We Share Central

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We ShareCentral Michigan Mission
FieldCongregational Leaders Gathering

• 27 28 Feb 2009, Independence, MO
• 6 7 March 2009, Mt. Pleasant, MI

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Welcome
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Call To Worship

• Community of Christ, your name, given as a
  divine blessing, is your identity and calling. If
  you will discern and embrace its full meaning,
  you will not only discover your future, you will
  become a blessing to the whole creation. Do not
  be afraid to go where it beckons you to go. (DC
  1631)

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Now Sing to Our God (SNS 40 Verse 1)

• Now sing to our God a song of rejoicing
• Shout to the Lord with sounds of rebirth!
• Bring music and dances, sweet moments of silence
• Take action that fosters the healing of earth.

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Now Sing to Our God (Refrain)

• Sing to our God!
• (A song of rejoicing!)
• Shout to the Lord!
• (With sounds of rebirth!)
• Sing to our God!
• (A song of rejoicing!)
• Well live in the union the Good Spirit brings!

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Now Sing to Our God (SNS 40 Verse 2)

• For God is our maker and calls us as partners
• Blessing, redeeming, loving all things!
• With Christ as our model and evryone family,
• Well live in the union the Good Spirit brings.

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Now Sing to Our God (Refrain)

• Sing to our God!
• (A song of rejoicing!)
• Shout to the Lord!
• (With sounds of rebirth!)
• Sing to our God!
• (A song of rejoicing!)
• Well live in the union the Good Spirit brings!

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Now Sing to Our God (SNS 40 Verse 3)

• Encircle the globe with life giving justice!
• Stand reassured of Gods boundless grace.
• Be strong in the service of planet and creature
• Make each day of living an offring of praise!

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Now Sing to Our God (Refrain)

• Sing to our God!
• (A song of rejoicing!)
• Shout to the Lord!
• (With sounds of rebirth!)
• Sing to our God!
• (A song of rejoicing!)
• Well live in the union the Good Spirit brings!

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Invocation
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Our Focus Tonight

• The First Meaning
• We Share with Each Other
• Membership and participation in Community of
  Christ
• A common identity, mission, message, and beliefs

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We Share a Future
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All Are Called(R-9 V1)

• All are called, young and old, to see visions
  bright and bold,
• Of a time and a place where the Sacred shares all
  space,
• For our time, for all time, Gods great and
  marvelous work
• Burns within our hearts, burns within our hearts.

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All Are Called(R-9 V2)

• Quickened steps boldly take in our journey for
  Christs sake,
• New paths found, fresh hope shared, where the
  gospel is declared
• Walking proud, standing tall, responding to Gods
  call
• Love for loves own sake, love for loves own
  sake.

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All Are Called(R-9 V3)

• Open minds, willing feet, venture forth to every
  street
• Where the lost can be found, and the songs of
  hope resound.
• Every soul in its place, enfolded by Gods grace,
• Blessed with harmony, blessed with harmony.

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All Are Called(R-9 V4)

• Standing firm in the name of the One we do
  proclaim
• Give us life, sets us free, to embrace diversity.
• Many names, cultures vast, bring insights to the
  task,
• Blessed with harmony, blessed with harmony.

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All Are Called(R-9 V5)

• Laugh and play, voices raise in thanksgiving and
  in praise
• To our God who has made evil fail and shadows
  fade.
• Songs of faith we will sing, let holy laughter
  ring
• Joy, hope, love and peace. Joy, hope, love and
  peace.

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We Share a Mission
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Community of Joy, Proclaim the Living Christ!
(R-16 V1)

• Community of Joy, proclaim the living Christ!
• Come celebrate as famly in abundant life.
• Claim victory!
• The Christ of faith restores our joy and makes
  us free.

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Community of Joy, Proclaim the Living Christ!
(R-16 V2)

• Community of Hope, proclaim the living Christ!
• The future is our Gods and shines with
  grace-filled light.
• Claim victory!
• The Christ of faith renews our hopeand makes us
  free.

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Community of Joy, Proclaim the Living Christ!
(R-16 V3)

• Community of Love, proclaim the living Christ!
• Embrace the lonely, bruised, and lost affirm all
  life.
• Claim victory!
• The Christ of faith rekindles loveand makes us
  free.

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Community of Joy, Proclaim the Living Christ!
(R-16 V4)

• Community of Peace, proclaim the living Christ!
• Stand firm for justice, work to end all earthly
  strife.
• Claim victory!
• The Christ of faith redeems our peaceand makes
  us free.

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Community of Joy, Proclaim the Living Christ!
(R-16 V5)

• Community of Christ, proclaim the mission clear!
• Say Yes! to Gods persistent call release all
  fear.
• Claim victory!
• The Christ of joy, hope, love, and peacewill
  make us free.

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We ShareReflections by the First Presidency

• President Becky Savage, Independence, MO
• President David Schaal, Mt. Pleasant, MI

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We Share

• .Identity, Mission, Message and
• Beliefs

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We Share What prompted its Creation?

• A recurring question Who are we?
• Important pending mattersall needing to be
  grounded in common identity values
• A mission imperative
• A prophetic longing
• The need for unity alignment

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The Process

• Two years of prayer, study, dialogue
• Church leaders
• Expanded World Church Leadership Council
• Standing High Council
• Field officers
• Others priesthood retreats, small groups
• Connecting voice of Spirit with voices of the
  Church

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Dual Meaning of We Share

• We Share
• What we have in common with one another in
  Community of Christ
• We Share
• Our witness, ministries, sacraments, resources,
  and message generously with the world

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We Share a Vision for Creation

• Wolves and Lambs (Isa 116-9 NLV)
• In that day the wolf and the lamb will live
  together the leopard will lie down with the baby
  goat. The calf and the yearling will be safe with
  the lion, and a little child will lead them....

