Sandy Robb has fought for everything she has – most especially for her life and her home, because neither has been certain. She was the guest speaker at the Dec. 6, 2017 gathering of the Christ Church Cathedral ACW, which drew a large crowd.
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Read the full article, written by Gisele McKnight and published in the February 2018 edition of the NB Anglican.
See Sandy in the short documentary film ‘The Rest Will Follow’, a collaboration of DocTalks, the Community Action Group on Homelessness and Housing First.
Tasty sandwiches and warm socks aren't the only things handed out to people in need at the Monday morning drop-in run by the cathedral's outreach committee.
Archdeacon Pat Drummond always gives a blessing of praise and thanksgiving to start the morning's activities. At first, the clatter of dishes and chatter of voices would continue. But now everyone stops respectfully to listen to her.
Later, amid the hubbub of people in the great hall who are enjoying refreshments, live music and a selection of used clothing, she announces a Bible study will begin shortly in the nursery.
She first offered such a session in the autumn of 2015. Only one or two people took part at first, but now several usually attend weekly.
"Those who participate say they really enjoy it and would miss it if it didn't happen," Pat said.
Last year they read the Gospel of Mark, but now they are examining Genesis. On a recent Monday they read about the birth of Jacob's sons, the ancestors of the 12 tribes of Israel.
"We always look at a bit of background for the story we are about to read," she explained. "We talked about the language spoken by the people of the day, since the names of Jacob's sons have meanings in Hebrew. We talked about the position of women in that society. Then we read the story in a modern translation such as the Message."
OUTREACH BIBLE STUDY – Archdeacon Pat Drummond (at left) leads a Bible study attended by Monday morning drop-in guests such as Darcy, Wendy and Barb.
Some of the people in the group are regular churchgoers, some had a religious foundation in childhood, while others are curious seekers. Pat involves everyone in the discussions.
"We discuss things in our own lives which have impacted us and bear relation to the story," she said. "Today, for example, it was how many children were in our own families and our position in the family. We talk about issues in the story such as the relationship between Jacob's wives and the slaves who also bore his sons. And we discuss how we solve or have solved our own family issues."
We need to be where people's hopes and fears intersect with those of God ...
Bishop David Edwards has said that the church needs to look for new ways to share the presence of God in communities where it has traditionally been established.
"We need to be where people's hopes and fears intersect with those of God, and to provide ways in which people can connect with God when they need to," the bishop wrote in a recent column in the NB Anglican.
Charles Ferris from the cathedral regularly attends the Monday morning drop-in as a friendly visitor. He has found that many living in poverty have health or social problems, and they can either be extremely withdrawn or very eager to tell their troubles. He often joins Pat's Bible study.
"The quiet space and the learning opportunity Pat provides is like church for some of these people," Charles said. "They're searching for a sense of community and spiritual connection, and they find it here."
After the Bible passages have been covered, Pat always goes around the circle to see who would like prayer and for what purpose.
"I think they particularly enjoy finding out more about their comrades through our talks," she noted. "They appreciate the prayers for forthcoming doctor's appointments, surgeries, moves, etc. We pray and always finish with the Lord's Prayer."
The Bible study is not the only beyond-handouts activity the outreach committee has supported. Members have accompanied some Monday morning guests to court and visited others in the hospital. The pastoral care committee has also done the latter.
"We like to reach out compassionately to people where they are, which won't necessarily be in a pew in the cathedral on Sunday morning," outreach committee treasurer Doug Milander said. "The weekly Bible study Pat prepares and offers here is an important aspect of efforts to share God's love beyond the church walls. Her time is greatly appreciated by those who attend and by this committee."
Many reading this will have participated in an Alpha course in the past and perhaps you or your church are still doing so; or it may be that you have never heard of Alpha.
If you are in this latter category, Alpha is a series of interactive sessions that explore the basics of life, faith and God, typically run over 11 weeks.
Each session looks at a different question around faith and is designed to create conversation.
Alpha was developed at Holy Trinity Church, Brompton over 25 years ago and is now run all around the globe. Over 29 million people have tried Alpha in 169 countries, and it has been translated into 112 different languages.
Courses take different formats, but generally they have three key aspects: food, a talk and good conversation. Everyone is welcome and all questions are accepted.
Whatever you do know about Alpha, it may be time to have another look or run Alpha again. Through this coming fall and winter, there will be a global Alpha campaign. Labelled “The Biggest Church Invitation of This Generation,” the face of the campaign will be Bear Grylls, known worldwide for outdoor survival and adventure and with 1.5 billion fans. He will be sharing his journey to faith; in his words: “Alpha was the best thing I ever did!”
