Canada

‘They treat us how they see us.’

One spring I participated in a two and a half day silent retreat where I picked up two books by Scot McKnight, The Blue Parakeet and The Jesus Creed. In my reading and reflection times, I learned some principles of applying the stories of the Bible to my story and I reflected on possible God moments in my life that I was missing. As the Bible tells stories about who God is and what he has done, it can also help us learn how he is present in our lives, every day and into the future.

Ever since starting to study at Redeemer, I’ve become more familiar with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, and Canada’s history in the treatment of Indigenous people. Thanks to classes with William Postma and Naaman Wood, I’ve wanted to join the effort of reconciliation with Indigenous communities, but I didn’t really know what the process of reconciliation looked like practically. Maybe you’ve felt the same way.

Can you imagine escaping a dangerous situation and finally beginning a new life in Canada...but doing so with $10,000 in debt, before you even started language classes or enrolled your children in school? For more than two decades, Canada was the only country in the world to charge refugees interest on their travel loans. For a nation claiming to welcome refugees, this sent mixed messages.

Houston has a large and growing Muslim population. My little suburban corner of the city is no exception. Recently I was shopping in my local grocery store and no less than five Muslim women walked past me wearing headscarves.

As we stood together studying the stunning variety of breakfast cereals I had to admit, I felt a little jealous. As a Reformed pastor and theologian I don’t get a uniform. No hat. No collar. Nothing.

This is a small story about what happens when we invite others to our table.

In the fall of 2017, in the year of Canada 150 celebrations, the CRC's Canadian Aboriginal Ministry Committee invited pastors and churches in Canada to considertogether what it means that the land we call Canada has been inhabited for far more than 150 years.

If you’re a Christian in Canada, you’ve likely heard by now about the Canada Summer Jobs controversy. Many churches are concerned about new rules for federal funding for student summer jobs. Kate Kooyman chatted with Mike Hogeterp of the Christian Reformed Centre for Public Dialogue to learn more about the controversy and how CRC people can respond.

This is a small story about what happens when we invite others to our table.

In the fall of 2017, in the year of Canada 150 celebrations, the CRC's Canadian Aboriginal Ministry Committee invited pastors and churches in Canada to consider together what it means that the land we call Canada has been inhabited for far more than 150 years.

“Open the eyes of my heart, Lord.”

We pray earnestly and fervently that God will open the eyes of our hearts. We pray this because we want to be more like God—we want to reflect him truly. But do we let his answer to our prayer penetrate our minds and eyes? Do we let his answer soak into our daily lives? How often do we keep our eyes open to see the way God answers these prayers?

There’s a strange little Canadian tradition on budget day: the finance minister’s new shoes. No one seems to know where it comes from, but it’s become a gimmicky little tradition—a minister might wear green shoes when emphasizing care for the environment, or even, like Stockwell Day as Alberta Treasurer, a pair of inline skates.

Beyond the gimmicks and social media posturing, what’s the substance of this budget? Budgets are moral documents about the priorities of our country—what does this budget really say?