Captain Kindness Lives In Brantford

Dave Carrol is the lead pastor of Freedom House, a community minded church in Brantford, Ontario. Through many years of working closely with civic leaders, the church has gained a reputation for serving with a great attitude.

There’s a good story here about the day that David donned leotards and a red cape and became Captain Kindness. The Kindness Project was launched to make Brantford the kindest city in Canada. Perhaps podcast listeners will be inspired to release their own inner superheroes.

Links:

The Kindness Project

https://freedomhouse.ca/kindness-project/

Freedom House

https://freedomhouse.ca/

Two Wise Fools Podcast (with Aaron White)

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/two-wise-fools/id1547557549

ABCD and the Lord's Table

I met today’s guest Doctor Jon Massimi when we were both presenting at the Anchor Ministerial Fellowship conference in Cambridge. Jon and his family live in the Kitchener/Waterloo area presently and has worked and ministered extensively in the community space.

 Jon is an Anglican priest and has developed his thesis on the relationship between Asset Based Community Development and the Faith Base.

Links:

Anchor Ministerial Session – 2023

https://youtu.be/bc1NwEcZq1c

Tamarack Community article

https://www.tamarackcommunity.ca/latest/local-business-benediction?hs_amp=true

The Connected Community by Cormac Russell and John McKnight

https://www.amazon.ca/Connected-Community-Discovering-Health-Neighborhoods/dp/1523002522/ref=sr_1_1?crid=56Q0MVL3SEI5&keywords=the+connected+community&qid=1687455809&sprefix=the+connected+%2Caps%2C93&sr=8-1

Community Exegesis (Ejay Tupe)

Ejay Tupe has served as an urban worker in downtown Toronto for sixteen years. In this session he shares stories and ideas about listening to the city. What can we learn by listening to the people, the values and the culture?

Recorded at Our City Toronto 2023 conference.

Links:

Mission Canada

https://paoc.org/donate/EjayTupe

Full Time Neighbours - Karen

After pastoring for 21 years at a large city church, Karen took the risk 12 years ago to live on raised funds as an urban worker, joining with what God is doing in East Vancouver, one of the most unchurched neighbourhoods in Canada. She lives a shared life intentionally in a 100 year old, six bedroom house,  as a base to seek the flourishing of her community and extend generous hospitality to neighbour and stranger.

Karen has experienced many 'conversions' in herself as she has rooted into her place, leaning into sustainable living practices, urban gardening, valuing the ordinary and simple and moved away from a busy and fragmented life (since you can't be busy and be present to others). After replacing her car with a bike, she now lives 90% of her life within walking distance. She has forged a slow lifestyle of radical hospitality to strangers and neighbours (vs entertaining friends and family) and her home - called Parker House - has become the primary gathering space for neighbourhood Soup Nights, House Concerts, etc. After living alone for most of her life, Karen wanted to live more deeply into her faith, intentionally living with others inter-generationally (over 200 people have lived in her home in the last decade). She organized her neighbourhood to sponsor Syrian refugees 7 years ago (who lived with her for a year), and seeks to join with anyone in the community seeking the common good. 

It has been a wild and wonderful ride - and she is having a blast at this stage of life.  Convinced that the Spirit always works in the particular and in place, Karen will share a bit of her story and wisdom from seeking to love God by loving neighbour...and enjoying neighbour as a way to enjoy God....and listening to our community as a way to listen to God.  

Links:

QUEST Conversation: Qualitative Neighbouring Part One

https://www.sidewalkskylinepodcast.com/sidewalkskylinepodcast/qualitative-neighbouring-quest-conversation-part-1

QUEST Conversation: Qualitative Neighbouring Part Two

https://www.sidewalkskylinepodcast.com/sidewalkskylinepodcast/qualitative-neighbouring-quest-conversation-part-2

Jesus In The Diaspora - Charles Hermelink interview

Charles and I work together with Mission Canada, a Christian ‘mission agency to reach Canada with the gospel in unique ways. There are many contexts where there is a gap; campuses, people groups, regions, and communities where Jesus is inadequately represented. Mission Canada is committed to identify and equip those who will pursue their calling to fill these gaps.’[1]

I am the urban ministry consultant and Charles is the Cultural Ministries consultant. As part of that role, he gives leadership to Neighbours & Newcomers Network National.

Links:

https://paoc.org/canada/workers/priorityculturalministries

https://paoc.org/canada/workers/nnnetworknational

[1] https://paoc.org/canada/about

Out Of The Embassy - Denise Munroe

From her childhood in Guyana to a life of ministry in Canada, Denise Munroe has had a fascinating journey. Currently she serves as the Family Life Pastor at The Embassy Church in Oshawa, Ontario.

She is in regular contact with people in the community that seek assistance from the church.

We talk about being a newcomer, experiences of racism and the societal needs of Canadian born citizens.

