How generous, broad-minded, and ecumenical. Now: when will the local mosque put its Qur’ans away (since they deny the crucifixion, divinity, and redemption of Christ) in order to avoid offending Christians?
“Elise Stolte: Mill Woods church takes a cross off the wall to welcome Muslims, Sikhs,” by Elise Stolte, Edmonton Journal, December 26, 2018 (thanks to E.):
They took the cross off the church wall.
That’s the detail that caught my attention when I heard about the Millbourne Community Life Centre, a church that reinvented itself as a neighbourhood meeting space, open to anyone, and a drop-in centre for youth in what is sometimes a rough neighbourhood.
These days, the world can seem so polarized. To see the centre take down such a significant religious symbol to ensure Muslim and Sikh neighbours feel welcome is a beautiful gesture.
Today, the building at 2101 Millbourne Road West, in Mill Woods, hosts a long list of activities run by different partners. The mix includes English as a second language classes, a Chinese women’s dance group, a food bank pickup location, various sports camps during the summer, a drop-in program for youth, a medical clinic, a quilting club, a collective kitchen and more. The soccer team formed by nurses from the nearby Grey Nuns Hospital have practices in the gym. Youth Unlimited took over the basement, renovating it to create a concert venue, a video game nook and a recording studio.
The centre also hosts three different Christian groups who worship there on Sundays — a Punjabi service, a Filipino service and an English-speaking church called City South. I ask if the centre would let a neighbourhood group of a different religion use the space for worship, but that seems to be where they draw the line.
No, says Tim Cook, the on-site director. “When it comes to teaching and leading a religion in our facility, we’d have a hard time.”
I’m curious if that will ever change. After all, the centre has seen significant shifts in its 50-year history, and has adapted to them. It’s in an old building that was once known as the Millbourne Alliance Church. But, as is the case with so many mainstream Christian churches in Edmonton, the congregation gradually aged and dwindled to the point where it could no longer afford to keep the doors open.
In 2011, the nearby South Edmonton Alliance Church agreed to sponsor an effort to reuse the building, paying Cook’s salary. Every group that expresses interest in using the space is welcomed as a partner. Groups pay what they can and, so far, it’s been enough to cover the utilities and basic maintenance. Still, no one is quite sure how to repair the gym roof (it leaks) or replace the old, inefficient furnace.
The 1.8-metre (six-foot cross) came down off the outside wall in 2011, and it’s a decision that still doesn’t sit well with some older community members, said Cook.
“It caused quite a kerfuffle. But I always say, we don’t worship the cross.”…
Terry Gain says
“These days, the world can seem so polarized. To see the centre take down such a significant religious symbol to ensure Muslim and Sikh neighbours feel welcome is a beautiful gesture.”
,,,,,,,,,,
Yes, nothing is a beautiful as submitting to the evil, violent totalitarian political ideology of Islam. I doubt that the Sikhs had anything to do with this.
My diversity cup is full.
Vijay says
Why bring in Sikh I doubt any Sikh. Would have objected to cross
Charles Martel says
precisely… this is about islam, and genuflecting to political correctness. Sikhs don’t bother anybody… but muslims bother everybody. This church doesn’t deserve to survive.
WASP says
If the sikhs had nothing to do with it or they ‘cowardly’ declined complicity to the removal of our Christian symol they either agreed or were ‘cowqrds’….how can any religion remain silent? If the Muslims attended a Temple and demanded the removal of a Sikh symbol I think most people would agree there would be an uprising. I wonder how the Sikhs would react if the Muslims demanded they remove their turban?….
katherine says
Those are your Cowardly Canadian Cuck-Sikhs who do not even understand where they stand in this war.
What they could have done if they had any principles, was to refuse participation in the event – the removal of the cross had already invalidated the premise’s claim to being a church, not legally but symbolically.
The Shikh community has always been known for a proliferation of lawyers – wonder who they choose to represent these days – the besieged Canadians or the invaders.
And why were they shoved together with Muslims — because they wore Turbans ? Again ?
gravenimage says
True, Terry. I was thinking that mentioning the Sikhs as almost certainly a red herring.
Lil Miss burka says
Muslims & sikhs don’t have to go there if their so offended. Just like Christians don’t go to Muslim mosques or Hindu temples.
To remove the cross from a “ Christian” institution is to remove the very heart of Christianity. It represents our forgiveness of sins & redemption.
To remove it to satisfy permanently offended Muslims is to submit to Islam & Allah.
