A group of local citizens has invited Pope Francis to visit Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside; now it’s just a matter of waiting to see whether he will come. The interfaith group which sent the pope a letter includes Roman Catholic, United,…
Union Gospel Mission (UGM) is 75 years old. Much celebrating was under way this week to mark the anniversary of the Downtown Eastside (DTES) landmark at 601 East Hastings Street – and two other nearby locations. (The Mission has operations…
After arriving in Vancouver from Hong Kong in 1976, Marion landed her first job with The Chinese Community Library Services Association in Strathcona, the city’s oldest residential neighbourhood. Then she worked for 30 years as a social worker in Chinatown…
As I sat in the back row at Tenth Church, three speakers revealed that their mission field for the next 12 to 15 years was Cambodia. Listening, I heard God speak to me: “This is where the village is, where…
The homeless are out in the open at the Oppenheimer Park tent city. Many who were hidden in shelters or sleeping in the bushes have occupied the Downtown Eastside park for more than two months now. The same is true…
A discontented person thinks about what they don’t have and is miserable. A contented person thinks about what they do have and is thankful. But a truly blessed person thinks about how they can share what God has given them…
Regent College wants to introduce its community to the work of Richard Tetrault; thus the Lookout Gallery’s From the Urban Landscape show, running from September 10 to October 3 (an opening reception runs from 4:30 – 7:30 pm on the…
Wes Janzen has had a foot in two worlds for many years, shuttling back and forth between Langley and Ukraine. Here he has been a fixture at Trinity Western University for 33 years, as professor of music and director of…
An inspirational evening with a young orchestra whose members play instruments recycled from their home – a garbage dump in Cateura, Paraguay. That’s the promise, and I’m hoping quite a few people will take a gamble with the Recycled Orchestra…
A funny thing happened on Sunday at church. I had been scheduled for a month to read the scriptures, and I felt a slight chill when I discovered the passage was John 12:1-11. This is the story of Mary anointing…