Quebec Tidbits
DNI sends monthly tidbits to those interested in the spiritual wellbeing of Quebec, the French-speaking province of Canada. Quebec falls into the category of unreached, with less than 1% of it's 8,000,000 considered Evangelical. Families are falling apart and morals are being discarded. How will we respond?
The Biblical Mennonite Alliance pastors voted in favor of starting a French-speaking church plant in this province. Will you join us in praying for a team to come together with a vision to evangelize the French-speakers of Quebec?
If you would like to receive periodic Quebec Tidbits in your inbox, email us at: destinationsint@gmail.com
The Biblical Mennonite Alliance pastors voted in favor of starting a French-speaking church plant in this province. Will you join us in praying for a team to come together with a vision to evangelize the French-speakers of Quebec?
If you would like to receive periodic Quebec Tidbits in your inbox, email us at: destinationsint@gmail.com
April Tidbits
An exciting announcement (and prayer request) from TransWorld Radio, Quebec
Good afternoon,
Many of you have heard about the FM license application that Aujourd’hui l’Espoir, our partner in Quebec, submitted to CRTC for a license for a 300 watt station just outside of Montreal. We have just learned that a date has been set for the hearing. Please pray that the notice period (open until April 26th) will pass without comment or intervention from other parties, and for approval of the license at the hearing which will be held at 11:00am on May 31st in Gatineau, Quebec.
Please feel free to share this with anyone who is interested in ministry in Quebec. And if you want further information on this project, please let me know, and I would be happy to provide that to you.
Jason B.
TWR Canada
jbrown@twr.org
Our first Quebec-focused presentation, now available!
DNI worker-in-preparation, Caleb O., is studying French and doing presentations to recruit more DNI workers for Quebec. If you would like him to share at your church, please share the following information with your pastor!
Caleb O. writes:
You may have heard that DNI is seeking to start a church plant in Quebec. I am currently in the “worker in training” step with DNI, having been accepted by to go to Quebec. We are waiting for more people to form a team, and in the meantime I am doing what I can to help spread the vision and raise awareness about the opportunities and needs in Quebec. If you know of anyone who has an interest in Quebec, I would be grateful to be put in contact with them. I am giving some presentations over the summer months (from now through July). If your church would be interested in a presentation, I would be delighted to share with you about this part of God's harvest field. You can reach me by phone at 812-787-0072, and by email at doesjesusknowyou97@gmail.come. Blessings, Caleb O.
An exciting announcement (and prayer request) from TransWorld Radio, Quebec
Good afternoon,
Many of you have heard about the FM license application that Aujourd’hui l’Espoir, our partner in Quebec, submitted to CRTC for a license for a 300 watt station just outside of Montreal. We have just learned that a date has been set for the hearing. Please pray that the notice period (open until April 26th) will pass without comment or intervention from other parties, and for approval of the license at the hearing which will be held at 11:00am on May 31st in Gatineau, Quebec.
Please feel free to share this with anyone who is interested in ministry in Quebec. And if you want further information on this project, please let me know, and I would be happy to provide that to you.
Jason B.
TWR Canada
jbrown@twr.org
Our first Quebec-focused presentation, now available!
DNI worker-in-preparation, Caleb O., is studying French and doing presentations to recruit more DNI workers for Quebec. If you would like him to share at your church, please share the following information with your pastor!
Caleb O. writes:
You may have heard that DNI is seeking to start a church plant in Quebec. I am currently in the “worker in training” step with DNI, having been accepted by to go to Quebec. We are waiting for more people to form a team, and in the meantime I am doing what I can to help spread the vision and raise awareness about the opportunities and needs in Quebec. If you know of anyone who has an interest in Quebec, I would be grateful to be put in contact with them. I am giving some presentations over the summer months (from now through July). If your church would be interested in a presentation, I would be delighted to share with you about this part of God's harvest field. You can reach me by phone at 812-787-0072, and by email at doesjesusknowyou97@gmail.come. Blessings, Caleb O.
