In her book Turning to One Another: Simple Conversations to Restore Hope to the Future, Margaret Wheatley makes the assertion, “…We can change the world if we start listening to one another again.…The only way the world will change is if many more of us step forward, let go of our judgments, become curious about each other, and take the risk to begin a conversation.”

We find ourselves in the midst of challenging times as a nation. Lately it seems as though we have experienced heightened political, racial, gender and religious tensions. Social media has exploded with heated debates regarding people’s view on gun control. There are innumerable topics that come up in society that have polarizing positions. I admit that I have my own personal views on many subjects bubbling up in

our country. However, if I am to acknowledge the Worth of All Persons – one of our faith movement’s most foundational Enduring Principles – I have a

responsibility to set aside my personal position in order to truly listen to those that have different views than I do.

When we are vulnerable enough to truly listen to one another, we find that each person’s position is shaped by their life experiences and underlying needs. When we

engage in deep listening – setting aside our own agenda and beliefs to be truly present to another - we create the space to hear personal stories. It is in this space that we find out what is truly important and essential to each one. It is in this space where two consenting people or parties come together that the answers to challenging questions and the solutions to difficult problems can creatively be addressed and solved.

During this season of Lent let us consider fasting from judgment. Let us set aside our personal views in order to listen with an open heart to those that think differently than we do; to “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.” (Stephen Covey). Jesus did not choose a position from the ones present in his society. He forged a new way of understanding for humanity through love and Divine wisdom. He was the example of how we can change the world one relationship at a time.

Wheatley believes that “People are the solution to the problems that confront us.” It is humanity’s interconnectedness that holds the key. The answers to many of life’s challenges lie within the Spirit that is inherent in and among all people. Let us find courage to deeply listen to one another; to open ourselves to new ways of understanding; to change the world one relationship at a time.

Be the Change By Nina Warriner

INSIDE

HISTORICAL RECORDS REQUEST

2

News from Elyria 2

SPECTACULAR 3

IYF 3

SPIRITUAL RETREAT 3

REUNION GUEST MINISTRY

4

PEOPLE NEWS 4

CALL FOR HELP 4

Temple School Certification Procedure

4

UPCOMING EVENTS AT THE KIRTLAND TEMPLE

5

TG WORK WEEKEND 5

Plan ahead 5

REUNION 2018 6

CALL IN DAY 6

Central Lodge application

7

Summer camp 8

Spring Retreats 8

Take a Journey Historical sites

8

News from New Philadelphia

9

Greenwood Palmyra Tour

9

Church updates 9

MC Fall Conference

9

EASTERN GREAT LAKES MISSION CENTER

MARCH 2018

THE BEACON

After a service remembering the victims of the Florida school shooting it was decided to draft a letter to officials. Jim Spilsbury wrote a letter sent to Congressmen Portman and Jordan whose district the Elyria church lies. Congratulations to Kaeleigh Corrigan who participated in local music competition and

received a 1 (highest score) for a saxophone duet and a

2 for a quartet piece.

A letter seeking historical information is being distributed by the Community of Christ Church History and Sacred Story Team to USA and international congregations. To: Members, leadership Re: Historical records update Dear Friends, We’re updating our historical information here at International Headquarters, and we need your help. Believe it or not, the last historical documents request made to congregations was in 1922. We’re asking congregations to send materials no longer in use — scrapbooks, guest books, previous historians’ materials, branch secretary minutes, membership records or photographs — to the church archives at the Temple in Independence. (Congregations should continue to send historical information to their mission centers, if this is what is currently done.) There is no specific deadline for the historical materials, so they can be sent or transported to the Temple as it’s convenient. Materials received will be stored in the archives and be used to accurately share our church story with future generations. Materials will not be returned to participating congregations. We suggest the materials be scanned and the electronic form (USB drive, CD, PDF) be sent. Mail materials to Community of Christ Archives, 1001 W. Walnut St., Independence, MO, 64050, or send by Google Drive. If you have questions: rkillebrew@CofChrist.org. Some tips: Keep documents in the same temperature and

humidity that would be comfortable for people. Don’t expose stored records to direct heat or light

or put the records in basements, attics or damp areas.

Sincerely, Community of Christ Church History and Sacred Story Team

News from Elyria

By Ruth Campbell

Congratulations to the family of Fynnleigh Page Krugman. Daughter of Halie

and Alex Kugman, she arrived on December 28th 2017. Fynnleigh is the granddaughter of Julie and Vince Sigmund and the great granddaughter of Joyce and Ron Harmon. The congregation gathered at the home of Ray and Ruthie Campbell for a superbowl party. Despite the nasty weather all enjoyed good food and games complete with prizes for halftime scores, uniform design, and grab-bag surprises.

