eNewsbriefs | January 26, 2024

Any Mission Center events, news, or prayer requests, please submit to Communications and Administrative Specialist, Brooke Schlenker at bschlenker@cofchrist-gpnw.org by Thursdays at 7pm.


Some announcements are posted on our blog - the Chinook - if they're too long to fit in the eNewsbriefs. Be sure to click "Read More" to see the announcement in full.


Prayer requests need to have permission from the subject person or their immediate family and will be included in the eNewsbriefs for three weeks, unless otherwise communicated with Brooke.

World Church Announcement

Letter from the Council of Twelve Apostles


On Wednesday, January 17, 2024 the Council of Twelve Apostles released a letter announcing. " Today, with humility and gratitude, we are privileged to announce our individual and collective testimony that Stassi D. Cramm is called by God to be prophet-president of Community of Christ."


You can read the letter to the church and about the discernment process by clicking the button below.

Read More Here

Update on President Veazey's Health and Request For Continued Support


As we reflect on this past year, we are grateful for the blessings of community. Through the challenges and triumphs of life together, it is heartening to witness the strength of loving community, especially in times of need. As we anticipate what will unfold in the coming year, we want to provide an update on President Veazey's health.


Steve is continuing to work with his medical care team and is experiencing progress in response to his treatment plan. He deeply appreciates the loving messages, cards, notes, and prayers extended on his behalf and in support of his family.


As part of his journey to health, Steve will gradually resume more normal activities outside of home. He will also begin part-time participation in his role in the First Presidency with anticipation that he will be full-time by March.

MISSION CENTER ANNOUNCEMENTS

Save the Dates for the New Year!

The Mission Center has many wonderful camps and retreats planned for 2024! Below you can find flyers to save the date for these events for this spring, summer, and fall. Please share with your communities. You can also find these dates on our Mission Center Calendar . More details about themes and registration links will come in early Spring.

Caravan 2024

See Flyer here

* See more information in section below.


"Building Community" Workshops

Save the Date Flyer


Summer Camping: Reunions and Youth Camps

Save the Date Flyer


SPEC

Save the Date Flyer


Racial Justice Week, Workshops, and MC Conference, OH MY!

Check out this save the date for GPNW MC Events you won't want to miss!

Save the date flyer

Retreats and Events

GPNW North Youth Group Meetings

Here is the schedule for January- March. The Youth Group meetings will be located at either the Auburn or Crystal Springs Congregations.

Auburn Congregation:

Dates: February 6 and 20, March 5 and 19

Address: 31720 116th Avenue SE Auburn WA 98092


Crystal Springs Congregation:

Dates: January 30, February 13 , March 12 and 26

Address: 20012 Filbert Drive Bothell, WA 98012


Contact Jean Cravy with questions.

cravyjean@gmail.com or 360-969-3188


Caravan 2024

Attention All Youth! Caravan 2024 is just around the corner. Join us as we tour the great Pacific Northwest while we participate in this year's program Feed My Sheep: The No Hunger Games. The first huddle will be at Tuality Community of Christ February 17-18th. See the attached flyer for more information. Please contact Michael Jaycox, Katie Knoble, or any other Caravan staff member if you are interested. Everyone who wants to see what Caravan is all about, please come! It's gonna be excellent! 

See Flyer here

See Registration Form here


Sabbath in the Woods

We look forward to welcoming you to our next scheduled gathering February 18th, from 2 pm to 4 pm at the Minthorn Lodge on the Lewis River Campgrounds. Let’s all pray for less weather drama!

 

On the third Sunday of every month, you are invited to join us from 2 – 4 p.m.

Please dress for being and walking outdoors! 

 

If you have any questions, please contact:

Fae Jackson, 360-910-7476 / faej1005@gmail.com or

Laurie Sharpe, 360-824-0112, ld.sharpe@yahoo.com


Orphans Africa Benefit and Luncheon: Feb. 24th

You are invited to the annual Orphans Africa Benefit and Luncheon in Tacoma on Saturday, February 24th, from noon to 2pm (doors open at 11:30). Every year, Orphans Africa depends on the gifts from the Benefit to fund their educational programs for orphans in Tanzania. The support from Community of Christ is essential and has literally saved lives. The Benefit is at the Emerald Queen Casino (5700 Pacific Hwy S., Fife, WA 98424), and will include an African marketplace, no-host bar, buffet lunch, and engaging speakers who have just returned from Tanzania. We are happy to announce that Bill Campbell from the Auburn, WA congregation will be the Master of Ceremonies! Orphans Africa was founded in 2007 by three Community of Christ members. We are truly walking the talk! Go to https://orphansafrica.org/events/ to purchase your tickets online. Alternatively, please call 253.252.3544. Thank you!


