MINISTERS MATTER

A MAN WITH A VISION FOR CANADA

I wrote a piece years ago called 'Canada's Spiritual Heritage', and in light of the problems our nation is facing, it might be good to review some of the spiritual needs our country has at the moment.

Please drop in and read this series of blogs that remind us of our past and how important the gospel of Jesus Christ was to the founders of our nation.

THE FLAG OF THE YUKON
Proclaimed on March 1, 1968

In 1784, David Thompson, the great mapmaker, began his work in Canada’s West.

What motivated this man to endure such hardship? A vision!

He wanted to reach the Native people of the West with the gospel of Jesus Christ. He always carried his Bible with him and read it out loud at every opportunity, to voyageurs and to Indians.

Long before missionaries penetrated the West, Thompson was a pioneer of the faith. His records recount the services he held and the number of people who gave their lives to Christ.

William and Lena Bompas who were raised in England’s high society answered the call of God to serve in the remote reaches of the Yukon. They became missionaries of mercy withstanding hardships and spreading the gospel.

Klondike fever brought thousands to the Yukon along with dedicated believers that wanted more than a gold rush. They were interested in a God rush of souls.

May many young men and women, from all walks of life, answer the call of God to go into all the world like Thompson and Bompas did to share the good news with those in desperate need of Jesus.

CANADA'S NORTH - STRONG AND FREE

I wrote a piece years ago called 'Canada's Spiritual Heritage', and in light of the problems our nation is facing, it might be good to review some of the spiritual needs our country has at the moment.

Please drop in and read this series of blogs that remind us of our past and how important the gospel of Jesus Christ was to the founders of our nation.

THE FLAG OF NUNAVUT
Proclaimed on April 1,1999.

Evangelism among the Inuit of Canada is found in Labrador.

The Moravian missionary, Christian Erhard, sailed from England in 1752 with two other born again brethren. They began ministering to the Eskimo in Labrador and eventually were tragically killed by those they sought to win to Christ.

Fens Haven, who took up the challenge, followed them.

By the end of the 18th. Century, the gospel was well established in Labrador and the Moravian influence remains today as a tribute to such courageous men of God.

Tagak Curley, founding president of the Inuit Brotherhood in 1971 commenced negotiations with the federal government in 1973 that led to the creation of Nunavut. He came to Christ during this process and laid the spiritual foundations for a government rooted in the Word of God.

He was saved during one of the public services being held during the annual political meeting. God touched his life, healed his unforgiveness and gave him a love for all men everywhere. His prayer is that as Canadian families, it is most important that we continue to unite, not only for our own provinces, but that the hand of God be upon the whole nation of Canada.

He is not alone. Women like Kayy Gordon and men like John Spillenar have spent most of their adult lives being missionary pioneers to Canada’s Inuit peoples.

God’s Word continues to inspire leaders to rebuild the broken altars of Canada’s northland.

Psalm 33:12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord!

SEEK FIRST HIS KINGDOM 'CANADA'

I wrote a piece years ago called 'Canada's Spiritual Heritage', and in light of the problems our nation is facing, it might be good to review some of the spiritual needs our country has at the moment.

Please drop in and read this series of blogs that remind us of our past and how important the gospel of Jesus Christ was to the founders of our nation.

THE FLAG OF NEWFOUNDLAND
Proclaimed May 28, 1980

Provincial Motto:
Matthew 6:33, Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness...

THE VIKINGS

Lief Ericsson, converted to Christ in Norway in 1003 AD, leaves Europe and winters in Newfoundland in 1004 AD. He was the first known white man to present the gospel of Jesus Christ to Canada’s native peoples.

An Inuit carving, found on Baffin Island, depicts a Norseman bearing a Christian cross, giving silent testimony to this man’s influence 1000 years ago.

The ‘official’ discovery of Canada is given to John Cabot who landed on Newfoundland’s shores in 1497 claiming it ‘For God and for England’.

Thirty-seven years later, in 1534, Jacques Cartier of France and his men built a wooden cross at Gaspe on NB’s soil. One year later he sailed up the St. Lawrence River to Montreal.

His diary records, "We all knelt down in the company of the Indians and with our hands raised toward heaven, yielded our thanks to God."

