* These reflections are offered in celebration of May as Asian Heritage Month at West Point Grey United Church.

An Unsettling Encounter: Breaking Down the Walls (Grets Apner)

I come from Indonesia—a country shaped by a long history of colonialism. For more than 300 years, colonizers came to our land for spices like cloves and nutmeg. But they didn’t just take resources. They also created division. They separated people—by ethnicity, by class, by religion—because division made it easier to control and to stay in power.

And even today, those patterns don’t simply disappear. They still echo in how people relate to one another—in subtle distrust, in distance, in hesitation toward “the other.” So, I grew up learning, often without realizing it, to be cautious… to keep distance.

And then I moved to Canada. A place that celebrates diversity—but where living in diversity is not always easy. Because real diversity asks something from us.

It asks us to cross boundaries.
It asks us to be vulnerable.

Last month, I had the opportunity to attend a one-week training on racism and discrimination in Hamburg, Germany. I went there with a simple question:

How do Christians respond to immigrants and racism—not just in theory, but in real life? During that week, I met young people from different European countries. Each carried their own stories and struggles. And for me, this wasn’t just learning about something.
It was experiencing it—through relationships.

The training was very practical. We were invited to become people who can respond—to carry inclusivity into real situations. But what challenged me most was this:

we were asked to question our own assumptions. The hidden ones. The ways we see others without noticing, because without we realized we inherited lots of assumptions that divide us. And I began to wonder: Have I been shaped in ways that limit how I see people?
We also reflected on words like diversity and inclusivity. I’ve used these words many times. But I had to ask myself: Do I really live them?

And then, outside the training room, something happened. I witnessed racism while walking alone in the city. It was subtle—but very real. No loud conflict. Just a quiet sense of rejection in the air. And even though I was not the direct target… I felt it. I felt the tension. The distance between people. And I realized—behind that moment, there was fear.

Fear of difference.
Fear of the unfamiliar.

And that fear leads to something deeper: the denial of another person’s humanity.

That moment changed something in me. Because suddenly, racism was no longer an idea. It became real. And I realized— if I want to take intercultural ministry seriously, I cannot stay at the level of ideas. I need to be willing to feel, to listen, and to face uncomfortable realities. This experience didn’t give me all the answers. But it unsettled me. And maybe that is where faith begins again.

In a world shaped by division and fear, we are called to see differently. To see each person as fully human. To choose openness instead of fear. And to live out love and justice—not only in words, but in how we meet one another. Because the Gospel does not call us to stay safe in our distance. It calls us to cross boundaries—and to meet each other there.

And perhaps this is how we begin to unlearn the divisions that were planted long before us—even those shaped by histories like colonialism.

Not by controlling or separating, but by choosing to see one another fully, with dignity and courage.

A Life Woven Across Cultures (Hisako Kurotaki)

I am from Japan. My last name, “Kuro-Taki”, means “Black Waterfall”. If it is written in Chinese characters, Chinese and Korean descendants may understand the meaning as well. We Japanese borrowed Chinese characters from China through Korea. We also share the use of chopsticks and more. When children ask when I came to Canada, my answer is: a long time ago… before you were born. Actually, next year, June 10th is the 50th anniversary of my arrival in Vancouver, Canada.

Japan is regarded as a country of Buddhism, and there are lots of Buddhist temples. However, my mother, older sister and I studied in a girls’ private Christian high school for 6 years. The school is named SACRED LOVE and we were taught LOVE is more important than material achievements. In addition to regular high school subjects, we had daily morning service with lots of hymn singing, bible study and compulsory Sunday morning attendance at a Protestant Church of Japan built in 1875 in my hometown.

In Canada, I have encountered so many kind people through church connections in Vancouver. First of all, Fairview Baptist Church (1708 West 16th Ave.) and, of course, West Point Grey United Church. Though the different denominations, those two churches are very similar in their philosophies and activities.

What I like in Canada? I can be MYSELF. I am not required to fit in social expectations as in Japan. As soon as I settled in Vancouver, my stress-caused constipation and stomach ache disappeared! I loved the beautiful summer sunset from Arcadia Beach. I sensed it would change my view on my life.

Still young and taking ESL course at Simon Fraser Univ. I met a middle-aged man from a far away country. He had many complaints on matters in Canada! I could not help but tell him my opinion: Canada is supposed to be a MOSAIC. We are all different; rather than trying to change it to fit what you are accustomed to, it is more constructive to communicate with others and find a better way that more people would benefit. Then Canada could become the leader of the United Nations. Don’t you think so? Shocked, he raised his eyebrows, looked at me straight, and with a big nod. AGREED!!

I am very excited to see so many people with different ethnic backgrounds. Let’s get to know each other and make a better world.

“jeong” (Yongjune Kim)

Today’s Gospel reading, John Chapter 17, shows Jesus praying at length, but the heart of his prayer is simple: “I pray that they may be one in us, so that the world may believe that you sent me.” Unity, being one, is one of the church’s core missions. It points our neighbours to our Creator and Jesus Christ. That is why our church has been united and still continues to be a uniting church.

I want to ask a question: How do you pursue unity? Or, to put it another way, what way of being one feels familiar to you? What does your cultural tradition say about how unity is formed? As you can guess, different cultures have different ways. For example, some cultures see unity as cooperating under shared goals and institutions; others see it as keeping conflict out of sight and following the group’s direction; still others see it as creating a space where each person’s individuality can contribute to the whole. Of course, these are general patterns, and there must be internal diversity within every culture and even every individual.

I’m South Korean. My culture has many ways of fostering unity, and one of the most typical ways is ‘eating together’ or ‘spending time together.’ This leads to what we call ‘jeong,’ which is a warm attachment built over time. Many South Korean church congregations organize small groups of 5-10 to 30-40 people. Every church member belongs to one of these groups. They gather weekly. What they do at gathering is simple: a short worship, sharing life, praying together, and eating together. As Korean society has westernized, these gatherings have shortened, and coffee or tea can replace a meal. Still, the core aspect remains: being together, spending time together. Through these repeated gatherings, we build ‘jeong.’

‘Jeong’ is a sense of bond and belonging, a warm attachment, and a willingness to show kindness, care, and loyalty. Of course, like anything human, it also has its downsides. But the power of jeong is that it keeps relationships going. It serves as an underpinning dynamic not to give up on one another even when differences, conflicts, or uncomfortableness arise.

So I want to ask again: what way of unity is familiar to you? I’m not trying to promote Korean ways or say they are better. I only want to invite you to reflection. What ways of being one make you feel comfortable? What ways make you uneasy? How does our West Point Grey United Church form unity? As a congregation that embraces diverse cultures, how well are we growing in unity?

May God the Creator, the source of our life, lead us all the way on the path of uniting.