January/February 2022 - Herald

VOL. 169 JAN/FEB 2022

www.CofChrist.org

CHRIST’S MISSION, OUR MISSION

like a child

Young leaders are guiding the world toward justice and the peaceable kingdom.

What can we learn from them?

A L S O I N T H I S I S S U E : Metamorphosis Meets Discernment | Discovering God’s Vision in a Complex World | Financial Update

contents VOLUME 169 NO. 1

JAN/FEB 2022

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Diversity + Inclusion: A Personal Journey Toward Racial Justice To combat racism, empathy is only part of the equation. Action must follow.

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Metamorphosis Meets Discernment While maintaining the church’s mission, we must envision and embody more effective and relevant ways of being Community of Christ in a rapidly shifting world.

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Like a Child Young leaders are guiding the world toward justice and the peaceable kingdom. What can we learn from them?

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Discovering God’s Vision in a Complex World We are invited to incorporate everything we hear, learn, remember, and feel into conversation with God to seek God’s vision and direction for our lives and communities.

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Financial Update Even in uncertain times, we journey together in gratitude.

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Leaders Study USA Surveys The Presiding Bishopric and other church officials use feedback for decision-making.

departments 4 Announcements 5

Christ’s Mission, Our Mission

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On That Note

8 Bookshelf 12

Next Gen

40 Milestones 42 Amen

cover Photo by Ahmed Hasan | Unsplash

Announcements

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

Here’s a sneak peek of the new homepage for www.CofChrist.org!

Editors in Chief THE FIRST PRESIDENCY

Stephen M. Veazey K. Scott Murphy Stassi D. Cramm

D I R E C T O R O F C O M M U N I C AT I O N S

COMING SOON

New and Updated Websites

Jenn Killpack

The Communications team, in collaboration with

EDITORIAL, DESIGN

headquarters and field partners, has been working to focus

Emma Gray Pitt

and enhance Community of Christ’s online presence.

EDITORIAL

The church’s new digital landscape will include distinct yet

Elaine Garrison

connected websites to serve three strategic purposes:

DESIGN, PRODUCTION

Jeff Piedimonte Amy Rich

MISSION www.CofChrist.org

C O N TAC T

Seekers and members will be able to explore our faith

Editorial: Herald@CofChrist.org

Updated English, French, and Spanish sites are anticipated

Subscription Services: subscriptions@HeraldHouse.org Customer Service: sales@HeraldHouse.org International Headquarters: (816) 833-1000

community and how we are living Christ’s mission. to launch in the first quarter of 2022.

O P E R AT I O N S www.CofChristTools.org Priesthood, leaders, and members will be able to access up-to-date church policies as well as priesthood and

www.CofChrist.org www.HeraldHouse.org

(Canadian GST Registration No.: R129888665) 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.

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leadership resources. This new website will require a username and password to access and is anticipated to launch in 2022.

F O R M AT I O N www.HeraldHouse.org Priesthood, leaders, and members can find disciple formation tools, resources, and products, as well as weekly worship resources. An enhanced French and Spanish experience will be available in the first quarter of 2022, followed by a way to see several preview pages of a book before downloading.

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Christ’s Mission, Our Mission

GRATITUDE FOR GENEROSITY For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich. And in this matter I am giving my advice: it is appropriate for you who began last year not only to do something but even to desire to do something—now finish doing it, so that your eagerness may be matched by completing it according to your means.

—2 Corinthians 8:9-11 NRSV

I

regularly give thanks to God for the vision of those who support the worldwide ministries of Community of Christ along with their other giving. As I express my thankfulness, I become aware of God’s gratitude for people whose generosity makes God’s grace visible as they enthusiastically give themselves to Christ and others (2 Corinthians 8:5).

2 Corinthians 8 is Apostle Paul’s passionate appeal for certain areas of the church to “complete” their giving to support another area in desperate need. His invitation arises from an understanding and experience of the gospel fully centered in God’s grace.

Paul uses the Greek word charis frequently in his writings and in this passage. The most common translation of charis is grace, although sometimes it is translated in English using other similar words. Charis often is associated with performing a “charitable” act.

However, Paul’s emphasis is that charis is a total way of living that

“excels” in generosity in response to the “generous act of Jesus Christ” who became “poor” so that “you might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). Paul is not speaking of rich as in material wealth, he is speaking of the wealth of hope, joy, and spiritual meaning offered through the gospel.

There are more related spiritual principles embedded in Paul’s plea.

In addition to the innate relationship between grace (charis) and generosity, he expands on the meaning of gospel-generosity by using the Greek word isotēs which is translated “fair balance” in English versions. To illustrate, Paul cites Exodus 16: “The one who had much did not have too much, and the one who had little did not have too little.” Celeste KennelShank observes that this quote is: …about the gift of manna in the wilderness, given by grace. Moses instructs the Israelites to gather what they need. Some gather more, some less, but no one ends up with an excess or a lack. This miracle stands in contrast to our world today, with its places of hoarding and places of deprivation.

—“Paul’s Call for Mutual Aid,”

One way the spiritual principles of grace and “fair balance” are embodied is by giving according to one’s capacity to support local and worldwide ministries in pursuit of compassion, justice, and peace for all.

For Paul, the inclusive scope of one’s giving (global and local) correlates to the degree that one has discerned the true nature of the church.

That is why Paul was so excited about the generosity of the Macedonian churches to support the community of Jesus followers in Jerusalem. If their understanding of grace, generosity, and the acrossborders nature of Christ’s body transcended generations of animosity and indifference between Jews and Gentiles, then the transformative power of the gospel was on full display! In any era of church history, Paul would celebrate those whose devotion to the gospel is expressed through support of both worldwide and local ministries as an expression of unbounded Christ-like love and solidarity with disciples near and far.

As a new year dawns, I give thanks to God for all of you whose response “excels” accordingly (2 Corinthians 8:7).

The Christian Century newsletter, June 25, 2021

Community of Christ is a worldwide faith community, including people across a spectrum of life and economic circumstances.

STEPHEN M. VEAZEY COMMUNITY OF CHRIST PRESIDENT FP@CofChrist.org

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On That Note

COMMUNIT Y OF CHRIST SINGS 268

‘By Gracious Powers’ ‘Von guten Mächten treu und still umgeben’ Originally a poem, this hymn focuses on hope despite the burdens and suffering of the world.

By Jane M. Gardner Presiding evangelist I’ll live each day in hope, with you beside me, And go with you through every coming year.

—Dietrich Bonhoeffer English translation by Fred Pratt Green © 1974 Hope Publishing Company

S

o ends the refrain of the poem “By Gracious Powers”—a fitting sentiment to begin a new year.

Bonhoeffer penned this expression of faith in a Nazi concentration camp and sent it in a letter with new year and birthday greetings to his mother on December 28, 1944. It was the last letter and poem he wrote before his execution on April 9, 1945.

Bonhoeffer studied at the University of Tübingen and Union Theological Seminary, and he earned a doctorate in theology at the University of Berlin in 1927. He spoke against Hitler’s rise to power and temporarily moved to London to pastor two German-speaking churches.

He returned to Germany in 1935, and he was forbidden to teach at the University of Berlin the next year because of his continued activism and work at an underground seminary. He briefly moved to New York in 1939 but returned to Germany after only two weeks.

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Although his friends tried to pressure him to stay away from Germany, he rejected this safe option, saying that if he was going to be a voice for reconstruction of the Christian church in Germany after the war, he had to be present to experience the difficult times. Back in Germany he worked in military intelligence and became a messenger for the resistance movement. He was arrested in 1943 and, after being linked to a failed plot to assassinate Hitler, was executed in 1945, just a month before the end of World War II in Europe.

Von guten Mächten treu und still umgeben (translated as “By gracious powers so wonderfully sheltered” by Fred Pratt Green) begins hopefully but moves in the second stanza to describe some of the horror and evil Bonhoeffer encountered around him. In the third stanza, he alludes to the suffering of Christ and declares that bitter cup is to be taken “thankfully and without trembling”—an amazing

Photo by Marc-Olivier Jodoin | Unsplash

This ongoing Herald series explores

declaration considering his situation. The refrain expresses that Bonhoeffer felt “protected” and that God was “so wonderfully near.” It brings each stanza to a hope-filled conclusion.

As we read this poem, we can suppose that Bonhoeffer was struggling with his almost certain death, while also professing his confidence and firm belief that God always goes with us. Bonhoeffer’s life, witness, and death give special meaning and authority to this text which testifies of his hope in Christ.

The melody was written in Germany by Otto Abel in 1959 specifically for this poem. It has been arranged much like a folk tune by Pam Robison, Community of Christ staff organist, exclusively for Community of Christ Sings. There is a lilting, dance-like quality to the music.

This hymn is often sung as part of New Year services in Germany. Bonhoeffer’s courage brings hope for each new year. Perhaps it also offers us solace and comfort for the difficulties experienced

the history and context of hymns in current times. At the from Community of Christ Sings. beginning of this year, These words and melodies connect whether we find ourselves us to one another and to our frazzled or hopeful, identity. Is there a hymn you would grieving or peaceful, lonely like to know more about? Let us or loved, let us sing know at Herald @CofChrist.org.

Bonhoeffer’s poem, grateful for his life and testimony. May we find it to be the blessing Bonhoeffer intended in this new year.

Jane Gardner has held various church leadership roles, most recently presiding evangelist. Her ministry includes an emphasis in worship, music, art, Temple ministries, and the sacraments. Jane served as team leader for the Hymnal Steering Team from 2008 to 2013, culminating in the production of Community of Christ Sings.

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Bookshelf

RISKING AND READING SOMETHING NEW Since 2020, the Mid-Atlantic USA Mission Center has convened an online book club that centers conversations on justice.

By Ryan Pitt, Mid-Atlantic USA Mission Center president God, the Eternal Creator, weeps for the poor, displaced, mistreated, and diseased of the world because of their unnecessary suffering. Such conditions are not God’s will. Open your ears to hear the pleading of mothers and fathers in all nations who desperately seek a future of hope for their children.

