Dear Redwood Family,
On May 28th 2023, Pentecost Sunday, we held a Sacred Assembly to publicly acknowledge and repent the past abuse at Redwood Park Church. If you were there, you know how God's Spirit was profoundly present in our midst in confession, forgiveness, and in our renewed commitment to make Jesus the centre of our church.
The Sacred Assembly was a key turning point in a process of spiritual renewal and transformation at Redwood. At the end of the service, I promised to provide timely updates of our progress as we worked through the recommendations in the Metanoia Report.
This letter is the first of several progress reports I hope to offer you in the months ahead.
The Sacred Assembly was a key turning point in a process of spiritual renewal and transformation at Redwood. At the end of the service, I promised to provide timely updates of our progress as we worked through the recommendations in the Metanoia Report.
This letter is the first of several progress reports I hope to offer you in the months ahead.
Reconciling the Past
Our first and primary focus was to humbly prepare for and conduct the Sacred Assembly. We confronted our past truthfully through personal and corporate repentance. This included sincere apologies on behalf of the Redwood Staff, Redwood Elder's Board, The Alliance District Superintendent, and The Alliance Canada President. But we are also mindful that repentance is the beginning not the end of a redemptive healing process. So, we are committed to taking additional steps following the recommendations of the report.
We have also formed a Redemptive Healing Team (RHT), a group of people dedicated to provide a pathway for care and healing to those impacted by sexual abuse. Over the past few months, a team of seven women and men have completed four, three-hour training sessions. Their primary responsibility is to come alongside students, family members, and congregants who were directly or indirectly negatively impacted by past abuse. The RHT members’ role is to listen and help people find the counselling and appropriate care needed to move forward.
Also, we will continue to give prayerful attention to the physical as well as spiritual care of our church building. A few weeks ago, another group of people joined me on a Sunday afternoon for two hours praying through our entire church facility. We anointed each doorway with oil, praying God's cleansing of any residue of evil as well as the Holy Spirit's protection and blessing for all who enter our doors going forward. This is not the first time this has happened and will not be the last.
We have also formed a Redemptive Healing Team (RHT), a group of people dedicated to provide a pathway for care and healing to those impacted by sexual abuse. Over the past few months, a team of seven women and men have completed four, three-hour training sessions. Their primary responsibility is to come alongside students, family members, and congregants who were directly or indirectly negatively impacted by past abuse. The RHT members’ role is to listen and help people find the counselling and appropriate care needed to move forward.
Also, we will continue to give prayerful attention to the physical as well as spiritual care of our church building. A few weeks ago, another group of people joined me on a Sunday afternoon for two hours praying through our entire church facility. We anointed each doorway with oil, praying God's cleansing of any residue of evil as well as the Holy Spirit's protection and blessing for all who enter our doors going forward. This is not the first time this has happened and will not be the last.
How you can be involved
We invite your participation and prayerful support to the healing process. First, please pray for these individuals serving on the RHT:
Second, please help us reach people who might benefit from talking to a member of our RHT. If you know of someone impacted personally, gently inform them about the Team and encourage them to contact the RHT through the newly formed confidential email portal: RHT@redwoodpark.ca
Third, after the New Year, the RHT will be hosting special learning opportunities for students, parents, and the wider congregation on the topic of abuse prevention. The best way to ensure the safety of our people and prevent abuse from ever happening again is to remember and learn from our past, not forget it.
If you have questions or would like to meet with the RHT, please contact Pastor Jay Ewing at jay@redwoodpark.ca or any member of the Team listed above by emailing RHT@redwoodpark.ca.
All the information about the RHT can be found on our website by visiting the Care Ministries page at redwoodpark.ca/care, or by going directly to redwoodpark.ca/rht.
Thank you for your continued prayers and for your commitment to Redwood Park Church.
Grace & Peace,
Milissa Ewing (Lead Pastor) and the Redwood Elder's Board
-Bonita Ledua
-Vannessa Thelwell
-Andrea Roy
-Steven Roy
-Torika Ledua
-Andrew Siren
-Jay Ewing
-Advisor - Elke Carlson (The Alliance Canada, Director of Safe Ministry)
Third, after the New Year, the RHT will be hosting special learning opportunities for students, parents, and the wider congregation on the topic of abuse prevention. The best way to ensure the safety of our people and prevent abuse from ever happening again is to remember and learn from our past, not forget it.
If you have questions or would like to meet with the RHT, please contact Pastor Jay Ewing at jay@redwoodpark.ca or any member of the Team listed above by emailing RHT@redwoodpark.ca.
All the information about the RHT can be found on our website by visiting the Care Ministries page at redwoodpark.ca/care, or by going directly to redwoodpark.ca/rht.
Thank you for your continued prayers and for your commitment to Redwood Park Church.
Grace & Peace,
Milissa Ewing (Lead Pastor) and the Redwood Elder's Board
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)
Answers to frequently asked questions about the Redemptive Healing Team
Q. What is the Redemptive Healing Team (RHT)?
The RHT is a group of volunteers who will:
Q. Why was the Redemptive Healing Team formed?
The RHT was formed in response to a 2023 study which found past incidences of sexual abuse at Redwood Park Church. Those findings led to recommendations for public repentance and fundamental changes in church policies and culture. A Sacred Assembly was held last Pentecost Sunday, (May 28, 2023) to publicly acknowledge personal and communal sin and to commit ourselves to change. A RHT was formed to follow up on the confessions and commitments made.
