About – UReach Calgary

Who We Are

In 2006 a group of individuals and organizations committed to loving and reaching the nations among us, began to find each other and network together for the sake of the Kingdom in the Greater Toronto Area. There was a commitment to extend Christ’s love across the cultures and ethnicities. However, the resources, the collective knowledge, and the experience of people with a similar focus had been difficult to find and access. Individuals representing a broad spectrum of Christian denominations, mission agencies, backgrounds and ethnicities came together to address these concerns. This led to the progressive development of a strategy and structure for those with a passion to reach the “nations” living among us. These discussions came to fulfillment with the creation of UReachToronto (Urban Resources Assisting Churches in Toronto).

In 2018, the UReach initiative branched out to create UReachCanada and its sister websites — expanding to a national level. Partnering with the Jaffray Centre for Global Initiatives at Ambrose University, UReachCalgary was formed to carry out the UReach vision in the Calgary area.

Mission & Goal

Our Vision

We seek to provide an accessible online portal for receiving and sharing tools, information, expertise, and resources related to engaging and embracing the diverse peoples of Canada.

Our Goal

The goal of UReachCalgary is to provide an accessible vehicle for receiving and sharing tools, information, expertise, and resources related to engaging and embracing the diverse peoples of the Calgary Area. We aim to be a comprehensive resource centre for Christians engaged in intercultural ministry. Its objective is to connect people with one another to collectively develop a strategic vision and to learn skills necessary to reach our multicultural communities.

Our Activities

Our activities are organized around four key values:

Unity in Christ

Celebrating Ethno-Cultural Diversity

Mutual Respect and Understanding

Partnership for Kingdom Outcomes

A Collaborative Future

UReachCalgary is a critical initiative that has grown out of this collaboration. This website has become a valuable tool in our collective effort to connect people and share resources that will facilitate Christian ministry and mission among the diverse peoples of the Calgary Area and beyond.

UReachCalgary is only as strong as the collective commitment of those who are willing to partner with and contribute to this developing initiative. The heart and soul of this website come from those like you who are engaged in this dimension of Kingdom work. The expanding data, the tools and the resources for reaching across the cultures and the stories of what God is doing from many different perspectives are our collective contributions to the kingdom of God in Calgary.

The contributions of many people, churches, denominations, and mission agencies are welcomed. Please contact us if you would like to make a contribution of time, money or resources to help develop UReachCalgary in its goal to provide resources for intercultural ministry in Calgary.

Get in touch with us.

Need more information or have a question?

Our Team

DR. CHARLES COOK

Executive Director of the Jaffray Centre for Global Initiatives

ccook@ambrose.edu
403.410.2000 ext 7901

Dr. Charles Cook is the Executive Director of the Jaffray Centre for Global Initiatives and Professor of Global Studies and Mission at Ambrose University where he has served since 1989. Prior to teaching at Ambrose, the Cooks worked in Bolivia, Mexico and Argentina. Born to Canadian international workers he was raised in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. When he is not teaching he can be found involved in various Jaffray related activities in different corners of the world. One of his quirks is his glass Coca Cola bottle collection from some ninety-three countries. Come join him on the journey by chasing him down at http://twitter.com/cdnglobalsoul.

MAJD ALAJJI

REGIONAL MANAGER - ETHNIC CHURCHES, PRAIRIES & NORTHWEST TERRITORIES REGION, Canadian Bible Society

malajji@biblesociety.ca
587.438.6943

Majd AlAjji is the Regional Manager of Ethnic Churches at the Canadian Bible Society. His focus is reaching out to diaspora churches and coming alongside them by resourcing their ministries in literature in their own languages. Majd AlAjji worked with refugees prior to his current position is several cities in Lebanon and Canada. He was overseeing for the private sponsorship program for the Canadian Baptist denomination and brings extensive first-hand experience in dealing with the Syrian diaspora in Western Canada. Majd holds an undergrad degree in English Literature and a Masters Degree in Divinity.

LAUREN GOLDBECK

Research and Program Coordinator, Jaffray Centre for Global Initiatives

lgoldbeck@ambrose.edu
403.410.2000 ext 3997

Lauren Goldbeck has been the Research and Program Coordinator for the Jaffray Centre for Global Initiatives at Ambrose University since 2016. Prior to that she managed two cafes in South East Asia with a Business as Missions focus for three years, and spent a year in Vietnam teaching English. Lauren has a Master of Arts in Intercultural Ministries from Ambrose Seminary.

HEATHER WEBBER

Community Engagement Facilitator, Vision Ministries Canada

Heather Webber works under the umbrella of Vision Ministries Canada as a Community Engagement Facilitator in Calgary helping churches engage with their local community. Heather has worked in Community Development for 20 years and is on the CLIP committee as the Inter Faith Rep with the City of Calgary.

KARL MUELLER

Canada Director, DAI Leadership Ministries

kmueller@DAIntl.org
587.357.9278

Karl Mueller is the Director of DAI Leadership Ministries in Canada as well as serving as the DAI Senior Consultant for Diaspora Ministry in North America. His 40+ years of ministry have taken him to 43 nations. Karl’s experience includes leadership in Youth With A Mission, serving as a Missions and Justice Pastor in two mega-churches, an NGO leader, and a Bible College President. Karl holds a degree in Missiology from Fuller Theological Seminary. He serves on the board of directors of several North American agencies, but focuses most of his time on facilitating non-formal and graduate level seminars and courses on leadership issues in Canada, the USA, Africa, India, Nepal and Myanmar.