Link:

https://theembassychurch.ca/

Rob Good And Promise Church

Rob Good is the founding pastor of Promise Church in Bradford, Ontario. They describe themselves as ‘A community united to show God with us, making all things right.’

Pastor Rob has found innovative ways to do community service, empowered the congregation to initiate good things in their city and interactive technology to assist in their discipleship journey.

Bradford is a bedroom community north of Toronto.

Link:

https://promisechurch.ca/

From Down Under To North Vancouver

Ben and Emma Narayanan moved their young family from Australia to plant churches in the Vancouver area. Avant Life Church lives by the mantra:

• Remain Helpful

• Remain Humble

• Remain Hopeful

• Remain His.

They are now located in North Vancouver, Squamish, and Surrey with a desire to see a movement of church planting in smaller BC communities.

Link:

https://www.avantlifechurch.com/

Wendy Burton - Mocha Latte Pastor

Wendy Burton has had a lifetime working in corporate settings and ministry experience in churches, but in recent years her focus has turned to her community. Prompted by the Spirit, she began to make herself available at a local coffee chain to meet people, build friendships and enter into a life of community pastoring.

David Fisher: Friend Of The City

David W. Fisher has been an organizer since his teen years when he ran a neighbourhood racing car fan club, the Eliminators Car Club. He later organized Couriers for Christ, in which young people helped run weekend crusades. He ran a local bookstore and helped start the Kawartha Church Slo-Pitch League. He founded the Epistle Sports Ministries, a charitable organization which over thirty years or so provided chaplaincy services to the Toronto Blue Jays, the Peterborough Petes, and other sports organizations.

In 2003, he went to Slovak Republic to teach children how to play baseball. In 2009, with his wife Carol, he founded the Kawartha Komets Special Needs Hockey Program, which now has three teams providing opportunities for over fifty players. His counseling energies are channeled through Friends Peterborough. He is a Paul Harris Fellow, a the highest honour bestowed by the International Rotary Club. His lifetime of experiences has depended upon his organizational skills, confidence and willingness to help others.

A true gentleman in the traditional sense, David Fisher is a selfless and humble servant of the Lord.

Links:

https://friendspeterborough.com/

Where Is Your Father's House?

From a childhood in Nigeria to his education in Germany to a life in Canada, David Ibhaluobe has had a path filled with signs and wonders of God’s leading. More recently, he has moved to Peterborough with a desire to plant a church among the homeless.

Listen in to his fascinating story.

Intensity: In Tent City

Bill Reilly and I shadow the team of Street Level Advocacy in Peterborough, Ontario. Scott Couper, Leigh-Ann Davidson, Chris and a growing number of people are spending their days on the streets, in the Overflow tent city, shelters and agencies that work with street affiliated people.

You will meet Joe, the Aboriginal man run over by a snow plow and Will the bicycle recycler. Join us as we find God at work in desperate places.

Links:

YouTube version:

https://youtu.be/BD7j0NqRwgo

Scott Couper Interview - Season 2, Episode 24

https://www.sidewalkskylinepodcast.com/sidewalkskylinepodcast/scott-couper-is-a-bridge

Scott Couper Profile

https://paoc.org/canada/workers/scottcouper

News:

https://www.ptbocanada.com/journal/street-level-advocacy-partners-with-starbucks-and-second-harvest-feed-vulnerable-population

Disciple A City (Todd Carlton)

On this episode I travelled to McCrary Park in Peterborough and sat by Little Lake to meet a new friend. Todd Carlton is host of The Toddcast where he interviews a wide range of people about their journey to faith. His own story bears repeating.

Todd is connected to a movement called ‘Disciple A City’ with an emphasis on equipping believers to share their faith on the streets, in parks and in the context of their everyday lives.

Links:

The Toddcast

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-toddcast/id1605174280

Disciple A City

https://discipleacity.ca/

Canada As A Mission Field (Graham Gibson)

Graham Gibson is the Director of Cultural Engagement Studies at Master’s College and Seminary in Peterborough, Ontario. He and his wife Linda have a life centred in students and mission.

In this interview we talked about seeing Canada as a mission field for the Gospel and the importance of cultural engagement.

Links:

Master’s College and Seminary

https://mcs.edu/

Through The Lens (Bill Reilly)

Bill Reilly is the video producer for Sidewalk Skyline Podcast. In this episode we are on a road trip to Peterborough, Ontario where we will record several people involved in urban ministry.

As the voice and face of the podcast, I am always aware of the guy standing a few feet away behind the camera. Bill’s experience and ability to tell stories make him a great accomplice with pursuing the story and entertaining the guests.

Our times together often are filled with conversations about Christ and his work in our lives.

Today we turn the camera around and interview Bill Reilly.

