MAY 5-8, 2015
Ed Brown, Peter & Miranda Harris, Katharine Hayhoe, Leah Kostamo, Terry LeBlanc, Jonathan Moo, Jonathan Wilson, Loren Wilkinson, Chris Wright + others
Hosted by Ross Hastings
Life on our planet is changing rapidly as a direct result of human activity. Climate change, pollution, and landfill waste are just a few of the serious environmental issues we face today. The biblical call to be good stewards of the earth’s resources is not just a trend, but a fundamental aspect of Christian discipleship. How are we, as pastors and church leaders, encouraging our communities to care for our planet?
This conference seeks to inspire you to incorporate earthkeeping practices into your personal and congregational life. We will examine the theology behind creation care, and look at examples of it in practice. Our aim is that you will walk away invigorated and equipped with resources and practical steps that your church can take as a community.
Co-hosting this conference is A Rocha Canada, a Christian organization that engages in scientific research, environmental education, and community-based conservation projects.
Conference Host
Ross Hastings
Associate Professor, Pastoral Theology at Regent CollegeBSc (Hons) (Witwatersrand, South Africa), PhD (Queen’s, Kingston), MCS (Regent College), PhD (St. Andrew’s, Scotland)
Ross Hastings teaches in the areas of the theology and spirituality of mission, pastoral theology, and ethics. He has served as a pastor in Kingston, Ontario; Burnaby, British Columbia; and Montreal, Quebec. For eleven years, he was the senior pastor of Peace Portal Alliance Church in White Rock, BC. He has earned two PhDs, one in organo-metallic chemistry at Queen’s University in Kingston, and the other in theology at University of St Andrews in his native Scotland. His theological dissertation is a comparative study of the trinitarian theology of Jonathan Edwards and Karl Barth and is in the publication process. Dr. Hastings lost his first wife Sharon to cancer in 2008; he has two adult children. He was recently married to Tammy Carrillo and together they now have five children. He enjoys sport—especially rugby, cricket, soccer, and squash—as well as music of varied genres.
Fri May 8, 11 am: Communion Service: "Creation in Communion"
Speakers
Peter Harris
Co-founder and President of A RochaAfter working as an English teacher and then as an Anglican clergyman, Peter moved to Portugal in 1983 with his wife Miranda to establish and run A Rocha’s first field study centre and bird observatory. In 1995, the work was given over to national leadership and Peter and Miranda moved to France where, together with a group of colleagues, they oversaw the establishment of two other centres, while travelling to resource the growing global movement of Christians active in nature conservation. A Rocha field projects are now operational in twenty countries. Peter is currently based in the UK and his work has a particular focus on emerging projects in Southeast Asia and the USA.
Tues May 5, 9:30 am: “Earthing the Gospel”
Chris Wright
International Ministries Director, Langham PartnershipMA, PhD (Cambridge))
An ordained pastor in the Anglican Church of England, Chris Wright spent five years teaching the Old Testament in India, and thirteen years as Academic Dean and then Principal of All Nations Christian College in England. In 2001, he was appointed International Director of the Langham Partnership International, a group of ministries originally founded by John Stott and committed to the strengthening of the church in the Majority World through fostering leadership development, biblical preaching, literature, and doctoral scholarships. Chris was the Chair of the Lausanne Theology Working Group from 2005-2011. He is also an Honorary Vice-President of Tear Fund, a UK-based international Christian development agency. He and his wife Liz live in London and have four adult children and nine grandchildren.
Tues May 5, 11 am: “The Goodness, the Glory, and the Goal of Creation in the Old Testament”
Tues May 5, 7:30 pm (free public lecture): “Creation Care and the Great Commission: What is the Scope of our Biblical Mission?”
