Julia Ruggier is one of four people who will receive awards from City in Focus next week.
City in Focus will give out over $40,000 to four individuals in honour of their exceptional work in Vancouver’s urban communities, next Monday (November 30) during an awards ceremony at the Vancouver Club.
“Part of caring for the soul of the city is recognizing when an individual or an organization does exceptional work,” points out City in Focus. “We notice all the effort that goes into making Vancouver a vibrant community, and we appreciate it.”
Following are their brief descriptions of the winners:
Jimmy Crescenzo and Walter Mustapich
Faith and Community Impact: The award goes to Jimmy Crescenzo and Walter Mustapich [both active Roman Catholics], who have made a profound impact on our city’s youth for the past 30 years through their roles as educators and – especially – by co-founding The Boys Club Network. The Network mentors at-risk young men in the Lower Mainland through the principles of establishing connectedness, trust, education and accountability. The club offers school curriculum, outreach work and a summer camp.
Ron Reed
Faith and the Arts: Recipient Ron Reed has made immense contributions to Vancouver’s theatre community by producing a series of more than 50 written plays and by founding Vancouver’s Pacific Theatre. Reed is a skilled actor, well known for his role as C.S. Lewis in Shadowlands. For the 2014/2015 season, Reed was nominated for 11 prestigious Jessie Awards – eight for his production of Whipping Man. [Pacific Theatre’s mission statement: “to serve Christ in our community by creating excellent theatre with artistic, spiritual, relational and financial integrity.”]
Murray Neilson
Faith and International Justice: This year’s award goes to Murray Neilson, chair of International Justice Mission’s annual fundraiser. He has been instrumental in raising over $500,000 in recent years for IJM – a global organization that seeks to protect the poor in developing nations from violence. IJM works in nearly 20 communities worldwide: rescuing victims, bringing criminals to justice, restoring survivors of violence and strengthening justice systems. [Neilson is a member of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church.]
On the evening of November 29 there are two great opportunities to join with Christians of diverse backgrounds to pray, one on the west side of Vancouver and the other in Burnaby.
At Granville Island Hotel, God Wakes a World is drawing together three leaders to guide prayer for the world, Canada and the city:
* John Smed, founding director of Prayer Current (which is organizing the event), will lead united prayer for the persecuted and refugees in Syria and Nigeria;
* Bill Hogg, national missiologist for C2C Network, will focus on Canada;
* Jonathan Bird, executive director of City Gate Leadership Forum, will lead prayer for Vancouver.
In a recent Prayer Current email, Smed said:
Mere words will not make us one. Praying together builds and repairs the ligaments of the body. We move into each other’s lives in a profound way when we pray for each other:
A Christian community either lives by the intercessory prayers of its members for one another, or the community will be destroyed. . . . (Bonhoeffer)
Lookout Gallery at Regent College will host Splendour of the Raw and Flawed, featuring the work of Bev Ellis, December 2 – 18, with an opening reception on the first afternoon.Earthkeepers: Three events
Earthkeepers: Christians for Climate Justice are keeping very active these days.Sep 2015
Speaking My Mind Toastmasters Club – September 28, 2015 - December 14, 2015 at 7:30 pm - 9:00 pmNov 2015
Chapel North Shore – November 27, 2015 at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pmChapel Vancouver – November 27, 2015 at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Puttin' on the Ritz – November 27, 2015 - November 28, 2015 at 7:00 pm - 11:30 pm
Chapel Tri-Cities – November 27, 2015 at 7:15 pm - 9:00 pm
Biblical Interpretation Course – November 28, 2015 at 8:00 am - 1:30 pm
Christmas Bazaar at St. Thomas – November 28, 2015 at 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Annual Christmas Bazaar – November 28, 2015 at 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
Holly Bazaar – November 28, 2015 at 11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Chez Nous: Christmas with Elektra – November 28, 2015 at 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Fundraising Dinner for Eastside Story Guild & the Unistoten Healing Centre – November 28, 2015 at 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Give Love: An ADRA Canada Christmas Concert – November 28, 2015 at 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Chez Nous: Christmas with Elektra – November 28, 2015 at 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
The Bridge Between: Stories of Samson, Delilah and the Unistoten Resistance – November 28, 2015 at 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Online Video Advent Series with Dr. Darrell Johnson – November 29, 2015 at All Day
Tales of a Charlie Brown Christmas with The Jerry Granelli Trio & The Coastal Sound Children's Choir – November 29, 2015 at All Day
Global Climate March – November 29, 2015 at 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Advent Carol Service – November 29, 2015 at 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
Advent Lessons and Carols Service – November 29, 2015 at 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
God Wakes a World: Call to Prayer – November 29, 2015 at 6:15 pm - 9:15 pm
United in Prayer, United in Mission – November 29, 2015 at 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
A Caelestra Christmas – November 29, 2015 at 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Advent Vespers – November 29, 2015 at 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm
City in Focus Awards Ceremony – November 30, 2015 at 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Dec 2015
Public Lecture Series: Competing Paradigms: Christianity and Naturalism – Modern Visions of Jesus – December 1, 2015 at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pmChristmas Artisan Fair – December 2, 2015 at 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Business By the Book Christmas Luncheon: Stockwell Day – December 2, 2015 at 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Bev Ellis: Splendour of the Raw & Flawed - Opening Reception – December 2, 2015 at 4:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Mission Possible Gala – December 2, 2015 at 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Jazz Evensong: Sandra Mae – December 2, 2015 at 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Lilian Broca: Heroine of a Thousand Pieces - The Judith Mosaics of Lilian Broca – December 3, 2015 at All Day
Perogy Night in Vancouver – December 4, 2015 at 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Saint James Music Academy Christmas Concert – December 4, 2015 at 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Climate Change and the Church: Faithful Responses to Global Warming – December 4, 2015 at 6:45 pm - 9:00 pm
