Chinese food was on the menu during the October 27 visit to Skuppah Fire Relief Centre.
Members of Fraser Lands Church in southeast Vancouver have been making regular trips to help the people of Lytton and nearby Indigenous communities.
Residents in and around Lytton were evacuated from their homes when the village was burned to the ground June 30, during a time of unprecedented high temperatures, sometimes reaching the high 40s.
The church’s Help for Lytton page gives updates on their five trips between July 8 and October 3. Here is a portion of the October 3 report:
Since the Lytton townsite was destroyed by wildfire, there is no place in the area where people can purchase their daily needs. We spent time chatting with the few people operating the Relief Centre.
We listened to their stories and desire to rebuild the Lytton community. Some evacuees are gradually returning but a lot of rebuilding is needed – physically and emotionally. We sensed their disappointment and frustration as well as their spirit of perseverance and hope.
Six members of the Fraser Lands / Capstan team with three people from the Skuppah Relief Centre.
Nicholas Lai, vice chair of the church’s elders board, sent me an update about their most recent trip:
On Wednesday October 27 we made another delivery trip to Lytton. The team was composed of four vehicles and seven members from Fraser Lands Church and Richmond Capstan Alliance Church delivering supplies to Skuppah Fire Relief Centre.
We also stopped at Hope to buy some take-out Chinese food to share with the people at the Centre. The drive from Hope to Lytton is just over one hour and the food would still be warm.
As usual our supplies are very much appreciated. We met some new people from the Skuppah Band and spent time discussing their most recent situation.
The pantry at Fraser Lands Church – when it was full.
We are also working with the Relief Centre to plan for activities that will help sustain and rebuild the Lytton community.
We had planned for a techno clinic to help the people in Lytton with their computers and smart phones. However, it was postponed because more time is needed to prepare and schedule the event. But it will happen later this year or early next year.
Christmas is fast approaching, and we are working with the Relief Centre to provide Christmas hampers for the families living in the Lytton area.
Our idea is to prepare packages that cater to the entire family for their holiday celebration. Items such as cookies, gingerbread house kits, candy canes, hot chocolates, family board games and other items will be part of the package.
Our next delivery trip to Lytton is scheduled for mid November. Delivery of Christmas hampers will be in early December.
People can contact us if they are interested in getting involved. As usual, our pantry is empty after our last trip.
Go to the church’s Help for Lytton page to see the wide range of supplies they generally take, and for contact information.
Vienna House
More Than a Roof is a partner in the planned Vienna House project.
More Than a Roof tweeted November 1 that they were very happy to see Building magazine feature a unique housing community they are involved with in East Vancouver.
Here is a portion of the Building article:
As the province’s largest developer, the provincial crown agency [BC Housing] creates below-market rental housing, supportive housing and temporary shelter for single parents, those with disabilities or other special needs, and people experiencing, or who are at risk of, homelessness.
In a bid to test out promising solutions in a real-world setting, BC Housing recently partnered with the Vancouver Affordable Housing Agency, More Than a Roof Housing Society and The University of British Columbia (UBC) on an innovative new project.
The project, called Vienna House, will be a rental-apartment community that aims to test out the use of innovative materials and processes to lower development costs and cut carbon. The lessons learned from the project could help inform and improve how energy efficient, climate-forward affordable housing is delivered across the province and beyond.
When complete, the project will comprise a six-storey, 123-unit below-market rental community that would be located at Victoria Drive and Stainsbury Avenue in East Vancouver. It would offer its tenants a variety of unit options, from studios to three-bedroom apartments. . . .
Go here for the full article.
More Than a Roof states on their site: “Our mission and purpose at More Than a Roof is to break the cycle of poverty and homelessness in the lives of our tenants through transformative affordable housing” and “We value our Christian faith as an integral part of all we do.”
They provide housing to for more than 1,700 tenants across 12 housing communities throughout Metro Vancouver, Victoria and Prince George. They are a sponsor of the Housing Central Conference, Canada’s largest affordable housing event, November 15 – 17.
