Community of Christ Southern California Mission Center
 

March 12, 2010

TO: Southwest International Mission Center
Southern California Mission Center

RE: Mission Center President Assignment

Dear Friends:

As you know, this is a time of change for our church, and that includes a variety of personnel changes as well. In August, when I received the results of your two mission center conferences, I said I would honor the decision to not merge the two mission centers. I repeat that commitment here. However, due to the ongoing challenges resulting from the global recession, I will not be able to maintain my other promise, which was to allow each mission center to have its own Mission Center President.

As of April 14, Stephen Hatch’s assignment will change and he will no longer serve as the Mission Center President for Southwest International Mission Center. At that time, Terry Read will be assigned as the Mission Center President for Southwest International Mission Center as well as Southern California Mission Center.

Terry is a familiar face in SwIMC, and many have shared with me their positive response to his ministry and leadership. He has expressed his commitment to be a presence and a pastoral leader in SwIMC as well as SCMC, and I am confident in his ability to handle this dual assignment. He and Michele McGrath will collaborate well as they work in both mission centers to facilitate mission, lead witness and outreach, and provide quality supervision of resources and personnel.

I ask for your prayerful support for both Terry and Michele in their leadership positions. May God bless both mission centers with hope and dedication as we move into the future.

Blessings,

Susan Skoor
Council of Twelve Apostles

Hunger Challenge

March 26 8PM - 28 12PM

ARE YOU READY TO GO HUNGRY SO OTHERS DON'T HAVE TO?

If so, come to the Hunger Challenge March 26-28 at the Hemet-San Jacinto Congregation. You have the chanceto provied a community with a rice mill, a water buffalo or a school. It is up to you how much money you can raise to give others in the world achance to sustain themselves.

We will be meeting at 8PM on Friday and fasting until noon on Sunday. This is your opportunity to do something. Take the leap...Go Hungry...So others don't have to. Bring your donations that you raised, $10, and a friend. Let's change the world!

Unity in Our Community Cancelled

Because we could not secure our desired location for this year’s event, this year’s Unity in Our Community is cancelled. We anticipate resuming this event (which has grown each year) next year. Thanks to all who were set to help out with this community-building and community-connecting event.

Change in SCMC Administration

We have added a bookkeeper to our administrative staff. Effective March 1, Rickie Miller has begun work in bringing accounting support to the mission center. All correspondence and other communication regarding financial matters should be sent to the address below. As always, please feel free to contact Michele McGrath with any questions about any or all financial concerns.

Tonia Cooper will continue on SCMC Staff as our administrative assistant and still serves as our mission center recorder.

New address for all mission center financial matters:

Community of Christ
Southern California Mission Center
P. O. Box 1330
Simi Valley CA 93062
(805) 577-5907
(805) 577-5937 FAX
rmiller@CofChristLA.org

Special Conference

Sunday, March 21, 3:00PM
Center for Christian Ministries
9468 Broadway, Temple City

This message will serve as notice for a special SCMC Conference on Sunday, March 21, 3:00PM at the Center for Christian Ministries, 9468 Broadway in Temple City. The only agenda item to be considered concerns the disposition of assets for the El Segundo Congregation. On Sunday, February 21, El Segundo met in conference, and approved the closure of the congregation as well as a recommendation to the mission center for the distribution of congregational assets. A formal resolution will be published in the next week. Because the recommendation includes a request for the immediate release of funds (primarily for Outreach International), we do not wish to delay action on the recommendation until our regular annual conference nine months from now.

Church bylaws state that special mission center conferences may only transact business on the matter specified in the call of the conference. In addition, concerning notice of special conferences, the bylaws are worded, “Normally notice of all mission center conferences should be given to the various congregational pastors within the mission center at least four weeks prior to the mission center conference…” (World Church Bylaws, Article VI, Section 6). Please note that this notice is actually two days shy of four weeks’ notice. Because of both the timeliness of the matter for the conference and the busy schedule in late March-April (Holy Week, World Conference, Unity in Our Community), we are asking the indulgence of the body this one time for this exception to “the letter” of the bylaws.

Generosity Stories

It’s that time! The March generosity stories and World Ministries contribution update are attached for distribution to your congregational worship planners, pastors, and financial officers. Apostle Mary Jacks Dynes’ Canada/North Central USA Mission Field is the focus of the March stories, and is also featured in the Sharing in the Field section of the March Herald.

