The New Leaf Project: Recent Episodes
New Leaf Podcast Network
Fewer Canadians identify with religion, believe in God or attend weekly religious services than in past decades. We know the religious landscape in Canada has changed. We are sharing the stories of Canadian Christians who are instigating new things, innovating in our Canadian context, planting new churches and starting missional minded conversations and communities right here in Canadian soil. We learn from Canadian Christian leaders who are working hard to address these realities in their organizations and we learn from Canadians on the ground, doing the good work in our cities and neighbourhoods.
Ep 128 is here, bringing you more multivocational goodness!
We’re talking about the realities of multivocational life - is it stressful? Is it satisfying? Is it “better” or “worse” than being univocational? Let’s go beyond just conversational ✨ vibes ✨ and bring in some data, shall we?
Beth Anne Fisher joins the conversation for this episode. She was one of the researchers on the MISSiM project, under the supervision of the primary investigator Dr. Wanda Malcolm. The Malcolm Inventory of Satisfaction and Stress in Ministry (MISSiM) is a statistically valid and reliable instrument that explores 29 aspects of ministry life and how they contribute to an individual's current experiences in ministry life. It is intended for both ordained and non-ordained leaders.
Beth Anne and Jared chat about their findings, their stories, and what we can learn from each other doing this multivocational work.
You can learn more about Beth Anne’s work, as well as what the MISSiM might offer you, by visiting www.newleafnetwork.ca/sustained
Check out and follow along with new episodes at The Multivocational Podcast
Join Beth and Jared as Jared shares his multivocational story.
Jared serves in many capacities in the Canadian Church. He founded the New Leaf Network and is one of Canada’s leading inter-denominational church planter trainers. But church planting isn’t the only kind of experience he has garnered. In his ministry roles Jared has had the opportunity to work with churches of all kinds from all over Canada. He has acted as a consultant in churches large and small, urban and rural, and new and long established. He has written a discipleship curriculum, a handbook on church planter training, and a Church Health workbook called the LifePlan.
Over the past few years Jared has faced some massive shifts in his life and his ministry. In this episode he talks about what he’s up to now, and how he is living this multivocational life!
Episode 126 of The New Leaf Project is here!
We’re going to continue to share the goodness from the new Multivocational Podcast.
Join Beth and Jared as Beth shares her multivocational story.
Beth Carlson-Malena grew up as a Baptist pastor's kid in Treaty 6 territory (aka Saskatoon), and now lives with her wife Danice on unceded Coast Salish land (aka Vancouver). Beth co-pastors a non-denominational church called Open Way that she helped start up almost seven years ago. She has a great side gig as a wedding officiant, and spends the rest of her time bird watching, giving tours at local botanical gardens, organizing actions with others around climate justice and Palestine, and reading/watching science fiction.
Check out and follow along with new episodes at The Multivocational Podcast
Episode 125 of The New Leaf Project is here!
We have a special episode for the New Leaf Project listeners… please help us in welcoming a brand new podcast on our network: The Multivocational Podcast!
Join hosts Jared Siebert and Beth Carlson- Malena as they explore the stories of Christian leaders and practitioners carving out new roles - roles that are increasingly multivocational in the post-Christian Canadian landscape.
In this first episode In this inaugural episode Beth and Jared talk about what this podcast is all about… what it means to be a multivocational leader in Canada… and the multiverse of possibilities while wearing more than one vocational hat!
Check out and follow along with new episodes at The Multivocational Podcast
Episode 124 of The New Leaf Project is here!
Elle is joined in this episode by Albert Chu, the Director of the Centre for Missional Leadership at St. Andrews Hall.
In their conversation they talk about the realities that need to be faced by Canadian practitioners; considering new paths forward that don’t ignore very real constraints but imagine new ways of doing ministry.
Learn more about the certificate program in Missional Leadership at the Centre for Missional Leadership, St. Andrews Hall:
- https://www.standrews.edu/cml/
Albert Chu is the Director of the Centre for Missional Leadership at St. Andrews Hall. He is also the Lead Pastor of the Tapestry Church, a multi-campus church in the Lower Mainland.
Albert is passionate about creating space, not only physical space, but designing a safe environment and a hospitable culture that allows people the room to discover and grow as disciples of Jesus. It was this passion that led Albert to plant the Tapestry Church back in 2004 and continues to fuel his desire to start new missional activities and plant more churches. As the Director of the CML, and in alignment to this passion, Albert strives to equip, resource, and release leaders for God’s mission in this corner of the world we affectionately call Cascadia.
Albert is a graduate of The University of Alberta where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Political Science as well as a Master of Arts in Sociology. He is also a graduate of Regent College with a Master of Divinity. Recognized as a leader within the church planting movement in Canada, Albert has served with Resonate Global Missions, Engage Vancouver and as a Church Planter Developer with the Christian Reformed Church.
Albert is married to Frieda and is blessed with two lovely daughters. They love to travel, cycle, cook, and wander with their backpacks within the 117,900 acres of bliss called Mt. Baker Wilderness.
And we want you to know about our upcoming event the Table 2023. Check it out today!
Episode 123 of The New Leaf Project is here!
Elle is joined in this episode by Krista-Dawn Kimsey, the Director of Learning and Innovation of Servant Partners Canada. Krista-Dawn is a longtime friend of the New Leaf Network, and has been teaching the Canadian Church from her perspective of seeking God's shalom by pursuing holistic transformation of urban poor communities alongside our neighbours.
Learn more about the certificate of Community Transformation that Servant Partners Canada offers :
- https://www.servantpartners.ca/ctc
Krista-Dawn Kimsey is a Ukrainian-German Canadian settler, currently migrating from unceded Coast Salish lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations peoples to Saskatoon on Treaty 6 land. She is the daughter of Gayle and Don Jenner, who were born and raised on Treaty 4 land; home to the Cote, Keeseekoose, The Key, Zagime Anishinabek, Kahkewistahaw & Ocean Man First Nations and the original lands of the Cree, Saulteaux, Dakota, Nakota, Lakota, and the homeland of the Métis. She is a mostly pleasant wife to Joel and an often spontaneous parent to her two teenagers: Judah and Gabriella. She currently serves on the executive team of Servant Partners Canada as the Director of Learning and Innovation. For 27 years her vocational passion and calling has been to facilitate creative and transformational learning experiences to disciple, train and coach leaders to love God and love their neighbours with greater justice.
And we want you to know about our upcoming event the Table 2023. Check it out today!
Episode 122 of The New Leaf Project is here!
Hear the story of the epiphany that led Wendy Janzen to start a forest church, and subsequently co-found the Wild Church Network. Forest Church/Wild Church are unique expressions of church, where we worship both in and with all creation. It is not just taking a regular worship service and moving it outdoors - it is engaging with God's imminent presence among us, recognizing we are standing on holy ground, and opening ourselves to ways that creation itself both praises God and reveals God's love, wisdom, and provision.
Learn more about:
- the Wild Church Network: https://www.wildchurchnetwork.com/
- Church of the Wild book: https://www.victorialoorz.com/book
Rev. Wendy Janzen is planter and pastor of Burning Bush Forest Church, a worshiping community that has been going outdoors for monthly worship gatherings in parks and wild spaces in Kitchener-Waterloo, ON for over seven years. She also serves part-time as Eco-Minister with Mennonite Church Eastern Canada, is a spiritual director, and writes wild liturgies and eco-spiritual practices. Her passion is for inviting people to ground themselves within God's beloved community of creation, and moving from ego-centric (and anthropocentric) understandings of Christianity to eco-centric experiences of faith and discipleship. She lives with her husband, Chip and their two teenage sons, in Kitchener, Ontario.
We want you to know about our upcoming event the Table 2023: https://www.newleafnetwork.ca/thetable
Episode 121 of The New Leaf Project is here!
Today on our feed we're featuring the second episode of the Disability & the Canadian Church podcast, part of of the New Leaf Network of Podcasts.
This second Cynthia Tam and Stephen Bedard about autism and the church. Cynthia and Stephen help us to learn from multiple perspectives: parent, pastor, professional, self-advocate, ministry leader, and author. We talk about friendship and family, kinship and community, the language we use and the beauty of communication beyond words.
You can find Stephen’s writing on the Disability and Faith Forum at disabilityandfath.org and at his website stephenjbedard.com. You can order Cynthia’s book Kinship in the Household of God through her website cynthiatam.ca or on Amazon.
Cynthia Tam is an ordained minister and the National Coordinator for Disability Ministries with the Alliance Canada. Having Completed her Ph.D in Theology she is involved in teaching in the Alliance Stream at Tyndale University. With a professional background in occupational therapy, Cynthia co-founded Village Eulogia for Families with Special Needs and continued to serve families with children with disabilities through this organization.
Stephen Bedard is an author, pastor, autistic advocate, and parent. He has a DMin in the area of disability ministry from Acadia Divinity College. He lives with his wife Amanda in Brookfield NS and is co-pastor at Brookfield Baptist Church. Stephen’s oldest two children have autism and live in a group home setting. Stephen is the author of How to make Your Church Autism Friendly.
And we want you to know about our upcoming event the Table 2023. Check it out today!
Episode 120 of The New Leaf Project is here!
Today on our feed we're featuring the first episode of the Disability & the Canadian Church podcast, part of of the New Leaf Network of Podcasts.
This first episode of the limited series is an honest and vulnerable conversation about healing vs. curing, barriers to accessibility, finding belonging in church communities, and resisting normalcy.
