Events

Mission Center Conference 2025: November 1 (Chula Vista)

Dear Friends,

Mission Center Conference will be held on Saturday November 1st  and we have made the decision to have the conference at the Chula Vista Congregation in the San Diego area.  We recognize this is a significant shift in location but we are trying to accommodate our members and friends from Mexico to join us for the conference.  We recognize that not all from Baja will be able to attend but this location provides a greater opportunity for those with approved travel documents to participate.  We are planning to begin moving the conference location around so that each of our gathered communities can provide hospitality and we can celebrate being gathered communities across the mission center.  

We also recognize that for some, this is a significant journey so the Chula Vista congregation has agreed that if people want to spend the night to help cut down on travel time in a day, the dorm rooms they have will be available.  If you would like to reserve a dorm room, please let Gina Norton know.  Her email is ginanorton52@gmail.com  or her phone number is 619-851-0327.  

Also, Field Support Minister Blake Smith will be our guest and provide classes in the morning and share during the conference.  He will also provide guest ministry on Sunday morning.  We will share more about the class focus, arrangements for food, and also the tentative agenda for the conference in a couple of weeks.  

Currently, we are planning on beginning at 9:30am with worship and then a class with Blake from 1o:15-noon, lunch, then another session 1-2:30, with the actual conference being called at 3:00pm until 5:00.  Again, this is our tentative schedule but hopefully it helps you in planning travel.  

More will be shared as our plans continue to come together.  Please plan to join us for fellowship, worship, conference decisions, and sharing as gathered community on Saturday November 1st.  

International Day of Peace Events (Sept. 21, 2025)

Two in-person events of note are taking place to commemorate the United Nations International Day of Peace. The Joan B. Kroc Institute in San Diego will host an indoor event entitled Voices for Peace. Also, an Interfaith Walk organized by the Institute for Religious Tolerance, Peace, and Justice will take place in Los Angeles beginning at St. Basil Roman Catholic Church and culminating at the Islamic Center of Southern California. (Marching is optional).

Details on the in-person events are below.


VOICES FOR PEACE - SAN DIEGO

San Diego
Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace at University of San Diego
Sunday September 21, 2025
12:00 - 2:00 p.m.

Voices for Peace

Join the Kroc Institute for Peace for a powerful afternoon on International Day of Peace as we reflect on the human cost of nuclear weapons and imagine a more hopeful future.

Experience a moving video message from Hiroshima survivor Mike Kawamura, who shares his firsthand story of survival and calls for compassion and action in the face of nuclear threats.

Hear from leading experts in peacebuilding and international security as they examine today’s nuclear landscape and explore strategies for prevention. This timely discussion, “Voices for Peace: Confronting the Nuclear Threat, Creating a Hopeful Future,” will highlight both the risks of nuclear war and the pathways toward peace.

Conclude the afternoon with a hands-on, reflective workshop. Together, we’ll fold paper cranes, symbols of peace and remembrance, in solidarity with survivors and communities worldwide. This event is open to all who care about building a safer, more peaceful world. Whether you’re a student, policymaker, activist, or simply curious, your presence and perspective matter.


10th Annual Interfaith Solidarity March Los Angeles

Faiths in Unity: Reclaiming our Humanity

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER, 21, 2025

Join us for the 10th Annual
Interfaith Solidarity March Los Angeles
"Faiths in Unity: Reclaiming Our Humanity"

On the International Day of Peace
Sunday, September 21, 2025

Marcher arrivals and sign-in begins at 1:00 PM; Event ends by 6:00 PM. If you choose not to march, you may join us for the panel at the ICSC at about 3 PM. We’ll post the program on our website on the day of the event.

Register on eventbrite

Starting Location: St. Basil Roman Catholic Church, 3611 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90010

Ending Location: The Islamic Center of Southern California, 434 Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90020

For parking information, register and stay tuned to our website and social media posts.

Join us marching in partnership with dozens of marches around the world. Let us walk together to affirm freedom, diversity, and respect among nations, ethnicities, and religions, as we learn to live in peace.

Our march pillars:

• We are united in rejecting hatred and oppression in the name of religion and in supporting freedom of worship or belief.

• We are united to stamp out bigotry and violence of every sort, and in support of the right to live peacefully.

• We are united in affirming the role that the interfaith community must play in safeguarding the health and safety of all people.

At the conclusion of the march, there will be a panel discussion honoring the International Day of Peace. Speakers and panelists to be announced.

Tickets are Free, but we encourage you to donate to help with event expenses. Donations are fully tax exempt as allowed by law (Tax ID # 45-1209238).

For Questions or to Sponsor: InterfaithMarchLA@gmail.com

Produced by the Institute for Religious Tolerance, Peace and Justice, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The Interfaith Solidarity March LA is a flagship partner of the Interfaith March for Peace & Justice, the world’s largest coalition of interfaith marches.

