Herald-September/October 2023

6 International Day of Peace

Community of Christ will join the United Nations and organizations around the world to mark September 21, the International Day of Peace.

8 A December Celebration

The Prayer for Peace has become integrated into most gatherings of Community of Christ. The church will celebrate thirty years of peace prayers in December.

12 More on the Auditorium Piano

A bit of sleuthing and an explanation from former church employee Roger Revell has uncovered the background of the glorious Bechstein concert grand piano in the Auditorium.

14 Help on Wheels

The Community of Christ RV Association rolls into historic sites and campgrounds that need rehabbing, with volunteers offering their sweat and dedication. In return, they get fellowship and friendship.

17 A Food Pantry and More

Church members play a major role in the operation of the Lamoni Food Pantry, which has grown from a few cabinets to its own building and outreach programs.

21 Crystal’s Story

The testimony of a foster parent is a picture of courage.

22 Christlike, Joyful Service

Apostle Dave Nii explains how disciples of Jesus can continually grow their relationship with God through works of service for the benefit of community.

26 Prayer and Discernment

As Community of Christ works toward selecting the next prophet-president, leadership continues to ask for prayers. The First Presidency shares comments received regarding the process.

36 Spectacular!

Enjoy the energy and joy that pour from the photos of young people participating in the church’s largest youth event, also known as SPEC, held at Graceland University.

Photo by Dennis Piepergerdes of Community of Christ RV Association volunteer Rollie Marolf from Topeka, Kansas, USA, in spring 2022 at the Joseph and Emma Smith Mansion House in Nauvoo, Illinois, USA.

Announcements

SUBMIT 2025 WORLD CONFERENCE RESOLUTIONS BY MAY 30

The deadline for mission centers to submit proposed legislation for the 2025 World Conference is less than a year away.

Submissions should address significant issues that would concern the entire church. Proposed actions should be clear, readily implementable, and directly address concerns raised.

We proclaim Jesus Christ and promote communities of joy, hope, love, and peace.

Editors in Chief

THE FIRST PRESIDENCY

Stephen M. Veazey

K. Scott Murphy Stassi D. Cramm

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

Jenn Killpack

EDITORIAL

Elaine Garrison

Greg Clark

DESIGN, PRODUCTION

Jeff Piedimonte

Amy Rich

CONTACT

Editorial: Herald @CofChrist.org

Subscription Services: subscriptions@HeraldHouse.org

Customer Service: sales@HeraldHouse.org

International Headquarters: (816) 833-1000

CofChrist.org HeraldHouse.org

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Publication Agreement No. 40032830

(ISSN 1541-6143)

The HERALD is the denominational magazine of Community of Christ, with headquarters in Independence, Missouri. It is published bimonthly by the church publishing division, Herald Publishing House, 1001 W. Walnut St., Independence, MO 64050, USA. Materials are official only when they report a formal decision by a legislative or administrative council and are so marked. Individual USA subscriptions are $32. Subscriptions in other countries are more. Electronic subscriptions are $20. Congregational group rates available. Preferred Periodicals postage paid at Independence and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Herald, 1001 W. Walnut St., Independence, MO 64050. (In Canada: Station A, P.O. Box 54, Windsor, Ont. N9A 6JF.)

Copyright © 2023 by Herald Publishing House. All rights reserved. Reproduction by permission only.

Timeline

Submitting resolutions early in the inter-Conference period will provide ample time for translation, collaborative review by church leaders and mission centers, and thorough churchwide discernment.

World Conference Resolution 1308 “Time for Introduction of New Business,” adopted in June 2016, states: Resolved, That for legislation to come before World Conference, such legislation must be submitted to the First Presidency no later than one year before the opening of each World Conference.

Instructions

Submitters are encouraged to send drafts to the Resolution Review Team at snaylor@CofChrist.org before the draft is approved by a mission center conference. Final submissions are due May 30, 2024, and all should be sent to World Church Secretary Susan Naylor (email above).

FALL B SESSION ONLINE CLASSES OPEN

The Center for Innovation in Ministry and Mission, through the Graceland University Community of Christ Seminary, has opened these classes for enrollment:

Fall B Session (October 22–December 17):

• M inistry and Priesthood

• I ntroduction to Scripture, $25.00

• M inistry of the Deacon, $25.00

• C hildren and Youth Worker Core Training, $25.00

• C hristian Ministries Certificate

• I ntroduction to Hebrew Scriptures with Kat Goheen, $100.00

To enroll or for more information on these classes and certificate programs, visit www.Graceland.edu/CIMM

OUTREACH INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT DEPARTS

Outreach International on July 21 announced the departure of Kevin Prine after eleven years as president/chief executive officer. Founded in 1979 and based in Kansas City, Missouri, USA, Outreach International sustainably addresses poverty-related issues.

The Outreach board of directors has launched a search to identify the next leader to build on the successes of the organization and continue to advance its mission to alleviate the world’s deepest poverty by equipping and empowering people to be the engines of their own success.

“Serving Outreach for the past eleven years has been one of the greatest professional experiences of my life. You would be hard-pressed to find a team as high-performing as is now found at our headquarters and abroad. Moreover, seeing the human spirit unleashed through our Participatory Human Development process means observing daily miracles in action,” Kevin Prine said. Outreach Chief Financial Officer Nikki Caw was named interim chief executive officer.

Community of Christ extends its gratitude to Kevin Prine for his leadership and service. His dedication has resulted in progress toward ending suffering globally, leaving an enduring body of work that will continue to shape Outreach International’s future. We appreciate his commitment to improving the lives of the most vulnerable populations and wish him well.

Further details can be found at www.Outreach-international.org. Outreach International is a Community of Christ affiliate.

Continued on page 41.

TRUST: ESSENTIAL FOR COMMUNITY

Since World Conference, I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to hear stories from Community of Christ members and friends that caused me to reflect on “community,” which is foundational to our call as a faith movement in the world.

I’m grateful for stories that express deep gratitude for the gift of community that many experience in the church, the kind of community that creates a sense of belonging and value in a person’s life. True community can be life-changing.

But with the stories of gratitude, I have heard stories from those who struggle as they question whether they belong in the church anymore.

In these stories of deep question, the most common reason offered is the fear of rejection if expressing a different perspective than a majority of the congregation or group on important social issues.

My heart breaks when I hear and feel this kind of disappointment and loss because these people feel they cannot be authentic and remain a valued part of the conversation on life issues important for the church to explore.

As I ponder why some feel that connection of community while others feel its absence, I wonder if our sense of community has been conditioned by societal behaviors that community is formed more by our aligned agreements than our sense of trust that grows from

the gift of Christ-like love and respect, even in our diversity.

It is easy to feel connected and a sense of belonging when you share a common perspective on specific issues. But the kind of community that forms from our diversity opens pathways that can be life-giving for all who yearn to belong. At least this is the kind of community I hear being called in Doctrine and Covenants 161:3a–c:

Open your hearts and feel the yearnings of your brothers and sisters who are lonely, despised, fearful, neglected, unloved. Reach out in understanding, clasp their hands, and invite all to share in the blessings of community created in the name of the One who suffered on behalf of all. Do not be fearful of one another. Respect each life journey, even in its brokenness and uncertainty, for each person has walked alone at times. Be ready to listen and slow to criticize, lest judgments be unrighteous and unredemptive.

Be patient with one another, for creating sacred community is arduous and even painful. But it is to loving community such as this that each is called.

While I cannot fully understand all the dynamics in the many cultures where the church is located, I do know there are places where diversity is not valued. Instead, siloed communities are formed in

like-mindedness rather than in diversity, where trust is the product of feeling loved, respected, valued, and true belonging.

I share these reflections because I truly believe Community of Christ has a vital role and gift to offer in the world. In these words of counsel is our call we cannot forget.

“Community of Christ,” your name, given as a divine blessing, is your identity and calling. If you will discern and embrace its full meaning, you will not only discover your future, you will become a blessing to the whole creation. Do not be afraid to go where it beckons you to go.

—Doctrine

and Covenants 163:1a

Seeing the diversity of perspectives shared in the spirit of love and respect during 2023 World Conference, I witnessed growth in the church in what authentic community can feel and look like. And it was good!

May the call to be that living presence of sacred community in the world be alive in choices we make in our congregations, groups, or wherever we are with others. For when this happens, we will be a blessing alive in creation.

