A special celebration at New St. James, London, Ont., was a way for the congregation’s Karen families to give back to the church they now call home. For the larger congregation though, it was simply another step in a growing relationship with the immigrant families who have been warmly welcomed to the church.
“They’re very devout, and very humble. And they’re helping us in ways they don’t understand,” said John Stewart, chair of the mission and social action committee.
Tah see bli see poh, an end – of – year celebration to give God thanks for the blessings the community has received, and to ask for God’s continuing loving presence in the year to come, was hosted by the Karens in January. They prepared Karen and Canadian food for the entire congregation, explained the celebration’s customs in their newly – learned English, and entertained with traditional Karen dances and songs. Prayers were offered by Rev. Andrew Reid and by a local Karen pastor. Supporters came from the nearby town of Woodstock and from the largest Karen church in London, First Baptist Church, pushing attendance to about 150 people. An offering was later sent to the Back Pack Worker Health Team, which brings health care supplies from Thailand into Burma and distributes them in the Karen State. The charity was chosen by the Karen families. Another event is scheduled for Jan. 8, 2012.
And the celebrations don’t end there. In February 2010, 13 new members joined the congregation; 11 of them were Karen, bringing the total to five Karen families or about 30 people.
“We’re sharing and helping each other,” said Stewart. “They’re learning English, and we’re all having a lot of laughs.”
The Karens are an ethnic minority from Burma, where they account for about 12 per cent of the population. Tension and violence between the separatist Karen National Union and the central government has carried on for decades; hundreds of thousands of refugees have fled since 1995 when the government army launched a major offensive against the KNU. Canada has resettled over 2,000 Karen from refugee camps in Thailand.
In support of World Refugee Day in June, a Karen woman and member of the congregation spoke about her life under fire from the Burmese army, and the loss of many family members and friends to land mines and violence.
Though New St. James isn’t involved in refugee sponsorship, they are active within the immigrant community in many ways. The church helps to run “conversation circles,” bringing together native English speakers and Karen, many of whom are taking English classes. These classes, as well as special Easter and Christmas celebrations, draw additional members from the Karen community into the church, even though they aren’t regular Sunday worshippers.
When a strike by the local transit workers disrupted bus services in the fall of 2009, stranding many of the Karen who rely on buses to get around the city, church members banded together to create the “NSJ transit commission” to shuttle them to jobs and ESL classes.
“Not one Karen missed a job shift or an ESL class thanks to the drivers from New St. James,” said Stewart.
On the day the Record spoke with Stewart, he had just come back from taking a family to a new school where they met the teacher and had a tour. Members also help new immigrants negotiate social services, deal with paperwork, and accompany them to legal meetings to help with English. One group even plays Bingo to help them learn their numbers.
“It’s really good for all of us,” said Stewart. “We’re forming strong bonds.”
Indonesian families have also been trickling into the pews since 2003. It started with a trio of men who had worked in New York, but immigrated to Canada when the American immigration system stiffened in the wake of the 2001 terrorist attacks. They invited family and friends, eventually swelling the Indonesian contingent to 12 families, or about 36 people.
“Our Indonesian and Karen families have added richness and colour to the faith and the life of New St. James,” said Rev. Andrew Reid. “It has been a joy to share with them, and have them share with us, as sisters and brothers in faith.”
