When Dennis Wilkinson found himself on a Vancouver West End bench sharing the whole gospel story with a Jew and a Muslim friend together he knew his philosophy of church planting was rooting. He saw hospitality was at the heart…
This Sunday (June 11), churches across Metro Vancouver will address one of the great challenges of living in our region: social isolation. The idea for One City, One Message came as a friendly but passionate challenge from Vancouver City Councilor Andrea…
Last week the Vancouver Foundation released a much-anticipated update to its landmark 2012 Connections and Engagement report on loneliness and community life in Metro Vancouver. This update, like the original report, provides hard evidence for trends most of us know…
Our family gathers together each Sunday in Advent to sing carols. Most weeks I choose ‘O Holy Night’ and I particularly love the third verse: Truly He taught us to love one another, His law is love and His gospel is…
Forming any sort of abiding face to face community is becoming rarer in our culture. Robert Putnam’s classic study Bowling Alone charts the accelerating demise of participation in community groups and associations from the years 1960 – 2000.[1] There are multiple factors…
This email was sent out March 16 to people who have taken part in the Vancouver Consultation process. We invite all Christians in the city to participate in One City, One Message. It’s time to begin planning how you and…
About 15 years ago, our fellowship at Marineview Chapel realized that our neighbours in Dunbar were simply not open to invitations to church outreach events. Their lives were already over-resourced and over-committed. So when we approached them with invitations to join us…
ReImagine Vancouver (December 2 – 3) is “designed for leaders and practitioners who are starting something new, revitalizing the local church through new expressions and deepening their church’s faithful presence in their neighbourhood.” Leading the way at St. Andrew’s Hall…
On a sunny evening in late August, about 60 people are gathered in Karen Reed’s East Vancouver backyard. They sit in chairs – around tables on the patio and on the grass in tight circles – and stand near the open…
Just over a month ago, the Jacob’s Well community was not sure whether it would be able to carry on, having been evicted from its long-time home at 239 Main Street, just north of Hastings Street. The team decided to close its doors…