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Art brings healing
‘Uncovering Vision: A Discovery of Art Forms by Men and Women on the Downtown Eastside’ was an art show that ran November 20 – 22 at Maurice McElrea Place in Vancouver.
The artwork resulted from two art programs hosted by Union Gospel Mission (UGM)
for the men and women from UGM’s Alcohol and Drug Recovery Program and Women’s Drop-In Program.
Artist Pamela Masik led some of the artists through a 10-week course called The
Creative Journey. Photos came out of a course called Photography 101, led by
photographer Kevin Clark. The exhibition was sponsored by the East Side Culture
Crawl. The artwork will also be exhibited at Grace Gallery on Main Street
January 14.
The Big Squat
On November 13, staff at First United Church in Vancouver staged a ‘Big Squat’ outside the church to draw attention to World Toilet Day – which underlines the fact that 2.5 billion people do not have adequate water and
sanitation services.
Since last December, First United has been open 24 hours a day, providing
shelter for 250 Downtown Eastside people per night.
Ric Matthews, minister at the church, says the bathrooms at First United are “totally inadequate” for the number of people staying there. T
he church plans to add five showers and five toilets at an estimated cost of
nearly $100,000.
Help-Portrait
A unique event will take place this month in various cities worldwide.
Help-Portrait is billed as “a shift in thinking,” and “a movement of photographers who are using their time, equipment and expertise to
give back to those who are less fortunate this holiday season.”
In Vancouver December 12, 9 to 5:30, the Salvation Army’s Grace Mansion at 596 East Hastings will play host to the event, which will
invite Downtown Eastside residents to have their pictures taken; the resulting
photos will be given to them as gifts. Contact: help-portrait.com.
By and for the people
Pagsambang Bayan (People’s Worship) was an interdenominational worship service for the typhoon victims in
the Philippines held October 23 at St. Michael’s Anglican Church in Vancouver.
The congregation was drawn from St. Michael’s, Samahan United Methodist Church and Lakeview Multicultural United Church, as
well as several community organizations.
Many contributed clothing, canned goods and money for the relief effort in the
Philippines.
Artist in the middle
David Wilson, a Vancouver artist best known for his urban night scenes (above),
is having a new exhibition called ‘Somewhere in the Middle,’ December 5 – 23 at the Ian Tan Gallery, 2202 Granville Street, Vancouver.
His new paintings present familiar daytime Vancouver landscapes painted as if
the viewer was looking at them through foggy, wet autumn windows.
Wilson says he was inspired for this series by the concept of hüzün, or poetic melancholy, as expressed by Turkish novelist Orhan Pamuk in his
memoir, Istanbul; Pamuk describes hüzün as “a way of looking at life that implicates us all, not only a spiritual state, but
a state of mind that is ultimately as life-affirming as it is negating.”
The coffee ritual
The Small Ritual Coffee Society at 1237 Johnston Road in White Rock is a social
enterprise started earlier this year by The Church at Southpoint.
“A place to serve, enjoy, express and act,” it is intended to promote ethically sourced premium coffee, foster community
interaction and provide a venue for local artists (in the music, word and
visual arts). Any profits will be used for initiatives that will benefit the local community.
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College predestined
Canadian Reformed churches in the Fraser Valley have formed a board to
investigate establishing a Reformed Bible college in the Fraser Valley.
There are nine Canadian Reformed churches in the Valley, but and other Reformed
denominations may also get involved. There has already been good response to a
number of lectures by scholars from Reformed colleges.
Recovering faith
Women Into Healing, a private drug and alcohol addiction recovery centre for
women located in Maple Ridge, has established a Spirituality and Faith recovery
program.
The program recognizes faith as a key component of recovery, but encourages
clients to discover intimacy through whatever religion or spirituality they
choose.
The team at the centre works in conjunction with aftercare counsellors of
Christian and other faiths to assist in life coaching after treatment.
Contact: womenintohealing.com.
Vancouver Project
‘In the Making’ is an exhibition of artwork by Roger Feldman, Ginger Geyer, Kathy Hastings,
Shannon Newby, Nancy Rebal and Matt Whitney; it runs until December 12 at
Regent College’s Lookout Gallery.
This ‘Vancouver Project’ event is sponsored by By/For, an organization that encourages artists to create
sacred worship art by and for the church. It offered the six artists two weeks
of free studio time and gave them the opportunity to live, pray and work
together.
The catalyst for the project is Brian Moss, who resigned from his position as
director of worship, music and the arts at John Knox Presbyterian Church in
Seattle so he could move to Vancouver.
He now serves as worship and music coordinator at Regent College and
artist-in-residence at First Baptist Church in Vancouver.
Angels in transition
House of Angels, a transition house for up to 10 women, opened November 7 in
Abbotsford. The house will provide a four-month program that includes
counselling, life skills training, spiritual guidance and help with addiction
issues.
The house is operated by Psalm 23 Transition Society, which also operates two
recovery houses for men in Abbotsford.
December 2009
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