Loren Wilkinson
Professor (part-time), Interdisciplinary Studies and Philosophy at Regent CollegeBA (Wheaton), MA (Johns Hopkins), MA (Trinity Evangelical Divinity School), PhD (Syracuse)
Loren Wilkinson joined the Regent College faculty in 1981. He had previously been an Associate Professor in the Department of English at Seattle Pacific College (1972–1977) and a Fellow at Calvin Center for Christian Scholarship (1977–1978). His teaching interests include Christianity and the arts, philosophy, and earthkeeping. His popular Creation, Wilderness, and Technology course takes place on a summer boat trip. He has written many scholarly and popular articles developing a Christian environmental ethic and exploring the human relationship to the natural world in its environmental, aesthetic, scientific, and religious dimensions. Loren lives on Galiano Island with his wife Mary-Ruth. They have two adult children and two grandchildren.
Tues May 5, 1:30 pm: “Practicing Creation Care”
Ed Brown
Director and CEO of Care of Creation and Senior Associate for Creation Care for the Lausanne MovementBA (Gordon College), MDiv (Gordon Conwell)
Ed Brown has been involved in the creation care movement for fifteen years. He is the Director and CEO of Care of Creation, an environmental missions organization, and serves as the Lausanne Senior Associate for Creation Care for the Lausanne Movement. He served as Chief Operating Officer for Au Sable Institute of Environmental Studies, and has worked with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and as a pastor both in the US and overseas. He and his wife Susanna both grew up as children of missionaries in Pakistan, and carry a love for that country and for overseas ministry. They live in Madison, WI and have four grown children.
Tues May 5, 2:45 pm: “Creation Care and the Global Church: Lessons We’re Learning”
Jonathan Wilson
Pioneer MacDonald Professor of Theology at Carey Theological College, and Teaching Fellow at Regent CollegeBA (Welch College), MCS (Regent College), MDiv (Regent College/Carey Hall), PhD (Duke University)
Before joining the Carey faculty in 2006, Jonathan Wilson was Professor of Theology and Ethics at Acadia Divinity College and Professor of Religious Studies at Westmont College. A native of Oklahoma, he was ordained by Canadian Baptists and pastored in Western Canada from 1978 to 1986. Jonathan’s teaching invites followers of Christ to connect how we live with what we believe. Jonathan and his wife Soohwan live in Vancouver. Their common passion and call is to equip local churches to be God’s chosen agents to share God’s love with the poor and marginalized around the world.
Wed May 6, 9:30 am: “Superabundant Creation”
Terry LeBlanc
Founding Chair / Current Director of NAIITS: An Indigenous Learning CommunityPhD, Intercultural Studies (Asbury Theological Seminary)
Terry LeBlanc is Mi’kmaq/Acadian. Eighteen generations ago his ancestors were among the first to embrace Christian faith on this continent – a tradition he upholds with gratitude. In their forty-third year of marriage, he and his wife Bev have three adult children in active ministry – twin daughters and one son. Terry has accrued thirty-seven years of work in the Native North American and global Indigenous contexts, including as an educator in formal theological and community development training. Terry also serves as adjunct faculty in Theology, Mission, and Community Development Studies for Acadia, George Fox, and Tyndale Seminaries, as well as being the Indigenous resource elder for the BEd program at Tyndale University College.
Wed May 6, 11 am: “Creation’s Care and Us: An Indigenous Perspective”
Jonathan Moo
Assistant Professor, Theology at Whitworth UniversityBA (Lake Forest College, Illinois), MS (Utah State University), MA Old Testament and MA New Testament (Gordon-Conwell), PhD (University of Cambridge)
Jonathan Moo teaches New Testament and environmental studies at Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington. He is the author of a number of essays and books on early Judaism, the Bible and ecology, most recently Let Creation Rejoice: Biblical Hope and Ecological Crisis (IVP, 2014), coauthored with geophysicist Robert White. Besides teaching and writing, Jonathan and his wife Stacey host an Anglican church plant in their home and spend much of their time with students, gardening, as well as exploring the mountains, rivers, and forests of the Rockies and the Northwest.