Nurturing Creativity of the Soul Retreat

When: March 8-10, 2024

Where: Stillwood Retreat Centre, Cultus Lake BC

Read more about the schedule here.

More to come on how to register!

Gather in Community

Climate Support Group: January 28

The Climate Webinar on January 7 was a great success! We explored the possibilities for forming support groups and the enthusiasm was overwhelming!  On January 28, we will create the support groups and get them organized to carry on!  


No previous experience is necessary. Never attended a Climate Webinar before? It's okay! You can still join a support group and meet with like-minded people to discuss climate and environmental issues. Come be a part of the teams that can make a difference for our future! See links below for more information.


January 28 2024 Support Teams

Climate Webinar Info Page


Samish Wake-up, Work Weekend: February 10

Are you missing some Samish Island in your life right now? Come help us wake up the Campgrounds from its winter slumber! You are invited to join us on Saturday, February 10th as we open up the dining hall kitchen and freshen up the sleeping cabins in preparation for the 2024 camping season. We are offering overnight accommodations for those wishing to arrive on Friday or stay through Sunday, although only Saturday lunch will be provided. Please contact Camp Manager Christine Campbell at samishislandcamp@gmail.com or 360-510-5724 to register.



Online or In-person Service at Eugene Congregation: Feb. 4

The Eugene Congregation Invites all to join us on-line or in-person on Sunday, Feb 4, 2024 - (10:55am Prelude / 11:00am Worship/Communion - Theme: "Mission by All Means") - We are honored to have Howard Kenyon, Sr. Advisor, Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, with us as our guest speaker. Mr. Kenyon will share a brief history of EMO and his 13-year connection with it as well as its purpose and objectives. This will include ways that local churches can combine their efforts in supporting food distribution, helping the less fortunate, and other areas that emulate the mission and ministry of Jesus Christ. An opportunity for questions and answers and sharing of insights will be part of our meeting. A light lunch will be provided for those who wish further conversation following the service.


We are located at 1485 Gilham Rd. in Eugene. If you have questions, please email - eugenecommunityofchrist@gmail or call or text Jeanie Kensler at 541-632-2979.


Zoom Info:

https://zoom.us/j/97274043053?pwd=MzBENUhmU2tTUkJLZVBTT2IrODRDUT09


Meeting ID: 972 7404 3053

Passcode: 681048

Alternatively, join by phone: 253-215-8782 


Faith & Formation

Next Wednesday, we'll be discussing the video "God Breathed." In episode 6 of the Data Over Dogma Podcast, Dr. Dan McClellan and Dan Beecher discuss the voices within Scripture. You can watch this on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zou11pMRag


Plan ahead: Faith & Formation will be doing a book study for Lent. "Witness at the Cross: A Beginner's Guide to Holy Friday" by Amy-Jill Levine. We'll discuss one chapter per week from February 21st thru March 27th. Reading the book isn't required, but will enhance your experience. Our class sessions will begin with a 10 minute video by the author about the chapter and then we'll spend the rest of the time in discussion about what we read and learned. Click here to watch a brief video about this book. 


New Expressions Mondays in 2024

Starting in January, we are going to be journeying through the book, "The Art of Neighboring: Building Genuine Relationships Right Outside Your Door" by Jay Pathak and Dave Runyon. On the first Monday of every month from 6:30-8:00pm, we will join on Zoom as we take a closer look at the material found in this book. We hope that this experience will help us go deeper in considering the possibilities of creating New Expressions of Community in our neighborhoods. Though you can certainly participate without reading the book, doing so will help provide a richer experience. To order the book on Amazon, click here:https://a.co/d/dRq6eV8 

 

New Expressions Mondays are the first Monday of the month.

