We'll be hosting a special mission center conference via Zoom on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. PST.
Agenda will include:
Buckhorn Camp Budget
Buckhorn Camp Bylaws
Priesthood Call (Denise Leichter to the office of evangelist)
Stay tuned for more information!
The Registered Youth Worker Retreat to be held at Buckhorn March 13 - 15, 2026.
This event will include training, talks about the value of a youth program, opportunities to share stories, how to perform a campfire, what volunteer staff get out of their involvement, and roundtable discussion about goals for the future.
The cost for the weekend will be $100/person.*
*This experience will be free of fees for young adults.
Important update for Jr/Sr High Camp: The date and location has been changed to June 7 - 13 at Big Spruce Campground. Questions can be directed to Clayton Troxell, Youth Minister.
We are doing it again! Last year, Calizonia traveled to Zion National Park. This time, we will be visiting Yosemite National Park!
🗓️ Dates: February 13-16, 2026
📍 Location: Curry Village, Yosemite National Park
🤷 Who: High School students
We have reserved space in canvas tents in Curry Village. (Learn more about Curry Village here.) It is expected that we will be able to view the "Fire Falls" - a natural spectacle where the setting sun perfectly illuminates Horsetail Fall, making it glow orange and red like lava. This is a wonderful chance to experience Blessings of Community with our friends from SPEC as well as the Sacredness of Creation.
Note: We are planning to leave Friday morning which will mean missing school that day. Space is limited due to our reservation, and registration will close when we reach capacity.
The NCCUSA is running a social media campaign for its 75th Anniversary: "We Will Not Be Silent.” The following is from the NCCUSA:
"For 75 years, the National Council of Churches has espoused a simple yet powerful conviction: the Church must speak—with a united voice—for justice, peace, and the love of Christ.
As we mark our 75th anniversary, we launch “We Will Not Be Silent” — a call for the Church to continue bearing witness in a world that often neglects mercy and compasssion.
We will not be silent about peace,
for Christ blesses the peacemakers.
We will not be silent about justice,
for God hears the cries of the oppressed.
We will not be silent about love,
for love is the heartbeat of the Gospel.
Join us as we remember the past, stand firm in the present, and look with hope toward the future God is building among us.
✦ Follow the journey as NCC continues to celebrate 75 years of Christian unity and prophetic witness. Visit our social media accounts.
#NCC75 #WeWillNotBeSilent
The Canoga Park Congregation is looking for a baby grand piano to be donated to replace their aging one at the request of their local concert pianist. Tis the season for generosity and making beautiful music.
For more details; please contact their pianist, Charlie Ferguson at 818 970-1703 or cfergmusic@protonmail.com.
It’s back to school time!
For many years we have supported youth in the Tecate and El Sauzal congregations by providing funds for school supplies and uniforms. This is beyond what we include in the mission center budget to support these congregations, and we ask for donations to meet this important need.
This year we provided funds for a total of 95 students between the two congregations, with a total cost of $24,430.
If you or your congregation would like to make a contribution to support this ministry, there are multiple ways you can do that.
Make an individual donation using e-Tithing by clicking the link below and selecting “PSIMC Baja Education Fund.” https://app.securegive.com/cofchrist/pacific-southwest-international-msn-ctr-/donate/category
Donate in your congregation and designate your check or envelope for “Baja Education.”
Send a check to the mission center and note that it’s for Baja Education. See address below:
Community of Christ
PO Box 754
Griswold, IA 51535
These funds for education are so important in the lives of the youth in Baja. Please consider making a donation today.
FCNL Organizes Faith-Based Response to Historical Indian Boarding School Policies
“Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.” Mark 9:37
The Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) this year released a “Statement Supporting the Establishment of a Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies in the United States”. From the 1860s through the 1960s, U.S. federal policies mandated the assimilation of Native American children through Indian boarding schools, many of which were operated by Christian religious organizations. These policies forcibly separated children from their families and communities, punished them for speaking their languages or practicing their cultures, and often subjected them to emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. Tragically, many children never returned home, and numerous Native communities still do not know the fate or burial sites of their lost members. Despite good intentions cited at the time, these actions contradicted the Christian values of family unity and respect.