PAGE 2 THE BEACON

(

Congregations receive historical records request

For youth who have completed the 9th through 12th grade.  All campers will have opportuni es to par cipate in leadership and discipleship 

development, diverse worship, and expression of arts, music, and sports.  ALL REGISTRATIONS WILL BE ONLINE 

FEES AND FORMS DUE DATES Checks or money orders payable to EGLMC 

  Cost $365 ($345 for sibling or first  me friend) Postmarked by June 1, 2018 

$495 if postmarked a er June 1, 2018  

Mail check or money order to:   Kelsey Batey, 6009 Campbell Rd, Mentor on the Lake, OH 44060 

 

For more informa on contact: Kelsey Batey call: (440) 487‐6687 or  

RISK AND RENEWAL SPIRITUAL RETREAT

April 13-15, 2018 - The Temple (Independence, MO) Join us for a contemplative retreat experience focused on the connection between inner transformation and outward action. How do we respond authentically, courageously, and compassionately to the pressing issues in our world today?

Exploring contemplation and action. What does it look like to embrace a contemplative posture in our relationships, through social media and technology, and amid divisive issues? Join us in a spiritual retreat as we encounter wisdom throughout our spiritual heritage for addressing injustice, uncertainty, and change.

We will engage in practices, share in contemplative dialogue, and discover how to meaningfully engage with the world when we are rooted in the Spirit as the source of our action.

Cost: $65.00 Early Bird Registration, $75.00 after March 1, 2018

Housing is not provided for this retreat. Meals are included in the cost of registration. The opening session of this retreat will begin Friday night at 7PM and the retreat will end at noon on Sunday. Register: spiritualformationcenter.org

For more information contact: Katie Harmon-McLaughlin at khmclaughlin@cofchrist.org or 816-833-1000x2393

2018 International Youth Forum-USA (IYF USA) will be held July 19-20, 2018 for youth who have finished grades 9-12 (or ages 15-19) It will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, July 19; and end at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, July 20th. Cost: $180 check or money order

made payable to EGLMC, postmarked by June 1st.

Mail to: Kelsey Batey,

6009 Campbell Rd,

IYF ST()RY

PAGE 3 THE BEACON

Spectacular 2018

July 21-28, 2018

PLEASE NOTE: You must attend both IYF & Spec unless you contact Kelsey about having your own transportation.

LACHLAN MACKAY APOSTLE,

COUNCIL OF TWELVE Northeast USA Mission Field

Lachlan Mackay is a member of the Council of Twelve Apostles, assigned to the Northeast USA Mission Field. He also serves as Historic Sites director and Church History and Sacred Story Ministries Team lead.

A native of Independence, Missouri, Lach received a bachelor of arts in economics and Russian arts studies from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He is active in the John Whitmer Historical Association; the Mormon History Association; and the Nauvoo, Illinois, Chamber of Commerce. He co-authored A Time of Transition: The Kirtland Temple, 1838–1880. He was the winner of the John Whitmer Historical Association’s “Best Article” award for 1999. He also has published articles in Mormon Historical Studies, The Encyclopedia of Latter-day Saint History, The Journal of Mormon History, and Religion in Ohio: Profiles of Faith Communities. Community of Christ has 250,000 members in more than 60 nations. The church’s mission is to “proclaim Jesus Christ and promote communities of joy, hope, love, and peace.” Community of Christ International Headquarters is located in Independence, Missouri.

MISSION CENTER ROLES CHESAPEAKE BAY USA MISSION CENTER

Apostle, Council of Twelve EASTERN GREAT LAKES USA MISSION CENTER

Apostle, Council of Twelve MICHIGAN USA MISSION CENTER

Apostle, Council of Twelve MID-ATLANTIC USA MISSION CENTER

Apostle, Council of Twelve NEW ENGLAND USA MISSION CENTER

Apostle, Council of Twelve

MISSION FIELD ROLES NORTH EAST USA MISSION FIELD

Apostle, Council of Twelve

PAGE 4 THE BEACON

Reunion guest ministry

We are entering the planning stages for what promises to be another fantastic Reunion this coming summer! Apostle Lachlan Mackay - will be spending the week with us! Please prayerfully consider how you would like to help out.

If you would like to share in some capacity during the week, please contact Denise Hoyt at dehoyt890@yahoo.com or Sandy Davis at eglmcsandy@roadrunner.com or call 440-256-1441.

Temple school certification procedure

These are the current procedures for reporting and recording Temple School classes. Please use the following process:

1. At the completion of an approved Temple School course, the instructor sends the course information and list of students to the mission center office,9017 Chillicothe Rd, Kirtland, OH 44094.

2. Mission center will prepare and send certificates to Pastor.

3. Mission center will send the course information and student list to Membership Records for Shelby recording.

March 11th

A call for help Reunion 2018

Deaths: Danial George Eckart-Kirtland Rose J. Grant—Beechview Carol Maurico– Barberton

People News

We want to share this information in order for you to be able to plan your contribution for the 2017 reunion/family camp these are the cost per person.

Registration Fees: $40.00 per person

Walk on registration fee: $50.00 per person

Central Lodge per person for the week: $258.00

West Lodge per person for the week: $195.00

RV’s/Cabins per person for the week: $184.50

Tent per person for the week: $151.50

(children 3 and under are free)

As always you need to send your registration fees with your housing registration this will allow us to plan for food and supplies.

PAGE 5 THE BEACON

There will be an Easter Sunrise service held in the Kirtland Temple, April 1, 2018, doors will open at 7:00 am and the service will begin at 7:30 am. All are welcome to attend.

The listed cost are the amounts that the mission center will be charged

per person for the full week. If you will not be attending the whole week and

would like to contribute for the days that you will be attending contact Sandy at the mission center office prior to camp. The listed costs are to help you with your contribution we will have several free will offerings during the week so no one has to miss Reunion/Family Camp because of finances. Meals will cost $9.25 each if you are visiting for the day and on Sunday we will offer a $18.00 meal ticket good for meals that day only.

Upcoming Events at the Kirtland Temple

Plan ahead for eglmc reunion/family camp

Picture by Kevin Williamson

Although there are many details of this year’s reunion still to be finalized, we want to make sure to let you know what IS scheduled so that you can plan accordingly. If you require housing in Central Lodge, you need to fill out the application found here in the Beacon and send it in to the Mission Center Office by March 31. Call-in day for West Lodge will be April 21 from 10am – 1 pm. If you want cabin area or camper area housing, you can call Sandy anytime starting March 1. Tent area space is first-come/first-served. As always, there will be a $40 per person registration fee, due as soon as you book your housing space, with the remainder of the cost of reunion covered by free-will offerings during the week. Check-in will begin at 2:00 pm on Saturday, June 30 in the Central Lodge. Our theme will be “Breathe New Life”. Apostle Lach MacKay will be our guest minister, and will speak at the Sunday morning

communion service that will begin at 10:30 am in the Assembly Building. Monday through Thursday we will have a daily schedule with classes for all age groups in the morning followed by recreation and special activities later in the day. “Last Day” participation seems to dwindle no matter what day it is on, for probably many different reasons. This year we will not have any class sessions on Friday. The children’s class program and open house will be held from 9:30-10:30 am. Closing Worship will start at 11:00 am. Lunch will be served following the closing worship, but we will give the kitchen a headcount for Friday lunch on Thursday so that they can prepare accordingly. Likewise, we do not want to cut short anyone’s time on the Temple Grove grounds. Waterfront activities can be available on Friday afternoon if there is sufficient interest. Denise Hoyt will be trying to make up for missing most of last year’s reunion by directing this year again.

Please let her know if there are reunion responsibilities that you are willing and able to do. Text or call 607.661.8720. email dehoyt890@yahoo.com.

PAGE 6 THE BEACON

EGLMC 2018 REUNION – JUNE 30-JULY 6 – TEMPLE GROVE CAMPGROUND

PAGE 7 THE BEACON

PAGE 8 THE BEACON

DON’T FORGET YOU CAN REGISTER ONLINE!

If you register online (deadlines and cost for late registration will still apply) make sure to bring your completed health form, copy of your insurance card

and registration fee with you to the event, check or money order made payable to EGLMC.

Join Andrew Bolton, Barb Walden, and Peter Smith as they explore Community of Christ's Dreams of Zion this

OCTOBER 13-22, 2018 Join our three tour leaders on an exciting 10-day church history adventure exploring how early church members lived all things in common and carefully crafted city designs for the Kirtland, Nauvoo, and Independence communities. Witness beautiful autumn views as you visit Shaker and Harmonist communities of the past and learn of their unique approaches to creating heaven on Earth. Discover what an ecovillage is all about. Walk the grounds of intentional Christian communities, from a Benedictine monastery to a Bruderhof in rural Pennsylvania. Meet people who are passionately dedicated to living the gospel through a communal lifestyle to-day. Hear the stories of the past and present and gain a new perspective of what it means to be Community of Christ. For more information about this exciting tour experience, reservations, and travel details, please contact Barbara Walden by phone at: (440) 477-9562; or email at: bwalden@HistoricSitesFoundation.org.

TAKE A JOURNEY INTO OUR COMMUNITARIAN PAST

NEWS FROM NEW PHILADELPHIA BY BOB LOMAX

Well it has been a snowy cold winter, but you already know that. Our

regular services and activities have been hampered by the low temperatures and high amounts of snow fall, but we still have managed to do quite a lot.

The young adults have started a study class. Priest Rebecca Lawrence is the teacher. The material they are using is called “Weird”. It is a lot of down to earth subjects that you would like to know; but were afraid to ask. The class is being held once a month at the church. The cold didn’t

slow them down one bit, in fact their influence in the community is starting to snowball (pardon the pun), but they have added 5 new members to the group, their total membership is now at 41.

We enjoyed the ministry of our guest speaker Evangelist Jose Feliciano in January.

Bob Lomax has started a new series on the Facebook page “So you think you know the Bible”. It is being posted on a daily bases. Various subjects are being discussed.

We would also like to congratulate Tom Lomax he graduated from Aultman College of Nursing in December. We are feeling so blessed with the different ministries and levels of participation that are happening in our congregation. May the Lord bless you and those around you.

The Greenwood Congregation is planning a Sunday Service and Tour at the Palmyra Sites on Sunday May 20th. We are finalizing details but are currently planning a service outside the Grove and Smith Farm with a picnic lunch and then heading over to Hill Cumorah for a tour of the visitor center and the Hill. We welcome anyone to come and join us for the day. We will plan the service to start at 10am. Please contact Becky Cummings if you think you may be joining us at 585-519-3894.

THE BEACON Page 9

If you haven’t checked out Church updates yet please take a moment to take a look. It is anoth-er great way for us to keep up with things going on in the mission center. Congregations are encouraged to post announcements about up-coming events share good news, prayer re-quests, opportunities to server and give. On Church Updates, be sure to include all important info about the date, location, and time so every-one who wants to participate can do so! If shar-ing a prayer request please Make sure that you have permission from the individual(s) to share their concerns if you will be listing any names. If you do not have permission, please be sure to share only a general idea of the concern without using any names. Thanks for sharing your plans! Just a reminder if you are not receiving the weekly emails you can enroll yourself in the Church Updates program by going to the follow-ing website and setting up an account at https://cofchristeglmc.churchupdates.org/login/

Church updates

Mark your calendar! Mission Center Fall Conference will be

held September 22nd. Plan to

attend, we will be electing our

delegates and alternates for the

2019 World Conference.

Watch for more information.

“Faithful disciples respond to an increasing awareness of the abundant generosi-

ty of God by sharing ac-cording to the desires of their hearts; not by com-mandment or constraint. Break free of the shackles

of conventional culture that mainly promote self-

serving interests. Give generously according to

your true capacity. Eternal joy and peace await those who grow in the grace of

generosity that flows from compassionate hearts

without thought of return. Could it be otherwise in the domain of God, who eternally gives all for the

sake of creation?”

Doctrine and Covenants 163:9

Greenwood tour & service at Palmyra

9017 Chillicothe Rd. Kirtland, OH 44094

Phone: 440-256-1441 Fax: 440-256-5533

Email: eglmcsandy@roadrunner.com

EASTERN GREAT LAKES MISSION CENTER

W E’ RE ON THE WEB! WWW. EGLMC. ORG

UPCOMING EVENTS APRIL 1 Easter Sunrise Service in the Kirtland Temple 6 Anniversary Church 1860 Organization & Reorganization 21 Call in Day for Reunion Housing 16-20 MEADS (Independence) MAY 13 Mother’s Day 18-20 Temple Grove Work Weekend 20 Pentecost/Endowment Day 28 Memorial Day JUNE 17 Father’s Day 24-30 EGLMC Summer Youth Camp 30-July 6 EGLMC Reunion/Family Camp

Akron/Barberton Buffalo Clarence

Elyria Erie

Fayette City Greenwood

Kirtland Meadville

Mon Valley New Hamburg

New Philadelphia Niagara Falls

Pittsburgh Beechview Pittsburgh North Hills

Pittsburgh South Hills-Bethel Park Sharon