Typically run over 8-12 weeks, it allows anyone to explore life, faith and God in a friendly, open and informal environment. In each session there’s food, a short talk, and discussion in small groups. Everything you need to run Alpha is available online and free to download.
This is an opportunity for churches or groups to tap into the interest generated in our communities. We should be ready for those who come seeking. Alpha materials have been updated and are now offered via free downloads. A complete revised set of 29-minutes talks delivered by Nicky Gumbel was released last year. A new Alpha film series launched in April, featuring stories from all around the world and covering the Alpha content in a contemporary visual format. There is also a highly successful Youth Alpha Film Series.
https://youtu.be/XLQZM1QwuUs
Register your course with Alpha Canada for no charge to access the talks, transcripts and training videos for free. Learn more, or register a course
“When will the snow melt?” asked Phillip Weah anxiously, bewildered by two snowstorms in a week – the first two snowstorms in this Liberian refugee’s life.
“Oh, around Easter,” he was told, but it wasn’t the answer he expected or wanted to hear.
Cold, snowy days are taken for granted by longtime Canadians, but newcomers find the weather amazing. On the positive side, Phillip is seeing outdoor Christmas trees and the exteriors of houses brightly lit for the festive season. This, too, he finds astonishingly beautiful.
He is proud to show off his Christmas tree – another first – to visitors to the family’s cosy apartment. The cathedral congregation donated an artificial tree, all the lights and several boxes of beautiful ornaments.
READY FOR CHRISTMAS – Phillip Weah visits his wife, Esther Gmah, daily in hospital. Daughter Catherine, holding a cheerful teddy bear, told her about the decorated Christmas tree which she is eager to see. She hopes to be home for the holidays.
Catherine Gmah, Phillip’s step-daughter, squealed with delight when she saw the tree and enjoyed decorating it. She caught on quickly. “Not enough,” she announced, pointing to a shortfall of the sparkly garland, which was soon remedied.
It’s fun to see her smile. This year has been full of upheaval. In July the family left a refugee camp in the Ivory Coast to fly to Canada where a warm welcome awaited from several parishes in the diocesan archdeaconry of Fredericton. Still, everything was new, different and often difficult for them.
Currently, Phillip is attending English classes daily at the multicultural association. Thanks to help from church volunteers, he has learned to buy groceries with a debit card and to ride the bus around the city. He was proud to earn some money by raking leaves a number of times at Christ Church Parish Church.
Catherine is attending Fredericton High School, where she is concentrating on learning to read and write. She loves music and joined an African dance group at the multicultural association. Unlike most teenagers, she does all the cooking for the family as well as most of the laundry and some of the cleaning.
MERRY CHRISTMAS – Phillip Weah and Catherine Gmah pose proudly after decorating their first Canadian Christmas tree. The tree, lights, ornaments, Santa hats and the teddy bear were donated by members of the cathedral congregation.
Her older brother, Arene, is also attending FHS, but has had trouble adjusting to schedules, structure, appointments and rules, all of which were unknown to him while living in a refugee camp. He is receiving counselling.
Their mother, Esther, has had the toughest time. In poor health when she arrived in Canada, she has been hospitalized since September, undergoing treatment for numerous infections. Not having Esther at home has been hard on the whole family, but she has made good progress lately. It is hoped that she will be discharged in time for Christmas and can start English classes next year although ongoing physiotherapy will be part of her schedule, too.
Phillip, whose father was a pastor, has worshipped at St. Margaret’s, St. Mary’s York, Parish Church and the Cathedral so far, but he says that he and Esther want to visit all the churches that have helped them financially and prayerfully. A man of deep faith, he is more than grateful for the chance to come to Canada which can offer many more opportunities to his family than the refugee camp.
Please keep them in your prayers this Christmas and in 2017 as they transition towards independence, and please know that they pray for all the people in the parishes helping them.
The total money raised for our sponsored Liberian family’s expenses, through the November 26th auction and additional donations, was over $2,800!
This is a real blessing for the cause with the federal money ending shortly and the bills continuing to come in for rent, electricity, telephone, groceries, etc. We are very grateful to everyone who donated items, volunteered at the event, and who bid on the various treasures (some of which are being modeled in the photo). We are especially thankful for Wendy Brien and her team who worked tirelessly to put this auction together and to pull it off. Well done!
With gratitude,
Ann Deveau
on behalf of the Refugee Sponsorship Committee
Our Christmas Angel program has begun! Please help us provide gifts for needy children in the Fredericton area. 🙂
Paper angels from the Fredericton Food Bank are waiting to be chosen from small trees in the Cathedral and in the hall foyer. Each angel indicates a gift or stocking stuffers for a needy boy or girl of a specific age.