Faith-based organizations are now acknowledging their role in these historical harms and are calling for the establishment of a federal Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies. They argue that only full and transparent investigation, in partnership with Indigenous communities, can bring truth to light and begin the process of healing. The Department of the Interior has started an oversight investigation, but religious groups stress that much remains unknown and that the government’s involvement needs to be thoroughly examined and documented. The proposed commission would seek to uncover the full scope of injustices, make recommendations for addressing their enduring impacts, and support reconciliation between the federal government, faith groups, and Native communities. The full text of the letter which has been signed by many faith-based organizations is found here.
The USA Field now has a dedicated website for information and resources available at https://cofchristusa.org/.
The website includes:
Leadership Hub: Information on World Church leaders serving in the USA.
Engage Communities in Action: Explore relevant opportunities to engage with work being done in the USA.
Events: Experience faith, fellowship, and inspiration at a future USA event.
Statements: Messages of guidance, peace, and witness from USA apostles.
Ministry Resources: Links to tools to support ministry, worship and community.
The free online lecture series, Peace Perspectives continues.
The Zoom sessions will open at 12:45 p.m. for a preliminary discussion with introductions and prayer from the host. Remaining lectures in this series:
27 September: Stassi Cramm, president-designate of the Community of Christ, will present The Role of Nonviolence in Living Christ’s Mission for International Day of Peace.
11 October: For International Day of Women for Peace, a lecture by Sherri Kirkpatrick is anticipated but not confirmed.
1 November: For All Souls Day, A Celebration of Founders, Jim Doty will discuss Glaud Rogers, Ruma Swartzentruber will talk about her father, Ririfatu Maritanagi, and others are anticipated.
7 December: Events planned for Human Rights Day include a Christmas Tea, with a special speaker.
The Center for Innovation in Ministry and Mission (CIMM) launched the "Christian Ministries Certificate" a little over two years ago as a learning opportunity following the MEADS program at headquarters. Through the Community of Christ Seminary, students are provided a mid-point of education between the Ministry and Priesthood courses and the Seminary master's programs.
The Christian Ministries Certificate provides seminary-vetted instructors in a community of learners online covering the following topics:
Introduction to Christian Theology
Peace and Justice
Spiritual Formation
New Testament
Hebrew Scriptures
Contextual Theology and Contemporary Culture
Ministries of the Church
Missional Leadership
Community of Christ Theology
Practical Ministry
World Religions
...and more to come
Completion of any 10 classes awards the certificate, which can be presented at a Mission Center conference. Students take one course per 8-week period on their own weekly schedule. Summers are off for the camping season. If a student misses a class, they can choose to take another later on.
We encourage you to consider ministers in your area and proactivly approach individuals who may not only benefit their personal ministry, but bring expanded understanding to your mission center leadership. Some mission centers have chosen to subsidise the $100 fee of the classes for some ministers.
Students who wish to enroll should do so by starting with any upcoming Christian Ministries class. We are starting our second round of these courses August 25 with Dr. David Anderson teaching the "Christian Theology" class.
Visit our website, www.graceland.edu/cimm for more information on the Christian Ministries Certificate and registration. Please let me know if you have any questions about this ministerial leadership program, or any other CIMM learning opportunity.
Calling all young adults and youth/young adult leaders!
Parker Johnson, PSI Communications Specialist has created a new online community for young adults called The Circle.
This space is intended to provide young adults- as well as leaders working with youth and young adults- with a “third space” to gather.
“Third space” is a sociological term and essentially refers to the social surroundings that are separate from the two usual social environments of home ("first place") and the workplace ("second place").
The Circle is intended to be a space for networking, socializing, theologizing, planning, collaborating, mentorship, and even asking if you can crash on someone’s couch while you’re on a road trip.
Community of Christ members are some of the kindest, most generous people many of us have ever met, and one of the most valuable aspects of membership/affiliation with the church is access to its passionate people.
A few housekeeping items to be completely transparent from Parker:
🆓 This space is 100% FREE.
