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Christ-centred. Creative. Canadian.
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Although I was born and raised in B.C. and still hold an address there, the eight out of 12 annual months I spend living at The King's University in Edmonton made me eligible to vote in the Alberta referendum.
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I felt fairly confident that the majority of voters would opt to stay in Canada. But as I stood in line at an advanced voting station at King's, I found myself unsure how to predict the outcome of the other nine referendum questions.
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Now, after months of tense lead-up to the Alberta referendum, the results are finally in. For question 10, which asked whether Alberta should begin the process of separating from Canada, over 75 percent of voters chose option one: “Alberta should remain a province in Canada.” While this is a significant majority, the other nine questions were a closer call. You can read the details here.
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Of all 10 referendum questions, I am most disappointed with the result of question one, which asks whether Alberta should increase control of immigration. The polls show a majority who voted “yes.”
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Welcoming the newcomer is more than a political courtesy; it is a calling deeply rooted in the Bible's teachings. I wonder how many immigrants in the process of obtaining Albertan citizenship feel ostracized knowing that the majority of their neighbours are in favour of stricter border control.
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As you mull over the results of the referendum, I hope you can find hope in Heidi's story about her friend who welcomed a homeless man into her house when he needed shelter. May we all find the Christ-like love to do the same to the stranger among us.
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What do you think about the Alberta referendum results? Email me at [email protected] with your thoughts.
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P.S. The Micah Centre, a justice-focused ministry here at King's, hosted a fundraiser run for refugee students the same weekend as the referendum. It gives me hope that King's, like many other communities in Alberta, continues to look out for the newcomer.
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Did someone forward this newsletter to you?
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PRAYING FOR SALMON TO RETURN
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From the Buck Creek in Houston, B.C., to the Yukon River, low salmon numbers are a cause for concern.
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Maaike VanderMeer
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Jeffrey Mackie-Deernsted, Archdeacon of the Klondike, in the Yukon, says he hears the same song at almost every event he attends. Sung by the Hän singers, an intergenerational group from the Tr’ondëk Hwëchʼin First Nation, it is “a prayer song, hoping that the salmon will come back.” “In the six years that I’ve been here, the salmon haven’t come back,” said Mackie-Deernsted. “The numbers are so amazingly low compared to what they were historically. There’s a definite, I would say, sadness with it.”
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CO-AUTHORS BRIDGE LAW AND ART
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John Medendorp
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Reading Beauty and Justice is like walking through an art gallery. Each paragraph has the potential to capture one’s imagination, causing one to linger before moving to the next piece. Makoto Fujimura, the artist, partners with his wife Haejin Shim Fujimura, the lawyer. Overall, this offers a compelling vision for both law and art that pursue and point to the coming kingdom of shalom.
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AN UNWANTED PHONE
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David Koyzis
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In July I flew to California to visit my ailing sister, and I quickly discovered that not having a smartphone was endangering my general health and well-being. A twice cancelled flight to the Hollywood Burbank Airport sent me to Salt Lake City for an unanticipated overnight stay, while my worried wife at home had to make phone calls to alter my rental car and hotel reservations.
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FROM GRIEF TO COMMUNITY
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Arlene Snyder
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How do we turn our pain, our losses and disappointments around and allow God to reveal his greater purpose in them? We work hard, make our plans and try to put all the pieces together. We experience success and accomplishments, mixed with failures and disappointment and then, somewhere along the way, we learn that we are not in control at all.
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ENTERTAINING ANGELS?
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Heidi VanderSlikke
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We were celebrating a significant milestone for a special friend. Around the lunch table we swapped “quirky stories about Betty” – like mini-eulogies without the funeral. A picture emerged of a kind-hearted, fun-loving, doggedly determined Christian. The showstopper came when her daughters spoke about an incident from their childhood that left an indelible imprint on their hearts.
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REDESIGNING CHURCH LEADERSHIP
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Darren Roorda
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A church whose ministry, relationships and direction depend too heavily upon one person is fragile. Healthy churches develop leaders, share responsibility and build ministries capable of continuing through pastoral transitions. The goal is to build churches in which pastors – and congregations – can flourish together.
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The beauty of a conversation that spans our nation is that, as Alberta headed to the polls to answer questions on immigration, CC was publishing interviews with people working hard to care for refugees in Ottawa and British Columbia. Did you see the front page? It's striking. We hope it got some neighbours talking!
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