Reaching out to those in need
By John Mohan

This weekend, the Christian church commemorates Good Friday, the solemn observance of the crucifixion of Christ, and Easter Sunday, the celebration of his bodily resurrection as evidenced by an empty tomb and hundreds of subsequent witnesses. These two events are cornerstone tenets of the historical and orthodox Christian faith.

My first public sermon was on an Easter Sunday as a college student 29 years ago in a small Pentecostal church in Midale, Sask. If I recall correctly, I opened my message with a joke: "What's brown, has four legs, and goes hippity hop, hippity hop through the mud? Answer: The Easter Pig!"

My eloquence must have gone over fairly well as the congregation invited me to be their pastor a few months later.

Including my college days in the late '70s, I have been part of the Christian faith for more than three decades. As a pastor and now CEO of a faith-based organization, I have seen and perhaps contributed to both the successes and frustrations of the modern day church.

On one hand, the church faces the rot of the vast numbers who live by indistinguishable moral values and priorities, seeing Christianity simply as a "spiritual self-help program" where beliefs are chosen like walking past a Chinese buffet.

We are embarrassed by the scandals involving the opulent lifestyles or immorality of televangelists. We have no words to defend multi-million-dollar church buildings that sit empty six days a week while over-capacity emergency shelters are forced to turn homeless people away on cold winter nights. We debate and divide ourselves over whether Christ would or wouldn't vote Conservative, Liberal, NDP, Green or even perhaps Rhino. One wonders if Jesus had the agendas of the modern-day western church in mind as he hung dying on a cross outside Jerusalem.

Gladly there are far better examples of churches and people who value their beliefs about Christ's sacrifice. Hundreds of congregations and thousands of individuals generously support Siloam Mission and other inner-city organizations through volunteerism and financial contributions.

Christian engagement with the less fortunate comes in many different forms. The fast-growing Riverwood Church Community is contemporary in style. Pastors wear blue jeans and untucked shirts. There's a coffee break in the middle of each of the three worship services. Under the leadership of Pastor Todd Petkau, this vibrant congregation intentionally serves the needy of the Elmwood area and beyond. Recently, they directed their compassion to a tiny AIDS-ravaged remote village in Swaziland, Africa.

This past weekend, they assumed long-term responsibility for 54 impoverished children in Swaziland and, when they donated to provide a new well for the community, they gave nearly five times the amount needed.

On Monday evening, hundreds of faithful Catholics packed St. Mary's Cathedral to celebrate the Chrism Mass. It was a joyous Mass of hymns, prayers, readings and an inspiring homily. Priests wore robes, and the musicians and choir were superb. It was a faith-filled, inspiring evening which included an opportunity for attendees to give an offering to Siloam Mission's work among the inner-city poor.

Social justice causes are core to Catholic beliefs and practice, and Winnipeg is better for it. In the Christian church, "Christ is risen! He has risen indeed!" is a core message and foundational belief, valued by the faithful as they compassionately engage with those among us who are in need.

Originally printed in the Winnipeg Sun, Thursday, March 20, 2008.
Reprinted with the permission of Sun Media Corporation.