SCOTT MURPHY FIRST PRESIDENCY FP@CofChrist.org

May I be happy, may I be peaceful, may I be free. May my family be happy, be peaceful, be free. May my friends be happy, be peaceful, be free. May my enemies be happy, be peaceful, be free.

Adapted from a traditional Buddhist practice

International Day of Peace

September 21 observance to hold many links to discipleship.

On September 21, Community of Christ and the United Nations—with organizations around the world—will celebrate the International Day of Peace.

The observance connects many aspects of peace that are part of discipleship: the dedication of the Temple in Independence, Missouri, USA; the Daily Prayer for Peace; the Enduring Principle of Pursuit of Peace; and World Conference Resolution 1177, which encourages us to participate “with other organizations constructively promoting peaceful existence of humanity.”

All in the name of Jesus, the peaceful One. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said, “Peace is needed today more than ever. War and conflict are unleashing devastation, poverty, and hunger, and driving tens of millions of people from their homes. Climate chaos is all around. And even peaceful countries are gripped by gaping inequalities and political polarization.”

This year is also the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide. As part of the International Day of Peace observance, youth are urged to be ambitious, positive, and constructive in building sustainable peace.

—UN and Community of Christ materials

WORSHIP AND ACTIVITY RESOURCES

More in the free Sacred Space resource: HeraldHouse.org /products/sacred-space-a-small-group-resource-enduring-principles -series-pdf-download?_pos=3&_sid=333293b3e&_ss=r

Coloring pages by John Hamer, a gift to Community of Christ.

SHARE THE LIGHT OF PEACE

Peace is like a light that shines wherever there is need.

• L et’s take three deep, peaceful breaths together.

• I magine peace inside you that shines like a light. What color is it?

• Now think of someone you care about; a family member or friend.

• Take a deep breath. When you breathe out, imagine sending your light to them. See them become peaceful, too.

• T hink of someone you don’t see often.

• Take another deep breath. When you breathe out, picture them receiving your light of peace. See them become peaceful.

• T hink of someone you feel grumpy toward.

• Take a deep breath. When you exhale, send your light of peace to them. See it surround them. See them smile and receive peace.

• Now picture the whole world.

• Take a deep breath. As you exhale, send your light of peace to the whole Earth.

• Pay attention to what you see and hear as the Earth and all the people of the world experience peace.

• W hen you are ready, open your eyes.

SHARING

• W hat color was your light of peace?

• How did it feel to send peace to someone you care about?

• Was it easy or hard to send peace to someone you feel grumpy toward? Why?

• W hat did you see or hear when the Earth was full of the light of peace?

THIS WEEK

• P ractice sending peace to someone every day. Allthingsarespiritual.org/share-the-light-of-peace.html

PEACE POEM

(Materials: Papers with the sentences below* printed on them; pencils or markers.)

Did you know that kids can write powerful poetry about peace?

• L et’s take three deep, peaceful breaths together.

• (Hand the Peace Poem papers to the children.)

• T he sentences are not complete. I will read each one, and you can finish the sentence however you would like, with one word or several.

• A fter we finish all our sentences, we each will have a peace poem.

• I w ill read the sentence and give you a moment to think about it and write. Let me know if you need help.

Peace Poem*

I see peace in…

I hear peace at…

I feel peace when…

I share peace with…

I am peace where…

SHARING

• W ho would like to share their peace poem?

THIS WEEK

• Share your peace poem with your family. Encourage others to write a peace poem.

Allthingsarespiritual.org/share-the-light-of-peace.html

HOW TO GET INVOLVED

• Daily Prayer for Peace: CofChrist.org/daily-prayer -for-peace

• Nuclear Threat Initiative: www.Nti.org

• Peacebuilding Ministries: CofChrist.org/peacebuilding -ministries

• Mayors for Peace: www.Mayorsforpeace.org

• World Conference Resolution 1270: CofChrist.org /world-conference-resolution-1270

Photo

Perhaps the dream of the Daily Prayer for Peace was birthed as Wallace B. Smith prepared to share inspired counsel with the church in April 1984. Tucked into the momentous nature of Section 156 was a seed of peace that would take deep root in Community of Christ.

The temple shall be dedicated to the pursuit of peace. It shall be for reconciliation and for healing of the spirit.

—Doctrine and Covenants 156:5a

It wasn’t until nearly a decade later, December 5, 1993, that the first prayer for peace was offered in the Temple Sanctuary in Independence, Missouri, USA. Since that moment, we have been praying for peace all over the world—in the Temple Sanctuary; our living rooms; in campgrounds and classrooms; at oceanside, mountainside, and the middle of woods.

When the COVID-19 pandemic brought a pause to the practice in its traditional form, people around the globe took up the prayers in their own nations and homes. They often shared online while gazing at the rhythm of the waves from French Polynesia or next to the fireplace in someone’s living room. The prayer in its current form occurs in people’s homes around the world and Wednesdays at 1:00 p.m. (Central Time) in the Meditation

Thirty Years of Praying for Peace

Enduring practice helps Community of Christ form as a people.

By Katie Harmon-McLaughlin director, Formation Ministries

Chapel in the Temple, open to the public through the Center for Living Water.

Like us, the practice has shifted and changed throughout the years. But it also has remained one of our most consistent disciplines, forming us into a people of peace. It has become a habit integrated into most gatherings of Community of Christ. People of all ages light candles, ring chimes, and speak words of peace from the page and the heart that continue to shape us locally and globally. Praying for the nations of the world, we have been formed by an inclusive global vision that considers the conditions and contexts of people around the planet.

In a recent Witness the Word sermon, Apostle Janné Grover (former Prayer for Peace coordinator) reflected on the meaning of this practice and where it is leading:

The importance of a daily practice of praying for peace is not in how, or where, or when we do it, but how that practice forms us as a global community in the pursuit of peace…a deepening of practice that helps us to see our true selves and this whole world as sacred space…as temple. To pray for peace is an inward and outward journey of transformation when we move beyond ourselves and into the lives of others. Our prayers for peace boldly name injustice and suffering and compel us toward compassionate action that

Photo © ipopba | Adobe Stock Photo

reorders the world. In that way, our prayers for justice and peace are prophetic.

At the anniversary of the Daily Prayer for Peace in 2019, Presiding Evangelist Jane Gardner reflected that we: …are influenced by the pattern of the Temple—moving inward through prayer and then spiraling outward like rivers of living water to work for peace. We have been learning, experimenting, and discerning what it means to be sanctuaries of Christ’s peace, grounded in the symbol of this building dedicated to peace, reconciliation, and healing of the spirit.

Wherever and however you have engaged the Prayer for Peace, we are invited to pause at this thirty-year anniversary and consider together the ways this powerful practice has transformed us and the world. We will use the rhythm of the prayers of the people as a guide, as adapted from a Prayer for Peace liturgy:

The Prayers of the People begin with individuals and groups, then move from this Temple of peace to include the human family and the planet.

How have we, over these past thirty years of praying for peace, been “transformed into the persons of peace and grace” we were created to be?

How has the Prayer for Peace brought to our awareness “those persons and relationships that are broken, and make us conscious of the need for reconciliation and forgiveness? How have we been agents of transformation for relationships of wholeness once again?

How has praying for peace opened us to feel God’s “love and concern for communities around the world, far and near?

How has this practice of praying for peace “stirred in us a deep connection with everything God has created, making us aware of the sacred nature of all that surrounds us and leading to deep reverence that cultivates nurturing actions?

May these prayers of concern, compassion, and transformation for ourselves, others, all people, and the Earth lead us into a world shaped by your unconditional love, O God. Amen.

As we reflect on the ways we are being shaped by the practice of praying for peace, there are several opportunities to commemorate this thirty-year anniversary.

• I n December, join us online from the Temple and around the world as we celebrate thirty years of praying for peace. (Keep an eye on CofChrist.org, E-news and social media for more information!)

• A P rayer for Peace resource, compiling prayers from the past thirty years, is being created. This will be a prayerbook and field guide for ongoing use of the Daily Prayer for Peace in homes, congregations, and communities of all kinds!

• You are invited to commit to the habit of praying for peace in your own life. Whether you follow the liturgy provided at CofChrist.org or simply commit to a peace pause each day, notice how your interactions transform over time as you join in this meaningful practice.

