YWAM Canada News

September 2010

Rendezvous 2010 - The Report

Special Note: Rendezvous 2012 is already scheduled for August 2012 in Pinawa. Check back here for more details - coming soon!

I want to say "thank you" to everyone who participated in the Rendezvous 2010 in Pinawa, MB last month. We had around 94 adults and 23 kids with the majority of them under 10 from coast to coast. I know that a number of you were not able to be there, so we asked Jamie Arpin-Ricci who is a gifted writer and one of our YWAM leaders from Winnipeg to write a synopsis of our time together...

"As providence would have it the biennial YWAM Canada Rendezvous this year share the date as YWAM Internationals 50th Anniversary. And so, as we gathered more than 90 staff from coast to coast, the air was already charged with excitement and celebration. We spent an amazing week together enjoying good company, worship and vision for our lives and ministries here in Canada and around the world.

The diversity of culture and language in the YWAM Canada community was a highlight of the Rendezvous, with times of worship and teaching available in English, French and Korean. Even the times of tricky translation became opportunities for learning and a great deal of fun. It was truly reflective of the mosaic dynamics that is part of our Canadian context, while at the same time giving us a small glimpse of what it might like when all nations worship God together.

Our guest speaker was Dr. C. Baxter Kruger, theologian, author and Director of Perichoresis Ministries. Baxter brilliantly connected profound theology about the nature of our Trinitarian God with the intricacies and intimacies of our often broken hearts. His gift to our mission was to challenge us to consider and embrace the deep implications of God's nature with who we are, how we live and how we respond to God's missional calling on us as individuals and as a mission. Besides, hearing his Mississippi drawl translated by the Koreans was well worth the "price of admission".

We also learned so much from each other. From workshops on our responsibility to environmentalism to centering prayer to responsible approaches to missions and justice in our context, staff from across the country challenged each other to think carefully and thoroughly about what it means to grow in maturity and responsibility as missionary communities to the nations. The depth and passion of each presenter clearly indicated an exciting thread of vision within YWAM Canada."

To read more from Jamie, check out some of his other writing at: www.missional.ca

If you weren't able to come, we are sorry you missed such a great gathering. However, there's still a chance to connect with your fellow YWAM Canada communities as we celebrate YWAM's 50th Anniversary this September with Loren & Darlene Cunningham at the River's Edge Camp and Conference Center in Cremona, Alberta, (September 12-14) and YWAM Dunham, Quebec (September 15-19).

Blessings, Randy Parizeau
(Canadian Leadership Team)