Reimagining Church, Land & Community: Vancouver 2024

Citygate Vancouver seeks to foster collaboration among churches with the city in order to address systemic issues and catalyze the Church’s broad mission in Metro Vancouver and beyond.Citygate was formed in recognition that there was no group bringing the church together to address the broad array of challenges that our city faces.Through conferences, consultations, community development processes, conversations and courses, Citygate helps churches engage their neighborhoods and the issues of our city in a full way.

Citygate Vancouver

Public lecture Tuesday evening, March 12, featuring Adrian Jacobs and Jason McKinney. Full day conference Wednesday, March 13.

First Christian Reformed Church of Vancouver

<h3>Two Day Gathering</h3>This is an open invitation to anyone keen to learn, share and explore collaboration, as we work to re-imagine church properties for urban flourishing, Indigenous-settler reconciliation, community justice and services, and affordable and supportive housing.

Together we want to change the narrative of decline around Canada’s church lands and properties, into storylines about redeveloping church assets for flourishing neighbourhoods and urban well being.Thousands of churches closed in Canada over the last 10 years; many disappearing to the private market. In the next 10 years many more churches will redevelop, sell or close. Some church properties are underutilized; other congregations are awakening to possibilities for justice and partnership within their neighbourhoods. Our coalition’s calling is to enrich the spiritual and social urban commons, with other stakeholders – urban organizations, municipal planners, Indigenous groups, non-profits, artists, housing agencies. So how might we redevelop these urban spiritual spaces with their existing assets of bricks, mortar, and land?

<h3>Public Lecture Tuesday, March 12</h3> <h4>Redevelopment and Reconciliation: An Indigenous and Settler Perspective</h4>Adrian Jacobs &amp; Jason McKinneyTreaty is a living relationship on the land built on the desire for the deep relationship ofpeace that comes from peer respect. Haudenosaunee Wampum Belts encoded theseoriginal covenantal values and we mistreat the earth and one another when we strayfrom these ideals. As various pressures force churches across the country to reconsidertheir land and building assets, it is also an opportunity to think more deeply andtheologically about our relationships on and to the land. For the non-Indigenous church,the renewal and repair of these relationships – with the land and with Indigenouscommunities – is perhaps the most important pre-development work we can do. It istime to polish the tarnished silver of relationship and rebuild a better future on the land. Adrian Jacobs is Ganosono (Deer Lodge) of the Turtle Clan, Cayuga Nation of the SixNations Haudenosaunee Community along the Grand River, Southern Ontario. He isthe father of three boys and two girls and the grandfather of three grandsons and agranddaughter. Adrian grew up in the Handsome Lake Longhouse religion at SixNations and came to Christian faith at twenty years of age. He has engaged in a longjourney of fully embracing his Indigenous heritage as a follower of Christ. His family hasa long history of resistance to colonial land theft and cultural repression. He works withRick Hill, a Haudenosaunee historian and knowledge keeper, in an ongoing dialogueabout a Spiritual Covenant with Churches as a practical response to colonial landinjustice. An educator and networker, Adrian connects with Indigenous elders, leaders,and communities in Canada and internationally to foster Indigenous flourishing. Rev. Dr. Jason McKinney is a settler of English, German, Irish and Scandinaviandescent living and working on the traditional territories of the Anishinaabe and theHaudenosaunee. Based in the Parkdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Jason is atheological educator and an Anglican priest. He serves a multiracial congregation inParkdale, where he has also been part of a local movement to ensure communitywell-being against the pressures of gentrification. He was a member of the firstcommunity-elected board of The Parkdale Neighbourhood Land Trust. Jason holds aPhD from the Department for the Study of Religion at the University of Toronto. He hastaught at Trinity College's Faculty of Divinity and is currently on a research contract withTyndale Seminary, where he is working with a team of researchers exploring newmodels of theological education.

<h4>About the Organizers</h4> This gathering is brought to you by The Canadian Coalition of Re-Imagining Church, Land and Community.In Spring 2023 thirty Canadian practitioners gathered for an intense exploration of our common interests and work in reimagining of church properties. We are non-profit and for-profit developers, denominational property stewards, theologians, community practitioners, and church leaders. Five priorities emerged from our dialogue:1) Association: the group is solidly in favour of forming an coalition or network.2) Theology: there is a common hunger for deeper theological foundations to our work.3) Indigenous-settler reconciliation: we are inviting Adrian Jacobs and other elders to help us weave this thread indelibly throughout church land reimaginings.4) Research: our group strongly supports development of research and curriculum projects to support this sector.5) More gathering: we want to meet again, in person.The network is growing. This ReImagining coalition plans to gather annually. Each annual gathering will welcome nation-wide participation, while moving the gatherings across Canada will enrich our learning from local models, partners and case studies.<ul><li>Western: Vancouver, March 12-13, 2024</li><li>Central: Toronto 2025</li><li>Maritime: Halifax 2026</li></ul>

<h4>The Panelists</h4> David Ley David Ley was a Professor of Urban Geography at UBC for over 40 years. His recent book, Housing Booms in Gateway Cities (Wiley 2023), examines the causes, consequences, and policy responses to housing booms and unaffordability in Hong Kong, London, Singapore, Sydney, and Vancouver.Christine Boyle Christine Boyle is a second term Vancouver City Councillor with OneCity Vancouver. She has been a leading voice on Council for affordable housing, climate action, Reconciliation, and more. Christine is also an ordained United Church Minister, and has worked in secular and faith based settings on housing and climate, including at First United Church in the Downtown Eastside and with Faith &amp; the Common Good nationally. She has two kids and loves cooking and riding her bike.Nicholas Lai Nicholas Lai is a city planner with extensive experience in current and long-range land use planning. He has held managing roles in planning and development with the City of Surrey, City of Edmonton and the Regional District of Mount Waddington. Currently, he is the Principal of NL Consultancy, a firm providing strategic advice in Land Use and Development Planning. The firm specializes in moving development projects through critical review and approval phases. Nicholas attends Fraser Lands Church in Vancouver and is a member and Vice-chair of the Elders Board. Michael Guenter Michael Guenter's current experience at Concert Properties (Vice President, Development) and Co:Here Development Society (Board Chair) provide the unique perspective of delivering affordable housing as both a private developer and a not-for-profit housing society. His favourite projects have delivered deeper affordability as a result of creative partnerships between the developer, multiple levels of government, private donors and/or not-for-profit organizations.

Tuesday, March 12

PUBLIC LECTURE: As various pressures force churches across the country to reconsider their properties and building assets, this is also an opportunity to think more deeply and theologically about our relationships on and to the land, and with each other. *This event will be live-streamed.

Church Redevelopment and Reconciliation: An Indigenous and Settler Perspective

Wednesday, March 13

Join us before the official start time for coffee, snacks and an opportunity to network. 

Coffee, Tea, Pastries

During our opening session, we'll hear from storytellers - multiple voices sharing about church and land re-imagining.

Welcome & Opening

Hear from industry experts: municipal, provincial, academic and business leaders. An opportunity for Q & A.

Panel Discussion

During our morning break, you'll find your table topic to prepare for the next session.

Break

Table Topic Dialouges

Lunch: Denominational Session & Networking Sessions

During our afternoon together, we'll gather our questions, examine the processes and partners for church real estate and social redevelopment. 

Reimagining Church, Land & Community: Vancouver 2024

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Reimagining Church, Land & Community: Vancouver 2024

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