Summer 2015
URBANPROMISE.COM
GOSPEL VISION
Serving in a city as diverse as Toronto
has helped me appreciate the reality
of cultural biases. We all have themvalues inherent to our own culture
that shape the way we view others.
Even our religious experience can
become culturally entrenched.
In Acts 10, Peter is called by God
to go against the norm. He is asked
to take the Gospel to a group he
considers to be unclean. Peter’s
religion forbids him to enter the
home of a Gentile- but the Gospel
requires him to.
Much like Peter’s background, the
Christian sub-culture has created
a clear divide between sacred and
secular. We categorize people as one
or the other and create all kinds of
barriers between the two. We seek
into mountains. We perceive our own
lives as ‘sacred’ and quietly distance
ourselves from everything that may
render us ‘unclean’.
But where is our ‘Gospel vision’?
God clearly instructs Peter not to call
anything impure or unclean, and not
to look on his fellow human as less
than himself, regardless of cultural
background or life choices.
Brett McBride
Executive Director
Gospel vision sees through the ‘secular
versus sacred’ divide that modern
Christianity has created. It gives us
new eyes through which to see those
who need hear the Good News. Gospel
vision transcends divisions, because
the Gospel is for everyone.
If our vision is clouded with bias, and
we are not able to see God at work in the
lives of those who don’t yet know Jesus,
how are we to join Him in His work?
Brett
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Summer 2015
“WE’VE GAINED ANOTHER
FAMILY”
Cheryl & Kalisha’s Story
We’re excited to announce that our Mom’s ministry has hired
strength and character and brings so much to the UPHOLD
team. Cheryl and her daughter Kalisha, age 10, share their story…
Kalisha: My mom started going to
the mom’s group. While she learns
about the bible, I get to be part of the
Cheryl: I’ve lived in the Warden
Woods Community for 7 years. I
have 3 daughters; Ashley, Kalisha
& Karina.
favourite thing about Camp Hope is
singing songs during worship and Word
UP (that’s what we call bible study).
Kalisha: I started going to Camp Hope
when I was 6. A friend from school
told me about it. She said that at camp
they do Bible Study, worship and also
I could learn to read the Bible.
Cheryl: I noticed a change in my
daughters when they started going to
camp. They would come home singing
songs, and tell me about what they
were learning there.
Cheryl: Stephanie and Christine are
my rocks. They care for me when I’m
broken, they cheer my family on and
they help me understand why God
chose me for this life.
Cheryl: I am a single mom. My
youngest daughter, Karina, was born
with cerebral palsy and epilepsy, and
she now has an acquired brain disease
as well. She requires care around the
clock. At one point my life consisted
of only doctors appointments, grocery
runs and hospital stays. I had no real
connection with other adults.
Kalisha: My favourite bible verse
Kalisha: It’s really cool that my mom
world that he gave his one and only
son that whoever believes in him shall
not perish but have eternal life.”
helping other moms in the program.
Kalisha: My older sister Ashley started
going to camp too. She went to YMAD-
Cheryl: My daughter told me there
was a group for moms, so I attended
with her one night. There I met
Stephanie and Christine, little did I
know they would become two of the
most important women in my life.
bible studies.
Cheryl: Being part of the UPHOLD
team has given me knowledge
and understanding of who God is,
amazing friends and an incredible
support system. We’ve gained another
family. My faith has become stronger.
I see the same in my children and
desire to see it in my community too.
PATCH PARTIES
Over the past several months, UPT moms have spent time together making
patches to donate to an organization called Working for Orphans and
Widows (WOW). WOW equips African churches to care for the
vulnerable in their own communities. WOW sends patches from
all over the world to African women, who sew them into quilts
and give them to children orphaned by HIV/AIDS.
UPHOLD moms are sending beautiful messages and artwork full
of care and hope for mothers and children across the world.
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Registered Charity: What does it mean?
As part of the Federal Government
of Canada, the Canada Revenue
Agency (CRA) administers a system
to register charities under the
Income Tax Act.
Canada’s charitable and nonthe world; Netherlands is the 1st
and USA is the 5th. There are an
and charities in Canada, and the
sector represents $106 billion or
8.1% of the GDP (larger than the
automotive or manufacturing
employed by these organizations
representing 11.1% of the
economically active population.
Registration as a charity comes with
privileges, such as being exempted
from paying income tax and being
But equally, all registered charities
have important obligations under
the Income Tax Act. The Charities
Directorate is responsible both for
making sure that only organizations
that show they will meet these
obligations are registered as charities,
and for monitoring charities after
registration to make sure they continue
to comply with their obligations.
Charity Directorate website at
www.cra-arc.gc.ca/chrts-gvng/
kids and youth in our communities
across the city. WE LOVE CAMP!
Kids get to spend all day playing,
singing, and learning about God.
This year our theme is: ‘Search and Rescue’.
Fun games, crafts and stories will point kids
toward the One who saves.
“For the Son of Man came to seek
and save the lost.” —Luke 19:10
The reality of summer vacation brings an increase in
unsupervised hours for children. For our kids and youth
in Toronto Community Housing this means heightened
exposure to the harsh realities of the streets. Over the
violence. We are aware that as the summer days become
longer, mischief can become even more prevalent.
Warden Woods, in Mount Olive and in Driftwood/Shoreham.
> Please join us this summer,
and give for camp.
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Summer 2015
CUBING @ WARDEN WOODS P.S.!
In 1974, a young Professor of architecture in Budapest
named Erno Rubik created an object that was not
supposed to be possible. His solid cube twisted and
turned- and still it did not break or fall apart. It took well
over a month for Erno to work out the solution to his
puzzle. Little did he expect that the Rubik’s Cube would
become the world’s best-selling toy ever.
Cubing Club out of Warden Woods Public
School in Scarborough. The club meets weekly
at lunchtime in an elementary school that many
of our kids from Camp Hope call home.
Inspired by several young expert ‘cubers’, a few
of our missionaries ventured to bring this retro
craze to the neighbourhood. We supply cubes
and instructions and watch the kids go! To no
one’s surprise, they are catching on faster
than the adults.
Most importantly, we’re excited about this
opportunity to connect with new kids and
families, and with the school administration.
We have a feeling God is going to use Cubing
Club to open doors of all kinds in amazing ways.
To reach children in Toronto Community Housing with the love of Jesus, and
raise them into leaders, who restore their community.
MAILING ADDRESS:
UrbanPromise Toronto
364 Old Kingston Road
P.O Box 97512
Scarborough ON M1C 4Z1
URBANPROMISE.COM
Fax:
Tel:
Email:
416.516.3135
416.516.6121
[email protected]