Seven Prayers for Peace for Int'l Day of Peace (Sept. 21)

Seven Prayers for Peace
Written by Glenn Johnson

As we prepare for the International Day of Peace on September 21, you are invited to share in the Seven Prayers for Peace. These are designed to be used for individual spiritual practice as meditative prayer readings. You may read them silently or speak them aloud.

They may also be used as an element in a worship service.

The final prayer, Prayer Sharing the Peace of Jesus Christ, could easily be listed first. It reads somewhat as a responsive reading where the leader reads the bolded part and the congregation engages in “Passing the Peace” by speaking the unitalicized words. In a congregational setting worshippers approach one another an as one speaks the words “Peace be with you” the other responds with “and also with you.” The congregants then find another person to repeat the passing of the peace with and repeat the exchange. This is a common practice in many denominations but is practiced less often in Community of Christ.

In some settings, the passing of the peace is phrased as “The peace of Christ be with you … and also with you” while in still others it may be “The peace of the Lord be with you… and also with you.”  Sometimes it is shortened to simply “Peace of Christ.” And sometimes the response is a simple echo: “the peace of Christ” back to the first person. There isn’t really a right or a wrong way and of course it can be done in many languages too.

The seven prayers were selected to highlight seven foundations of peace, but they do not cover all dimensions of peace or address all contexts of injustice and violence. The seven foundations upon which the prayers are based, are as follows:

·      Prayer of Peace for the Earth. The Hebrew concept of Shalom often begins with a foundation in the Creation. God declared the Creation good. The primordial status of creation was both good and peaceful. While we have wandered from our commitment as humanity to the Sacredness of Creation, the Prayer for Peace for the Earth acknowledges peace for creation as a foundation of peace.

·      Prayer of Peace Within. Recognition of human dignity and worth begins with a foundational understanding of the Worth of All Persons. Blessed with the assurance of our own goodness and God’s infinite mercy, we can pray for inner peace. A peace within that sustains for peaceful interactions and situations across contexts. Continuing Revelation.

·      Prayer of Peace in Relationships. As a foundation for peace, Peace in Relationships acknowledges that we cannot live alone. A life lived for the self alone risks being unfulfilled and empty. When we see the value in others we find Unity in Diversity. Peaceful relationships depend upon respect for differences and commitment to living in community. When we live together peacefully, we experience the Blessings of Community.

·      Prayer for Interfaith Peace. Traditional western conceptions of “religion” have a tendency to divide peoples and create a sense of otherness. A transcendent understanding of the divine invites us to recognize that All Are Called – not simply in our contexts, but across all contexts including other faith traditions and value systems and networks.

·      Prayer for Just Peace. Peace for peace’s sake falls short of the divine call to Shalom if it is not based on justice. A true peace is a just peace. Extending justice means erasing injustice, unfairness, inequity, and all attempts at marginalization. We make Responsible Choices when we make just choices. To live justly, is to live righteously. When one class of people controls and dominates society, this may quell violence or dissent, but it does not mean that true peace has been achieved. Mandated peace is often simply oppression. Only peace with justice is a true and lasting peace.

·      Prayer for a Peaceful World. At the core of our identity as Community of Christ is our Pursuit of Peace (Shalom). For peace to be possible, one of its foundations must be peace between all people. If nations must exist, then they must exist peacefully to achieve true Shalom. In an idealistic sense, moving towards true Shalom will mean abandoning all nation-state complexes. While we are not likely to see this in our lifetimes, it is an ideal evolution of peaceful society. And it is something that we ought to pursue continuously and peacefully.

·      Prayer Sharing the Peace of Jesus Christ. The first enduring principle of Community of Christ is Grace and Generosity. This principle is based on an understanding of the grace of God. As members of Community of Christ, we understand that Jesus Christ is the blessing of God’s shalom. When we share the Peace of Jesus Christ, we share the greatest gift that God’s grace has bestowed upon us. A grace that is most fully realized when it is shared and whose fruits are peace.

 

One final note, if you share any of the Seven Prayers for Peace online, please credit the source as follows: Source: Community of Christ, 2025. This will help Community of Christ retain rights of editorial use and control of our content. Thank you. Glenn Johnson.

 


 

Prayer of Peace for the Earth

God of Creation, we pray for Peace for the Earth.

With awe and wonder, we praise your great and marvelous works. The depths of the seas are filled with your bounty. The heights of the mountains are your footstool. We scrutinize the tiniest pieces of matter and energy that you have created from your imagination. We seek to decode the very spirals of life you have envisioned. In the heat of the day your clouds provide shelter. In the coolness of night your infinite stars light our path.

