By: Annie Choi It was like being in an exam, the discomfort of nervous energy and the noises surrounding me muffled to a hum. It never bothered me before and I don’t know how to help so I should just keep it to myself. I could hear my heart beating and my throat went dry...Continue Reading
By: Vanessa Mo One summer in elementary school back in the 90s, my family vacationed in the rather progressive town of Cape Cod. There, from what my parents told me many years later, I saw a gay couple for the first time and I pointed them out curiously. I only vaguely remember this moment, so...Continue Reading
By: Janet Sio and Jeremy Ng “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love” – Romans 8:38 It’s pride month and I’m struggling with what to write. I want to write something to support and affirm the LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and the range of gender and sexual...Continue Reading
By: Jeremy Ng and Rev. David McCleary HEY PASTOR DAVID… I have been wanting to continue this conversation but I know I’m not an expert. Even though anti-racism and anti-oppression is part of what I studied at school and is part of my life as a social worker, there’s so much I don’t know. I’m...Continue Reading
By: Jeremy Ng How do we respond to the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery? Do we continue to go on as though nothing has happened? Do we have outrage and grief one minute and then move on to finding something comfortable and soothing the next? I may not be guilty...Continue Reading
By: Bethany, Community Engagement Coordinator During my time as a Community Engagement Coordinator, I have been challenged to re-evaluate how I view and approach community work. Toxic Charity by Robert D. Lupton, has challenged me to see different perspectives on how churches perform charity work. The main premise of Toxic Charity is that “when we...Continue Reading
By: Bethany, Community Engagement Coordinator Something I was reminded of this summer was the importance of slowing down and connecting with others. As Community Engagement Coordinators, we hold many events, whether it is community barbeques or conversation clubs, there is always a lot to plan and execute to make sure things operate smoothly. Admittedly, whenever...Continue Reading
By: Bethany, Community Engagement Coordinator Over the course of my internship as a Community Engagement Coordinator, one of the highlights of my summer was the Hub Walk. The Hub Walk is an annual event in partnership with the Victoria Park Hub which invites newcomers to discover the Victoria Village area which ends with a barbeque...Continue Reading
By: Tawfiq, Community Engagement Coordinator The summer has officially come to an and and with it, this internship. While it had some bumps along the way, I would say that my time with ETCBC has been a mostly positive experience. The one thing that sticks out to me the most if I had to choose...Continue Reading
By: Tawfiq, Community Engagement Coordinator ETCBC kids camp has come and gone and it was my first time working with a high number of children at one time. Very young children are not something that I am very keen on so this was a huge challenge for me. The reason for this is that children...Continue Reading