July Tidbits
7 per cent of Montrealers move on July 1st, according to 2013 estimates – that’s about 116,000 people. Moving Day causes stress, blocks up streets, and a lot of sweaty people drinking beer and eating pizza with a sore back and a wet paint roller in their hands. Keep in mind, if you’re not moving — be patient with those that are! After all, it’s Canada Day, a good day to practise good old fashioned Canadian manners.
Are you wondering why so many people move on July 1st?
As you might suspect, it was mandated by the Quebec government: but not for the reasons you may think.
Moving day actually used to be May 1st;French law in the 18th century set May 1 as the starting date for all legal agreements, including leases. The colonial government wanted to protect the people from seigneurs evicting their tenants before the last snowfall – (this year May would have been trouble – there was still ice and snow on our balconies!)
Later, this evolved into a requirement that urban leases begin on May 1 and end on April 30. In law, this date was set in the Civil Code of Lower Canada of 1866. May 1st thus became “Moving Day”.
The only problem with a May 1st moving day was that it was a major inconvenience for parents of children still in school. In 1973, the Quebec government mandated that Moving Day shift to July 1st, to ensure primary school children would be out for the summer. It also further protected from the occasional long winters experienced in Montreal.
Moving tomorrow? Good luck.
Keep your knees bent when lifting boxes –be mindful of your back! And stay hydrated. It’s going to be a hot one.
Source: http://www.homeinspectionmontreal.com/why-is-montreal-moving-day-on-july-1st/
7 per cent of Montrealers move on July 1st, according to 2013 estimates – that’s about 116,000 people. Moving Day causes stress, blocks up streets, and a lot of sweaty people drinking beer and eating pizza with a sore back and a wet paint roller in their hands. Keep in mind, if you’re not moving — be patient with those that are! After all, it’s Canada Day, a good day to practise good old fashioned Canadian manners.
Are you wondering why so many people move on July 1st?
As you might suspect, it was mandated by the Quebec government: but not for the reasons you may think.
Moving day actually used to be May 1st;French law in the 18th century set May 1 as the starting date for all legal agreements, including leases. The colonial government wanted to protect the people from seigneurs evicting their tenants before the last snowfall – (this year May would have been trouble – there was still ice and snow on our balconies!)
Later, this evolved into a requirement that urban leases begin on May 1 and end on April 30. In law, this date was set in the Civil Code of Lower Canada of 1866. May 1st thus became “Moving Day”.
The only problem with a May 1st moving day was that it was a major inconvenience for parents of children still in school. In 1973, the Quebec government mandated that Moving Day shift to July 1st, to ensure primary school children would be out for the summer. It also further protected from the occasional long winters experienced in Montreal.
Moving tomorrow? Good luck.
Keep your knees bent when lifting boxes –be mindful of your back! And stay hydrated. It’s going to be a hot one.
Source: http://www.homeinspectionmontreal.com/why-is-montreal-moving-day-on-july-1st/
June Tidbits
The North American Mission Board (Southern Baptists) recognizes the need for church planting in Quebec. They are currently focusing on the city of Montreal, Quebec's largest city. Below is an excerpt from their website about the needs in Quebec, specifically Montreal.
"It’s a city with streets named after saints and with church buildings around almost every corner, but things are not what they seem. 'Even if it seems like Jesus’ presence is here, it’s not. It’s a religious presence here. His work is not known. His sacrifice is not known. Nobody can explain why Jesus died on the cross. Ninety-five percent have no clue,' says church planter François Verschelden, a Montreal native.
"Until a few decades ago, the Catholic church was in charge of Québec’s education system and much of its government. Now, while a majority of its residents still identify as Catholic, that same majority sees no reason for continued observance of those traditions.
"It is a city filled with churches in a province filled with churches that are all but empty or on the verge of closing. This has all followed what is called the “Quiet Revolution” of the 1960s. Now the majority-Québécois population of Montreal and broader Québec see Catholicism as part of their cultural heritage and nothing more.
