FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Ottawa, ON: May 12, 2015 – On Wednesday, May 13, 2015, a delegation of national church leaders will be in Ottawa to engage people of faith in conversations about poverty in Canada and climate change—the final stop in “Justice Tour 2015.”
Each stop on the tour includes an intimate listening event in the afternoon. Local faith leaders will brief the delegation on climate justice and anti-poverty work in the Ottawa area. They will also discuss plans for further engaging faith communities in the coming months.
In the evening, a public engagement forum will raise the profile of faith communities engaged on issues of climate justice and poverty. Members of the delegation will respond to public questions. The evening event will also include elements of music, worship, and prayer. The forum will take place at Christ Church Cathedral (414 Sparks St.) on Wednesday, May 13, 2015 at 7:00pm – 9:00pm.
Throughout the tour, the delegation has developed a public engagement strategy for faith communities in Canada that includes a Church Leaders’ Pastoral Statement. The tour is designed to engage Canadian Christians in the lead up to the 2015 Federal election, the UN General Assembly on Sustainable Development Goals, and the UN Climate Conference in Paris.
The delegation includes three church leaders:
- Rev. Dr. Susan Johnson, National Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada
- Rev. Dr. Willard Metzger, Executive Director, Mennonite Church Canada
- Rev. Dr. Karen Hamilton, General Secretary, Canadian Council of Churches
For the 25 members of the Canadian Council of Churches (CCC), our work of service towards social and environmental justice is a reflection of our love of God. The Justice Tour has been designed to encourage our faith communities to listen, learn, reflect and act throughout 2015, to manifest our faith in and love of God, God’s creation, and all God’s creatures.
In April the Justice Tour travelled across Western Canada—stopping in Vancouver, Edmonton, Saskatoon, and Winnipeg. In May, the tour is making four stops in Eastern Canada:
May 10 – Kitchener-Waterloo
May 11 – Halifax
May 12 – Montreal
May 13 – Ottawa
“Justice Tour 2015” is organized by the Canadian Council of Churches and Citizens for Public Justice.
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Further info: Brad Wassink, Communications Coordinator, Citizens for Public Justice, brad@cpj.ca or 613-232-0275, ext. 225.