May we continue to be shaped by the dream of peace, God’s shalom for all creation. May our prayers for peace lead to compassionate actions in these difficult times, bringing reconciliation, healing, and wholeness for all creation. May our prayers become our lives and our lives be as prayer, embodying boldly the love and peace of Jesus Christ wherever we go.

Photo © bojorgensen | Adobe Stock Photo

FINDING SPIRITUAL INSIGHTS

Tyler Marz reflects on writers and books that have made a major difference in his faith journey.

THE INNER VOICE OF LOVE

BY HENRI NOUWEN

This book transformed my sense of self-love and my knowledge of God’s love for me. Nouwen, a renowned Catholic priest, pulled these writings from his own secret journal. They cover some of the most anguished and trying times in his life—times when he seemingly lost his faith but dug deep into inner hope and love. His words helped me realize that I wasn’t alone in my spiritual struggles. There was comfort in knowing that even a priest can go through rough spiritual periods. It helped me find hope and love deep within myself.

BECOMING BREAD: EMBRACING THE SPIRITUAL IN THE EVERYDAY

BY GUNILLA NORRIS

Spirituality can be found in everyday things, including making bread. As someone who loves making things for myself and others—and who particularly loves baking—I found that this book spoke to me. Norris breaks apart the ingredients and process, writing spiritual thoughts and poems devoted to each, including mixing, rising, punching down, and baking. Even the crumbs have spiritual significance. This book brought added spiritual dimensions to a practice I do regularly. It is a great choice for those who love baking and find spirituality in unusual and everyday tasks.

READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY?

Please consider contributing a “Bookshelf” column. Select four books and tell us why they were important to your faith journey. Send your submission to Herald@CofChrist.org.

THE POWER OF RITUAL BY CASPER TER KUILE

I read this text for a doctoral class and thoroughly loved the author’s focus on finding and making ritual in things we do every day—particularly things that deeply connect to our soul. This book helped me see that our personal sabbath can be so much more than Sunday worship; it can be a personal spiritual time dedicated to us and the Divine. Table fellowship with friends, old and new, can be akin to the sacrament of Communion. Ter Kuile helped me see that “sacred” is more than a noun; it’s a verb and a way of doing, being, and seeing things.

GET TO KNOW

Tyler Marz

Pronouns: he/him

Location: Murray, Utah, USA

Congregation: Utah Mission Ministries

Job/s: Pastor of Utah Mission Ministries and expansion minister

Virtuoso Acquisition

Famed piano arrived at Auditorium through unusual circumstances.

By Roger A. Revell as told to Elaine Garrison

Sometimes an article in the Herald raises a question we can’t immediately answer. The November–December 2022 issue included an article in the series on hymns from Community of Christ Sings by Presiding Evangelist Jane M. Gardner.

More than one person wanted to know how an Auditorium piano—a major subject in Gardner’s column—once used by jazz great Dave Brubeck wound up with Community of Christ. Records from the years in question succumbed to mold, so former church employee Roger Revell wrote about the acquisition of the nine-foot instrument seen and heard at World Conferences, graduation ceremonies, and other events. His edited recollections:

ROGER REVELL: From 1972 to 1984, I was a staff member of the Music and Worship Department. Those became essential parts of the Worship Commission. I ended my employment in October 1984, then the commissioner of the Worship Commission. Over those thirteen years, I was involved in budgets and the maintenance of the Auditorium pianos.

Photo by Jan Kraybill

HOW ARTISTS BECOME ASSOCIATED WITH PIANO-MAKERS

REVELL: Manufacturers of concert grand pianos (generally nine feet long) use artist endorsements as a marketing aid. What was for decades the “big four”— Steinway, Baldwin, Mason & Hamlin, Yamaha—each had artist rosters. Steinway’s artists have included Lang Lang, Billy Joel, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Arthur Rubinstein, and Cole Porter.

Signing an artist contract with a piano manufacturer meant featuring that piano in concerts. It assured the artist that a suitable instrument (often identified by serial number) would be tuned and adjusted properly at the concert.

The relationship works for the artist [Brubeck in this case] and the manufacturer [Baldwin in this case]. Artists often signed the plate (the metal frame inside the piano) of their favorite instruments or those used on special occasions.

Brubeck’s name, the names of some of his bandmates, and others are on the Auditorium piano plate. Brubeck likely used the piano several times, but Revell declined to call it a “touring” piano, which is how it was described in the previous Herald article.

HOW THE BECHSTEIN PIANO CAME TO THE AUDITORIUM

In the winter of 1976, cold air leaking into the Auditorium damaged an aging concert grand. This began the story of Community of Christ buying the Bechstein concert grand.

REVELL: With help from Bishop Francis Hansen, I got funding for up to $18,000. That was in the range for Steinways and Baldwins at the time. [The late] John Obetz and a graduate student with a piano-performance degree agreed to help select the new piano. Market conditions had changed, and new Steinways no longer could be considered. We began to explore buying a Baldwin SD-10 concert grand, and several pianos were played extensively at Baldwin showrooms.

The SD-10 concert grands were highly prized, extensively marketed, and in short supply. Baldwin’s usual reserve of artist pianos had diminished. We learned that two Bechstein concert grands had been imported to the

USA to supplement the artist-pianos inventory. Although Baldwin had acquired Bechstein in 1973, the Baldwin company had no plans to market Bechsteins in North America because that would have created additional competition for the SD-10s.

We arranged for John Obetz and his graduate student to visit the two concert halls where the Bechsteins were located. Both pianos were played and examined extensively, and John Obetz returned with the proposal to buy one. The artist division of Baldwin was paid, and the piano was delivered to the Auditorium in May 1978.

Brubeck’s signature was one of several on the plate. A Baldwin representative told us that due to the shortage of SD-10s, this Bechstein had been played in several concerts by Brubeck, who preferred it to the SD-10. We had no direct contact with Brubeck. He never owned the piano, and I have no details about his touring except that he continued to be a Baldwin artist.

In 1986, Baldwin returned ownership of Bechstein to its German family. The Baldwin Piano Co. has been part of the Gibson Guitar Co. since 2001.

Funds likely came from the church’s self-insurance. A Bechstein would have cost significantly more than a Baldwin SD-10, so the church got a deal (because Baldwin wanted to offload the two Bechsteins without fanfare).

BY THE NUMBERS

The Auditorium concert grand piano weighs 1,148 pounds and is nine feet long

It was delivered in May 1978 .

Six men delivered the Bechstein piano through the Auditorium’s front lobby, down the center aisle. Several Auditorium employees helped. The crew was challenged to hold the piano as it rolled down the center aisle. No one was hurt, and no damage was done to the piano.

In 1978, there were smaller Bechsteins in Kansas City, but the Auditorium had the only Bechstein concert grand .

Community of Christ disciples are called to pursue and work for Zion, God’s peaceable reign on Earth.

So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works, will show you my faith.

—James 2:17–18 NRSV

Work on the Mansion House

Putting Faith into Action

RV Association builds community and much more.

By Elaine Garrison Communications

Did you know…to be a member of the Community of Christ RV Association, you don’t have to own a recreational vehicle?

You do need an interest in the repair and upkeep of historic buildings, church campgrounds, and enjoying the faith and company of others with similar interests.

About seventy-five people are members of the organization; thirty-one members and others recently showed up to work at the Joseph Smith Historic Site in Nauvoo, Illinois, USA. The core crew is ten to fifteen workers. The volunteers glaze or replace windows; paint indoors and out; replace siding; work on plumbing, electrical, and flooring; and deal with the unexpected things common to repairs on old buildings.

“Nauvoo brings some unique challenges due to the age of the buildings and trying to maintain the historical nature of the buildings. The good thing is we have several people who can put their heads together to figure out a solution,” said Rollie Marolf, association board president of Topeka, Kansas, USA.

Apostle Lachlan Mackay, director of the church’s historic sites, said recently in the Forum, a newsletter for the Historic Sites Association: “I can’t overstate the ongoing importance of the Community of Christ RV Association to the historic sites. As maintenance staff has been reduced due to financial constraints, the RVA has picked up significant slack. Without their generous donation of time and talent, we would not have been able to open safely.

“I am so very grateful for the support they provide us and can’t imagine trying to operate the historic sites without their help.”

Tasks might be assigned according to each volunteer’s knowledge. For example, Marolf’s areas of expertise are plumbing, electrical, heating, and cooling systems.

