Project Shalom: Enhancing Pastoral and Congregational Wellness among Canadian Chinese Churches

2023: Canadian Chinese School of Theology Vancouver (CCSTV) is situated in Richmond, B.C., one of the major hubs of Chinese immigration in Canada. The Canadian Chinese immigrant churches began in the early 1900s as a missionary outreach to Chinese immigrants. The Chinese immigrant churches have been an important place not only for spiritual and personal growth but also for social connection. They provide social, spiritual and emotional support as well as practical help to new Chinese immigrants to Canada. There are about 120 Chinese churches in the Greater Vancouver area. As of 2022, Christians made up approximately 30 percent of the Chinese Canadian population (Che, 2023). With this initiative, they are hoping to promote mental and emotional wellness among the Chinese immigrant community beginning with the Greater Vancouver Chinese immigrant churches. They will focus on pastors and their families serving in the Chinese Canadian churches; new immigrants, singles or with families; and next generation - youth and first year university students.

2023-24: Canadian Chinese School of Theology Vancouver (CCSTV) was established with a vision to equip both pastors and lay leaders for ministry and mission in the context of the Chinese Canadian church. Building on the planning grant for the Project Shalom: Enhancing Pastoral and Congregational Wellness among Canadian Chinese Churches initiative, CCSTV hopes to promote mental and emotional wellness among the Chinese immigrant community, and especially among pastors, their families, and young people. They seek to strengthen their theological education program by giving more attention to the overall wellness of students and their families (physical, mental/emotional, and spiritual) from a holistic perspective, and supporting mental and emotional wellness through workshops, connection groups, and retreats. They also plan to create a web-based resource library for the larger public, to raise public awareness around mental and emotional health.

2024-25: This Affinity Working Group will explore the factors behind the commitment of Canadian Chinese youth to their faith. Rather than focusing on reasons for youth disengagement from the church, the group will investigate what motivates young people to remain actively involved in their faith and church communities. Each pastor will identify and interview youth leaders aged 18-22, a critical age range where many youth may experience transitions from high school to university and increased independence from parental influence, potentially impacting their faith commitment. Employing an appreciative inquiry approach, the group aims to uncover the factors that support youth in maintaining their faith during these significant life transitions.