Building Authentic Community: Reflections on the Canadian National Gathering

Every three years, Christian Reformed churches from across Canada come together to discern, celebrate, and explore God’s calling for our national community of churches. From May 28–31, 2026, leaders and members gathered at Redeemer University in Ancaster, Ontario, under the theme “Foundation to Future.” But the Gathering doesn’t end when the weekend came to a close—we are continually reflecting on the conversations, streams, and stories that emerged, exploring how the seeds planted during our time together continue to shape a healthy and vibrant future for our churches today.

What does it truly take to build an authentic, intercultural church community?

At the recent Canadian National Gathering, participants in the Building Authentic Community stream wrestled with this exact question. Led by Sebastian Maldonado and Jeremiah Basuric, Senior Co-Leaders for Intercultural Ministry with the Christian Reformed Church in Canada,  the stream was designed as an interactive journey of self-reflection, historical truth-telling, and open-hearted learning.

Starting with Self-Awareness

Before a community can genuinely welcome and understand others, it must first understand itself. The stream invited participants—many of whom came from the dominant Dutch-Canadian heritage of the Christian Reformed Church, alongside BIPOC and non-Dutch attendees—to dig into their own family immigration stories, cultural roots, and long-held narratives.

For the facilitators, watching participants engage with their heritage revealed both deep strength and unexpected pain.

Basuric said, "We have a 'let’s build it' mentality, but a lot of what's needed for intercultural work is cultural self-awareness." He said "We tried to get people to reflect on their immigration story... and there’s a deep pain there that people are still processing. But as a church, where do we need to know ourselves and heal ourselves? That is what’s needed to open up to others."

This process of "interrogating our narratives" challenged participants to look past surface-level history. They explored the unspoken sacrifices, generational trauma, and cultural habits formed by their ancestors—while also celebrating enduring strengths brought to the church, such as resilience, tenacity, courage, deep faith, and community support.

Shifting Postures for True Inclusion

By looking inward, the stream aimed to help participants recognize how dominant cultural norms can unconsciously create barriers for neighbors from different backgrounds.

Maldonado said, “The process of self-reflection is key for people to understand that the dominant culture of their communities is not the only perspective that exists." He said, "It is through that process of self-reflection that we are able to open space to others... You can be proud of your own cultural heritage and understand the nuance of it, while also realizing how the way you do things might create barriers for others."

Rather than giving participants an "A-B-C list" of concrete steps, the facilitators focused on cultivating a long-term posture of humility, active listening, and openness. Participants left with a deeper appreciation for their own stories and a renewed willingness to engage respectfully with the stories of others.

Bringing the Stream to Your Local Church

The impact of the Building Authentic Community stream doesn't end at the Canadian National Gathering. Intercultural Ministries is using this material as a foundational framework for leadership development and local church workshops.

Whether your congregation is looking for a weekend workshop, a series of guided discussions, or an online learning space, the Intercultural Ministries team can adapt this interactive experience to fit your local context.

"Our hope was to create an interactive experience that we can offer to different churches in their own spaces," said Maldonado. "So it becomes more than just a one-time event, but something we can offer as Intercultural Ministries in the long run."

Are You Interested in Bringing This Workshop to Your Congregation?

If your church or ministry team is interested in exploring cultural self-awareness, storytelling, and intercultural community building, reach out today! The team can tailor the experience to your community's unique needs.

Email [email protected] to learn more or start planning a workshop for your church.