Do not turn away from them. For in their welfare resides your welfare.

—Doctrine and Covenants 163:4a

I

n early 2020, the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery—along with the stories of countless others—reignited conversations in the United States about racial injustice and implicit racism.

These conversations were long overdue, having been suppressed or ignored.

The language of anger, pain, and grief was creating pathways to justice and peace. As a mission center president, I knew more opportunities were needed locally to hear Black voices and better understand our country’s traumatic history. But what? What could our small group of disciples do to further educate ourselves during these momentous times? Where could we start? This was one of those times I had to be patient, trust the Holy Spirit, and continue to listen.

A few weeks later, Erin Hook, a leader in the Mid-Atlantic USA Mission Center and Community of Christ Seminary student, sent a thought-provoking text message: Have you read the book Jesus and the Disinherited by Howard Thurman?

I saw it today and know that we have avid readers in our church community.

I think there may be an interest for a regularly meeting book club…

Don’t you wish answers to all critical decisions were as clear as this text message? “What a great idea!” I thought.

However, I had never participated in book club, let alone facilitated one. After flooding Erin’s phone with ongoing texts and consulting “How to Start a Book Club” (www.bookriot.com/ OUR MISSION how-to-start-a-bookAbolish Poverty, End Suffering club), our first online We are called to be Christ’s hands and feet, book club was held in reaching out through compassionate ministries September 2020. As that serve the poor and hungry and stop Erin predicted, plenty conditions that diminish the worth of persons. of avid readers were

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ready to learn. She had found a great book to initiate new awakenings.

Today, as I contemplate our experience, I find myself in awe. What began as a meager attempt at a book club became a sacred space of mystery, challenge, and deep discussion—a sacredness that continues to grow and expand. Meeting every other week, we finished Jesus and the Disinherited in two months. The book club was ready for another title, and then another!

After our first year, we are about to complete our fifth book. Titles have included: • •

• •

•

Jesus and the Disinherited by Howard Thurman White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson Christ in Crisis? Reclaiming Jesus in a Time of Fear, Hate, and Violence by Jim Wallis Unexpected News: Reading the Bible with Third World Eyes by Robert McAfee Brown

Reading from diverse authors and professions (theologians, journalists, sociologists) offered more expansive perspectives about the issues at hand.

Not every perspective was welcomed.

Often our discussion become an expression of faithful disagreement.

Nevertheless, exposure to alternative ideas—ideas contextualized by the struggles and hopes of life—guided us toward mutual understanding.

Reading a few books does not solve systemic racism, prejudice, and xenophobia. This is not a pat on the back either. However, I cannot ignore the changing worldviews and perspectives. When book club

R YA N ’ S R E C O M M E N D AT I O N S participants mention these books and themes in sermons or when they come up in casual conversation, I realize how the Spirit is opening our eyes to unnecessary suffering in the world.

Consequently, questions about educating ourselves continue to surface. What more can we do? Where is the Spirit moving us today? How do we bring more people into these discussions? On December 1, 2021, we launched a movie club. The premise is the same. Movies are selected to help bring God’s truths to attention, and discussion occurs in a Facebook group.

Whether it is The Trial of the Chicago 7 or Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2, our conversation continues.

Every book club session ends with, “Is there anything pressing or stirring within your inward center that you’d like to share before we conclude?”

It’s not only a final call for reflections but also a prompt to notice the Spirit’s movement.

While I don’t know what our next book will be, I believe strongly God works through this group and others like it. I am grateful for the faithful disciples who are fully awake, like Erin, and groups willing to risk (and read) something new.

Ryan Pitt (he/him) lives in Bayonne, New Jersey, USA, and ministers as a Seventy. He is the Mid-Atlantic Mission Center President for Community of Christ and is a Chaplain Candidate Program Officer in the U.S. Navy Reserves. Ryan graduated from Graceland University in 2012 and graduated with his Master of Divinity from Drew Theological School in 2020.

JESUS AND THE DISINHERITED

BY HOWARD THURMAN

TRAUMA AND GRACE: THEOLOGY IN A RUPTURED WORLD

“First published 1949, this book invites readers to notice Jesus’s relationship with poor and disenfranchised members of society. Thurman argues that love, not violence, fear, or hatred illuminates the path toward reconciliation and justice.” Amazon and other book retailers.

“This series of essays identifies the ways trauma and violence affect how we navigate our inner selves and theological understandings of grace.

Various voices share stories as case studies for discussion. After each section, Jones shares theological insight to tie the stories to grace.”

Amazon and other book retailers.

MORAL WARRIORS, MORAL WOUNDS: THE MINISTRY OF THE CHRISTIAN ETHIC

BY WOLLOM A. JENSEN & JAMES M. CHILDS JR. “This book methodically dissects ethics related to military chaplaincy. The authors introduce ideas that place the realities of military service into the lenses of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and moral injury.”

Amazon and other book retailers.

BY SERENE JONES

E N L I S T I N G FA I T H : H O W T H E M I L I TA R Y CHAPLAINCY SHAPED R E L I G I O N A N D S TAT E IN MODERN AMERICA B Y R O N I T Y. S TA H L “This book examines the influence of US military chaplaincy on the national religious landscape.

Moreover, the book uncovers how religiosity has been used to unfairly justify various imperialistic goals and agendas—politically and militarily.”

Amazon and other book retailers.

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Diversity + Inclusion

A Personal Journey Toward Racial Justice To combat racism, empathy is only part of the equation. Action must follow.

By Marilyn Graham Dysart Copastor, West Des Moines, Iowa, USA congregation

I

have been reflecting on ways I have interacted with the Enduring Principles, specifically the Worth of All Persons. Certainly, God views all people as having inestimable and equal worth. Sadly, many humans fail to recognize that equal worth.

What have I done to equalize opportunities for others? Also: What contributions have I made toward racial justice?

My musings took me back to an English class I took from the late Dr. Barbara Higdon at Graceland University.

She directed us to read about the civil rights movement and investigate the disparity between the treatment of white people and Black people in society. I completed a project that revealed how few companies marketed products to people of diverse races and cultures.

Years after, I participated in a community march to bring attention to racial profiling, and I learned of ongoing racism and justice issues. Later, I served as one of the charter members of a midwestern chapter of the NAACP, the nation’s oldest civil rights organization. I witnessed the positive changes that could be made by a diverse group of people. In a Lamoni Heartland USA Mission Center Zoom panel, I was reminded of my white privilege—a privilege that challenges my ability to empathize with marginalized communities struggling for economic justice.

OUR MISSION

Pursue Peace on Earth We are called to restore Christ’s covenant of peace, even the Zion of our hopes. The hope of Zion will become reality when we live Christ’s peace and generously share his peace with others.

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These experiences, along with continued reading and study, have helped me understand how to uphold the Worth of All Persons. The Bible is full of examples of figures who fulfilled God’s purposes of loving others of all races. In the book of Genesis, we learn that empathy for people of different races and backgrounds is important.

The Bible reminds us to “love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt” (Deuteronomy 10:19).

Another powerful Bible message comes when Naomi decides to return to her native Bethlehem with daughterin-law Ruth. Ruth was a Moabite, not an Israelite. We learn that while others treated Ruth as inferior, God loved her the same and even saw her as part of his plan to bring the world a Redeemer (Ruth 2).

We are reminded in the Bible to “overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21), to not only to be hearers of the word but doers (James 1:22), and to let our light shine in such a way the world sees our good deeds and glorifies our Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16).

How can each of us journey closer to racial justice?

We should start with an examination of our hearts and then develop strategies to move closer to racial justice and Worth of All Persons. Recognizing that worth and following up with helpful actions should be a normal part of our beliefs and ministry.

So why hasn’t the slow-moving train of racial justice picked up much speed through the years? We can look inward and see perhaps that empathy is only a small step toward racial equality. Action is the next bigger step.

Marilyn Graham Dysart lives in West Des Moines, Iowa, USA. She received a bachelor’s degree from Graceland University (1972) and a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin (1976). A retired middle school language arts instructor, she has written several books including her most recent, Good Hearts.

Photo by Aarón Blanco Tejedor | Unsplash

I F Y O U T R U LY W O U L D B E C O M M U N I T Y O F C H R I S T, T H E N E M B O D Y A N D L I V E T H E C O N C E R N S A N D PA S S I O N O F C H R I S T. T H E M I S S I O N O F J E S U S C H R I S T I S W H A T M A T T E R S MOST FOR THE JOURNEY AHEAD.

—DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS 164:9D&F

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Next Gen

GOD TRAVELS WITH US As old routines beckon, we should remember the Spirit is with us and present in any space we enter.

By Brook O’Keefe Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

A

s my slightly sunburned feet wrapped in strappy black Chacos hang off the sides of my paddleboard, I realize I haven’t been feeling very “churchy” lately.

I have regularly skipped online worship and ignored Facebook invites to young adult gatherings or mission center events.

Instead, I often find myself floating above resilient 3,000-year-old trees that still stand under clear water or hiking through forestgreen mountain trails on Sunday mornings.

In their own way, these adventures have satisfied my spiritual hunger.

This is not to say that I have not felt spiritual lately, that I have not missed the people who gather on Sunday mornings, or that there is no value in organized worship.

Being able to converse and worship with the people we love each Sunday is a blessing of stability and community. Rather, it is to say that God and the divine love that he has for each of us does not reside solely within the Zoom worship space or even within our church buildings.

Our God is not a recluse who lives tucked in the walls of our buildings.

Our God travels with us!

The mobility of the Spirit and the overwhelming presence of God’s love in every aspect of our lives is something I am often guilty of forgetting. In this busy world, it becomes easy to fall into a Sunday morning routine, going through the motions and claiming it as the spiritual center of our week: 9:45 a.m.

Wake up late, exhausted from the week

9:50 a.m.

Chug scalding hot coffee

10:00 a.m. Dress in my Sunday best 10:15 a.m. Scurry off to church 10:30 a.m. Sing, listen, and pray while barely awake

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Photo by Makenzie Cooper | Unsplash

Noon

Go to lunch with dear friends, who have become family over years of sharing in this routine

2:00 p.m.

