Our friendship grew slowly, over many years. She lived in my neighbourhood with her partner, in a very large old house – twice the size of mine – located only a few doors down the street. You had to climb…
The Bell: The delusion of self-sufficiency
Tag: friendship
It’s time for men to break out of their shell and make room for friendship
There’s a common stereotype that men don’t need friends, that they don’t have time for friendship, or that it isn’t an important part of their lives. This is a damaging narrative that needs to be corrected. The truth is that…
The importance of real friendships for pastors
Pastors need true friends, but they can be hard to find. This hopeful reflection is written by organizers of The Gathering (June 2 – 3 at Regent College), which will be focused around this topic. For pastoral leaders, genuine friendships…
Creating Conversation: The religious experience at a music festival
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…
Creating Conversation: Thresholds – a sabbatical reflection
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…
The graduate: Taylor’s story
Taylor, an 18 year old, tech-talented youth from Maple Ridge, is no stranger to hardship and pain. She’s had challenges with identity and acceptance, spent her life juggling two households, and barely graduated high school. Her mental health was constantly…
A Rocha co-founder had a ‘tremendous capacity for big-hearted love’
A Rocha Canada and Regent College will celebrate the life of Miranda Harris, co-founder of A Rocha. The memorial at Regent College will be shaped around viewing a recording of the official service taking place at St Aldates in Oxford…
Vancouver Foundation’s new ‘Connect & Engage’ report digs deeper
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…
Real relationships: The gospel for wealthy Westside Vancouver
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…
Newcomers to Canada welcomed by individuals, then by church
There is an ocean width of difference between being alone and being lonely. Some think it is language, unaffordable housing, technology or erratic work schedules that distance us from each other. For newcomers to Canada, it may be all of…