The hosts Jasmine and Keith are joined by Bethany McKinney Fox, a public speaker, contemplative, and the author of “Disability and the Way of Jesus,” and Matt Arguin - a Community Member with Wish to Be Home and an Associate Anglican Priest in London.
You can find Matt’s Prayer in Time of Pandemic at https://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/cjtmhd/article/view/35010 and Bethany’s book Disability and the Way of Jesus: Holistic healing in the Gospels and in Church here: https://www.ivpress.com/disability-and-the-way-of-jesus
Matthew Arguin is Assistant Curate-Coordinator of Outreach and Evangelism at Bishop Cronyn Memorial Church, Diocese of Huron, Anglican Church of Canada.
Bethany McKinney Fox is founder of Beloved Everybody, an ability-inclusive faith community in Los Angeles where people with and without intellectual, developmental and other disabilities, as well as neurodivergent folks, lead and participate together. She is the author of “Disability and the Way of Jesus: Holistic Healing in the Gospels and the Church.” She is ordained in the Presbyterian Church (USA).
Episode 119 of The New Leaf Project is here!
In this week's conversation, Dr Sarah Wilkins-Laflamme, Professor in Sociology at the University of Waterloo, shares with us the ethnocultural and religious take-aways from the 2021 Canadian Census, released at the end of 2022.
Sarah gives expert data interpretation to those parsing through this invaluable religious affiliation data for Canadians. She unpacks all the major findings, including the unexpected data that non-religious Canadians have more than doubled in the past 20 years — to 34.6 percent, up from 16.5 percent in 2001. She discusses that though Christianity remains the majority religion in Canada, only 53 percent of the population reported an affiliation with a Christian religion, down 14 percent from 2011 and 24 percent from 2001. Sarah helps us understand the ways these numbers shift as we move East to West, what Stats Can researchers were surprised by, and how every denomination in Canada, mainline and evangelical, is in rapid decline.
Rather than closing off our minds to the data of decline and disruption, what would happen if we open up and learn what fellow Canadians are saying about their religious beliefs? How could this data open up conversation and connection? Can this learning help us attune to our cultural moment as Christians in Canada?
This episode is full of Canadian-specific data and content and is helpful for leaders, pastors, planters and Jesus followers who desire to reflect on their own contexts and the ways that our society is shifting away from Christianity
Dr. Sarah Wilkins-LaFlamme is an associate professor in the Department of Sociology and Legal Studies at the University of Waterloo, Canada. She completed her DPhil (PhD equivalent) in sociology at the University of Oxford in 2015. Her research interests include quantitative methods, sociology of religion, immigration and ethnicity as well as political sociology. Dr. Wilkins-Laflamme is co-author of None of the Above: Nonreligious Identity in the US and Canada withNew York University Press, and has also published 24 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters to date.
Show Notes, Links and Resources:
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Stats Canada Religious Data - https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/221026/dq221026b-eng.htm?utm_source=twt&utm_medium=smo&utm_campaign=statcan-2021census-diss-ethnocultural-en
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Religion, Non-Belief, Spirituality and Social Behaviour among North American Millennials: https://uwspace.uwaterloo.ca/handle/10012/15102
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Religion, Spirituality and Secularity among Millennials: The Generation Shaping American and Canadian Trends: https://www.amazon.ca/Religion-Spirituality-Secularity-among-Millennials/dp/1032109211
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Find Sarah on Twitter: @swilk033
Slow down, pay attention, and listen to the words as writers share their Advent Reader reflections on Known and Unknown: Dwelling in the Mystery of Advent.
Elle Pyke shares her reflection for Christmas Day - The Embodiment of Christmas
Music by Canadian Award Winning Singer/Songwriter Drew Brown www.drewbrownmusic.com
Slow down, pay attention, and listen to the words as writers share their Advent Reader reflections on Known and Unknown: Dwelling in the Mystery of Advent.
Rohadi shares his reflection for the fourth Saturday of Advent - Advent Solidarity
Music by Canadian Award Winning Singer/Songwriter Drew Brown www.drewbrownmusic.com
Slow down, pay attention, and listen to the words as writers share their Advent Reader reflections on Known and Unknown: Dwelling in the Mystery of Advent.
Jared Siebert shares his reflection for the fourth Friday of Advent - The Road Marked Unease
Music by Canadian Award Winning Singer/Songwriter Drew Brown www.drewbrownmusic.com
Slow down, pay attention, and listen to the words as writers share their Advent Reader reflections on Known and Unknown: Dwelling in the Mystery of Advent.
Sonia Reid Noble shares her reflection for the fourth Wednesday of Advent - Getting Comfortable with Uncomfortability
Music by Canadian Award Winning Singer/Songwriter Drew Brown www.drewbrownmusic.com
Slow down, pay attention, and listen to the words as writers share their Advent Reader reflections on Known and Unknown: Dwelling in the Mystery of Advent.
Stella Chung shares her reflection for the fourth Monday of Advent - What’s Birthing Behind the Fog?
Music by Canadian Award Winning Singer/Songwriter Drew Brown www.drewbrownmusic.com
Slow down, pay attention, and listen to the words as writers share their Advent Reader reflections on Known and Unknown: Dwelling in the Mystery of Advent.
Angela Reitsma Bick shares her reflection for the fourth Sunday of Advent - Joseph, First-Time Dad
Music by Canadian Award Winning Singer/Songwriter Drew Brown www.drewbrownmusic.com
Slow down, pay attention, and listen to the words as writers share their Advent Reader reflections on Known and Unknown: Dwelling in the Mystery of Advent.
Tim Tang shares his reflection for the third Saturday of Advent - Hear us, Shepherd of Israel…
Music by Canadian Award Winning Singer/Songwriter Drew Brown www.drewbrownmusic.com
Slow down, pay attention, and listen to the words as writers share their Advent Reader reflections on Known and Unknown: Dwelling in the Mystery of Advent.
Phil Reinders shares his reflection for the third Wednesday of Advent - Christmas fear
Music by Canadian Award Winning Singer/Songwriter Drew Brown www.drewbrownmusic.com
Slow down, pay attention, and listen to the words as writers share their Advent Reader reflections on Known and Unknown: Dwelling in the Mystery of Advent.
Jessica Stefick shares her reflection for the third Tuesday of Advent - The Mystery of Dead Ends
Music by Canadian Award Winning Singer/Songwriter Drew Brown www.drewbrownmusic.com
Slow down, pay attention, and listen to the words as writers share their Advent Reader reflections on Known and Unknown: Dwelling in the Mystery of Advent.
Ellen Duffield shares her reflection for the second Saturday of Advent - Mary’s Magnificat: Praise, Pain, Prophecy and Prayer
Music by Canadian Award Winning Singer/Songwriter Drew Brown www.drewbrownmusic.com
Slow down, pay attention, and listen to the words as writers share their Advent Reader reflections on Known and Unknown: Dwelling in the Mystery of Advent.
Keith Dow shares his reflection for the second Thursday of Advent - The long, slow mercy of Christian hope
Music by Canadian Award Winning Singer/Songwriter Drew Brown www.drewbrownmusic.com
Slow down, pay attention, and listen to the words as writers share their Advent Reader reflections on Known and Unknown: Dwelling in the Mystery of Advent.
Kyra Schat shares her reflection for the second Wednesday of Advent - Do You Believe
Music by Canadian Award Winning Singer/Songwriter Drew Brown www.drewbrownmusic.com
Slow down, pay attention, and listen to the words as writers share their Advent Reader reflections on Known and Unknown: Dwelling in the Mystery of Advent.
Kyra Schat shares her reflection for the second Tuesday of Advent - A Crisis of Faith and Its Friends
Music by Canadian Award Winning Singer/Songwriter Drew Brown www.drewbrownmusic.com
Slow down, pay attention, and listen to the words as writers share their Advent Reader reflections on Known and Unknown: Dwelling in the Mystery of Advent.
Matthew R Green shares his reflection for the second Monday of Advent - Waiting in Desolation
Music by Canadian Award Winning Singer/Songwriter Drew Brown www.drewbrownmusic.com
Slow down, pay attention, and listen to the words as writers share their Advent Reader reflections on Known and Unknown: Dwelling in the Mystery of Advent.
Cathleen Getchell shares her reflection for the second Sunday of Advent - Four-letter Word
Music by Canadian Award Winning Singer/Songwriter Drew Brown www.drewbrownmusic.com
Slow down, pay attention, and listen to the words as writers share their Advent Reader reflections on Known and Unknown: Dwelling in the Mystery of Advent.
Robin Ingham shares her reflection for the first Saturday of Advent - In Greener Pastures
Music by Canadian Award Winning Singer/Songwriter Drew Brown www.drewbrownmusic.com
Slow down, pay attention, and listen to the words as writers share their Advent Reader reflections on Known and Unknown: Dwelling in the Mystery of Advent.
In this episode Lea Wilkening shares her reflection for the first Friday of Advent - No One Waits Alone
Music by Canadian Award Winning Singer/Songwriter Drew Brown www.drewbrownmusic.com
Slow down, pay attention, and listen to the words as writers share their Advent Reader reflections on Known and Unknown: Dwelling in the Mystery of Advent.
In this episode Jordan Majeau shares his reflection for the first Wednesday of Advent - Life After Judas
Music by Canadian Award Winning Singer/Songwriter Drew Brown www.drewbrownmusic.com
Slow down, pay attention, and listen to the words as writers share their Advent Reader reflections on Known and Unknown: Dwelling in the Mystery of Advent.
