God-Talks from Diasporic Filipino Ministers in the UCC

Our lunch time Intercultural Coffee Chai series resumes! 
Thursday, Sept 25, 2025, 12:30pm MDT and CST/1:30pm CDT (90 minutes).

Intercultural Stories and Narratives: God-Talks from Diasporic Filipino Ministers in the United Church of Canada

Bring your lunch and join us as we resume the Western Intercultural Ministries Network 100^th Anniversary series honouring ethno-cultural communities within the United Church.

The Filipino Ministers Network in The United Church of Canada invites you to join them for a panel discussion about seeking God in the midst of every-day life. In the Philippines, theologizing is embodied in everyday life; not seen as a separate religious category or exercise. Faith grows out of our lived experience: life-stories, turning points, crises and celebrations. God is active in shaping our everyday decision-making.

We’ve invited three Filipino ministers to reflect on their own faith-journeys, and describe how they have come to talk about God differently with each other, and with the congregations they lead. They’ll talk about how being immigrants to Canada has shaped their understanding of God, and how theologies emerging in the Philippines can enrich their life and work within the Canadian church and culture.

Join us to broaden your theological imagination!

Zoom info:
https://united-church.zoom.us/j/81253431672?pwd=Bg3Wb0bPR1IvIn48wLLyZLw2GPL6Yi.1

Meeting ID: 812 5343 1672        Password: 231524

Phone as needed: 855 703 8985 Canada Toll-free

Panelists, Topics, and Bios

1. Rev. Noel Suministrado,“A Filipino Theology of Diaspora; Some Initial Notes and Reflections”

Rev. Noel Suministrado was born in Tayabas, Quezon, Philippines. He is an ordained minister of United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) and took his theological studies in Union Theological Seminary, Philippines, and the Master of Ecumenical Studies in Bossey Ecumenical Institute and University of Geneva in Switzerland.

Before he came to Canada, he taught Ecumenical Theology in Union Theological Seminary and was the first minister to be assigned in the Mutual Recognition of Ministry Personnel Agreement program of the UCC in 2017. He served Broadway Disciples United Church in Winnipeg for four years and Hamiota United Church of which is his present pastoral charge.

Among his involvements are: UCC -Roman Catholic Dialogue, the International Dialogue of the Disciples of Christ -Roman Catholic Church, the Commission of Faith and Witness of the Canadian Council of Churches and is currently member of Theology Interchurch and InterFaith Committee (TICIF) of the United Church of Canada.

2. Rev. Kim Vidal, “Embodying the Mary-Martha Paradigm of Ministry”

Rev. Kim Vidal lives in the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and is currently serving Bells Corners United Church, in her 12th year.  Kim was born in the Philippines and was baptized and confirmed in the United Methodist Church. She immigrated to Ottawa, Ontario in 1994 and transferred her membership to Wesley United Church (Ottawa) in 1995. She completed her Bachelor of Theology degree at St. Paul University in Ottawa (1996) and then garnered her Master of Divinity at Queen’s Theological College in Kingston, Ontario (2008). She was ordained at the annual general meeting of the Ottawa-Montreal Conference of the United Church of Canada in 2009.

3. Rev. Ariel Siagan, “Christian Activism Among Filipino Diasporic Communities”

Rev Siagan is currently finishing his PhD thesis at Trinity College, University of Toronto. He completed his Master’s degree in Theology in Seoul, South Korea and then gained six years of congregational ministry experience in the Philippines. He also has ten years of ecumenical experience with the National Council of Churches in the Philippines.