October 1, 2014

RMMC Weekly Update

October 1, 2014

From Tim Ashburn

 

Greetings Rocky Mountain Mission Center!

 

In Brene Brown’s book Daring Greatly, while describing shame and how to combat the effects of this rampant snatcher of confidence, she admits that she did not want to let her research become larger, she wanted it to stay small.  She wanted the great work she was doing to almost go unnoticed by the masses.  She says she was concerned about the critics.  Some people can be quite cruel and she was not ready to deal with the possible opinions about her work.  In other words, she was not willing to be vulnerable, she was content to engage in small ways for fear of opinionated people.  Of course, this is one of her own stories of moving from fear to openness, from caring about what people think to living in a “wholehearted” way as she says.

Do we limit what we have to offer the world?  Do we allow the possibility of rejection or critique get in the way of engaging with people in true connection?  I suppose we do!  If we had our authentic selves as our guide, what would that look like?  Jesus seemed to be able to see and hold up the good, lovable, connecting parts of all people to others and to themselves, many had forgotten who they were.  Jesus replaced the culture’s definition of who a person was with the God created view.  It was transforming, it was an act of being seen in authenticity.  If each one of us could be stripped of the messages of who we “should” be and simply be what gives our hearts joy to be, I would suspect that our journey to connect to others would be more natural and less anxiety driven.

If we believe that we are able to see with “new eyes” as followers of Jesus, then perhaps we need to rediscover our sight.  Encountering the divine, through missional practices, prayer, meditation, walking in nature etc, are ways to better vision.  Ways that would compel us to see how our vulnerability is a doorway leading to possibilities not able to be contained by our thoughts of smallness about ourselves.  Shall we dare to be?

 

Blessings,

Tim

 

MISSION PRAYER:

“God, where will your Spirit lead today?  Help me be fully awake and ready to respond.  Grant me courage to risk something new and become a blessing of your love and peace.” Amen

 

 

ROCKY MOUNTAIN MISSION CENTER EVENTS: PLEASE SHARE THESE ANNOUNCEMENTS IN YOUR CONGREGATION!!!)

 

Registration is now OPEN! Persons can register online and pay online for the Rocky Mountain Mission Center Conference, November 7-9, 2014, YMCA of the Rockies, Estes Park, Colorado.  Our guest ministry will be Scott Murphy of the First Presidency, Zach McLaughlin, Missionary Coordinator and Daniel Harmon, Congregational Support Minister.  Zach and Daniel will be sharing their ministry of music with us.  Our theme is “Encounter.”  We will be exploring and providing opportunity for encountering the divine, each other, and community.  Please plan on joining us in Estes Park this November!  Conference information will be available by next week.  Look for it online and in your congregations!

 

President’s Address October 5, 2014, 6:00 p.m. CDT

We look forward to being together through live webcast at 6 p.m. (CDT), Sunday, October 5, when you are invited to gather at churches and homes for the President’s Address on www.CofChrist.org.

On October 5, President Stephen M. Veazey’s address “will focus on the joy of generosity as a spiritual practice that draws one closer to God and others. I will also provide an official interpretation of the church’s teaching and practice of tithing to support Christ’s mission throughout the world.”

Following the address, President Veazey will answer your e-mail, Twitter, and Facebook questions live!

In preparation, please invite people to:

We look forward to this opportunity to discern together.

Live webcast testing: September 25-26 and October 3-4

 

ONLINE REGISTRATION IS OPEN!! Oct 24-26- Peace Colloquy and Jr./Sr. High Peace Colloquy Retreat.” The event will begin at 7:30 p.m. (CDT) Friday with the Community of Christ International Peace Award ceremony at the Temple in Independence, Missouri. Throughout the weekend we will explore many vital issues we need to understand to Abolish Poverty, End Suffering throughout the world. We will learn about root causes of poverty, poverty traps, and how our best intents may hurt rather than heal. Come learn how Community of Christ ministries and strategic partnerships can lead to approaches that work and are sustainable. The Colloquy will include programming for adults, junior and senior high students, and children in kindergarten through fifth grade. Learn more at www.CofChrist.org/peacecolloquy EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION ENDS SEPTEMBER 24TH!

 

Camp Paradise Women’s Retreat is being rescheduled for a later date and location.  Please watch for updated information on this event.  Please contact director Sandy Burkey at sandytwo@prairieweb.com or (308) 641-1275 with questions or to register. We hope to see you!

 

 

WORLD CHURCH ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

We need photos of your congregation’s meeting place! Thank you to the many who have already responded. We are building the new find-a-congregation directory that will be part of a redesigned Community of Christ website (coming soon). The directory will include a photo of your location/church building along with the congregation information. Submissions need to be sharp, high-resolution photos, framed as a landscape (horizontal) with sky and ground showing. This will allow for any necessary cropping. E-mail photos along with your congregation’s name, address, mission center, and pastor name(s).

 

OTHER ITEMS:

10 Minute News: For more information from the World Church please go to

www.cofchrist.org/news/10min. The 10 Minutes News Report can be subscribed to electronically (see the side bar at the website titled E-Subscriptions.)