In this episode Paul Lucas shares his reflection for the first Wednesday of Advent - What If?
Music by Canadian Award Winning Singer/Songwriter Drew Brown www.drewbrownmusic.com
Slow down, pay attention, and listen to the words as writers share their Advent Reader reflections on Known and Unknown: Dwelling in the Mystery of Advent.
In this episode Matte Downey shares her reflection for the first Monday of Advent - Birds, Blurry Lines, and Becoming
Music by Canadian Award Winning Singer/Songwriter Drew Brown www.drewbrownmusic.com
The New Leaf Project Podcast continues with an audio companion to the Advent Reader.
We're so excited to offer our fifth annual daily Advent Reader and thrilled this year to also offer an audio companion. Slow down, pay attention, and listen to the words as writers share their reflections on Known and Unknown: Dwelling in the Mystery of Advent.
In this episode Amy Bratton shares her introduction to this year’s Advent Reader project.
Music by Canadian Award Winning Singer/Songwriter Drew Brown www.drewbrownmusic.com
The last Movies for Lent episode of the season has arrived!
Jason and Adam, pastors and movie-lovers, are hosting Movies for Lent: Conversations at the Intersection of Faith & Film.
You can participate in the live watch experience and discussion on Wednesdays over zoom (join the Movies for Lent facebook group for more info), or participate on your own by using these podcast episodes as a jumping-off point for reflection or discussion in your own communities.
This week’s selection is Mass (2021).
Theme: Forgiveness
Lectionary Scripture: Luke 23:32-34
Discussion Questions:
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After viewing ‘Mass’ what thoughts and impressions lingered as the credits rolled and beyond? Why?
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From a cinematic perspective, what did you enjoy about the film? What worked for you? What didn’t?
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Mass is an unflinching look at life after experiencing a horrific trauma. How do each of the four parents in the film deal with grief? What is the trajectory of their character arcs through the film?
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In our Good Friday lectionary passage, Jesus displays the forgiveness of God in the midst of the trauma of the crucifixion. What is the place and priority of forgiveness in the Kingdom of God? What are the barrier to receiving and extending the forgiveness of God?
The next Movies for Lent episode has arrived!
Jason and Adam, pastors and movie-lovers, are hosting Movies for Lent: Conversations at the Intersection of Faith & Film.
You can participate in the live watch experience and discussion on Wednesdays over zoom (join the Movies for Lent facebook group for more info), or participate on your own by using these podcast episodes as a jumping-off point for reflection or discussion in your own communities.
This week’s selection is Pig (2021).
Theme: Kingdom
Lectionary Scripture: Luke 19:28-34
Discussion Questions:
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After viewing ‘Pig’ what thoughts and impressions lingered as the credits rolled and beyond? Why?
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From a cinematic perspective, what did you enjoy about the film? What worked for you? What didn’t?
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In our lectionary passage, Jesus rides into Jerusalem atop a donkey, an action which is both prophetic and subversive. How is the kingdom of God embodied in the life of Jesus both prophetic and subversive? How does Robin, our protagonist in the film, similarly say and do things that are both prophetic and subversive?
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On the surface, Pig is a straightforward story of working through grief and loss. Beneath the surface however, the film is full of layers of meaning and metaphor. Consider hosting a dinner part to enjoy a sumptuous meal and meaningful conversation around the rich themes of the movie.
The next Movies for Lent episode has arrived!
Jason and Adam, pastors and movie-lovers, are hosting Movies for Lent: Conversations at the Intersection of Faith & Film.
You can participate in the live watch experience and discussion on Wednesdays over zoom (join the Movies for Lent facebook group for more info), or participate on your own by using these podcast episodes as a jumping-off point for reflection or discussion in your own communities.
This week’s selection is The Straight Story (1999).
Theme: Reconciliation
Lectionary Scripture: Luke 15:11-32
Discussion Questions:
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After viewing ‘The Straight Story’ what thoughts and impressions lingered as the credits rolled and beyond? Why?
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From a cinematic perspective, what did you enjoy about the film? What worked for you? What didn’t?
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In the film Alvin sets out on a lengthy journey with the intent of restoring a broken relationship. What are the pitfalls Alvin faced on his journey and how might they be illustrative of the hurdles we all face on the road to reconciliation?
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In our lectionary passage Jesus tells a parable of a loving father with two sons, each of whom is lost. How do both the older and younger sons break relationship with their father and how does the father embody the reconciling heart of God?
The next Movies for Lent episode has arrived!
Jason and Adam, pastors and movie-lovers, are hosting Movies for Lent: Conversations at the Intersection of Faith & Film.
You can participate in the live watch experience and discussion on Wednesdays over zoom (join the Movies for Lent facebook group for more info), or participate on your own by using these podcast episodes as a jumping-off point for reflection or discussion in your own communities.
This week’s selection is Michael Clayton (2007).
Theme: Repentance
Lectionary Scripture: Luke 13:1-9
Discussion Questions:
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After viewing ‘Michael Clayton’ what thoughts and impressions lingered as the credits rolled and beyond? Why?
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From a cinematic perspective, what did you enjoy about the film? What worked for you? What didn’t?
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In our film the protagonist is burdened and beat down, and his friend has had a break from reality. One is lost and disillusioned, the other repentant and in pursuit of penance. In what ways does this reflect the stories we tell ourselves and share as a society?
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In our lectionary passage Jesus tells a parable, a fig tree has failed to bear fruit, but the field-hand is asking for one last chance. How many (figurative) fig trees are presented in this film, and how many chances do they have left?
The next Movies for Lent episode has arrived!
Jason and Adam, pastors and movie-lovers, are hosting Movies for Lent: Conversations at the Intersection of Faith & Film.
You can participate in the live watch experience and discussion on Wednesdays over zoom (join the Movies for Lent facebook group for more info), or participate on your own by using these podcast episodes as a jumping-off point for reflection or discussion in your own communities.
This week’s selection is Kubo and the Two Strings (2016).
Theme: Transfiguration
Lectionary Scripture: Luke 9:28-36
Discussion Questions:
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After viewing ‘A Hero’ what thoughts and impressions lingered as the credits rolled and beyond? Why?
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From a cinematic perspective, what did you enjoy about the film? What worked for you? What didn’t?
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Kubo and the Two Strings presents an authentic oral custom from Japanese culture: from a storytelling perspective, hows does this relate to our understanding and interpretation of scripture?
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In our lectionary passage Jesus is transfigured and stands alongside Moses and Elijah. From the perspective of the disciples (Peter, John, James) what connections could they have made with their own religious upbringing?
The next Movies for Lent episode has arrived!
Jason and Adam, pastors and movie-lovers, are hosting Movies for Lent: Conversations at the Intersection of Faith & Film.
You can participate in the live watch experience and discussion on Wednesdays over zoom (join the Movies for Lent facebook group for more info), or participate on your own by using these podcast episodes as a jumping-off point for reflection or discussion in your own communities.
This week’s selection is A Hero (2021).
Theme: Temptation
Lectionary Scripture: Luke 4:1-13, Hebrews 2:14-15
Discussion Questions:
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After viewing ‘A Hero’ what thoughts and impressions lingered as the credits rolled and beyond? Why?
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From a cinematic perspective, what did you enjoy about the film? What worked for you? What didn’t?
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How does the theme of temptation permeate the film? How does director Farhadi disorient us the viewer by blowing up our presuppositions about who are the heroes and villains in the film?
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How do both the temptations of Jesus in the wilderness and the characters in the film both underscore the subtle ways in which our cultural hero systems (under the influence of the principalities and powers) can hold power over us and challenge our fidelity and faithfulness to Jesus?
Resources mentioned in the episode:
Richard Beck - The Slavery of Death (book) www.amazon.ca/Slavery-Death-Richard-Beck/dp/1620327775
Ernest Becker - The Denial of Death (book) www.amazon.ca/Denial-Death-Ernest-Becker/dp/0684832402
Rene Girard - The Scapegoat: Complete 5-part CBC "Ideas" series with David Cayley (2001) https://youtu.be/wTdvSnj5LBk
There is No Evil (movie) - https://youtu.be/piflulDSWD4
Asghar Farhadi - 2017 Oscar Acceptance Speech - https://youtu.be/MdZo54vJLus
The Simpsons "Don't Do What Donny Don't Does" - https://youtu.be/NRvaR4fqrYY
The Last Temptation of Christ (movie) https://youtu.be/qJKxg4p-Alk
The first episode of a special series for lent is here!
We’re excited to collaborate with FMCiC’s Jason Tripp and Adam Kline in inviting you to participate in Movies for Lent: Conversations at the Intersection of Faith & Film. Jason and Adam, pastors and movie-lovers, host a weekly watch experience through this season that dig into the themes of Lent as seen through the lenses of some of their favourite films.
You can participate in the live watch experience and discussion on Wednesdays over zoom (join the Movies for Lent facebook group for more info), or participate on your own by using these podcast episodes as a jumping-off point for reflection or discussion in your own communities.
This first week’s selection is Arrival (2016).
Theme: Mortality
Lectionary Scripture: Matthew 6:19-21
Discussion Questions:
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When the credits rolled, what was your immediate thought or reaction to the film?
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Think about the film artistically. From the performances to the production, what elements did you appreciate or thought missed the mark?