Return to my busy life

Because this simple routine revolves primarily around a church building, it becomes easy to forget that God and church buildings are not synonymous. Again, our God travels with us! The Spirit is not trapped behind the heavy doors that separate our church from our reality. The Spirit, like Jesus’s ministry on Earth, does not rely on a location. Rather, the Spirit is with us as we walk down Main Street to grab a coffee or dinner with friends, when we are doing dishes, and

when we are hiking mountains or walking along the beach.

As we begin to make our way back into our church buildings, I hope that we all find ways to satisfy our spiritual hunger outside of those doors as well. We can utilize pizza parlors or lakes or malls or the homes of friends and church family as venues for our spiritual conversations and interactions, whether through planned worship, a conversation with a stranger, or simply being together in the same space.

My prayer for the future of Community of Christ is that we not only open our doors to others but also move outside our walls to spaces where everyone is comfortable.

GET TO KNOW

Brook O’Keefe Pronouns: she/her Age: 21 Home Congregation: Redmond, Oregon, USA Currently Studying: Rhetoric and Composition at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, working toward a master’s degree Favorite Place to Paddleboard: Any of the Cascade Lakes or Clear Lake in Oregon

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M E TA M O R P H O S I S MEETS PROJECT ZION PODCAST President Stephen M. Veazey shared more about metamorphosis and discernment in a “Coffee Buzz” episode hosted by Linda Booth. www.projectzionpodcast.org/ 426-coffee-buzz-metamorphosis/

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DISCERNMENT While maintaining the church’s mission, we must envision and embody more effective and relevant ways of being Community of Christ in a rapidly shifting world.

By Stephen M. Veazey Community of Christ president Photos © Rawpixel.com and curto | Adobe Stock Photo

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I

t has been two years since I spoke with the World Church Finance Board about metamorphosis. My comments also were shared online with the church and published in the Herald.

As I said then, given all the challenges and opportunities before us, we need more than incremental change. We need transformative change on the scale of metamorphosis. I wasn’t referring to major changes in church identity, mission, message, or direction. I was referring to the need to envision and embody more effective and relevant ways of being the church in a rapidly shifting world.

Since introducing the metamorphosis image, I have discovered—not surprisingly—that metamorphosis is much easier said than done! At the same time, while difficult to see initially in terms of obvious outcomes, metamorphosis is happening.

R O L E O F T H E H O LY S P I R I T

The Holy Spirit is the primary driver of metamorphosis.

While hard to quantify, I see ample evidence that the Holy Spirit is at work throughout the church.

At the close of the 2019 World Conference, Words of Counsel prompted by the Holy Spirit were offered. Let me quote from that counsel: …go with conviction into the locations of your discipleship and be the peace of Jesus Christ. As you do, you will discover a variety of ways in which spiritual community forms and flows as expressions of the gospel of peace. Trust what is being born. Have faith in divine purposes. Persist in hope.

The phrase “…you will discover a variety of ways in which spiritual community forms and flows” is an indicator of significant possibilities being orchestrated by the Holy Spirit. Likewise, the sequence of sentences (“Trust what is being born. Have faith in divine purposes. Persist in hope.”) highlight the spiritual qualities essential to moving with the Holy Spirit, even when we cannot fully understand what is happening.

OUR MISSION

Remember that for the caterpillar, life seems to end but then it emerges as a butterfly. Likewise, the first disciples— in the immediate aftermath of the crucifixion—concluded they had seriously misplaced their faith in Jesus just before they encountered the eternal Christ living in a new kind of community.

Many are aware that the World Church Leadership Council has been involved in a discernment process guided by skilled discernment facilitators. The purpose of the process is twofold: To develop discernment skills to better support the church in becoming a prophetic-discerning people locally and globally; and to explore church direction.

A vital step was settling on a working discernment question. This took time, as it often does in true discernment. The assumed question a group begins with often is not the same question it eventually discovers.

Ultimately, after times of prayer and discussion, we agreed on: God, where does your spirit lead us next as we embody the soul of Community of Christ?

I think use of the word “soul” is significant. Soul is our truest self as created and shaped by God. According to Parker Palmer, “… soul wants to tell us truth about ourselves, our world, and the relation between the two, whether the truth is easy or hard to hear.”

During this discernment process, which has lasted more than a year, the World Church Leadership Council experienced insight into what our communal soul is affirming about who we are and yearning for going forward.

The discernment process was disrupted by the global pandemic still afflicting all of us. However, we chose to use the time of disruption in routines to engage in deep listening to the Holy Spirit, one another, and diverse groups around the world through online connections. These included younger generations, representatives of diverse cultures, and non-English speakers, all of whom provided valuable insights, testimonies, and questions.

The process eventually led to two very similar discernment response statements that we are holding in mind together. The statements are for the WCLC and do not represent discernment consensus for the worldwide church. For the church’s awareness, I will share one of the statements that received a high level of support.

Experience Congregations in Mission

The soul of Community of Christ is expressed most fully as

We are called to become congregations that are the true

we embody Jesus Christ, the peaceful One, and his mission.

and living expressions of Jesus Christ, woven together by

This happens through relational, spiritual, invitational,

the Spirit, and sent into the world as evangelistic witnesses,

and globally connected Christ-centered communities

compassionate ministers, and justice and peacemakers.

actively pursuing justice and peace on and for the Earth.

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The Enduring Principles are a guide for our continual discernment and practice of what is essential for the life, forms, and holistic mission of the church.

We are discovering that a posture of simplicity, agility, and flexibility will equip and poise us to faithfully live the heart of our calling in a changing world. We are growing in trust of what it means to be transformed in Christ and engaged in whole-life stewardship as we make decisions and courageously share all the dimensions of Christ’s peace in our world.

Again, this statement reflects the ongoing discernment of the WCLC. It is not being presented as a discernment statement for the whole church. Church-wide discernment happens through a multistep process that includes

Photos © digitalskillet1 | Adobe Stock Photo

culturally appropriate spiritual practices and consensusbuilding in all apostolic fields and multicultural deliberations at World Conference.

The WCLC discernment statement is a comprehensive, aspirational statement with interrelated elements. It points to some possible next steps. Recognizing this, the presidency proposed that the council focus on these phrases in the statement that seemed to point to the heart of the matter: The soul of Community of Christ is expressed most fully as we embody Jesus Christ, the peaceful One…this happens through Christ-centered communities…Simplicity, agility, and flexibility will equip…us to faithfully live…our calling in… diverse contexts.

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This linkage of phrases already is serving as a decisionmaking lens in the presidency. As we discuss issues, we frequently ask ourselves whether a proposed action will move us toward or away from embodiment of these phrases.

In the leadership council, we are seeking consensus about next steps to take in response to these phrases. The words “simplicity, agility, and flexibility” especially seem to stand out. This has led to broad discussions about further decentralization and contextualization of church mission, organization, and finances.

The presidency is considering some recommended adjustments to church bylaws for World Conference consideration that could facilitate needed direction as the church responds. These include provisions for e-conferencing, making space for fresh expressions of the church that do not fit typical congregational patterns, and options for more decentralized approaches to mission, organization, and finances in nations or groups of nations.

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In anticipation of this direction, we are updating our World Church website and creating a Cloud-based system for leaders to access the most up-to-date support and information in three languages rather than having to rely on out-of-date print resources like the 2005 Church Administrator’s Handbook and 2004 Priesthood Manual. A lot has happened since those resources were published, such as the launch of Mission Initiatives, national conferences, revised priesthood status categories, and guidelines for online sacraments.

In the United States a survey has been conducted to understand what World Church business and support services are most important to leaders and members. This is providing information about the most effective ways to provide priority services.

The guiding question, “Are we moving toward Jesus, the peaceful One?” emerged through the Holy Spirit’s guidance and is becoming rooted in the church’s awareness. Through

Photo © Rawpixel.com | Adobe Stock Photo

worship, discussion guides, spiritual formation resources, and other mediums, this question is creating new awareness of our calling. Consideration of this question is occurring in sync with the World Conference-directed church-wide discussion on the relationship between nonviolence and peace.

We also are emphasizing next-generation leader formation and succession planning for leadership roles in all aspects of church life and mission. It is important to offer support and create space for new leaders to emerge.

We continue to see the Temple as a resource for mission and are engaged in discernment of how that can best occur.

We are encouraged by a US church initiative to launch a fresh expression of ministry related to the Temple called the Center for Living Water. Its purpose is: “Seeking spiritual transformation and peaceful living through practice and action.” A combination of in-person and online ministries will provide broad access.

Of course, all these efforts are occurring during a relentless global pandemic. The pandemic is tragic. It has caused suffering, death, economic hardship, and conflict.

It has made the already challenging roles of ministry and leadership in all aspects of church life more difficult. I am grateful for those who are faithfully fulfilling their callings and responsibilities during this arduous time.

The pandemic is a help and a hinderance to metamorphosis. While making it difficult to experience church in familiar ways, it has caused the rapid movement of portions of the church to online ministries. This has birthed broader understanding of the nature of the church not limited to buildings. New opportunities for worship, community-building, disciple and leader formation, and outreach ministry through technology have the potential to reach many more people. Online ministries are not a replacement for meaningful in-person worship, fellowship, and other activities whenever and wherever possible. They simply open additional doors for people to participate according to their interests and circumstances.

The pandemic also is prompting some groups to ask potentially transformative questions about how best to be the church in their particular contexts. Growing involvement in congregational, group, and mission center discernment processes that mirror the leadership council process is encouraging. I hope that through such discernment processes the church will become increasingly aware of the movement of the Holy Spirit as it seeks to position the church in its many expressions for the future.

Moving forward comes with some major challenges.

These include reduced numbers of World Ministries staff from previous budget reductions. World Ministries staff and a growing number of volunteer mission center leaders are doing a tremendous job under trying circumstances.

We are deeply grateful for all that you are doing.