Thurs May 7, 9:30 am: “New Images for a New Earth: Christ, Creation, and the Mission of the Church”
Katharine Hayhoe
Associate Professor and Director of the Climate Science Center at Texas Tech UniversityBSc Physics (University of Toronto), MS and PhD in Atmospheric Science (University of Illinois)
Named TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World for 2014, Katharine Hayhoe is an atmospheric scientist who studies climate change. Her work has resulted in over one hundred peer-reviewed publications that evaluate global climate model performance, develop and compare downscaling approaches, and quantify the impacts of climate change on cities, states, and ecosystems over the coming century. But Katharine may be best-known to many people because of how she’s bridging the gap between scientists and Christians— work she does in part because she’s a Christian herself. Her work as a climate change evangelist has been featured on the Emmy award-winning documentary series “Years of Living Dangerously.” Katharine lives in Texas with her husband Andrew Farley, a professor of applied linguistics and pastor.
Thurs May 7, 11 am: “Climate Change: Facts, Fictions, and Our Christian Faith”
Leah Kostamo
Co-founder, A Rocha CanadaLeah Kostamo is the author of Planted: A Story of Creation, Calling, and Community, a book Eugene H. Peterson called “remarkable.” She works alongside her husband Markku to show God’s love for all creation through the ministry of A Rocha. Together, they started the first Christian environmental centre in Canada, which over the past twelve years has welcomed thousands of visitors and interns who have rolled up their sleeves to grow organic vegetables, restore salmon streams, and inspire school children. Leah shares life with five other families (and a myriad of chickens) on Kingfisher Farm near Vancouver, BC. She can be found online at leahkostamo.com
Thurs May 7, 1:30 pm: “Stories of Hope”
Miranda Harris
Co-founder, A RochaMiranda Harris is co-founder of the international Christian organization A Rocha. With her husband Peter, she was involved in setting up field study centres in Portugal and France, where for almost thirty years, along with their four children and cross-cultural teams, they welcomed countless people of all ages from many different countries to share in the life of the centres and the work of creation care. They continue to be involved in some of the nineteen countries where A Rocha is now active. Miranda has a particular passion for building communities where love for Christ and an authentic shared life ensure a welcome for all-comers.
Thurs May 7, 1:30 pm: “Stories of Hope”
Schedule
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
| 8:30 am | Coffee/Registration |
| 9:00 am | First Nations Welcome Ceremony/Morning Worship |
| 9:30 am |
Peter Harris: "Earthing the Gospel" |
| 10:30 am | Break |
| 11:00 am | Chris Wright: “The Goodness, the Glory and the Goal of Creation in the Old Testament” |
| 12:15 pm | Catered Lunch |
| 1:30 pm | Loren Wilkinson: "Practicing Creation Care" |
| 2:30 pm | Break |
| 2:45 pm | Ed Brown: "Creation Care and the Global Church: Lessons We're Learning" |
| 7:30 pm | Chris Wright: "Creation Care & the Great Commission: What is the Scope of Our Biblical Mission?" (free public lecture) |
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
| 8:30 am | Coffee/Registration |
| 9:00 am |
Morning Worship |
| 9:30 am |
Jonathan Wilson: "Superabundant Creation" |
| 10:30 am | Break |
| 11:00 am | Terry LeBlanc: “Creation’s Care and Us: an Indigenous Perspective” |
| 12:15 pm | Catered Lunch to Go |
| 12:45 pm | Field Trips (varying lengths) |
| 7:30 pm | Rob des Coates: Contemplative Communion Service |
Thursday, May 7, 2015
| 8:30 am | Coffee/Registration |
| 9:00 am | Morning Worship |
| 9:30 am |
Jonathan Moo: "New Images for a New Earth: Christ, Creation and the Mission of the Church" |
| 10:30 am | Break |
| 11:00 am | Katharine Hayhoe: "Climate Change: Facts, Fictions, and our Christian Faith" |
| 12:15 pm | Catered Lunch |
| 1:30 pm |
Leah Kostamo & Miranda Harris: "Stories of Hope" |
| 2:30 pm | Break |
| 2:45 pm | Workshops |
| 4:00 pm | Afternoon Break |
Friday, May 8, 2015
| 8:30 am | Coffee/Registration |
| 9:00 am | Morning Worship |
| 9:30 am |
Panel Discussion |
| 10:30 am | Break |
| 11:00 am |
Closing Reflection and Communion Service Ross Hastings: "Creation in Communion" |
| 12:15 pm | Depart for home |
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Costs and Registration
Register online or download the Pastors Conference Registration Form
.