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Arrival is a film with a multiplicity of themes. In addition to time and mortality, what other storylines left an impression on you?
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In the lectionary passage Jesus says, “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” What variety of “treasures” (good or bad) did you see characters fighting to preserve or protect throughout the film?
Episode 90 of The New Leaf Project is here!
Today on our feed we're featuring the first episode of the True North Theology Podcast, part of of the New Leaf Network of Podcasts.
True North Theology is a podcast about Canadian theology. It features stories by Canadians about Canadians.
In this first episode, Ryan Turnbull and Jon Coutts, Assistant Professor of Christian Theology, introduce the theme of this season of True North Theology - Canadian Political Theology. They discuss some various approaches to political theology and ask what, if anything, is distinctive about Canadian approaches to this tradition.
Ryan has interviewed Canadian theologians, ministry practitioners, historians, political scientists, and more to help provide an introduction to some of the conversations that Canadian Christians have been having about faith and public life in Canada throughout our history.
If you’re interested in learning about Canadian Political Theology alongside of us, subscribe to the "True North Theology" podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts.
Mini - Episode 89 of The New Leaf Project is here!
In this week's episode, we're highlighting a new podcast in the New Leaf Podcast Network! True North Theology is a podcast about Canadian theology. It features stories by Canadians about Canadians. In our first season, your host Ryan Turnbull will take you on a crash course through the tradition of Canadian political theology.
In this mini-episode, Jared and Elle interview Ryan about the idea for the podcast, his journey with his PhD work and the importance for Canadian Jesus-followers to cultivate our unique Canadian perspectives.
If you’re interested in learning about Canadian Political Theology alongside of us, subscribe to the True North Theology podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts.
Episode 88 of The New Leaf Project is here!
In this week's conversation, Alicia Wilson, spiritual entrepreneur and pastor tells her story about her new non-profit “In My Back Yard” which focuses on community and relationship building through developing affordable housing.
Alicia gives important advice to those who desire to start something new, sharing her personal creative process in "noticing the gaps". She unpacks her latest project IMBY Homes and describes her first successful non-profit “Restoration Project” which continues to create opportunities for meaningful employment for those with disabilities. Alicia encourages each of us to take steps to deeply impact the needs of our society in the name of Jesus.
Rather than closing off our backyards, what would happen if we open them up? What could happen if Jesus-followers here in Canada started engaging in creative thinking about ways we can respond to the current housing crisis? Could we find intentional ways to partner together as the body of Christ to see something beautiful happen right in our own backyard?
This episode is refreshing and inspiring for Jesus-followers to reflect on their own contexts and imagine the ways they can take the next steps to start something new!
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Alicia Wilson is the founder and director of Restoration Project in Hamilton, ON. Restoration Project works to illuminate the profound value and humanness of individuals that the world can dismiss as inferior or as a liability by teaching woodworking skills to adults with developmental disabilities. She also recently helped launch In My Backyard, an organization tackling the housing crisis in southern Ontario. Alicia loves living in community: her “household” is made of 16 people who eat, pray, and live together in Hamilton, ON.
Episode 83 of The New Leaf Project is here! The podcast continues in 2021!
Elle sits down with Jon Hand, Development Pastor at The Meeting House and Greg Langman, Associate Superintendent at the Central District Office, two Canadian Starters that have created something new to serve a need they saw in the Canadian church. Jon and Greg have been part of the New Leaf ecosystem since the very beginning and take a deep dive into their creation, Transformational Coaching, that started 2016 and has trained close to 200 ministry, business, and church leaders from 7 denominations across Canada and the US. Knowing the challenges that are ahead for leaders, planters and pastors, this 9-week online experience that equips you with coaching skills and practices while giving you transformational tools so you can better coach and lead from your own transformation, is an important tool that you might want in your toolbelt for 2021.
A Christmas Day reflection: The Hope of the Prophets. Shared by Elle Pyke.
The New Leaf Project Podcast continues with the last reading of the 2019 New Leaf Advent Reader. We're so excited to offer our second annual daily Advent Reader for 2019 and thrilled this year to offer an audio companion. Slow down, pay attention, and listen to the words as writers share their reflections on Falling to Pieces: Engaging Advent Even When All is Not Right with the World.
Music by Canadian Award Winning Singer/Songwriter
Drew Brown www.drewbrownmusic.com/ & Karla Adolphe www.karlaadolphe.ca/
The fourth Tuesday of Advent: Living in the Midst of Idols. Shared by Cid Latty.
The New Leaf Project Podcast continues with selected readings of the New Leaf Advent Reader. We're so excited to offer our second annual daily Advent Reader for 2019 and thrilled this year to offer an audio companion. Slow down, pay attention, and listen to the words as writers share their reflections on Falling to Pieces: Engaging Advent Even When All is Not Right with the World.
Music by Canadian Award Winning Singer/Songwriter
Drew Brown www.drewbrownmusic.com/ & Karla Adolphe www.karlaadolphe.ca/
The fourth Monday of Advent: Empty, Full. Shared by Erin Wildsmith.
The New Leaf Project Podcast continues with selected readings of the New Leaf Advent Reader. We're so excited to offer our second annual daily Advent Reader for 2019 and thrilled this year to offer an audio companion. Slow down, pay attention, and listen to the words as writers share their reflections on Falling to Pieces: Engaging Advent Even When All is Not Right with the World.
Music by Canadian Award Winning Singer/Songwriter
Drew Brown www.drewbrownmusic.com/ & Karla Adolphe www.karlaadolphe.ca/
The third Friday of Advent: Heirs of the Tree, shared by Erik Freiburger.
The New Leaf Project Podcast continues with selected readings of the New Leaf Advent Reader. We're so excited to offer our second annual daily Advent Reader for 2019 and thrilled this year to offer an audio companion. Slow down, pay attention, and listen to the words as writers share their reflections on Falling to Pieces: Engaging Advent Even When All is Not Right with the World.
You can find a full version of this recording on Erik's podcast: The Inception of Wonder
Music by Canadian Award Winning Singer/Songwriters
Drew Brown www.drewbrownmusic.com/ & Karla Adolphe www.karlaadolphe.ca/
The Third Thursday of Advent: Shine Down On Us, shared by Keitha Ogbogu.
The New Leaf Project Podcast continues with selected readings of the New Leaf Advent Reader. We're so excited to offer our second annual daily Advent Reader for 2019 and thrilled this year to offer an audio companion. Slow down, pay attention, and listen to the words as writers share their reflections on Falling to Pieces: Engaging Advent Even When All is Not Right with the World.
Music by Canadian Award Winning Singer/Songwriter
Drew Brown www.drewbrownmusic.com/ & Karla Adolphe www.karlaadolphe.ca/
The Third Monday of Advent: As the Deer... shared by Rob Crosby-Shearer.
The New Leaf Project Podcast continues with selected readings of the New Leaf Advent Reader. We're so excited to offer our second annual daily Advent Reader for 2019 and thrilled this year to offer an audio companion. Slow down, pay attention, and listen to the words as writers share their reflections on Falling to Pieces: Engaging Advent Even When All is Not Right with the World.
Music by Canadian Award Winning Singer/Songwriter
Drew Brown www.drewbrownmusic.com/ & Karla Adolphe www.karlaadolphe.ca/
The Second Wednesday of Advent: Dreaming of Better Days, shared by David Schuchardt.
The New Leaf Project Podcast continues with selected readings of the New Leaf Advent Reader. We're so excited to offer our second annual daily Advent Reader for 2019 and thrilled this year to offer an audio companion. Slow down, pay attention, and listen to the words as writers share their reflections on Falling to Pieces: Engaging Advent Even When All is Not Right with the World.
Music by Canadian Award Winning Singer/Songwriter
Drew Brown www.drewbrownmusic.com/ & Karla Adolphe www.karlaadolphe.ca/
The Second Tuesday of Advent: Linger in the Darkness, shared by Rohadi.
The New Leaf Project Podcast continues with selected readings of the New Leaf Advent Reader. We're so excited to offer our second annual daily Advent Reader for 2019 and thrilled this year to offer an audio companion. Slow down, pay attention, and listen to the words as writers share their reflections on Falling to Pieces: Engaging Advent Even When All is Not Right with the World.
Music by Canadian Award Winning Singer/Songwriter
Drew Brown www.drewbrownmusic.com/ & Karla Adolphe www.karlaadolphe.ca/
The First Friday of Advent: Choosing Joy, shared by Kathy Stock.
The New Leaf Project Podcast continues with selected readings of the New Leaf Advent Reader. We're so excited to offer our second annual daily Advent Reader for 2019 and thrilled this year to offer an audio companion. Slow down, pay attention, and listen to the words as writers share their reflections on Falling to Pieces: Engaging Advent Even When All is Not Right with the World.
Music by Canadian Award Winning Singer/Songwriter
Drew Brown www.drewbrownmusic.com/ & Karla Adolphe www.karlaadolphe.ca/
The First Wednesday of Advent: Treasonous to "the gods," Faithful to our Maker/Husband , shared by Dan Sheffield.
The New Leaf Project Podcast continues with our audio companion to the Advent Reader. We're so excited to offer our second annual daily Advent Reader for 2019 and thrilled this year to offer an audio companion. Slow down, pay attention, and listen to the words as writers share their reflections on Falling to Pieces: Engaging Advent Even When All is Not Right with the World.
