We are looking for a Festival and Resource Coordinator to work with our General Secretary on a variety of projects this summer.

Submit your application to hiring@scmcanada.org by May 8, 2019 for first consideration!

Did you know that this year, the applications are not just for students? If you are aged 15-30, whether you are in school or not, you can apply for one of the many Canada Summer Jobs programs.

Who are we looking for?

• Legally entitled to work in Canada, 18-30 years old
• Available for 9 weeks of the summer, ideally beginning in May
• Willing to work within a faith-based organization and bring their own perspective to the work.
• Committed to social justice and anti-oppressive practices
• BIPOC and LGBTQ2IA+ people encouraged to apply.

What’s in it for us?

When you come and work with SCM, we get the benefit of your skills, passions, attention, and presence on a variety of tasks. The core of the Festival & Resource Coordinator position focuses on three areas:

• Cahoots Festival (May)
• Indigenous Solidarity Multifaith Delegation (August)
• Creation of a Social Justice & Faith Resource

You will offer logistical support for the May 23-36 Cahoots Festival, an annual event with workshops on faith, justice, and DIY. This will include being a point person for facilitators and participants, assisting with tasks on site and off site, and supporting the creation of safer spaces. Following the festival you will collate and analyse feedback and help with wrap-up.

You will provide coordination and preparation support for the planned Indigenous Solidarity Delegation (Multifaith, with a special focus on Jewish and Christian responsibilities in decolonization). This will include booking spaces, use of online tools to coordinate, advertising/promotion, and communications. (If interest and schedules align you can participate in the Delegation, but this is not included in the position).

You will research and design a resource to support the faith-and-justice focus of the Student Christian Movement. This could be a book study, devotional, workshop design, online resource, activity-based learning, even a board game! We have plenty of ideas already and you can work on something that excites you or allows you to express and explore your own interests.

Other tasks as assigned – participation in events, research projects, writing or graphic design, some record keeping and other office tasks according to capacity and skills.

What’s in it for you?

• $15 per hour, 20 hours per week, for 9 weeks of the summer
• Flexible schedule
• Fascinating work
• Experience within the global ecumenical movement
• Experience using communications, graphic design, database and social media
• Teamwork and leadership skills development
• A work place that is explicitly LGBTQ+ inclusive, anti-racist, feminist, and open to spiritual, religious, secular and cultural identities.
• Mentoring from a leader (identified collaboratively)

If you’re interested in working with the SCM this summer, contact hiring@scmcanada.org with a copy of your CV including 2 references, and a letter of interest (3-5 paragraphs) identifying why you are a fit for this position and what excites you.

First-Round Deadline for Applications is May 8, 2019

The SCM especially encourages applications from those who are Black, Indigenous, People of Colour, and a range of gender identity, sexual orientation, and ability. If you are comfortable doing so, please identify this in your application letter.

About SCM

The Student Christian Movement is a progressive network engaged in social justice and faith. We are a non-dogmatic community of diverse belief systems where faith and radical political action flourish. SCM Canada was founded in 1921.

This position is made possible by funding through the Canada Summer Jobs program.

What’s the point of going to a festival that your friends can’t afford?

We believe that a ticket structure with a variety of options is a matter of justice. Some folks need to miss shifts to attend, some are sharing a skill that they’d usually earn wages with, and Cahoots participants who navigate systemic barriers every day have enough on their plate.

Every year the Cahoots Festival Planning Team budgets for ‘Special Rate tickets’, meant to support the participation of people with fixed incomes, who are single parents, or otherwise need support to attend. This is in concert with our intention to make ticket prices as low as possible, since most of our community are people without much access to resources (This isn’t the Fyre Festival!)

Currently, our ticket prices (from April 2 until the end of sales on May 15)
Festival pass – Adult $150, Child $90, Family $450
Day ticket – Adult $80, Child $50
This includes all meals, accomodations, workshops and sessions, as well as support to get to the festival – carpooling or pickup from the bus.
These fees cover the basic costs, and are very reasonable considering the festival’s scope.

Our model works because all participants buy tickets. This includes all of the core organizers and workshop facilitators (unless an individual is attending only to do a workshop, and not to participate in the festival). We are all participants – and we are also all volunteers, and all organizers! We believe that everyone helps create the festival by being present, assisting one another, caring for children and taking the ever-popular kitchen shift.

We are deeply grateful to those who add a donation onto their ticket purchase! This act helps make our festival more accessible and more just. These donations are tax-receipted. You can make a donation earmarked to the festival directly through SCM Canada.

All participants, including workshop leaders participating in the festival, people on OSAP/ODSP/EI, families, singles, elders, people targeted by racism, colonialism, sexism – well – ALL PARTICIPANTS are welcomed to receive a ‘Discounted Ticket’. It’s a matter of justice.

Contact cahoots@scmcanada.org to apply.

Once you’ve submitted your details, you can register using this form.

The United Church of Canada People in Partnership Unit invites young adult (18+) applicants to the following Pilgrimage experiences with global partners:

Young Adult Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace, South Korea

Pilgrim In Mission | August 6 – 12, 2019 | $300 | Young Adults (ages 20-35)
Read more    Closing Date: March 25, 2019

Youth for Peace Pilgrimage to Palestine and Israel

Pilgrim in Mission | August 12–23, 2019 | $500–$1,000 | Young Adults (ages 18–35)
Read more     Closing Date: March 25, 2019

Young Adult Program, Amity, China

Companion in Mission | 2019-2020 | Expenses Covered – Travel, Housing, Modest Living Allowance |Ages 18­-28
Read more   Closing Date: March 15, 2019

Young Adult Work Camp, CANACOM, Curaçao 

Pilgrim in Mission | July 20–August 3, 2019 | Contribution | Young Adults (ages 18‒35)

Read more  Closing Date: March 22, 2019

• A full slate of postings can be viewed at: http://www.united-church.ca/opportunities

•   To invite a recently returned participant as a Speaker, view our speaker’s list.