However, volunteers don’t need specific remodeling or construction skills. They can learn as they go, said Woody Wilson, association project supervisor. As he loaded large, round hay bales at a ranch in northeast Oklahoma, Wilson pondered one of the larger tasks ahead: rehabbing a caretaker house at Camp Bountiful in Jackson, Ohio, USA. The building needs lots of help.

“We’ll be taking out windows, putting up new OSB [Oriented Strand Board, an extrastrong plywood], Tyvek house wrap, and vinyl siding,” among other things, Wilson said.

Other projects are smaller, such as a planned handicappedaccess ramp for a church. No matter the complexity, each task gets a thorough evaluation before work begins.

HOW IT WORKS

Cleanup at the Homestead in Nauvoo, Illinois, USA

The RV Association team works March through May and then in September and October to avoid extreme heat and because the campgrounds where members likely would be working are in use. It’s not a firm rule, as the group flexes to include projects when it can. This year, three projects are scheduled in August with work planned at Camp Bountiful in Ohio, the Kirtland Temple site in Ohio, and Camp Winniaugwamauk in Maine.

BY THE NUMBERS

• T he Community of Christ RV Association was formed in 1998.

• S ince then, the group has worked on 187 projects in eighteen states, plus Canada and Mexico.

• D ocumented hours donated: 93,604.

• At $25.00 per hour, the association has donated over $2.3 million and counting.

Photos by Dennis Piepegerdes and Rick Eaton

Projects usually are completed in a week or two. Nauvoo is a favorite among the workers. The aging buildings are on the task list most springs. Nauvoo takes two weeks every year, and volunteers worked two weeks at Camp Farwesta recently.

The association does not receive financial support from the church. Members pay a $25.00 membership per family per year and provide their own transportation to sites.

Members also provide their own breakfast and lunch. The site provides the evening meal.

The site where the work is done is asked to pay $200.00, which helps maintain tools and equipment that will be used during the project.

Sites also supply construction materials. It’s Wilson’s goal to have everything in place when volunteers arrive.

TO VOLUNTEER OR RECEIVE HELP

All are welcome to volunteer. Visit CofChristrva.org for information about membership and volunteering. Click on Forms and look for the PDF with “dues” in the name.

One of Wilson’s favorite stories is about a Utah couple, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, that worked with RV Association volunteers at Nauvoo. The two told the Community of Christ volunteers how much they appreciated fellowship and sharing of faith at the project site. The couple returned the next year to work with RV Association volunteers.

As Marolf said, “We truly build community together. Working together, playing together, and eating together builds community that goes beyond just working on the projects. In the past couple of years, we’ve been able to recruit members from some of the local sites because they have been so impressed with the fellowship and community they felt.”

If a church, campground, or other church-related site needs help from the association, an application is the first step. Visit CofChristrva.org. Click on Forms and open “rva_project_application_6-4-22.pdf.”

ABOUT THE COMMUNITY OF CHRIST RV ASSOCIATION

A typical day for a project crew, according to association board President Rollie Marolf:

“After breakfast on our own, we meet at 8:45 to have our morning devotions. We then start work on our various tasks at 9:00. We break for lunch at noon, which is on our own. We then work from 1:00 to 4:00. We have supper together around 5:30, and after dinner we play games and have fellowship.”

Visit CofChristrva.org to read about and see photos of the association’s 2022 projects, including:

• C amp Powderfork, Bald Knob, Arkansas, USA

• Liberty Hall, Lamoni, Iowa, USA

• Nauvoo historic sites, Nauvoo, Illinois, USA

• C amp Farwesta, Stewartsville, Iowa, USA

• C amp Chihowa, Perry, Kansas, USA

Photos by Rick Eaton

Repairing porch screens and woodwork

Work on the Mansion House chimney

MANY NEEDS

At the Lamoni Food Pantry, the programs are about more than just groceries. Gwen Simpson described the efforts that fall under the pantry’s umbrella:

• S upplemental Food

• S chool Supply Help: Each year before school starts, any lowincome student can get supplies for free.

• E mergency Relief Fund: This helps people in need of emergency rent, utility help, or gas to get to doctor appointments.

• S tep-up Program: Individuals working hard to get themselves on solid financial ground can get help with things like car repairs, health needs, a deposit to get them into an affordable apartment, etc.

By Elaine Garrison Communications

This article was adapted from Project Zion podcast 582 in the “What’s Brewing” series, with Carla Long interviewing Gwen Simpson, director of the Lamoni Food Pantry in Lamoni, Iowa, USA. Simpson also was interviewed by the Herald for this story.

Community of Christ’s affiliated university, Graceland, is a financial highlight of the city where it is located, Lamoni, Iowa, USA. The school’s salaries and the money spent by students provide an economic footing. Otherwise, the county that surrounds both, Decatur, is one of the state’s poorest.

The 2022 US Census shows an average per capita income of $24,074, with 16.5 percent of the county’s population in poverty.

Recognizing the need, Lamoni’s ministerial alliance established a food pantry several years ago.

Then came Gwen Simpson, a Community of Christ member and social worker. Her family moved to Lamoni

Meeting Needs through Ministry

twenty-two years ago.

“I heard about this food pantry, and at the time the local churches ran the food pantry, and it went from church to church every few years. They’d collect food from local churches, and that would be in the kitchen of the churches. They’d have a few cabinets, and when somebody called from the community and said, ‘I have a need,’ the pastor would meet them and give them a few bags of whatever food they had at the time.”

After retiring, she was at a ministerial alliance meeting, representing her pastor and congregation, when she offered to help move the food pantry from a Baptist church kitchen to the kitchen at a Methodist church.

Simpson then started volunteering at the pantry. She soon recognized a need to let the people receiving food select what they needed from supplies on hand. Those receiving help maintained a bit of their dignity.

“We’ve come a way,” Simpson said of her fifteen years at the pantry. When she started, the pantry saw six families

Lamoni Food Pantry offers much more than groceries.

Photo by Jeff Piedimonte

that month. In November, eighty-three families got help. Last year, fifty people, many of them Community of Christ members, volunteered in one way or another.

From prayers to monthly offerings to serving on the board of directors, church members are important to the pantry operation. It’s not formally attached to any one church, which has helped with funding.

“The town really didn’t know much about it outside the churches, and so we decided we would write for nonprofit status. We did that, and we became our own entity, separated from any one church,” Simpson said.

The next issue was accessibility. The Methodist church location had, as there are at many churches, very steep stairs. About 5,000 pounds of food went down those stairs every month and into the rooms occupied by the food pantry. And then back up, often needed by people who would be better served by a handicapped-accessible facility.

After a long process, the pantry found a new location on the main road through Lamoni. With $230,000 raised, the building was bought and converted to the needs of the pantry and its clients.

“We moved in last May. No stairs—unloading food with a pallet brought two feet from our door—and we carry it inside. So, it’s been an exciting year,” Simpson said. She has an assistant, and her volunteers often find a niche they enjoy, which means they’re more likely to return.

“I’ve got a group of men that comes in twice a month, and they’re just there to unload, and they stock the shelves. And when we’re open twice a week, we’ve got people that pull food from the shelves. And then we’ve got people that lift it into people’s cars. One thing we’ve changed since the very beginning, people have choice, so on our choice list… right now—and it varies—there are eighty-one choices of food.

“We have people fill out the order sheet in a bigger room, and then our volunteers pull that food off the shelf. So, it’s safe for my volunteers, which the average age is about sixty-five, and they feel safe (from COVID-19), and the clients still get the food of their choice.”

The new location has created an awareness of needs in the area.

“I had one church lady say to me early on, ‘Why, I didn’t know there were hungry people here.’ Now, I just think there’s got to be a disconnect, and maybe that’s middleclass privilege, that [in] the poorest county in Iowa, that you didn’t realize there were poor people who needed food.

“When I first moved here, I went to church people and said, ‘Tell me about this poorest county in Iowa,’ and they could not do that.”

The resource has attracted volunteers who donate time and money. “People want to volunteer, they want their children to volunteer,” she said. “We are a resource to the community in ways that we’ve never been before, or it was never possible before. That’s been one of the blessings that’s come out of this, I think, for the community. …Now we’re looking into a Meals on Wheels kind of a program. People come and get statistics from us. They get information that is going to help them start their own program. That’s a benefit that none of us could foresee.”

