CRC Helps Bring Ministry to Montreal

Whether it’s community gardens, a back-to-school barbecue, training seminars in churches, or microenterprise mentoring, Mission Montreal is reaching out to one of Canada’s largest cities – and people are responding.

“God is moving in Montreal,” says Adrian Van Giessen of Christian Reformed Home Missions.

Mission Montreal is a collaborative effort of Christian Reformed Home Missions, Christian Reformed World Missions, Diaconal Ministries Canada, First CRC Montreal, Classis Eastern Canada, and a partner ministry called Christian Direction.

The agencies wanted to reach Montreal, a city where less than 4 percent of residents attend church. But rather than start something new, they decided to see where God was already at work in the city.

“We found we wanted to come alongside,” says Van Giessen. “We interviewed and looked around to see where missions were succeeding.” 

They found Christian Direction. Under the direction of well-known evangelical urban missiologist Glenn Smith, Christian Direction was going into some of the most unreached areas of Montreal to bring the light of Christ.

“That’s the kind of work they do – feet on the ground, direct,” says Van Giessen.

Smith liked the Reformed witness and kingdom focus of the CRC, and a partnership was born.

Mission Montreal, with three staff, represents the CRC’s ministry with and through Christian Direction. Each of the three staff, Curtis Matoga, Jacynthe Vaillancourt, and Chad Polito, has a particular focus: missional communities, young adult/campus ministries, and ministry to Muslims, a growing population in the city.

Because of the nature of their work, the three work together on various projects and benefit from each other’s different skills and ideas.

Vaillancourt, heading the ministry to young adults and students, has started Alpha programs on various campuses in Montreal, meets regularly with the francophone students at a primarily English college, involves students in community through volunteering, and has organized a month-long street party in an area with little green space.

Working together with the city and with other social service agencies, she and her student volunteers shut down a downtown street and convert it into an urban garden for a month, creating a place for kids to play and neighbours to meet. 

She manages other community gardens as well. This summer Mission Montreal will run five community gardens, and plans to run seven next year.

Polito has organized “English Café” as a time to meet with English language learners, many of whom come from Muslim countries. Microenterprise projects are another tool Polito uses to engage the Muslim community.

By helping teens start and maintain small businesses, with such products as fine chocolate, fresh produce, and skin care, he teaches valuable business skills and gives these young people a source of pride. An annual Halal back-to-school party each fall has been an excellent connection point as well.

Once relationships have been made, Polito and volunteers who work alongside him often find opportunities to share the truth of Christ. “Over 75 Christian youth and young adults,” says Polito, “have been equipped to reach their Muslim friends.”

The Christian Reformed agencies and ministries sought to reach Montreal by increasing the capacity of Christian Direction.

According to Smith, the increase has been “immense.” “This is maybe the best example of a partnership that I’ve ever seen here in my 32 years at Christian Direction,” he says.

Each of the Christian Reformed agencies involved have a representative on the board of Mission Montreal, contributing expertise, energy, and ideas to the ministry.

“They help to create and fulfil the vision, make decisions…It’s a template for future ministry efforts in other places,” says Van Giessen.

Doing ministry, says Smith, “is never simple in the city. But we’re happy to take the long view. It’s about equipping and deploying Christians and Christian leaders to engage their culture.”