The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada’s (ELCIC) Rev. Tuula Van Gaasbeek has recently been selected as a recipient of the King Charles Coronation Medal.
This recognition stems from her work developing interfaith relationships and fostering ecumenical understanding. She will be recognized at an award ceremony at a future date.
A Lutheran minister with a diploma in interfaith dialogue, Rev. Van Gaasbeek serves as the Christian co-chair of the National Muslim-Christian Liaison Committee, helped found World Interfaith Harmony Week, and is active within a number of interreligious groups/organizations and ecumenical gatherings.
Rev. Van Gaasbeek was nominated by the Canadian Interfaith Conversation and selected by the Canadian Governor General as one of 75 recipients under the ‘public service’ category for making a significant contribution demonstrating long service, good conduct and high professionalism especially in fostering respect and understanding of different religious traditions in Canada and faith communities contribution to the common good in Canadian civil society.
“My first reaction to the news was that they must have had the wrong person, because I really didn’t think that I have done all that much,” Rev. Van Gaasbeek laughed. “I’m still not sure I’m worthy of this award and there are probably so many other people who are way more deserving. But, you know, a lot of it has to do with the congregation that I serve, the Lutheran congregation that allows me to do all these things.”
At St. Phillip’s in Toronto, Rev. Van Gaasbeek has reimagined what church community can look like. She has brought a diverse group of community members into the church for various events, such as the insertion of an Indigenous Elder, who gave the sermon during the recent World Interfaith Harmony Week. Last year’s event saw a woman of Muslim faith provide the message, while she has also had Imams read scripture during Christmas services.
“When I introduced our congregation to these people of other faiths, they were greeted with open arms,” Rev. Van Gaasbeek said. “So, for people to allow me to provide these different looks and not rebel, it shows they’re curious and interested in learning about others as well.”
Now in her thirteenth year with St. Philip’s, Rev. Van Gaasbeek has coordinated many successful refugee sponsorships, helping families re-settle in Canada with new employment opportunities and physical safety. Aware of the distinct challenges within the current landscape, she passionately believes that uniting Canadians of diverse faiths and backgrounds is key to healing divisions that plague our world.
“This award might raise some awareness of some of the good that is happening and being appreciated and valued within our churches. Some of the work that we do as a church to bring peace and good will to the world is noted,” she said. “I think it’s really important that we unite people of different faiths and are able to live in peace with other people, where we really get to know one another.”
Other areas to which Rev. Van Gaasbeek has contributed include her work with the good food markets and after school tutoring programs at the Arab Community Centre of Toronto, youth cooking classes and farm-to-table education within Toronto Community Housing and planning/organizing as a part of the Canadian writing and animation team for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity within the Canadian Council of Churches.
“Congregations are doing these sorts of things and in turn, it is actually making our faith stronger,” she concluded. “I think the church ought to be proud we are doing these sorts of things. We have to think of our identity: who are we as Lutheran Christians? What makes me, me? How do I learn about other faiths? Does it make me want to study my own faith a little more diligently? Usually, I’ve found, it does.”
