For more than nine years, Ethnos Canada has been blessed to work alongside Woodland Cree Elder, Norm McCallum. It was actually Norm who pursued Ethnos Canada and asked that we work with him to bring the love of Jesus to the First Nations in Canada.
Here is a short video in which Norm shares his testimony:
On April 11, 2024, God took Norm to be with Him.
Dave Wright, an Ethnos missionary, worked closely with Norm these last 9+ years. Dave had the privilege of sharing a eulogy at Norm’s memorial services.
Here are some excerpts from the eulogy:
Norm drew me into his embrace over the past 9+ years, enabling us to forge a relationship that went way beyond the different colours of our skin or the cultures that historically divided us. This was Norm! He often said, “It’s not about race, but about grace” – all because we are one race, with one common ancestor in Adam and because of God’s unmerited and boundless favour that made us truly one in Christ. Norm was my Elder, my brother, my friend, and my colleague. We partnered together in the Establish foundational disciple-making resources and ministry which includes the little Who is God? booklet. But truth be told, it was Norm who was the initiator, visionary, networker, and driving force in this partnership as I tried to run from him and his vision initially. Sadly, he’s not here to revel in the fruit of his labours as his ministry vision is beginning to take off.
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But to best describe Elder Norm, it would be that he was very passionate – he was passionate about his God, His Word the Bible, and making Him known. He was passionate for his wife and family, and he was passionate for all people but especially his northern people.
First and foremost, Norm’s primary driving passion was for God, His Word, and the gospel that rescued him from his past. The good news that God forgave him of all of his sins was so earth-shattering to him that he declared that he’d serve God for the rest of his life. And this he did – right to his dying breath. God was his consuming passion – this is what drove him the past 40 years of his life!
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While Norm loved all people and worked comfortably in the non-indigenous world, he was a Cree Elder through and through! Elder Norm never forgot his roots! He earned his position as an Elder because of his consistent godly character, his wisdom, his heart for his people, and the strength of his guiding voice. Yet, he was humble – content to sit outside of a Chief and Council for over a year before being invited in to speak and knowing the limits of his voice as he ministered amongst the Indigenous of BC. He knew that he was an Elder under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, so he sought to guide consistently from God’s Word – despite going against the current cultural narrative or costing him popularity. Many sought out his voice to know what it meant to be an Indigenous believer who honoured their culture AND honoured God’s Word. To Norm, the Bible wasn’t a white-man’s book – it is our one and only authority and message of hope for all people, for all time.
Dave closed the eulogy with the following:
Please join us in praying for those whom God is raising up to take this mantle that Norm has laid down.
Visit establishseries.com to learn more about what God is doing in the North.