The only rule: Clients must live within Lamoni or Davis City. While the food pantry has a lot of resources, “We don’t have [enough] resources to feed the whole county, and that’s the tough part of the job.”

Clients fill out a form from the US Department of Agriculture, which collects specific information. Regardless, “If you say you need food, then you come in, and food is available to you, which is a good thing.

“We do home deliveries once a month. There are people who either don’t have a vehicle and don’t have a friend to

Photos by Jeff Piedimonte

GWEN SIMPSON

THE WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS

I was at the pantry stocking [shelves, the week before Christmas], and I got a phone call from a gentleman who introduced himself. He said, “My sister uses your food pantry.” He lived in another part of Iowa and was like four hours away. I knew her. She had used several of our programs.

He said, “My sister is in an abusive situation.” I knew that, too, because our paper publishes why people are arrested. Small-town paper, you get those things. And he said, “She needs to get out of town, but I’m here, and she’s there, and my car won’t make it there the two hours. What she needs is, she needs a gas tank full of gas, and she needs somebody to move her belongings downstairs and pack our car because she has heart problems.”

I go, “OK.” And I’m thinking on the fly here. We’ve got a storm coming in the next day, and her car is not dependable. So, I’m going, “Oh my gosh, it’s one o’clock right now. How do we do this?” So, I said, “I’ll take care of it. I’ll be in touch with you.”

I called her: “Give me an assessment. You gotta do an assessment before you get help. How much stuff do you have?”

And it was in an upstairs apartment over an old building downtown. I mean, steep, steep, lots of stairs. So, my husband and I went over—long story short—got her to the gas station, got her car filled up. She had no idea how much gas it would take to get her there, but we filled the car up, and we were able to give her some money. We have an emergency-

drive them to the pantry, or they’re disabled, or they’re senior citizens.

“I learned something about myself. I don’t want to be a fundraiser. It was very uncomfortable for me. And yet, interestingly enough, when we started, we didn’t have a budget. Now, we have a money market [fund]. We have an endowment. We are very well-funded because of grants— but mainly because of churches, and private citizens, and some businesses.”

Also, a school-supply drive has become a major focus. The pantry provides vouchers to a local dollar store, again allowing recipients to select what they need for their specific situation. Teachers also benefit from this program, with cards given for classroom supplies.

“I think this was a God job. You know, I was at the right time, the right place, and I think the Spirit was willing and ready to move in me and in this community, and in the people who were not volunteers thirteen years ago.”

relief fund. We were able to give her some money to have in case she needed to stop.

I’d called a couple guys during the day who I knew were strong and able to do all the stairs. And I went up and, sadly, I said, “You know, this is about what you can take. You’re gonna have to leave everything else.” And we decided she was going to leave the next day.

We would get her ready, the car packed, and she would leave the next day. And she and I talked safety precautions for her. But I went down and started talking to the guys.

“Hey,” one guy said, “Let’s put her up in a hotel. That way the spouse will not know where she’s at.” We decided that’s what we’d do. But she decided she was leaving immediately.

So, she came down the stairs, she hugged the guys. She said, “Thank you. You’ve saved my life.” She hugged me, and I said, “I’m praying for you the whole way to get there.”

She got in the car, which sounded awful. And I said, “Tammy, maybe you don’t turn this car off the whole time if you don’t need to.” And she left. At eight-thirty that night, because she told me it would only take four hours, I was concerned, so I called her brother, and he said, “Well, she stopped in a small town. My son and I came. He’s driving her car. She’s in the car with me.”

Four days later, she called me back, and she was in tears, and she said, “Gwen, do you know this is wonderful, what you guys have done for me?” That’s a connection the pantry made. We helped her with medicine. We helped her with emergencyrelief funds. If it hadn’t been for the pantry, I don’t know.

A SCRIPTURAL INSPIRATION

You know what? All my life…I remember hearing this scripture, “Behold, the field is white, already to harvest,” from Doctrine and Covenants 4:1c.

We don’t hear that much anymore. But I heard that and thought, “What in the world does that mean?” My testimony is that the field is white, and the Spirit is ready.

The Mission Prayer is one of my daily prayers. And I claim it because I need, our pantry needs, our community needs that kind of a direction. We can’t do it by ourselves.

—Gwen Simpson

Photo by Jeff Piedimonte

Courage!

By Crystal Moreno Hesperia, California, USA

Ilive my life answering God’s call.

Over the last thirteen years I have answered the phone to take more than fifty foster kids. My courage came when I said yes! I should say we have said yes! Shelley, my wife, and I have said yes to drug-addicted babies, teenagers, kids with disabilities, kids with babies, sexually abused kids, physically abused kids, neglected kids, and abandoned kids.

We have answered God’s call with “Yes, we will.” We will love them, protect them, and show them how to be courageous. I have seen our kids be more courageous than I ever could be. Sometimes their courage starts before I meet them. They showed courage in enduring their abuses and possibly naming their abusers. They have had to show courage!

Even going into a stranger’s house—my house—shows courage. Many teenagers could run! They show courage when they decide to do better than their birth parents and to be the change they wish to see in the world. A large portion of our kids have been teenagers, probably close to fifty percent.

I am proud to say 100 percent of our teenage foster kids have graduated high school! One hundred percent! When I saw them walking across that stage, I wasn’t just proud; I saw courage, the courage to risk something new. My kids are amazing and courageous, and I could talk about them all day.

But I would like to say we are no different than anyone else. I see courageous people every day. The addict who decides to seek recovery and takes it one day at a time. The mom who decides to safe-surrender her child, knowing the child deserves more. The suicidal person who decides to live. The parent who decides to break the cycle. The kid who invites the outcast to a lunch table. People taking the job they love despite the pay. The people following their dreams. People who run marathons. People who retire and start new dreams. The sexual-assault victim deciding to be a survivor.

People like me and people like you. Anyone can show courage.

Recently, I was called to the priesthood. I was called to risk something new and to show courage. I’m not going to lie; it scared me a little. But every aspect of my life aligns with my calling. I have felt called to do God’s work for years. Praying about it, I see how important it is for me to be an example.

I need other people like me to see we can be in the priesthood. They can be courageous and unapologetically themselves. Yes, LGBTQIA+ people like me can be in the priesthood, and we can minister to people. We can be youth leaders, teachers, parents, and more. We are valuable. We can change the world. To be courageous we must risk something new.

So go out there and take risks. You just might end up being someone’s blessing!

Taking a risk can bring blessings to others.

Joyful Service: Receiving and Sharing God’s Compassion

By Dave Nii Council of Twelve Apostles

Our faith tradition has a long history of calling disciples to compassionate acts of service. Our Mission Initiatives focus on action words: invite, abolish, pursue, develop, experience. Our Enduring Principles and inspired counsel often call disciples to pursue and work for the cause of Zion, God’s peaceable reign on Earth. We discern the movement of God’s providence and grace in the context of passages such as the parable in Matthew 25 about how the king filters the goats and sheep and the passage in James 2:17–18 NRSV:

So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works, will show you my faith.

Many of us object to a question asked in some Christian circles, “Are you saved?” not because salvation is unimportant to us, but because we leave judgment in the hands of God and do not accept a god with a narrow prerequisite for sharing divine forgiveness and compassion.

We do not prioritize salvation as an individualistic reality, but more importantly, understand it as a communal aspiration. Sincere disciples of Jesus Christ continually grow their relationship with God through spiritual formation and good works of service for the benefit of community.

My evolving understanding of, and appreciation for, faithful discipleship moves me toward a growing focus of receiving and sharing the immense nature of God’s compassion, forgiveness, reconciliation, and healing in community. This journey does not emerge from obligation or the need to meet criteria or reach specific goals and outcomes.

Healthy faith primarily is living with vulnerability to receive God’s compassion and grace, and then in response humbly sharing talents and resources for the benefit of others, our neighborhoods, and our world. Acts of service do not lead to personal reward other than an authentic joy in experiencing the essence of God. I believe this is what the author of the Epistle of James was beginning to point toward. But too often it is misread by people focusing on a contrast to salvation by grace.

Receiving and sharing God’s generous grace are at the heart of discipleship in Jesus Christ. Joyful service is not a cause but a natural outcome of receiving and sharing

God’s compassion. I am fortunate to witness countless examples of disciples who respond to God’s gifts by serving others with no thought of reward or honor. Their joyful service is an instinctive response to being aware of the talents and resources given to them.

