Written by: Dan Veeneman
On February 12, Diaconal Ministries Canada partnered with World Renew to host a timely webinar titled “Good News for Whom? The Gospel and Canada’s Refugee Policy.” Led by Dena Nicolai, who serves as a Program Associate with World Renew’s Refugee Sponsorship and Resettlement Program, the event invited CRC members across the country to reflect on both our history and our present moment.
The webinar was offered twice to accommodate participants from Western and Eastern Canada, with a total of 34 participating. The content was the same, but the conversations took on their own shape. Churches shared stories of active refugee sponsorship and support, setbacks, and questions about advocacy.
Why this webinar, and why now?
Dena explained that Diaconal Ministries’ staff approached her because they are seeing two realities unfold at the same time.
“Support for refugees through Private Sponsorship and other ways of support remains strong,” she said. “But at the same time, the decreasing support for refugees and immigrants that we’re seeing in broader Canadian society is also being reflected in our churches. And often you’ll hear both sentiments reflected in the same church, depending on who you talk to.”
That tension is not theoretical. It shows up in fellowship halls and council meetings.
The Christian Reformed Church in Canada has been welcoming refugees through private sponsorship for 47 years. Through economic downturns and political shifts, churches have continued to sponsor families as an expression of discipleship. “The churches have always spoken of this welcome as part of their call to be the People of God,” Dena noted.
This history matters. It reminds us that refugee sponsorship has never been about convenience or public opinion. It has been about faithfulness.
A Changing Landscape
At the same time, the policy landscape is shifting. Recent decisions by the Government of Canada include cuts to the number of refugees who will arrive in Canada in coming years and a reduction in the number of private sponsorship applications that Sponsorship Agreement Holders like World Renew will be able to submit in 2026.
These changes not only cause confusion and frustration for congregations eager to sponsor, but have real life implications for refugees living in vulnerable situations in other places, including those who are at active risk of deportation back to dangerous home countries such as Afghanistan.
Alongside policy shifts, rhetoric has grown sharper. Refugees and immigrants are increasingly blamed for housing shortages, pressure on health care, and rising crime. The webinar addressed these claims directly with data, research, and lived experience. Participants were provided with myth-busting resources and research on immigration and crime in Canada — tools to help ground conversations in facts rather than fear.
Correcting Misconceptions with Courage
Mark Vanderwees, Regional Ministry Developer for Canada East, shared what prompted his involvement.
“I was at a church function a few months ago and the conversation switched to immigration in Canada,” he said. Someone claimed that asylum seekers awaiting hearings were “put up in 5 star hotels.”
Mark’s experience told a different story. A man he knew had spent his first four months in shelters. When Mark asked about the source of the claim, the response was telling. “He couldn’t remember, he just heard it from someone.”
“This was the impetus for me to address some of these misconceptions with this webinar,” Mark added.
Misinformation spreads easily. Correcting it takes patience and courage. It also takes preparation. In response, participants were equipped with practical tools — including an Advocacy 101 booklet and guidance on how to engage elected officials thoughtfully and respectfully.
Re-Humanizing the Conversation
Dena emphasized that as followers of Christ, we should be “re-humanizing conversations about immigrants and refugees, as they are human beings made in the image of God.”
That means countering myths with facts, yes, but also telling stories. It means remembering that behind every statistic is a human being.
Participants heard stories of congregations that continue to embody this calling. Rachel Vroege, Regional Ministry Developer for Canada West, highlighted Fleetwood CRC in Surrey, which is sponsoring 21 members of the same family. Others shared about plans that did not unfold as expected. One church had prepared extensively to welcome a Syrian family, only to have the application denied.
These experiences reflect both the joy and the frustration of sponsorship work.
Rachel noted that Diaconal Ministries Canada wanted the webinar to address both policy and posture. “There is increased rhetoric blaming immigrants and refugees for challenges in Canadian society,” she said. Dena’s role was to provide “information about these policy changes and what this means to the many CRC churches who are actively involved with sponsorship,” while also reminding us of “our calling as Christians to welcome the foreigner and stranger.”
Refugee welcome is not a one-time project. It is a long obedience.
From Conversation to Faithful Presence
No single webinar can resolve every question or concern. As Dena reflected, “I wouldn’t say we met all of those objectives, but it’s an ongoing conversation for all of us, and we hope to continue to be part of it.”
That ongoing conversation is already taking shape.
World Renew and the Christian Reformed Centre for Public Dialogue collaborated on an Action Alert to make it easier for churches and individuals to contact their Members of Parliament.
Participants were also invited to engage with the Canadian Council for Refugees “We’re Better Together” campaign — a public affirmation that our Canada includes immigrants and refugees.
These are not merely political gestures. They are expressions of discipleship lived out in public life.
For those who were unable to attend, a recording of the webinar is available. Churches are encouraged to continue the discussion in council rooms, small groups, and congregational gatherings, using the resources provided to shape conversations that are informed, compassionate, and rooted in our shared calling.
If this webinar reminded us of anything, it is this: refugee welcome is not a one-time project. It is a long obedience.
It is formed in prayer meetings, budget discussions, airport pickups, and letters to MPs. It is sustained by stories, by facts, and above all by the conviction that the stranger is our neighbour.
Faithful welcome requires more than sentiment. It calls for informed compassion, courageous conversation, and concrete action — lived out steadily, together, over time.
