Definition of Cultural Engagement Value: DTS values the cultivation of knowledge and skills that enable high awareness and effective navigation of cross-cultural dynamics, resulting in effective contextualization and service in a variety of cultural contexts.
SMART Goals:
Personal Goal:
Specific: By May 1, 2025, Develop personal brand & website
Measurable: Asana Project Management Software
Achievable: Monthly check ins with my brand and web designer
Relevant: Helps boost brand awareness for IJM Canada
Time-based: By February 1, have a first draft of the website ready
Ministry Goal:
Specific: By May 1, 2025, edit 2 quarterly editions Faith & Justice Newsletter for IJM Canada
Measurable: Teamwork; Project Manager on my team
Achievable: Bi-weekly 1:1's with project manager for newsletter
Relevant: Helps Canadian Christians and churches tie their faith with God's heart for justice
Time-based: 1 Newsletter by December 2024, 1 Newsletter by April 1, 2025
Artifacts:
Personal Goal: Personal brand document and website - https://www.canva.com/design/DAGcsUqUxD4/46ogACHf-3L5CONKNMubTQ/edit + www.joashpthomas.com
Ministry Goal: A digital edition of the Faith & Justice Newsletter - https://view.email.ijm.ca/?qs=07e00ca460ea2424d4ccc2e9148cae465d84b09edf8a56843aef0c2367f11578b0adc00cfb6c2973a52491e2d111a7433c5af531809e52cfc2a30a2b6287930dcf8199273f47b4f3dc2508d496da2ed4
Reflective Statements
For my competence in cultural engagement, I am submitting a digital copy of the Faith & Justice Newsletter launched by the team I lead, which demonstrates my competency in understanding a core need in the market we serve (Canadian church leaders) and figuring out how to advance this forward in collaboration with my team. I am also submitting my personal brand document and website to show the scope of other cultural engagement work I was engaged in during this residency year.
As I developed and demonstrated cultural engagement, I learned that cultural engagement is long haul work that takes significant time and resources. While this is no doubt labor intensive work, the rewards of this work can be great over time. I also learned that investing in these artifacts on the front end will build a solid foundation for my ministry in the years ahead.
As a result of the experiences documented by these artifacts, I will continue to develop in cultural engagement by figuring out other unique value offerings my team can be designing that we we can continue equipping the Canadian Church with on the cultural engagement front - especially as it pertains to justice.