Music by Canadian Award Winning Singer/Songwriter
Drew Brown www.drewbrownmusic.com/ & Karla Adolphe www.karlaadolphe.ca/
The First Monday of Advent: Emotions Transposed, shared by Amy Bratton. The New Leaf Project Podcast continues with our audio companion to the Advent Reader. We're so excited to offer our second annual daily Advent Reader for 2019 and thrilled this year to offer an audio companion. Slow down, pay attention, and listen to the words as writers share their reflections on Falling to Pieces: Engaging Advent Even When All is Not Right with the World.
Music by Canadian Award Winning Singer/Songwriter
Drew Brown www.drewbrownmusic.com/ & Karla Adolphe www.karlaadolphe.ca/
The New Leaf Project Podcast continues with our audio companion to the Advent Reader. We're so excited to offer our second annual daily Advent Reader for 2019 and thrilled this year to offer an audio companion. Slow down, pay attention, and listen to the words as writers share their reflections on Falling to Pieces: Engaging Advent Even When All is Not Right with the World.
In this episode Jared Siebert shares his introduction to the whole Advent Reader project
Music by Canadian Award Winning Singer/Songwriter
Drew Brown www.drewbrownmusic.com/ & Karla Adolphe www.karlaadolphe.ca/
This week Elle has a conversation with Evan Garst and Alanna Johnson from Una Church in Kitchener Ontario. Evan shares his journey of growing up in a family dedicated to what many would consider a traditional missions model – living overseas in Ethiopia during his teen years - to planting a church, Una, that has said “yes” to the opportunities of being a presence-based, neighbourhood-focused church. We hear how the leadership team at Una intentionally shaped their messaging to encourage a shift in that direction and the opportunities, and challenges, that have come along with that shift. We also hear some stories of friends made along the way.
Evan is the pastor, missional catalyst and cultural architect in a community of Jesus followers in Kitchener, ON. He is also a church planting coach with the Free Methodist Church in Canada.
Alanna is also part of the staff team at Una where she is responsible for the Creative Culture.
Find the episode on your favourite podcatcher or on Spotify
The Neighbourhood series continues as Jared sits down with Katelyn Siggelkow.
Katelyn Siggelkow is a listener, a learner, a community catalyst, a neighbourhood chaplain and community organizer. She has lived and worked in marginalized communities in Downtown Eastside, Vancouver, and most recently in the West Side of Saskatoon with Servant Partners. Here, she loves meeting her neighbours, hearing what they care about, and connecting their gifts and strengths with the longings of the neighbourhood. Together they partner to pursue the holistic transformation of their community to make it place where residents are glad to live. Believing that change starts from within the community, she approaches her work with curiosity and admiration for all the people she meets in her low-income neighbourhood. The gift of this work is the best sorts of friendships, full of grace and curiosity, shared meals, giggling children, passionate advocacy and lots of coffee together.
She recently relocated to her hometown of Saskatoon and moved into a neighbourhood that experiences a disproportionate amount of poverty to share life with neighbours there. In her new neighbourhood she has been praying with her eyes open – paying attention to how God is lovingly active in the community around her. She is thrilled that a movement of hope and healing is stirring in the margins of an oft-forgotten city nestled in the Canadian Prairies.
Ep 67 – Neighbourhood series – James Kingsley and Steve MacDouell
Next up in the Neighbourhood series, Elle sits down with James Kingsley and Steve MacDouell from London, ON. In this episode they explore how they became interested in place, the concept of of neighbourhood-centric missiology and the mircro experiments they are working on with The Good City Co in their city.
Good City is “a collective of individuals who are actively participating in the exploration, understanding, development, and improvement of the urban environments in which they live. They specialize in building stronger, more connected communities by transforming ideas into action.”
James Kingsley is a graphic designer with a background in fine arts and works as a Creative Director. James’ love for communication finds him exploring the ways we spread ideas, foster connections, and become better neighbours. Asking what role aesthetics play in authentic community, James is interested in how the small things add up.
Steve MacDouell, when not teaching at Fanshawe College, instigates place-based projects, hosts workshops, and invites everyday citizens to leverage their time, their ideas, and their creativity for the sake of their neighbourhoods. Steve lives, conspires, and drinks coffee in Woodfield—a neighbourhood in Central London.
Mentioned in this episode:
TheGoodCity.co
SteveMacDouell.com
TheLocal.ist
JamesKingsley.ca
Tiny is the new small by Andrew Jones
Massive is the new big by Andrew Jones
Seth Godin’s Guy #3
Slow Church
The New Parish
Flickering Pixels by Shane Hipps
Sidewalks in the Kingdom by Eric O Jacobsen
Extraordinary Canadians: Marshall Mcluhan by Douglas Coupland
The Creative Muscle Podcast (“…from Chicago!”)
CityLab
Pop-Up City
The Neighbourhood series continues… Rohadi Nagassar sits down with Evan Paul Spencer to talk about Evan’s trajectory from youth pastor to church planter to being intentionally present in a neighbourhood. Evan walks us through his process of embracing a place-focused, slow, faithful-presence way of living out faith.
Evan is based in the Calgary area and where he is a Neighbourhood Connector with Abundant Community Copperfield-Mahogany. He is a Jesus follower, husband, parent, dreamer, alongsider and activist—connecting dots in the neighbourhood!
Rohadi lives in Calgary, Alberta, where he balances his time in a number of vocations including part-time pastor of two church plants he started: Calgary Missional Church in 2008, and most recently, Cypher Church in 2016. He works predominantly in a marketing consulting firm he started in 2003, and contributes in the non-profit sector as well. He writes on the topics of church, culture, mission, and diversity. Find his website for additional blog posts: www.rohadi.com. He currently has two published books available: “Thrive. Ideas to lead the church in post-Christendom.” and “Soul Coats: Restoration - Adult Bible Colouring Book”.
The first episode of our new Neighbourhood Series is here!
In this episode Elle has a conversation with Preston Pouteaux about his book, The Bees of Rainbow Falls: Finding Faith, Imagination, and Delight in Your Neighbourhood. They talk about his community and what their presence in their neighbourhood looks like.
Dr. Preston Pouteaux is a beekeeper, neighbourhood enthusiast, and pastor at Lake Ridge Community Church. He is an engaging speaker, writer, and curator of conversations about faith and neighbourhoods. He is part of the Forge Canada National Team and teaches at colleges across the country. He studied at Covenant Bible College, Briercrest College, Regent College, Tyndale Seminary, and Jerusalem University College in Israel. He is the author of Imago Dei to Missio Dei [VantagePoint3] and the award-winning author of The Bees of Rainbow Falls: Finding Faith, Imagination, and Delight in Your Neighbourhood [Urban Loft Publishers]. Since 2015 his syndicated column, Into the Neighbourhood, has been printed over one millions times in weekly newspapers. Preston lives in Chestermere, Alberta, with his wife Kelly, their daughters Scotia and Ivy, and a few thousand honeybees.
The New Leaf Project Podcast is back with a new season - The Neighbourhood Series.
We believe it is essential for communities of faith to recapture the idea of the local vocation if they want to see real community transformation. And the beautiful thing is, Canadians all across this country have already been doing this slow, faithful work of serving and loving the places they find themselves in.
Perhaps for you, considering what it means to take responsibility for your neighbourhood is a new idea. We want to inspire you think differently about the places you live, and the wisdom already alive in your neighbours, the gifts they have for us, as we share the beauty of the gift we’ve found in God.
We want to share their ideas, their innovations, the things they tried that worked, and the things that may have only for a season. We want to share the stories of community advocates, pastors, planters, starters and innovators who are experimenting, innovating, learning and loving all across Canada. Not somewhere over there, but right here, on Canadian soil.
These are stories of people about that work.
The first story is coming your way soon!
Ep 64 of the New Leaf Project is here!
In this episode we hear what Andrew Benson shared at a recent Learning Party about his work with The Joyful Project and the Concert for Socks.
Benson loves Jesus, throwing parties, and advocating for various social justice causes. He is currently serving as Community Outreach Officer with The Salvation Army and founder of The Joyful Project and Concert for Socks. Rumor has it that Benson is also highly skilled at staking chairs and neatly folding napkins at church potlucks.
The goal of a Learning Party is to connect with other Christ followers across denominational lines and see how the Spirit of God is working in various expressions in a region. We want people to be encouraged that they too can see ideas and dreams they have, come to fruition. Our vision is that those who've longed to start new things can see themselves in the stories of others and within God’s story. Story matters. It's sacred. Sharing the stories of others, at various stages of their lives and missional endeavours, helps us to see the heart and faithfulness of our God and inspires us to follow the Spirit of God in starting new things; you too can answer God’s call and follow Him in mission. This is Andrew’s story.
Ep 63 of the New Leaf Project is here!
In this episode we hear what Jeremy Conway, pastor of Reunion Church in Brockville, ON, shared at a recent Learning Party. The goal of a Learning Party is to connect with other Christ followers across denominational lines and see how the Spirit of God is working in various expressions in a region. We want people to be encouraged that they too can see ideas and dreams they have, come to fruition. Our vision is that those who've longed to start new things can see themselves in the stories of others and within God’s story. Story matters. It's sacred. Sharing the stories of others, at various stages of their lives and missional endeavours, helps us to see the heart and faithfulness of our God and inspires us to follow the Spirit of God in starting new things; you too can answer God’s call and follow Him in mission. This is Jeremy’s story.
Ep 62 of the New Leaf Project is here!
