Presbyterian Church Moderator Rick Horst (front left) and members of the TRC Commission place a copy of the PCC’s 1994 Confession to Aboriginal Peoples into the container
CIDA Refuses to Fund Kairos
Kairos has been denied government funding for the second time, a choice executive director Mary Corkery calls “a pretty sound rejection of Kairos’ work.”
In a letter dated Sept. 22, 2011, the Canadian International Development Agency rejected an application for $6 million that the social justice group had submitted 18 months before, saying the proposal had been “extensively reviewed” and was “deemed to not adequately demonstrate value for money in terms of concrete results on the ground.”
CIDA abruptly rejected the group’s last application with a phone call on Nov. 30, 2009—the day their bridge funding expired. Adding to the controversy, a document later attained by the media through the Access to Information Act revealed that the president and vice – president of CIDA, as well as Bev Oda, minister of international cooperation, had signed the document meant to approve Kairos’ request for $7 – million in funding, but the word “not” had been inserted into the recommendation in handwriting, effectively denying the funding instead. Oda later admitted the “not” had been added at her discretion.
“It was political. It was a government decision not to fund Kairos,” Mary Corkery said. When asked if she suspected the recent rejection was similarly motivated, she said: “I expect that it is certainly influenced in that way.”
Corkery said Kairos had not ruled out applying to CIDA again in the future, but had no plans to do so anytime soon.
“I think that the really important thing is that there’s a difference in values,” she said. “When the letter of our second rejection says, we believe that it’s not good value for money and says nothing more, and when the first letter focused on the fact that CIDA funds worked as efficient and effective, you’ve got a very broad stroke that says you’re not funded. And it also says your values and our values don’t match. We think that’s the point.”
Kairos is an ecumenical organization supported by the Presbyterian Church in Canada and 10 other church groups. ¦ —CW
Hospitality and the Holocaust
more than 150 christians and jews worshipped together at St. Andrew’s, Humber Heights, Toronto, on Nov. 13th as part of Holocaust Education Week organized by the Christian – Jewish Dialogue of Toronto. The highlight of the service was the personal testimony given by Holocaust Survivor Claire Baum. Born in Rotterdam, Holland just prior to World War II, Claire was only five years old when she and her younger sister were placed in a stranger’s home by their father in an attempt to hide them from the Nazis. For three years, Claire and her sister were raised as Christians under the care of a courageous 26 – year – old woman.
When the war ended, Claire shared that some rescuers did not want to give their foster Jewish children up—even when their parents had survived. And, due to a law passed by the Dutch government in 1945, they didn’t have to. However, Claire and her sister were returned to their parents by their rescuer without reservation.
Holland’s Jewish population before the war totaled 110,000 of which only 20,000 survived. Of the 3,500 Jewish children who went into hiding, only 1,500 survived.
St. Andrew’s hosted the event as part of a larger theme the congregation is exploring in 2011 – 2012 focused on hospitality. A book study (Making Room: Recovering Hospitality as a Christian Tradition by Christine Pohl) is transforming the way we understand hospitality—it’s not about entertaining friends and family, but about offering persons disconnected from the world a safe place where relationships can be transformed. Listening to the testimony of a Holocaust Survivor reminded us as a church just how critical it is for our identity and living witness to reclaim the radical Christian practice of hospitality. ¦ —Rev. Paul Kang, St. Andrew’s, Humber Heights
Missionary Honoured
Delegates from Taiwan’s Aletheia University (formerly Oxford College) visited Oxford County, near Woodstock, Ont., in October to celebrate the school’s 130th anniversary and remember the Canadian gift that made it possible.
Oxford College was Taiwan’s first institute of higher learning and among Canada’s first overseas development projects. It was founded in 1881 by George Leslie Mackay, the first overseas missionary commissioned by the Presbyterian Church in Canada. Mackay is also remembered for founding two churches and, in 1882, Taiwan’s first hospital.
The eight – person delegation was from the North Synod of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan. Their Canadian visit began in Oxford County with a screening of The Black – Bearded Barbarian, a documentary about Mackay, and an evening service at Knox, Woodstock. Three days in Toronto followed, during which they visited Mackay’s granddaughters, saw artifacts the missionary donated to the Royal Ontario Museum in 1893, and met with their sister synod, Central, Northeastern Ontario and Bermuda, at Crieff Hills Retreat Centre.
Winston Weni – yi Chen, the director general of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Toronto, spoke about Mackay at the anniversary service.
“One hundred and thirty years ago, he brought a new education,” he said. “In Taipei City, one of the biggest hospitals is named after him. That means his name is repeated every single day.” ¦ —EW with files from the Woodstock Sentinel – Review and Taiwan Church News.
Helping Clergy Cope
Spiritual leaders gathered in Oakville, Ont., in November for a special event to raise awareness about mental illness. “Caring for the Whole Flock: How to see and help those with mental illness” was aimed at clergy and lay caregivers and offered information on depression, addictions and suicide.
The event was the result of a partnership between Trafalgar Presbyterian Church, the Ontario Mental Health Association (Halton Region Branch) and Oakview Funeral Home. Rev. Kristine O’Brien, minister at Trafalgar said, “We know that 40 per cent of those who seek help to deal with mental illness go to their religious leader first. As clergy, we need to be prepared to respond appropriately.”