That church “ has a form of a Godliness but deny8ng the power. From such turn away”
Edd says
Heaven forbid anyone bring up the fact that Mohammed was a murderous warlord. That alone is a death warrant.
T says
Agreed! Proof these people have no idea who Christ is and what it means to be Christian.
Marcia Fridland says
I wonder if Muslims would stop wearing the burka to avoid offending others.
Joseph Stephens says
only the stupid idiots will give in to the muslim,heads will fly
Ralph Krueger says
They’re weak in the faith and are lost…..
Marty says
The problem is what you believe is no more of the truth in with the Muslims believe. Or what the Jews believe. Or what the Buddhists believe. All of it is not what the Scriptures teach. Christendom especially does not teach what the Bible teaches. What they teach is mostly pagan beliefs they were pre-dominant in the first through the fourth century’s.
FYI says
Today’s message for the “christians” of Mill wood church
“If a person is ashamed of Me and of My teaching then the Son of Man will be ashamed of him”
Luke 9 v 26
“If anyone rejects Me publically I will reject him before My father in heaven”
Matthew 10;33
And for smiley,kumbayya dhimmi “christians” who think they have bought the ticket to Heaven..
the Authenticity test: Matthew 7 v 21-23
Not many clergymen,holy joes or popes will pass that test easily{unless they are sincere and authentic;Phonies won’t survive!}
Albertz says
Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.”
FYI says
Matthew 7 v 21-23 applies to the final judgement in fact.
that’s True about St Peter ..but you see he repented.. and became a martyr.
He proved himself.
You have completely missed the point…
Vince says
Yes. Matthew 10:33
“But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.
Mark 8:38
“For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”
Titus 1:16
They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed.
Galatians 1:6
I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel.
Kelly says
Matthew 7:21-23 isnt about the afterlife. It’s about the period of time between Jesus dying and the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD aprox 40ys. Which was the passing of the Law and making way for Grace and Love, a new covenant..
Elisha says
Kelly, you have NO idea what you’re talking about. That passage from Matthew concerns Judgement and a permanent rebuke and damnation to the selfish “Christians” who did dead works, ie preached for money, honor, etc and anything that wasn’t done for God’s glory.
Charlie Dumaurier says
What does that have to do with inviting non-Christians to visit the church?
The Queen’s Christmas message yesterday was right-on! We have to be more respectful of those who do not think like us. We need to work in unity and be less tribal, for the common good of all!.
Spiro says
We need to defend and stand up for Christian faith
Stop submitting to every demand
The earlier post had it correct “Denie me before men and I will Denie you before the father ”
Ask a Moslem to remove the crescent moon
From their mosques and see what happens
Susan says
Great, if they take the church cross down….
No longer a church…
Tax the building….
Its no longer a church….
My opinion…..
Next they will invite the
Warlocks and wickans
gravenimage says
I see the Islamophilic Charlie Dumaurier is fine with Christians having to deny their faith in order to “welcome” Muslims.
After all, Christians are not allowed to display the cross under Shari’ah law, and there’s no problem with *that*, right?
Rufolino says
Moslem ideology totally disrespects the Rest of the World !
Ranch Barbie says
God does not direct us to unify…Satan does that….because he wants spiritual control over ALL religions. God said “Come out and be separate”.
mortimer says
First you surrender your outside symbols and then they make you surrender your soul.
The road forward is a downhill slide. The road back is all uphill.
The present Canadian government has sold itself to Sharia law not knowing where that leads.
Spiro says
The Canadian government like most people don’t know enough to understand where sharia law leads
Albertz says
Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.”
David Longfellow says
Christians who do not understand the cross are not Christians.
somehistory says
It is true that Christians don’t “worship the cross.” it’s also true that when moslims go into a building and say their islam stuff and evil nonsense…it is then dedicated to satan.
Doing anything,ceasing the doing of something, taking any action, so as not to “offend” people who worship satan and murder others to show just how serious they are, is not “beautiful.” It is submitting to the threat; submitting to the intimidation; submitting to the whining and name-calling…submitting to the weapons of warfare…submitting to the “wild beast” of islam.
A cross on a building is not necessary to please our Creator. What matters is faith and obedience.
Those who go to the church should “make sure of the more important things.”
PABLO says
These loons are “Tians” they are the furthest thing from being Christians.
Albertz says
Point not missed at all. Like Peter, we Christians should prove ourselves worthy and beg God’s forgiveness for disowning Him for the sake of political correctness.