Stonethro Media

https://stonethro.wixsite.com/stonethrostudios/home

Cultural Competency For Ministry (Brian Yu)

Brian Yu has been with the Tyndale Intercultural Ministries Centre for more than five years, where he serves as a Qualified Administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI®). He coaches and facilitates intercultural learning for individuals, teams, and organizations.

Brian has been serving as a pastor for over 14 years and is currently one of the lead pastors of The Change Community Church in Scarborough.

He's also the Executive Director of Flow Ministries, a faith-based charitable organization serving a subsidized community housing neighbourhood in York Region.

Links:

Tyndale Intercultural Ministries Centre

https://www.tyndale.ca/tim

The Change Community Church

http://www.wearechanged.com/

Flow Ministries

https://flowwithoutbounds.com/

Better Together - Ejay Tupe and Cheryl Walsh

Ejay and Cheryl live above a coffee shop on Queen Street in Toronto. As parents of a toddler, they exemplify urban disciples of Jesus living on mission in their neighbourhood.

In this session from the Our City Toronto conference (2022) they share life lessons and guiding principles on the power of collaborative relationship. They depend on each other and rely on other community members in accomplishing good work for their city and neighbourhood.

Both have been guests on previous episodes of Sidewalk Skyline Podcast.

Links:

Mission Canada

https://paoc.org/canada/workers/ejaytupe

Urban Trends In Canada

https://www.sidewalkskylinepodcast.com/sidewalkskylinepodcast/urban-trends-in-canada-cheryl-walsh

Sidewalk Pastors

https://www.sidewalkskylinepodcast.com/sidewalkskylinepodcast/sidewalk-pastors-quest-conversation-part-1

https://www.sidewalkskylinepodcast.com/sidewalkskylinepodcast/sidewalk-pastors-quest-conversation-part-2

Gangland Preacher

https://www.sidewalkskylinepodcast.com/sidewalkskylinepodcast/gangland-preacher-ejay-tupe

Urban Ministry Is A Marathon - Bill Ryan

Bill Ryan started his ministry in Toronto after graduating from Ontario Bible College in 1982. This led to his work at Yonge Street Mission where he served for over 25 years in numerous roles first serving as Program Co-ordinator at Evergreen, Pastor of Church on the Street, Director of the Christian Community Centre, Director of Staff care and Interim Program Officer. He later served as Director of Men’s Ministry with Scott Mission until 2021. He is a seasoned Urban Ministry practitioner for the past 30 years and teaches from his vast experience in ministry. He is a spiritual director and passionate Social Justice advocate. Bill's ministry life has been grounded by being a husband to Lillian and father to Jordan and Caitlin.

Links:

Yonge Street Mission

https://www.ysm.ca/

Scott Mission

https://scottmission.com/

The Accidental Foodbank

Pastor Vir Mateo and his daughter Rhema Annett started the Good Measure Foodbank out of their church. Listen to their story as to how they saw a need in their community, responded to serve and found critical partnerships to feed their hungry neighbours in Mississauga. This session was recorded at Our City Toronto Conference 2022.

Virginio Mateo

Vir is the lead Pastor of Christ for Life Ministries, a church he planted 28 years ago. He has a desire for the church to be the hands and feet of Christ and to spread His Gospel and make disciples. In collaboration with his daughter, Rhema, they started Good Measure Food Bank as the need in their community became apparent. 

Rhema Annett

Rhema felt called by the Lord to start Good Measure Food Bank in 2016. Her expectation? Small Closet Food Pantry. The reality? A full fledged operation that she had no idea how to operate. Through mistakes and continuous learning she realized that her community didn't need another food bank based on efficiency, but a place where people could go for not only their physical hunger, but spiritual. It would soon become not only a space for those in need to know their value and be loved, but for Christians to be equipped to share the gospel. Since the start of the food bank they have seen salvations from both people who receive food and volunteer. 

Links:

Good Measure Food Bank

http://goodmeasurefoodbank.com/

Christ For Life Ministries

http://christforlife.ca/

Jesus Loves Montreal

My guests today are ‘Patmos People’, a term I coined to describe people that remind me of John the Revelator. From their embedded history in a city, they are uniquely poised to hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church in their location.

Just as Jesus expressed his love through John to the Seven Churches of Asia Minor, these Patmos People are living messages of Jesus’ love for Montreal.

Patti Miller is the lead pastor of Evangel Church, a historic Pentecostal church in the heart of downtown Montreal. Their church is presently developing a multi-story building around the corner that will provide main floor retail, upper church and community spaces and housing units available across the socio-economic spectrum.

Cal and Chrissy Krahn are involved in French language training for ministry and are Mission Canada urban workers.

Jenna Smith is the Innovation Youth Director for Christian Direction, an agency that works at the intersection of faith, community and urban development.

Links:

Patti Miller

https://evangel.qc.ca/home

Cal & Chrissy Krahn

https://paoc.org/canada/workers/cckrahn

Jenna Smith

https://www.direction.ca/