Q. We've repented, why do we need a Redemptive Healing Team?
Because repentance is the beginning of reconciliation, not the end. An apology without action denies responsibility and risks repeating the sin by failing to learn and change. Only by telling our story truthfully celebrating our joys and taking responsibility for our failures can we learn and grow into a community that truly cares for and protects all, especially those most vulnerable.
Q. What is the mission of the Redemptive Healing Team?
To join God's work of reconciliation for people directly or indirectly negatively impacted by abuse at Redwood Park Church.
Q. Who is serving now on the Redemptive Healing Team?
The initial team is comprised of the following volunteers who have completed four, three-hour training sessions in empathetic listening and spiritual understanding of abuse:
Q. Who are the people the Redemptive Healing Team will serve?
The primary people served will be individuals who experienced sexual abuse while attending Redwood Park Church; extended family members of these individuals, and others directly or indirectly negatively impacted by abuse. The RHT will also organize and oversee training and dialogue on abuse prevention for Redwood congregants in the future months.
Q. What, exactly, will the Redemptive Healing Team do?
The primary duties of the RHT is to invite, listen to and acknowledge the stories of people impacted by abuse; to answer questions or address concerns they may have, and to offer safe pathways for people to receive any emotional, spiritual or relational support they may need. This includes referring people to a choice of counsellors and helping to pay for their counselling.
Q. How will abuse prevention teaching and dialogue be offered to the congregation?
The RHT will plan and provide a series of Dialogue & Discovery forums with youth, parents of youth, as well as Redwood congregants and staff. These forums will include training by experts to explain the nature and symptoms of abuse as well as to answer questions, explore ideas, and provide resources for identifying and preventing abuse in the future.
Q. How can you participate?
There are various ways you may participate:
Any person may contact the RHT through the confidential email port at RHT@redwoodpark.ca or by contacting Pastor Jay Ewing directly at jay@redwoodpark.ca
Q. Will this process be confidential?
All personal information and interaction in the process is confidential and will not be shared outside the RHT without your consent.
Q. What is the Redemptive Healing Team (RHT)?
The RHT is a group of volunteers who will:
1. Listen to and offer pathways for care to people impacted by abuse at Redwood Park Church.
2. Ensure ongoing learning of abuse prevention at Redwood Park Church.
Q. Why was the Redemptive Healing Team formed?
The RHT was formed in response to a 2023 study which found past incidences of sexual abuse at Redwood Park Church. Those findings led to recommendations for public repentance and fundamental changes in church policies and culture. A Sacred Assembly was held last Pentecost Sunday, (May 28, 2023) to publicly acknowledge personal and communal sin and to commit ourselves to change. A RHT was formed to follow up on the confessions and commitments made.
Q. We've repented, why do we need a Redemptive Healing Team?
Because repentance is the beginning of reconciliation, not the end. An apology without action denies responsibility and risks repeating the sin by failing to learn and change. Only by telling our story truthfully celebrating our joys and taking responsibility for our failures can we learn and grow into a community that truly cares for and protects all, especially those most vulnerable.
Q. What is the mission of the Redemptive Healing Team?
To join God's work of reconciliation for people directly or indirectly negatively impacted by abuse at Redwood Park Church.
Q. Who is serving now on the Redemptive Healing Team?
The initial team is comprised of the following volunteers who have completed four, three-hour training sessions in empathetic listening and spiritual understanding of abuse:
-Bonita Ledua
-Vannessa Thelwell
-Andrea Roy
-Steven Roy
-Torika Ledua
-Andrew Siren
-Jay Ewing
-Advisor - Elke Carlson (The Alliance Canada, Director of Safe Ministry)
Q. Who are the people the Redemptive Healing Team will serve?
The primary people served will be individuals who experienced sexual abuse while attending Redwood Park Church; extended family members of these individuals, and others directly or indirectly negatively impacted by abuse. The RHT will also organize and oversee training and dialogue on abuse prevention for Redwood congregants in the future months.
Q. What, exactly, will the Redemptive Healing Team do?
The primary duties of the RHT is to invite, listen to and acknowledge the stories of people impacted by abuse; to answer questions or address concerns they may have, and to offer safe pathways for people to receive any emotional, spiritual or relational support they may need. This includes referring people to a choice of counsellors and helping to pay for their counselling.
Q. How will abuse prevention teaching and dialogue be offered to the congregation?
The RHT will plan and provide a series of Dialogue & Discovery forums with youth, parents of youth, as well as Redwood congregants and staff. These forums will include training by experts to explain the nature and symptoms of abuse as well as to answer questions, explore ideas, and provide resources for identifying and preventing abuse in the future.
Q. How can you participate?
There are various ways you may participate:
-If you are a victim or have been negatively impacted by past abuse, we encourage you to contact Pastor Jay Ewing or any member of the RHT for a personal and private conversation at RHT@redwoodpark.ca.
-If you know of students or families who might benefit from this healing process, please invite and encourage them to contact the RHT.
-If you attend Redwood regularly, please pray for the RHT members and for any person(s) who would benefit from a reconciliation process.
-Please attend and encourage others to attend the special Dialogue & Discovery sessions.
Q. How do I contact the Redemptive Healing Team?Any person may contact the RHT through the confidential email port at RHT@redwoodpark.ca or by contacting Pastor Jay Ewing directly at jay@redwoodpark.ca
Q. Will this process be confidential?
All personal information and interaction in the process is confidential and will not be shared outside the RHT without your consent.
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