•  To automatically receive notices of opportunities such as these, please subscribe to the UCC jobs and volunteer opportunities list.

•  To learn more about People in Partnership and how their support for people-to-people opportunities for you and your faith communities with Global partners, please be in touch, pip@united-church.ca 

Three Lenten Resources

Welcome to the SCM’s roundup of superb resources for your church, study group, or personal prayer this Lent. Let us know what Lenten practice you’re undertaking this year, and what you hope for, as you enter this wilderness time.

Praying Through the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

We hope that everyone is praying in support of the decades of work that have gone into Bill C-262, (and make sure to let your Senator know how important it is to you!) In any case, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is an important tool in ensuring that Indigenous nations can thrive and survive the historic and ongoing injustices of Settler-Colonialism. 

With that in mind, we were excited to see this resource from the Christian Reform Church!

“Pray for understanding, lament what is broken, and ask for wisdom and courage to change the systems that deny Indigenous rights—rights that are still out of reach.”

Read it here, and let us know what you think if you use it.

Everyday Skeptics – Devotions for Spiritual Growth

Full disclosure – this collection of daily reflections to take you through Lent includes a number written by SCMers – so we’re biased! But the focus on the prophets, from Isaiah and Jeremiah, to our Elders, to Jesus, really excites us.

Each day includes a reflection with questions, a prayer, and suggestions for songs. The book is available in print or as an ebook from UCRDstore.ca

Entering the Passion of Jesus – a Beginner’s Guide to Holy Week

Amy-Jill Levine, a Jewish professor of New Testament at Vanderbilt Divinity School, regards the Passion narratives as powerful literature that convey the beauty and wonder of the gospel. “Even though I am not a Christian,” she writes, “I have seen it work, over and over again, in my Christian friends, students, and churches worldwide.”

As well as the book, a DVD study series is available, six sessions each only eight minutes long, perfect for a group study in the lead up to Easter.

More than anything, this study is important because it explores the tumultuous days of Jesus’ time on earth from a learned Jewish perspective. Giving space to the inevitable and grace-filled challenge is an important way to undermine the centuries of anti-Jewish readings of the passion story – which persist in ways large and small across the denominations.

You can buy the book from Indiebound, although the DVD appears to be only available on Amazon.

Read a review in Christian Century here

Other resources

If you know of other great resources to recommend for 2019, clue us in! Contact the SCM at info@scmcanada.org 

People of all faiths are welcomed to take part in this short-term learning and solidarity delegation. There will be a specific focus on Christian and Jewish responsibilities to the work of undoing colonialism.

Dates: August 15 – 24th, 2019
Departs from: Winnipeg, MB, Treaty 1

What can our faith traditions teach us about reconciliation, solidarity, and the current struggles of Indigenous peoples? How can we stand in solidarity with Indigenous communities resisting colonial oppression?  

For years, Anishinaabe people in Treaty 3 have, and continue to, defend their land, water and way of life. Community members resist imposed colonial crises, such as mercury contamination of the English-Wabigoon river system 50 years ago which continues to poison fish – a traditional food staple. In 2002, Grassy Narrows residents set up a blockade against clear-cut logging on their traditional territory which continues to halt logging on their land today. 

This trip will draw specifically on Jewish and Christian histories and perspectives, with two leaders, one from each faith background. With the delegation being open to all faiths and beliefs, as always, all are welcome to participate and contribute from your respective traditions. 

Starting in Winnipeg, MB (Treaty 1), delegates will meet with community organizers, Indigenous rights advocates, and leaders in Grassy Narrows and Kenora, ON (Treaty 3). Delegates will undertake an analysis of colonialism, participate in anti-racism exercises, and critically reflect on how to live in right relations with the Earth and their Indigenous neighbours.

Provided meals will be kosher-style. Dietary needs and spiritual practices will be accommodated as much as possible. For specific questions, please email ips@cpt.org.

This trip is jointly organized with Student Christian Movement and the Christian Peacemaker Teams Indigenous Solidarity Project.

Apply through the CPT Delegations Site

2018 delegation members said:

“The delegation brought me face to face with racism and oppression. This face to face experience is only the beginning in helping me to undo the past and I am now even more aware. I will work harder to be an ally.”

“If I had to highlight one thing I would say it would be the experience of the Women’s Gathering at Grassy Narrows. Being immersed in the culture, witnessing the different ceremonies and spending time in conversation with the Indigenous peoples gave me a deeper understanding of the beauty of their culture but also gave me a deeper understanding of the effects of colonization.”

SCM Canada is pleased to introduce Kelsey Enns, who will coordinate a study group in Winnipeg, Manitoba, exploring Biblical Experiments in Decolonization, thanks to a grant from the St Stephens-Broadway Foundation.

Kelsey is a theology student nearing the end of his Master of Arts degree from Canadian Mennonite University. He has also worked in Winnipeg’s downtown and North End which left a big impact on how he reads Scripture. He is keenly interested in how we communicate the Gospel to different people in different contexts while engaging in good faith dialogue.


The study is projected to begin in March, 2019, at Canadian Mennonite University. It will use the materials created by Student Christian Movement to support groups engaging ‘Unsettling the Word: Biblical Experiments in Decolonization‘.

You can contact Kelsey at winnipeg@scmcanada.org
Follow activities of the SCM Manitoba Facebook Page