I am part of a faith community that holds as one of its core values the worth of all persons. I am part of a faith tradition called to the restoration of all of creation into right and loving relationships. I am called as part of this faith community to love all people, and all of creation, and to strive to bring healing to the whole of that creation. A few days ago the First Presidency (A quorum consisting of the Prophet-President and two counselors, that preside over and prophetically guide, call, challenge the church…) released a statement regarding Immigration Issues in the United States. The statement starts out:

As an international community of faith, called to be faithful above all else “to Christ’s vision of the peaceable kingdom of God on earth” (Doctrine and Covenants 163:3b), we affirm that:

• All of life is sacred to God. God is concerned about the whole world and all its inhabitants.
• God calls the church to be in the forefront of organizations and movements that recognize the worth of people (Doctrine and Covenants 151:9).
• We stand in the shadow of the cross and the suffering of Jesus with Christians of all denominations. We are called to become aware of the “unnecessary suffering” of others and work to end it (Doctrine and Covenants 163:4).
• We are called to strive for a just and peaceful world in which people may achieve their full potential as human beings and children of God.
• God calls us to promote community where each person is welcomed; experiences belonging; finds a spiritual home; receives the ministry of peace, reconciliation, and healing of the spirit; and lives in healthy relationships through the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the cause of Zion.
• The purpose of the church is to become “a sanctuary of Christ’s peace where people from all nations, ethnicities, and life circumstances can be gathered into a spiritual home without dividing walls, as a fulfillment of the vision for which Jesus Christ sacrificed his life” (Doctrine and Covenants 163:8c).

Statement on Immigration Issues in the United States, First Presidency, Community of Christ, July 2007

I am glad to see our leadership taking the time to reflect upon these issues and upon the call and mission of the church, I now hope that as a called people we will embrace our calling and truly work toward the restoration of all of creation, and that day when people of all faiths, of all lands, are able to live in peace and harmony and recognize the worth of all people. The day when we all respect and honour and take care of all of creation rather than exploit the world and the people of the world.

To read the full statement go to:
http://www.CofChrist.org/peacejustice/issues/immigration.asp

Peace be with you,

After all I have gone through, after all I have supposedly learned, I somehow still forget or at least struggle with taking “Sabbath.” This summer I have found myself often coming into work on my days off and finding something to do work wise for at least part of the day. I have also rarely taken my full lunch break, often not even half of it before returning to work. I have a hard time saying, “NO, I need to rest,” especially to myself. I would think after being forced to take a year of rest I would have learned, but yet I see myself falling into the habit of forgetting the needed “me” time. Perhaps it is difficult as I enjoy my work, I work with my friends who are in many ways my family. Perhaps it is because some of my work doesn’t even feel like “work”. I really don’t know. What I do know however is if I do not ensure I take time to rest, it will eventually be detrimental to both myself and to the work that I do am and that which I am called to do.

I know my struggle will be even greater this coming school year. For in the fall I have no 24 hour period to take as a time of personal Sabbath. I will be driving to school Monday mornings, classes in the afternoon and evening, classes in the afternoons on Tuesdays and every other week in the evening, and Wednesday morning then drive back to Kirtland. Thursday through Sunday I will find myself working at the Temple and with the MC. Somewhere in there I will need to ensure I take time out to rest, to grow and allow myself to be refilled and restored, for if I do not how can I work in, with, and through community toward the restoration of creation?

Well I’m of to try and relax rather than work as I’m off until 1pm CDT today.

Peace,

This coming autumn, well truly the end of summer, I will embark on a wonderful journey. A journey that I am sure will have its shares of challenges and stresses, but one I will never forget due to the joy and wonder that is sure to be a part of it as well.

As I return to school I will also be returning to a place special to me, the Kirtland portion of the Temple. It is here with the new Spiritual Formation and Visitor’s center that I will have the opportunity to do the majority of my field education requirement for my degree. It is an exciting time to do so, for Community of Christ is starting to embrace more fully and grow in its understanding the ministries of Temple and what it means to be a people of temple and in Kirtland there is the new Spiritual Formation Center ready to be utilized as we do so.

While I am one who at times am overwhelmed by my skill of procrastination, I have found myself working on my learning and serving covenant, which is not due until sometime in September or October. At present I am just trying to build out a framework that reflects the discussions I have had with the MC president and with the Kirtland Temple site Coordinator along with MTSO’s guidelines for the learning and serving covenant. It has a long way to go, but the fact that I have started it even before knowing when it will be due, is amazing to me. I just hope that I am up to the task and challenges that I am so eagerly anticipating in the coming year. (Though I will be sad when July comes to an end and my WSC friends leave, and also a tad sad when Aug comes to end an end and I leave my friends here in Nauvoo.)

This summer is a summer of learning and serving without a covenant. It is a summer of memories, and a summer of preparation for when I enter into that learning and serving covenant and whatever lies ahead on my journey of life.

Peace be with one and all