Who is the Greatest? MMI participants deepen their faith through service.

Alan Ma — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 16:27:13 +0000

When people imagine missions, some may associate the call with heroic acts of sacrifice or even the prestige of a ‘holier’ life. Even the disciples wrestled with these thoughts.
In Luke 22:24–27, we find them arguing among themselves about who was the greatest. Jesus responds by overturning their expectations: “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.”

In these words, Jesus teaches that God’s Kingdom does not follow the logic of the world. Greatness is not marked by visibility or recognition, but by a posture of humble service. Often, this is practised quietly and unseen.

Since 2022, for nine transformative weeks each summer, a group of young Christian adults has been invited to live into this vision of the Kingdom through the Montreal Missions Internship (MMI).
Designed as an action-reflection program, MMI encourages participants to deepen their faith through service, and being attentive to God’s presence. Participants between the ages of 18 and 25 are placed alongside some of Montreal’s most vulnerable communities: refugee claimants navigating uncertainty, migrant workers far from home, low-income families facing systemic barriers, and at-risk youth searching for stability and hope.

What sets this experience apart is not only where participants serve, but how they are invited to serve. From the very first days, the program emphasizes that service is not a solo pursuit or a performance, but a shared way of life. One participant recalled a defining moment from orientation week during a hike up Mount Royal: “I remember we were given the opportunity to take the easier path or the harder path, and everyone chose to take that harder path together. We were panting and we were tired, but we all took that path together… And I felt that was such an impactful moment because you’re on the top of the hill with all these people that have supported you going on your way up.”

That early decision, to take the harder path together, becomes a symbol for the rest of the summer. Some participants may struggle with the workload while others become challenged by the routines and silences. The experience often reshapes their understanding of ministry. Another past participant reflected: “MMI made me realize that ministry isn’t all about preaching or big actions or beautiful vestments. It’s more about the quiet moments—the still, small voice of God in dark places where you wouldn’t expect to hear Him. It’s also about experiencing and taking on the sufferings of the world around us, and—through that—being a light to the world.”

Across shelters, community centres, urban gardens, and neighborhood organizations throughout Montreal, participants encounter Christ not through grand gestures, but through presence.
Each week, the program regroups at the Montreal Diocesan Theological College to reflect on experiences theologically. Participants reflect on what it means to wait anxiously alongside a refugee claimant for a court decision, share meals with migrant workers separated from family, or showing up consistently for young people who experienced traumatic events. In these moments, Scripture begins to feel less distant and more embodied. As one participant shared: “It’s easy to read the Gospels or Paul’s letters and think, ‘This was written 2,000 years ago. Does it really apply to me?’ MMI shows you how the Gospel can be lived out—right here in Montreal.”

By the end of the nine weeks, participants often leave MMI changed. They carry with them a quieter, more grounded faith. They have learned to recognize God’s presence not only in moments of clarity and strength, but also in fatigue and struggle like that first hike up Mount Royal.

I invite you to share this opportunity with young people in your congregations and ministries. Enrollment for the 2026 cohort is now open. Visit our website: montrealmission.ca for more information. This summer, we invite young Christians to join us in serving, reflecting, and discerning together. Participants receive a $5000 stipend for participation in the program. We also invite the church to pray with us in supporting the growth and maturation of the participants.

To learn more about what Montreal Dio has to offer people of all ages, go to www.montrealdio.ca.

The post Who is the Greatest? MMI participants deepen their faith through service. appeared first on Montreal Anglican.

Mission and Discernment: A Summer of Challenge and Growth

Alan Ma — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 18:33:41 +0000

Often, when I think of the word ‘mission’, I recall Jesus sending out the twelve and the events in Acts. Yet, from time to time, I linger on the image of Moses during his time in the desert.
Born as a Hebrew during pharaoh’s persecution, Moses was saved from a certain death when he was adopted by the pharaoh’s daughter. Being raised in the high courts of Egypt as part of the royal family with vast resources at his disposal, the scene appeared to have been set for Moses to create system change – to right the injustice faced by his kinfolk, the Israelites. However, with one swift act, this prince became an “alien residing in a foreign land” (Exodus 2:22). Instead of leveraging the position afforded to Moses, he became an outlaw and fugitive in the desert. Yet, this was all part of God’s plan for His people and Moses. In the next thirteen chapters, God would display His Might through a series of miracles culminating in the liberation of the Hebrew people from slavery. Against this backdrop, we read of God’s love and care for Moses, and the intimate relationship they form. From the desert to the palace, God invites a meek Moses to the ‘mission’. God sends Aaron to aid Moses and strengthens his resolve all along the way. By the time pharaoh finally relented, we read of a very different Moses. Gone was the doubting figure; instead, we find a man of faith. Moses was transformed by God’s presence in his life, and the work that he was called to.
Again, I return to the image of Moses in the desert. The desert seems to bookend different seasons of Moses’ life. The initial fleeing into the desert may represent the laying low of the proud and mighty. The calling out of the desert may signify the restoration of Moses relationship with God and the rightful participation of within God’s designs. The re-entering of the desert may demonstrate the continual refinement of Moses as he continued to abide in God, not without fail, while furthering the mission.
The Montreal Mission Internship program, entering its fourth year, is a nine-week program for young Christians between the ages of 18 and 25 years old that gives them an opportunity to experience various moments of the desert. Participants will be placed in Christian ministries or not-for-profit organizations serving vulnerable communities across Montreal. Many will grapple with difficult circumstances, whether it be at a refugee residence or supporting at-risk youth or ministering to members of local congregations. Some participants may be laid low either by their preconceived ideas or outright mistakes. Many will see the limits of their own strength. Make no mistake, as one participant stated, “this program is not for the faint of heart – one should expect to be challenged. But it has helped me grow in ways that I would have never expected.”
Despite the challenges, there will also be moments of great joy. Our community will walk faithfully together with the Lord and gather weekly at the Montreal Diocesan Theological College to reflect on their experience. Supported by our team, participants may start recognizing God at work before, around, and within them. What’s more, they may begin sensing where they are invited and called to respond. Conversations around exploring one’s call lead to vocational discernment. As another participant recalled, “I loved that MMI offered an opportunity to learn about and practice discernment while also giving me chances to try new types of ministries related work for a short amount of time, helping me gain a greater sense of clarity for what I’m called to and would like to do.” It is our hope that participants may come away from the program, tempered and matured in Christ so that they may heed to God’s call on their life.
I invite you to share this opportunity with young people in your congregations and ministries.
Enrollment for the 2025 cohort is now open. Visit our website: montrealmission.ca for more information. This summer, we invite young Christians to join us in serving, reflecting, and discerning together. Participants receive a $5000 stipend for participation in the program. We also invite the church to pray with us in supporting the growth and maturation of the participants. May we all experience different moments in the desert knowing full well that the Good Sheppard will guide us through.

The post Mission and Discernment: A Summer of Challenge and Growth appeared first on Montreal Anglican.

Alan Ma, Author at Montreal Anglican

Who is the Greatest? MMI participants deepen their faith through service.

Mission and Discernment: A Summer of Challenge and Growth