Canada 150: How Are You Celebrating?

So how are you, or your congregation, planning to respond to Canada’s 150th birthday? Particularly how are you responding in ways that reflect on brokenness, give thanks and inspire reconciliation in our society?  

Here are just a few examples of how the CRC and related organizations are engaging and inspiring our society, and how you might get involved:

• CRC agencies like World Renew and the Office of Social Justice are advocating for refugees and newcomers. See World Renew’s reaffirmation of the CRCNA’s synodical statement here .
• Local CRC congregations on both sides of the border, such as ones in Alberta and BC, are continuing a rich CRC tradition of working together to sponsor refugees families. See two of the many stories here and here. 
• This year’s Sea-to-Sea Ride will include stops and on-site dialogues about First Nations and urban poverty relief needs. Proceeds from the Sea-to-Sea ride will go to World Renew’s poverty relief efforts.
• CRC-related educational institutions including The King’s University and Redeemer University College have launched the year with major events calling for reflection and re-imagining Canada. At The King’s annual inter-disciplinary conference, under the title “Glorious and Free,” they have focused on cultivating a “generous citizenship” that welcomes newcomers and refugees (see here ). Redeemer, meanwhile, began a campus-wide conversation on Indigenous issues, including a “blanket ceremony” and a campus tour focused on the First Nations that once inhabited Redeemer’s campus (see here) . 

Check out these stories for inspiration about ways that you and your congregation can commemorate Canada 150 in beautiful ways that really make a difference. Already there are many opportunities to get involved.

Here are a few examples:

Most immediately and urgently, encourage the government of Canada to review the Safe Third Country Agreement between Canada and the US to ensure that Canada can be an effective safe haven for refugees. See the CRC’s action alert here. 

Here are resources from the CRC’s Centre for Public Dialogue to help you get started in working toward social justice in Canada.

In the coming weeks, we’ll provide many more examples and resources for commemorating Canada 150 in transformative ways. Please post your ideas.