Ongoing financial pressure on the church caused by the need to achieve the Bridge of Hope goal on schedule (January 1, 2024) and the incessant downward trend in Worldwide Mission Tithes in more affluent nations remain especially concerning. The December 2021 Financial Update to the church does show promising progress toward reaching our Bridge of Hope goal. (See page 34.) We are especially grateful to members, congregations, mission centers, and fields that have proactively given funds to lead the way in meeting our Bridge of Hope goal.

I N TO T H E F U T U R E

The Holy Spirit is transforming people and groups toward the new creation in Christ emphasized in scripture and the church’s vision. To this end, the Holy Spirit has given us the ancient and ever new symbol of metamorphosis to help us understand what is happening, how it is happening, and why. The Holy Spirit is moving Community of Christ into a more wholistic understanding of what it means to be part of the continuous incarnation of the Eternal Word in human life and cultures. We are being called to enlarge our understanding of the church’s purpose and to increase our vision of all the ways that purpose can be expressed in communities of disciples and friends. Ours is not an individualistic faith. Ours is a communal faith, which I believe is a fuller expression of the gospel as Jesus would recognize it.

We are to share the peace of Jesus Christ through Christ-inspired community around the world. We are to be, birth, and multiply communities of disciples, seekers, and friends—of all sizes meeting in all kinds of in-person and online settings—involved in spiritual formation that inspires compassionate ministry and action. This brings hope, justice, and peace into the world. This is how the cause of Zion is being lived today.

The Holy Spirit is urging us to accentuate the noblest spiritual impulses of our movement, to liberate them from unnecessary burdens, and to give them wings to fly through all the means available to us today. This is a pivotal time in that process. It requires “trusting what is being born.”

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like a child Young leaders are guiding the world toward justice and the peaceable kingdom.

What can we learn from them?

By Alex Kahtava Blue Springs, Missouri, USA

Photo by Wayne Rowe

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like a child born to pray and to show us the way, like a child here to stay, Jesus comes like a child we receive all that love one can conceive, like a child we believe, Jesus comes.

—DANIEL CHARLES DAMON, “LIKE A CHILD,” COMMUNITY OF CHRIST SINGS 403

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tanding in front of a simple headstone at Avalon Cemetery in Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa, I read these words: Zolile Hector Pietersen August 19, 1963 June 16, 1976 Deeply mourned by his parents, sisters and a nation that remembers Time is on the side of the oppressed today Truth is on the side of the oppressed today One nation, one people

As I stood in front of that headstone, I realized how little I knew of Hector Pieterson (his family’s preferred spelling).

The nearby Hector Pieterson Museum, dedicated by Nelson Mandela in 1992, includes a memorial that reads: To honour the youth who gave their lives in the struggle for freedom and democracy

At the age of 12, Hector Pieterson, along with at least 175 others, died in the Soweto uprising that began June 16, 1976. Thousands of others were injured protesting the government’s enforced use of Afrikaans for classroom instruction.

Black South Africans opposed Afrikaans, which was the language of their apartheid oppressors.

The protest began with a march as the students sang the hymn “Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika” (“Lord Bless Africa”). As students from multiple schools converged and pushed forward, the police first used dogs and then opened fire with weapons.

The museum and memorial are near the place where Hector and others were killed or injured. The Soweto uprising and a photo of a teenager carrying Hector’s body with Hector’s anguished sister Antoinette running beside them caught the attention of people around

A memorial in front of the Hector Pieterson Museum in Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa honors the youth who protested apartheid.

the world. It was a turning point in the Black South African struggle for freedom and democracy. The student uprising of June 16, 1976 is commemorated as National Youth Day, a public holiday in South Africa. like a child, Jesus comes “How dare you!” thundered the voice of an indignant sixteen-yearold to world leaders at the United Nations in 2019. Greta Thunberg of Stockholm, Sweden embodied what TIME described as “one of the swiftest ascents to global influence in history” as the magazine’s editors named her the 2019 Person of the Year. She is the youngest person yet chosen.

As an eight-year-old, she heard about global warming and thought, “That can’t be happening, because if that were happening, then the politicians would be taking care of it.” A growing awareness of the dangers the planet faced propelled her to take action (Charlotte Alter, Suyin Haynes, and Justin Worland, “TIME 2019 Person of the Year: Greta Thunberg”).

She began what is now a global movement by skipping school starting in August 2018. She stood alone in front of the Swedish Parliament with a hand-painted sign: SKOLSTREJK FÖR KLIMATET (School Strike for the Climate). On the second day, a stranger joined her. She said that was a big day—one to two.

“Hector Pieterson Memorial Site, Soweto, Gauteng, South Africa” by South African Tourism is licensed under CC-BY-2.0

A few days later, a handful more joined her on the street. By September, enough people had joined her climate strike that she announced she would continue every Friday until the Swedish government aligned with the Paris Agreement on climate change.

The Fridays for Future movement was born. By the end of the year, tens of thousands of students across Europe began skipping school on Fridays to protest their own leaders’ inaction.

By September 2019, the strikes had spread around the world. Hundreds of thousands marched in New York City and London. TIME reported that “From Antarctica to Papua New Guinea, from Kabul to Johannesburg, an estimated four million people of all ages showed up to protest.”

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She demanded action, even in the face of ridicule by some, including national leaders. But she persisted with strong, unyielding words. Addressing the 2018 UN Climate Change Conference she stated, “You say you love your children above all else, and yet you are stealing their future in front of their very eyes.” In her response to being chosen Person of the Year she said, “I’d like to tell my grandchildren that we did everything we could, and we did it for them—for the generations to come.”

In a crisis that especially affects the poor and suffering, her voice and her presence have helped place the climate crisis front and center. like a child, Jesus comes “We didn’t want to wait until we were older to stand up for what we believe in,” said sisters Melati and Isabel Wijsen (Jacopo Prisco, “The teenagers getting plastic bags banned in Bali,” CNN.com). In 2013—when Melati was twelve and Isabel was ten—they began a campaign to rid Bali, Indonesia of single-use plastic bags.

Growing up on the island of Bali, they were surrounded by the negative impact of plastic. They wondered who would do something about it.

After a lesson in school about change makers Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr., and Lady Diana, they went home thinking about what they could do to make a change on their island. That inspiration led them to create Bye Bye Plastic Bags.

Greta Thunberg addresses the European Parliament on March 4, 2020.

They started a petition to get the attention of the local government.

They were granted permission to collect signatures at Bali’s airport and eventually got more than 100,000. A year later, still unable to get a hearing with government officials, they decided to start a hunger strike, a decision inspired by a visit to Mohandas Gandhi’s house in India. (The hunger strike was from sunrise to sunset and supervised by a dietitian.)

Within a day they had their hearing, and the governor signed their memorandum of understanding to help the people of Bali rid the island of plastic bags by January 2018.

In 2017, they helped to organize an island-wide beach cleanup with 12,000 volunteers and spoke at the UN Headquarters on World Oceans Day. They were named among TIME’s 25 Most Influential Teens of 2018.

Bye Bye Plastic Bags is now a global organization, www. byebyeplasticbags.org. The mission is “to empower people to do what is right through education, campaigns, and political meetings. Start making that difference one bag at a time.”

“If we could meet with world leaders and speak to them, we would tell them to listen more to the youth, consider us as more than just inspiration,” Melati said. “We have bright innovative ideas of how to deal with some of the greatest issues of our time. We are the future, but we are here now, and we’re ready. We’ve learned kids can do things. We can make things happen.” like a child, Jesus comes

OUR MISSION

Develop Disciples to Serve We are called to equip adults and children to be true and living expressions of the life, ministry, and continuing presence of Christ in the world.

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At the age of four, Iqbal Masih was put to work by his family to pay off their debts. He was born in 1983 in Muridke, a city outside of Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan to a poor, Christian family. Because the family borrowed money to live on from the owner of a carpet-weaving business, Iqbal was required to work until the debt was paid.

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CC-BY-4.0: © European Union 2020 — Source: EP

Each morning he made his way in the darkness to the factory, where he and other children were bound to the carpet looms with chains. At the age of 10, he learned that bonded labor had been made illegal by the Pakistan Supreme Court.

He and other children escaped and went to the police, but, seeking a reward, the police returned the children to the factory.

The children were punished with beatings and extreme starvation.

With the help of the Bonded Labour Liberation Front, Iqbal successfully escaped and attended a school for former child slaves in Lahore. He completed a four-year education in only two years.

After his story became known, Iqbal received a Reebok Human Rights Award in 1994. This award honors young activists who protect and uphold human rights.

In his acceptance speech he said, “I am one of those millions of children who are suffering in Pakistan because of bonded labor and child labor. But I am lucky. ...I am free, and I am standing in front of you here today. ...Today you are free, and I am free, too.”

Iqbal and his family constantly received death threats from people upset by his fight against cheap child labor. On April 16, 1995, after an Easter celebration with his family in Muridke, he was shot to death under disputed circumstances.

Even though he was only twelve years old when he died, Iqbal left a legacy.

Each year, the Iqbal Masih Award for the Elimination of Child Labor is presented by the United States Bureau of International Labor Affairs. The Iqbal Masih Shaheed Children Foundation runs several schools in Pakistan. He became a universal symbol for the fight against child slavery, and organizations around the world have been inspired to protect the rights of children. like a child, Jesus comes

Angie Valeria and Alan Kurdi—thousands of miles and a few years apart—are seared into the memories of people throughout the world.

Alan was three years old when he drowned with his brother and mother in 2015. They were found on the Turkish shore of the Mediterranean Sea after fleeing from the terror and violence in Syria.

Angie Valeria, twenty-three months, and her father Óscar Alberto Martínez Ramírez drowned in the Rio Grande in 2019. The family had traveled for several months from El Salvador, hoping to find work and one day buy a home.

Angie Valeria and Alan represent thousands of desperate migrants and refugees who flee war, poverty, and unrest. like a child, Jesus comes

We are the future, but we are here now, and we’re ready.

We’ve learned kids can do things.

We can make things happen.

