Chaplains Gathering reflection

In a significant step for ecumenical campus ministry, over 30 chaplains and religious professionals working with university students gathered for a 4 day program in May at 5 Oaks retreat centre, at the first in-person Ecumenical Chaplains gathering in several years.

The Student Christian Movement was officially represented by the General Secretary, with several of the chaplains and church representatives involved in organizing identifying their own history with the SCM. The conference was supported by Anglican, United, Presbyterian and Lutheran denominations, and also included individuals from Baptist, Mennonite, and Non-Religious chaplaincies and groups.

Aside from being an important time of retreat and spiritual renewal under the guidance of Anglican Indigenous Bishop Mark MacDonald, networking and development were important features. The keynote speaker was J. Cody Nielson from Convergence, an organization working to promote the place of campus formation of religious, secular and spiritual identities. He led the group through an exploration of the place of chaplains and chaplaincies in the University and in the student experience, emphasizing the many documented benefits of students having meaningful access to religious and philosophical expression, and identity formation.

Other presenters offered excellent sessions that explored the realities of white privilege, gender violence, and Indigenous rights and reconciliation on campus and in Canada today. Discussion often focused on the role of the chaplains within the University community, as trained and equipped individuals with unique perspective, experience, and access to students, who nevertheless sometimes struggle to explain their work to a secular institution.

One ongoing conversation of great value was the opportunity of Christian chaplains to support the development of chaplains of other faiths. This is a basic issue of justice and access to power, and also functions to establish and model stronger inter-faith relationships for increasingly diverse student bodies – showing a way to be faithfully religious in the university, rather than expecting students to suppress their religious/cultural identities for the educational years.

Open Space methodology allowed for many fascinating breakout groups to form, exploring everything from inter-religious dialogue, advice for newer chaplaincies, to drum circles. Several in attendance collaborated on an SCM session, promoting the SCM as a program that can be supported by chaplains and talking about the gifts that involvement in the SCM can offer to a university student. This was accompanied by a give-away of the ever-popular SCM buttons!

The conference was wrapped in prayer and thanksgiving for the meaningful, life-giving, powerful work that chaplains are called to do and that the Student Christian Movement sees as part of our mandate. In working with students, chaplains, faculty and churches, the SCM upholds a vision of student-led engagement with faith and justice, equipping individuals for lives of activism, peacemaking and community-building.

 

We are deeply thankful to the Mission and Service Fund of the United Church of Canada, and to the staff support of the United Church, Presbyterian, Anglican and Lutheran churches.

Summer Job Posting – 2018

The Student Christian Movement of Canada is seeking a Festival, Retreat and Resource Coordinator for a summer position, available to anyone who is a student returning to fulltime study in September, between the ages of 18-30.

The position is based in Toronto, ON, with some flexibility around work location.

$15 per hour, 30 hours a week, 8 weeks – June 4 to July 27, 2018 (some date flexibility available)

Tasks and Responsibilities

  1. Cahoots Festival follow up, feedback analysis and organization
  2. SCM Fall Retreat logistics planning and coordination
  3. Create study resource on a faith and justice priority topic
  4. Other tasks (filing, writing) as assigned

The Festival, Retreat and Resource Coordinator will support the Cahoots festival (SCM annual event) with follow up, feedback analysis and initial organisation work. The Coordinator will gather information and contacts, act as point person for participants and communicate with participants after the end of the Festival. Attend online and in-person meetings with the Festival organizing crew. Conduct an audit of the Festival’s constituency with specific focus on cultural background and communities represented, to promote greater diversity. Help planning location and schedule for a follow up event. Conduct a survey on the success and challenges of the festival.

The Coordinator will work on logistics for the SCM Fall Retreat which will take place on Toronto Island in September/October. This will include facility booking, arranging travel and accommodation, creating advertising materials and recruiting participants. It will require long-distance coordination with our host organisations, developing capacity and creating online tools for coordination and registration.

The Coordinator will also be responsible for creating a resource for study groups to use that will focus on a faith perspective on a social issue. In the past these resources have looked at peace, disability, gender equality etc. They will design and research the resource, and recruit writers and artists to help produce it. The resource will then be distributed free of charge through the SCM website.

Other tasks will be worked out as part of the supervision plan and will take into account the skills and experience of the successful applicant.

