Downhere up there

The band Downhere was the big winner at the Covenant Awards, receiving nine awards from the Gospel Music Association of Canada (GMA) October 23. The awards were Artist of the Year, Album of the Year (Ending Is Beginning), Song of the Year ('Here I Am'), Recorded Song of the Year ('Here I Am'), Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year (Ending Is Beginning), Inspirational Song of the Year ('Beggar Who Gives Alms'), Pop/Contemporary Song of the Year ('Here I Am'), Rock Song of the Year ('My Last Amen') and Seasonal Song of the Year ('How Many Kings'). The band was formed nine years ago by Marc Martel and Jason Germain when they were roommates at Briercrest Bible College in Caronport, Saskatchewan. Other winners included Newworldson (Group of the Year), Janelle (Female Vocalist of the Year), Joel Auge (Male Vocalist of the Year), Chris Bray (New Artist of the Year) and Philip Janz (Producer of the Year).

Pray on the beaches

A National School of Intercession is being offered at the Christian Fellowship Centre in Qualicum Beach, BC, November 12 - 14. The weekend will be led by Rob Parker, founding director of the National House of Prayer in Ottawa; Sara Maynard, founder and director of Cityscape Prayer Ministries in Vancouver; and Jane Jones, Calgary-based associate director of Cityscape and prayer director of Anglican Renewal Ministries. The School consists of two components: evening sessions, which are open to the general public, and daytime sessions for registrants.

It is better to receive good marks . . .

Christian postsecondary schools did very well again in the annual Globe and Mail student survey. Five of the 12 schools in the "very small" category (under 4,000 students) are Christian-based. Trinity Western University in Langley, BC and The King's University College in Edmonton received A+ in all four key areas (most satisfied students, quality of education, student-faculty interaction, and quality of teaching); Redeemer University College in Ancaster, Ontario received three A+ and one A; Concordia University College of Alberta received one A+ and three A marks; St. Thomas University in Fredericton, New Brunswick received four A marks. The schools were also ranked on 15 other criteria; the only one the Christian schools ranked poorly on was campus pubs and bars -- because most of them don't have any. The schools have roots in a variety of Christian traditions: Trinity Western was started by the Evangelical Free Church, Concordia is Lutheran, St. Thomas is Roman Catholic and Redeemer has Reformed roots.

Jim wants to fill Bill's shoes

Christian Heritage Party of Canada leader Jim Hnatiuk is running in the November 9 federal by-election in the Nova Scotia riding of Cumberland-Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley. The riding was previously held by Bill Casey, who was expelled from the Conservative Party after voting against the 2007 budget and was re-elected in 2008 as an independent, gaining 69 percent of the vote. In mid-October, a non-scientific online poll run by Amherst Daily News showed Hnatiuk leading the Conservative candidate Scott Armstrong by 40 percent to 23 percent.

Compassion is golden

On November 12, the United Nations will unveil the Charter for Compassion, which calls on the world to take practical and sustained action to address the political, religious, social and cultural issues of our time. The charter is based on the Golden Rule ("treat others as you would have them treat you"), which is said to be held by "13 of the world's great religions." Across the world, more than 100 partner organizations will be holding events to demonstrate their support of the charter. The official partner event in Toronto will be held at the University of Toronto Multi Faith Centre, and will feature a presentation of 'Animating the Golden Rule,' a new documentary film by Tina Petrova, followed by an interfaith panel discussion on compassion.

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Singing is a benefit

MissionFest Toronto is celebrating its 15th year of equipping, educating, enlightening and encouraging the people of God to engage in mission. To support the work of MissionFest, 'Friends of the Fest' have organized a benefit concert at Global Kingdom Ministries in Toronto, November 20. The concert will feature artists Kelita, Rhema Worship & Praise Choir, Terry Posthumus and Nathanael Gerber & Co.

The view of the globe from Kirsty

Vancouver filmmaker Kirsty Matthews has been chosen one of five Citizen Ambassadors by the United Nations. In September, the UN invited people around the world, especially youth, to post a YouTube video answering the question, "If you had the opportunity to speak to world leaders, what would you say?" The five winners were chosen from 477 submissions from five continents. Matthews used her submission to remind world leaders that the world needs "equality, sustainability and justice." The five winners were invited to spend a day at the United Nations in New York October 23. Matthews became interested in filmmaking while studying social issues at university. Her films include Homelessness and the human predicament (which was shown at the Pivot Reel Justice 2009 film festival and which portrayed the HEAT shelter at First United Church in Vancouver, as well as the death of a woman named Tracy when a candle inadvertently set her cart on fire); Let Freedom Ring (which will be screened at the International Film Festival in South Africa in November 2009), and a brief overview of homelessness in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside (screened at the Concert for Homelessness at St. Andrew's Wesley United Church in Vancouver October 14).

He is a Pura writer

Murray Andrew Pura, a pastor from Pincher Creek, Alberta, has been shortlisted for the $25,000 Kobzar Literary Award of Canada for his novel Zo, published by Canadian publisher Clements Publishing. The book follows the life of a young woman across several generations of her family amidst the wars and revolutions of the 20th century. The Kobzar award will be given out in March 2010, the same month HarperCollins and Zondervan in the US will publish two more Pura books, Rooted and Streams. Pura was earlier nominated for the Dartmouth Book Award for his first novel Mizzly Fitch and for the John Spencer Hill Literary Award for his dozens of short stories. Pura is a graduate of Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia and Regent College in Vancouver and is now pursuing a PhD at Liverpool Hope University in the United Kingdom.

The road to heaven is paved with good intentions

The fifth season of the TV show Canada's Worst Driver premiered October 26, drawing 730,000 viewers, the largest audience ever recorded by the Discovery Channel. The program puts eight very bad drivers through a series of driving challenges. One driver graduates each week, leaving the remaining driver to be designated Canada's worst driver. This season, one of the candidates is a Roman Catholic priest, Father Giles Joly of Richmond, Ontario, whose chief problem is that he drives too slowly.

Five years is a long time to listen

Listen Up, hosted by Lorna Dueck, has celebrated its fifth anniversary as an independent TV program. Dedicated to exploring news from a Christian perspective, the program began as a segment on 100 Huntley Street 10 years ago but then spun off into a separate program. It now runs 34 times a week on Global TV and other mainstream stations. The program has led to Dueck becoming a frequent writer for the Globe and Mail and the CBC website. -- ChristianWeek

November 5/2009