And yet the joy of our searching is interrupted by our own careless pollution. In our arrogance, carbon has been spewed into the atmosphere. Temperatures rise generation across generation. Reverence is replaced with revolution. Gratitude is supplanted by greed. Forgive us. Forgive our carelessness, neglect, and complicity.

Detach our identities from consumption and greed. Let us find new ways of living that heal the earth. May each sacred meal we are granted in the living of life be a moment of communion with the earth. We seek your divine will in the patterns of nature. Grant us holy wisdom in finding sabbath and rest for the earth. Bless us with the insight that the new creation we seek is already among us. Open our eyes to peace for the earth. Amen.

 


 

Prayer for Peace Within

Peace of the presence, attune my breath to your indwelling.

Let fear and insecurity pass. Hear my prayer of grief and let solace heal my wounded spirit. Break my addictions. Let me have no idols, no false gods. Strengthen my resolve to remain true to my calling. Quiet my restless mind and anxious heart. Help me to sense your attention and desire for joy, hope, peace, and love in my life. Satisfy my longing for meaning and understanding. Let wisdom, compassion, and empathy find a gentle resting place within me.

Forgive my pride and ambition. I turn from greed, ambition, avarice, and envy. Let inner peace animate my goodwill. Create in me, a pure heart, Oh God.

May your divine presence rest upon me and comfort me. Let acceptance be my watchword and mercy be my compass. May trust shape my attitudes and predispositions. May forgiveness flow from my center. May gratitude shine from my countenance. May awe inspire my actions and reveal your will. May peace dwell within me and justice journey by my side. Amen.

 


 

Prayer for Peace In Relationships

Peace of the kin-dom of God, bless our relationships.

Enter the life of our family in whatever form and grant us love, calm, and mutual respect. Bless intimacy with your abiding peace. May our familial commitment to safety, protection and shelter never be forsaken. Help us to forgive one another’s little mistakes. Replace pettiness with empathy and replace competition with collaboration.

Help us to love our neighbors as ourselves, always bringing peace to those with whom we live in community. Grant us unity in diversity and harmony even amidst the struggles of life. Replace fear with compassion.

Help us to find those opportunities to evolve transactional relationships into transformational relationships where mutual connections are valued and common ground is discovered.

Let us protect ourselves even as we respond to aggression with nonviolence and understanding, and respond to violence with restraint.

May we invite all into the kin-dom of God and practice inclusion in our words and deeds. Let us approach all with tenderness of feeling. Amen.

 


 

Prayer for Interfaith Peace

God of many names and author of all understanding, help us to appreciate the diversity of cultures and beliefs among individuals and groups. Melt our hearts and help us to give up all prejudice. Forgive our intolerance and accept our pleas for guidance in all things.

May we replace suspicion with wonder and curiosity. Help us to understand that the labels of orthodoxy and heresy are dependent on perspective. May we value our diversity and share our differences honestly without antagonism.

Grant us humility and the ability to learn from others. May we be unthreatened by that which seems different, even contrary to our experience. Help us to appreciate the divergent paths of others and find common ground when it presents itself.

May mutual respect and the conferring of dignity to all persons allow us to converse and find agreement in many things.

May we find alliances in the cause of justice, and friends in the pursuit of peace. For we see the divine presence among all of creation, and divine truth spread across all peoples and cultures.

Bestow the blessings of peace on all peoples we pray. Amen.

 


 

Prayer for Just Peace

God of Justice, we hear your call to resist the temptations of riches, prestige, and domination. Forgive us for our complicity in all systems of privilege and domination. Help mold our resistance into a determination to extend truth, equanimity, and fairness to all people. Bring an end to bias, discrimination, and racism. Put aside our tendency to nationalism and xenophobia and replace it with an appreciation for the good in all peoples.

Where there has been inequality, oppression, and persecution, let the healing of reconciliation enter our ways. Break down the structural barriers to equality and impartiality. Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

May reparations and restitution be made for injury and wrong. May our desires be peaceful and our ways just. May peace come into all hearts and just-dealings enter into every market, hall and court. Amen.

 


 

Prayer for a Peaceful World

God of all, accept our plea for peace. Too many times, mothers have wept for their sons. Too many times, fathers have wept for their daughters. Too many times, children have wept for their parents. Our world is awash in violence and grief is everywhere. Guns attack children in schools and worshipers in their houses of worship. Everywhere persons perish by their own hands, the hands of another and mercy seems nowhere to be found. When will it end? How will your voice be heard above the crying?

Forgive us for othering and making different those whom you have created beautifully and wonderfully. Forgive us our divisive national identities, ethnic strife, religious opposition and culture wars – for they lead to violence within and between nations. Let us become a part of the solution by promoting critical thinking and providing empathy education. Give us the resolve to speak up for diplomacy and international organizations that foster understanding. Let us be willing to sacrifice wealth to promote economic equity and opportunity. Fill us with tolerance, compassion, and mutual respect on the pathway to peace. Help us to love our enemies and  bless those who would persecute us.