🌳 The Circle is an initiative offered by Cottonwood Creative, a cross-border marketing agency I started in 2021. I use my agency’s resources to give back wherever I can to social impact organizations and my own denomination: Community of Christ.
If you'd like to join, just complete the form to get started!
All are welcome to join the Gardena Congregation’s regular (2nd and 4th Wednesdays) online community gatherings.
This is an open forum. We have an assigned facilitator, and they select a meaningful topic. Sometimes we simply have a prayer service. Sometimes we discuss current events. Topics discussed in the past include Gaza, housing, violence, responsible gun ownership, gardening, and more.
Usually the facilitator will share for about 15-25 minutes and then we talk about it.
The practice of praying for peace is a powerful witness of Community of Christ’s commitment to the pursuit of peace on and for the Earth.
Community of Christ’s Formation Ministries Team invites all to participate in the Prayer for Peace via live-stream on the church’s Facebook page and Youtube channel at 1:00 p.m. Central US Time (11:00 a.m. Pacific) each Wednesday. The weekly worship is also open to the public at the Community of Christ Temple in Independence, Missouri, USA.
* Join on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CofChrist
* Join on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CofChrist/streams
The Center for Living Water and Formation Ministries collaborate to make these events possible.
Additionally, resources for individuals, families, and worship leaders will be provided on https://cofchrist.org/daily-prayer-for-peace/. Users can explore additional materials to prepare a Prayer for Peace service, including scriptures of justice and peace, prayers for peace, and more. Prayer for Peace worship elements also will be available on HeraldHouse.org.
All staff are encouraged to add this weekly event to their calendars and participate in this important practice. Join us in this transformative journey as we come together in prayer for a peaceful world.
The Community of Christ Historic Sites Foundation is hitting the road once again on a church history tour this 6-15 October! Join Barb Walden and Peter Smith as they experience Community of Christ history through eight states and Canada. The “Drawn from the Nations of the World” tour will trace our faith community's roots as a global family exploring the history of early church members who were instrumental in Community of Christ's story and identity. The 10-day journey will take place 6-15 October starting in Independence, Missouri, USA, and finishing in Kirtland, Ohio, USA. To learn more about this tour and to reserve your seat on the bus, follow the link below.
Ian and Eli are documenting their progress on the Simi Valley front yard remodel project via Instagram. Please like and follow them through their journey. More Posts to Come. Thanks for your support!
Join us weekly on Mondays at 7:30 a.m. This is a great covenant and sacred group community - all are welcome!
About this Group
This is a dynamic group meeting every week for laughter, learning, and love for each other. Please join us, all our welcome in this safe space, for sharing and spiritual growth.
Meeting ID: 870 5122 1903
Passcode: 568336
Draft Statement on Nonviolence
Since the 2019 World Conference, the church has explored nonviolence in response to WCR 1319, utilizing the alternative common-consent process. At the 2023 World Conference, delegates addressed the question: Should the First Presidency continue to develop a statement on the role of nonviolence in the pursuit of “peace on and for the Earth” (Doctrine and Covenants 165:1d) and in the life and mission of the church?
Given the overwhelming support from delegates, the First Presidency has crafted a draft Statement on Nonviolence. The statement is presented to the church for feedback, with a deadline of 28 February 2025.
Your input is important. Read statement here.
You are invited to provide feedback on the “Introduction,” “Statement on Nonviolence,” and “Further Context” sections. The survey is provided in English, French, and Spanish. Choose the language of your choice in the upper-right corner of the survey available here: https://forms.office.com/r/FQcZpPzchL
In March 2025, the First Presidency will review the feedback and update all three sections as necessary. The latest versions of the “Introduction,” “Statement on Nonviolence,” and “Further Context” will be distributed to the church by 1 May 2025.
The delegates of the 2025 World Conference will consider just the section titled, “Statement on Nonviolence” using elements of the alternative common-consent process. Plan to be part of this historic experience.
Do You Know How to Find Community of Christ Songs Online?
Glenn Johnson has created a playlist that allows you to select Community of Christ Sings hymns by Community of Christ artists such as the Beyond the Walls Choir. Click here to see the hymns in numerical order.
CCS 457 Healer of Our Every Ill has been recently added to the list here.
