Univer-City Life (part 1)

It is no secret that public education finds its roots in the Christian faith. Study the roots of any historic university and you will find that clergy and prominent Christian community builders believed that education held the keys to greater wisdom and understanding. Christian faith is built on curiosity and wonder about all of Creation and unveiling its mysteries.

But today if you walk onto the campuses of Canadian universities, you may need to look harder to find a place for Christian faith.

Building on a history of campus chaplaincy, Christian outreach, and discipleship groups we are seeing a resurgence of gospel witness and Christian community emerging as Heaven’s counterculture in the midst of an often-hostile environment.

In this episode I have a conversation with John Engels, Milly Li, Kelly Johnson, Jazelle Johnson and David Ritz.

Links:

Serve Campus Network

https://paoc.org/serve-campus

Serve Campus YouTube Channel

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN7cP5T3DKgpd2zRWg5lR9Q?app=desktop

Serve Campus Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/servecampusnetwork/

Milly Li @University Campus Ministries

https://ucmsfu.ca/about/#leaders

Kelly Johnson

https://paoc.org/donate/kellyjohnson

Jazelle Johnson @Lifeline Ministries

https://www.lifelineministries.ca/

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

David Ritz - Montreal

https://www.paoc.org/donate/davidritz

David Burke - Lifeline @Ryerson University interview

https://www.sidewalkskylinepodcast.com/sidewalkskylinepodcast/post-secondary-lifeline

Indigenous In The City - part two

My continuing conversation with Levi Samson Beardy and Dan Collado as we talk about the gospel at work in First Nations, Metis and Inuit. With 50% of the Canadian indigenous population living in urban centres, there is a greater opportunity to build bridges and engage in reconciliation.

The billboard in this picture was posted in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in 2014 as part of an art exhibit.

Indigenous In The City - Part One

It is my honour today to invite a team of indigenous Christians from various parts of Canada onto the podcast to talk about what it means to be an indigenous or aboriginal person living in Canadian cities. Stats Canada uses the terms ‘aboriginal’ and ‘indigenous’ to refer to people that are First Nations, Metis and Inuit. It is estimated that about one-half live in urban areas as compared to those living on reservation land and non-urban areas.

Dan Collado, has been serving the Lord in full-time ministry since 1993. He initially took a step of faith and went to live and pastor in small isolated fly-in Indigenous communities in northern Ontario, and later in Nunavut. After some 15 years of pastoral ministry, while continuing to feel the burden for Indigenous initiatives, Dan accepted the role as Academic Director of Aboriginal Bible Academy (ABA) in 2009. Dan is part of the Mohawk nation and resides in Napanee, ON.

Jim Thunder is Director of Economic Development at Norway House Cree Nation and lives in Winnipeg, MB. He is an adjunct professor of Indigenous Economic Leadership at University of Manitoba.

Levi Samson Beardy is the Oji-Cree pastor of Aboriginal Believers’ Church in Toronto.

Links:

Dan Collado - Mission Canada Indigenous Priority

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

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

Aboriginal Bible Academy

https://www.aboriginalbibleacademy.ca/about

Jim Thunder MBA

https://ca.linkedin.com/in/jimthunder

Levi Samson Beardy

https://ca.linkedin.com/in/levi-samson-beardy-9639537

Aboriginal Believers’ Church

https://www.facebook.com/AbOriginalBelieversChurch/

Graham Singh And St Jax Church (part 1)

In today’s episode we discuss Graham’s journey to Montreal and St. Jax’s as a unique model of urban ministry.

Graham Singh is Founder and Executive Director of the Trinity Centres Foundation, a new Canadian charity established to transform 100 historic city centre church buildings into community hubs.  TCF’s team of 50+ advisors from the social innovation, property finance, urbanism and faith sectors are currently developing what may become one of Canada’s most significant social purpose real estate investment offerings.

 Over the past 12 years, Graham has led four historic building and community renewal projects in the United Kingdom and Canada, including in his current role as Rector of the Anglican Diocese of Montreal’ recent church plant, St Jax Montreal.