FYI says
So ,would you be willing to be physically marytred then Albertz like St Peter?
Are you doing the will of the Father Matthew 7 v 21-23?
Are you on the ACTUAL path specified by Jesus in Matthew 7 v 13-14?
When push comes to shove will you be able to avoid the mark on the hand?
How much oil do you have for your lamp?
These teachings are all from Jesus.
If so then… fair enough!
But if not….then you really have missed the point..
Frank says
No big deal. Obviously the crowd running this place, and those using it, stopped being Christian a LONG time ago. At least now they are not operating a ‘false flag’ operation and are in conformity with ‘Truth in Advertising’ legislation. Now, at least, unsuspecting passers-by won’t be duped into thinking that what goes on inside has anything to do with Christianity.
AleX says
They have transformed a church into a community center.
The establishment’s tax exemption privilege should thus be revoked.
JAT 349 says
When will they understand that no amount of accommodation will work.
Maybe when they have to remove all other religious symbols from the building.
Maybe when they hear the call to prayer five times a day.
bat 21 says
Background. This area was represented by a three term city councillor Amarjeet Sohi. In 2013 American Freedom Defense Initiative ran bus advertising on Edmonton transit buses showing Aqsa Parvez and six others that died as a result of honor killings. The ad ran “is your family threatening you? Is there a fatwa on your head? Councillor Sohi contacted Edmonton transit and had the ads pulled-offensive to Muslims. To-day Amargeet Sohi is the member of parliament and a senior cabinet minister in the federal government of Canada working alongside Justin Trudeau.
Aqsa Parvez was 16 when she was strangled to death by her father and brother for not wearing the hijab on December 10, 2007.
Removal of the cross today, what’s tomorrow??
Flavius Claudius Iulianus says
I am also familiar with this isolated suburb of Edmonton. It became an isolated “Little India/Pakistan” decades ago and was known for its cultural isolation. When someone said “Mill Woods” then you knew what was being implied. And that was long before we saw a large influx of Muslims. I can’t imagine what it is like now.
In the end, no Cross, no church.
Flavius Claudius Iulianus says
The head pastor is called Genghis.Chan (Khan?)
gravenimage says
Thanks for the background.
Jay says
Canada will soon be as lost as Germany, France, England, Sweden etc etc. over run with crime and destruction from illegal immigration in Muslim communities that do not acclimate!!
PM Trudesu is not doing the best job for Canadian citizens and puts the Muslim immigrants ahead of
the country he was elected to lead and protect! He is a traitor to Canada and its citizens!
Time will reveal the extent of the damage he has done!!
Alexios Comnenos says
Canada is full of crazy people and many morons. Pardon my French! These people will sell themselves to these savage pagans and evil people. This the best weapon the muslims are using living in the western countries. Not to offend them? But do they think the same way in their predominantly muslim countries? No!!! They killed Christians for 14 centuries. That’s enough!
Canadians are at fault here? They voted
GreekEmpress says
+1
Older Canadian says
Wrong! And they know it! Everyone is offended by something. The question is why would they actually do it. Once done there is no going back.
Mike says
Death by 1000 cuts. Say good by to Canada
Wayne Hawthorne says
That is absolutely wrong. I was once interviewed by an Arab reporter who grew up in Israel. “He said if you do not present your case, your opinion to an Arab in a forceful way, they consider you to be weak and will over-run you.” This nonsense has arisen since that mental misfit Trudope began infesting Canadians with his stupidity.
Hank says
That’s taking tolerance way too far. Why can’t they ask the Muslims to show some tolerance toward Christian beliefs?
Isabella says
You must command respect in order to be respected. Here is ja dangerous abdication was self-inflicted and appalling. Christians stand up and do not surrender.
Dane says
They have already taken all the crosses of churches in Denmark (EU)
Elisha says
“the congregation gradually aged and dwindled to the point where it could no longer afford to keep the doors open.”
That is because secular humanists replaced Christianity in schools with the religion of Darwinism, the utterly unscientific, philosophical nonsense that clearly appeals to the majority of people too lazy to seek truth earnestly, courageously and humbly. Hosea 4:6
gravenimage says
Hosea 4:6 is not about rejecting science.
gravenimage says
Canada: Church takes cross off wall to avoid offending Muslims
…………………….
And yet, this cringing dhimmitude *still* isn’t enough for Elise Stolte of the Edmonton Journal. It sounds as though she will not be satisfied until this Church is turned into a Mosque.
