Our Story

panoRRama is a Social Enterprise with three primary objectives. The first objective is to help people see the bigger picture on the critical issues of our day by providing educational opportunities and resources which amplify voices that have often marginalized or silenced. The second objective is to invite people to join the conversation by providing a safe space for meaningful conversations where people of differing opinions and perspectives can ask questions of one another to learn instead of arguing or debating. These are the kinds of conversations that our siloed world does not normally allow. Finally, the third objective is to be generous by generating resources to invest back into the community in support of marginalized groups. To this end, panoRRama gives away 50% of its general revenue to worthy causes every year.

Why the name panoRRama?

The word panorama refers to a picture that has a wider profile than the standard picture. It is a bigger picture. There is more to see than the standard picture reveals. A second definition of the word panorama is “a complete survey or presentation of a subject.” Quite often in our study of history and theology, we are familiar with the standard view. But when we expand our lens, we see that there are different voices that have not been heard and much more to be learned. When these voices are amplified, we begin to see a bigger picture, a different history, a more complete theology.

At panoRRama.com, we spell panorama with two “R’s”. These two R’s stand for ‘Racial Reconciliation” and are capitalized to reflect panoRRama’s emphasis on Racial Reconciliation and Racial Justice issues.

Graffiti on a sidewalk that says "How many more Rodney Kings does it have to be?"

Our History

For seventeen years to the day, Bill Sunberg served as Pastor of the Emmanuel Church of the Nazarene in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Emmanuel is an amazing church; one of the most diverse churches in the Nazarene denomination. The congregation consists of people from over 40 different countries and is over 95% BIPOC. Hands down the best church pot luck dinners anywhere. And the most amazing people.

Beginning in 2019, a number of things happened that planted a new calling and passion in Bill’s heart. First, Bill helped officiate at a funeral for a young man from the community who was killed in a gang related gun crime. This was not his first such funeral, nor would it be his last. As he stood in front of the chapel filled with young Black men, many of whom were involved in gangs, and many of whom Bill knew by name, he began to hear a calling to something deeper. More than providing crisis support and grief counselling after the tragic death of a vibrant young Black man, he felt a call to do more to change the systemic issues behind these tragedies.

Then in May, 2020, the same month George Floyd died, Bill officiated at another funeral of a young Black man who died from a gun related incident. This one was a covid funeral. Only 10 people were allowed in the funeral visitation room at a time but there were over a hundred youth in the parking lot waiting to take their turn to pay respects to their friend. As he watched groups of three or four youth file in and out of the visitation room over a number of hours, he again felt this call to do more for these youth he loved so deeply.

As a result, Bill began to host virtual Racial Justice Workshops and Story Circles during the pandemic lockdowns. It soon became clear that his passion for the Racial Justice work began to eclipse his passion for his work as a local church pastor. After much prayer and soul searching, Bill resigned his church in Toronto and began the process of launching panoRRama.

panoRRama expanded its focus beyond Racial Justice work through a series of events that resulted in Bill filing his Ordination Credentials in February, 2023. Bill filed his credentials in support of his youngest child and their husband who are members of the LGBTQ Community. It quickly became clear that the need was just as great for education and a safe conversational space in support of the Queer Community.

Our Vision

Content

panoRRama is the place where members can learn the things they did not learn in other places like Sunday School, university classrooms, sermons, book clubs, or coffee house conversations. We want to hear new voices, learn new things, and See the Bigger Picture.
Conversation

panoRRama is the place where members can safely discuss sensitive issues. We want to ask the questions we have always been afraid to ask. We want to hear from people who have different perspectives than our own. We want a safe place to Join the Conversation.
Community Investment

panoRRama is the place where all of our revenue streams generate income for worthy causes and marginalized groups. We invite more people to become members of the panoRRama community so we can Be Generous and give more resources away.