Conference Rates
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|---|---|
| Individual |
$380 |
| Senior (60 years and above) | $310 |
| Alumnus/alumna | $310 |
| Full-time student | $290 |
| Spouse | $310 |
| *Church groups | $320 |
All rates are per person, in Canadian dollars, and include all applicable taxes.
(GST #107881039)
*Church group rates apply to three or more individuals from the same church. Contact [email protected] to register.
Requests for cancellations or refunds (minus a $25 processing fee per registration) must be received before Friday April 24, 2015.
Registration has been extended to Monday April 27, 2015.
Missed the registration deadline?
You can still register, but your lunch will not be included, since we need to provide our caterer with final numbers by April 27.
Not able to make the whole conference?
You can register for just one of the four days for a discounted rate.
*One-Day Rates
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|
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|---|---|
| Individual |
$150 |
| Senior (60 years and above) | $125 |
| Alumnus/alumna | $125 |
| Full-time student | $100 |
| Spouse | $125 |
*Lunch is not included if you register after April 27, 2015.
Regent does not have any accommodation. If you want to stay on the UBC campus there are 3 options. All are close to Regent and to the theatre where the ceremony will be held. You will need to book your own accommodation.
Carey Hall:
5920 Iona Drive
Vancouver, BC V6T 1J6
(604) 224-4308
www.carey-edu.ca/accommodation
Triumf House:
5835 Thunderbird Blvd
Vancouver, BC V6T 2L6
(604) 222-1062 or (604) 222-7633
www.triumfhouse.ca
West Coast Suites:
5959 Student Union Boulevard
Vancouver, BC V6T 2C9
(604) 822-1000 or toll free: 1 (888) 822-1030
www.ubcconferences.com/accommodations/west-coast-suites
Special Events
Regent Redux
Fully Human in a Broken World: The Earth, the Garden, and a Reason to Hope
March 26, 2015 at 12 PST - Watch the video of the event!
Live online discussion
On March 26, A.J. Swoboda, Leah Kostamo, and Ross Hastings discussed ways to confront both the beauty and the degradation of our natural environment. You can watch a recording of the live event here.
Earthkeeping: A Climate for Change with Katharine Hayhoe
May 7, 2015 at 7 pm
Chan Centre for the Performing Arts
6265 Crescent Rd, UBC, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1
Tickets: $20
Recently named one of TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World, Katharine Hayhoe is an atmospheric scientist who studies climate change. She may be best known for the way she is bridging the gap between scientists and Christians. Her efforts have been featured on Showtime’s Emmy award-winning documentary series “Years of Living Dangerously." Buy tickets and find more information here.
sponsors
Presenting Sponsor
The Canadian Foodgrains Bank envisions a world without hunger. They work toward this goal by: providing food in times of crisis for hungry people in the developing world; helping people grow more food to better feed themselves and their families; and providing nutritional support to malnourished people with a focus on pregnant and breastfeeding mothers and young children.
Partnering Sponsors
Beyond the economic, political and social fabric
there is another strand in the city—
the spiritual. City in Focus exists to serve the spiritual needs of Vancouver
through compassion, conversation and connection. They believe that this mission goes beyond boundaries of age, denomination, faith, gender, race and social status. They care for soul of the city
by reaching out and providing resources to the individual, the social group, the racial group and the age group. City in Focus develops relationships with business leaders and connects them with
ministries serving the community of Vancouver.