Examples abound of people dropping their immediate agendas to visit people in need and sometimes offering the sacrament of laying on of hands for the sick or providing transportation, housing, meals, or short-term financial aid. Sometimes visits include help with physical labor.

Other people regularly and diligently offer prayers for those who request them. These acts of service and compassion are not fueled by desire for acknowledgment or reward, but by simple and spontaneous response to encountering God’s grace.

Joyful service also is shared by groups. Many USA congregations, such as Gulfport, Mississippi, and Bellview, Florida, for many years sponsored monthly community food-distribution sites. Others, such as Pasadena, Texas; Cantonment, Florida; and Edmond, Oklahoma, regularly provide food and clothing for people who struggle to meet basic living needs. Many other groups provide aid and relief to victims of storm disasters or families and groups without the skills and resources for major property repairs.

Some impassioned people partner with organizations that relentlessly advocate for persons facing socioeconomic, skin-color, sexual-orientation, and cultural discrimination or oppression. These acts of service and compassion continue, regardless of outcomes or levels of success. These groups work to create positive change in their neighborhoods and communities because they understand it is the right thing to do. They know that at its sustainable best, the right thing to do is energized by humble response to divine giftedness.

Everyone has a unique blend of talents, treasures, time, and testimony. No act of compassionate service is too small to be invaluable for the people served and the servers, themselves. These words, a quote often attributed to Helen Keller, continue to inspire me:

I cannot do everything, but still, I can do something. …I will not refuse to do the something I can do.

Community of Christ is invited and called to an ever-expanding faith journey of receiving and sharing the divine compassion of God. This is at the heart of Christlike, joyful service.

Photo © Halfpoint | Adobe Stock Photo

Climate Emergency Statement

By the First Presidency International Headquarters, Independence, Missouri, USA

In response to World Conference Resolution 1325

Climate Emergency, adopted April 25, 2023, Community of Christ declares a climate emergency, joining with 2,329 jurisdictions in forty countries that had made such declarations as of May 5, 2023.

This declaration upholds Doctrine and Covenants Section 163:4b, which states:

The earth, lovingly created as an environment for life to flourish, shudders in distress because creation’s natural and living systems are becoming exhausted from carrying the burden of human greed and conflict. Humankind must awaken from its illusion of independence and unrestrained consumption without lasting consequences.

In response to this declaration, Community of Christ will:

• Encourage administrative representatives at every jurisdictional level (world, mission center, campground, and congregation) to:

a. Take responsibility for reducing carbon emissions resulting from church activities and encourage individuals to do the same.

b. Consider the impact of climate change on the environment when reviewing policies and strategies.

c. Support organizations and community groups that peaceably raise awareness of climate change and/or peaceably act to limit global warming.

• Develop and/or identify resources in coordination with the Earth Stewardship Team and others to assist leaders and individuals in identifying ways to reduce carbon emissions.

• C hallenge individuals to use their personal power to change their consumption habits and share their desires for a more sustainable world in our communities, with their employers, and with those who represent them politically.

Actions at International Headquarters

as of May 11, 2023

Solar Power

In 2016, the Presiding Bishopric leased forty-seven acres of land in eastern Jackson County, Missouri, USA, to the Solar Power Farm. International Headquarters is a major participant in the solar-power program, committing to 900 kilowatts of solar-energy units. These 900 units represent about fifty percent of the annual electricity needed at the Temple Complex. This arrangement also provided future rate-change protection, or a “freeze” on fifty percent of the Temple Complex’s electric rates in the future.

Increased Virtual Meetings and Remote Work to Limit Travel Impact

• IHQ has moved to a hybrid work schedule, allowing employees to work three days a week without commuting to the office.

• T he World Church Finance Board and Investment Committee have moved to 100-percent virtual

All jurisdictions are asked to take environmentally conscious actions.

meetings to allow global participation with no travel requirements.

• T he World Church Leadership Council (WCLC) now meets virtually once or twice a year and in-person once or twice. Similarly, the Council of Twelve Apostles and Council of Presidents of Seventy meet virtually when WCLC is meeting virtually and in-person only when WCLC is in-person.

Investments

The World Church uses guidelines for Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) investing. These guidelines are consistent with the World Church Financial Policy stated in World Conference Resolution 1264 (Reference Appendix A of this Policy). The Presiding Bishopric and its Investment Committee, which advises on investment strategy and approach, use ESG guidelines to help lead investment consultants and investment managers selected by the church toward decisions that reflect World Conference action and reflect the church’s Enduring Principles. The investment consultants and investment managers also use the policy when guiding the asset managers who directly manage church investments. The current policy is available on OurMinistryTools.org at Finances > Investment Policies.

Hybrid and Electric Vehicles

In recent years, the World Church has added hybrid vehicles to the fleet managed in the USA. Research with the fleet manager is ongoing related to increased options for hybrid and electric vehicles.

Water Stations

In coordination with the Earth Stewardship Team, three water stations were installed at the Temple Complex (two in the Temple and one in the Auditorium) to encourage use of refillable water bottles.

Recycling

Throughout the Temple Complex, blue recycling bins are provided next to black garbage cans. Paper, cardboard, and plastics are picked up periodically by a contractor that recycles the material.

Lighting

More efficient LED bulbs are being phased in throughout the Temple Complex.

Increased Use of Electronic Documents

Work at International Headquarters increasingly is supported by electronic documents in place of paper. As an example, all World Church Finance Board and Leadership Council reports are developed and provided electronically. Additionally, files increasingly are maintained and stored electronically as much as possible.

Support of Other Quality Actions

In addition to eight paid volunteer hours annually of the employee’s choice, IHQ employees can take up to an additional five days (or forty hours) of paid leave from work to support voluntarism with organizations aligned with Community of Christ identity, mission, message, and beliefs.

Prayer and Sharing

Each step—taken by church members and leaders— will help choose the next prophet-president.

By Jenn Killpack director of Communications

As a prophetic people, Community of Christ has entered into a time of discernment for naming the next prophetpresident.

We continue to listen deeply to the Holy Spirit and pay attention to the worldwide context(s) of the church in which future leaders will serve.

The rhythm of discernment involves a prayer step one month followed by a share step the next month. This gives the church an opportunity to meaningfully reflect personally and collectively and then to share responses with the First Presidency.

September and October 2023

Listen and Pray

SEPTEMBER — PRAY

What kind of leadership (qualities, style, competencies, gifts, skills) is needed to respond to God’s call for the worldwide church at this time and into the future?

Alternative Question: What important qualities do leaders need to be good helpers and make the world a better place?

This is a time in the process to hold prayerfully all that we have been gathering through prayer, reflection, and sharing together. Considering what you have heard and discovered through discernment so far:

Share your prayer at CofChrist.org/discerning-future -leadership.

What kind of leadership (qualities, style, competencies, gifts, skills) is needed to respond to God’s call for the worldwide church at this time and into the future?

Alternative Question: What important qualities do leaders need to be good helpers and make the world a better place?

At this point, there may be individuals you begin to hold prayerfully who demonstrate the kind of leadership you sense or hear described. You are encouraged to share these names with the First Presidency, but we ask you to refrain from sharing the names in other settings.

We know that sometimes even our best intentions of considering specific persons can impact others’ lives and families as we all hold the weight of this leadership role in the church.

As we mutually discern the kind of leadership and specific persons who come to mind, we want to be mindful of the type of listening and sharing environment we are creating in-person and online, where we commit to holding one another in Christlike love and mutual respect.

Share prayers for the discernment process around the table with family and friends. Share in sacred community in person and online. As you share, also listen deeply to what others are saying and imagining. Our prayerful sharing with one another will continue to shape our collective discernment and sense of God’s call

Opportunities to share will be available in October at CofChrist.org/discerning-future-leadership.

What Are You Hearing?

Members are urged to share comments on leadership and church.

This is a continuing series of articles about the messages and prayers received by the First Presidency as the church prepares for a new prophet-president.

By Stassi Cramm First Presidency

As the church continues its journey of discerning future leadership, one question I frequently am asked is: What are you hearing?

It’s no surprise that there is a lot of curiosity and anticipation as the church journeys together. After all, a lot is at stake. Like many, I’m eager to know the outcome of where this focused discernment for the next prophetpresident will lead.

