Seeking Justice: In the City, In the Church

A one-day conference exploring what justice for all looks like in the city and in the church.

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Participants will follow a path of learning that begins with an outward look at justice in the city, and then turns inward to look at justice in the church. This event will coincide with City on our Knees, a week of prayer for the city of Ottawa coordinated by Pray Ottawa. Prayer and contemplative practices will be embedded throughout the day to provide space for deep listening, reflection, lament, and renewal.

By the end of the day, you will have had opportunity to recognize the origins and effects of systemic racism, colonialism, ableism, and other forms of systemic injustice in our city, as well as in our churches. Through deep listening, reflection, and prayerful contemplation, they will have had opportunity to explore their thoughts, feelings, and responses to systemic injustice, and will have grown in their awareness of how systemic injustices can be internalized and perpetuated or resisted. Participants will be equipped with strategies for hopeful resistance and advocacy to help us move towards God’s vision of justice for all.

Together, we will explore issues including poverty, housing & homelessness, refugee resettlement, access to services & employment, marginalized groups, racism, colonialism, reconciliation, disability, human rights, and biblical and theological connections.

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8:30am – 9:00am: Registration

9:00am – 9:30am: Welcome & Introductions

• Territorial acknowledgement, housekeeping information for the day, and the creation of a Community Covenant

9:30am – 10:45am: Workshops on Justice in the City

• Participants will choose from a selection of workshops exploring issues of justice in the city, including prayer and contemplative practices and opportunities for Q&A.
• Workshop Facilitators: Cindy Stover & Stephen Kaduuli, Robert Alsberry & Bryan Quinones, and Jennifer Valiquette & Denise Anne Boissoneau.

10:45am – 11:00am: Health break

11:00am – 12:30pm: Keynote

• Rev. Dr. Anthony Bailey: “Racism, White Privilege and the Invention of the Myth of ‘Race'”

12:30pm – 1:30pm: Lunch

• A hot lunch of vegetarian or meat chili with rolls will be provided.

1:30pm – 2:45pm: Workshops on Justice in the Church

• Participants will choose from a selection of workshops exploring issues of justice in the church, including prayer and contemplative practices and opportunities for Q&A.
• Workshop Facilitators: Bernadette Arthur, Jasmine Duckworth, and Serisha Iyar

2:45pm – 3:00pm: Health break

3:00pm – 4:00pm: Reflections & Next Steps

• A guided time of reflection on the day’s learning and suggestions for next steps in moving toward justice

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We are seeking to make this event as accessible as possible. The venue is equipped with accessible washrooms (including a gender-neutral accessible washroom), an elevator, and accessible parking. You can travel to St Paul’s via OC Transpo routes 87 or 55. Participants are invited to share any accommodations that would enable them to participate fully in the day’s events through the registration form (e.g. dietary restrictions, mobility and/or access needs, etc.). A designated point person will be identified at the conference to provide information and support to participants as needed.

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Citizens for Public Justice would like to thank the following individuals for their invaluable contributions to this event as members of our Organizing Committee:

• Rose-Ingrid Gracia, local artist & actor
• Serisha Iyar, Leading in Colour
• Deb Mebude, freelance journalist
• Jasmine Duckworth, Christian Horizons
• Stephen Kaduuli, CPJ Refugee Rights Policy Analyst
• Keira Kang, CPJ Public Justice Intern
• Natalie Appleyard, CPJ Socio-Economic Policy Analyst

We would also like to gratefully acknowledge the support of the CRC Centre for Public Dialogue the Forum for Intercultural Leadership and Learning.

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[accordion-item title=”Community Covenant”]

In the interest of fostering open and honest conversations, we will be co-creating a Community Covenant at the beginning of the day outlining ways we will seek to practice deep listening, humility, empathy, and constructive dialogue. Some of the topics we will explore may provoke discomfort and/or defensiveness. Rather than avoiding these feelings, we will be identifying specific people and spaces that will be available to help process thoughts and feelings, or to take needed breaks.

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