Peace in the City

Last week, we had the opportunity to attend Peace in the City Colloquium 2015, a Wycliffe College event in partnership with World Vision’s Canadian Programs. It was a refreshing time to meet with and learn from colleagues in similar ministries in and around the city of Toronto.

We attended the colloquium hoping to figure out how to better build peace and spread God’s love throughout the city. We finished the day with more questions than we had started off with, and this is a good thing. Here is what we learned:

1. Hospitality is a muscle that needs to be exercised. Some are more gifted in hospitality than others, but it must be regularly exercised in order for God to use and stretch it to its full potential.

2. We need to (re)educate ourselves about others. What is halal foods? What are children’s roles in different religions and cultures? What is the difference between witnessing, proselytizing, and evangelism?

3. Have question based conversations when speaking to new people. It is better for others to ask you questions, than to get a speech for a question they did not ask.

4. Radical hospitality is possible. Hint: It doesn’t have to be having people over for dinner. We were given this resource, Radical Hospitality for the Rest of Us, and it is great.

5. Shared priority.  If we work together towards goals for the well being of humanity and the common good first, that can lead toward multi-faith cohesion.

“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” -Romans 12:18  

Thoughts on Forgiveness

By Chara Benson, Outreach Worker / Teacher in Victoria Village

In this clip from the movie, “Les Miserables”, the bishop’s act of generosity, forgiveness, and mercy has a big impact on the criminal Jean Valjean. This reminds me of another story that started way back in the beginning with Adam and Eve when they chose to disobey God and allowed sin to enter into the world. This grieved God because he created us and loved us so much that he wanted us to be able to be with him forever. God’s plan of redemption was to send his only son Jesus to die in our place because he LOVES US so much. 

Just like the Bishop who FORGAVE Jean Valjean even though he DIDN’T DESERVE forgiveness, Jesus also forgave us when we didn’t deserve it. This allowed us to be able to have the CHOICE to accept JESUS’ forgiveness and spend ETERNITY with Him. 

Later on, the movie shows how the criminal Jean Valjean’s life changes completely. That FORGIVENESS that the bishop showed, affected his whole life and as a result he lived the rest of his life with kindness, compassion and mercy towards others. 

It makes me wonder, how has my life changed and reflected these qualities as a result of the forgiveness I have received from God? 

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that who so ever believes in him, shall not perish but have everlasting life.”

Forts and False Kingdoms

By Gala Castaños, Outreach Worker in Kingston-Galloway

If you ever stop by Kingston-Galloway one day, you will find that one of the sacred and most precious activities the kids love doing is building their own forts. As they enter the church building, they run straight towards their secret hideaway; taking the uttermost care to protect it from strangers. They feel warm, they feel safe and secure; even though the frame is made of 30 year old tables which threaten to collapse; and the walls are of an old thin and billowy blanket that is in desperate need of washing and patching. It is their palace-that they have made and rule over as their own "king". A certain pride is taken in their makeshift kingdom. But that is what they don't realize: it is just exactly that. A makeshift Kingdom. It's always a tragic moment when the fort eventually collapses and they come out in tears over its temporary perfection.

This illustration echoes deeply into my own heart as I reflect on how similar I am to these kids and the false kingdoms that I can build in my own life. So many times I have struggled to build my own kingdom, with my own rules. No one can tell me what to do; and that feels good. It is a false kingdom where I am in control of everything and anything that threatens this power overwhelms me with anxiety. The constant need of having to fight for control triggers the cloud of fear and the seed of bitterness to take root against anyone and anything that is against me. But this is a false Kingdom- a makeshift Kingdom where Jesus is clearly not the true King. I have replaced Him with myself and have replaced all the blessing that being subject to a gracious, loving and powerful King has to offer. By building my own Kingdom, I have essentially stripped the True and Righteous King of His glory and have pompously elevated my broken and sinful self over all.

Even after all this - the True King is merciful. Even when I was busy making my own makeshift Kingdom - He was still loving and gracious enough to forgive me of my deepest faults and brought me closer to Him through withholding his wrath upon me and instead chose to pour that same wrath on his own Son at Calvary. As I was busy making my own makeshift Kingdom- the True King was offering me forgiveness, hope and breaking down the broken walls of my false Kingdom , so that I could enter in the gates of His everlasting one.

Lessons Learned on My Placement

By Wilson Wong, Placement Student

Me (top row, second from the right) and the rest of the summer interns. Summer 2014

Hi, my name is Wilson Wong and I'm a placement student from Seneca studying social service work. Over the course of the past two years, I've been working and serving with amazing people at TCM for amazing kids and families. My first placement term I worked with Jeff and Eliot at Willowtree. It was my first placement opportunity and I used it to get my feet wet. I was also given the opportunity to be a summer intern for Sonshine Day Camp 2014. I met lots of other interns and learned to work in a team. More importantly I learned to keep God's interests in mind and not my own. There were times when I felt like giving up but the people at TCM helped support me and they also encouraged me when I felt discouraged. My final placement was a full year at St. James Town and Kingston-Galloway. I had the opportunity to work with the staff at TCM, I learned a lot from their strong and loving attitude towards God and the kids. They were so transparent with me and they were vulnerable with their struggles in ministry. Through this experience, I was able to build strong friendships united in God. Although my term for placement is over with TCM, I do not regret one bit because I learned more about God through the servant attitudes that each and every person at TCM has for their ministry and God. I hope and pray for the best for TCM as well as looking forward to witnessing God's great works using TCM.

The Story of Easter

By Enos Choy, Outreach Worker in Flemingdon Park

Today I was talking with 8 kids who had never heard the full Easter story before. “Why did Judas betray Jesus?” they asked. “Why did Jesus have to die on the cross?” “Why is the cross shaped like a lower cased ‘t’?” “What do you mean God can’t accept sin?” “What is sin?” “Is it Adam and Eve’s fault that there is sin in the world?” “How did Jesus come back to life?” “If Jesus came back to life, is he still alive now? Where is he? Or if he’s dead, how did he die the second time?” “If Jesus and God are the same person, are they twins? Do they look alike?”

I thought these kinds of scenes only happened in remote countries overseas. But as I learned from a friend earlier in the morning, Toronto is rapidly becoming secular and this is becoming the new norm.

After half an hour of dialoguing over questions and watching the YouTube video below, all I can say now as I reflect on the day is that

1. God is still alive, well, and moving in Toronto, and
2. I’m so excited to have witnessed the events of the day.

I am certain that this is not a result of the great skill and knowledge of my coworkers Esther, Felicia, and myself, but that this is God doing His work as we partner with Him. Jesus died for all our sins, and rose again so we won’t have to fear death. He came to seek and save the lost, every one of us, from the youngest to the oldest. He loves us. He matures us. And we want to share.

The seed has been sown. Now we pray for good soil.