Photo by Jason Leung on Unsplash
More than 150 Christian Leaders of British Columbia have signed this Open Letter in response to racism in all its forms, especially as directed against Asian, Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) in our Canadian communities.
We grieve and mourn the continued racism against all people. Specifically, we are saddened by the rise in verbal and physical attacks on Asian Canadians. We acknowledge that recent incidents in Canada and the United States have occurred within a growing context of anti-Asian racism and violence.
In honour of Asian Heritage Month and the upcoming centenary of Canada’s Exclusion Act (1923), we condemn these activities in Canada and around the world.
Anti-Asian racist incidents have grown at unprecedented rates since 2020. Asian Heritage Month reminds us of both the contributions made by the Asian communities and of sad historical realities such as the Head Tax, the Vancouver Anti-Asian Riots of 1907 and the internment of Japanese Canadians during World War II. Anti-Asian rhetoric and violence amplified by COVID-19 also remind us that Asian women and seniors continue to be disproportionately affected by incidents of racism.
We stand with and for Asian and BIPOC Canadian communities. We see and affirm the anger, grief, pain and fear of Asian-Canadian families. We pledge to support you and will follow up through community care events for those wrestling with the emotional, spiritual and psychological impact of these racist incidents.
As Christian leaders, we categorically condemn the sin of racism. We acknowledge that racism may take many forms, from overt violence and threats to racial microaggressions, dismissiveness and omissions. We exhort our community members to consider their own words and deeds, and to endeavour to learn more of our shared history.
We commit ourselves to challenge all forms of racism and discrimination. We must continue to work together to build a just and caring British Columbia for ourselves and for future generations. Now is the time for renewal of our commitment to work to rectify racial and socio-economic inequities.
How can we bring justice and beauty to our cities, province and nation? Statements are not enough. Please consider ways we can encourage, ally, report and pursue greater vigilance in protecting our communities from racism. Let us look out for the vulnerable as we consider various forms of Bystander Training and Awareness. Consider allyship through your consumer choices by patronizing Asian and BIPOC restaurants and retail establishments.
Anyone seeking counseling resources may wish to contact our counseling collaborators, including those listed on the link, and use or support the free faith-based resources available via Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries. (www.sanctuarymentalhealth.
May our Lord continue to lead us to establish greater awareness, compassion and justice with our Asian and BIPOC family so that we may love and serve one another as unto the Lord. We pray that we will model a more redemptive society based on Jesus’ love and example as we seek to follow His teachings in Scripture.
By God’s grace and mercy,
Rev. Dr. Raymond C. Aldred, Director, Indigenous Studies, Interim Dean, VST
Michael Audain, Chairman, Polygon Homes
Thomas Cooper, President, City in Focus Foundation
Dr. June Francis, Associate Professor, Beedie School of Business SFU
Lawrence J. Ho, Senior Fellow, Murdock Charitable Trust
Honourable Yonah Martin, Senator
| DENOMINATIONAL LEADERS | ||
| Archdiocese of Vancouver, Roman Catholic Church | Archbishop | J. Michael Miller, CSB |
| Archdiocese of Vancouver | Coordinator, Chinese Ministry | Paul Chu (Rev.) |
| BC Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada | Bishop | Greg Mohr |
| BC Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada | Assistant to the Bishop | Kathy Martin (Rev.) |
| British Columbia Baptist Conference | District Minister | Bernard Mukwavi (Rev. Dr.) |
| Canadian Baptists of Western Canada | Executive Minister | Rob Ogilvie (Rev.) |
| Canadian Pacific District, The Alliance Canada | District Superintendent | Errol Rempel |