— M E L AT I W I J S E N

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Malala Yousafzai (third from left) at a 2017 Malala Fund event in Mexico City.

Others named and unnamed challenge and humble us in our faith journeys by their tenacity, vision, and too often by their suffering.

In 2016, eight-year-old Mari Copeny wrote a letter to US President Barack Obama about a water crisis in her hometown of Flint, Michigan. The drinking water had become contaminated with lead, causing illnesses especially among children. The letter prompted the president to visit the city and survey the water crisis himself. He later approved $100 million for drinking water infrastructure upgrades in Flint.

Malala Yousafzai defied death threats in Pakistan to campaign for education of girls. At fifteen, she survived an attempted assassination and has since become a global advocate for human rights, women’s rights, and the right to education. She emphasizes the peaceful nature of Islam and the respect Islam has for education.

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like a child, Jesus comes Likely all of us have been touched by the lives of the young. That is certainly true in my life.

A teenager pointed a rifle at me through the window of the car in which I was traveling with several other Community of Christ ministers in Haiti. We were stopped at a tire barricade. This was in a time of political instability.

The soldiers at the barricade began to ask who we were and why we were there. While others responded to the questions, I found myself looking into the teenager’s face—especially his eyes. What was I seeing?

Fear? Animosity? I continue to remember and often think of him. Where is he now? What is his life like?

On a street corner in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, a teenager approached YOUTH another minister and me. She M I N I S T R I E S D AY wanted to know if we would Youth Ministries Day is have sex with her for money. We Sunday, February 13. declined but began a conversation.

Congregations can find She was prostituting herself to worship suggestions help her family. This was during for upholding and an economic crisis in that nation celebrating children at www.HeraldHouse.org. resulting in political and social turmoil, and we had no reason to

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Photo by Alicia Vera for Malala Fund

doubt her. I often wonder what became of her. Where is she now? What is her life like at this moment? like a child, Jesus comes Isaac S. Villegas, a Mennonite pastor, told of a church school class he taught on the story of Moses and the burning bush: I lit a candle and asked them to listen to the flame. They squinted their eyes and tilted their ears toward the burning wick.

I asked them what they thought God’s voice sounded like to Moses. “God’s voice crackled!” one child said. “God’s words made a hissing noise, like when I whisper,” said another. “I think God sounded like me,” shouted a student, which provoked a shouting match as each kid claimed God’s tone as an echo of their own...

Then a child who had sat in silence during the ruckus spoke up. “No,” she announced.

We all turned our attention to her. “God sounds like all of our voices, because we learn about God from each other.”

—“The littlest judges,” The Christian Century, June 17, 2020

like a child, Jesus comes The Community of Christ seal with the lamb, lion, and child reminds me of the continuing journey toward the peaceable kingdom. When I look at the seal and recall the phrase “a child shall lead them,” I find myself saying “amen and amen.” Children are leading the way to that peaceable kingdom by their tenacity, wisdom, and righteous indignation. There are many others that will lead us in the days ahead.

Alex Kahtava (he/him) lives in Blue Springs, Missouri, USA and attends the Colonial Hills congregation. He ministers as an evangelist and is a former member of the Council of Twelve Apostles.

Do not neglect the smallest among you, for even the least of these are treasures in God’s sight. Receive the giftedness and energy of children and youth, listening to understand their questions and their wisdom.

—DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS 161:4A

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Discovering God’s Vision in a Complex World We are invited to incorporate everything we hear, learn, remember, and feel into conversation with God to seek God’s vision and direction for our lives and communities.

By Katie Harmon-McLaughlin Spiritual Formation Team lead

This is the fourth article in a series of resources developed in response to the Guiding Question: Are we moving toward Jesus, the peaceful One? Church members are invited to consider these resources as we journey toward World Conference 2023.

Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth.

—Psalm 46:10 Listen to the Voice that echoes across the eons of time and yet speaks anew in this moment. Listen to the Voice, for it cannot be stilled, and it calls you once again to the great and marvelous work of building the peaceable kingdom, even Zion, on behalf of the One whose name you claim.

—Doctrine and Covenants 162:1b

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Listen to God As a global faith community, where do we turn when confronted with complex, challenging, and potentially divisive issues? We are not strangers to hard conversations about topics that matter in our lives and the world. We are still learning how to listen deeply to God and one another as the source of our response. We are also still becoming a community that “trusts in the Lord with all our hearts and does not rely on our own insight” (Proverbs 3:5 adapted).

The ancient Christian practice of discernment opens possibilities into God’s future. It offers a way of stability and faithfulness that lives with integrity in the ambiguity and uncertainty of the world. As Community of Christ engages the topic of nonviolence, discernment provides ways of listening to God and one another, increasing our understanding and leading to a faithful communal response.

The essence of discernment is seeking God in the circumstances, relationships, and decisions of our lives. We start with seeking God because discernment is first about growing closer to God as disciples of Jesus. It is not about finding the right answer. It is adjusting our way of living to align more consistently with God’s vision of shalom for all creation. Discernment is the way disciples listen for the still-speaking voice of God in our own lives and times.

The topic of nonviolence is complex. As we learn about nonviolence from multiple perspectives, we also discover our own feelings, memories, and experiences that shape how we come to this conversation. This is more than a philosophical debate. Nonviolence is an issue that gets

Photo © ABEL MARQUEZ | Unsplash

to our most basic human tendencies to protect the ones we love, seek justice, and preserve life. The practice of discernment invites us to incorporate everything we are hearing, learning, remembering, and feeling into conversation with God to seek God’s vision and direction for our lives and communities.

It takes time to expand our awareness to more fully recognize all the intricate ways the Holy Spirit is at work.

The Holy Spirit speaks through everything. There is always something for us to hear.

Continuing Revelation Continuing Revelation, an Enduring Principle, upholds that God is always present—working in us and speaking to us. Trusting God’s continued presence supports the church in times of change, fluidity, and complexity. We remember God is not done with us and works in all relationships, situations, and aspects of our lives. At the same time, Continuing Revelation is inherently disruptive to our tendency to avoid change. Luke Timothy Johnson describes the consistently self-revealing nature of God: In the response called faith, the human person asserts that God is not only “real,” but that God is what is most real. God is not a vague idea, left over when everything is counted, but is active and alive and intrudes into human existence…

Because God intrudes into the comfortable space we cling to for our self-definition and calls us out to a wider truth, divine revelation continues in our world. God acts now. …the Word of God is continually spoken and requires hearing… There is never a moment before death when faith can say, “Enough,

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it is finished,” for the Word of God to each individual is not fully spoken until that death. God’s Word unfolds with every breath we breathe.

—Luke Timothy Johnson, Scripture and Discernment: Decision Making in the Church, Pages 24-25

Pause and breathe the breath of God’s word unfolding in you.

Centuries of wisdom tell us that although God is consistently selfrevealing, there are natural barriers to hearing, feeling, and seeing the Holy Spirit. We must work at being open. Early and often in discernment

it is important to embrace a posture of availability to God called Spiritual Freedom or Holy Indifference. The purpose is to become so fully committed to God’s vision that we are willing to become indifferent to our own limited agendas, views, attachments, and assumptions. This stance of humility makes us more open to receive divine revelation.

Letting go means we must be honest about what is shaping our identity and ways of seeing the world. We need to consider what might obstruct us from recognizing God within and around us, and through people who are different from us. Politics, economics, social status, gender, sexuality, culture, and much more shape how we see the world.

We do not always realize what is influencing our daily interactions and decisions. Discernment helps us intentionally gaze through the lens of God’s love and vision. This is not to dismiss all other aspects of life as though they do not exist, but to reorder them. We experience transformation as we grow in awareness of what God continues to reveal within and around us.

OUR MISSION

Invite People to Christ We are called to share the peace of Jesus Christ with those who are waiting to hear the redeeming words of the gospel.

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Six Lenses President Stephen M. Veazey introduced a practice for discernment: the Six Lenses for Discovering God’s Will. Each lens helps us look through an important facet of our faith to gain a more complete sense of God’s vision.

They work interdependently and cannot be separated so we do not miss a crucial insight of God’s call to us.

The Six Lenses are Knowledge and Reason, Scripture, Personal and Community Experience, Continuing Revelation, Tradition, and Common Consent. Looking through each lens provides a vital, life-giving discipline of searching for God in ways that stretch and challenge us. Rather than being driven by our own ideas, agendas, and preferences, we are asked to test what we discover in the wisdom of the larger community and tradition, and to continue to seek a wider truth.

To faithfully discern, we must avoid a standpoint of self-assurance: relying completely on what one thinks and feels or a standpoint of

certitude, which means relying on one’s current interpretation that is believed to be “absolute, unchanging, and true” (Patricia O’Connell Killen and John DeBeer, The Art of Theological Reflection, pages 5-10). Discernment invites us into a standpoint of exploration that includes curiosity, mutuality, openness, and humility. As an example, the first three articles in this series used the lenses of scripture, history, and reason to consider nonviolence. They each provided a perspective that we bring into discernment.

y Christ’s Peace Embod

KNOWLEDGE AND REASON

SCRIPTURE al Practice s iritu Sp

PERSONAL AND COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE

HOLY SPIRIT GOD JESUS CHRIST Spi

CONTINUING REVELATION

r i tu a l P ra c t i c e s

COMMON CONSENT

TRADITION

Embody Christ’s Peace

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Engaging the Six Lenses, we listen to God in different ways so we can hear, see, and feel the Holy Spirit. Often, we get frustrated or feel stuck because we sense there is more but cannot see the way ahead. Using the lenses can be a liberating practice by expanding the ways we look for meaning. We covenant with one another to listen deeply even when we disagree. The Holy Spirit, ignited as a creative force to open new ways of thinking and being together, works within our tensions and insights.

As you apply the lenses to nonviolence, perhaps you discover your perspective has been most significantly shaped by personal and community experience. By stretching yourself to gain a deeper understanding of scripture or tradition, perhaps you find a new way of understanding nonviolence. Or maybe the church’s response on nonviolence seems clear when you think about the statistics of violence in the world, but then you hear stories from other church members that highlight the complexity of nonviolence in other cultures.