 

To sign-up to receive more information as we get closer and monthly reminders about our sessions, contact Sean Langdon (slangdon@cofchrist.org).

 

New Expressions Mondays are co-sponsored by the Greater Pacific Northwest and Rocky Mountain Mission Centers.


San Jose Center for Peace and Justice at Community of Christ: January 30- April 4

GPNW is invited to join the San Jose Center for Peace and Justice at Community of Christ in " A season for Nonviolence" presented by the Mahatma Gandhi Canadian Foundation for World Peace. 64 Daily practices that makes a difference.


The season beings on January 30 ( the anniversary of the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi) and ends on April 4 (the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King's assassination). Each practice, each day, takes only ten to fifteen minutes and includes quotes, an affirmation, reflections, art work, actions for teens and children, and an inspirational video.


The practices are like spiritual formation exercises and we find them to be of great value. Use the link below and scroll down to week one day one to begin.


https://www.gandhifoundation.ca/season-for-nonviolence.html



See below in Community Connections Section and our

Mission Center Calendar for all events.

In the know

Ashley's Zoom Office Hours

Ashley's office hours will be 10-11am Pacific on Mondays and Fridays. Anyone in the Mission Center who has a question or wants to talk is invited. 

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86099130723?pwd=mVx16nQjflXXRzd4Bk0bdBWbjovg20.1

Meeting ID: 860 9913 0723

Passcode: 399665


Temple School Course: Introduction to Priesthood Ministry

What does it mean to enter into the covenant relationship of priesthood member in Community of Christ? This 5 week course is mandatory for all new priesthood calls, but also is a great refresher course for those who have been in the priesthood a long time. It's also great to have pastors of new ordinands take this class with them, so that they can know how best to support the new priesthood member of their congregation as they grow and learn. Classes will begin February 20th thru March 19th, meeting every Tuesday from 6-8:30 pm (Pacific). The only cost for this class is to purchase the text from Herald House either as a book or download the pdf. To sign up for this course, please contact Ashley Whitham (awhitham@cofchrist-gpnw.org or 360-521-4562).


Lewis River Campground Seeking Creative Summer Intern!

Come embrace the gorgeous pacific northwest woods with the convenience of being 10 minutes from downtown Battleground, WA and 30 min from Portland, OR.

This is a 10 week summer internship program including 2 weeks PTO.

Interns are encouraged to choose an aspect of the campground, non-profit or business to develop and add to their resume and for future references. This could look like leading a community garden, landscaping, running social media, painting a mural, rescuing farm animals, renovating cabins, running the kitchen, life-guarding, etc.

Interviews will be held the last week of March 2024 and 2024 Summer Interns will be announced April 3, 2024

Email your resume and letter of intent to 

lewisrivermanager@gmail.com

Check out our website lewisrivercampground.org

must be 16 years+


Help spread the word with sharing this poster!


Graceland Alumni Endowed Scholarship

Each year Graceland accepts applications for this scholarship starting on January 1, with a final submission deadline of March 1. The Alumni Board Fundraising & Awards Committee works hand-in-hand with Graceland Admissions to determine each year’s recipients. Once awarded, the AES is renewable for up to four years.

 

Applicants must be the direct descendant of a Graceland alumni (anyone who completes 12 semesters hours is considered to be an alumni); apply for admission to Graceland University or be a current student in good standing; plan to attend Graceland the fall semester following application. Applications are evaluated on a potential recipient’s involvement with school, community, and/or church organizations; individual leadership; passion for Graceland; vision; mindfulness; and scholastic achievements.

 

Applicants must complete an online application and it can be found by visiting the following link: https://www.graceland.edu/AESApp

 

If you have any questions, please contact the Alumni Programs Office at 866.484.3837 (toll-free in the US and Canada) or alumni@graceland.edu


Here is a bulletin Insert to share in your communities.

Celebrations of Life


Please let Brooke Schlenker know at bschlenker@cofchrst-gpnw.org for information to share about celebrations of life.

Weekly Online Fellowship Opportunities

Online Worship

  • 2nd and 4th Sundays
  • 6:30 pm (PT)

Breakfast Club

  • Monday, Thursday & Saturday
  • 9-10 am (PT)

Faith & Formation

  • Wednesdays at 7 pm (PT)

ONLINE COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

Sunday Evening Online Worships

Click here to learn more.