Christmas for Kenya Concert – December 4, 2015 at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Vancouver Chamber Choir: Christmas in the Orpheum - Renaissance, Baroque & Carols – December 4, 2015 at 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Chor Leoni: All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 – December 5, 2015 at All Day
Fair Trade Fair – December 5, 2015 at 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
St. Stephen's Fall Fair – December 5, 2015 at 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Winter Treasures Marketplace – December 5, 2015 at 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
St. Christopher's Christmas Bazaar – December 5, 2015 at 10:30 am - 1:30 pm
St. Nicholas Fair – December 5, 2015 at 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
Advent Art Exhibit and Jazz Vespers: Repeat, Repeat the Sounding Joy – December 5, 2015 at 12:00 pm - 9:00 pm
The Firs Noel – December 5, 2015 at 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
With One Voice, a Winter Concert – December 5, 2015 at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Coquitlam Chorale: A Child is Born – December 5, 2015 at 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Gloria Dei Chorale: Handel's Messiah – December 5, 2015 at 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
St. Faith's Christmas and Bake Sale – December 6, 2015 at 11:30 am - 1:30 pm
Christmas with the Bach Choir – December 6, 2015 at 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Coquitlam Chorale: A Child is Born – December 6, 2015 at 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Winter Harp, with the Vancouver Welsh Men's Choir – December 6, 2015 at 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Christmas at the Chan – December 6, 2015 at 2:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Christmas Benefit Concert presented by L’Arche Greater Vancouver – December 6, 2015 at 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Ecumenical Advent Service – December 6, 2015 at 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Mighty and Beautiful: A Christmas Jazz Vespers – December 6, 2015 at 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
Music at Queen's: 18th Annual Carols & Bells – December 6, 2015 at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Gloria Dei Chorale: Handel's Messiah – December 6, 2015 at 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Public Lecture Series: Competing Paradigms: Christianity and Naturalism – The Future of Christianity and Naturalism – December 8, 2015 at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Let the Bells Ring! North Shore Housing Centre and Shelter Fundraising Concert – December 8, 2015 at 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Archie Spencer: The Future of Evangelical Theology – December 9, 2015 at 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
#Welcome Refugees: Town Hall Forum – December 9, 2015 at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Jubilee Christmas Tour: Booth Brothers, Greater Vision, Legacy Five – December 9, 2015 at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Jazz Evensong: Jaclyn Guillou – December 9, 2015 at 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Bev Ellis: Splendour of the Raw & Flawed – December 10, 2015 - December 18, 2015 at All Day
Let There Be Light! – December 10, 2015 at 12:00 am
Timberline Country Christmas 2015 – December 10, 2015 - December 20, 2015 at All Day
A Christmas Carol – December 10, 2015 - December 12, 2015 at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
The Many Storeys and Last Days of Thomas Merton – December 10, 2015 at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
A Traditional Christmas with the VSO – December 10, 2015 at 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
A Christmas Carol: On the Air – December 10, 2015 at 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm
48th Annual Singing Christmas Tree: Toy Factory – December 11, 2015 - December 13, 2015 at All Day
Miracle: Songs in the Night – December 11, 2015 - December 13, 2015 at All Day
Jesus and Other Refugees: Both Sides of Christmas – December 11, 2015 at 7:00 am - 8:30 am
A Traditional Christmas with the VSO – December 11, 2015 at 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Earthkeepers: Evening of Prayer and Confession – December 11, 2015 at 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
A Traditional Christmas with the VSO – December 11, 2015 at 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Vancouver Orpheus Choir: Songs for a Winter's Night – December 11, 2015 at 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Celebrate!: A Good Noise Christmas – December 11, 2015 at 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Fred Peter: Art Fundraiser for Refugees – December 12, 2015 - December 13, 2015 at All Day
A Traditional Christmas with the VSO – December 12, 2015 at 4:00 am - 6:00 am
First Noel – December 12, 2015 at 9:30 am - 12:00 pm
Roy Durman Annual Christmas Banquet – December 12, 2015 at 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm
North Shore Community Christmas Dinner 2015 – December 12, 2015 at 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm
A Christmas Potpourri: Malcolm Guite [UK poet] & Friends – December 12, 2015 at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
A Traditional Christmas with the VSO – December 12, 2015 at 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Celebrate!: A Good Noise Christmas – December 12, 2015 at 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Vancouver Bach Choir: Handel's Messiah – December 12, 2015 at 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Reframe 10-session course connecting Faith & Life (first & third Sundays) – December 13, 2015 at 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Celebrate!: A Good Noise Christmas – December 13, 2015 at 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Carol Sing-a-Long with the Vancouver Children’s Choir – December 13, 2015 at 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
Marcus Mosely Chorale and Band: Love Comes Alive - a Jazz Vespers Event – December 13, 2015 at 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
Blue Christmas – December 13, 2015 at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Gloria Dei Chorale: Christmas 'Lessons and Carols' – December 13, 2015 at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Holly Johnson: Art Show and Sale – December 13, 2015 at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
A Traditional Christmas with the VSO – December 13, 2015 at 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Music at Queen's: Caelestra – December 13, 2015 at 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Christmas Presence (not every night) – December 13, 2015 - December 21, 2015 at 8:00 pm - 10:30 pm
Gloria Dei Chorale: Christmas 'Lessons and Carols' – December 14, 2015 at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Expecting Emmanuel – December 14, 2015 at 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Blind Boys of Alabama Holiday Show – December 14, 2015 at 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm