The Coming and Going
It is hard to know where
to begin describing the four days in Québec City attending the Watchmen For the Nations, ONE HEART
Gathering. Marg and I have never been in such a diverse gathering of
Canadians – Canadians who confess Jesus as their Lord and Saviour! A group
of us from Southern Ontario including some from the Peterborough area, the
Golden Horseshoe and even one from B.C. travelled to Québec City on a coach
tour arranged by Canadian Christian Tours. Doug Campbell
was our host and it was the first time that a CCT tour was arranged for
Watchmen gatherings. We left a day early on Wednesday and came back on the
Monday following the last day of the conference.
Thank you Doug and
staff!
After a very
eventful start originating from the Crossroads
Center in Burlington, that included inclement weather,
snarled Toronto traffic, construction everywhere on the 401, we finally
arrived in Québec City after nearly 14 hours! The following day however, we
were treated to a wonderful tour of the city including the old sections and
many famous landmarks such as the Plains of Abraham where we were to have
our march on Sunday.
The ‘One Heart’
Conference started on Thursday night July 28th with nearly 4000
in attendance. This included over 150 Inuit from Nunavut, Nunavik and Nunatsiavut (the newly named Inuit
territory in Northern Labrador), many First Nations and Métis as well as
Québecquois and Anglophones from across Canada. In addition there were
dozens from overseas.
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The “One Heart” bus
group from Toronto
Some of the Group at “Diamond Lookout”
click for full-resolution Image (our “leader" Doug Campbell is front right)
The Conference
The conference
titled “One Heart” or in French “Un Seul Cœur” was the next step in a
progression of over ten years of bringing healing to Canada through God’s
people humbling themselves, confessing corporate and individual sins and
reconciling with their brothers and sisters from different cultures in this
country. It took place from Thursday, July 28 to Sunday, July 31 at the
Québec City Conference Center.
Since 1995,
Watchmen for the Nations, spearheaded by David Damian, has coordinated a
series of Gatherings for the leadership and body of Christ in Canada. Unlike
traditional conferences with lineups of speakers and prescribed schedules,
these Gatherings centre on a singular guiding principle: believers
congregating to seek the face of the Lord corporately for His purposes for
the church.
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The French banner for ‘One Heart” The Inuit, First Nations
and Métis celebrating.
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Inuit & First
Nation Leaders raise the Canadian flag. The flag of Nunavut is raised for
all to see.
Throughout the
conference we were all so proud of our Canadian, Provincial and Territorial
flags and the unity shown between all nations and regions in Canada –
French, English, Inuit, First Nations, Métis and Immigrants.
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Praise, Worship, Forgiveness & the ‘Marriages’
One of the most
meaningful aspects of the conference was the magnificent praise and
worship. At every session we were taken through the frontlines of Spiritual
warfare. Denominational and cultural walls came tumbling down right before
our eyes.
Every day of the
conference, more and more healing took place – healing first between the
French and English Canadians – the ‘marriage’ of these two groups was a
moving scene with leaders such as David Maines and others blessing our
French brothers and sisters.
Then healing and
reconciliation between the Inuit, First Nations and Métis with French and
English Canada – leaders and individuals from all these groups confessed
wrongs, gave and received forgiveness and reconciled right before us – we
were a part of these marriages between fellow Canadian believers.
Then yet another
‘marriage’ ceremony took place with vows being renewed between all the
married couples in attendance.
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Praise and Worship
leaders ‘going before’ the Lord.
Nearly every national group in Canada was
brought
together before the Lord .
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Throughout
the conference, the on-stage dancers brought to life the themes and
feelings of the conference – the ‘marriages’, the history of French Canada
and the founding of Québec City in 1608.
One significant
event was the placing of people’s watches on the first-nation drum shown
below. We all are synchronized now to ‘Indian Time’ an expression coined at
the conference.
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The “umbrellas of
nations” displayed on stage. The
watches of the cultures brought together
in “Indian Time”. It
is God’s time for Canada!
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The March
There were so many
highlights of the gathering in Québec City but they were eclipsed by the
march on Sunday, July 31. The march was led by the Inuit followed by the
First Nations and Métis followed by the Provinces and finally the overseas
guests.
Nearly 4000 strong
marched through Québec City from the Conference Center, past the Québec
Parliament buildings and on to the Plains of Abraham where Canadian history
was set by the battle of over 200 years ago. It was so fitting to have the
march end there and have public reconciliation displayed on the very
grounds where French and English fought each other so many years ago.
 
Marching in front of the Parliament
buildings. Nearly 4000 marching in
downtown Québec City.
 
Marg and I enjoying the sun and the
parade. Marchers arriving on the
Plains of Abraham.
 
Some of the
multitudes assembling before God
Many first-nation, provincial and territorial flags
on the Plains in full view of the
mighty dotted the
back-drop of the picnic.
St. Lawrence River.
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Never has Canada
witnessed such an outpouring of unity and reconciliation – the ‘marriage’
of French and English Canada and the First Nations and Immigrants. Praise the
Lord! May we now take the torch and continue to nurture this new covenant
of marriage within our own communities.
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Ian & Marg
Ridpath
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