Level Ground Trading trades fairly and directly with small-scale producers in developing countries, offering their customers ethical choices.Founded by four Canadian
families for the purpose of improving the lives of disadvantaged producers through trade, the company's first trade relationship was set up through Hugo Ciro with a cooperative of small-scale
coffee farmers in Antioquia, Colombia. The farming families' greatest desire was to see their children go to school, so Hugo found a group of dedicated teachers and community members who joined
together to form Famicafé.
Orchestra helps companies build strong, successful brands by looking at the bigger picture—we call it the 360-degree view. We work closely with our clients to ensure that every interaction improves the overall brand experience—both inside and outside the organization. In this way, we've helped dozens of companies just like yours build brand and PR strategies that fully engage their audiences rather than simply communicating to them.
Foundational Sponsors
Canadian
Baptist Ministries is a global mission organization committed to sharing God's love through word and deed. They believe that God brings healing to a broken world through local
churches. With over 140 years of experience, CBM has seen that words and deeds intertwined in Christian community work together to bear witness to God's transforming grace. Together in
partnership, they seek to bring hope, healing and reconciliation to all people.
Tenth Church carries a vision to be a place where people of all different backgrounds can find Christ; a community of healing for the broken; and a mission sending
base into Vancouver and throughout the world. Tenth is a community where people who don't consider themselves especially religious and might not otherwise attend church discover and rediscover
the life-changing beauty and power of Jesus. Our worship services feature creative, uplifting worship and engaging preaching.
Food for the Hungry is a Christian non-profit organization dedicated to ending poverty—one community at a time. With partners like you, FH walks alongside the most
vulnerable communities throughout the developing world as they strive toward sustainability. Recognizing that each community faces unique challenges as well as advantages, FH is committed to an
integrated, holistic approach to development including priorities such as agriculture, education, health, and gender equality.
The Canadian
Baptists of Western Canada is a Christ-centred community of churches. They have a 3-fold purpose: "Inviting Faith. Acting in Mercy. Cultivating Leaders." Churches within the CBWC are
in all 4 western provinces, the Yukon and the Northwest Territories. 156 churches belong to the CBWC, plus about 30 church plants, serving about 100,000 worshippers in churches large and small,
rural and urban. They worship God in more than 30 languages.
Initiatives of Change (IofC) is a global movement of people of diverse cultures and backgrounds, who are committed to the transformation of society through changes in human motives and behaviour, starting with their own.
Farmers' Dialogue is a program of IofC. It mobilizes farmers to bring solutions and act on the changes needed personally and globally. Farmers' Dialogue aims to reinforce the values that make farmers everywhere partners rather than competitors, to take responsibility to ensure there are adequate supplies of food in the world, to take care of the soil and of the environment in order to secure the future of generations to come.
Field Trips
"Discovering God through Creation"
Rob des Cotes will lead us through Pacific Spirit Park as we explore those 'invisible qualities' of God, His wisdom, beauty and genius, as revealed through creation.
"Cultivating Creation at UBC farm"
Visit the 24-hectare on-campus farm and spend a few hours getting your hands dirty as volunteers. Led by Regent alumnus and farm coordinator Ryan Weemhof.
"Exploring Creation at Iona Beach Regional Park"
Led by Peter deKoning from Vancouver Parks, come and see their attempts to restore the beautiful sand hills of this unique park as we walk along the jetties and watch migratory birds and a host of other creatures who make this place their home.
"Creation and Community in the Urban context"
Learn from inspiring examples of churches and households across Vancouver as they work out their commitment to community and creation care in the urban context. Led by Jonathan Bird, Regent alumnus and head of City Gate.
"Tour A Rocha's Brooksdale Environmental Centre"
Experience the beauty of an 80-year old historic estate with organic gardens, towering fir trees, and a beautiful river flowing through. Hear about how the community at A Rocha is working with neighbors and friends to care for this important bit of Creation. Led by A Rocha staff.
"Creation, Land, and First Nations of Vancouver"
Learn and experience the lands of Vancouver through the eyes of our First Nations brothers and sisters, including on campus and off. Led by Regent alum Cheryl Bear-Barnetson.
