This spring, the core team for the Pulse of Urban Ministry project met with several learning communities in Toronto and Vancouver for a couple of months, building relationships and sharing ideas. They spent several days with the NAIITS learning community over meals and in the classroom, immersing themselves in the practice of Indigenous Appreciative Inquiry. Several days were also spent in Vancouver dialoguing with key urban ministry practitioners/educators from Citygate, Union Gospel Mission, Tenth Ave Church, the Centre for Missional Leadership at St Andrew’s Hall as well as other groups.
As they learn, they are also applying new knowledge in current ministries, whether that be through city site tours with classes or amidst church community initiatives. The team is currently planning for several gatherings to start taking a deep dive into what each bring to the table regarding the urban ministry curriculum, pedagogy and critical content. They are also preparing for a trip to Boston and New York City in May, where they will rub shoulders and build bonds with other learning communities.