Dear friends in the Christian community of Metro Vancouver: In recent news about the Afghan people, countries bordering Afghanistan, most notably Pakistan, have begun to crack down on immigration from Afghanistan, arresting and deporting families, some of whom have been…
Kinbrace has been welcoming refugee claimants to Vancouver since 1998 – and now are sharing the core values that have guided them with the broader community. The first of five Becoming Neighbours Workshops will be held March 25, both in…
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…
When Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim and his fellow ABC City Councillors were sworn in at the Orpheum Theatre November 7 he repeated some of the promises he made the night he was elected, where he said, for example: We heard…
Two groups which focus on the Great Commission and unevangelized people groups have created ‘Diaspora Missiographics’ to help us picture the demographics of our cities – and the dramatic potential of engaging with new arrivals. They have just added five…
These ‘Journey Through Lent’ scripture readings are powerful in themselves – but they are even more resonant in the wake of the mass murder of Muslims attending two mosques in New Zealand. And they are attached to actions which allow…
A study released July 9 confirms what anyone watching the church in Metro Vancouver already knows – that many immigrants have found welcome and support from local faith communities. The Faith and Immigration report begins: A comprehensive public opinion study of…
“Last month, a middle-aged Mexican woman came to the door. I knew immediately there was something different about her; she was definitely in need of TLC, you know . . . just some loving care” says Dennis Kirkley, lead chaplain at…
As a Palestinian, ‘refugee’ is a familiar word and status that many of my people have known since 1948. For non-refugees, this word can represent a stigma as it is associated with encroaching instability and danger. Others wear this term…
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…