In this episode, we hear from church planter and lead pastor of Church on the Rock Dave Overholt. He speaks with Dan Sheffield on the topic of keeping young adults in the church…. Are we really losing all the young adults that the research is telling us? What are the factors that have an impact on whether or not a young person holds on to their faith? He has a lot of insight on this topic, so listen in on this conversation!
Ep 61 of the New Leaf Project is here!
In this episode, we present part two of a conversation with Jared, Pastor Keitha Ogbogu and Rev. Dr. Lennet J. Anderson. In this conversation Lennett talks to Jared and Keitha about the present reality of black Nova Scotians and the racial dynamics that have an impact from childhood to old age. Lennett also shares how the church’s response to a particular case of corporate racial profiling ended with a way forward.
Lennett Anderson is the Senior Pastor of EBC: The MEETing Place, Upper Hammonds Plains, NS. Named by MacLean’s Magazine as “one of five Canadian Pastors who are breathing new life into their communities,” he has been identified as a source of inspiration and encouragement to many. Since returning to his home church in 1999 Pastor Anderson’s leadership has led to the formation of a blended community of worshippers who meet to exemplify unity within the Body of Christ. Keitha is the lead pastor at Hampton Free Methodist Church in Saskatoon, SK. Born and raised in Ontario she found her way to Saskatoon in 2009 and hasn't looked back since. Her pastoral work has affirmed her love for the nations, her pursuit of justice and, of course, her call to preach.
Ep 60 of the podcast is here!
In this episode, we present a conversation with Jared, Pastor Keitha Ogbogu and Rev. Dr. Lennet J. Anderson. Lennett Anderson is the Senior Pastor of EBC: The MEETing Place, Upper Hammonds Plains, NS. Named by MacLean’s Magazine as “one of five Canadian Pastors who are breathing new life into their communities,” he has been identified as a source of inspiration and encouragement to many. Since returning to his home church in 1999 Pastor Anderson’s leadership has led to the formation of a blended community of worshippers who meet to exemplify unity within the Body of Christ. Keitha is the lead pastor at Hampton Free Methodist Church in Saskatoon, SK. Born and raised in Ontario she found her way to Saskatoon in 2009 and hasn't looked back since.
In this conversation Lennett tells Jared and Keitha about the history of black Nova Scotians who colonized a small community in Halifax, Nova Scotia, known as Africville. The full scope of this history is still coming to light, and these stories speak of a community dealing with the ramifications of systemic racism that still has impact today.
Ep 59 of the New Leaf Project is here!
In this episode, we present an interview originally featured on the Canadian Asian Missional Podcast. In this episode they ask what does it mean to be persecuted and suffer as we participate on God's mission in our city and world? Rev. Hyeon Soo Lim talks about his experiences serving those in need in North Korea and his imprisonment as a result. How can we understand sharing with Christ's experiences for our own lives? What does that mean for the freedom and privileges we do have as Canadian Asians? Check out this inspiring story! (Thanks to Lisa Pak for being the translator for this episode)
CAMP hosts Shu-Ling Lee, Bernard Tam, and Jon Nip discuss all things related to being both Canadian and Asian and joining God in His mission to renew and restore all things in this world through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Each episode examines specific issues surrounding this unique cultural and generational context and how to make a shift toward a more intentional and missional life in community as the church. To check out more please visit www.camppodcast.ca
Ep 58 of the New Leaf Project is here!
In this episode, we take a look back at the year that was with Elle and Jared. As we close out 2018, we reflect on the highlights of the past year, the things that we are focused on for 2019 and share our thankfulness for all those who have joined and supported New Leaf this past year.
Thanks for sticking with us on the New Leaf Project this year, we can't wait to continue in 2019 with new stories and new conversations.
Wishing you and yours a wonderful New Year. May this new year be the start of you starting new things in your hearts, homes and neighbourhoods across Canada.
Ep 57 of the New Leaf Project is here! And just in time for Christmas!
In this episode, we hear a Christmas ramble from Jared and Elle about Advent and what it means to wait in the margins. We may not always be content there, we may not always have the peace and serenity of a candle lit Christmas scene as we find ourselves outside the places of power and influence, but we can continue to ask the question, what does it mean to wait faithfully in the margins?
The whole team at New Leaf wishes you a wonderful Christmas season as you celebrate with family and friends that unto us a child is born!
Ep 56 of the New Leaf Project is here!
In this episode, we hear from arts chaplain and the co-founder of The Bleeding Art Space in Edmonton Alberta, Dave Von Bieker.
Dave shares about what it means to curate creativity, connections, and conversations around art, faith, hope and love In Edmonton. We learn about how this art space, sacred space and community space on Alberta Avenue had its origins in a church plant and now offers beauty and voice to neighbourhood residents and how art and community can work together for social justice in their city.
Ep 55 of the New Leaf Project is here!
In this episode, we hear from church planter and lead pastor of Church on the Rock Dave Overholt. Often on the New Leaf Project, we talk about church plants and new innovations in their infancy, but this episode we get to hear about something that was planted and has sustained itself for 20 years. We learn about the original vision for the church plant, how they started with a 10 person core team, how they work to sustain their focus on youth and learning to change as their community grows.
Episode 54 of the New Leaf Project is here!
On this episode of the podcast we hear from Keitha Ogbogu, Lead Pastor at Hampton Free Methodist Church in Saskatoon, SK. Keitha has been sharing her reflections with New Leaf from the beginning, through insightful blog posts on race in Canada, to a keynote speaker at our In the Company of Women conference in May 2017.
This conversation between Jared and Keitha is a chance for storytelling, and Keitha shares some of the hidden history of Canada through her own experience of living in Canada. Take a listen!
Note: This interview was recorded in fall 2017.
Episode 53 of the New Leaf Project is here!
In this episode, we hear from Jeff and Jan Steckley, from Kitchener Ontario. Jeff and Jan share about their journey through the second half of life, what it looks like to adopt more contemplative postures in our spiritual practices and how it's never too late to start something new.
Jeff and Jan are working together with New Leaf to create a discernment process for those considering church planting, starting new ventures or those who simply want to discern what is next in life.
Episode 52 of the New Leaf Project is here!
In this episode, we hear from church planter and Holy Shift Tour creator Kevin Makins from Hamilton Ontario. Kevin shares about Eucharist Church, his love for his city and how through storytelling, conversation and creative projects he's exploring what it means to follow Jesus in a post-Christian, Canadian culture.
Check out his latest project HOLY SHIFT - Why the Bible is violent, troubling & still the good news: www.kevinmakins.com/
Episode 51 of the New Leaf Project is here!
In this episode, we hear from church planter and pastor Anna Spray. Anna lives in beautiful Victoria BC and is the Pastoral Associate at Table Church.
Anna shares her road to becoming ordained in the Anglican Church, her work with Table Church and what it means to be living out a robust faith in a culture that is largely unbelieving.
www.tablechurch.ca
Episode 50 of The New Leaf Project is here!
The Shack has sold millions of copies around the world, the movie was a box office hit for its genre and our very own Jason Tripp was able to grab fellow Canadian William Paul Young for an interview.
This week we hear from Paul, who shares about the success of the book, the story behind the story and following God's leading and love in his life.
Episode 49 of the New Leaf Project is here!
We're featuring a talk from our Cultivate Learning Party that happened in Toronto Ontario, April 2017. What if church planters and starters were really okay with failure? What does it mean to start something that never takes off? This week we hear from Mark Groleau who shares about his failed church plant experiment, what it means to follow God's leading, and how we should be following our passions when we plant & start new things.
Episode 48 of the New Leaf Project is here! We're featuring a talk from our Cultivate Learning Party that happened in Toronto Ontario, April 2017.
Today’s episode features Greg Paul who is a pastor and member, as well as one of the founders, of the Sanctuary community in Toronto. Greg is also the author of four award-winning books: Close Enough to Hear God Breathe; The Twenty-Piece Shuffle; and God In The Alley. His most recent book, Simply Open, offers a contemplative path for busy people
What does it look like for a student ministry to move forward as an inter-generational church plant? In this episode, we talk with Brandon Richardson, lead pastor at The Embassy in Waterloo, Ontario.
For the past 3 years, Brandon and his wife Emma have led The Embassy which has been serving the WLU and UW student community for 19 years. Brandon walks us through his journey with growing a student led ministry, the challenges facing young adults in our culutre and what it looks like to plant a church from this robust community.
Episode 46 of the New Leaf Project is here!
How can church startups become healthy, robust places for innovation? In this episode, we hear from Betty Pries, CEO of Creedence & Company, an organization focused on conflict management, transitions, & the journey through renewal for churches & faith based organizations. Betty walks us through the importance of structures for growing church startups, being mindful of the seeds we plant and the normative process that healthy conflict can be.
If you are leading a church plant, participating in one, or thinking about starting one - this could be one of the most important episodes you listen to.
Episode 45 of the New Leaf Project is here!
In this episode we hear from Jason Tripp and his interview with Dr Lee Beech, Professor at McMaster Divinity School. Lee shares with us about his book “The Church in Exile - Living in Hope After Christendom"
In his book Lee highlights that the church in Canada at one time was at, or near, the center of Canadian culture. We know that is no longer the case and increasingly the church in Canada finds itself being moved to the margins. Lee explains that exile was actually a hopeful and generative experience for Israel and the same can be true for us.
For more reading check out Lee’s newest book: The Church in Exile – Living in Hope After Christendom
Episode 44 of the New Leaf Project is here!