Battle says
Mortimer: Good one. Bat21: Good one. Rick Smith: Good one. Wayne Hawthorne: Good one.
ronyvo says
CHURCH takes CROSS off wall to avoid offending Muslims!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So what is left? This church ceased to exist as a church. AND who cares if any one is offended with the Cross? The Cross offended and frightened demons all the time. Islam is a diabolical system. it’s followers are demons possessed, that is why they are ‘offended’ with sight of the Holly Cross.
Paddy OConnor says
Very well put.See it in Edmonton more and more.
UNCLE VLADDI says
Hahah! I knew before I looked that it had to have been in Edmonton!
Anonymous says
I’m not Sikh but I’d be very surprised if Sikhs had objected to this.
gravenimage says
True.
Meturaf says
This is just the beginning of their groveling like Dhimmi. Eventually when they find themselves in a Sharia Only zone that has grown around them, they will sell the Church as well since the whole edifice is offensive to Islam, only at the moment they dont have the numbers to start round the clock harassment. They will make their life hell till they abandon the Church altogether .
“We dont worship the cross”??????????? Do they worship within the faith that the cross represents?. Hideous and abominable.
Elizabeth Thorne says
This is not The Age of Iron. It is The Age of Jelly, and so the order of the day will be more intimidation, more threats, more defamation directed against anyone who speaks out against the Jihad and Islamic supremacism, until FINNALY there is no one left to speak out. No, no one at all.
Beth says
That offends every Christian world wide.
Taking down our crosses only signifies that we are weak in our faith.
As prayers blast on loudspeakers through Great Britain.
As “prayer rugs” are spread out in schools.
As unmistakable mosques spring up in every state.
As hijab-cloaked females float anonymously down the streets.
The threat is very, very real and you’d better be ready to fight.
Joe says
And you’re surprised? Islamic strategy is clear – unfettered immigration and a lack of assimilation will eventually overtake the native population. When’s the last time you heard an imam criticize violent jihad?
They want us to submit – convert or die. Now, granted, the west has killed a lot of Muslims over the last few decades, yet we’re gonna have to kill a lot more if we don’t get our head out of the sand and maintain our way of life. And for those of you who believe in multiculturalism and coexisting, know they Islam doesn’t believe the same. As the hikers from Sweden recently discovered in Morocco.
Anne says
An action so preposterous I burst out laughing! That Christianity should deface itself by removing the cross is truly ignominious.
Jedothek says
I have a suspicion that the real reason was that the church could get government funds as a community center if a sufficient number of people came there per week or month, and the church leaders felt they could literally not afford to be blatantly Christian. I would be interested to hear from anyone who might have information relevant to this .
unoriginal username says
I’m not surprised this is happening. It’s possible that Canada is, at this point, lost. The dismantling of the nation was started under scumbag Pierre Trudeau, who foisted multiculturalism on a population who never asked for it. Years of multi culti brainwashing has left many-certainly not all-Canadians with the idea that there is nothing worth fighting for, no sense of “Canadian-ness”, and like it or not, Canada was founded on Christian principles. The destruction of the country has continued with empty headed, virtue signalling loser Justin Trudeau, someone who has never worked a day in his life and literally never lived without a trust fund, not to mention the fact that he’s been living off the gov. tit since he crawled out of his mother’s crusty hoo-ha.
Tim Cook and others like him are only too happy to debase themselves. This is just one more example of the fact that some Canadians think that being kind to others means obliterating your own identity, and I really think it’s one of the things that are going to lead to the country falling apart.
Warmac9999 says
Fear o vandalism by the Muslim youth. Has nothing to do with welcoming anyone.
Marty says
So you’re saying they removed the cross to not offend Muslims? What a bunch of morons. The Christ, Jesus, died on a TORTURE STAKE, not on a cross. Constantine adopted the PAGAN CROSS, or TAU in 325 ad to attract pagans to his newly invented state religion, the Roman Catholic Church. The cross is, and ALWAYS HAS BEEN a pagan symbol of TAMMUZ, the first pagan, fictitious, made up god that Nimrod, one of Adam and Eve’s sons, a mighty hunter in opposition to God, invented. All churches CLAIMING, lyingly, to be Christian, aren’t. They’re PAGAN. The cross is pagan. Using it is in complete DISOBEDIENCE to God’s command to “not touch the unclean (pagan) thing”. The churches are pagan as well. So to remove the cross not to please God but to not displease Muslims is another absurd, and HUGE sin against God and God’s son, Jesus..
gravenimage says
Sorry, this is ridiculous.The Roman Empire did indeed use crucifixion as a form of execution.You are mistaken in believing this is not so.
