A seat at the table
Intriciti encourages integration of faith and business
since 2004 a Canadian organization based in Toronto and Ottawa has inspired business leaders to integrate their faith in the workplace, encouraging them in their daily walk with Christ. The vision of Intriciti (www.Intriciti. ca) is “a world without compartmentalization.” The ministry focuses on five business practices – special events, strategic connections, leadership development, roundtable discussions and philanthropic initiatives.
“We want to provide meaningful connections and relevant experiences to inspire business leaders on their spiritual journey, one conversation at a time, so they can live fully integrated lives,” says Alana Walker Carpenter, CEO. “So the same person who shows up at work is the same person who shows up at church is the same person who is a neighbour to you.”
Before Intriciti Carpenter worked in human resources for a downtown consulting firm in Toronto. Unlike what some may experience, she felt free to express her faith in her firm, and enjoyed connecting at a meaningful level with clients and colleagues. At the same time she felt called to do more to engage corporate leaders in their faith.
“When we talk about faith and integration, it’s often in the context of going overseas or helping out the local soup kitchen,” she says. “My heart is so big for Jesus, and I want all to know Him. But I know that in order for that to happen we have to think outside the box, and we
can’t have a cookie cutter approach.”
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Carpenter and her team of volunteers introduced more than 12 initiatives to engage their community, such as launching two Alpha courses online, organizing a roundtable for people who lost their jobs during the pandemic, and starting a fundraising campaign called Caring From the Couch to encourage corporate leaders to leverage their personal and corporate connections and resources to assist people in need.
One of Intriciti’s signature events is Bells on Bay Street, an annual event which features a keynote speaker and donations to a charity to share the spirit of Christmas with business leaders who might never attend church. The event has expanded to Ottawa with future plans for Washington and New York.
“These events are huge wins and a sign that people trust us,” says Carpenter. “But when I get invited into the lives of others, knowing they would not enter a faith institution, but would weep with me at a coffee shop, over the phone or in their boardroom, to me that quiet, unseen thing is our greatest accomplishment. More than any of the big splashy things that anybody sees or hears about.”