"Québec is 0.5 percent evangelical, and Montreal is 0.7 percent."
Click on the following links to learn more...
https://vimeo.com/83854724
https://www.namb.net/files/namb/Files/Montreal-Overview.pdf
The North American Mission Board (Southern Baptists) recognizes the need for church planting in Quebec. They are currently focusing on the city of Montreal, Quebec's largest city. Below is an excerpt from their website about the needs in Quebec, specifically Montreal.
"It’s a city with streets named after saints and with church buildings around almost every corner, but things are not what they seem. 'Even if it seems like Jesus’ presence is here, it’s not. It’s a religious presence here. His work is not known. His sacrifice is not known. Nobody can explain why Jesus died on the cross. Ninety-five percent have no clue,' says church planter François Verschelden, a Montreal native.
"Until a few decades ago, the Catholic church was in charge of Québec’s education system and much of its government. Now, while a majority of its residents still identify as Catholic, that same majority sees no reason for continued observance of those traditions.
"It is a city filled with churches in a province filled with churches that are all but empty or on the verge of closing. This has all followed what is called the “Quiet Revolution” of the 1960s. Now the majority-Québécois population of Montreal and broader Québec see Catholicism as part of their cultural heritage and nothing more.
"Québec is 0.5 percent evangelical, and Montreal is 0.7 percent."
Click on the following links to learn more...
https://vimeo.com/83854724
https://www.namb.net/files/namb/Files/Montreal-Overview.pdf
May Tidbits
Quebec has seen much political turmoil over the past century. Political movements have come and gone but one thing remains the same: the strong, and at times fierce French nationalism. 83% of Quebecois are of French descent and the official language of the province is French.
What does this mean for those who take the Gospel to Quebec? It means they must learn French. And they must seek to learn it well.
Are you interested in learning French? Why not get started today with Duolingo? It's completely free! Download the app on your smartphone or use it online. https://www.duolingo.com/
Quebec has seen much political turmoil over the past century. Political movements have come and gone but one thing remains the same: the strong, and at times fierce French nationalism. 83% of Quebecois are of French descent and the official language of the province is French.
What does this mean for those who take the Gospel to Quebec? It means they must learn French. And they must seek to learn it well.
Are you interested in learning French? Why not get started today with Duolingo? It's completely free! Download the app on your smartphone or use it online. https://www.duolingo.com/
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April Tidbits
At the recent REACH Conference, various individuals shared significant interest in DNI's vision to plant churches in Quebec. One brother shared the following story. "Some years ago, I heard (second-hand) the story of a Gideon Bible distributor in Quebec who was distributing Bibles in a high school, until he was stopped by an irate school administrator. A week later the same administrator called him and said, "Whatever that book was that you were distributing, it's totally changed the atmosphere of our school. Can you come back and ensure that every student gets a copy who didn't the last time?" That anecdote illustrates both the spiritual ignorance and the spiritual hunger so common in Quebec." God is at work, but the harvesters are few. Please pray that God will raise up a team of committed believers to pioneer a church plant in this lost province. |
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March Tidbits
Last week, a Quebec City hospital removed a small crucifix that hangs near its lobby elevators. Among those who protested the decision was the Roman Catholic archbishop of Quebec. "Like very many Quebecers, I am expressing my distinct disappointment with this decision, but I can't believe this is the end of the story. At a time when we are talking about being tolerant, open, welcoming and respecting differences, the withdrawal of the crucifix from the Hopital du Saint-Sacrement goes exactly in the other direction." Yesterday, the cross was restored. Read full article here. This story reveals the tension between progressive secularism and traditional religion in Quebec. Please pray that God will raise up a team to take the Gospel to this needy province. |
November Tidbits
Read article by DNI publications editor Heather Lehman Quebec: Building Without a Foundation. Click here to download.
Read article by DNI publications editor Heather Lehman Quebec: Building Without a Foundation. Click here to download.
