Rethinking Church Growth With Jordan Cantwell

What Does Church Growth Look Like Through Decolonizing and Intercultural Movements?

Please register via the Jotform link here and invite your friends!

We’ve entered the month of June—and it’s not just any June, but a once-in-a-lifetime moment: the 100th Anniversary of the United Church of Canada! Each week this month, we’re reflecting on how the United Church has changed through each decade—following shifts in history, culture, society, and spiritual values.

Jordan currently lives in Saskatoon and has served as a national staff member in the role of Growth Animator. One of Jordan’s most widely recognized contributions as Moderator was being one of the very first to visit every Indigenous United Church community and spend time listening to their stories and wisdom. Personally, I was deeply moved by Jordan’s capacity to truly listen. When I once shared with them (many years ago now) how a regional staff told me the reason I was called to ministry was because I was “cheap,” Jordan didn’t dismiss it—they truly listened.

As Moderator at General Council 43 in 2018 (which I also attended as a Commissioner), Jordan helped create a turning point in the United Church’s anti-racism work. At the time, even having the word “racism” in a proposal title made some people uncomfortable, and there were absurd suggestions to remove the word altogether. But on the last night of GC43—Friday evening, when everyone was exhausted and just waiting to go eat—a white ally stood up in tears during a “Point of Privilege.” They said that BIPOC voices were trying to be heard, but the space to truly hear them wasn’t there, and we hadn’t responded well. Jordan, wearing their signature gender-nonconforming wizard-like hat, was moderating. After listening carefully, they created a pause and invited the room to hold space. Jordan asked white participants to step back and made it clear that Indigenous Elders, racialized members, and BIPOC voices would be prioritized. What followed was a line of BIPOC members sharing honest, heartfelt stories. That evening—now often referred to as “GC43 Friday Night”—has since been written about in books, articles, and academic papers. It became a turning point for anti-racism within the United Church. And not one person complained that the meeting ran late or was tiring—because we all knew something transformative had happened.

That’s why I’m so glad that we’ve invited Jordan Cantwell to be part of BVU’s 100th Anniversary celebration—and that we’re planning a workshop/semi-retreat on the theme: Rethinking Church Growth Through Decolonizing and Intercultural Movements, at BVU (Saturday, June 28th, 9:30(doors open)/10:00 am to 1 pm, including bag lunch; Youth and child care provided.) This gathering is for both clergy and lay leaders from across Victoria and Vancouver Island.