I live in East Vancouver just off Commercial Drive. My house looks like a nondescript ‘Vancouver Special’ from the street, but it’s far from ordinary by our city’s standards. Over the past two years, I have shared my home with… Read more →
James Grunau and Loren Balisky have created thriving communities locally (Journey Home and Kinbrace), which share housing – and lives – with refugee claimants. Last week they travelled to Ottawa to appear before the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration,… Read more →
The role of churches and other faith-based ministries in the social, economic, governance and health of Surrey and White Rock is the focus of a now-launched book co-authored by several long-time observers of life in the two cities. The Church… Read more →
Ann Voskamp will be on the west coast this week, Saturday (October 21) as a keynote speaker for Gather Rise at Peace Portal Alliance Church in south Surrey and Sunday (October 22) to preach at Tenth Church in Vancouver. Many, many… Read more →
Local ministries are preparing for the next wave of refugees, even as they continue to support those who have already arrived. According to the federal government, some 6,000 more government-supported Syrian refugees will arrive in Canada this fall (of whom… Read more →
Churches and other public buildings may be necessary to house refugees in the short-term if Canada is to achieve its goal of bringing 25,000 refugees into the country. Chris Friesen, director of settlement services for Immigrant Services Society of BC… Read more →
Kinbrace, a refugee housing and support agency with Christian roots, has been recognized with the MOSAIC 2014 Human Rights Award. The award particularly cited Kinbrace’s work in developing a series of published resources under the title of Refugee Hearing Preparation Guide. The booklets… Read more →
Union Gospel Mission is a particularly busy place these days. At Summer Connect, on Wednesday (June 18), they hosted 40 other agencies offering a variety of free services, and next Wednesday (June 25) they will open their newly renovated building… Read more →