Supervision and Skills

Through supervision and mentorship both by the General Secretary and Committee members, the Festival, Retreat and Resource Coordinator will develop skills including:

  1. Work independently and within a team
  2. Problem-solving and decision-making skills to meet challenges and obstacles
  3. Facilitating meetings and discussions
  4. Communicating with different groups and communities
  5. How to promote/market events
  6. Research and resource development
  7. Time management skills and how to prioritize tasks

We are looking for students who have:

  • Understanding of the political and theological orientation of social justice and faith movements
  • Experience or exposure to SCM’s work on a national or regional level and/or experience in an organization with similar vision
  • Interest in the Christian ecumenical movement and in working in such an organization.
  • A commitment to working in an anti-oppressive framework, including anti-racist, feminist, and LGBTQIA2+ inclusive & affirming.
  • The desire to develop skills in event planning, resource creation, and working with church communities & faith based organizations.

Application Instructions: Send a short letter (350 words at minimum) about your interest in the position and why you are suited for it, and tell us about yourself and your studies.

Include a copy of your CV.

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.

Send application to: hiring@scmcanada.org by May 29, 2018

About Student Christian Movement (SCM)

The SCM 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.

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

Download and share the 2018 Summer Job Overview

 

World Council of Churches turns 70 – Call for Articles

Are you a young theologian or researcher into ecumenism? (late 30s!)

To mark its 70th anniversary in 2018, the World Council of Churches is seeking articles from students of theology, younger theologians and early career researchers for a special issue of its quarterly journal, The Ecumenical Review.

The overall theme of the anniversary is “Walking Together, Serving Justice and Peace.”

Ideas for possible articles include the following:

  • Faith and Order in an increasingly diverse World Christianity
  • Ecumenism and interfaith dialogue
  • Mission and the flourishing of Creation
  • The Community of Women and Men in the Church
  • Church, society and the Earth
  • Planetary hospitality in a religiously plural world
  • Orthodox churches and the World Council of Churches – their mutual contributions
  • Just and inclusive communities
  • An ecumenical basis for human rights in the 21st century
  • Mutual accountability in a world characterized by conflict
  • The significance of a specific aspect of ecumenical history for the WCC

Contribution deadline is May 31, 2018

Download the Poster here!

Read more details here!

In Pursuit of Justice – June 22 Event

Are you passionate in the pursuit of justice? How do we sustain a movement to tackle generational issues?

We are looking for young adults who are integrating justice work and spirituality to participate in an evening conversation: In Pursuit of Justice.

June 22, 2018, 7-9pm
Multi-Faith Centre, University of Toronto, 569 Spadina Ave.

Facebook Posting

The Student Christian Movement is joining the Women’s Inter-Church Council’s 100th Anniversary Conference: ‘The Joy of Justice‘ for this one-off event, where we will develop tools that explore contemporary justice movements and bring new insights from the struggles against racism, social and economic injustice, colonialism, and gender violence.

How do we draw upon the wisdom of 100 years pursuing justice to address the concerns of our day?  Join this spirited exploration of a society built on the foundations of justice and right relations!

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus begins his ministry by sharing the deep dreams of the prophets who came before him, presenting the words of Isaiah as his ‘mission statement’ and offering them as challenge to his peers. We will also begin with this ancient challenge and invitation.

Reserve a free ticket for ‘WICC 100: In Pursuit of Justice’

June 22, 7pm – 9pm

Multi-Faith Centre, University of Toronto, 569 Spadina Ave

The Multi-Faith Centre is an accessible venue. If we can offer accommodations that will support your participation, please get in touch. Light refreshments will be provided. This is a free event, but pre-registration through Eventbrite is requested.

This event is organized by an ecumenical coalition of Christians, many of whom are settlers on this land. Our event is open to all participants, inclusive of gender expression and identity, sexual orientation, physical capacity, belief system, spirituality or upbringing, ethnicity or citizenship. We gather with gratitude on Anishinabe, Haudenosaunee, and Huron-Wyandot territory, and we seek to begin our justice work with a commitment to work towards decolonial relations.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because God has anointed me to proclaim good news to the impoverished. God has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives, and recovery of sight to those who cannot see, to release those who are oppressed, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour” – Luke 14

Let Lucy Stay!

Community organizer, single mother, and advocate Lucy Francineth Granados is in detention facing deportation from Canada in a matter of days despite a public campaign for her to remain among her community in Montreal.

Since four Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) agents violently arrested her on Tuesday March 20th, leaving her with a badly injured arm, Lucy has been treated with violence and total inhumanity by the CBSA. Lack of sleep, fear, confusion and the appalling conditions of her detention following her arrest led to two emergency hospitalizations, on the 26th and on the 29th.

Lucy has been resident in Montreal for 9 years, coming from Guatemala seeking refuge in a harrowing journey. Last year she filed a humanitarian application for permanent residence in an attempt to regularize her status. This is when she came to the attention of the CBSA who then sought to arrest her before her file could even be studied by Immigration Canada. Lucy’s attempt to regularize her status made her a target for the CBSA.