Workshops
Workshops are a new feature to our annual conference. Attendees have a choice of one out of nine workshops on Thursday May 7 from 2:45-4:00pm.
Workshop listings below:
From Theology to Praxis – How We’re Caring for Creation at Our Church
Speakers: Jay Ewing, Queenie Hewitt, and Karen Giesbrecht of Tenth Church
In this workshop we will explore one local church’s approach to care for God’s good world. Learning from their successes and failures, you will leave the workshop encouraged and with practical ideas regarding how you might incorporate earthkeeping practices into your church community.
Jay Ewing is the Site Pastor for the 3rd Service at Tenth Church in Vancouver. Prior to pastoral ministry, Jay and his wife Milissa were the Centre Directors for A Rocha Canada’s BC Environmental Centre. Jay is a graduate of Ambrose University and Regent College, and is currently receiving training in Spiritual Direction.
Queenie Hewitt is the Community Garden Mobilizer at A Rocha Canada. She studied sustainable food systems at UBC and she has a passion for all things related to good food. In her work with A Rocha, Queenie loves helping church communities cultivate a personal connection to God's creation by putting ideals into action.
Karen Giesbrecht serves as the coordinator of the Tenth Church community meal programs. Karen is a dietitian, and also works with City Gate Leadership Forum, cultivating collaboration among faith-based food programs in Metro Vancouver.
The Connection Between Working with First Peoples and Caring for the Land
Speaker: Paul Kariya of Clean Energy BC
Simultaneously, the First Nations in BC derive their identity from the land and they are inundated with referrals for natural resource development projects on their lands. One of the ways we can truly value creation, and care for it, is to walk with and support First Nations. This workshop, using vignettes and stories, will examine how issues of earthkeeping, economics, politics, and justice are all integrated in contemporary relations with First Peoples while raising the question “How might your church engage?”
Paul Kariya is Executive Director of Clean Energy BC. Prior to this he was Executive Director of Pacific Salmon Foundation. Kariya has worked in the public sector both federally and provincially and he was CEO of the provincial crown corporation, Fisheries Renewal BC and Executive Director of the BC Treaty Commission. Paul holds a BA (Hon) from UBC and a MA and PhD from Clark University in Massachusetts. Foremost he is the son of a fisherman.
Transformed by Creation – How God uses Creation to Restore Us and the World
Speaker: Rob des Cotes of Imago Dei
"He leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul." Psalm 23:2-3
This workshop will examine the many ways Creation helps restore our souls. While in Creation what are we reminded of that we tend to forget about in the city? How does meditating on the natural world contribute to our sense of belonging to something greater than the work of our own hands? What particular aspects of our relationship to God, or to ourselves, does Creation help restore? We will also consider ways that the Church might enlist the help of Creation in proclaiming God's love and healing to this world.
Rob Des Cotes is a spiritual director, retreat leader and pastor of Imago Dei, a network of faith communities that encourages the practice of prayer and a transforming relationship with God. He is the author of three books of meditations for spiritual direction, Fan the Flame, Higher Than I and Ultreia! (Go Higher).
What in the World?! – The Care of Creation as part of Missions Work in East Asia
Speaker: Gary Roosma of OMF Canada
What in the world does Creation Care have to do with the Church’s call to spread the Light of Christ around the world? Well, plenty in fact, as we often work in regions where environmental degradation can be even more obvious and blatant than it is in much of the West. The impact of this tragedy, combined with global climate change, is having catastrophic consequences. Hear how OMF International is getting involved in the ministry of Creation Care for the Glory of God in East Asia.
Gary Roosma is Pacific Region Director for OMF International – Canada, where he overseas the mobilizing and training work for OMF in BC. He and his wife, Jennifer, with their three children, have served with OMF since 1994, focusing primarily on training local pastors for ministry in East Malaysia.
