Faith At Work In Canadian Cities
This is part two of my interview with Maury Blair as we revisit his traumatized childhood in Paris Ontario and the journey to wholeness through coming to faith in Christ.
If you have not yet listened to part one, go to https://www.sidewalkskylinepodcast.com/sidewalkskylinepodcast/revisiting-child-of-woe-maury-blair-interview
Links:
Breakthrough Ministries
One of our podcast regulars, Ejay Tupe brought this message ‘Let Nothing Be Wasted’ at the Our City Windsor - Signs Of Hope conference.
His years of experience in urban ministry are informed by his reading of the Scriptures.
Ejay is an urban worker in downtown Toronto.
Link:
Years ago, I worked as a federal chaplain at a halfway house. I learned so much about the value of faith-based community friendships for men and women returning to the community.
Alan Campbell has devoted his adult life to Jesus-inspired care for people being released from jail. He is humble and virtuous in his approach and remains focused on the mission. l am grateful to know ‘Refuge Ministries Canada’ and to serve them when I can.
Alan shares his story of conversion from incarceration for his involvement with the Toronto Mafia, God’s call to help prisoners and the role of suffering in his ongoing transformation.
Links:
Refuge Ministries Canada
https://www.refugeministriescanada.com/
Refuge Freedom Stories
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/refuge-freedom-stories/id1524349333
The Living Room Church is a family of Jesus followers serving the neighbourhoods. One of their co-pastors is Bernard Tam.
Bernard resides in Midtown Toronto with his wife Susan and their two fun-loving and silly boys, Jeddie and Joshua. Learning to live in the urban center has been quite the journey for the Tams, but they are learning daily to see the beauty of the urban jungle. Bernard is passionate about connecting with people and (re)imaging possibilities while wrestling with faith and culture. He is also currently working part-time with The Alliance as a New Ventures Implementor, seeing new churches and new leaders in Toronto. Bernard is also a host of the Canadian Asian Missional Podcast. In the neighbourhood, you can often find Bernard hanging out in coffee shops where his passion for community and coffee intersects. Susan often likens the coffee shops to the show Cheers for Bernard.
To reach Bernard you can email him at btam@thelivingroomchurch.ca
Links:
The Living Room Church
http://www.thelivingroomchurch.ca/
Christian & Missionary Alliance
Canadian Asian Missional Podcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/canadian-asian-missional-podcast/id1339528072
David Wells is the General Superintendent of the Pentecostal Assemblies Of Canada and an avid devotee to urban ministry in Canada. This is one of his plenary sessions at the Our City Scarborough Conference held at Global Kingdom Ministries in November 2023.
In this session he speaks on ‘The New Humanity - In The City’. This is a call to reveal God’s character and light by exhibiting His peace (Shalom).
Read More
Our guests on this episode are Ejay Tupe, director of Toronto Urban Mission Hub in downtown Toronto and Mike Morency, executive director of Matthew House – Windsor.
We will be talking about a story that began unfolding this past summer when over 200 refugee claimants from African nations found themselves sleeping on the streets. Many were outside a homeless support centre at 129 Peter St. in downtown Toronto. There seemed to initially be a funding stalemate between levels of government.
Into the crisis, three churches got involved directly by opening up their buildings to provide shelter, food, and support.
· Revivaltime Tabernacle
· Pilgrim Feast Tabernacle
· Dominion Church International
This story eventually leads to some of the asylum seekers ending up served by Matthew House in Windsor.
Links:
Ejay Tupe
https://paoc.org/canada/workers/ejaytupe
Oct 30th update from Ejay
https://youtu.be/-o4LVpanGmo?si=J11xqAhrKoEd_DPb
Matthew House - Windsor
https://matthewhousewindsor.org/
Our City Scarborough Conference
https://www.ourcitytoronto.ca/
News article:
Ejay Tupe
Mike Morency
What are the things that urban churches need to be thinking about? Pastor Duane Henry from Portico Church in Mississauga hosts a conversation at Our City Toronto 2023 with four urban pastors that are on the forefront of strategy and mission.
Olu Jegede is a return guest on Sidewalk Skyline Podcast and continues to pastor at Christian Centre Church.
Jessie Knight is an assistant pastor with Olu with a focus on student ministries.
Godfrey Adderley pastors at Stone Church in downtown Toronto.
Joel Spiridigliozzi is a regional director for Western Ontario District working with pastors and ministries in the Toronto region.
Links:
Duane Henry - Portico Church
Olu Jegede
Jessie Knight
Godfrey Adderley
Jesse Sudirgo is the Assistant Professor of Contextual Ministry at Tyndale Seminary. He has a diverse breadth of experience in multiple disciplines of ministry in both the church and non-profit sectors. He is the former Director of Street-Involved Services at the Yonge Street Mission Evergreen Centre and continues to consult with churches in their engagement with poverty in the city. He brings to his work a conviction for interdisciplinary theological reflection that considers those most marginalized in society. His background in church planting in Boston Massachusetts has shaped his interests in missional lay leadership, community development, and urban poverty.
This session was recorded at Our City Toronto 2023.
Links:
Tyndale University
https://www.tyndale.ca/faculty/jesse-sudirgo
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
Rev. Sileen Phillips is the children’s minister at The Church of St. Peter and St. Simon The Apostle Anglican Church in Toronto. In this session at ‘Our City Toronto 2023’ she brings her insights from working with the vulnerable sector in government institutions and the community.
Links:
The Church of St Peter and St Simon-The-Apostle
Our City Toronto