Jesus taught us to seek first the Kingdom of God. How many times have we usurped that truth by seeking what is good for us first?

CANADA'S SPIRITUAL BEGINNINGS

I wrote a piece years ago called 'Canada's Spiritual Heritage', and in light of the problems our nation is facing, it might be good to review some of the spiritual needs our country has at the moment.

Please drop in and read this series of blogs that remind us of our past and how important the gospel of Jesus Christ was to the founders of our nation.

The date is 1864; the place is Charlottetown, PEI. The ‘Father’s of Confederation’ are holding open discussions on making the colonies one great nation.

THE FLAG OF PEI
Proclaimed on March 24, 1964

After considerable discussion and many suggestions, no conclusion had been reached as to what our nation should be called. The discussion on the name stood over until the next day.

Sir Samuel Leonard Tilley, then Premier of NB, was one of the 33 Father’s of Confederation. He was a born-again Christian who always started his day with prayer and a chapter of the Bible.

His Christian life was characterized by a biblical faith and social conscience. He was active in the temperance movement and was haunted by the scene of a brutal murder of a local woman by her drunken husband. The cries of the woman’s children as she lay dying in her blood remained with him.

The Word of God was a great consolation to him each morning.

The passage he read that appointed day was Psalm 72.

The Holy Spirit quickened verse 8 to him. When he went back to the sitting of the convention that morning he suggested the word ‘Dominion,’ which was agreed to, and the new nation became known as the ‘Dominion of Canada.’

A nation, from its foundation in 1867, dedicated to the biblical truth that ‘Jesus Christ would have dominion from sea to sea’.

A letter signed by John A Macdonald, Canada’s first Prime Minister, explained to Queen Victoria that the name was "tribute to the principles they earnestly desired to uphold."

One life, dedicated to God, can shape the spiritual destiny of a nation.

BLACK CANADIANS have left their mark on the world.

As I reflected on the scriptures in Luke 19, I was reminded of the life of Zacchaeus, a businessman in Jericho, who had an encounter with Jesus. Many so called outsiders were welcomed by Jesus and He ministered to their needs. From that moment on their lives changed. In every life there are defining moments. For many of the following explorers, who risked it all to live a new life under better conditions, it was their faith that sustained and motivated them to press on. Pastor Barry

JON SARPONG is an Etobicoke resident and the diversity officer at Durham College and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. He has a special interest and expertise in issues pertaining to ethno-cultural issues.

Contact Jon by e-mail at jsarpong@hotmail.com.

- The first known Canadian of African descent was Matthew da Costa, a linguist and explorer, who arrived in Port Royal in 1606. He served as an interpreter between the French and the Mi'kmaq and accompanied Samuel de Champlain on his explorations.

- The practice of slavery was extensive throughout Canada during most of our nation's early history. There were nearly 300 slaves in Louisbourg during the 1740s, for example, and many of these served as domestic slaves in the households of both the middle class as well as wealthy families.

- Slaves at Louisbourg worked in a variety of skilled and unskilled trades. Female slaves, such as Marie Marguerite Rose, helped with domestic chores, including child rearing. She served the family of Jean Lippinot, an officer in the French forces, and after being their domestic slave for 18 years, eventually gained her freedom at the age of 39. Marie then married Jean Laurent, a local Mi'kmaq, and together they ran a tavern next door to the Lippinot home.

- More than 3,500 Black Loyalists came to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick at the end of the American Revolution in 1782. Although many left for Sierra Leone because of the hardships they experienced and because of the unfulfilled promises of receiving suitable land for farming, the majority of these Black Loyalists stayed in Canada. The Black Loyalists and their descendants contributed substantially to the culture, economy and history of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.

- At the end of the 18th century, Birchtown, Nova Scotia, with a population of 2,500, was the largest metropolitan concentration of free blacks outside of Africa. While Birchtown is no longer an urban centre, it is the site of important ongoing archaeological and historical research.

- Thornton Blackburn came to Canada in 1833 as an escaped slave. Settling in Toronto, Blackburn would later prove to be quite the entrepreneur, creating in 1837 what became the first taxi service in Toronto, a successful business that would run for some 30 years.

