Best Practices

A country only the size of Maryland, many American Christians might not know about the hidden gem of Armenia, nestled in the South Caucuses with Georgia to the north, Azerbaijan to the east, Iran at the southern border, and Turkey to the west. The capital city of Yerevan is shadowed by the most spectacular view of Mount Ararat, where Christian explorers claim to have found remnants of Noah’s Ark beneath the snow and volcanic debris in 2010.

A quick survey of First Nations, Metis, and Inuit people brings about the realization of the truth of the situation. The Indigenous people of North America are over-represented in poverty, unemployment, child welfare, education system drop-outs, addiction, sex work, correctional services, and the like. Tent cities line inner-city streets as many of the occupants of these make-shift communities use illicit drugs to numb the pain of the reality of this world. Be careful not to judge, or you will be judged by the same measure.

When I was the Chicago organizer for the Climate Witness Project, I worked with many churches in the area to do advocacy initiatives focused on specific pieces of legislation.Our advocacy initiatives ranged from attending the climate march in Washington, DC to meeting with members of Congress. We also did local advocacy in our hometowns and with our Illinois delegation. Advocacy work is an important means for putting faith into action and for Christian witness.

By calculations I recently heard from a sermon at church, Noah spent about 378 days on the ark. In Canada Corrections terms, any sentence two years or greater is a federal sentence to be served in a federal prison, but anything less than two years can be served in a provincial prison. No matter the place or amount of time, I have been told by many guys that the experience is a lonely soul-searching time.

This past May, Climate Witness Project hosted a Sustainable Investments webinar featuring Kurt Holzhueter, an advisor with ClearView Investments. For those who are serious about mitigating climate change, a powerful advocacy tool is financial investments. Taking money OUT of fossil fuels and instead channeling those funds to companies with a commitment to sustainability is an important step. But how to go about making that change? 

Pope Francis’ penitential pilgrimage to Turtle Island to speak words of apology to Indigenous communities regarding residential schools has been historic and important.  There are a wide range of critical and positive reactions among Survivors of residential schools and Indigenous leaders to the Pope’s statements while in Canada.  As a Settler, it’s certainly not my place to evaluate these perspectives so, in this piece dear reader, please allow me to offer a few reflections on the implications of the Pope’s visit for the broader church in Canada – including the CRC.

“Well, I see we will have to agree to disagree.” 

World Refugee Day is coming up on June 20. The first World Refugee Day was held on June 20, 2001 to mark the 50th anniversary of the 1951 United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, and serves as a reminder that after the atrocities of World War II, the majority of the world came together in an understanding that we have a moral and legal obligation to protect the lives of people seeking refuge. 

So, you’ve been invited to attend a Talking Circle. As sharing is implied, one must conclude that a participant must share their feelings, thoughts, and opinions. 

I think a lot of people might think to themselves, “I’d rather see the dentist for a tooth extraction.”  Sharing for me can be compared to pulling teeth. Many people would rather stay home and catch up on reruns of the Dr. Phil then attend a Talking Circle.   

Restorations has long advocated for specialized residential programs to address the unique concerns and needs experienced by survivors of human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation. While more social services have received training regarding trafficking and exploitation, many of our clients still face challenges in accessing generalized services that do not adequately understand their complex needs.