| Diocese of New Westminster | Bishop of the Diocese of New Westminster | John Stephens (The Right Rev.) |
| Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada | National Bishop (Retired) | Raymond Schultz |
| Mennonite Church British Columbia | Executive Minister | Garry Janzen |
| North American Baptist Fellowship | General Secretary | Jeremy Bell (Rev.) |
| Pacific Mountain Region, United Church of Canada | President | Blair Odney |
| Pacific Mountain Region, United Church of Canada | Executive Minister | Treena Duncan |
| Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada, British Columbia & Yukon District | District Superintendent | Ken Russell, (Rev.) |
| Roman Catholic Diocese of Victoria | Bishop | Gary Gordon |
| The Roman Catholic Diocese of Nelson | Bishop | Gregory Bittman (Most Rev.) |
| Westcoast Baptist Association | Regional Ministry Leader | Hamish Buntain |
| NON-PROFIT EXECUTIVES | ||
| Alabaster Homes | President | Herman Kwee |
| Baptist Housing | President & CEO | Marc Kinna |
| City in Focus Foundation | Chair of the Board | Lindsay Bishop |
| City of Focus Foundation | President | Tom Cooper |
| CityGate Vancouver | Executive Director | Tim Dickau (Rev. Dr.) |
| HOPE International Development Agency | Executive Director | Kim Savage |
| Journey Home Community Association | Executive Director | Brad Kinnie |
| L’Arche Vancouver | Executive Director | Denise Haskett, |
| Mission Central | Executive Director | John Hall |
| Mission Possible | Executive Director & CEO | Matthew Smedley |
| More Than a Roof Mennonite Housing Society | Chief Executive Officer | Lee-Anne Michayluk |
| Pacific Theatre | Artistic Director | Kaitlin Williams |
| Providence Health Care Society | Volunteer Chair | Mark Spelliscy |
| Ratanak International | Founding Director | Brian McConaghy |
| Salvation Army, Divisional Headquarters, BC Division | Divisional Commander | Lt. Colonel Jamie Braund |
| Servant Partners Canada | Executive Director | Krista-Dawn Kimsey |
| Signal Hill | Executive Director | Derek Scott |
| Surrey Urban Mission Society | Executive Director | Mike Musgrove |
| Union Gospel Mission | President | William B. Mollard |
| World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) | Former Secretary General | Geoff Tunnicliffe |
| Whole Way House Society | President & Co-Founder | Jenny Konkin |
| World Vision Canada | Philanthropy Advisor | Lisa Hamilton |
| Worship Central | Director | Peter Cheng |
| MARKETPLACE LEADERS | ||
| Allan Skidmore | Chair | Skidmore Group |
| Andy Szocs | Owner | Szocs Foundation |
| Angus Reid | Chairman | Angus Reid Institute |
| David C. Bentall | President & Founder | Next Step Advisors Inc. |
| David G. McLean | Chairman | The McLean Group |
| Dianne Doyle | President | St. Thomas More College & Chair of Providence Living Society BC |
| Dick Vollet | President & CEO | St. Paul’s Foundation |
| Dr. June Francis | Associate Professor | Beedie School of Business, SFU |
| Dr. Peter Chung | Executive Chairman | Executive Chairman, Primacorp Ventures Inc |
| Eric J. Harris, Q.C | Chair | Providence Health Care Board |
| Fiona Dalton | CEO | Providence Health Care |
| Flyn Ritchie | Publisher | Church for Vancouver |
| Gordie Cochran | Founding Partner | Colours + Shapes |
| Graeme Illman | Executive Director | Ratanak International |
| Grant Damery | Managing Director | RBC |
| Grayson Bain | CEO | Reconcile Business Consulting |
| Henry F. Man | Vice-Chair | Providence Health Care Society Board |
| Jae Kim | Principal | Principal, JK Philanthropy Advisors |
| Jeffrey P. Greenman | President | Regent College |
| Jim Pattison | Chairman & CEO | The Jim Pattison Group |
| Joo Kim Tiah | CEO | Holborn Group |
| Judy Graves | Retired: | Homeless Advocate, Vancouver City Hall |
| Manjy and David Sidoo | Members | Sidoo Family Giving |
| Michael Audain | Chairman | Polygon Homes Ltd. |
| Michael Higgins | President/Principal | Corpus Christi and St. Mark’s Colleges |
| Mike Rickaby | President | Paragon Financial Services Inc. |
| Nalini McIntosh | HR Consultant | Self Employed |
| P.M. Bull | President | P.M. Bull Company Ltd |
