Refugees are all around me here at this seniors’ campus of care. They walk through the café with their coffees and bundles of bananas from our campus grocery. They push their spouse in a wheelchair around the fountain gardens and…
“We are very happy to be back in Vancouver.” So says Geoff Tunnicliffe as he eyes the end of his term as secretary general of the 600 million member World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) at the end of this month. While he is clearly sincere in his assertion,…
Mikhail Lennikov has lived in First Lutheran Church (at 42nd and Wales in East Vancouver) for more than five years. While his hosts would like to see him go free, they have also grappled with the significance of sanctuary in…
It is surprising to many Canadians that 150,000 Aboriginal children were forced to attend Indian Residential Schools from 1831 to 1996 as part of Canada’s official efforts to assimilate Indigenous people. It is not surprising that many victims did not…
Members of several groups and churches will meet for Refugee Housing Crisis: Developing a Response February 3. Dena Nicolai is inviting wide participation, including those who might be a bit skeptical. In my theological tradition, we sometimes talk about “square…
I can’t remember when I have felt as optimistic about ecumenical activities among local Christians as I have this fall. Three new (or renewed) initiatives stand out in particular: Mission Fest confirmed for early next year; Taste & Receive will…
A growing number of Canadians believe that the current rate of immigration to Canada is too high, particularly citing concerns about how newcomers might impact the availability of affordable housing. This is one of the main findings of a Focus…
Islamophobia is a major problem in Canada. Or is it? Depends who you ask. A March 13 study by the Angus Reid Institute is titled ‘Islamophobia in Canada: Four mindsets indicate negativity is nationwide, most intense in Quebec.’ British Columbians…
Refugee protection claims have risen steadily over the past year, so this is a good time to learn how to participate in the process. Fortunately there is a very timely way to find out from several ministries and churches which…
Creating Conversation is a weekly editorial, curated by the Centre for Missional Leadership (CML), which gives opportunity for people to speak about issues they believe are vital for the church in Vancouver. One of the goals of this weekly article is…