(A links heavy post - you can just click on the 5 minute video below for the actual story.)
A week ago (on Oct 30th), Imbi and I popped back into the north end of Toronto, to participate in an event put on by Forge Canada - the joint network created by the originally Australian Forge and Western Canada's Missional Training Network - begun by Cam Roxburgh with roots in the multi-congregation Southside Community Church where Cam is team leader.(A longtime church network leader and Canadian Church Planting consultant, Cam is part of the missional Roxburgh clan, his father, Bob, being one of the conversation's elder statesmen.)
The ever engaging Al Hirsch was in town along with Cam. (Cam is Forge Canada's National Director as well as being the National Director for Church Planting Canada, whose bi-annual congress is in Calgary this month.)
The Toronto event was put on @ Tyndale University College and Seminary - with Don Goertz as the host.
Hirschy had arrived in Toronto after spending the better part of a week in Winnipeg with friends of ours including Jamie Arpin-Ricci, Gerry Michalski and Brent Toderash (Brother Maynard).
I brought our little Canon Vixia HF11 with me, just in case Imbi and I might get an opportunity to grab a couple of minutes with Al, Cam and Don. We did.
Moving the Missional Conversation Forward in Canada - Forge Canada from Bill Kinnon on Vimeo.
As Al rightly points out, Canada, is much further down the post-Christendom road than much of the population in Canada's Trousers (the US of A). Honourary Canadian, Dave Fitch makes this same point in the Stetzer-Fitch conversation.
Forge Canada is one part of the missional church conversation in my country.
Missional and Emerging networks like Resonate (which people like Jordon Cooper, Pernell Goodyear, Jared Seibert and Jamie Arpin-Ricci are a part of) - and the Resonate inspired Cultivate Gatherings (the next Cultivate Learning Party is Saturday, November 14th), the Epiphaneia folk, Sarnia's The Story - which has a disproportionate impact on the Canadian Missional Conversation (see Joe Manafo's One Size Fits All), Fresh Expressions Canada and numerous others are all part of what's happening in the occasionally Great White North. (In the summer, we are the great Green and Blue North - the Arrogant Worms explain.)
Since Imbi and I are producing a number of missional-focused videos, I'm thinking of creating the Kinnon Missional Network. But nah, on 2nd thought. I really don't think that would be appropriate.
I've created a Missional Channel widget that you are welcome to stick on your blog or website, if you'd like. It's automatically updated when we add a new missional video to the channel.
