 | | Two volunteers with hot drinks patrolling downtown Vancouver as part of a More Than Gold/Salvation Army initiative. |
The Olympics inspired an extraordinary variety of Christian- based activity. The theme of most events was ‘radical hospitality.’
A spectrum of denominations, from Pentecostal and Baptist to Catholic and Seventh-Day Adventist, worked under the More Than Gold (MTG) banner.
Many churches provided Olympic visitors with refreshments and big-screen Games broadcasts. Some also gave out ‘welcome bags’ full of practical items and New Testament literature.
Others went a step further. Vancouver’s Coastal Church took the opportunity to show an Alpha Course video.
Christ Church Cathedral offered a ‘sanctuary of peace and prayer’; in the evenings, the church also presented ‘Chants for Peace, using traditional Gregorian choral works.
The arts featured prominently elsewhere. The Aha! series of free concerts, held at various venues, featured wide variety of artists, ranging from Fresh I.E. and the Mirror Dancers to Gina Williams and She Says Electric.
Following are some highlights:
Fusion festivals
 | | Some of the revellers at one of the Olympic community festivals staged by Fusion Canada. Fusion teams partnered with churches in Victoria, Kelowna, Burnaby, Richmond, North Vancouver, Coquitlam and the Vancouver neighborhoods of Mt. Pleasant and Grandview-Woodlands. |
Some 100 young people partnered with B.C. churches through ‘Open Crowd Festivals,’ coordinated by Fusion Canada.
These festivals are intended to rebuild bridges in communities where, increasingly, Canadians are becoming more isolated.
“I love the festivals,” said team member Heather Robertson, “because they put the church where it belongs – in the heart of the community.” Jason Uher from World Harvest said Fusion “has helped Richmond churches work together. We are connecting like we never have before.”
West side story
Churches on the west side of Vancouver worked together on a joint outreach effort.
The main site was Regent College, chosen because it is near Thunderbird Stadium, where 17 Olympic hockey games took place.
The outreach included a free internet room; Rob Bell’s Nooma videos, explorations of Christianity geared to a youthful crowd; and the opportunity for visitors to have their pictures taken with a torch used by MTG’s Bob Kraemer in the Olympic torch relay.
Christina Lui, associate pastor at University Chapel, said organizers had to be “exceedingly flexible.” With large numbers of people coming at peak times, there was little time for deep conversations.
Most visitors responded very positively when told the event was a Christian service.
The whole point, Lui said, was to offer “random hospitality,” and “let the Lord speak to people in his time.”
Couch surfing
The drop-in centre at the Salvation Army’s Harbour Light featured a big screen TV – so residents of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside could watch the Olympics in style, with refreshments.
Salvation Army worker Kecia Fossen said the centre gave the homeless community “the opportunity to participate in enjoying the games and the Canadian pride taking place in our city.”
The Army – working with MTG – served more than 600,000 hot beverages to Olympic visitors, thanks to help from some 2,000 volunteers.
Mobile Mission
Union Gospel Mission (UGM) and Kids Up Front worked together to provide free Olympic tickets to children in low-income families who wouldn’t otherwise have been able to enjoy the Games.
UGM also sent its Mobile Mission Van into the closed-off areas surrounding the Olympics and tourist areas, to minister to the less fortunate. In addition to the van, UGM also sent out teams of two with backpacks: one filled with food, and the other with practical supplies
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A UGM statement said the Olympics provided “extra opportunities to connect with those who need assistance or spiritual care most.”
Youth in the Fridge
 | | Inner city kids from the U.S. were treated to good times by Youth for Christ / Youth Unlimited. |
Youth for Christ (YFC) conducted a number of initiatives. YFC/Youth Unlimited hosted 50 underprivileged inner city kids and their 10 mentors, on behalf of the Boys and Girls Club of the Bay Area of San Francisco – a foundation committed to culture, education and drug-free sport for teens in the U.S.
The guests stayed at The Fridge, the group’s youth centre, located at Fraserview MB church in Richmond. YFC Life teams personnel acted as guides in a fleet of vans, taking the visitors to various Olympic activities.
Shred Fest
Shred Fest was a youth event at North Shore Alliance Church, co-sponsored by YFC.
 |  | | Food, Olympic broadcasts, fun games and a good cause were the attractions at Shred Fest, a youth event held at North Shore Alliance Church. |
According to Mark Koop, YFC’s North Vancouver director, the event was planned to coincide with an Olympic competition.
“Our youth group kids invited their friends from the community to come and watch the men’s halfpipe final. We had a hydraulic snowboard machine, halfpipe cake and coffee bar.”
There were also door prizes, he said, including “a snowboard from The Boardroom, video games from EA Sports, T-shirts, hats and skateboards.”
A prize was also given for the best dressed snowboarder.
Most importantly, Koop noted: “All monies raised went towards our Dalit Freedom Network India clean water wells project.”
Prayer stations
Youth With A Mission set up several Prayer Stations in Metro Vancouver.
YWAM head Mike Davies sent an email quoting from the reports of some of the team members.
One stated: “We met a girl who was so grateful, and so happy that we were out there caring – and was so encouraged, feeling real love [extended] to her – that she wanted more information to find a church to go to, and other people to connect with.”
Another team was able to offer practical help: “A lady came up to us . . . who was running away from her abusive husband. She asked for prayer, and a way to keep in contact with us.
“We were able to talk with her, and give her a New Testament and some other resources; and we prayed with her. She said, ‘My mom used to pray for me, but hasn’t prayed in so long. But now I see that I’m missing something – and maybe this is it.”
One other group met a man who was out looking for them. “This guy came up and started talking to us, asking if we knew YWAM.
He asked us if we were with the people who stand on the corner and give prayer. And he said: ‘I always need prayer. If they are only standing there to pray for me, then they are making a difference in my life!’”
Medals of valor
 | | Presenting Medals of Valor. |
In Langley, YFC/Youth Unlimited held an event to honour some of their young people. The evening included the lighting of an Olympic cauldron; an Olympics blooper video; and competitions using Vancouver 2010, the official Xbox 360 game. They also had a best spandex uniform competition.
More significantly, “At the end of the night we presented medals for the various competitions that we held throughout the evening,” said Langley area YFC director Danny Ferguson. “YFC staff took some time . . . to encourage them all as individuals. We used a single word to describe these medals, such as courage, endurance, growth, faithfulness, strength, spirit, et cetera. It was a great way to be able to share some positive feedback . . .
“The kids made fun of our styrofoam medals; but their faces looked as if they really had received real gold. The medals may break; but the words we placed on them will stay forever.”
March 2010
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