How this refugee group at Kitchissippi United Church is helping people find an accepting community

Anthony Chukwuebuka remembers arriving in Canada March of 2025 with no winter clothing, no contacts and nowhere to stay. The Nigerian newcomer, who fled after his sexuality became known in his community, spent his first night outside in Toronto after struggling to find a hotel that accepted cash.

“I didn’t even know there was a place where minus weather exists,” Chukwuebuka said.

“I came out at ten-thirty at night in just trousers and a simple shirt. It was pretty cold, so I had to run back inside. I had cash with me to lodge in a hotel because my destination was Ottawa. But no hotel would accept cash, so I had to sleep outside under the cold.”

Chukwuebuka loved business and built a career in real estate and marketing in eastern Nigeria, but he said life changed quickly when his sexuality became public.

“Everything began to vanish, including my business,” he said.

“I grew up with a pain of isolation. But you can’t express how you feel openly, not in school, not in your family, not in society. Your sexuality becomes something you have to hide all the time. Our lives became a nightmare. We had to start looking for a way out of the country because the community will come after you and society will condemn you. And not just that, it’s more like a criminal offence.”

He later travelled to Ottawa, where he heard someone speaking his local language on a city bus. This newcomer led him to God’s Beloved, a group at Kitchissippi United Church that supports Christian LGBTQI+ refugees and asylum seekers.

“I had been searching online for a community or a church where I will see people that have same story as me or people that will understand my pains and people that will be a friend, people that will comfort me,” Chukwuebuka said.

God’s Beloved officially launched in August 2024, with only six participants. Within months, more than 30 LGBTQI+ newcomers were regularly attending the weekly gatherings.

Kitchissippi is led by Rev. Jenni Leslie, while the God’s Beloved group is led by Rev. Daniel Addai Fobi, who provides pastoral support, accompanies members to hearings and helps them navigate housing, mental health concerns and settlement challenges.

“For us, it is about affirming the inherent worth of every person,” Fobi said.

“People come to us carrying trauma, fear, sometimes shame. Our work is to remind them that they are seen, valued and beloved.”

Leslie said many members arrive to Canada carrying experiences they have never had the freedom to share.

“What God’s Beloved offers is a place where people can breathe again,” she said.

“A place where they can bring their whole selves without fear. For many, this is the first time in their lives that’s been possible.”

The growth of God’s Beloved mirrors national trends in refugee movement. Across Canada, refugee protection claims have risen sharply. The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada reported more than 170,000 asylum claims in 2024-2025, one of the highest totals on record. Since 1980, the country has welcomed over one million refugees, with 76,685 becoming permanent residents in 2024 alone.

LGBTQI+ refugee claimants are considered among the most vulnerable due to criminalization, violence and family rejection in many countries.

For lifelong member Mary Laidlaw, the presence of newcomers has brought renewed engagement to a congregation she has attended since childhood.

“I’ve been here since the beginning, all my life,” Laidlaw said.

“The United Church has always been a place where anybody can come, and anybody is welcome. So why wouldn’t we have people of different experiences and cultures? We can all learn from each other.”

Laidlaw said the ministry has encouraged more conversations in the wider congregation.

“People are talking more about their traditions,” she said. “They’re asking, ‘Why did we always do that?’ Change can be good.”

What stands out most to her is the level of participation from God’s Beloved.

“Their belief and their practices are so ingrained,” Laidlaw said.

“Young people don’t come as much anymore. But God’s Beloved comes with real commitment, and I think it’s wonderful.”

Chukwuebuka said fleeing Nigeria meant losing more than his home. His partner escaped to France, and he has no contact with him today. His family no longer speaks to him.

“I didn’t know what therapy was,” he said.

“I was passing through my pains alone. But Reverend Daniel and Reverend Jenni helped me. They listened to me and worked with me.”

He said the support has helped him find community.

“Since then, I’ve met lots of friends and good people from all the people, church members, Reverend Daniel, Reverend Jenni,” Chukwuebuka said.

According to Kitchissippi United Church’s website, God’s Beloved is designed to offer “numerous opportunities for socialization, emotional support, and mutual care, fostering a culture of love, acceptance, and empathy.” The program offers weekly gatherings, community meals, pastoral care and practical assistance.

The church describes the ministry as an expression of its commitment to inclusion, reconciliation and justice, values rooted in the wider United Church of Canada.

“Everyone deserves a place where they are loved,” Fobi said. “That is the heart of this ministry.”

At Kitchissippi United, many of these newcomers have found not just an accepting place to worship, but a place to heal.