“Poverty is the issue” Street Level conference gathers anti-poverty family OTTAWA, ON—It sounds like the setup to a joke. What happens when Christian anti-poverty workers bring 350 frontline workers from throughout Canada to spend three days together in unaccustomed luxury in an Ottawa hotel? Count on both fun and frustration. “The Street Level conference was awesome,” says Kim Reid, pastor of The Open Door Community Church in Montreal. “We celebrated victories. We mourned with those who have lost. We encouraged each other that we are not alone in the fight.

---

Independent schools reject “elitist” image BURNABY, BC—An independent school system seen by many British Columbians as an elitist bastion for the rich cannot afford to take the steps needed to correct that perception. In a survey released last month, Ipsos-Reid found that 60 per cent of B.C. residents disagreed with using public funds to support “private religious schools.” Only 27 per cent were in favour. Among 18 to 34-year-olds in the Lower Mainland, that opposition grew to 72 per cent—the highest among Canada’s eight major urban centres. read more>

---

Conference examines evolving Church TORONTO, ON—The existing Church needs to better understand, and communicate, the message of Jesus to a changing world. Such was the message Brian McLaren and other emergent church leaders brought to the recent Epiphaneia (from the same root word as epiphany) Evolving Church conference held April 8 at Tyndale University College & Seminary. read more>

TORONTO, ON—She may be the daughter of Billy Graham and the sister of Franklin, but Anne Graham Lotz says her worldwide revival events for women have a different objective.

She describes her father and brother as “obstetricians—they help to birth [spiritual] babies,” but compares herself to a pediatrician, helping new Christians grow in their walk with Christ.

Lotz was in Toronto recently speaking to 1,500 pastors and leaders to raise support for Just Give Me Jesus, a revival event for women that will take place at the Air Canada Centre September 29 to 30.

Augustana opens centre for study of religion and public life

CAMROSE, AB—Augustana University officially opened the Chester Ronning Centre for the Study of Religion and Public Life March 25. Member of Parliament, deputy NDP leader and United Church minister Bill Blaikie and Walter McLean, a former Conservative cabinet minister and Presbyterian minister, were on hand for the launch.

Centre director David Goa says the idea for the Ronning Centre was finally put on the table when Augustana became affiliated with the University of Alberta two years ago.

“Religion in public life is a huge issue in Canada—we must think of ways to talk about it,” says Goa.

Full story in our print edition>