In Sunday's trilingual service, the diverse congregation celebrated growth through baptisms, confirmations, and welcoming new members
This past Sunday, May 17, the community of Plymouth-Trinity United Church, in Sherbrooke, Quebec, held a very special service—one that was a long time in the making. As Pastor Samuel V. Dansokho says almost every week, using the words of our popular song, “This is a very special day, because God made it.”
The sanctuary was looking full nearly to the brim, as we gathered from far and wide to baptise 25 people, and welcome 18 new full members to The United Church of Canada. It was a service that was lively, musical, and full of warmth and joy.
We prayed, sang, and explored scripture in three languages—English, French, and Swahili. Plymouth-Trinity has long taken pride in practising invitation and inclusion in the French language, and has for decades worked against the narrative in Quebec of “the two solitudes.” Throughout the past decade, as Rev. Samuel has served us, we have also witnessed a massive demographic shift in our congregation, as we’ve been joined by many French-speaking immigrants of African descent. In the past few years, we have seen the population of Swahili speakers grow enormously, and we have been privileged to gain the support and leadership of Rev. Peter Buhendwa to help us bridge the gap, both culturally and linguistically.
Intercultural ministry is not easy. It often comes with unexpected hiccups and challenges. Our community still has fractures and cracks, which at times feel impossible to overcome. Despite this, we continue to try to work together and grow. Despite uncertainty over our building’s future and the hard work of trying to create community in such a diverse context, the Spirit was clearly moving in our midst on Sunday. During moments of celebration, our complexities and diversity feel the most like the blessings they are.
Sunday’s celebration offered a perfect education on the many ways that one can come to join a church. We had infant baptisms, and we had teen baptisms from those who participated in our confirmation classes. We had youth who were baptised earlier who also followed the classes and were confirmed. We had baptised adults join the United Church community by public affirmation of their faith, and we had adults who were baptised for the first time.
All these roads lead to a unified gathering of hopeful believers. The United Church of Canada has more work to do in this world. We know that God is up to something, and this is affirmed in the real and measurable ways that the church is making space for communities of emerging and dynamic Christians, alongside established and sometimes aging ones. On Sunday, Plymouth United Church joined celebrated the beauty of that process of growing together.
—Shanna Bernier is Program Support Minister for Youth and Young Adults, Nakonha:ka Regional Council
The views contained within these blogs are personal and do not necessarily reflect those of The United Church of Canada.