Re-enchantment in Toronto

“We can only properly do redemptive journalism if our eyes are open to the dangerous times around us.” This statement from Brian Walsh was just one of many profound moments during Christian Courier’s 80th anniversary conference on October 18. Walsh said journalism should center around the act of homemaking, and if the scene in the cozy conference room at the Toronto Metropolitan University was any evidence, CC has certainly nurtured a home throughout these 80 years. Along with the Institute for Christian Studies, which ran a concurrent conference, we explored the question: How do we re-enchant the world?

It begins with hope

In that conference room, where giant posters of CC’s front pages throughout the decades adorned the walls and encircled the community within, hope resonated. Sylvia Keesmaat kicked off the sessions by exploring moments throughout the Bible in which God meets his people in the wilderness, naming enchantment as the place where humanity and creation live together. Walsh found hope in music that rises up against injustice, paying tribute to Bruce Cockburn, Leonard Cohen and Bruce Springsteen. Deborah Bowen and Noah Van Brenk led a lively interactive workshop on the redemptive prose of Poetry in Place, a creation-focused anthology of poetry. Allan Romkema brought the charming setting of Grace Manor alive, and Sam Sunder-Singh took us back in time with a Beatles song. Board Chair Jim Dekker thanked various CC community members and former columnist Lloyd Rang reminisced on the generations that have formed the publication. At the end of the day, a panel of writers, including Mary Kooy, Mary Guldemond, Ineke Neutel and Ron Kuipers standing in for Arthur Boers, each read memoir excerpts, prompting thoughtful discussion about the Dutch immigration experience.
In unique ways, each session showed how hope exists everywhere around us.

Angela’s goodbye

In late afternoon, a standing ovation followed the farewell speech of our dear Editor Angela Reitsma Bick, who has guided this publication since 2009 with skillful writing, a passion for justice, and a deep heart for God’s kingdom. As a surprise, her kids had collected comments from appreciative readers and handed over a “Letters to the Editor” booklet, adding, “Mom hasn’t seen any of these. That means they’re unedited.” That the goodbye was bittersweet speaks to the home Angela has nurtured for CC readers all these years.

The B.C. M&Ms

Following Angela’s goodbye, Meghan Kort and Maaike VanderMeer – lovingly dubbed “the M&Ms” by columnist Heidi VanderSlikke – were welcomed as CC’s new co-editors. Expanding CC’s editorial hub beyond Ontario to the coast of B.C., they will certainly continue to encourage hard discussions and nurture belonging in the pages of CC, just as Angela has, which is no small feat in our rapidly changing world.

It was a packed day full of rich conversation over coffee, meals and ideas. “Well organized and Christ-centred,” said Ed Wivoet, who attended with his wife Denise. “Bert and Alice would have loved it!” A fitting tribute to this small but mighty publication which has, for eight decades, worked on homemaking in the face of challenging times.

Prayers of Thanksgiving,
Blessing and Commissioning

For the Word of love that calls and upholds all of creation,
we give you thanks.
For your Word of Life that does not return empty,
we give you thanks.
For the Word made flesh in Jesus,
we give you thanks.
For words that upheld a community,
gave witness to the Word embodied in our lives,
and continue to bear the fruit of faithfulness,
we give you thanks
For these 80 years of Christian Courier
for the liberating of the imagination,
 the healing of souls,
 the education of the church,
 the outreach to this country,
we give you thanks.
For a place of story-telling,
a gathering place,
a place of laughter and debate,
of solace and hope,
we give you thanks.
For Paul De Koekkoek,
the founding editor of Christian Courier;
for all the faithful editors over the years,
John Vander Vliet and John Vellinga,
Ad Otten, Dick Farenhorst, Keith Knight, Bert Witvoet,
Marian VanTil, Harry der Nederlanden,
Brett Alan Dewing, Michael Buma, Angela Reitsma Bick,
we give you thanks.
For faithful and courageous board members,
and for all creative writers, editors, designers,
and all of our staff over the years,
we give you thanks.
For Angela.
who kept the vision alive,
deepened the meaning of redemptive journalism,
expanded the vision,
strived for healing in an increasingly a divided
 community,
who struggled against the odds,
who served us so faithfully,
we give you thanks.