A Rocha Canada turns 20
Last week I wrote that six people connected to A Rocha Canada were on their way to COP26. They are now there, but there is still lots going on in Canada, including an online 20th anniversary celebration this Saturday (November 6).
Twenty years have passed since Peter and Miranda Harris sowed the seeds of A Rocha through a Regent College class.
The first Christian environmental centre in Canada was established in south Surrey. The 18 acre Brooksdale Environmental Centre has since been joined by other centres in Manitoba and Ontario, with the Buck Creek Hatchery & Nature Centre in Houston (northern BC) opening up earlier this year.
Here is A Rocha’s invitation:
The world has changed a lot over the last 20 years and so have we. Join us for a free one-hour virtual event to celebrate the people and places that have helped build the community we are today.
Connect with new and familiar faces, listen to stories of hope and transformation from over the years, learn from keynote speaker Katharine Hayhoe, and share in the vision for the next chapter of A Rocha Canada.
Katharine Hayhoe is the keynote speaker for A Rocha Canada; she is at COP26 in Glasgow now.
Hayhoe, a high profile Canadian atmospheric scientist who studies climate change, is in Glasgow along with the Canadian A Rocha delegates. The Washington Post posted an article (“As COP26 conference gathers, faith-based environmentalists fight ‘eco-grief'”) which featured her:
“I adamantly refuse to surrender to hopelessness,” wrote Katharine Hayhoe, chief scientist for The Nature Conservancy, in an email interview. Hayhoe, with author Bill McKibben, is participating in COP26, where President Joe Biden and other world leaders spoke on Monday (Nov. 1). . . .
Hayhoe, well known in Christian circles for explaining global warming in faith-friendly ways to those she terms “solution skeptics,” also has faith in the possibility of collective action on behalf of the planet.
In her new book, Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World, she writes about the “six Americas of global warming.” It is a primer for those still holding hope for change. . . .
Her Christian beliefs tell her, she said, that humans have a responsibility for all living things, and to love and care for those less fortunate. “Climate change disproportionally affects the most marginalized and vulnerable people in the world,” she said.
A Rocha Canada is one of 20 A Rocha International centres around the world.
International Day of Prayer
This Sunday (November 7) is recognized worldwide as the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP). This year the theme is ‘Unshakable Faith’:
Every year, Christians around the world set a day aside for prayer for our sisters and brothers who are persecuted for their faith.
IDOP Canada is coordinated by a group of Christian organizations in Canada that are serving the persecuted church worldwide.
The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada
Intercede International
International Christian Response
Open Doors Canada
Voice of the Martyrs
Go here for more information and to register for free, downloadable resources to help your church or group pray for our brothers and sisters who are persecuted for their faith.
Oct 2021
Meeting by Light: An Exhibit by Jocelyn Worster – October 27, 2021 - November 17, 2021 at All DayNov 2021
Nowheresville, BC – November 3, 2021 - November 5, 2021 at 8:00 pm - 9:00 pmLunch or Online Event with Josh & Loretta: A Journey of Faith and Business – November 4, 2021 at 11:45 am - 1:00 pm
VST Somerville Lecture: Spiritual Audacity with Martin Doblmeier – November 4, 2021 at 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Complete Champion Reception: All Blacks Eroni Clarke – November 5, 2021 at 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Iain Provan: Living in Exile – Biblical Ethics in a Strange Land – November 5, 2021 - November 6, 2021 at 6:30 pm - 12:00 pm
Friday Night Talks @ L'Abri: Clarke Scheibe – Francis Schaeffer's Escape from Reason for Today – November 5, 2021 at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
A Rocha Canada: 20 Years of Caring for People & Places – November 6, 2021 at 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Climate Vigil BC – November 6, 2021 at 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church: Unshakeable Faith – November 7, 2021 at All Day
