EMCC Churches in Waterloo Region Reach Out to New Canadians A new Canadian family was about to return to India to deal with a family emergency. With less than 2 hours before take-off and at least an hour from home, they realized they were missing a crucial document. They placed a desperate call from Toronto’s Pearson International Airport to their neighbour, Bill. They had come to trust this friend, a member of Bethany EMCC, so much that they turned to him to collect the document from their house. Providentially, Bill made it to the airport as the airline kept the flight just a few more minutes for the family.  Weeks later, when the family returned from India, the father thanked Bill, saying that his own brothers would never have done what Bill had done for him--why did he do it?  God had prepared the way for Bill to tell about Jesus!

This was one of several stories from a teaching event called “The Gift of New Canadians,” designed by a year-old alliance of people and churches interested in developing ties with new Canadians, Christian or not. The alliance has adopted the title “New Canadian Ministry’ (NCM). The training event was held at Bethany EMC in Kitchener, Ontario, on Feb 25th, 2012 and attended by 30 people from 5 area EMC congregations. 

A newly arrived Congolese Christian told how his family had been helped by EMCC people. A missionary talked about people she is relating to as a result of contacts made through the NCM booth at the City of Kitchener’s Multi-cultural Festival last June. An uprooted plant was used to illustrate the situation of new Canadians.  There was lively discussion around the tables about how to be intentional in meeting new Canadians.

Ontario’s Waterloo Region, with a population of half a million people, is currently Canada’s 7th largest receiver of immigrants. More than 22.6% of the population are foreign-born.  This demographic reality is not well reflected in the dozen or so EMC churches in the region, but we are serious about changing that.  House of Prayer for All Nations, a house-church model congregation, represented by licensed EMCC ministers, Tim and Kathy Elliott, is one effort that, by design, seeks out new Canadians.  Evangel Community Church is active in making strong connections with both the Colombian and African-origin immigrant communities.  Bethany has about 60 new Canadians connected with their congregation.  These are great beginnings, and there is much work yet to be done in reaching out to our new neighbors. If you would like to be more involved in new Canadian ministry speak with your pastor, or contact Halima and Clare Fuller jclaref53@yahoo.ca or Tim and Kathy Elliott tkelliott@execulink.com.

by Clare and Halima Fuller, members at Evangel Community (EMC) Church, Kitchener, ON