Sunday, November 22, 2015

Social Hour Potato Soup


Here's the recipe that Sim & Melissa used to make potato soup for the congregation today during the social hour:

http://www.redaprongirl.com/cream-bacon-potato-soup/

I had three bowls!  Delicious!  With social hours like these, it's gotten to the point where no one wants church to end anymore.

Friday, November 6, 2015

Prayer of Dedication for Our New Church Home


Apostle Stassi Cramm, newly called as Presiding Bishop of the Church and into the First Presidency, gave our prayer of dedication for the new Centre Place church at 320 Richmond Street East, #101

God of Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow,

In the gift of this moment, we unite our hearts, minds, and souls as a faith community in prayer as we dedicate the Toronto congregation’s new building.

We dedicate this facility with the hopes that the Toronto Community of Christ can continue in their unfolding story to live fully into our global identity and calling as Community of Christ in this area.

We give thanks for the faithful disciples who have gone before us whose commitment and dedication created and sustained this congregation to allow this moment to happen. Knowing your presence with this congregation historically, we look forward to the future with great expectation and hope. In that spirit of anticipation, we pray that this facility will support this congregation in continuing their journey as an invitational, Christ-centered community of justice and peace.

God, through the generosity of faithful disciples, this new state of the art facility has been created to use the best of what is available today to support innovative approaches for mission opportunities in Toronto and beyond. May the entrepreneurial spirit that dreamed this facility into being continue to lead and guide the leaders and disciples as they respond to the mission opportunities around them.

Gracious God, may this facility serve as a place of both a place of restoration and challenge as disciples gather and grow in how to live a meaningful life together. May the people and the messages that flow from this space, be sent to invite others to come and experience this Christ-centered community of justice and peace. As the Holy Spirit leads, may people have the courage to boldly invite others to commit their lives in living Christ’s mission as part of an inclusive faith community.

Loving God, we dedicate this space to be used in ways that allow people to learn, grow and develop healthy relationships with you and others. As disciples and seekers are shaped and formed by the activities that occur within this space or are transmitted from this space, we pray that they will make responsible choices and take actions both individually and collectively to abolish poverty and end suffering while pursuing peace and justice everywhere.

May those who enter this space either physically or virtually encounter a community who embodies the enduring principles of Community of Christ. May grace and generosity flow abundantly, may the sacredness of your creation be supported, may your continued revelation be heard and acted upon as people recognize the worth of all persons, the calling of each, and the need to make responsible choices.

May those who gather or connect virtually represent the diversity in the world and the unity we share through your Divine spark in all creation. And may this holy space be a place where people live out and express the blessings of community and pursue Christ’s peace both internally and externally especially in the midst of life’s difficult moments.

Creator God, as we dedicate this space as well as the gifts that generous disciples shared to make it possible, we also recommit our individual and communal lives to be the embodiment of Christ in the world. We commit ourselves anew to be your co-creators, following the leading of the Holy Spirit, in building your vision of Shalom in our families, neighborhoods, and cities one relationship at a time.

And God even as we dedicate this facility, we also pray that when the time comes that this facility is no longer a functional tool for mission that the group that is stewarding the building at that time, will have the wisdom to celebrate the blessings that came through the facility while having the courage to let it go in favor of new ways to pursue mission.

We step into tomorrow with an assurance that your Spirit that has led this congregation to this moment will continue to be the lamp unto their feet as they move onward in living Christ’s mission in whose name we pray, Amen.
______________
Update: Here is the Video:


Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Video: Nov. 1, 2015 Communion Service

We're excited to be posting our first ever service on video.  We're not live streaming yet, but we're excited to test the new Centre Place building's capacity to begin to provide meaningful content to seekers beyond our walls and our city.

The theme of our service was "Commanded to Love" and our reading was Mark 12:28-34 (the greatest commandment).  Joe Hodgins conducted the service.  The Communion Message was presented by John Hamer.  Leandro Palacios gave the Prayer for Peace (whose lesson was on Daoism), and Mary Bailey offered the Disciple's Generous Response.