Amid the complexity and urgency in our world, discernment is a reliable practice for connecting with divine wisdom and guidance. It is a practice that acknowledges God is at work in every moment, decision, relationship, and all aspects of life. As we continue to engage challenging and important topics together, may we grow in wonder and humility at God who continues to speak even now, in you, and in us.

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Katie Harmon-McLaughlin (she/her) lives in Independence, Missouri, USA. In addition to ministering as a high priest, she works for Community of Christ as Spiritual Formation specialist and is the Spiritual Formation Team lead. She has a Master of Arts in religion from Community of Christ Seminary, is a Doctor of Ministry candidate at San Francisco Theological Seminary, and is a spiritual director.

A PRACTICE

DISCERNING COMMUNITY OF CHRIST’S R E S PO N S E TO N O N V I O L E N C E

1. Take a few moments to settle into a time of prayer.

Breathe deeply. Take as much time as you need to quiet within and become more open to God’s presence.

2. Frame the question for discernment in prayer: “God, what role does nonviolence play in the pursuit of ‘peace on and for the Earth’ (Doctrine and Covenants 165:1d) and in the life and mission of the church?”

3. Pray for greater freedom and availability to seek God’s vision. Become aware of what has been shaping your perspective on nonviolence. In humility, ask God to help you release or hold more lightly anything that may be getting in the way of deeper understanding and openness to God and others. Write down what you are invited to release.

4. Search your personal and communal memories for ways the church has responded to this issue or has been shaped by this issue in the past. What does God want you to see in this history? When did it feel like the church was moving closer to Jesus, the peaceful One, and when did it feel like the church was moving further away?

5. Consider what sources may help you understand this issue more deeply. Engage the Six Lenses. Invite others to join you in conversation about what they see as they look through each lens.

6. Bring everything you are discovering into a time of prayer. Notice where your attention is drawn.

Notice what is emerging as a way forward. If you have any thoughts about your response to the issue of nonviolence at this point, write them down, and continue to hold them lightly in prayer.

7. Seek confirmation from the Holy Spirit about what you sense emerging.

8. Continue in conversation and discernment as you prepare for the next World Conference. Bring your growing sense of response with you into our global community or find ways to share your story and perspective from a distance. As you sense opportunities to respond that are in alignment with our best understanding of God’s vision for all creation, act!

Photo © Brooke Cagle | Unsplash

Invitation to Explore In April 2019, the World Conference passed Resolution 1319, which resolves in part that “Community of Christ members and leaders discuss the role nonviolence plays in the pursuit of ‘peace on and for the Earth’ (Doctrine and Covenants 165:1d) and in the life and mission of the church.”

President Stephen M. Veazey began this discussion during his closing message to the 2019 World Conference: “Scripture testifies that all creation waits ‘with eager longing’ (Romans 8:19) for peaceful humanity to appear on the world stage to turn the tide of hate, agony, and destruction... Are we moving toward Jesus, the peaceful One? Or are we retreating from Jesus by reverting to our old humanity and its destructive ways of interacting with others and creation?”

This guiding question has led us on a continuing journey to understand Jesus, the peaceful One and to lay down our preconceived notions of who Jesus should be. The question helps us realign our attitudes, behaviors, and actions with the identity, mission, message, and beliefs of Community of Christ. The role of nonviolence in the world is complex and is influenced by many cultural, theological, and personal perspectives.

As the First Presidency has faithfully engaged in the assignment given in WCR 1319, it has become clear that adequate time is needed for the church to diligently explore this topic. The presidency anticipates that the next World Conference (April 21-29, 2023) will be a time for further discussion and collaboration toward the creation of a statement on nonviolence. A future World Conference will have the responsibility of acting on a final statement, but only after sufficient consensus has been developed.

Materials for study and discussion are posted at www.CofChrist.org. Additionally, a place for membercreated resources on nonviolence has been created: www.HeraldHouse.org/search?q=nonviolence.

Your voice is an important part of this process. If you have suggestions for what should be included in a statement on nonviolence, email FP@CofChrist.org.

The First Presidency reviews everything received as these leaders discern responses to their task from the 2019 World Conference.

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DECEMBER 2021

FINANCIAL U P DAT E

By Stassi Cramm, Presiding Bishopric

Dollars are reported in USD.

2020 AUDIT REPORT A P P R O VA L B Y T H E W O R L D C H U R C H FINANCE BOARD

On behalf of the World Conference, the World Church Finance Board approved the Community of Christ independent audit report for 1 January through 31 December 2020. RSM issued a “clean/ unmodified opinion” for Community of Christ and consolidated affiliates as of 31 December 2020. This audit report and audit report summary are available at www.CofChrist.org/ financial-updates.

Change in Net Assets Rounded in millions 12/31/2019

19b-20

12/31/2020

(audited)

Change

(audited)

Without Donor Restrictions

$ 40.8

$ 15.8

$ 56.6

With Donor Restrictions

$ 26.0

$ 4.7

$ 30.7

$ 66.8

$ 20.5

$ 87.3

NET ASSETS

TOTAL NET ASSETS

CONTRIBUTOR TO CHANGE IN NET ASSETS

SUMMARY OF THE FINANCIAL

Pension/Defined Benefit Plan

S TAT E M E N T S

Post-Retirement Plan

6.5

Net assets increased from 31 December 2019 to 31 December 2020 by approximately $20.5 million. The increases were based on a variety of factors including contributions to Bridge of Hope, change in appraised value of Harmony investment real estate, and changes in actuary assumptions. Here is a summary of the change in net assets:

Benefit Reserves

1.1

Risk Reserve

2.0

Operating Reserve

1.8

Temple Endowment

4.5

Other Net Asset Changes

1.1

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TOTAL

$ 3.5

$ 20.5

Image by Tomislav Jakupec | Pixabay

BRIDGE OF HOPE—RETIREMENT RESPONSIBILITY Bridge of Hope retirement responsibility goal.

As of 30 November 2021, the church had raised $94.2 million toward the $120 million Bridge of Hope retirement responsibility goal. World church leaders remain grateful for the continued progress being made.

Based on the 31 December 2020 actuary report, the church will be over 90% funded on all retirement responsibilities when the $120 million goal is met.

The table (below) shows the funding level of the church’s retirement responsibilities.

The table includes two sections. The first section indicates the funding level as identified in the 2020 actuary report also found in Note 7 of the 2020 Audit Report.

As of 31 December 2020, the funding level based on the assets in the legally separate Defined Benefit Trust was 39% as reported by the actuaries.

In calculating funding levels, the actuaries do not consider assets the church holds in three funds to support the retirement responsibility:

GOAL $120M

GOAL: $120M (USD) by 1 January 2024

$80M

$70M

$60M

$94.2M

$50M

$ 85.8

$94.2M Received to Date

Received to Date

$40M

$19.1 M $17.3 M $20.8 M $4.2 M $32.8 M

$30M

$20M

$10M

PRB $ 16.0

Bridge of Hope Tithes Property Sales Budget and Earnings Operating Endowment Historic Assets

All amounts reported in USD

$0M

FYE 12/31/19

Benefit obligation (liability)

As of 30 November 2021

$90M

The second section identifies that the church is 61% funded for all retirement responsibilities as of 31 December 2020 when the assets in Funds 23, 24, and 28 are considered along with the assets of the Defined Benefit Trust. This is about a 10% improvement from 31 December 2019.

This is great news and is the result of the church working together to meet the

PENSION

Retirement Responsibility

Balance Remaining

$100M

1. Fund 23 – Post Retirement Fund 2. Fund 24 – Multi-Nation Fund 3. Fund 28 – Bridge of Hope Funds

From Actuary Report

Bridge of Hope

$25.8M

$110M

19-20

MN

TOTAL

FYE 12/31/20

CHANGE PENSION

$ 4.3

$ 106.1

$ 5.1

$ 88.3

-

37.9

6.0

43.9

PRB

MN

$ 17.6

$ 5.3

TOTAL $ 111.2

Fair value of plan assets

37.9

Unfunded liability

47.9

16.0

4.3

68.2

(0.9)

44.4

17.6

5.3

67.3

Funded %

44%

0%

0%

36%

4%

50%

0%

0%

39%

BOH (28)

PRB (23)

MN (24)

CHANGE

BOH (28)

PRB (23)

MN (24)

$ 4.4

$ 7.8

$ 4.6

$ 16.8

$ 7.6

$ 3.8

$ 15.4

$ 5.2

$ 24.4

Remaining unfunded liability

43.5

8.2

(0.3)

51.4

(8.5)

40.6

2.2

0.1

42.9

Estimated Funded %

49%

49%

107%

52%

10%

54%

88%

98%

61%

Including Funds 23, 24, and 28 Available assets

TOTAL

43.9

TOTAL

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Financial Update U P D AT E A B O U T 2 0 2 1 B U D G E T TO A C T U A L A S O F 3 0 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 1

Contributions through 30 September 2021 were on track to achieve the minimum side of our 2021 goal range of $11.7 million. The ongoing limitations of travel due to the pandemic have contributed to expenses being under budget as of 30 September 2021. Our projections indicate that the $1 million surplus budgeted for 2021 should be achieved and possibly exceeded.

NEW INVESTMENT MANAGERS

For those jurisdictions with investments in the USA Affiliate Investment Pool, the Presiding Bishopric, in consultation with the World Church Investment Committee, is in the process of selecting a new investment management firm starting in 2022. Jeff Naylor is leading the process which is focused on several criteria including Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) emphases and Socially Responsible Investing (SRI).

MINIMUM BALANCES

The minimum balances established in March 2019 were reduced in June 2021. These balances have been placed on reserve to make sure the church reaches the $120 million Bridge of Hope retirement responsibility goal by 31 December 2023. If a minimum balance is creating a negative impact on mission support, please contact your Mission Center Financial Officer, Field Support Minister, or Field Bishop to explore with the Presiding Bishopric the possibility of removing the minimum balance. The commitment is to limit the negative mission impact of minimum balances as much as possible. For those with investments in the Affiliate Investment Pool, each account minimum balance can be viewed through the AIP Balances application in Remote Desktop.