Can Christians really use business as mission?
In this episode we hear from Jeremy Barham and Mike Temple from St Stephen New Brunswick who are working together to create economic development and cultivating the entrepreneurial spirit in Atlantic Canada.
Episode 43 of the New Leaf Project is here!
In this episode, we hear from content contributor Preston Pouteaux and Rohadi Nagassar. Rohadi is an inner-city bi-vocational church planter and entrepreneur based in Calgary, Canada.
Rohadi shares about his new church plant, Cypher Church, Hip-hop culture and what it looks like to intentionally engage with outsiders.
Episode 42 of the New Leaf Project is here!
In this episode, Jared & Elle talk about the event happening My 19th "In the Company of Women - Reclaiming & Envisioning Shared Leadership in the Kingdom"
Episode 41 of the New Leaf Project is here!
In this episode, Jason Tripp & Jared Brock, author of A Year of Living Prayerfully and co-founder of Hope for the Sold, discuss the richness and wideness of prayer as Jared recounts his around the world journey encountering and engaging in various forms of prayer.
They also discuss Jared’s two documentaries he and his wife Michelle have produced (Red Light, Green Light – human trafficking & Over 18 – pornography) and the Kingdom of God impact they are making in Canada.
Episode 40 of the New Leaf Project is here.
Here is why we want you to start new ideas; because sometimes they take on a life of their own and do things you never thought possible. In this episode we sit down with Darryl Dozlaw, church planter from Saskatoon, as he tells us the story of his song "It is Ours" and the bridges that it built with people in his neighbourhood. Maybe this will inspire you to start something new.
Episode 39 of the New Leaf Project is here!
In this episode, Elle interviews Sarah-Wilkins Laflamme Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of Waterloo. Sarah's work focuses on the Religious ‘Nones’ in Canada, those who would say they have no religious affiliation.
Sarah shares some Canadian and Provincial statistics, national and temporal trends in religious identities in different demographics like the millennials and how various aspects of religion (belonging, beliefs & practices) influence individual social attitudes and action.
Show Notes, Links, and Resources
Companion Episode with Joel Thiessen:
Ep 05 - https://www.newleafnetwork.ca/podcast/new-leaf-project-episode-005-joel-thiessen-part-1/
Ep 06 - https://www.newleafnetwork.ca/podcast/new-leaf-project-episode-006-joel-thiessen-part-2-2/
Want to find out about some demographics in your area, including rates of religious affiliation and non-affiliation? Check out Statistics Canada’s 2011 NHS Profile tool and type in the name of your region:
https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/dp-pd/prof/index.cfm?Lang=E
Episode 37 of the New Leaf Project is here!
In this episode, Elle interviews James Kelly, church planter & founder of FaithTech.
FaithTech is pioneering a new way to share the good news about Jesus in an era driven by technology. Their vision is to become a global hub for FaithTech conversations, integrations, and innovations.
James shares about his church plant in Kitchener, the origins of FaithTech, and what it looks like when the tech community leverages technology to create Kingdom-minded solutions to real world problems.
Episode 37 of the New Leaf Project is here!
In this episode, we hear from content contributor Preston Pouteaux and Tim Keener. Tim is a church planter with the Evangelical Covenant Church of Canada in Montreal Quebec.
Tim shares about what it is like starting a church plant in Montreal, what it means to have missionary eyes in the Quebec and the joys of slow, incarnational neighborhood work.
Episode 36 of the New Leaf Project is here!
In this episode, we spend time with our friend and content contributor, Preston Pouteaux. He is the pastor at Lake Ridge Community Church in Chestermere Alberta and is also a beekeeper, neighborhood enthusiast, columnist & theologian.
Preston shares about his upcoming book, his love of neighborhoods and what it means to see and appreciate the small, the beautiful and even the boring.
This episode is our first in a series of episodes about "Future Landscapes." In the Future Landscapes Series, we invite starters and planters to begin to consider not only "what is" going on in our contexts but where our lives might be heading. In this episode, we explore the world of government and corporate surveillance. Professor David Lyon, our guide, invites us to consider how Christians might begin to navigate a world in which we are being watched.
David Lyon's research, writing, and teaching interests revolve around major social transformations in the modern world. Questions of the information society, globalization, secularization, surveillance, and debates over “post-” and “digital” modernity feature prominently in his work.
Episode 34 of the New Leaf Project is here!
As the landscape of culture and religion continues to shift in Canada, it is important we maintain a healthy understanding of youth culture, the reasons for the rise of the Nones and the Dones and creating a culture in our churches that welcomes honest questioning and doubts.
In this episode, content contributor Jason Tripp and Dave Lombardo of The People's Church in Toronto, share a conversation about ministering to millennials in our current Canadian culture where the majority of millennials are unchurched or de-churched.
Episode 33 of the New Leaf Project is here!
Our friends and Toronto church planters, Bernard Tam & Joe Abbey-Colborne are hosting a Learning Party on April 1st in Toronto at Sanctuary Church. In this episode, they share about the upcoming event, what it's like to plant a church in Toronto and what it means to live and share the good news in a diverse and multi-cultural community.
You're invited to join us at the Toronto Learning Party on April 1st! Here is a link for registration: http://www.newleafnetwork.ca/cultivate-learning-party-toronto-april-1st/
The New Leaf Podcast is back! Episode 32 is here.
In this episode, Jared & Elle talk about all the exciting things that are happening in 2017 at the New Leaf Network. There are Learning Parties happening at the local level. Conferences happening at the National level. And as always Church Plant Design Shops happening across Canada. There are more ways than ever to connect with New Leaf and Jared & Elle share just a few ways that you can get involved.
In this episode Elle and Jared take some time to think back on all that has gone on in the New Leaf Network in 2016 and we take a look at all we have to look forward to in 2017!
Episode 30 of the New Leaf Project is here, part two of our interview with Mark Groleau.
This week we continue our chat with fellow podcaster and starter Mark Groleau, of Abundant Toronto. In part two of our conversation with Mark, we discuss the idea of living a questionable life, making your neighborhood your parish and the journey of Abundant Toronto.
Episode 29 of the New Leaf Project is here!
This week we talk with fellow podcaster and starter Mark Groleau, of Abundant Toronto. In part one of our two part conversation with Mark, he shares with us his fascinating journey of faith, his church planting experiment with the Wiki God Podcast and his current project, Abundant Toronto.
Episode 28 of the New Leaf Project is here, part two of our interview with Linda Ambrose!
There was a time in Canada when women were a large part of church planting in the Canadian Pentecostal movement. Early in the 20th century, Pentecostal women were hand picked, trained, promoted and encouraged to plant churches and make disciples. These women planted hundreds of churches across Canada and many PAOC churches can trace it's roots to a women planter. As these churches became established, women were absent from leadership and their names almost erased from history.
In part two of this two part series, Elle interviews Laurentian University historian Dr Linda Ambrose. Linda is working to recover these stories of women church planters and shares with her findings of gender, church planting and the birth of women's ministry in the post-war years in Canada.
Part 1
Episode 27 of the New Leaf Project is here!
There was a time in Canada when women were a large part of church planting in the Canadian Pentecostal movement. Early in the 20th century, Pentecostal women were hand picked, trained, promoted and encouraged to plant churches and make disciples. These women planted hundreds of churches across Canada and many PAOC churches can trace it's roots to a women planter. As these churches became established, women were absent from leadership and their names almost erased from history.
In part one of this two part series, Elle interviews Laurentian University historian Dr Linda Ambrose. Linda is working to recover these stories of women church planters and shares with her findings of gender, church planting and the birth of women's ministry in the post-war years in Canada.
Part 2
Episode 26 of the New Leaf Project is here!
In the last two decades a gutsy group of Canadian church planters have taken the plunge. In 2008, the documentary “One Size Fits All?” sought to capture this movement and 19 Christian communities that represented a brave exploration of new and evolving forms of church in Canada shared their stories. Jared's new book "Gutsy (Mis)adventures in Canadian Church Planting" highlights these stories again, picking up where that documentary left off. "Gutsy" highlights the unvarnished truth about what it’s like to pioneer over the long haul.
In this episode Jared and Elle discuss the new book, where the origins for the project came from, pioneer church planting in Canada, and the unique contribution of planting a "new kind" of church here in Canada.
Episode 25 of the New Leaf Project is here!
This week we talk with Jordon Cooper, the original founder of the Resonate movement in Canada. From 1999-2008, Resonate was a distinctly Canadian online conversation that connected churches and church leaders across the country. Resonate hosted conversations across the country called Resonate Greenhouses and helped foster a sense of shared experience with many planters and starters.
In this episode we talk about the story of Resonate, the early emergent movement in Canada, church planting in the late 90's and the future of the church & theological training in Canada.
Episode 24 of the New Leaf Project is here! This is the third episode a three part series featuring talks from our Cultivate Learning Party that happened in the Spring of 2016.
Do the names Twitter, Dropbox or Uber sound familiar? At one time each of these technology companies had their beginnings as a startup. Canada has become a hot bed for technology startups and entrepreneurship with trends suggesting it will only grow.
Today’s episode features our very own Elle Pyke. Elle tackles the question - do principles of innovation in business and technology have anything to say to church planting and mission here in Canada? Or should business and church never cross paths?
Episode 23 of the New Leaf Project is here! This is part two of a three part series featuring talks from our Cultivate Learning Party that happened in the Spring of 2016.
