Around Town: Mission Fest Pop-Ups, Peter Harris, Welcoming Newcomers

Mission Fest has weathered some storms and has carried on – earlier this year and again next February – in Chilliwack. It’s well worth the drive for those of us who live in Metro Vancouver.

But for those who can’t, or even more those who want to support Mission Fest and get a taste of what is to come, three Mission Fest Pop-Ups are going ahead this fall.

One will be held October 25 in downtown Vancouver at church: untitled, another November 1 in North Vancouver at New Life Christian Centre. 

Here is the invitation:

This fall Mission Central is hosting two evening events here in the greater Vancouver area to highlight the heart of Jesus for global missions and bring a preview to what’s coming to Mission Fest BC 2026.

These one-night gatherings will include worship, testimonies, preaching and an opportunity to listen together for how God is inviting us all to participate. 

Many of us remember hearing about or attending Mission Fest Vancouver at BC Place! Last year, Mission Fest moved from downtown Vancouver to Chilliwack, which is where it will be again this coming February.

God continues to use the conference to equip people to follow Jesus wherever He sends them. As you know, there are many ways we’re involved with global missions.

If you’ve never heard of Mission Fest, it’s a three-day conference where missionaries, people passionate about missions and dozens of mission agencies come together, all united around the presence and mission of Jesus in the world. There will be an exhibit hall to explore, preaching and worship sessions, a youth rally and more.

Go here for more on the Mission Fest Pop-Ups (and a third, which will be held at South Abbotsford Church November 22), and here to learn more about Mission Fest 2026, which will take place February 12 – 14 at Chilliwack Heritage Park.

Creation is Waiting

Peter Harris co-founded A Rocha with his wife Miranda.

A Rocha has had a big influence on the local Christian community – and next week we will have the opportunity to spend some time with the group’s co-founder, Peter Harris. 

Harris will address the topic Why Creation is Waiting for the Christians, at Trinity Western University, October 22:

The world is facing what has been called a polycrisis, one which certainly implies damage to both climate and all forms of life on earth.

But is the good news that Christians believe in relevant to these times? We will explore how it is, and what it means for some of the most impoverished human communities and the threatened ecosystems that sustain them.

“The good news of Jesus is meant to be written in the landscapes and not just in people’s lives.”

Peter and his late wife Miranda founded A Rocha, a family of conservation organizations in over 20 countries working together to live out God’s calling to care for creation, in 1983.

The A Rocha story is told in Peter’s books, Under the Bright Wings and Kingfisher’s Fire. A Cambridge graduate and Anglican minister, Peter has served as Adjunct Faculty at Regent College, Vancouver and Au Sable Institute, Michigan.

In his retirement, he continues to serve A Rocha as a volunteer, developing ways to create jobs and wealth and improve the environment instead of overexploiting it. In 2019, Peter and Miranda were in a horrific road accident in South Africa, which she did not survive, and which he has since spoken about in lectures and on film.

This event is co-sponsored by A Rocha Canada, the Canadian Scientific & Christian Affiliation, and Trinity Western University (Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Geography and Environment Department, Trinity Western Environmental Club).

Welcoming Newcomers

Refugees, international students, immigrants – there is a definite chill in the air about these terms, and not only from ICE in the United States.

Several local groups are bucking that trend, relying on several local groups which have proved their care over the years.

The Welcoming Newcomers Roundtable will be held at St. Andrew’s Hall on the UBC campus October 25:

Join us for a half-day of inspiration, learning and community as we explore how to effectively welcome newcomers to our neighbourhoods. Learn how your church can welcome refugee claimants, international students; two of the more vulnerable people groups coming to our country. Come away from this morning gathering with both an inspiring vision for welcome and practical skills to make that welcome a reality.

This event is hosted by Centre for Missional Leadership and Welcome Church, in partnership with CityGate Vancouver, New Hope Community Services, Vancouver First Christian Reformed Church and IAFR Canada.

This event is designed for those currently engaged in, or considering developing capacity to welcome newcomers. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect, share experiences and gather practical tools for creating inclusive communities. We look forward to welcoming you to a day of growth and collaboration!

The gathering runs from 9 am – 1 pm.

Events & Jobs

Events are listed below, but there is also an Events page and a Jobs page on the Church for Vancouver site.