Unwrapped gifts, with the paper angels firmly attached, should be brought to the church or the hall by SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4th. Drop-off boxes are set up near the angel trees.
If you cannot bring your gift on time, please take it to the drop-off box in the hall no later than Monday, December 5th. It might seem early, but it is the deadline for the Cathedral Outreach Committee to deliver the gifts to the Food Bank volunteers, who will then distribute the gifts to the children’s parents to be wrapped.
If you prefer to donate money instead of toys or stocking stuffers, please write a cheque payable to Christ Church Cathedral and indicate Christmas Outreach on the memo line. Your cheque or cash should reach the church office by Friday, December 16th. These funds will be divided equally among the Fredericton Homeless Shelters, Transition House and the Fredericton Community Kitchen.
The Outreach Committee thanks you for your generous support in making Christmas special for needy families in our community!
The guests who attend the Monday morning drop-in at Cathedral Memorial Hall are lucky. People who have never even met them collaborate to make the event a success.
They have a warm, welcoming place to hang out and socialize with their friends. Thanks to members of the congregation who generously donate sandwiches, muffins and fruit, they never leave hungry.
Thanks to others who set up the room, they can enjoy a cup of coffee while sitting in comfortable chairs. Their dirty dishes will be made sparkling clean by volunteers in the kitchen.
WHEN THE SAINTS – When the Saints Go Marching In is one of the favourite songs performed by a small group of Christian men who sing and play at the Monday morning drop-in.
Some guests are busy “shopping,” looking through the free stash of used clothing and small housewares donated by cathedral members, their relatives and friends.
Archdeacon Pat Drummond offers a Bible study each week. Parish nurse Kathleen Snow takes blood pressures and chats with people about their health problems, often pointing them toward helpful resources.
A few Christian men from a local Baptist church bring their guitars and banjos to play gospel music, with some country tunes and oldies mixed in. Sometimes there’s a singalong.
A social worker from the downtown health clinic circulates through the crowd to assist people he knows or has just met. Cathedral volunteers chat, making the day a little brighter for guests struggling with loneliness, illness, poverty, and addictions.
BP CHECKS – A blood pressure check is one of the services offered by parish nurse Kathleen Snow at the Monday morning drop-in for people in need.
“We enjoy wonderful partnerships with people from the cathedral and elsewhere in the community who believe in opening their hearts to help people in need,” said a smiling Penny Ericson who is chair of the Outreach Committee. “We couldn’t do it without their kind and faithful support.”
She noted that the Cathedral ACW helps by providing funding as well as food once a month as do the pastors and parishioners of St. Margaret’s Anglican and New Maryland United.
“We have a great time working together in the kitchen and talking with the guests,” she said. “The people who come appreciate what we offer very much. About 40 people attend every Monday, although on the last Monday of the month when we give out a $10 gift card or bus tickets, the turnout climbs. We are grateful to the Bishop and Chapter for the money to fund that part of our activities.”
Penny welcomes questions from anyone who is interested in learning more about the Monday drop-in.
At the end of this year Doug Milander will turn in his apron after 10 years as co-ordinator of the cathedral’s community kitchen ministry.
For well over a decade, the cathedral has supplied teams every Saturday evening year-round to help the cook from 4 until 6 p.m. with food preparation, serving the crowd, and doing the dishes.
“The shift is only two hours a month, the work isn’t difficult, and it’s rewarding to help people in need,” Doug said. “It’s a really busy place, and our help is appreciated.”
However, 10 years straight is a long time to give to a monthly volunteer activity. He’s also busy with the cathedral’s Monday morning drop-in for people in need, the food bank basket collection, and the Christmas Angels program. As well, he’s part of the core group assisting the Liberian refugee family to settle into Canadian life.
“It’s time to pass the torch,” Doug said, noting the co-ordinator’s duties would include recruiting team captains and team members this fall, developing a schedule for the year ahead, and reminding people of their commitments.
It’s time to pass the torch …
Currently, four teams help at the Saturday suppers in rotation. Each team has more than a dozen members, and four-to-six people are expected to cover the two-hour shift. Ideally, a person’s turn would only come up every couple of months.
In recent years, the cathedral congregation has not been able to provide enough volunteers. People from other denominations have joined all four cathedral teams which does add a nice social aspect to the work.
“I would be glad to meet with anyone interested in taking on this important volunteer opportunity,” he added. His number is (506) 455-3299.
CLEANING UP – Doug Milander, longtime co-ordinator of the cathedral’s community kitchen ministry, takes a break from doing dishes to pose with his wife Ann Deveau, one of the team captains, and Fan Liang, a graduate student from China who joined a cathedral team to help people in need.
