A New Kind of Buzz

A S.W.A.T. team, police officers with automatic rifles, and a crack house just a few houses down the street was not exactly what Stefan & Pascale Cherry were expecting when they moved to Ottawa to plant a church.

However, Stefan responds to these challenges with a passion for ministry, the local community and a firm belief that God is in control and has called his family to this Vanier neighbourhood to live and teach God’s gospel of peace.

Since moving to Ottawa in June, Stefan has connected with neighbours and explored his new setting. Seeing the problems of criminal activity, he founded a Neighbourhood Watch program. Residents, tired of feeling vulnerable, banded together with Stefan to “take back their street from the drug pushers and their customers.” He is now working with police inspector Alain Bernard to explore ways to incorporate restorative justice approaches into a Neighbourhood Watch Program.

With the crack house closed down and in celebration of a new community spirit, Stefan helped lead the way to organizing a block party with his neighbours. One sunny Saturday afternoon over 120 people participated in the BBQ and fun activities. Inspector Bernard commented, “I never realized how many young children lived in the area because they were almost always inside. Now, there’s a good buzz in the air.”

Stefan is excited about how this event impacted the neighbourhood and sees it as an important step towards building relationships and trust with his neighbours as a faith community slowly takes shape. Already a small group representing five countries (Colombia, Lesotho, Nigeria, Congo and Canada)meets Sunday evenings for a meal, worship and fellowship – the beginning of a multi-ethnic, multilingual Anabaptist faith community where passion for Jesus and justice meet.