October Tidbits
Read Christianity Today's article about Charles Foster and Marc Pilon's experiences in evangelism and church planting in Quebec. Click here to download.
Read Christianity Today's article about Charles Foster and Marc Pilon's experiences in evangelism and church planting in Quebec. Click here to download.
August Tidbits
The new Immigrant Investor Program in Quebec is trying to attract wealth to its province. It offers permanent residence to foreigners who invest at least $800,000 CA in the local economy, interest-free, for five years.
The Quebec government also offers up to $8,000 in rebates for purchasing electric vehicles. Interesting fact: A taxi company recently purchased 12 Tesla Model S cars ($70,000+ vehicle!) as they move towards an all-electric fleet.
This progressive province has plenty of money but is Spiritually bankrupt. Are we willing to offer the hope of the Gospel to the wealthy?
The new Immigrant Investor Program in Quebec is trying to attract wealth to its province. It offers permanent residence to foreigners who invest at least $800,000 CA in the local economy, interest-free, for five years.
The Quebec government also offers up to $8,000 in rebates for purchasing electric vehicles. Interesting fact: A taxi company recently purchased 12 Tesla Model S cars ($70,000+ vehicle!) as they move towards an all-electric fleet.
This progressive province has plenty of money but is Spiritually bankrupt. Are we willing to offer the hope of the Gospel to the wealthy?
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June Tidbits
$400 million dollars. That’s the estimated profit this year for maple syrup farmers in Quebec. According to a Montreal news channel, “this spring farmers in Quebec produced 148.2 million pounds of syrup, which is 20 percent more than the previous record set in 2013" (CTV News, Montreal). That’s lots of pancakes! Montreal is the largest city in Quebec with a metro population of 4.1 million. As the city continues to grow, people look for more efficient ways to get around in the city. Over the last 5 years, biking has really grown as a mode of transportation. An estimated 116,000 bike trips are made every day within the city limits! Montreal is the second largest city in Canada, after Toronto. It bears heavy influence on the country’s economics and international affairs. It also boasts the highest per-capita concentration of university students in all of North America. The churches in Quebec continue to vacate and the younger generation is throwing off all religious affiliation. How will we respond as God-fearing neighbors? Will we offer them the hope of the Gospel…in French? |
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May Tidbits
Churches in Quebec continue to look for creative new ways to keep their current members and to attract the new, younger generation. This week the Anglican church ordained a new bishop named Bruce Myers. As an ex-journalist and radio talk show host from the 1990s, he isn't your typical candidate for ordination in the Anglican church. Below is an excerpt from a recent news article by the Montreal Gazette. Read full article here. “We’re a dying anglophone institution,” said Archdeacon Edward Simonton, who will be master of ceremonies at Myers’s consecration. He has high hopes that Myers will inject just the right dose of youthfulness, worldliness and dynamism into the diocese. ... “Quebec is kind of famously known as the most secular place on Earth right now … but there’s a new generation, I think, of people who have no direct association with the church or any religious group whatsoever, many people who aren’t even baptized, who are searching for something, searching for that fundamental meaning, asking the fundamental existential questions that people have always asked since the beginning of time, and I think that creates a wonderful opportunity for the church,” said Myers. What will we do about our unreached Francophone neighbors? |
March Tidbits
Tourism attracts many to Quebec every year: snowmobiling, dogsledding, hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, and more. In fact, over four million tourists visit Quebec each year! But how many people go to Quebec to take the good news? Very few.
DNI continues to look for singles, couples and families who are called by God to do church planting in Quebec. Is God calling you?
Tourism attracts many to Quebec every year: snowmobiling, dogsledding, hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, and more. In fact, over four million tourists visit Quebec each year! But how many people go to Quebec to take the good news? Very few.
DNI continues to look for singles, couples and families who are called by God to do church planting in Quebec. Is God calling you?
