Living Compassion in Community

About the Event

Join Jannet Ann Nordemann and Rev. Ric Matthews who will each share their reflections and insights regarding “living compassion in community.” Ric Matthews will reflect on the questions: “What is compassion? What does a compassionate community look like? What might a compassionate city look like?” Jannet Ann Nordemann’s presentation about the work of Canadians for Compassion will help to address the questions “How can we expand compassion by engaging people in communities across Canada? What practical acts of compassion can communities undertake in support of the Charter for Compassion?” A panel of community members will share their reflections on the theme and the audience will have opportunities to engage with each other and, through a Q and A period, with the speakers.

About Jannet Ann Nordemann

For thirty years, Jannet Ann Nordemann has been a lawyer, social entrepreneur and student of several of the world’s faith and spiritual traditions. In November 2009, at an event in London, Ontario to celebrate the launch of the Charter for Compassion, response was so positive that Jannet decided to set aside her legal practice in order to dedicate her energies as an ambassador of the Charter. She launched Canadians for Compassion, a national social enterprise to provide a network through which Canadians can learn of other Canadians involved in compassionate activities, as well as to bring financial, social and political support (where needed) to launch and sustain educational and social programs that are compassion-in-action.

About Rev. Ric Matthews

Since 2007, Ric Matthews has worked with First United Church Mission in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside as the Minister of Mission and Community Life. An ordained minister in the United Church of Canada, Ric previously served with the Methodist Church of South Africa in four inner-city churches in Johannesburg, where he faced the harsh realities of extreme poverty, injustice, violence and apartheid. At that time he was also privileged to work with Archbishop Desmond Tutu on a number of inner city projects. Ric has 25 years experience in leading Organizational Development and Change Management projects in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Canada, the USA and Thailand, including work with Deloitte Consulting in South Africa and Vancouver. He is President of Radical Momentum Consulting.