At the same time, I’m trying to be intentional and patient about following the process the Presidency

announced in March. I keep reminding myself that it takes time to open our hearts and minds to discover the kind of church Community of Christ desires to be and hear God’s call for each of us amid this emerging vision.

The Presidency continues to be blessed in the discernment process by the reflections and comments submitted by people from around the church. As we move through the guiding questions, it is clear the cycle of praying and sharing is stimulating people’s prophetic imagination. We particularly are grateful to the Order of Evangelists, which gathered online in June, having small-group conversations about where God is leading the church.

Here is just a sample of what we heard from the church in June in response to the question, which focused on the most significant situations, opportunities, or challenges that a prophetic leader will need to address:

It is interesting that in 2007, when [Doctrine and Covenants] 163 was given to the church, the “cultural, political, and religious trends” were, it seems, somewhat easily distinguished as to whether they were “contrary to the reconciling and restoring purposes of God or not.” Today this is not so easily discerned. …I maintain that there is a crucial need for a prophetic church, beginning with a prophetic leader, to gain a better or clearer grasp regarding which “trends” line up with God’s “reconciling and restoring purposes...”

…People are craving relationships, and energetic worship in church. Without that, we are not headed toward a very spiritual future, doing things the way that we are now. True evangelism occurs when the fire is lit…

…For a long time, Christ has been moving outside the institution, and we often resist moving out. Young people gathering are welcoming, accepting of each other. Grandkids less prejudicial, doing mission in a natural way, Holy Spirit working in this mission. A new leader is going to need to lead those of all cultures to be able to relate and speak to those. God is doing something wonderful, there always has to be a fall before a resurrection. God meets us where we are…

…Prophetic leadership must be willing to stand strong against dangerous rhetoric of right and left, liberal and conservative, us vs. them. Prophetic leadership must stand as a sacred witness of our three sacred scriptures (the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants) and uphold our commitment to prayerfully discerning the will of God for our time and place. Prophetic leadership must rally all members to faithfully proclaim our identity, mission, message, and beliefs as Saints of the Restoration! Knowing who we are instead of proclaiming who we aren’t.

…Peace within families, communities, countries, the world and even within each one of us; climate concerns; the financial concerns of the church and the selling of properties to meet those financial needs, impact on individuals and communities and proposed alternatives. Paying attention to God’s creation, his voice in the

Holy Spirit, and the guidance of Jesus the Christ (i.e., discernment)…

…One major challenge for the next prophetic leader is the growing polarization—politically and culturally—that is engulfing our members. We desperately need to remember that Unity in Diversity also means diversity of thought, opinion, and belief.

…Compassionate strength in difficult moments…

The church now is considering the final guiding question: What kind of leadership (qualities, style, competencies, gifts, skills) is needed to respond to God’s call for the worldwide church now and into the future?

As you pray about this question, what are you led to share? Please send your reflections to FP@CofChrist.org

Everyone’s voice is important. Collectively we create a more encompassing understanding of what matters most for the church’s next prophet-president.

Photo © Ismael Paramo | Unsplash

Receiving God’s Gifts: a Matter of the Heart

By Art Woodcock, West Des Moines, Iowa, USA

Throughout the ages, humans have struggled with the issues of grace and generosity. Many, including those in our early church, attempted to earn grace through works. Despite his best efforts, Martin Luther was not able to live a life worthy of grace. Only while teaching Romans 1:17 did he realize that grace was truly a free gift of God. As Ephesians 2:8–9 states, grace is freely given by God.

Believe it, God’s grace is free!

Although not labeled as generosity in the Hebrew Bible, many scriptures such as Deuteronomy 15:7–11 instruct Israel to assist the poor and needy. As Community of Christ’s theology evolved, we have learned that generosity is our personal and community response to God’s grace. Generosity is not payment for a debt we owe God, but our loving and caring response to God’s free gift of grace. As God gives freely to each of us, how can we not respond by freely giving to others?

Personally, I find generosity rewarding and exciting. Giving freely rather than from commandment or obligation is much more meaningful. God calls us to be fully awake and aware of the needs of others. Awareness is the first step, but action is the key. Be as the Good

Samaritan; be willing to give of your time and financial resources and go the extra mile.

I encourage all of us to make generosity a matter of the heart. Seek those in need and freely give just as God’s heart freely has given grace to each of us.

DISCOVER GENEROSITY TOGETHER

Every October, the church begins to journey through a season of generosity, focusing on the four phases of the Generosity Cycle over six weeks: Invite, Discover, Respond, and Reflect. Plan now to participate individually or as a group. Resources can be found at CofChrist.org/ generosity-cycle.

PRACTICAL TIPS

God graciously blesses us every day. In a busy world, it often is difficult to pay attention to those blessings. Here are a few practical ways to make time for God during everyday life.

1. Practice moments of silence —Choose a time; usually the beginning or end of day works best. Find a comfortable place and sit in silence for five minutes—no TV, no phone, no Internet. Breathe slowly and focus on God’s presence with you.

2. Keep a gratitude journal —Record at least one thing you are grateful for each day or try downloading the Gratitude Journal at https://365gratitudejournal.com/.

3. Spend time in nature —Trees, animals, sunshine, rain, and all of creation point to a generous God. Walking or simply sitting outside reminds us of the wonder and power of God’s amazing generosity in nature.

4. Practice random acts of kindness —When we do something nice for someone else, it brings joy to the other person and to us. It doesn’t matter how big or small the action may be. Any form of kindness is sure to bring God’s presence into your life.

“To Be Your Presence”

Ecumenical hymn focuses on service.

By Jane M. Gardner presiding evangelist

To serve your people is our call and choice.

—Delores Dufner, Order

of Saint Benedict

These words bring into focus service ministry and the church’s mission through song. They were written by Delores Dufner, a sister of the Order of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph, Minnesota, USA. “To Be Your Presence,” (Community of Christ Sings 351, melody by Charles V. Stanford), is one of her five texts in the church hymnbook.

From 1962–1965, as a musician and poet, Delores Dufner found herself amid sweeping changes to worship and song in the Catholic church. The Second Vatican Council included recommendations for full, conscious, and active participation by laity at Mass. There was a shift from the Latin Mass to the languages spoken in the congregation and the adoption of instruments in addition to the organ.

COMMUNITY OF CHRIST SINGS 351

Photo © Nadezhda

photo

A call went out for words and music for this new worship environment. Delores Dufner was among those who responded. In the 1970s, she was the liturgy coordinator at Saint Benedict’s Monastery. She said, “It was really hard to find hymns that I wanted to sing or that the community [of women Benedictine monastics] wanted to sing, because they were so male oriented. They abounded in images of royalty—kings and princes—and in military images, such as ‘Onward, Christian Soldiers.’”

So, she started writing words to familiar hymn tunes. Her first hymns were written to meet the needs in her monastic community—the women with whom she lived and worked—to express reality. Her work became more personal around 1983, when her father died, and her grief became enfolded in her poetry. To this day, she continues to expand the scope of her hymn-writing. Delores Dufner tries to pen words that “say what needs to be said,” becoming a successful hymn writer with more than 200 published songs.

Since the beginning of her creative process, Delores Dufner’s work has had an ecumenical appeal. When asked about the source of her ecumenical spirit, she credited her father, a Catholic farmer in eastern North Dakota. As the only Catholic family “in a sea of Lutherans and Methodists,” she recalled neighbors helping neighbors, regardless of religious affiliation. In the one-room schoolhouse she attended she was the only Catholic, but she became close friends with those of other religions. This history of ecumenicism still influences her texts.

This ongoing Herald series explores the history and context of hymns from Community of Christ Sings. These words and melodies connect us to one another and to our identity. Is there a hymn you would like to know more about? Let us know at Herald@CofChrist.org.

On Reformation Day in 2016, Pope Francis and other Catholic leaders met with leaders from the Lutheran World Federation in Lund, Sweden. It was the first meeting of its kind. As part of that celebration the combined congregation of Catholics and Lutherans sang, “To Be Your Presence,” just as it appears in our hymnbook.

In 2017, while celebrating the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, Valparaiso University (Lutheran) bestowed its Christus Rex Award on Delores Dufner, honoring her work in liturgical renewal through hymns. Her writing encompasses the reality of human experiences, no matter what religious background. She takes her place squarely in the growing body of peacemaking poets and lyricists.