USA SURVEYS

This year, two USA surveys were accomplished by the Presiding Bishopric. In April 2021, the first survey was sent out to seek a better understanding of the attitudes and motivations of members and friends on a variety of topics related to funding local and worldwide mission and services. The second survey was sent out in November 2021 as part of the Generosity Cycle. In the November survey, the Presiding Bishopric partnered with the Barna Group in seeking feedback about what people feel and think about generosity. Results from these

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surveys are summarized on page 38. Detailed results are available online: www.CofChrist.org/common/cms /resources/2021USA%20Surveys-edited-for-web.pdf G I V I N G T U E S D AY

The Generosity Cycle led us into Giving Tuesday on 30 November 2021. This year the church generously shared $676,432 toward Worldwide Mission Tithes on this special day of giving including $295,000 of contributions doubled with matching funds. Thanks to everyone who participated either by contributing on Giving Tuesday or providing the matching dollars.

R E M I N D E R A B O U T O B L AT I O N A S PA R T OF WORLDWIDE MISSION TITHES

You will see an Abolish Poverty, End Suffering section in the 2022 budget approved. By giving to Worldwide Mission Tithes through eTithing, contributors are supporting this budget that includes Oblation or direct aid. Since eTithing is not connected to a particular worship experience that includes the Lord’s Supper, that is why Oblation is not on eTithing. People can simply give to Worldwide Mission Tithes on eTithing or through their envelope, which supports the budget that includes Oblation.

2022 WORLDWIDE MISSION BUDGET APPROVED T H E T H R E E -Y E A R P L A N ( 2 0 2 1 –2 0 2 3 )

The 2021 Worldwide Mission Budget was part of a threeyear plan for 2021–2023. To date, the global pandemic and other world events have not negatively affected the projections in this plan. Therefore, the 2022 Worldwide Mission Budget was developed as a continuation of the ministries and services provided in 2021. At this point, the Presiding Bishopric remains hopeful that 2023 will also be a continuation of the 2021 level of ministries and services.

As a reminder, the budget for 2021 included $1 million of surplus funds that will be used to offset projected deficits in 2022 and 2023. In May 2021, the finance board approved income and expense assumptions for 2022 based on a deficit of no more than $100,000.

2022 WORLDWIDE MISSION BUDGET APPROVED

On Saturday, 4 December 2021, the World

Image by Tomislav Jakupec | Pixabay

Church Finance Board approved the 2022 Worldwide Mission Budget which continues similar levels of ministries and services as provided in 2021. The budget is posted at www.CofChrist.org/financial-updates.

The approved 2022 income is $14,284,000. The approved 2022 expense amount is $14,383,000. The budget has a $99,000 deficit, which will be covered by surplus planned in the 2021 budget.

In 2022, Worldwide Mission Tithes is planned to provide over 77% of the income. As projected, Worldwide Mission Tithes and Other Income were both reduced for 2022. The income includes using a spending rate on World Church endowments held in Canada. The World Church endowments held in the USA are not currently being used to provide income to the budget because most of the funds are held in the World Church’s investment properties such as Harmony and 39th Street. Here’s a summary of the income budget: • • •

$11,060,000 in Worldwide Mission Tithes including Abolish Poverty, End Suffering $350,000 in Designated Gifts $2,874,000 Other Income such as rentals, fees, endowment spending rates, and Herald House

O P E R AT I N G R E S E R V E F U N D

World Conference Resolution (WCR) 1264 states that the goal is to maintain a minimum of three months of annual budgeted expenses as the Basic Reserve. Based on the 2022 budgeted expenses, the Basic Reserve must be around $3.6 million. As of 30 September 2021, the balance of the Basic Reserve for WCR 1264 compliance was $3.8 million.

As we are living in a time of significant economic uncertainty, the Presiding Bishopric felt it was prudent to increase the level of liquid funds available in the Operating Reserve fund. The Operating Reserve funds have been increased through generous contributions beyond the minimum needed for compliance. As of 30 September 2021, the Operating Reserve total balance was just over $8.1 million.

The increased amount in the Operative Reserve provides flexibility to World Church leaders to take time to make critical decisions if there were a sustained period of unanticipated lost income. As an example, if the church is unable to open the Temple Complex and historic sites to the public in 2022 due to the ongoing challenge of the pandemic, the extra assets in the Operating Reserve can cover the shortfall for a time. If these funds are not needed by 31 December 2023, the agreement with the contributors is that they will be moved to Bridge of Hope.

M E TA M O R P H O S I S A N D T H E F U T U R E The pandemic continues to cause suffering and death around the world. And, just as we thought things were getting better in some areas, they got worse! With the ancient psalmist we lament, “How long, O Lord?” (Psalm 13:1 NRSV) The book, Praying the Psalms, by Walter Brueggemann, puts our experience into perspective. Writing about the struggles of being human in an imperfect, suffering world, the author suggests that we understand our overall life of faith as “…moving with God in terms of being securely oriented; being painfully disoriented; and being surprisingly reoriented.” He notes that the Psalms for the most part do not grow out of being “securely oriented” in life all the time. Rather many were forged during painful human experiences of feeling overwhelmed before discovering new possibilities for living hopefully.

We may be living in uncertain times as we experience the disorientation of metamorphosis, but we do not face the future alone. We are reminded that as “beloved children of the Restoration, our continuing faith adventure with God has been divinely led, eventful, challenging, and sometimes surprising to us. By the grace of God, we are poised to fulfill God’s ultimate vision for the church” (Doctrine and Covenants 164:9a adapted). Whatever we face, we can navigate it together, led by the Holy Spirit.

A longer version of this report is available on CofChrist.org.

The next Financial Update will be in June 2022.

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LEADERS STUDY USA SURVEYS The Presiding Bishopric and other church officials use feedback for decision-making.

By Stassi Cramm, Presiding Bishopric APRIL SURVEY On April 22, Community of Christ emailed a survey to more than 15,000 contributors, priesthood, and leaders.

The survey questions were designed to provide input on the best way to fund business and support services in the future where business and support services refer to sections identified in the Worldwide Mission Budget that is posted online.

DEMOGRAPHICS

A total of 3,985 individuals in the United States completed the survey with representation from 37 out of 38 USA Mission Centers.

Of those completing the survey: • 5% were 18-34 • 18% were 35-54 • 53% were 55-74 • 24% were 75+ Additionally: • 58% of survey participants were women • 97% of survey participants were Community of Christ members • 68% were priesthood members • 50% of survey respondents were either past or current leaders in their congregations or mission centers FEEDBACK

There was no single, stand-out recommendation in the results. People have a variety of perspectives and there did not appear to be a strong consensus.

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Responses to a request for feedback were somewhat aligned with what was anticipated; however, it is always good to have assumptions verified. The results were important and helpful.

In the data, the team was not simply looking for responses that confirmed preconceived ideas. There were a few comments that were hard to read because they expressed a lack of trust in leadership and concerns about the direction of the church.

R E S P O N D I N G TO T H E R E S U LT S

The survey results are influencing planning and decision-making in three primary areas: 1. Financial transparency The Presiding Bishopric and other World Church leaders are committed to financial transparency.

In 2016, the bishopric sponsored a World Conference Resolution that increased the scope of the World Church Finance Board. The board has always approved the annual budget but now the board also approves the income assumptions that drive the budget development, and the board approves the church’s audit, which gives the board full access to the financial statements.

The Presiding Bishopric continues to provide financial information online and in the Herald, including: • Financial updates in June and December • Posting the annual audit report and budget • Providing periodic updates on Worldwide Mission Tithes and progress toward the Bridge of Hope retirement responsibility goal

JA N UA R Y/ F E B R UA R Y 2 0 2 2

Suggestions to improve transparency and accountability are welcome at PresidingBishopric@CofChrist.org.

2. Centralized business and support services Survey feedback leaned toward continuing to provide centralized business and support services. The most-valued services by the survey respondents were fiscal services and membership records. There was also a lot of support for legal services, especially by respondents who had used those services in the past.

Based on this feedback, the amount included in the 2022 property and liability insurance invoice is being increased to cover the actual expenses for the people providing services to the field in support of the insurance program and other legal matters. On average, using the 2021 allocations, this change will result in a 4% increase on each bill. Starting with the 2022 invoices, this amount will be identified as a separate amount in the summary section on the last page and called Legal/Risk Services so it is identifiable separate from the expense of receiving the insurance coverage.

The survey responses indicated that some people were unclear exactly what their Local and Worldwide Mission Tithes fund. This result emphasized the need to explore and implement ways to simplify processes and help leaders understand how money flows and why.

As an example of improvements, Information Systems released a new application, PEID Payments, as part of Remote Desktop. This application provides detailed information on automatic deposits and withdrawals

by International Headquarters in congregation and mission center

bank accounts. This provides better transparency and simplifies the reconciliation process for financial officers.

3. Connecting with new contributors What is clear from the survey responses, as well as the demographics on current contributors as reported previously, is that the church needs to find ways to connect with new generations of disciples in a variety of cultural contexts.

The financial circumstances of the World Church in the next few years are hopeful as we support current levels of ministries and services and meet the retirement responsibility portion of the Bridge of Hope goal. However, the financial situation beyond 2023 presents major challenges.

The Presiding Bishopric continues to explore methods for contributors to financially support specific ministries and services. As an example, Congregational Financial Officers in the USA will be surveyed around March/April 2022 to evaluate the continued need for mailed envelopes.

NOVEMBER SURVEY On November 1, Community of Christ emailed a survey to more than 15,000 contributors, priesthood, and leaders in the USA. In this survey, the Presiding Bishopric partnered with the Barna Group, seeking feedback about what people feel and think about generosity.