Let there be peace on earth. Amen.

 


 

Prayer Sharing the Peace of Christ

Peaceful One, may I share the peace of Jesus Christ with all in this blessing of peace.

Peace be with you… And also with you.

Peaceful One, may I share the peace of Jesus Christ without scorn and without hesitation.

Peace be with you… And also with you.

Peaceful One, may I share the Peace of Jesus Christ, giving thanks for the heavens and the earth and all of Creation.

Peace be with you… And also with you.

Peaceful One, may I share the peace of Jesus Christ, giving thanks for the bread and the wine in holy Incarnation.

Peace be with you… And also with you.

Peaceful One, may I share the Peace of Jesus Christ, giving thanks for comfort and guidance in the Spirit of Wisdom.

Peace be with you… And also with you.

Peaceful One, may I share the Peace of Jesus Christ, with joy, hope, and love.

Peace be with you… And also with you.

Peaceful One, may I share the Peace of Jesus Christ, from the first light of morning until past the setting of the sun.

Peace be with you… And also with you.

 

Online Series: Peace Perspectives

The free online lecture series, Peace Perspectives continues.

The Zoom sessions will open at 12:45 p.m. for a preliminary discussion with introductions and prayer from the host. Remaining lectures in this series:

27 September: Stassi Cramm, president-designate of the Community of Christ, will present The Role of Nonviolence in Living Christ’s Mission for International Day of Peace. 

11 October: For International Day of Women for Peace, a lecture by Sherri Kirkpatrick is anticipated but not confirmed.

1 November: For All Souls Day, A Celebration of Founders, Jim Doty will discuss Glaud Rogers, Ruma Swartzentruber will talk about her father, Ririfatu Maritanagi, and others are anticipated. 

7 December: Events planned for Human Rights Day include a Christmas Tea, with a special speaker.

Online Community Gatherings with Gardena (2nd/4th Wednesdays)

All are welcome to join the Gardena Congregation’s regular (2nd and 4th Wednesdays) online community gatherings.

This is an open forum. We have an assigned facilitator, and they select a meaningful topic. Sometimes we simply have a prayer service. Sometimes we discuss current events. Topics discussed in the past include Gaza, housing, violence, responsible gun ownership, gardening, and more.

Usually the facilitator will share for about 15-25 minutes and then we talk about it.

Weekly Prayer for Peace Live-Stream Details

The practice of praying for peace is a powerful witness of Community of Christ’s commitment to the pursuit of peace on and for the Earth.

Community of Christ’s Formation Ministries Team invites all to participate in the Prayer for Peace via live-stream on the church’s Facebook page and Youtube channel at 1:00 p.m. Central US Time (11:00 a.m. Pacific) each Wednesday. The weekly worship is also open to the public at the Community of Christ Temple in Independence, Missouri, USA.

 *   Join on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CofChrist
 *   Join on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CofChrist/streams

The Center for Living Water and Formation Ministries collaborate to make these events possible.

Additionally, resources for individuals, families, and worship leaders will be provided on https://cofchrist.org/daily-prayer-for-peace/. Users can explore additional materials to prepare a Prayer for Peace service, including scriptures of justice and peace, prayers for peace, and more. Prayer for Peace worship elements also will be available on HeraldHouse.org.

All staff are encouraged to add this weekly event to their calendars and participate in this important practice. Join us in this transformative journey as we come together in prayer for a peaceful world.

October 6-15 Historic Sites Bus Tour Information

The Community of Christ Historic Sites Foundation is hitting the road once again on a church history tour this 6-15 October! Join Barb Walden and Peter Smith as they experience Community of Christ history through eight states and Canada. The “Drawn from the Nations of the World” tour will trace our faith community's roots as a global family exploring the history of early church members who were instrumental in Community of Christ's story and identity. The 10-day journey will take place 6-15 October starting in Independence, Missouri, USA, and finishing in Kirtland, Ohio, USA. To learn more about this tour and to reserve your seat on the bus, follow the link below.

2023 PSI Event Dates Announced

Mark your calendars!

The official dates for Reunion 2023 are June 17 - 21, with staff arriving on the 16th. We will be hosting WBT again for the summer at Buckhorn.

Senior High Camp dates are June 10 - 16 at Whispering Pines in Arizona. There may be some school district conflicts, but we are putting on the calendar at this time.

SPEC 2023 will be July 14 - 22 with Crystal Moreno serving as the PSI leader for CALIZONIA.

MC Conference will be one day, on November 19th, in-person at Upland. Apostle Harmon will be our guest minister. There will be a SPEC FUNDRAISER that day.