By Brenda Noble
John G. Stackhouse Jr. has said that the church in Canada needs to live in such a way that if any force tried to shut our doors, the surrounding community would protest that they need our presence. In other words, our worship should include service to our communities which they see as “value added.” In Winnipeg, one of the ways we Christians show God’s love to all is by welcoming ministries such as teaching English to newcomers.
Manitoba has been settled by waves of immigrants, from the voyageurs to present-day newcomers. Our license plate proclaims a value we want to live up to, “Friendly Manitoba.” For over 50 years we have celebrated “Folklorama,” with week-long pavilions showcasing the cultural heritages people want to pass on to their children and share with their neighbours.
Another kind of openness is very important: the cooperation of churches. Once a month during the school year, pastors and Christian leaders are invited to the Citywide Prayer Meeting. “Winnipeg Church English Coordinators” from about a dozen church or parachurch English programs also meet periodically to encourage and equip each other in our ministries. We have different people groups in our neighbourhoods and different programs to help them settle, and this diversity helps us guide people to the church (or churches) that can best serve their needs. We also share links to government and private services that can help newcomers settle in other ways, such as finding family doctors and jobs. Many also offer Bible classes to those who see the Bible as a key to understanding Western culture. This can result in meaningful discussions and some people making steps toward personal faith in Jesus Christ.
I’d like to share our church’s program as one example of a church English program that seeks to integrate English teaching and ministry to newcomers as part of the DNA of our church.
Every Wednesday evening our church has a communal meal. After the meal, several programs are offered, including our “English Conversation Circles.” We have more than a dozen volunteers, many having experienced moving to a new culture, who interact with newcomers around tables. They discuss a prepared topic or digress into a topic the newcomers suggest, as this is for them! Two favourite topics last year were “Talking to your child’s teacher” and “Preparing your car for Winnipeg winter.” We have tables for regular conversation, for people with very basic English, and for Bible study. At Christmas and Easter, we have potlucks inviting whole families, and present the history and meaning of the holiday according to our Christian faith. A favourite activity has been singing a Christmas carol in many languages! During our summer break, we often have a picnic and attend a Blue Bombers game together. We advertise at a local college and some local schools, but the best advertising is word of mouth by students and church members. We now have an “international Bible study” on Sunday mornings, with a faithful core of believers from several nations connecting with people who are new to the Bible. We also tend to meet up for conversation after the church service, which helps to build a sense of community.
This is only one example among many churches, each developed from the gifts and connections of their members, using English teaching and other services to show Christ’s love in practical ways to the newcomers and glorify God in our neighbourhoods.