A River Runs Through It – Soaking in and Preaching the Water and Creation Texts of the Bible
Speaker: David Knight of Lincoln Road Chapel
This workshop will explore some of the marvelous water and nature texts in scripture and how we can use them in both personal and congregational life and the insights they offer on issues of discipleship, social justice, environmental stewardship and our personal thirst for God.
After teaching high school and ministry with IVCF, David Knight has pastored for 18 years in Quebec and Ontario and is now Pastor of Spiritual Development at Lincoln Road Chapel in Waterloo, ON. He is the author of Downstream from Eden, a devotional commentary on 160 water texts in the Bible.
Marketplace Witness – Earthkeeping and business as discipleship
Speaker: Stacey Toews of Level Ground Trading
Most Christians do not spend their working life in so-called Christian ministry. This workshop will profile one Christian businessperson’s experience of running a for-profit enterprise where ‘activism in the everyday’ includes: alleviating poverty in developing nations, promoting sustainable agriculture with small-scale farmers, operating a ‘landfill free’ facility in Victoria and paying staff to cycle to work.
Stacey Toews worked as a pastor for 7 years before ‘converting’ to business and discovering greater opportunity to share his faith! Stacey is co-founder of Level Ground Trading, a Direct Fair Trade company based in Victoria, British Columbia. This is their 18th year in business and they purchase the annual harvest of 5,000 farmers in 10 countries.
Overcoming obstacles on the way to caring for creation
Speakers: Matthew W. Humphrey and Rick Faw of A Rocha Canada
There are many hurdles that prevent followers of Christ from caring for creation. If you, or members of your Christian community, wrestle with the why questions (e.g. “Why should I bother earthkeeping if its all going to burn?” or “Why should I care about trees rather than people?”) then this session is a chance to consider them in a small group setting.
Rick Faw, Vice-president of A Rocha Canada, combines academic backgrounds in science and theology with a love for the outdoors. He longs for people to integrate Christian discipleship and the created world in tangible, substantive, prophetic, and hopeful ways.
Matthew W. Humphrey is the Associate Director of A Rocha Canada. He works to integrate the life of faith with the practices of caring for creation. Since earning an MATS from Regent College in Vancouver, Humphrey has worked with A Rocha Canada, (www.arocha.ca), as both an educator and practitioner. Alongside overseeing various experiments in sustainable agriculture, Humphrey teaches in churches, colleges, and community settings. In his free time, he enjoys reading, listening to bluegrass, tending his flocks, and spending time outside with his wife, Roxy, and children, Abigail, Elijah, and Mary.
Why Do Christians Disagree about Climate Change?
Speaker: Darren Brouwer of Redeemer University in Hamilton, Ontario
Is climate change "the greatest problem the world faces" or the "greatest hoax perpetrated on the American people", as prominent Christians have claimed? This workshop will explore factors that contribute to the varied conclusions that are reached by Christians about the reality of climate change and what should be done about it.
Darren Brouwer is an Associate Professor of Chemistry at Redeemer University. His research interests are solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, structural chemistry, materials science, and computational chemistry.
Hunger in a Hot World: Can We Make a Difference?
Speakers: Carol Thiessen, Ron Klusmeier, and Christina Bogucki of Canadian Foodgrains Bank
Not sure what climate change means for the world’s poorest people? Wondering what advocacy has to do with Christians? Come learn how Canadian Foodgrains Bank is working to empower small-scale farmers in the world’s poorest countries to address climate change and discover how our engagement with government can make a difference in the work to end hunger.
Carol Thiessen, Senior Policy Advisor of Canadian Foodgrains Bank, is a nature lover and committed advocate for those whose voices often go unheard.
Ron Klusmeier and Christina Bogucki are the Resource Coordinators for the work of the Foodgrains Bank in British Columbia. They are available as speakers at community group meetings and churches of all denominations in BC. With the experience of journeys to Ethiopia in 2012 and Sierra Leone and Burkina Faso in 2014, they have powerful, first-hand stories to share.
Field Trip and Workshop Registration
We have a number of excellent workshops and field trips available for conference attendees. Use the form below to make your selections.