- William Peyton Hubbard was Toronto's first black politician, elected as an alderman for the area now encompassing Ward 20 (Trinity-Spadina) in 1894. He was active in politics for many years, and remains Toronto's longest serving city councillor, holding the position of acting mayor in 1904.

- The civil rights movement in Canada paralleled and, in some respects, predated that of the United States. Viola Desmond was a black businesswoman who refused to sit in the balcony of a New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, theatre, but instead sat downstairs, an area designated exclusively for whites. Her action occurred nine years before Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white man on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama.

- Nova Scotia and Ontario allowed public schools to be segregated along racial lines until the 1960s. Schools for blacks had few of the resources of other schools and, not surprisingly, the students often received less than adequate education.

- Africville was a black settlement located on the north end of Halifax along the Bedford Basin. It was founded by black refugees of the War of 1812 and it survived until the Nova Scotia government expropriated the land and relocated the residents in the mid 1960s. Today, Africville stands as a symbol of the vitality of black culture and spirit of community in the struggle for justice and equality.

Visit www.blackhistorycanada.ca for more information about African Canadian history.

As we face our challenges today in Canada, let us as men and women of faith live out Philippians 3:14. Paul encourages us, and we all need to be encouraged, to "press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." May God bless a new generation of pioneers in Canada!

At Mission O, Ministers Matter!

HONOURING BLACK HISTORY MONTH - Abolishing Slavery

What does this familiar quote mean? "Those who forget their history are destined to repeat it."

On August 28, 1833 the Act for the Abolition of Slavery throughout the British Colonies received Royal Assent and became law throughout the British Empire. The Act came into force on August 1, 1834.  It was the result of a long and arduous campaign by abolitionists internationally, and in the British Parliament by an alliance of Evangelical Anglicans and Quakers led by William Wilberforce, M.P. (1759-1833).

Upper Canada, now Ontario, was a pioneer in this movement.  In 1793, Governor John Graves Simcoe passed the Anti-Slavery Act. This law freed slaves aged 25 and over and made it illegal to bring slaves into Upper Canada, which became a safe haven for runaway slaves.

Simcoe’s law also made Upper Canada the first jurisdiction in the Empire to move toward the abolition of slavery.  In so doing, it brought about the creation of the Underground Railroad through which approximately 30,000 Black people escaped to British North America between 1800 and 1865.

In 2008, the Government of Canada is commemorating the 175th Anniversary of the Act for the Abolition of Slavery in the British Empire and to recognize the courageous efforts of many men and women who succeeded against considerable odds in the fight for freedom and human dignity.

Let us believe together for a generation of men and women like Wilberforce in Canada who are passionate for justice and equality for all of it's citizens.

At Mission O, Ministers Matter!

HONOURING BLACK HISTORY MONTH - Historic Events

What does this familiar quote mean? "Those who forget their history are destined to repeat it."

It is inspiring to read the contribution made to Canada by Black men and women, who overcame so much adversity, just because of the colour of their skin. For many, their faith enabled them to live in an opposite spirit to how they were being treated. They took Jesus' words seriously from the Sermon on the Mount and became peacemakers. Jesus said of them, "They shall be called the sons of God." We honour their decision to trust God in spite of the hardships they had to face.

The first recorded person of African heritage to set foot in what would become Canada arrived on our shores some 400 years ago. It is believed that, in 1604, Mathieu Da Costa arrived with the French explorers Pierre Du Gua De Monts and Samuel de Champlain. Da Costa, a free man, worked as an interpreter, providing an invaluable link with the Mik'maq people encountered by the Europeans.

Slavery existed in Canada from 1628 until it was abolished in Upper Canada in 1793 and throughout the entire British empire in 1833.

The first known slave, Olivier LeJeune, was recorded in 1628. He was brought to Canada from Africa as a young child and given the name of one of his owners, a priest.

In 1779, in an effort to win the War of American Independence (1775-1783), the British invited all Black men, women and children to join the British cause and win their freedom for doing so. Many accepted the invitation, and as a result 10 percent of the United Empire Loyalists coming into the Maritimes were Black.