Community Connections

Join us as Greater Pacific Northwest USA Mission Center and Rocky Mountain Mission Center continue to co-sponsor Community Connections, our New Expression of Community focused on Online Community. Sean Langdon will be the lead for the Rockies and Ashley Whitham will be the lead for GPNW. Sean will continue to coordinate our Sunday Evening Online Worships which will now be feature ministry, and attended by, folks in the GPNW and the Rockies, among other locations.


All are invited to join Community Connections for "Music of My Heart", the new Worship Series for our online Sunday Evening Worships. In this series, we use a popular song to serve as the theme for a worship which goes deeper in exploring one of our Enduring Principles.

 

Upcoming Worship Schedule


Sunday, January 28, 2024

Theme: "Rainbowland": Worth of All Persons

Worship Leader: Bob Walker

Speaker: Art Smith


Sunday, February 11, 2024

Theme: "Trees We'll Never See": Sacredness of Creation

Worship Leader: Laurie Sharpe

Speaker: Fae Jackson

* This will be a Communion service*


To connect to the Online Worship, click here: https://zoom.us/j/841448115?pwd=WDFQTzdIYWpPM0p1MWJyTlF0aHZDZz09


Don't have internet access? You can always call! To listen in to the worship, dial 1-669-900-6833.

Meeting ID: 841 448 115

Password: 043423


A separate bulletin will be sent out the Friday before the service.

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Prayer Concerns

Please contact Brooke Schlenker with any prayer concerns.

Beyond Horizons

If you would like to receive eCommunications from Beyond Horizons so that you can stay current on these upcoming events and news from your Beyond Horizons Team, please sign-up. Contact Sean Langdon, Beyond Horizons Team Lead, with any questions at beyondhorizons@cofchrist-gpnw.org.

WORLD CHURCH ANNOUNCEMENTS

To view all recent World Church Announcements, click here.


Guest Ministry Procedure

The Online Ministry Team of the Council of Twelve Apostles and the Council of Presidents of Seventy has created updated Guest Ministry Procedure documents to support consistent communication across the many fields of the church. Read more here.



Prayer for Peace Live-Stream Begins 3 January

Changes are coming to a popular daily practice, Prayer for Peace.

Community of Christ's Formation Ministries Team has announced that beginning 1 January, Prayer for Peace will live-stream on the church's Facebook page and YouTube channel at 1:00pm Central US Time each Wednesday. The weekly worship is also open to the public at the Community of Christ Temple in Independence, Missouri, USA. Join us for the first live event on 3 January. Read more here.


Online Doctrine and Covenants Available

As we approach Christmas, International Headquarters shares a special gift that will enrich our spiritual journey and deepen our connection to the scriptures.


An online searchable version of the Doctrine and Covenants is now available in English, French, and Spanish on CofChrist.org. Read more here.




December 2023 Financial Update

In December 2023 Financial Update, the Presiding Bishopric shares details about Community of Christ's current economic situation and other information from the recent meeting of the World Church Finance board. The next financial board report will be in June 2024. Read more here.


2024 Worldwide Mission Budget

Read the the budget here.


Human Rights Team Statement on Israel-Hamas War

The Human Rights Team shared a statement with the church about the Israel-Hamas war. In the statement, the team affirmed World Conference Resolution 1311. "Palestine and Israel", "which affirms God's love for Muslims and Jews, and denounces Islamophobia and anti-Semitism." The team also expressed support to a ceasefire and advocated for, "unrestricted humanitarian access throughout Gaza to allow humanitarian actors to reach children and civilians in need." Read more here.


Send Your Advent, Christmas Photos

As you enjoy Advent and Christmas this year, we'd like you to capture your memories in photos and send them to us for consideration in next year's Herald and at CofChrist.org. Read more here.


Spring 2024 Classes Announced

The Center for Innovation in Ministry and Mission through Graceland University Community of Christ Seminary has opened classes for enrollment. Read more here.


Reunion 2024 Theme

The 2024 Reunion Theme has been released! The theme is.... "Heal the Earth: A Restoration Imperative."

Read more here for the description.