February Tidbits
Last June, Money Sense magazine published a list titled "Canada's Best Places To Live In 2015." To compile this ranking, they considered many different factors, including: unemployment, crime, affordable housing, walkability, health care, weather, and more. Want to guess which city/town ranked first?
Boucherville, Quebec. This small town, with a population of 40,000, lies just to the east of Montreal. 94% of the town is Roman Catholic, with that same percentage speaking French as their first language. Click here for the Wikipedia page.
Quoting Money Sense:
"If you want to live in the best place in Canada, you might want to brush up on your French. Visit Boucherville’s website and you won’t find much information in English—that’s only available upon request. If you let language be a barrier to exploring this city, then it’s your loss. Boucherville scores high marks in just about every category we track, from low unemployment, high incomes and affordable housing, to strong population growth, good access to transit and a vibrant arts community." Click here to read the article.
This is just one of Quebec's many prosperous, comfortable towns in need of Spiritual life and hope. Are we willing to humble ourselves and reach out to our wealthy neighbors to the north?
Last June, Money Sense magazine published a list titled "Canada's Best Places To Live In 2015." To compile this ranking, they considered many different factors, including: unemployment, crime, affordable housing, walkability, health care, weather, and more. Want to guess which city/town ranked first?
Boucherville, Quebec. This small town, with a population of 40,000, lies just to the east of Montreal. 94% of the town is Roman Catholic, with that same percentage speaking French as their first language. Click here for the Wikipedia page.
Quoting Money Sense:
"If you want to live in the best place in Canada, you might want to brush up on your French. Visit Boucherville’s website and you won’t find much information in English—that’s only available upon request. If you let language be a barrier to exploring this city, then it’s your loss. Boucherville scores high marks in just about every category we track, from low unemployment, high incomes and affordable housing, to strong population growth, good access to transit and a vibrant arts community." Click here to read the article.
This is just one of Quebec's many prosperous, comfortable towns in need of Spiritual life and hope. Are we willing to humble ourselves and reach out to our wealthy neighbors to the north?
Quebec Videos
Quebec Mission Opportunities: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilMTNOFN0tQ
Quebec Workshop: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByVjAkZ96oQ
Quebec Mission Opportunities: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilMTNOFN0tQ
Quebec Workshop: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByVjAkZ96oQ
Quebec: Canada's Prodigal Province
According to Christianity Today, "Quebec ranks first among Canada's provinces for rates of child poverty, suicide, divorce, cohabitating couples, and illegitimate births. Despite the historic Christian presence, new religions and secularism have a strong grip" (Ann-Margret Hovsepian, Quebec: Canada's Prodigal Province).
Open the following document to read the article:
According to Christianity Today, "Quebec ranks first among Canada's provinces for rates of child poverty, suicide, divorce, cohabitating couples, and illegitimate births. Despite the historic Christian presence, new religions and secularism have a strong grip" (Ann-Margret Hovsepian, Quebec: Canada's Prodigal Province).
Open the following document to read the article:
| Quebec: Canada's Prodigal Province |
Quebec: Our neighbor
This vast mission field of 8.2 million people, is within a day's driving distance for many conservative Anabaptists.
Lancaster > Montreal: 9 hrs.
Lancaster > Quebec City: 11 hrs.
Holmes County > Montreal: 10 hrs.
Holmes County > Quebec City: 12 hrs.
Consider planning a family field trip to "spy out the land"! Before you go, learn some basic French at: http://www.europa-pages.co.uk/lessons/french.html
This vast mission field of 8.2 million people, is within a day's driving distance for many conservative Anabaptists.
Lancaster > Montreal: 9 hrs.
Lancaster > Quebec City: 11 hrs.
Holmes County > Montreal: 10 hrs.
Holmes County > Quebec City: 12 hrs.
Consider planning a family field trip to "spy out the land"! Before you go, learn some basic French at: http://www.europa-pages.co.uk/lessons/french.html
The Religious Historical Background of Quebec
| Quebec-The Great Darkness.pdf |
