August 28, 2007

connecting the Community of Christ staff community

Welcome to New Staff

Emily Gray is this year’s Peace Colloquy intern. She will work with Shelley Ruhlman and Andrew Bolton as we prepare for the fifteenth Peace Colloquy. Originally from Jonesport, Maine, Emily graduated from Graceland University with a B.A. in history this past May. She has been a summer intern at Community of Christ historic sites in Nauvoo, IL and Kirtland, OH. Emily will present a paper at the John Whitmer Historical Association conference in Kirtland next month. Welcome, Emily!

New Partnership

Mark Scherer accepted a full-time faculty position with Graceland University effective August 2007. This move aids the growth of the Community of Christ Seminary toward Association of Theological Schools (ATS) accreditation. The church supports this transition and is transferring funding to the Seminary to support Mark’s position. In return, the Seminary will allow Mark to continue in his role as the World Church Historian. Mark will also share on history-related teams at International Headquarters (IHQ) and he will keep his office in the Temple complex.

We are excited about the opportunities this partnership between the church and the Seminary will create. We appreciate Mark’s willingness to share his educational preparation and expertise with the greater Community of Christ through this essential faculty role while still supporting key historical ministries of IHQ.

Opportunity to Support The Groves and Grandma’s Alzheimer’s Fund

The Groves is an Independence, Missouri, retirement community affiliated with Community of Christ. Each year The Groves partners with Grandma’s Alzheimer’s Fund for a special event to raise dollars to enhance the lives of the residents of the Groves and other long-term care facilities in eastern Jackson County, especially those with Alzheimer’s Disease. You are invited to this year’s event!
• What: The Groves/ Grandma’s Alzheimer Dinner and Auction
• When: Saturday, September 8, 2007, auction begins at 6 p.m. and dinner is at 7 p.m.
• Where: Laurel Club, The Auditorium, Independence, MO
• Cost: $50 per person ($30 of which is tax deductible)
• For tickets: Contact Anne or Wally Smith at (816) 252-3212

Dr. Cameron Camp, a noted researcher in Alzheimer’s Disease and developer of a Montessori-like program to increase the skills and cognition of Alzheimer’s patients, will speak. You will enjoy a delicious Laurel Club dinner and can bid on more than 100 items in a silent auction, including handmade quilts, paintings by local artists, Hummel figurines, and more.

An International Approach to English – Writing with Clarity for the Whole Church

Writing clearly is essential for good communication throughout the church. A class on “Writing with Clarity” is being taught by Steve Shields on September 25, 2007 from 1:30 – 5:00 in the Seminar room. Heather Lawson, Learning and Development Specialist, is coordinating the class. IHQ staff who prepare resources for the church, including those who communicate with or write for people with a primary language other than English should attend. Heather is contacting staff members identified by Team Leaders and Enrichment Group Leaders. If you have an interest in this area and would like to attend, please contact Heather Lawson at hlawson@CofChrist.org or ext. 2431 to see if space is available.

New Event Registration Policy

At the WMCT meeting last week, a decision was made to modify our policy on the way World Church employees and IHQ volunteer staff are charged for registration fees at World Church events. Beginning January 1, 2008, the policy will be as follows:

• For IHQ staff who are expected to attend World Church events in support of the event or as part of their staff development plan, there will be no registration fee required

• For IHQ staff who are interested in attending as part of their staff development plan, but identify this need after the event budget is established, you can seek approval from your E-Group leader to attend and with approval will receive a 50% discount on the registration. You will need to submit this request and cost to your E-Group Leader for reimbursement.

• For field staff who are required to attend or who have the approval to attend from their field apostle, you will receive a 50% discount on the registration with the cost submitted through your MR for reimbursement.

• For staff who are interested in attending for their own experience, you will receive a 50% discount but no reimbursement.

Though this policy will go into effect January 1, we will provide the 50% discount rate for the upcoming Peace Colloquy. Since the registration forms and systems had already been put into place prior to this change, we are not able to implement the new procedures for the Peace Colloquy. So, IHQ staff who are attending will still need to pay the registration fee, but will be reimbursed according to the guidelines defined above. Please submit your reimbursement request to your E-Group Leader. For field staff, you can submit your reimbursement request to Terry Parcel and your MR will be credited.

Staff Recognition Luncheon

The 2007 Recognition Event will be held on Thursday, September 13th from 11:00 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. in the lower assembly room of the Auditorium. The change to an earlier time allows everyone to be available to attend the Daily Prayer for Peace at 1:00 p.m.

This year our event has a sports theme―"Tail Gate Party". The menu includes brisket, baked beans, coleslaw, bread and dessert. Punch and ice water will also be served. The event will be casual attire. Please join us for lunch, fellowship and fun as we honor our IHQ volunteers, co-workers and retirees for their years of dedicated service to the mission and work of the Church.

On-going Team Meetings

John Pinkerton is arranging team meetings with IHQ teams that will work with Wim van Klinken after October 1. During these meetings teams will be able to meet Wim and talk specifically about team issues. Agenda items will include a review and update, as needed, of the team charter, evaluation of how the team is working including progress and current needs, and an opportunity for team members to ask questions about IHQ. Given the number of teams, these meetings will be spread over several weeks.

Enrichment Group Meetings Begin in September

Save these dates for upcoming E-Group meetings this fall.

• September 5

• October 3

• November 7

• December 5

World Church Leadership Support meets at 8:30 a.m.; Ministry Support Specialists meet at 2:00 p.m. and Service Support Specialists meet at 3:30 p.m. All meetings are currently scheduled for the Continents Room. IHQ staff residing outside the Independence area will be included through a teleconference.