Marty says
Absolutely not. Not ONE of the ancient 16,000 ancient texts we have from the period say one word about crucifixion. They ALL mention executions on TORTURE STAKES. It’s FALSE RELIGIONS THAT TRY TO HAVE YOU BELIEVE IT WAS A CROSS.
Ambrose says
I do not think a Christian Cross is universally offensive to most Muslims. It identifies one of the ‘People of The Book’ (Christians) that believe in God (Allah.) Most good Muslims respect all people of any Abrahamic religions.
gravenimage says
What rot. Muslims regularly oppress and slaughter Jews and Christians, and one of the restrictions under Shari’ah law is that Christians are not allowed to publicly show the cross.
katherine says
Gotcha Ambrose — you’re another ignoramus who doesn’t know the intricacies behind the term ‘ People of the Book ‘.
To put it briefly, it is a book invented by Muslims, supposedly written by the Islamic Jesus to reinforce the teachings of Islam. Jesus’s traitorous followers destroyed all evidence the book ever existed and then introduced the infamous blasphemous Bible – thus infidel Christians were born.
Where have you been Ambrose ? Don’t you know that the world was created by Allah as were Adam and Eve, as were ………
The People of the Book, stubborn as they are still refuse to acknowledge they had been misled by the bogus Biblical religion called Christianity . Now you can fill in the rest of World History in this context.
Harry Campbell says
Muslims are the Nazis of our day. Just skim through the Koran and you will find it is a religion of hate and exclusion.
Most horrific is Muslim vaginal mutilation of women, honor killing of women, rejection of their testimony as to rape and abuse, plus stoning of women. These are not rare but quite common.
They treat their goats better than they treat the women who bear their children.
I will NEVER accept them into my country nor will I EVER their religion.
Eli says
It’s not Sikhs it’s not jews it’s not agnostics it’s no body but sharia jihadys
If we keep on give in we will all disappear and then where they get welfare
Vince says
They have already taken most of the crosses of churches in Denmark to prepare for the agenda of destroying European/western culture and bring in Islam.
INFO 2018: 76.9% of Danes are baptized, confirmed and members of the Christian church. But the politicians have the audacity to claim that Denmark is a multireligious country, not Christian. They have also removed Christian symbols from passports, money and other identifiers of Christian heritage.
Marty says
Waah Waah waahhh. Don’t worry. Not only will Christendom be eliminated, but so will Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, and ALL OTHER false religions of the world, VERY SOON, by the U.N.
Nation Saver says
Canadiens lead the world for stupidity and
prove beyond doubt Rush Limbaugh’s oft quoted signature observation that “liberalism is a mental disorder”.
So true.
Michael Richards says
This is a disgrace. Who do these people think they are? The Cros is the symbol of Christianity: the Christ Who died to save the world ( including our generation) from evil. But evil is dictating what we do. If this church lowers itself to do this, every mosque in the county must take its crescent off also. What a load of crap.
Marty says
No you’re wrong about the cross being the symbol of Christianity. It is the symbol of Christendom. It’s also the 6000 year old pagan symbol of Tammuz, The pagan god invented by Nimrod one of Adam and eves sons and the founder of Babylon. Constantine adopted that pagan symbol in 325 A.D. when he invented the first pagan religion of Christendom, the Roman catholic church. In fact most of the things he put into that new state religion that everyone was commanded to attend we’re pagan. All of it images and symbols rituals and holidays came from pagan religions. All religions of Christendom today follow the original pagan religion of the Roman catholic church in their structure organization rituals beliefs idols icons and other things including their beliefs and teachings. Since the Scriptures dating back to the first second and third century that we actually have copies of state that Jesus died on the torture stake, a tree with all branches removed, which is actually what they used back then to execute people, not a cross.
Elwyn Holmberg says
I have read several portions of the Quran and If their reaction to a Christian NOT removing the cross when they demand it, then maybe they should be ready for Christians to have the same Violent reaction to their religious demands when they do not remove their religious symbols.. You know, they would react violently to us. I have read the Quran. I know what it says. But no. I could not react in like manor as they would. We should show love and respect but we can not cave in to their demands. That would be denying Jesus and all his teachings. We need to teach Muslims what Jesus would want us to teach. Teach all Muslims about the Love of Jesus. If they do not like that they can go back to their home country. I would be more than happy to teach them about Jesus. From experience their reaction is very violent to me.