created for this session.

The videos were:

“Discernment Within Community of Christ”: In this video, Pastors from Renton Community of Christ, along with their Discernment Companion, share with Kim Naten about their congregation’s response to the discernment journey invitation. Watch here: https://youtu.be/FyHcqvRJQi8.
“Discernment that Connects Us To the Community”: In this video, Pastor of Portland Community of Christ shares the journey that his congregation on when discerning whether to participate in a new missional opportunity in their community. Watch here: https://youtu.be/pv076ghQa3A.
“Discernment As A Way of Life”: In this video, leaders from Southridge Community of Christ share about a discernment journey that lead to the creation of their labyrinth. We hear their story through the lens as individual disciples, collectively as a congregation, and then how it connects them to the community. Watch here: https://youtu.be/6GcXmHljR5g.

We now share these videos with all of you as we learn from the wisdom shared by these faithful disciples.

Transforming to a Circular Economy | June Climate Webinar

Posted on May 21, 2021May 21, 2021 by GPNW2020

In this session we start examining the pervasive structural issues that shape our world–in this case the basic economic model. (Note: consumerism will be a separate session). Our current practice is a Create-Use-Discard economy that results in ravaged mountains, toxic tailing ponds, abusive child labour, abandoned oil wells, and mountains of trash. The old model generally considers resources to be endless, waste to be of no consequence, and the implications for Nature to be negligible.

Lugano will share an alternative model: the Circular Economy. From the ground up, once new resources enter this modular system, the model tracks resources and keeps re-using and replacing them as long as possible. In addition, Lugano will briefly share his insights from working on 100,000-person “city within a city,” where flexibility and change can occur more nimbly.

Lugano Kapembwa is co-founder and CEO of Loopcycle, a circular technology platform embedding lasting traceability that redefines how customers manage, recover and resell their used products. Prior to this role, Lugano worked on a $5 billion project, delivering sustainability and resource efficiency programs as Energy and Environment Lead for Canary Wharf Management, the landlord arm of Canary Wharf Group—owners of the 128 acre estate and mini-city district in London, UK. Lugano holds a M.Sc. in Law and Environmental Science and a B.Sc. in Environmental Science.

Come join us in the Climate Webinar on June 13, with Lugano Kapembwa. Invite your friends to join as well. All sessions are free. Participation in previous webinars and conversations is not necessary to join in this opportunity.

What: Climate Webinar – ”Through Crises Toward Transformation:
Systemic Solutions —Transforming to a Circular Economy”

When:
Webinar – Sunday, June 13, 2021, 2:00 pm-3:30 pm PDT (3 pm MT, 4 pm CT, 5 pm ET)

Follow-up Conversations –
Thursday, June 24, 2021, 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm PDT (7 pm MT, 8 pm CT, 9 pm ET)
and Sunday, June 27, 2021, 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm PDT (3 pm MT, 4 pm CT, 5 pm ET)

Where: Online Ministry

To connect to “Systemic Solutions: Transforming to a Circular Economy,” please register at https://www.cofchristclimatejustice.org.

If you registered for a past webinar or conversation, you do not need to register again. Once registered, you will be sent a Zoom link a few days before each webinar, panel and conversation.

This is an online ministry sponsored by the Greater Pacific Northwest USA Mission Center for Community of Christ. The North American Climate Justice Team are the planners, with members from GPNWMC, Canada East, Canada West, IWMC, SPMC, and SPIMC.

Climate Resources for Online Reunions

Posted on May 21, 2021May 21, 2021 by GPNW2020

Submitted by Susan Oxley, North American Climate Justice Team

The North American Climate Justice Team of Community of Christ has created two engagement sessions for online reunions to offer participants in the Sacredness of Creation and concerns over Climate Change. Each is designed to be a stand-alone hour-long session. Here are summaries of the content, and contact information is provided at the end of each summary.

Spiritual Formation/Worship/Discussion session: “Creation is Sacred”

The North American Climate Justice Team of Community of Christ has created a spiritual formation session utilizing prayer and lectio divina to explore the Sacredness of Creation and God’s call for a prophetic community to emerge to bring peace on and for the earth.

This session is flexible and can be adapted to a variety of purposes. It can be used as an alternative to a prayer and testimony service, or a teen/adult class. If you add some music, it functions as a worship service. It includes a breakout session for sharing. The plan can be implemented easily by a local member of the reunion staff, or you can request the assistance of the North American Climate Justice Team in leading it. It’s designed to last 60-70 minutes. If you are interested in receiving the instructions and outline for this session, please contact: Joan Thompson, joantcanuck@hotmail.com or Rod Downing, rdowning94@shaw.ca.

Class Session on Climate Change

In Community of Christ history, we honor the Zionic ideal of community over isolated individualism. The hour-long reunion class created by the North American Climate Justice Team of the Community of Christ challenges participants to embrace a community-oriented perspective in responding to climate change. The class includes a TED talk that explores how all of us tend to deny and avoid climate issues, and ties denial to the Christian story of the Apostle Peter. The transformation from denial through fear to Christian community and perseverance provides a template for facing the multiple crises threatening our world today.

This class can be used as part of a morning class, an enrichment experience for afternoon chats, an option for evening discussion, or an exploration in a post-reunion setting. The stand-alone class outline and instructions can be implemented by a local member of the reunion staff, or you can request the assistance of the North American Climate Justice Team in leading it. It’s designed for 60 minutes, and includes 1-2 breakout sessions. If you are interested in receiving the instructions and outline for this session, please contact: Dean and Susi Wight, deantw@aol.com and sewwight@aol.com

Sacredness of Creation: Conversation #4

Posted on October 16, 2020October 16, 2020 by GPNW2020

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.

Sacredness of Creation: Join the Conversation

Posted on September 11, 2020September 11, 2020 by GPNW2020

Notice, Gaze, Cherish, Bless: Holy Attention to Awaken Our Hearts

Come join us in the third conversation about the Sacredness of Creation as we practice noticing and cherishing nature in its beauty, and as we acknowledge the evidence of creation increasingly out of balance. Share your story of intentional moments you have noticed and gazed upon the sacredness of creation. Share your awareness of the need to courageously “gaze even here,” at the devastation humans have caused to the planet. 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.

Further conversations in our Phase one series will include “Hope for a New Creation,” during the month of October. In addition, President Steve Veazey will join us for worship on October 11, to share a special message about the climate crises we face and our response as a faith community.

During the winter of 2020 and 2021, there will be six more conversations/presentations, which will constitute Phase Two. 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!

When: Sunday, September 20, 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm PDT and Thursday, September 24, 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm PDT

Where: Online Ministry

To connect to “Notice, Gaze, Cherish, Bless: Holy Attention to Awaken Our Hearts,” 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 our Flyer.