Access the stories, along with links to additional offertory ideas, at www.cofchrist.org/generositystories

Visit www.CofChrist.org/generositystories for:

Use of this material is strongly encouraged so that members get a better picture of the ministry of the church, both locally with Congregational Ministries Mission Tithes, and also throughout the world with how World Ministries Mission Tithes supports this ministry. Remember to include pastors and congregational financial officers in your generosity stories communication loop.

News from Haiti

The news from Haiti has a small glimmer of hope — 7 school children have been pulled from the rubble alive. But countless more are unaccounted for as the days continue to pass.

Below is our latest update on the Haiti earthquake. Please consider being an ambassador for the victims of Haiti, by donating a special one time or regular gift, or talk with family and friends about the situation and how they can help. Your support is needed now more than ever.

Here is the latest update from Haiti:

01/19/2010 - Outreach International’s Haiti school children, staff and facilities are so severely impacted with loss of life and destroyed buildings that the organization cannot come close to accounting for extent of loss.

Matthew Naylor, Outreach International President, received an email today from Michel Rosier, Outreach International schools network director stating, “It is difficult and even painful to give you a detailed report on the Haitian situation. I thank you so much for your extreme concern for the Haitian people.”

With a teacher staff of 300+, Rosier and another staff member, Augustin Derat, executive director for the schools programs, are the only two staff accounted for. Both of them, along with their families, are living on the streets.

Early reports indicate that 7 of 12 schools which have been inspected are destroyed and the rest seriously damaged. There are at least 20 schools in the affected area. Rescue efforts at one school have saved 7 students from the rubble. Rosier states, “nothing can be done for the others trapped.”

With the Outreach International schools network so badly damaged, initial support for relief efforts has been made through Doctors Without Borders (MSF) located in Port-au-Prince, who will supply the type of immediate relief requested by our staff members on the ground.

Naylor promises, “Outreach International will continue to invest in the long-term development in Haiti. We pledge to remain with the surviving children, families, and staff in order to put their lives back together. We will stay for as long as it takes. This is where the bulk of our resources will go.”

Outreach International has already sent over $35,000 to assist with the initial relief efforts.

We've been overwhelmed by the generosity of many people with charitable hearts, but this crisis will continue long after the wounds are treated and rubble is removed. Outreach International will still be there after the dust settles helping the families rebuild their lives. Please continue to stand beside us as we stay with these families for the long haul.

Thank you,

Matthew C. Naylor, President
Outreach International

Outreach International will use your donations for our relief aid and field work in Haiti. If we exceed our financial need, funds will be used where it is most needed.

Empowering Ministry Workshops

Hello all,

As we have traveled around and shared with you in congregations, over Powerpoint presentations, in Chats under the Pines, Town Hall meetings, informal conversations and email discussions, two concerns about the merger seemed to be most clear. One is a need for more financial information. The other is a desire for a greater level of support for congregational mission and vision in locations closer to where you are.

Below is a flyer for something that we, as a combined mission center staff, would be very excited about bringing to a location near you – a series of workshops on Empowering Congregational Ministry, that we would like to offer in 7 or 8 different locations around the new mission center. These workshops would include ongoing support for congregations that desire to be more focused on mission and growth.

Please pass this information on to anyone who is not yet on our mailing list (we’d love to include them if you’ll let us know their email) and make it available in your congregations on Sunday morning.

Michele McGrath
Southern California Mission Center Financial Officer
Community of Christ

Empowering Ministry Workshops

Announcing Seminary Certificate Programs

The Seminary has made some exciting new certificate programs available which are especially suited for self-sustaining ministers and life-long learners. I’ve you’ve ever wanted to “go deeper” or know someone who might, I encourage you to check it out and forward the information as appropriate!

My Tithing Plan

The Presiding Bishopric would like to call your attention to a new online version of My Tithing Plan. You can find the new version on the web at www.CofChrist.org/generosity/mytithingplan/. This new version allows you to plug in your numbers and the form calculates the math for you. Once you have the numbers inserted, you can save it to you own computer or print it for future reference. Country-specific versions are available for Australia, British Isles, Canada, and the United States.

My Tithing Plan is a personal and confidential resource to assist disciples as they prayerfully and intentionally consider their tithing response. It is hoped that disciples in the Community of Christ will use this tool as part of a spiritual process that acknowledges the grace and generosity of God and leads to a tithing response.

We are asking you, as congregational leaders, to let members and friends in your congregation know that this resource is available. Please discuss this resource with your congregation and to encourage contributors to use it.

Many thanks,

Michele McGrath
Southern California Mission Center Financial Officer


  
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