| Paolo Aquilini | Principal | Aquilini Investment Group (AIG) |
| Peter J. Mogan | Founding Partner and Lawyer | Mogan Daniels Slager LLP |
| Raymond C. Aldred, (Rev. Dr ) | Director, Indigenous Studies Program, Interim Dean | VST |
| Rosie Perera | Member | Point Grey Inter-Mennonite Fellowship. |
| Santa Ono & Wendy Yip | President, University Ambassador | UBC |
| Scot Sustad | Co-Founder Digital Hot Sauce & Inbox Booths | Digital Hot Sauce Inc. |
| Yonah Martin (The Honourable) | Canadian Senator | Canadian Parliament |
| LOCAL PASTORS | ||
| BC Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada | Rev. | Carol J. Dennison |
| BC Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada | Rev. | Tim Dutcher-Walls |
| Cedar Grove Baptist Church | Executive Pastor | Michael Vuorensivu |
| Cedar Grove Church | Youth Pastor | Steve Swaddling |
| Chinatown Peace Church | Pastor | Martin To |
| Christ Community Church Nanaimo | Pastor | Kelli Sexton |
| Christ Community Church, Victoria | Pastor | Willem Delleman |
| Christian Reformed Churches of BC | Chaplain & Refugee Support Mobilizer | Dena Nicolai |
| City Collective Church | Lead Pastor | Jason Charles |
| Dunbar Lutheran Church and Benediction Lutheran Church | Rev. | Thomas Keeley |
| Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada | Rev. | Benedicte Hansen |
| Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada | Pastor, Retired | H. Paul Schmidt |
| Evangelical Lutheran Church of Canada | Rev. | David Lefsrud |
| First Christian Reformed Church (Vancouver) | Pastor | Trevor Vanderveen |
| First Lutheran Church | Pastor | Rebekah Swanson |
| Fraser Lands Church | Senior Pastor | Abe Chan |
| Fraser Lands Church | Cantonese Ministry Pastor | Xavier Law |
| Good Shepherd Lutheran Church | Pastor | Eric Krushel |
| Grace Lutheran Church | Rev. | Nathan Fong |
| Granville Chapel | Lead Pastor | Andrew Perrett |
| Gloria Dei Lutheran Church | Rev. | Vida Jaugelis |
| Jericho Ridge Community Church | Lead Pastor | Brad Sumner |
| Jubilee United Church | Lead Minister | Graham K. Brownmiller |
| King of Life Lutheran Church | Rev. | Dorothy Chu |
| Living Stones Chinese Mennonite Church | Pastor | Audrey Sheu |
| Mennonite Japanese Christian Fellowship | Pastor | Gerald Neufeld |
| Mount Olive Lutheran Church | Pastor | Peter Hanson |
| Nelson Avenue Community Church | Pastor | Johannes Schouten |
| Oak Bay United Church | Rev. | Michelle Slater |
| Peace Church on 52nd | Co-Pastor | Adam Back |
| Peace Mennonite Church | Lead Pastor | Winston Pratt |
| Peace Portal Alliance Church | Lead Pastor | Scott Dickie |
| Peninsula United Church | Minister | Bruce McAndless-Davis |
| Richmond Peace Chinese Mennonite Church | Lead Pastor | Samuel Wong |
| Richmond Presbyterian Church | Lead Minister | Victor Kim |
| Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church | Pastor | Kristen Steele |
| Shiloh-5th Avenue United Church | Rev. | Shannon Tennant |
| Spirit of Life Lutheran Church | Rev. | Aneeta Saroop |
| Squamish United Church | Minister | Karen Millard |
| St. Andrew’s-Wesley United Church | Rev. | Dan Chambers |
| St. John’s Shaughnessy Anglican Church & VST | Rev. | Elizabeth Ruder |
| Tenth Church | Senior Pastor | Ken Shigematsu |
| The River Church Squamish | Lead Pastor | Darcy Reimer |
| The River Church Squamish | Associate Pastor | Kenda Reimer |
| The Tapestry Church | Pastor | Albert Y.S. Chu |
| The Tapestry Marpole | Rev. | Jesse Pals |
| The Tapestry Mundy Park | Pastor | Samuel Lee |
| The Tapestry Nights | Rev. | Michael Yang |
| The Way Church Vancouver | Pastor | Jason Ballard |
| Trinity Anglican & Lutheran Church, Port Alberni | Rev. | Brenda Nestegaard Paul |
| Westside Church | Lead Pastor | Matthew Menzel |
| Westwood Community Church | Rev. | Giulio Lorefice Gabeli |
| Grace Vancouver Church | Rev. Dr. | Michael N. Hsu |
| Lutheran Church of the Cross, Victoria | Co-Pastor | Lyle McKenzie |
| Chinatown Peace Church | Pastor | Tim Kuepfer |
| St. Paul’s Lutheran, Prince Rupert | Rev. | Diana S. Edis |
| Grandview Church | Rev. | Joy Banks |
| Christian Reformed Church of North America | Rev. | Kenneth Vander Horst |