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\mō-'zā-ik\
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6/12/2016

World Conference 2016 in Review...by Tracey Johnson

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Throughout the 8 days at conference, my thoughts kept coming back to the same statement:
 
We are bound together.
 
My sister, Becky Brinlee, and I spent a good amount of time together this week. I think it’s the first time I’ve ever been on such a long road trip with JUST my sister. We chattered and laughed on the way up and fell quite silent by the time we got home. I loved getting to know her better as a sister and friend at this stage in our lives. 
 
I was so blessed to watch my son, Parker Johnson, work the crowd there. Because he’s who he is, he knows a lot of people from all over the world. He treasures his relationships and friendships and kindles each one. He is bound by the relationships and perspectives he has gathered as he’s grown up in our church.
 
We are bound together as a community of believers...
 
...When we sang “The Spirit of God Like a Fire is Burning” with the huge gathering of saints at Sunday morning communion service with such vigor and enthusiasm and HOPE.
 
...When we gathered together each day to sit, side by side, in delegations from all over the world, working to achieve common consent on issues where all perspectives needed to be voiced in order to completely understand.
 
We attended a garage sale or two (or was it 25?). At a particular church sale, we noticed after pulling out of the parking lot that it was a restoration branch of our church. I began to notice more congregations like that one as we drove from here to there. Honestly, I was pretty disappointed to see so many who had left our church to take a stand in another direction. I was unclear of the beliefs of the restoration and remnant churches. I soon realized it’s not who we AREN'T, it’s who we ARE. And that’s what I believe ties Community of Christ together in the most important way. Community of Christ is bound by the belief that stands for the worth of all persons. 
 
We are bound together with a common cause.
 
The new tithing policy is something I am quite appreciative of, thus challenged by. 
 
A testimony was given one day about the first conference in Independence, more than 100 years ago. When the offering was taken there, money was gathered, but things like diamonds, pearls and rubies were also in the baskets. The members felt compelled to give the treasures they were wearing to support the cause of Zion. 
 
Steve Veazey’s words at the final Saturday morning service spoke to me. “The only way that there will be no poor or oppressed is for the rest of us to change our ways.” 
 
I heard those words. They rang true to me. 
 
He also said these words, “Generosity is spiritually liberating for those who are caught in excessive consumerism and self-indulgence."
 
I would like to align my time, talents and budget with the church’s new tithing policy. I plan to make more purposeful, responsible purchases, budgeting more carefully, so there is more money to contribute to the work of the church and the needs of others. 
 
Tracey Johnson
Seminole Congregation

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3/19/2016

Generosity: Another Perspective

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There are moments when it can appear that there is nothing but bad news that comes from World Church, especially when it comes to finances. However, for this month’s testimony I want to to share with you another perspective, the other side of the story, the good news about generosity in the church and the impact we are making. Here are three generosity facts for each Mission Initiative from the past 12 months:

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Invite People To Christ
  • Over 2 million pages were viewed on www.cofchrist.org, by more than 200,000 people, from 200 different countries
  • There were over 31,000 visitors to the Kirtland temple (95% of visitors were not current members of Community of Christ) and nearly 12,000 visitors to the Temple in Independence
  • We had an increase of 67% in followers in Social Media
 
Pursue Peace
  • More than 14,000 people participated in the Golden Jubilee Celebration in Orissa, India
  • There were over 4,000 children that visited the Children’s Peace Pavilion
  • 1,097 hours were volunteered for the Daily Prayer for Peace
 
Abolish Poverty and End Suffering
  • $1,967,000 in World Hunger grants and $255,000 in Tangible Love grants were given
  • This funded 78 projects in USA, Honduras, India, Philippines, Bolivia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo, England, Malawi, Chile, Nepal, Ivory Coast)
  • Oblation funds were used to provide $5,000 for 270 families in Malawi after flooding, $25,500 was sent to Nepal after the earthquake and $10,000 was given to assist the Syrian refugee crisis
 
Develop Disciples to Serve
  • 23 World Service Corps volunteers served in 11 countries (USA, Honduras, South Korea, Spain, French Polynesia, England, Germany, Netherlands, China, Thailand, New Zealand)
  • Nearly 9,000 people visited www.spiritualformationcenter.org from 97 countries
  • There were 8,056 hits to Lessons and Ideas on www.cofchrist.org and over 500 downloads of the Doctrine and Covenants eBook

Experience Congregations in Mission
  • 163,000 visits to the Resources section of www.cofchrst.org
  • 300 French and English versions of Community of Christ Sings were distributed in Eastern Africa.
  • Over 800 participants from 101 congregation participated in the Leading Congregations in Mission (LCM) program, during 78 Retreats in USA, Canada, Australia and the British Isles

General
  • Nearly $200,000 was given online in less than 24 hours on Giving Tuesday 2015
  • There are now more contributors to Mission Tithes than in the last 5 years, with nearly 500 new donors in 2015
  • Not to forget the over 45,000 weekly worship services, lead, organized and planned by thousands of volunteer pastors and priesthood members the world over
 
What is the message we should take from the past 12 months in the life of the church? 

I want to suggest that the message is: Membership is growing, generosity is increasing and the church is making an impact. Thank you!
 
Richard Betts
Generosity Team Leader
 
Find out more about Richard by clicking here.

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  • Home
    • Our Faith >
      • Basic Beliefs
      • Enduring Principles
      • Mission Initiatives
      • Sacraments
      • Generosity
  • Connect
    • Calendar
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    • Contact >
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