 Graham also acts as a consultant in the area of social impact investing, in the private wealth management sector. He is a graduate of the London School of Economics, Cambridge University (Ridley Hall / St Mellitus College), the University of Western Ontario and Asbury Theological Seminary.  He is currently enrolled in Oxford University’s Saïd Business School Impact Innovations Programme.

Brian Egert is the director of Mission Canada, and co-hosts the interview.

Links:

St Jax Church

https://www.stjaxchurch.org/en/home

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Trinity Centres Foundation

https://trinitycentres.org/

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Canadian Urban Institute

https://canurb.org/

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Le Monastère Cabaret de Cirque

https://le-monastere.ca/en/home-en/ 

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Church Planting Canada

https://www.churchplantingcanada.ca/welcome

The View From Mount Royal - Gary Connors interview

Montreal is the gateway to Quebec for much of English speaking Canada. One of its citizens Gary Connors talks with Kevin Rogers about ways that God is at work in Montreal, the cities of Quebec and Francophone Canada.

Gary Connors is the coordinator for Quebec and Francophone Canada, a missional priority of Mission Canada and FIT4M (French Intensive Training for Ministry), a national initiative.

Gary has pastored in Quebec for numerous years and has served as Assistant to the Superintendent of the Eastern Ontario and Quebec District and the District Superintendent for the District of Quebec.

Gary and his wife Gwen live in Hudson Quebec.

Links:

Mission Canada - Quebec and Francophone Canada

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

Fit4M - French Intensive Training For Ministry

https://fit4m.ca/

Institut Biblique du Quebec

https://ibq.ca/

Scott Couper Is A Bridge

The population of street-affiliated people in Peterborough, Ontario has sky-rocketed. Many are homeless, unemployed and without hope. As a Mission Canada worker, Scott has responded to God’s call to go. With 30 years of pastoral ministry in PAOC churches, Scott has stepped into a new season and calling as a “Street Level Advocate” in Peterborough’s city core, where a population of over 80,000 reports more than 300 homeless individuals (Peterborough Social Services, July 2021). Unemployment, food insecurity and inadequate housing are all serious issues which are often compounded by mental health challenges, addictive behaviours, loneliness, and lack of purpose in life.

Scott is intentionally present among individuals who need to see God’s love demonstrated toward them. He knows that it is through kindness expressed in non-judgmental ways, that hope can be realized (Romans 2:4) and the love of Christ experienced. Utilizing his many connections with church leaders, social services and local police, Scott builds relationships and connects individuals to helpful services and resources. His deepest desire, however, is to be a human bridge, seeing people restored to right relationship with a Heavenly Father who loves them and has a good plan for their lives.

As followers of Christ, God calls us to care for those who find themselves in the gaps of society. As a “Street Level Advocate”, Scott’s mission is to:

CONNECT people to their Heavenly Father as kindness, respect, hospitality, and patient listening is lived out. As trust and friendship is built, hearts can become open to the message of hope found in the person of Jesus Christ.

BE A BRIDGE between the local church and those in the urban core so that the Church can partner to reach out and advocate for an individuals’ physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing.

NETWORK street-affiliated people with resources that already exist for their help and benefit. Many are unaware of services available to them or how to access their assistance.

BRIDGE THE GAP of communication between the local police service and those on the streets of the city. Through his role as volunteer police chaplain, Scott is well positioned for meaningful conversations and connections.

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
for the rights of all who are destitute.
Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
Proverbs 31:8-9 (NIV)

Links:

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

Sidewalk Pastors - QUEST Conversation (part 2)

In the second part of the Sidewalk Pastors interview, we talk about the stereotypes around poverty and the spiritual formation that is grossly neglected in the field of social work. We will hear more amazing stories about real life people and their courageous struggles.

Our guests are great examples of Street Ministry Workers (letter “S” in our QUEST acronym).

If you have not listened, to part 1 please go back and listen to that first to get a proper introduction to our guests Bob Gal, Anna Morgante and Ejay Tupe.

Links:

Mission Canada

https://paoc.org/canada

Bob Gal

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

Anna Morgante

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

Ejay Tupe

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