Christianity and Science: Exploring How Their Story Began – November 7, 2021 at 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Mark Glanville: Called to this Time – Advent – November 10, 2021 at 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Dr. Hillary McBride: Instagram introduction to 'The Wisdom of Your Body' – November 12, 2021 at 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Come Explore the Indigenous Atlas of Canada – November 12, 2021 at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Friday Night Talks @ L'Abri: Andy Patton, What Do We Do with Richard Rohr? – November 12, 2021 at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Mapping The Ground We Stand On – November 13, 2021 at 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Cantonese Webinar: Post-Pandemic Financial Management / Job Market – November 13, 2021 at 2:00 pm - 4:15 pm
Blues Hoodoo – November 13, 2021 at 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm
The Connected Generation: A Canadian Conversation – November 16, 2021 at 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
The Missional Network: Fall 2021 Workshop Series – November 16, 2021 at 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Four Visions: Outside Looking In – November 17, 2021 - December 12, 2021 at All Day
WiP Seminar: Dr. Scott Kline – Neighbours Saving Neighbours – November 17, 2021 at 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Journey Canada: 30 Years of Hope – November 17, 2021 at 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Theology Symposium: The Many and the One, by ACTS Seminaries – November 17, 2021 at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Jazz Evensong @ Brentwood: Nick Apivor & Friends – November 17, 2021 at 8:00 pm - 8:45 pm
ADVOKATE: Celebrate Life Gala – November 18, 2021 at 7:00 am - 8:30 am
Brian Bird: The Struggle for Tolerance – November 18, 2021 at 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
Congregational Flourishing: EFC Book Club with Joel Thiessen – November 18, 2021 at 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
Music at PT: Jenny Banai – November 18, 2021 at 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm
Restore 2021 – November 19, 2021 at 9:00 am - 11:30 am
Come Explore the Indigenous Atlas of Canada – November 19, 2021 at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Friday Night Talks @ L'Abri: Clarke Scheibe, The Failure of Liberalism to Fight Totalitarianism – November 19, 2021 at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Music at PT: Cheryl Bear – November 19, 2021 at 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm
Wild Blue Herons – November 19, 2021 at 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm
CSB Iron Sharpens Iron National Men’s Conference: Workout with Ryan Walter – November 20, 2021 at 8:30 am - 10:30 am
Christmas Bazaar – November 20, 2021 at 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
Share the Light Online Conference – November 20, 2021 at 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Indian Residential Schools: A New Awakening in Canadian Consciousness, with Sister Marie Zarowny – November 20, 2021 at 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Explore the Indigenous Atlas of Canada – November 22, 2021 - November 26, 2021 at 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Canadian Nationwide Prayer Event – November 23, 2021 at 8:00 am - 9:30 am
Church Planting with Alpha – November 23, 2021 at 9:00 am - 10:00 am
Spiritual Care Series: Pathways to Meaningful Ageing – November 24, 2021 at 9:30 am - 11:30 am
Jazz Evensong @ Brentwood: The Possibilities Band – November 24, 2021 at 8:00 pm - 8:45 pm
Run Alpha Q & A – November 25, 2021 at 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Jordan Peterson: Sic et Non, with Ron Dart – November 25, 2021 at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Palimpsest – November 26, 2021 - November 27, 2021 at All Day
Annual Christmas Crafts and Lunch – November 26, 2021 at 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
NightShift Gala 2021 – November 26, 2021 at 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Friday Night Talks @ L'Abri: Daniel McDougall, on Food – November 26, 2021 at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Neil Osborne – November 26, 2021 at 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Emotion-Focused Family Therapy Caregiver Workshop – November 27, 2021 - November 28, 2021 at 8:30 am - 1:30 pm
Christmas Bazaar – November 27, 2021 at 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Holiday Craft Fair – November 27, 2021 at 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
St. John's Christmas Fair – November 27, 2021 at 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
Holly Berry Fair – November 27, 2021 at 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
10th Annual Christmas Jazz Concert – November 27, 2021 at 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Discovery Project – November 29, 2021 at 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Dennis Venema Book Launch: Evangelicals & Science Skepticism: Can Philosophy Help? – November 29, 2021 at 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm
ELO National Forum 2021 – November 30, 2021 at 9:00 am - 2:35 pm
Dec 2021
Advent Prayer Week – December 1, 2021 - December 8, 2021 at All DayJazz Evensong @ Brentwood: Conrad Good & Friends – December 1, 2021 at 8:00 pm - 8:45 pm
First Christmas Interactive Experience – December 2, 2021 - December 12, 2021 at 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
BC One Heart Call to Prayer – December 2, 2021 at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Chasing the Light: A Himalayan Life Fundraising Event – December 2, 2021 at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Hans Boersma: Five Theses on Bible Reading – December 2, 2021 at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Opening Reception: 'Held in the Now' by Fiona Moes Pel – December 2, 2021 at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Sanctuary's Virtual Christmas Gala: In My Shoes – December 2, 2021 at 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Friday Night Talks @ L'Abri: Liz Snell, On the Novels of Marilynne Robinson – December 3, 2021 at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Really Good Christians – They Go at Easter and Christmas: Understanding Occasional Religious Practice – December 3, 2021 at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
A Rocha Market Christmas Open House (including carolling) – December 4, 2021 at 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Christmas Bazaar – December 4, 2021 at 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Christmas Market – December 4, 2021 at 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
St George's 113th Annual ACW Bazaar – December 4, 2021 at 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
St. Stephen's Christmas Market – December 4, 2021 at 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Book Signing: God's Firestarters – December 4, 2021 at 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
Mission Central Fundraiser – December 4, 2021 at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
St. Anne's Holiday Bazaar – December 5, 2021 at 11:30 am - 2:00 pm
Vancouver Welsh Men's Choir: Sing We Now of Christmas – December 7, 2021 at 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm
City Dream Centre: Christmas Project 2021 – December 8, 2021 - December 20, 2021 at All Day
Christmas Artisan Fair – December 8, 2021 at 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Chasing the Light: A Himalayan Life Fundraising Event – December 8, 2021 at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Christmas Presence – December 8, 2021 - December 22, 2021 at 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Jazz Evensong @ Brentwood: Triology, with Marcus Mosely – December 8, 2021 at 8:00 pm - 8:45 pm
Integrity: Fighting the Evil of Corruption – December 9, 2021 at 6:00 am - 8:00 am
Conversations with . . . Wanda Fost: Connecting Rest and Generosity – December 9, 2021 at 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Good Tidings! A Good Noise Gospel Christmas (3 shows) – December 10, 2021 - December 11, 2021 at All Day
Changing the Way We Welcome Refugee Claimants: Research & Recommendations – December 10, 2021 at 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Christmas at Tenth, with Ron Reed & Michael Hart (4 events) – December 11, 2021 - December 12, 2021 at All Day
Vancouver Thunderbird Chorus: 'Tis the Season – December 11, 2021 at 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Marcus Mosely Chorale: Peace on Earth – December 11, 2021 at 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Christmas Drive Thru – December 11, 2021 at 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Join Theo Bessem, Andrew Marcus, Joe Mettle and Naomi Owobowale for a Night of Worship – December 11, 2021 at 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
VSO Pops: A Dee Daniels Christmas – December 11, 2021 at 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm
The Gallery Singers: We Wish You a Merry Christmas – December 12, 2021 at 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Vancouver Welsh Men's Choir: Sing We Now of Christmas – December 13, 2021 at 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm
A Post-Pandemic Missiology: A Candid Conversation with Denominational, Regional and Network Leaders – December 14, 2021 at 7:00 am - 8:00 am
Alpha Webinar: Stories of Celebration – December 14, 2021 at 9:00 am - 10:00 am
José Euzebio Costa Silveira: Common – December 15, 2021 - January 12, 2022 at All Day
José Euzebio Costa Silveira: Common (opening reception) – December 15, 2021 at 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Jazz Evensong @ Brentwood: We Three Queens – December 15, 2021 at 8:00 pm - 8:45 pm