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We Share a Vision for Creation

• Broken down walls (Eph 212-14 NRSV)
• ... remember that you were at that time without
  Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of
  Israel, and strangers to the covenants of
  promise, having no hope and without God in the
  world.
• But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off
  have been brought near...
• For he is our peace in his flesh he has made
  both groups into one and has broken down the
  dividing wall, that is the hostility between us.

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We Share a Vision for Creation

• Cross and church seal

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We Share a Name

• Community of Christis your identity and
  calling (DC 1631)

We Share a Future
We are continuing to become Community of Christ
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We Share the Peace of Jesus Christ

• And whoso shall publish peace, yea, tidings of
  great joy, how beautiful upon the mountains shall
  they be.
• (1
  Nephi 3189)

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We Share a Mission

• We proclaim Jesus Christ and promote communities
  of joy, hope, love, and Peace.
• Proclaiming Jesus Christ ... Discipleship
• Promoting Communities ... Zion, Reign of God

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We Share a Sacred Story

• Do not fail to listen attentively to the telling
  of the sacred story, for the story of scripture
  and faith empowers and illuminates (DC 1615)
• Church History Principles
• http//www.cofchrist.org/ourfaith/history.asp

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We Share Sacraments

• Look especially to the sacraments to enrich the
  spiritual life of the body
• (DC 15811C)
• New sacramental pictures showing the wonderful
  diversity of the church

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We Share Enduring Principles

• What do we mean by enduring principles
• --its not just what we believe
• --its in our DNA as a movement
• --its in the core of the movements
• character, while still being
• what were called to more fully
• become

http//www.cofchrist.org/OurFaith/enduring-princip
les.asp
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Enduring Principles

• The Foundation God, Christ, Holy Spirit
• Gods revelation in Jesus Christ and continuing
  presence through the Holy Spirit, as proclaimed
  by scripture, is the foundation of our faith,
  identity, mission, message, and beliefs

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Enduring Principles

• Grace and Generosity
• Sacredness of Creation
• Continuing Revelation
• Worth of all Persons
• All are Called
• Responsible Choices
• Pursuit of Peace (Shalom)
• Unity in Diversity
• Blessings of Community

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We Share the Temple as Life-Giving Symbol

• And it shall be a place in which the essential
  meaning of the Restoration as healing and
  redeeming agent is given new life and
  understanding, inspired the life and witness of
  the Redeemer of the world
• (Doctrine and Covenants 1565e)
• Become a people of the Temple-those who see
  violence but proclaim peace, who feel conflict
  yet extend the hand of reconciliation, who
  encounter broken spirits and find pathways for
  healing.
• (Doctrine and Covenants 1612a)

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A Major Question

• If we truly embrace what weve just talked about,
  how does it shape our
• Relationships (God, planet, others)?
• Community witnessing and service?
• Congregational life?
• Praying?
• Priorities?
• Spending?
• Time?

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We Share and Discerning Congregational Mission

• KEY
• Discernment for mission
• We Share a foundational piece in the
  discernment process
• CRITICAL
• Live mission according to gifts

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The Spirit of God Like a Fire is Burning (R-18
V1)

• The Spirit of God like a fire is burning
• The latter-day glory begins to come forth
• The visions and blessings of old are returning
• The angels are coming to visit the earth.

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The Spirit of God Like a Fire is Burning (R-18
Refrain)

• Well sing and well shout with the angels of
  heaven,
• Hosannah, hosannah to God and the Lamb!
• Let glory to them in the highest be given
• Henceforth and forever! Amen, and amen!

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The Spirit of God Like a Fire is Burning (R-18
V2)

• The Lord is extending his saints understanding,
• Restoring their judges and all as at first
• The knowledge and power of God are expanding
• A people of justice, by Gods love inspired!

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The Spirit of God Like a Fire is Burning (R-18
Refrain)

• Well sing and well shout with the angels of
  heaven,
• Hosannah, hosannah to God and the Lamb!
• Let glory to them in the highest be given
• Henceforth and forever! Amen, and amen!

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The Spirit of God Like a Fire is Burning (R-18
V3)

• How blessed the day when the lamb and the lion
• Shall lie down together in peace with a child.
• With one heart and mind may the lord call us
  Zion
• A people of justice, by Gods love inspired!

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The Spirit of God Like a Fire is Burning (R-18
Refrain)

• Well sing and well shout with the angels of
  heaven,
• Hosannah, hosannah to God and the Lamb!
• Let glory to them in the highest be given
• Henceforth and forever! Amen, and amen!

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The Spirit of God Like a Fire is Burning (R-18
V4)

• We call in our solemn assemblies, in spirit,
• To spread forth the kingdom of heaven abroad,
• That we through our faith may begin to inherit
• The visions and blessings and glories of God.

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The Spirit of God Like a Fire is Burning (R-18
Refrain)

• Well sing and well shout with the angels of
  heaven,
• Hosannah, hosannah to God and the Lamb!
• Let glory to them in the highest be given
• Henceforth and forever! Amen, and amen!

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We ShareQuestions for the First Presidency

• President Becky Savage, Independence, MO
• President David Schaal, Mt. Pleasant, MI

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Our Focus Tomorrow

• The Second Meaning
• We Share with the World
• Witness
• Ministries
• Sacraments
• Resources
• Message

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Sending Forth

• Generously share the invitation, ministries, and
  sacraments through which people can encounter the
  Living Christ who heals and reconciles through
  redemptive relationships in sacred community. The
  restoring of persons to healthy or righteous
  relationships with God, others, themselves, and
  the earth is at the heart of the purpose of your
  journey as a people of faith. (DC 1632b)

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Closing Prayer for the Evening