these relationships into other projects.
When he needed to assemble a broader
coalition to address the Harris government’s social service cuts, he drew on
this network to build a larger voice.
Many of these groups are now part of
the Interfaith Social Assistance Reform
Coalition (ISARC). Vandezande also
helped develop similar coalitions, such
as the Campaign Against Child Poverty
led by the late June Callwood.
His support of Street Level, an
EFC-led coalition of groups addressing homelessness, led to a particularly
satisfying moment. When the groups
adopted a platform statement in 2006
called the Ottawa Manifesto, Vandezande addressed the assembly and
suggested taking up a collection to have
the manifesto printed in the Monday
morning edition of the Ottawa Citizen.
His idea saw the manifesto on the desk
of every sitting Member of Parliament
by the next day.
1971. Simon Wolfert was Vandezande’s
pastor for many years.
“He was very inspirational in the
church. He would speak to young
people. He was very influential with
many others too,” says Wolfert. “I
watched [Vandezande] grow – and
grew because of him.” Wolfert agrees
with Goudzwaard that Vandezande
has been an influential figure internationally in the Christian Reformed
Church.
If politics is the art of the possible,
then Vandezande has been one of Canada’s political masters. Although he
now moves carefully after a series of
small strokes and quadruple bypass
surgery, he keeps in touch with many
of his old friends. And he looks forward
to developing a relationship with Prime
Minister Stephen Harper, with whom
he has already had correspondence.
Why Everything Must Change
Foundations for Social Change Conference
October 23 – 24, 2009
The Meeting House, Oakville
Paul Young
New York Times bestselling
author of The Shack
Greg Boyd
Author of Letters From a
Skeptic and The Myth of a
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Julia Moulden
Author of We Are the New
Radicals
With
Bruxy Cavey | Rev. Eleanor Clitheroe
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Rikk Watts | Winstone Zulu
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Stay Close to God and to Family
Where does that ability to stay on the
leading edge come from? Somerville believes it comes out of a vibrant spiritual life. “He’s very prayerful,” she says.
“He challenges us not to forget to put
prayer first. The reason why he can
reach across so many issues and people
is because he’s so sure of the lordship of
Christ in all areas of life.”
One person who has matched Vandezande stride for stride through his
journey has been his wife of 52 years,
Wynne. He often gives tribute to her
faith. She raised their two daughters
– Janice and Karen, now parents of
their five grandchildren – and eight
foster children who lived in their home
for a few months each, some for two
years. After their children were grown,
Wynne went back to school, earned a
social work degree and worked as a
counsellor until her retirement.
Wynne and Jerry have been members at Grace Christian Reformed
Church in Scarborough, Ont., since
Be Gracious and Tenacious
One of Vandezande’s esteemed admirers
is Dow Marmur, senior rabbi emeritus
of Holy Blossom Temple in Toronto. He
wrote that Vandezande “speaks like a
prophet and thinks like a politician.”
When Jerry and Wynne turned back
from Grand Rapids 50 years ago, he
gave up a pulpit. “But I’ve been able to
speak in mosques, temples and synagogues,” he says. And he probably
should add: at Parliament Hill and
Queen’s Park.
Goudzwaard, the Amsterdam professor, uses a metaphor to describe his
friend. To grow a palm tree in the desert, a hole is made in the sand and a
young tree placed into it with a stone
on top. If it survives, the tree grows
down until it reaches water. Then it
rises, pushing away the rock. “That is
Jerry. If he sees there is no way, he goes
to the deepest roots of his faith. When
he sees injustice, he’s committed to finding a way.”
Ben Volman of Toronto is a contributing
writer at Faith Today.
