Canada

In 1995, Jonathan Maracle, a Mohawk from Tyendinaga Territory in Ontario, Canada, decided not to sing Amazing Grace at the Sacred Assembly in Ottawa, as he had been asked. What he didn’t know was that listening to the Spirit in that moment would inspire a band and ministry that would shape the rest of his life [and the church.]

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.

We welcome Dr. Kenny Wallace to the show.  Kenny is an African American Choctaw Pawnee from the United States living in Canada. He teaches nationally and internationally about multi-ethnic worship with his organization Kingdom Reflections Multi-Ethnic Worship Ministries and today he unpacks with us how multi-ethnic worship can shape our spiritual imaginations.  

"Creator Sets Free (Jesus) lifted up his voice and said to them, "I am the light shining on this dark world.  The ones who walk with me will not stumble in the darkness but will have the light that gives them life."  - John 8:12 (FNV)

After a mission trip or an enriching act of charity, have you ever heard someone say something like, “I was expecting to serve them, but really they gave me more than I gave to them”, or “in the end they taught me more than I ever taught them”. Have you ever heard of or personally experienced this unexpected exchange? I certainly have.

I invite you to use this prayer guide as a resource to reflect on human trafficking and intercede on behalf of victims, survivors, perpetrators, and our communities. 

Those who are trafficked and exploited

“I looked again and saw people being mistreated everywhere on earth. They were crying, but no one was there to offer comfort, and those who mistreated them were powerful.”
Ecclesiastes 4:1 (CEV) 

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

My name is Bryan Mwaka and I work on the Community Engagement Team in Edmonton. My story in Canada starts on January 24th, 2020, the day I arrived at Pearson International Airport in Toronto. It was from there that I got onto another flight that got me to Edmonton International Airport in the wee hours of January 24th. It was -30 degrees. 

"So make sure that you, like salt, keep your true flavor by walking with each other in the way of peace." - Mark 9:50 (FNV)   

If you missed part one of this set on Ism’s and Phobias, I looked at a brief examination of some of the major ism’s facing our culture and congregations today. Isms are ways that we live when we don't take a hard look at our own attitudes and behaviours.  And these isms can turn into phobias. [1] And this is where the phobias come in. Phobias are irrational fears or beliefs of groups or things that are based in stereotypes, fear or ignorance.