With a violent civil war and years in a refugee camp behind them, Phillip, Esther, Arene and Catherine flew more than 10,000 kilometres from Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, to Brussels to Montreal to Fredericton this week. The long trip is only the start of their challenging journey.
FIRST CANADIAN PICNIC – The Rev’d Rick Robinson and his wife Nancy took the refugee family from Liberia swimming and for a picnic at Woolastook Park on July 31. Pictured with them are Arene, Catherine, Esther and Phillip. The young people also enjoyed dancing to music at the event which was celebrating Black heritage in New Brunswick.
A smiling welcoming committee waved balloons, welcome signs and Canadian flags at the airport. Parishioners came from the cathedral, Christ Church Parish Church, St. Margaret’s, St. Mary (York), All Saints in Marysville and Anglican parishes around Gagetown. Four exhausted people who hadn’t slept for two nights looked bewildered by all the attention.
“They were overwhelmed, probably feeling as if they had landed on another planet, but we made them feel as welcome, safe and comfortable as we could,” said committee member Doug Milander from the cathedral. “When we drove up to the door of the apartment building and I said, “this is your home,” Phillip began to sob.
“I don’t know what he had expected, but he could not believe what was happening. By the time he saw the spacious rooms, homey furnishings, and all the food, he cried harder. He thanked us and shook our hands many times.”
Phillip’s wife Esther deplaned in an airline wheelchair and walks very haltingly with a cane. The teenaged children look healthy and were curious. Everything is new for them: 24/7 electricity, potable running water, modern bathrooms and appliances.
Representatives of the Archdeaconry of Fredericton await Phillip, Esther, Arene and Catherine at Fredericton Airport on Wednesday.
“This is an incredible and emotional experience for everyone,” said Kelly Humber-Kelly from St. Margaret’s who completed much of the paperwork related to the refugee sponsorship. “Everyone on the committee thanks you for the prayers, funds, and donated items you have given to this project in the past several months.
“But it’s no longer a project. These are people with hopes and dreams, a family who needs our help and loving care to regain their independence and transition to a new life in Canada.”
Updates will be provided as events unfold for the family. Ongoing prayers are appreciated.
On July 26th a family of four Liberians, who fled a civil war and who have been living in a refugee camp for six years, will board an airplane in Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa, and start winging their way toward Canada.
The family will find a clean, fully furnished, comfortable, bright, three-bedroom apartment waiting for them when they arrive in Fredericton July 27th. The cathedral and 10 Anglican parishes have been collecting funds, furniture and food for the family, comprised of Phillip Weah, Esther Gmah and teenaged children Arene and Catherine Gmah. A team from the cathedral, Christ Church Parish Church, St. Margaret’s, St. Mary’s York and All Saints (Marysville) has been working hard to move furniture and supplies, clean and set up the apartment. Congregations have been enormously generous in donating items. The refugee sponsorship committee expresses gratitude for the help and asks for ongoing prayer for the Liberian family.
When they arive they will be nervously stepping into a whole new world. They will receive a warm welcome from members of the Greater Fredericton Area Anglican Parishes, a refugee sponsorship committee representing 10 parishes and the cathedral.
“We have been praying, preparing and raising funds for many months in anticipation of the family’s arrival, but we have been given only two and a half weeks notice of the specific date,” said Archdeacon Patricia Drummond who speaks for the committee.
“We have a LOT to do before that time, the most urgent being to find a convenient, three-bedroom apartment for a reasonable rent into which we can move the many furniture items and supplies we have accumulated,” she said. “We also need to stock the apartment with groceries. And there is considerable paperwork to do and meetings to set up related to banking, documentation, language assessments, health care, and so on.”
She added that it will be helpful for the African newcomers because it is not the dead of winter, but it will be hectic for the organizers because it is summer when some volunteers are away on holidays.
“In speaking over a scratchy telephone line with the father of the family, I discovered that the family is Christian. We would have happily accepted any faith, but this does make things easier in a number of ways.”
In speaking over a scratchy telephone line with the father of the family, I discovered that the family is Christian …
Liberia is on the west coast of Africa
The archdeacon sincerely thanked everyone for their donations and moral support. Prayers for the family will be very much appreciated.
“Some people have asked if they can still contribute financially, and the answer is yes because we must support this family for an entire year,” she noted. “People in the various parishes have been generous, but we do not yet have enough money to cover the whole year. Cheques can be made payable to Christ Church Parish Church, marking Refugee Fund on the memo line. Any contribution is welcome.”
The only remaining item needed on our 10-page list of furniture and supplies is a chair suitable to use at a computer desk. It does not have to be new but it does have to function.
“God has been very good to us as we prepare for the family, and we know He will watch over them on their long journey here,” Archdeacon Drummond concluded.
