Moving to Australia has been full of transitions both big and small for our family. Our daughters have had to get used to wearing school uniforms. My husband has gone from driving to work every day to catching public transport. I’ve had to learn to drive on the other side of the road and pay close attention to parking signs (only one parking ticket so far and no moving violations…I count that as a win).
There are so many things about this Aussie adventure that excite me: reconnecting with our Australian friends and family, discovering new landscapes and skylines, making new friends, broadening our perspectives, and of course, enjoying Melbourne coffee. Still, there are things I miss from home, things that are familiar and comfortable and foundational in my life. My mind could easily get stuck in that place of missing and longing if I let it. So I meditate and pray. I allow myself to be mindful of what I miss while remaining excited for what is yet to come. I pray that God will help me embrace the transition and see the beauty unfolding before me with each new experience.
Our global church is also in a time of transition. We may not know exactly what the path ahead looks like for Community of Christ, but there are a few things I know for certain:
The mission of Community of Christ is one our world desperately needs.
Our church is filled with deeply kind, compassionate, and loving individuals across the globe who have so much to offer.
There are people working tirelessly both in Australia and abroad to help our church survive and thrive in a changing world.
Thriving as an international church will require a period of significant transition.
The Australian Mission Centre has been mindfully navigating a process of transformation, with more changes and transitions still to come. We will soon be welcoming a new Mission Centre President, Meredith Carr, and her husband Dennis. Apostle Lachlan Mackay will be visiting this month and again in November. Things are continuing; things are changing. In the midst of it all, we can meditate and pray. We can allow compassion and mindfulness about the way things used to be, while also embracing the transition and recognizing the beauty that comes with the new. And as Bill Gillard reminds us in his discipleship reflection, we can HOPE and put our trust in God.
Thank you for such a warm welcome into my new role within the Australian Mission Centre. I’m grateful to be on this journey with you grounded in faith, open to change, and hopeful for all that God is unfolding among us.
Calee Loughran
Communications Coordinator
Australian Mission Centre