Today’s episode features Randell Neudorf from The Commons, a church plant in Hamilton. Randell shares their journey of slowing church down and offers a practical & helpful talk.
The hypothesis is that the repetition of a segment or practice would help the community at The Commons to enter into a deeper form of spiritual participation, and with practice become more aware of what God is doing in their community.
Episode 22 of the New Leaf Project is here! This is part one of a three part series featuring talks from our Cultivate Learning Party that happened in the Spring of 2016.
Today's episode features Dr Lee Beech, Professor at McMaster Divinity School. Lee shares with us about "The Generative Possibilities of Exile" The church in Canada at one time was at, or near, the center of Canadian culture. We know that is no longer the case and increasingly the church in Canada finds itself being moved to the margins. Lee explains that exile was actually a hopeful and generative experience for Israel and the same can be true for us.
For more reading check out Lee's newest book: The Church in Exile - Living in Hope After Christendom
Church planting is not an easy task in the Canadian context. Some plants grow and thrive and others plants don't survive. In every story there are lessons to be learned and encouragement to be found. At New Leaf, we want to tell the truth about church planting and highlight the good & the difficult.
Episode 21 is the story of the Upper Room in Winnipeg - a church plant that didn't survive. Scott and Brenda Eastveld share their story, their insights and their part in the unfolding saga of church planting in Canada.
Ever wonder what "Church Plant Design Shop" are all about? In this episode Jared & Elle give us an inside look into where the idea for the design shop came from, who should attend & how this uniquely Canadian work can encourage contextual thinking, culturally responsiveness, and mission adaptability.
We had never thought of using Alpha for a church planting tool - until we talked with Graham Singh.
In Episode 19, we talk with Graham, who serves at St James Montréal in a new church plant in one of Montréal's oldest historic church buildings. They are focused on creating conversations using Alpha, and Graham shares some of the things they are learning and the stories they are living.
Alpha has come a long way from it's days of clip art and VHS tapes - perhaps after listening to this interview, you will consider using it as well!
Geeks are often misunderstood. At best, parents worry that their kid's passionate pursuit of video games and geek culture does not constitute a life well lived. Aren't they just wasting their time? Isn't all that energy misspent? At worst, we secretly wonder if it all might be leading to somewhere darker. In this episode we explore these kinds of questions in the hopes of understanding. Kyle Rudge, a parent himself, helps us understand what is going on and sheds new light on the geek community. This episode helped Jared in his relationship with his boys, maybe it will help you too!
Doing something good for your city is what The New Leaf Network is all about and Rob Clark is certainty doing something good in his city. He's bringing people together to talk about what they are most passionate about - entrepreneurship, creativity and their businesses.
Link to Rob's Vlog - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHoEoHVOwsTxi3qGTTo0QZA/videos
Entrepreneurship and businesses have the potential to offer something good to the world. Especially innovators and companies who truly care about the work they are doing and making a difference. Often times, our current church model misses engaging innovators, entrepreneurs and creatives on Sunday mornings and Rob is working on energizing this group to be on mission in the city they live in for the sake of the gospel.
Rob gives us an inside look into where the idea for an innovator's meetup came from and some ideas on how you could start one of your own. We would love to see people who are inspired by this idea start an Innovator's Meetup in their city!
Is innovation limited to only church plants or new expressions of mission? Or can established churches develop an innovation mindset?
Jason Tripp, Pastor of Valleyview Community Church in Sudbury, alongside his congregation, is working to cultivate innovation in their neighborhood and city. In this episode we explore third places, drive in theaters, city wide partnerships, epic fails and creative ideas that are making a tangible difference in the Greater Sudbury area.
Why are so many grown adults colouring? In this episode we talk to Rohadi Nagassar to get some answers and to hear the story behind his new colouring book "Soul Coats." Rohadi is a church planter in Calgary and a part of the New Leaf Network. We love what he has created and are really excited to share it with you. Here is a video of Rohadi walking you through the book. Amazing stuff!
If we want to see things change we need to make it personal. Headlines like "AIDS Crisis in Africa" or "Crisis Among at Risk Children" all too easy slip down the news feed without so much as a second thought. But if we are going to recover the mission here in Canada we have to learn to make the headlines personal. That's just what Lynn Chotowetz and his wife Jamie have been doing and it's changed their lives. In this episode we explore their story as it spans two continents and finally lands them here in Canada working for change. Come on friends and let's make it personal!
Is it time to move on from cynicism? In episode 13, we explore the role that cynicism has played in our own lives and in the motivations behind a lot of modern church planting. Cynicism grows in the disconnect between the expectation and the reality of the church. We can get stuck searching the ashes for what was and now what should be.
Or, can cynicism be an expression of our longing for the redemption of all things? Our longing to live what we read about in the Bible? Isn't it just being realistic about the sad state of the church? Another way of telling a deeper truth?
Since, cynicism has been the starter fluid for a lot new expressions of the body of Christ across Canada... can it really be all that bad? It can get things started but can it sustain them? At some point we need to move beyond cynicism and deconstruction to plant healthy churches in Canada. Or do we?
Many vocations place unique demands on your marriage. Whether it's your life's work as a farmer, a surgeon, a member of the armed forces, or as an artist—each of these vocations will ask something of your marriage. Your partnership AND your pursuit of your vocation will all have to adjust. Maybe it will be the hours you work. Maybe it will be your expectations around family income. Maybe it will be long periods of being apart. Adjustment, negotiation, and compromise are required as you navigate life together. Marriage in vocational ministry is no different. In this very personal episode, Jared and Katherine Siebert reflect on how their marriage and his work have had to adjust over the years. Check it out!
In this episode we talk with a group of Canadian church leaders about sending their first missionary to Canada. Often when we think of missions and missionaries we imagine people working in some far flung place. However, that's not what Todd Stelmach (Next Church, Kingston, ON), Al Doseger (Rustle, Kingston, ON) and Greg Elford (New Heights, Mission, BC) are doing. They are working together, at opposite ends of the country, to raise up and send missionaries into the streets of their own neighbourhoods. What is starting to happen is truly an amazing story! Check it out.
If you want to know more you can follow along with Todd's blog describing his work as a Canadian missionary.
What happens when you turn the mics on and let two New Leafers talk about Women in Ministry? Answer: Episode 10 of the New Leaf Project. The topic of Women in Ministry is something that many of us in the New Leaf Network want to explore further. Many of us believe that the future of Christianity in Canada depends on empowering women and men to start new churches and new projects. In this episode, we give you a peak inside that conversation to let you in on what we're dreaming about. Who knows... maybe you'll want to join the conversation too!
In this episode, I sit down with my two sons to get a sense of what it’s like to grow up in and around church plants. Both of my sons have been a part of church planting their entire lives. I consider them to be experts in the field. In more recent years, as a family, we have added being part of a larger church to the family faith experience. They now participate in full programming that caters to their ages specifically. Join us as we explore what it takes for churches to share faith with their young people. You might be surprised by the answers they give. Check it out!
Kyle Rudge is the Commander of Geekdom House in Winnipeg. Geekdom House is a community of dedicated fans of who love and serve the nerd and geek community. The nerd and geek community is an immense, often overlooked, and rapidly growing sub-culture within Canadian culture. That's what makes Geekdom House so important! They write, podcast, and get together to talk about all things video games, anime, movies, board games and comics. In this interview Commander Kyle talks with us about the ups and downs of getting this communal project off the ground. We hope it inspires you to start something in your context! Give it a listen.
In this episode we talk with Steve Tulloch, part owner of Seven Shores, a Community Cafe in Uptown Waterloo. He also serves as the Community Care Pastor at Elevation Church. We discuss the beginnings of Seven Shores, having a cafe owned by the community, the realities of business, hospitality + mission and intentionally separating the church and the cafe. Also worth noting in this episode, Jared has a moment of repentance.
It's time to do some thinking about how what an effective response to emerging sociological trends might look like for churches in Canada. In this second part of our discussion with author and researcher Joel Thiessen, we get into what might work, what might not work, and some of the serious deliberations that leaders, planters and starters need to have as the landscape of this country changes.
What is driving the evolution of churches and church attendance across Canada? In this episode, we talk with Joel Thiessen, an author and academic researcher looking at exactly that question. In the first of two parts, Joel shines a light on the sociological trends that have profound implications for existing churches and church plants across the country.
In this episode we talk with the executive director of Church Planting Canada, Graham Singh. He gives us an update on some of the very exciting things that Church Planting Canada is up to these days. Not the least of which is the Canadian Buildings Conversation. In the next number of years, thousands of churches are going to close in Canada. Many of the buildings that these churches have traditionally occupied are in prime locations in Canadian cities. Because of their significant land value many will most likely be sold to condo developers. The problem with this is that once these buildings are sold the Church will never get that land back. It could represent the one of the largest land transfers, from public/charitable to private/for profit space in Canadian history. Graham saw this happen nearly 8000 times when he was in England and he has some ideas on what we can do about it here in Canada.
New Leaf's primary commitment is to support and cultivate church planters. This episode features a conversation with Elle and Jared surrounding why they joined a church plant and what has compelled them to stay. You'll hear a little bit of their stories, the importance of missional innovation, and why we should give dignity to small churches.
Because comedy is all about timing, this episode features an interview with Zak McDonald, a comedian currently on a cross-Canada living room tour. Hear a little about Zak's story, his adventures in driving, and the unique way that he is on mission through this shows.