Sign the petition here to stop her impending deportation

Read more about Lucy’s case and the campaign to support her safety at this website

A Palestinian Theology of Liberation, May 2-3

A Short Certificate Course – A Palestinian Theology of Liberation

Join Naim Ateek, a founder of the Palestinian liberation theology movement, an expert on Jewish and Palestinian liberation theology, and other distinguished colleagues for this two-day certificate course, May 2-3, 2018, in person or online.

Registration now available through the United Church of Canada’s United-in-Learning platform.

Presented by Canadian Friends of Sabeel in partnership with Friends of Sabeel North America.


For three decades the Rev. Dr. Naim Ateek, a former Canon of St. George’s Cathedral, Jerusalem, and the founder of the Palestinian liberation theology movement, has been inspiring readers with his ideas about faith, justice, and the Holy Land. He has been at the forefront not only of efforts to bring the plight of Palestinian Christians to the world’s attention, but also of the quest to theologically re-think the place of the Holy Land’s indigenous people in Christian faith and scripture.

Two ways to participate:

  • Join the University of Toronto Wednesday evening lecture, and the Thursday program of lectures and workshops.
  • Connect to the livestream from anywhere, which will give you the opportunity to see and hear everything. You’ll be able to participate in the workshops and interact with the presenters both by typing comments, and also by telephone.

For pricing information and registration, click here.

 

NARA Announced – 31 Aug – 3 Sept

The World Student Christian Federation (North America Region) is planning our next Regional Assembly! – An Ecumenical Gathering on Racial Justice, the Sanctuary Movement, and Our Prophetic Voice, in Washington DC, USA.

The gathering begins on August 31 and covers a weekend of learning, worship, strategy and insightful community building.

The North America Regional Assembly (NARA) is a highlight of the annual programming for the region and is going to be a significant weekend of action and reflection, exploring the twin themes of Sanctuary and Racial Justice under the theme ‘Our Prophetic Voice’.

Put it in your calendar, and consider if you can attend, send someone, or pray for the gathering’s preparation and activities.

Information on cost is pending. Scholarships will be available to support attending students.

Read more here or contact nara@wscfna.org for more information.

 

 

Cahoots Festival Dates, Theme, and Tickets!

It’s time for Cahoots! – get tickets here

As spring creeps closer, we start to think about our favourite gathering in the year, the Cahoots festival, where we gather as a community of Jesus-focused seekers oriented towards justice with a ‘DIY’ methodology – creating an event that models a society of right relationships, practicing the skills and habits of Shalom/holistic peacemaking, and releasing participants to create change in our world.

This year, the 5th annual festival, we are taking a deep breath and embracing a retreat format. We’ll be having moderated conversations and main speakers to help make space for connection around important conversations about who we are and where we’re going.

Each year we’ve all worked hard and pitched in – from leading worship, washing dishes, arranging carpools and applying for grants – and now it’s time to consider – what is this festival we have created? What is God calling us together to do? What do we need to do the work with grace, joy, and sincerity?

Will you join us for this festival retreat?

Location and tickets

We are very excited to be partnering with Cedar Ridge Camp, after a long search for the most accessible campsite that shares our values. Cedar Ridge is also home to Camp Micah so it comes highly recommended.

We are limited to 80 tickets this year, so please book early if you’re joining us.

Our basic ticket costs $150, with a discounted children’s ticket and options for folks with limited income – email cahoots@scmcanada.org to inquire about subsidized tickets!

And, as always, we rely on donations and grants to help cover additional costs. Please make a donation via the Student Christian Movement (mentioning Cahoots), or when you buy your ticket. Donations over the cost of tickets are tax-deductible!

Schedule and speakers

The festival will welcome three main speakers who will address our theme this year – leaning into discomfort. To have important conversations implies entering into spaces of discomfort, and we need to know why we’re doing this, and how to do it well.

We’ll also have a variety of moderated conversations to explore the theme and consider what leaning into discomfort looks like in your context.

And as ever, we’ll have workshop time to share craft and creativity, bonfires and music, games, dancing and amazing meals!

Our schedule will be oriented around times for worship, contemplation and prayer – with morning gatherings and a Sunday service.

We welcome your ideas, participation and enthusiasm for any of these pieces! To discuss how you can contribute, email cahoots@scmcanada.org.

And don’t forget – pick up your ticket!

 

 

 

One year paid internship with CPJ!

Citizens for Public Justice have announced their Public Justice Internship (Sept 2018 – August 2019) and has opened applications.

