Committed to Cross-Cultural Vision

Ottawa Mandarin Wesleyan Church (OMWC) is committed to its vision to be a cross-cultural congregation in Canada’s capital city. The church installed Pastor Chris Walker and his wife, Marie, a Canadian and American, respectively (pictured with congregants), to lead the growing ministry.

OMWC was birthed at The Bridge (formerly Kanata Wesleyan, located in the greater Ottawa area) in 2002 and has since become an amicably separate work. The congregation consists predominantly of residents from mainland China as well as Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Malaysia.

Church leaders have chosen to focus on junior high, middle school, and high school-aged students, children, and young families. Pastor Walker also sees small groups, known as life groups, as crucial to building the congregation both spiritually and numerically. The Walkers have focused on young people and students as well as congregation-wide care throughout their ministry. Resources are also being redirected toward ministry to other people groups as church leaders, including the Walkers, seek to strengthen essential ministries.

The church’s intentional desire to be cross-cultural reflects the diversity of Ottawa. According to an Ottawa city Web site, “approximately 25 percent of Ottawa residents were born outside Canada, and more than 20 percent are members of visible minorities.”

“While pursuing honor and respect for the heritage of the founding congregation, we together seek to rebrand this seven-year-old church to be cross-cultural, just like Jesus,” said Pastor Walker. •