As we consider servant ministry, Delores Dufner helps define our mission “to show Compassion’s face and listening ear,” “to feed the poor and shelter homeless cold,” “to speak for all the broken and oppressed.”

Singing her text, we are called to use our hearts, hands, and voices in service to others.

Alleluia!

Abolish Poverty, End Suffering

We are called to be Christ’s hands and feet, reaching out through compassionate ministries, responding in times of crisis, and addressing conditions that diminish the worth of persons.

Making a Difference!

Funds aid effort to Abolish Poverty, End Suffering.

By Richard C.N. James apostle and World Hunger Team lead

One of the church’s Mission Initiatives is Abolish Poverty, End Suffering. Community of Christ has identified this as part of the mission of Jesus Christ, and we are doing something about it. It is possible to abolish poverty!

Each year funds are allocated from the Worldwide Mission Budget to aid this Mission Initiative. In 2022, about $200,000 was provided to the Council of Twelve Apostles to support Abolish Property, End Suffering

projects. Then we invited apostles from the multination fields to submit proposals. The aim is to assist projects essential for life, empower women, provide education opportunities for girls as well as boys, provide employment opportunities for people, and back sustainable projects.

We have been able to support two long-term school projects, matching Outreach International funding in Haiti ($95,332) and India ($37,668) for many years and Bread for the World ($12,000).

And just over $55,000 supports new projects that will help communities Abolish Poverty, End Suffering. We are experimenting with different projects that can make a difference. In total, $216,866 has been used to support thirty-five special projects and $22,000 for seven microfinance projects. Microfinance is the use of small loans provided to impoverished individuals and groups.

FORT TENAN FARMLAND PREPARATION

• I n 2019, twelve projects were supported with $99,502 and three microfinance projects with $10,500. In 2019, $45,000 more was available.

• I n 2020, two projects were supported with $6,660 and one microfinance project with $6,500. In 2020, fewer funds were allocated.

• I n 2021, nine projects were supported with $55,453 and two microfinance projects with $4,000.

• I n 2022, twelve projects were supported with $55,251 and microfinance projects with $1,000.

This is a team effort. It involves church members and leaders identifying projects to support in their neighborhoods, the Council of Twelve Apostles in reviewing suitable projects, the fiscal team in arranging the funds to be transferred, and most importantly—you and your generosity.

It is making a difference!

SUGARCANE SEEDING AND BUYING BEANS FOR PLANTING

THE FOOD PROJECT CAFETERIA

THE PRINT SHOP AND T-SHIRT PROJECTS

* Republic of South Africa Mission Center

It was a Spectacular time.

Community of Christ’s largest youth gathering, also known as SPEC, attracted 405 campers to the Graceland University campus in Lamoni, Iowa, USA, plus 115 delegation staff and about 100 SPEC staff. Enjoy these images reflecting the faith and fun at the events July 15–22.

Photos

article by Bob Thomas, Danny LaBrecque

Milestones

BIRTHDAYS

• Dorothea Barentine of the Madison Congregation in Wisconsin, USA, celebrated her ninety-fifth birthday February 10.

• M arion “Shorty” Carlile of the Pleasant Hill Congregation in Missouri, USA, celebrated her ninetieth birthday March 31.

• Don Carlile of the Pleasant Hill Congregation in Missouri, USA, celebrated his ninety-fifth birthday June 21.

• Joann Condit of the Phoenix Central Congregation in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, celebrated her ninetieth birthday January 22.

• Clayton H. Condit of the Phoenix Central Congregation in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, celebrated his ninety-fifth birthday March 19.

• Dottie Pohl of Madison Congregation in Wisconsin, USA, celebrated her ninety-fourth birthday April 19.

• Norma Price of the Camdenton Congregation in Missouri, USA, celebrated her ninety-fifth birthday January 28.

ANNIVERSARIES

• Clayton and Joann Condit of the Phoenix Central Congregation in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, celebrated their seventy-first anniversary June 16.

• Joan and Lloyd Slaght of the Gudgell Park Congregation in Independence, Missouri, USA, celebrated their seventieth anniversary June 14.

To submit a birthday or anniversary to “Milestones,” send it to Herald@CofChrist.org

Announcements

Continued from page 4.

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION WORKSHOPS

The Community of Christ Diversity and Inclusion Team offers three free, online workshops.

“Pick A Diversity-Building Understanding,” 2:30–4:00 p.m. Central USA Standard Time, September 10

“Identifying Microaggressions to Create a Culture of Belonging,” 2:30–3:30 p.m. Central USA Standard Time, October 8

“Resisting Unconscious Bias and Building Inclusiveness,” 2:30–4:00 p.m. Central USA Standard Time, November 19

All are welcome to these workshops; each will be repeated every third month.

Registration is required. Send your name, email address, contact phone number, and title of the workshop you wish to attend to gblue@CofChrist.org.

Submitting to the Herald

PRINT AND ELECTRONIC SPECIFICATIONS

Submission policy: All stories—invited and unsolicited—will be edited for clarity, conciseness, accuracy, and other qualities. Because of deadlines and capacity, contributors typically will not be involved in the editorial process. Publication dates for specific articles may change based on organizational priorities. We prefer that copy be submitted electronically in Microsoft Word.

Photos and visuals are best submitted as jpg attachments. Scanned images need to be 300 dots per inch (dpi) or higher, or one megabyte or larger. Photos need to be taken by a digital camera with at least four-megapixel capacity, though larger is better. Please check your email to make sure the settings are not automatically compressing the photos. Prints and slides are acceptable. Include the photographer’s name.

News items, features, and testimonies related to individuals, congregations, and groups whose activities express mission are welcome. Submissions may range from 1,000–6,000 characters with spaces. Accompanying photographs usually are essential. Milestones highlight significant events, people, and groups. In general, sacraments are not published because of the volume performed. Notices of major awards, priesthood emeritus status, anniversaries of 60 or more years, and birthdays of 90 or more years may be submitted, but photos will not run. Death notices will not be published.

Release: By submitting written, graphic, or photographic materials to the Herald, the submitter consents and authorizes the Herald and Community of Christ to copyright, use, and reproduce the submission (written, photographic, illustrative, electronic, and/or digital image), and circulate and use the same for any and all official resources, uses, or purposes including but not limited to print, film, or electronic media, and reproduction or digital representation of every description on the Internet/World Wide Web. Consideration hereby is waived in perpetuity, and no further claim of any nature whatsoever may be made by the submitter. The submitter retains the right to reproduce his or her submission.

Please submit news and feature items to Herald@CofChrist.org or mail to: Herald, 1001 W. Walnut St., Independence, MO 64050.

SEE LIFE FROM ANOTHER’S PERSPECTIVE

By Carol Ann Reiff Whitehall, Montana, USA

Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body.

—Colossians 3:14–15 NRSV

Afriend of mine is heartbroken. She came to my country with many dreams and hopes. She is a naturalized citizen. She has had many opportunities and many disappointments, which have come in the form of outward actions of prejudice.

She is honest, kind, loving, humble, and a hard worker. She has been accused of things she did not do, has

even been attacked verbally. She has worked hard at doing her best job and was dismissed. People have taken advantage of her vulnerability. She has worked extremely hard to “fit in,” yet has been threatened.

I wondered how people could treat another human that way. Then I remembered a scene from my childhood. I was walking down the street with a relative. We passed an African American man. I looked up and said, “Hi.” We greeted even strangers in this way then.

My relative was a very kind man, so his reaction surprised me. Gruffly, he exclaimed, “Don’t you ever talk to those [racial expletive]!” Even as a child I knew he was wrong. He reacted out of fear and ignorance for the sake of his little charge. I don’t believe hate is

the opposite of love. I believe hate comes from the true opposite, which is fear.

In thinking about this I realized I, too, have reacted in fear. I have withheld my love and association from some people who think differently. I have refused to really listen to their side. I have said hurtful things behind their backs.

I’m writing this as a reminder to myself and anyone who might read this. The hope for our world lies in getting behind the eyes of other people, seeing life from their perspective. And even if we are sure they are wrong, we must show respect and kindness to whomever we meet.

Change begins with the person in the mirror.

Amen.

—Adapted from Daily Bread

Photo © babaroga | Adobe Stock Photo

Photo by Wayne Rowe

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