The morning was led by Dr. Sandra Moll, a member of the Trafalgar congregation, and Dr. Joyce Tryssenaar. Both are from the McMaster University School of Rehabilitation Science and have extensive training in mental health education. Moll urged pastors to help their congregations find ways of offering genuine welcome to those who are suffering. “Churches can offer acceptance to people who feel excluded. Finding that is a big step on the road to healing.”
Jenna Masciantonio, communications coordinator for CMHA Halton also shared details on how clergy can access helpful resources. Information about mental health education programs across the country are available on their website, cmha.ca. ¦
—Trafalgar, Oakville
Sign Blitz for Poverty Continues
A sign blitz that encouraged faith communities to display lawn signs urging Ontarians to “vote for a poverty – free Ontario” has shifted to “working toward a poverty – free Ontario.” Churches are being asked to obtain signs from the Inter – Faith Social Assistance Reform Coalition (ISARC), a provincial, inter – faith coalition established in the 1980s.
The campaign was a partnership between ISARC and the Social Planning Network of Ontario, and was part of ISARC’s Faith to End Poverty Campaign, launched back in June. They’re now holding Meet and Greet sessions in municipalities across Ontario for faith leaders and others to welcome MPPs and to remind them about Ontario’s low – income neighbourhoods.
“We encourage churches to contact us, and tell us their stories, joining others to help reduce poverty in Ontario,” said Marlene Buwalda – Liao, the Presbyterian Church’s ISARC representative, and member at Knox, Bracebridge, Ont. ¦ —AM
Presby Minister Gets New Job
Rev. Dr. Daniel D. Scott will be taking a year – long leave of absence from his professorship at Tyndale University College in Toronto to serve as managing director at Save the Mothers, an organization training professionals from developing countries to improve maternal and child health.
Scott will oversee Canadian operations and fundraising activities to expand the program, currently based in Uganda, to other parts of the world with high maternal mortality rates.
“More than 1,400 women die every single day during pregnancy and childbirth. That is staggering and preventable,” Scott told the Record in an email. “Save the Mothers is providing innovative leadership for maternal and child health. My job is to find donors who will give generously, advocates who will share the vision, and partners who have common goals.”
During his leave, Scott will maintain his duties as minister at St. John’s, Bradford, Ont. ¦ —AM with files from Save the Mothers
Faith Leaders Declare Climate Change a Moral Issue
AN ECUMENICAL GROUP OF FAITH LEADERS CAME TOGETHER in Ottawa in October to address the issue of climate change.
The event, which was organized by the Canadian Council of Churches, focused on the Canadian Interfaith Call for Leadership and Action on Climate Change. This letter declares climate change to be “symptomatic of a spiritual deficit” that is manifested in “excessive self interest, destructive competition and greed.”
PCC moderator Rev. Dr. Rick Horst was among the 26 leaders of faith communities and faith – based organizations who signed the document. The leaders affirmed that their faith traditions call upon them to address climate change as a moral issue.
The letter was written for the UN Climate Change Conference being held in Durban, South Africa from Nov. 28 to Dec. 9. It urges political leaders to commit to “climate justice,” sustainability, and a binding international agreement to reduce carbon emissions. ¦ —Canadian Council of Churches
Remembering a Dear Friend
Born in 1943 in Szeged, Hungary, Kalman showed musical passion at an early age, studying at the music conservatory college at the age of 14. A gifted trumpet and piano player, he began teaching at 19, and later became the principal of the school. It was there he met Judit, his wife of 37 years. By 25, Kalman had become superintendent of all music schools in the province.
Eventually the young couple left Communist Hungary in search of a new life in the West. With great good fortune, the Kilgour family met them on their arrival in Edmonton in 1975. It marked the beginning of a rich journey as the families learned from each other and the children grew up together.
Kalman supported Judit and their four children by teaching music privately 40 hours a week for 11 years, and directed several choirs. He used these music lessons to reach out to young people. A former piano student confided, “Sometimes we just talked instead of me playing my songs for him. I learned so much from him … Kalman had a great impact on many lives.”
Most Saturdays, a stream of students arrived at Strathcona. Families paid what they could afford. Kalman learned from his parents’ example to live with faith and integrity, and he conducted his life and work with honesty and devotion.
Rev. Jean Bryden said Kalman took seriously the pastoral role of the eldership and had been unfailingly supportive in session and on the worship team. His service also included serving on the Assembly Council from 2001 – 2004.
“In the last few months, Kalman always maintained that he was completely at peace and God was very close to him. Even as cancer took its toll on his body, he said, he felt his spirit growing stronger and healthier.”
¦ —David and Laura Kilgour, and Catherine Kovacs. Read the full – length version of this personal tribute at pccweb.ca/presbyterianrecord.
Staff Exchange
On Nov. 14th, staff at church offices participated in an exchange with staff at the offices of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, located in Burlington, Ont. For one day, a Toronto delegation spent time in Burlington learning, sharing and getting to know their Christian brothers and sisters, while staff at 50 Wynford welcomed CRCNA staff into their midst.
In 2009, both denominations adopted the Affirmation of the Relationship, which states: “We celebrate the many facets of shared ministry between our denominations over the last several years … [and] we look forward to developing together new horizons of mission which respond to Christ’s calling to the church today.” In response to this affirmation, there has been an on – going dialogue with a Canadian group from the CRCNA named by their Ecumenical and Interfaith Committee to meet with a group from the PCC’s Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations Committee. The two groups are continually looking for new ways to live out the relationship.
The Christian Reformed Church in North America is a bi – national denomination with congregations in the United States and Canada. For more on the relationship, visit presbyterian.ca/partners/crcna. ¦ —AM