2017 - 2018 public justice interns Sarah DelVillano and Deborah Mebude
2017 – 2018 public justice interns Sarah DelVillano and Deborah Mebude

Are you passionate about public justice? Committed to help eradicate poverty in Canada? Resolved to strive for rights for refugees? If you answered yes to these questions and are eager to join CPJ’s public justice work in Ottawa, our public justice internship may be right for you.

Each year, CPJ’s Public Justice Internship Program provides recent graduates with the opportunity to explore the meaning of public justice and join us in Ottawa. For one year, from September 2018 to August 2019, two interns will assist CPJ in our work on refugee rights and poverty in Canada. The interns will assist senior staff and be actively engaged in a variety of work, including research, policy analysis, framing public policy options, presenting to Parliament, meeting with MPs and political staff, as well as engaging the media, leaders in society, CPJ members and the Canadian public.

Application deadline: March 25, 2018

2018-2019 Public Justice Internship Application (PDF)

Read more here: Benefits and Responsibilities

Why I Wrote the Bible Study

I was wondering if you might be available to write a Bible study for Black History Month?

‘There’s no way I can do this’ was my first thought. Me, a white guy, from England?

What do I know about Black History? I ought to be taking a course, not writing a resource. And even if I did, this is the sort of thing that I hear bitter jokes about – a white person posing as an expert on another culture. I don’t want those jokes being made about me!

At best, I would be exposing myself to criticism for accepting the assignment; looking for cookies and kudos for being a ‘good ally’ while taking up space intended for Black people. At worst, I might make mistakes, misrepresenting or obscuring the Black realities that the month is meant to explore.

‘Why would they ask me?’ I wondered. I had to consider it seriously, laying aside my fears and re-reading this request from people I trusted.

…we wanted to include resources this year written from the perspective of being an ally…

The first thing I know about trying to be an ally is that I need to be willing to show up when asked. That can be hard, because I like to get things right first time, and I’m afraid I’ll make a mistake. But if I’m not going to show up when I am asked, my solidarity is abstract and absent. In this case, asked to write from my ‘ally perspective’, my own discomfort was no excuse.

…since you are part of the working group on the UN International Decade for People of African Descent, and since you already have some good experience with anti-racism work…

In studying the United Nations Decade for People of African Descent, I’ve read of the generations-deep roots of Black communities in Canada, which are nevertheless perceived as newcomer or transient compared to the white majority. Portraying people of African descent as ‘without history’ is an old dehumanization tactic of imperialism and the slave trade, and explains the significance of Black History Month.

Today, anti-Black racism and Afrophobia in North America are everywhere and nowhere at the same time. There is no legal or ethical justification for racism, and yet oppression and dismissal of Black bodies, psyches and communities continues, in fields as diverse as housing, healthcare, policing, and sports.

What can I meaningfully offer? My own experience of learning, of recognizing the implicit racism in the societies (and the church) that I call home, and committing to change.

Saul was a man who followed the rules of his society – to a fault. He approved of the violence meted out on the scattered members of the bizarre sect. Then, in a blaze of light outside of Damascus he was transformed into Paul, Persecutor-No-More, a leader in the church and a champion of Christ!

Except it’s never that simple. Our personal experiences of transformation may have moments that feel like a Damascus conversion, but there is always a deeper reality, a history, proceeding without our awareness. Acts 9 draws back the curtain somewhat to show us the courage and care of Ananias in reaching out to the stricken Saul. The Bible Study invites us to consider what it was like for Ananias, and acknowledge the patient work of those who experience oppression, and still hold the door open.

In my life, the truth-telling of Indigenous people first opened my eyes to the ways colonialism has shaped my national history and culture. It was the challenge of Jewish people that helped me see the antisemitism in parts of my faith tradition. It has only been through the patient work and witness of people of African descent that I have been able to see the ways that racism has benefitted me, and the ways that I am complicit.

With each lesson I have been urged to continue on, to understand more how racism persists and perpetuates, and pass this challenge and knowledge on to others, working with them to dismantle systems of oppression. I understand this to be part of the work of God’s people on earth. So, I aim to show up.

Resources:

  • You can see the United Church resources for Black History Month here
  • A direct link to the Bible Study is here
  • Follow the SCM Canada Facebook Page for more links and discussion of Black History Month here

Peter Haresnape is a white, cis man from the United Kingdom, and a permanent resident (Settler) in Canada. His work with the Indigenous Solidarity project of Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) brought him to Turtle Island in 2010. CPT operates at the invitation of communities who welcome accompaniment in their nonviolent struggles against injustice, violence, and fear. CPT’s work in Turtle Island largely focuses on supporting Indigenous Nations taking nonviolent direct action to assert their rights to land, livelihood, and liberty.

Peter is a member of Toronto United Mennonite Church, and since 2016 has worked with the Student Christian Movement of Canada.