DEMOGRAPHICS

A total of 716 individuals completed the survey with • 98% from the USA, 2% from other places

• 40% male, 58% female, 3% preferred not to say • 77% priesthood, 23% not priesthood • 88% have tithed to the church, 10% have not, 2% preferred not to say Of the generations of those completing the survey: • 0.1% was born between 1999–2004 (Gen Z) • 4% were born between 1984–1998 (Millennial) • 16% were born between 1965–1983 (Gen X) • 54% were born between 1946–1964 (Boomer) • 25% were born between 1925–1945 (Elder) • 1% preferred not to say In the past year: • 85% have given to Local Mission Tithes • 76% have given to Worldwide Mission Tithes • 49% have given to Community of Christ Affiliates • 11% have given to none of the above

information from the church about the impact of their giving.

While 77% of respondents felt comfortable with how the church talks about money, 54% said they did not need help with financial management through teaching and preaching by the church.

About 55% of people who took the survey said they were participating in the Generosity Cycle this year while 13% were not. And, 32% stated they were not familiar with the Generosity Cycle.

The six principles of a Disciple’s Generous Response were important parts of thinking about stewardship for 69% of respondents. Another 10% did not these feel the principles were important and 20% were not familiar with the six principles.

The results showed that the financial effect of COVID-19 was not widespread.

As an example, when people were asked about their financial health compared to the time before the pandemic, 15% said they were more financially healthy, 72% are about the same, and 13% were less financially healthy.

FEEDBACK

As noted in the first survey, the Presiding Bishopric recognizes that the church needs ways to connect with and receive feedback from a broader demographic of people.

The Presiding Bishopric was grateful to hear that over half of respondents felt as though they were receiving information about how their tithing supports mission. Communication and storytelling about how worldwide mission tithes support ministries and services will remain an ongoing priority.

Some have suggested the church have more programs on personal and

When asked in what ways are you most generous, the top three responses were: • 28% said they were most generous with Emotional/ Relational Support • 27% said they were most generous with Service/ Volunteering • 26% said they were most generous with Monetary Support Of the respondents, 62% said their congregation was receiving

INITIAL REFLECTIONS A B O U T T H E R E S U LT S

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Leaders Study USA Surveys

Milestones

family financial management and stewardship.

This survey provided mixed feedback about that suggestion.

The motivation associated with generosity and a person’s faith journey were well aligned with Community of Christ theology on wholelife stewardship. However, the results indicate that even within priesthood, the church needs to uphold the importance of whole-life stewardship as part of disciple formation.

The six principles of a Disciple’s Generous Response still stand as an important way to express these concepts, and we need to collectively teach them as part of our mission to develop disciples to serve. The Presiding Bishopric will continue to uphold the Generosity Cycle as a way of bringing emphasis to intentional stewardship.

B I R T H D AY S

•

Roy Hillis of the Grand Valley, Ontario, Canada congregation celebrated his 90th birthday December 21, 2020.

•

Barbara Howard of the Walnut Gardens congregation celebrated her 91st birthday April 7, 2021.

•

Betty Hillis of the Grand Valley congregation celebrated her 90th birthday April 15, 2021.

•

Ruth Hodgson of the Grand Valley congregation celebrated her 93rd birthday April 20, 2021.

•

Lucille Jamieson of the Grand Valley congregation celebrated her 90th birthday June 5, 2021.

•

Ken Dunn of the Colorado Springs congregation celebrated his 90th birthday June 14, 2021.

•

Shirley Crandall of the Walnut Gardens congregation celebrated her 91st birthday June 30, 2021.

•

Colleen Manning of the Grand Valley congregation celebrated her 92nd birthday July 30, 2021.

•

Carolynn Edwards of the Walnut Gardens congregation celebrated her 90th birthday August 4, 2021.

•

Richard Howard of the Walnut Gardens congregation celebrated his 92nd birthday August 11, 2021.

•

Fred Batchelor of the Grand Valley congregation celebrated his 96th birthday August 14, 2021.

T H A N K S F O R PA R T I C I PAT I N G Leaders learned a lot from the survey responses and they are influencing decisions and plans. Thank you to everyone who completed these surveys!

A more detailed report is available on CofChrist.org.

Daniel Dennis ’25 is an Alumni Endowed Scholarship recipient.

His involvements on campus include Visual and Performing Arts, Men's Soccer and Campus Ministries.

DID YOU

KNOW?

The Alumni Endowed Scholarship Fund provides financial assistance to direct descendants of Graceland University alumni.* In 2020-21, 12 students received the scholarship.

APPLICATION DEADLINE

March 1

The Alumni Board Scholarship Committee works hand-in-hand with Graceland Admissions to determine each year’s recipients. Some of the deciding criteria include academic, community and church work, along with extracurricular activity and strong desire to attend the University.

1,000

AVERAGE $ AWARD per school year while attending Graceland

Anyone who * completes 24 semester hours of coursework at Graceland is considered alumni.

SIMPLE APPLICATION PROCESS graceland.edu/AlumniEndowedScholarship or call Alumni Programs at 866.GU4.EVER 40

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•

Blake Taylor of the Grand Valley congregation celebrated his 95th birthday August 30, 2021.

•

Marlene Palmer of the Red Wing, Minnesota, USA congregation celebrated her 90th birthday September 5, 2021.

•

Betty Lou Hinderks of the Mission Road congregation in Prairie Village, Kansas, USA celebrated her 96th birthday September 8, 2021.

•

Betty Stobaugh of the Walnut Gardens congregation celebrated her 91st birthday September 10, 2021.

•

Howard Hawkins of the Grandview, Missouri, USA congregation celebrated his 93rd birthday September 16, 2021.

•

Elsie Noble of the Lancaster, Wisconsin, USA congregation celebrated her 90th birthday September 19, 2021.

•

Muriel McMurdo of the Edmonton, Alberta, Canada congregation celebrated her 90th birthday September 26, 2021.

•

Tom McLain of the Union Avenue congregation in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA celebrated his 90th birthday November 17, 2021.

•

Daphne Dunn of the Colorado Springs congregation celebrated her 90th birthday November 24, 2021.

•

Ada McDole of the Woods Chapel congregation in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, USA celebrated her 92nd birthday November 24, 2021.

ANNIVERSARIES

•

Ken and Daphne Dunn of the Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA congregation celebrated their 68th anniversary April 5, 2021.

•

Murray and Shirley Taylor of the Grand Valley, Ontario, Canada congregation celebrated their 67th anniversary May 29, 2021.

•

Richard and Barbara Howard of the Walnut Gardens congregation in Independence, Missouri, USA celebrated their 68th anniversary June 7, 2021.

•

John and Judy Midgorden of the Walnut Gardens congregation celebrated their 64th anniversary July 13, 2021.

•

Roy and Betty Hillis of the Grand Valley congregation celebrated their 70th anniversary September 29, 2021.

•

Geraldene and George Pittenger of the Reynoldsburg, Ohio, USA congregation celebrated their 74th anniversary October 19, 2021.

•

James and Martha Shaw of the Apple Valley, Minnesota, USA congregation celebrated their 70th anniversary October 27, 2021.

Submitting to the Herald P R I N T A N D E L E C T R O N I C S P E C I F I C AT I O N S

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 4-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.

C o f C h r i s t . o r g | 41

Amen

BIND US

Draw Close

By Anne Bonnefin Communications coordinator, Australia Mission Centre

This article is adapted from the September 2021 issue of the Australia Herald.

T

here is a place where you and God can meet. Not a physical place, but a liminal one. A place of invitation and acceptance. If you draw close, you can see the world as it could be just for a moment. You can see the world through Christ’s eyes, and it can change you.

In lockdown I purchased a trampoline for my grandchildren.

When we are on it together, it becomes our world. We play Peter Rabbit, and the children run around the edges being chased by Mister McGregor.

Sometimes we make up games like Cook the Pancake where the “pancake” (usually an adult) lies in the middle of the trampoline while the children jump around the edges and call “Are you cooked yet?” The adult usually replies “No, not yet,” and gets to lie there doing nothing for a few more minutes.

Other times we all lie on the mat, look up at clouds, and try to pick out animals or other shapes. Jude, who is one and a half, especially loves when we jump together. It takes a lot of trust to jump like this: trust in my ability to hold him in my arms and jump and trust in his ability to hold on tight.

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Sometimes I think about what this must be like for him. When he jumps on the trampoline alone, his small body doesn’t make much of a dent in the mat.

But we can jump high together, holding each other tight, and he gets to see his world from a new perspective for a moment. The joy in his face is priceless.

It’s almost as if we are bound together, and the tighter we hold each other, the higher we can jump.

I imagine that this is what it is like between God and us. God can only hold us as tightly as we choose to hold on also.

Our jumping is supercharged when we bounce in unison.

To be known by God, to be connected to the heartbeat of the universe, to be held, embraced, and uplifted by God’s grace is to be swept up in a movement of love. Change is possible in our lives and our communities as we draw close to God and hold tight to Jesus, the peaceful One. Anne Bonnefin is an elder in the church and lives in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

She has a Diploma of Fine Art and Diploma of Counseling and is currently studying Transpersonal Art Therapy.

JA N UA R Y/ F E B R UA R Y 2 0 2 2

May we be bound Oh God not with ropes that restrict, segregate, divide.

Not with ropes that discriminate race or disability.

Not with ropes that limit difference or gender or age.

Not with in or out.

Not with ropes that neatly tie up class or wealth or privilege.

Nor with cords that bind us to fear.

May we be bound Oh God with ropes that splice us to your current of compassion.

Like a conduit may we be conductors of grace and encouragement and equity.

May we seek harmony even within our discord.

And may our cords loop around again and again binding hope to suffering.

May every exchange uplift and energize and promote peace.

Bind us to the heart of Christ’s boundless love.

Hold us tight God. Lift us up God. Let us glimpse your perspective.

Let us see what you see.

—Anne Bonnefin

Photo by Xavier Mouton Photographie | Unsplash

Preserve Your Legacy for Future Generations Everyone, regardless of net worth, needs a detailed estate plan that allows you to preserve wealth, care for your loved ones, and support Christ’s mission. There’s no better time to start than today.

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