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.

MISSION CENTER ANNOUNCEMENTS

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 and summer. 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 Retreats

Save the Date Flyer

Summer Camping: Reunions and Youth Camps

Save the Date Flyer

SPEC

Save the Date Flyer

GPNW North Youth Group Meetings

This is a newly formed group for the youth of the Greater Seattle area! 

Who: All youth currently in grades 5-12. Younger siblings are welcome with a parent.

What: We get together to have fun by doing many different activities, changing weekly

When: Tuesday nights from 7-8pm

Next Gathering will be on Jan. 9. email Jean Cravy for details!

Contact Jean Cravy with questions or to let her know you are coming to join in!

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 O'Keefe-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

You are invited to join us on Sunday afternoon, January 21st . . .

We are being beckoned to remember our sacred relationship with Nature.

The Lewis River Campground invites us to join the trees and the birds and the earth in worship. 

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

On January 21st, we will gather on the porch of the Lodge. 

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

Faith & Formation

On January 10, Faith & Formation will have a prayer worship. Also, in the new year, we will announce a week in advance our discussion topic for the next Wednesday both on the eNewsbriefs and on our website's Faith & Formation page.

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. PLEASE NOTE: In January, our New Expressions Mondays will be Monday, January 8, 2024, as the first Monday is New Year's Day.

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.

See below in Community Connections Section and our

Mission Center Calendar for all events.

December 2023 Financial Update

The world church published its December 2023 financial update. You can view it here.

January Climate Webinar: Sunday, January 7, 2024 2pm -3:30pm

The North American Climate Team is offering an opportunity for webinar participants to explore the possibility of forming support teams. Please encourage your congregations and members to attend our webinars in January to share their ideas and preferences for possible teams that can support them in their interest and energy on behalf of climate mitigation.

Even participants who are not interested in support teams are invited to attend to share with us their ideas about other ways to move forward together.

Help Spread the Word:

Flyer

Climate Webinar Info Page

Ashley's Zoom Office Hours

For the new year, 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).

Celebrations of Life

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

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.

Upcoming Worship Schedule

Sunday, January 14, 2024

Theme: Long Live: Blessings of Community

Worship Leader: Sean Langdon

Speaker: Larry McGuire

*Communion Service*

Sunday, January 28, 2024

Theme: Rainbowland: Worth of All Persons

Worship Leader: Bob Walker

Speaker: Art Smith

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.

Prayer Concerns

Please contact Brooke Schlenker with any prayer concerns.

Beyond Horizons

WORLD CHURCH ANNOUNCEMENTS

To view all recent World Church Announcements, click 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.

Spanish Scripture Course Registration Open

The Center for Hispanic Formation Ministries (CHFM) announces its upcoming course, "Introduction to Scriptures." This online course, which will be taught in Spanish by Community of Christ priesthood members, is scheduled to begin on 6 January 2024. The registration deadline for this course is 31 December. 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.