In 1793, the Abolition Act was passed in Upper Canada, now known as Ontario. This law freed slaves aged 25 and over and made it illegal to bring slaves into Upper Canada. Consequently, Upper Canada became a safe haven for runaway slaves. The Abolition Act also made Canada the first jurisdiction in the British Empire to move toward the abolition of slavery.

In 1833, the British Imperial Act abolished slavery throughout the Empire, including Canada. Between 1800 and 1865, approximately 20,000 Black people escaped to Canada via the Underground Railway.

During the War of 1812, the Coloured Corps fought in the Battle of Queenston Heights, a decisive engagement with the Americans. The Corps had been established thanks to Richard Pierpoint, a Black Loyalist and true Canadian hero.

Railway porters played a major role in the struggle for Black rights in Canada. Starting in the late 1880s, they emerged as leaders of Black communities in Montréal and other urban centres. Through their unions, such as the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters and the Order of Sleeping Car Porters, they gained recognition for Black workers. After the Second World War, the porters made important contributions to the campaign for human rights, particularly through their struggle to end discrimination in railway employment.

In 1858, nearly 800 free Black people left the oppressive racial conditions of San Francisco for a new life on Vancouver Island. Governor James Douglas had invited them to settle in British Columbia. Though still faced with intense discrimination, these pioneers enriched the political, religious and economic life of the colony. For example, Mifflin Gibbs became a prominent politician, Charles and Nancy Alexander initiated the Shady Creek Methodist Church, and John Deas established a salmon cannery. The group also formed one of the earliest colonial militia units, the Victoria Pioneer Rifle Corps. A ceremony took place on February 20, 2000 in Saanichton, B.C. to honour the arrival of the Black Pioneers to British Columbia. To learn more about other commemorations of Black history, please visit the Parks Canada Web site.

During the First World War, patriotic Black Canadians attempted to join combat units but were prevented. However, they still contributed to the war effort. In 1916, a segregated battalion made up of Black Canadians, the Number 2 Construction Battalion, was formed. It was responsible for crucial work building bridges, digging trenches and clearing roads.

In the Second World War, Black Canadians' persistent efforts to join the armed forces was rewarded with success and they went on to serve with distinction in all branches of the military.

As we honour the determination and dedication our fellow Canadians, may we become the peacemakers to our generation as they were to theirs. God bless Canada!

At Mission O, Ministers Matter!

HONOURING BLACK HISTORY MONTH IN CANADA

What does this familiar quote mean? "Those who forget their history are destined to repeat it."

As we honour God's Word in 1 Timothy 2:1 and pray for those in authority over us, I believe He answers our prayers for justice and the dignity due every person in our nation. It is MP's like the Hon. Jean Augustine and others who are being called upon to use their influence to bring about needed change at important moments in history.

Over the next week I will highlight just a few of the thousands of stories of black men and women who have made a difference in this nation.

Despite a presence in Canada that dates back farther than Samuel de Champlain's first voyage down the St. Lawrence River, people of African descent are often absent from Canadian history books.

There is little mention of the fact that slavery once existed in the territory that is now Canada, or that many of the Loyalists who came here after the American Revolution and settled in the Maritimes were Black. Few Canadians are aware of the many sacrifices made in wartime by Black Canadian soldiers, as far back as the War of 1812.

In an attempt to heighten awareness of Black history in the United States, historian Carter G. Woodson proposed an observance to honour the accomplishments of Black Americans. This led to the establishment of Negro History Week in 1926. Woodson is believed to have chosen February for this observance because the birthdays of the renowned abolitionist Frederick Douglass (Feb. 14) and former US President Abraham Lincoln (Feb. 12) fall in this month.

During the early 1970s, the week became known as Black History Week. It was expanded into Black History Month in 1976.

In December 1995, the Parliament of Canada officially recognized February as Black History Month.

A motion introduced by the first Black Canadian woman elected to Parliament, the Honourable Jean Augustine, M.P. of Etobicoke-Lakeshore, who at the time was Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister.

The motion was carried unanimously by the House of Commons. It read: That this House take note of the important contributions of black Canadians to the settlement, growth and development of Canada, the diversity of the black community in Canada and its importance to the history of this country, and recognize February as Black History Month.

As we honour and pray for our Members of Parliament, may God use them to bless Canada!

At Mission O, Ministers Matter!