A new family has arrived in San Ignacio, Belize, to assist Father David Alenskis (who, along with his wife, Mary Beth, has some baby news to share)! Evan, Missy, and Annabelle Hansen from Charlottesville, Virginia plan to be in San Ignacio for the next year.
Read more about both families on the Cathedral's Missions website.
A new family will be helping Father Alenskis for the next year in San Ignacio, Belize. This link has some photos of their rented home as well as some photos from St. Andrew’s church and the youth group going around town singing Christmas carols at people’s doors. You may find it funny to see everyone in T-shirts and shorts at Christmas!
Click here for a Christmas and pregnancy update from Mary Beth Alenskis in Belize!
Can you step out in faith to help Fredericton’s needy?
Christ Church Cathedral supplies teams of volunteers who work at the Fredericton Community Kitchen on Saturdays year-round to help the cook at supper time. Duties include preparing and serving food, doing dishes, and cleaning up after the evening meal.
The time commitment is a mere two hours – from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. – and each team is assigned 13 Saturdays annually. Depending on the size of your team, you will not have to take part every time.
Jason Parsons is co-ordinating the cathedral's efforts for this worthwhile cause.
“I'm busy with my work and my three children, but it's a small commitment of time,” he said. “It really gives all of us a chance to be the hands and feet of God in our city, and the people who come for supper are so grateful for the work we do.”
If anyone is interested in joining a team, Jason can be reached at 455-9638 or jayparsons at rogers.com
Experience isn't necessary, and the work isn't hard. You might be peeling potatoes, buttering rolls, making juice, cutting pieces of pie, scrubbing pots, putting away clean dishes, and so on.
“One of our longtime volunteers told me that, too often, church can be about money and politics, not about helping people. He likes giving back in this way as a form of mission,” Jason said.
He also wanted to heartily thank all those who volunteered during 2018. “Some people have been faithfully helping out for many years,” he said. “It's greatly appreciated.”
SANTA'S ELVES - Marilyn O'Hara (left) and Mary Lou Cotter busily pack 85 gift bags for people in need who attend the Monday morning drop-in at Cathedral Hall. Bags contain many donated items such as warm socks, a knitted hat or scarf, candy canes, granola bars, tissues, candy, chips, pens, hot chocolate mix, toothbrushes, hotel-size toiletries, Christmas poem, and a handwritten Christmas card with a $15 gift card inside.
The Christmas gathering on Monday, 17 December also features a reading of the Christmas story from Luke by the Dean, homemade cookies from St. Margaret's Anglican Church, gift bags for children provided by New Maryland United Church, live music played by local musicians, along with sandwiches, cookies and fruit donated by members of the cathedral family. The Outreach Committee thanks one and all for such a great outpouring of kindness!
Sixty-three guests turned out on a snowy Monday morning for the annual Christmas drop-in for people in need. A huge amount of delicious food was provided by volunteers from the cathedral congregation, St. Margaret's Anglican Church and New Maryland United Church; the parish nurse looked after health needs; two local musicians played Christmas carols; Dean Geoffrey Hall read the Christmas story from Luke's gospel; each attendee received a gift bag with seasonal treats, warm socks, hats or scarves, a handwritten Christmas card and a gift card worth $15. Leftover food and gifts were donated to the downtown health clinic, the shelter, Transition House and the community kitchen. Thanks to all who helped make the day special!
The drop-ins resume January 7th.
Ann Deveau
Bishop and Chapter have approved in principle the sending of a letter of intent to enter into a partnership that would support four of the homeless population. The final approval would be subject to the proponents being able to secure adequate federal, provincial and local support as well as the Chapter’s approval of a 20-year lease.
Three years ago, a survey was conducted to ascertain the extent and type of homelessness that exists in Fredericton. The data made it clear that a programme needed to be created to move the homeless into safe housing. The cost to the taxpayer for keeping an individual “on the street” is $55,000 per year. The cost for assisting an individual in safe housing is $22,000 per year.
The Community Action Group on Homelessness (CAGH) was created to include government representatives, community leaders, and charitable organizations who serve those in need. The Housing First project aims to provide housing for 40 homeless individuals who will require assistance from social workers as well as citizens who will help them to re-integrate into the community. The move to secure housing is crucial, but the second crucial factor is helping the new tenants to learn how to care for and respect themselves and others. The CAGH group identified church communities as the bet group of people to assist these individuals as they re-connect with society.
The Road Home: A Plan to End Homelessness in Fredericton is the result of extensive research and planning. It outlines strategies and actions that will lead to an end to chronic homelessness in Fredericton. The goals of the plan involve affordable and supportive housing development, as well as community collaboration and the adoption of a Housing First systems approach. The time has come to stop merely managing homelessness: with the Road Home, we will work toward ending long-term persistent homelessness in our community.
Faith MacFarlane, a social worker leading this project, and Jason LeJeune, a business man in Fredericton, are key leaders in moving this project forward. Mayor Mike O’Brien chairs a city-based committee on ending homelessness in Fredericton. Each of these three individuals have met with groups of our congregation to explain the purpose and process of making this happen.
Funding for this project will come from the Federal and Provincial budgets as well as from the private sector. Jason has raised over 1.4 million dollars to date to help pay for the homes designed for one occupant. The City is donating available land, as are private citizens and churches who have available space. The new homes need to be built near a grocery store and a bus stop!
Churches are being approached by the proponents of Housing First because of our faith commitment to help those in need, and our charitable status. The financial piece includes the following:
Visit the Road Home, Fredericton web site
Read the complete Plan here
Penny Ericson
This past spring the Cathedral Mothers' Union, with the help of members of the congregation prepared a little over 200 'care packs' and handed them out to University of New Brunswick students prior to their final exams. The packs were well received, and we are hoping to continue our outreach prior to the Christmas exams - preparing even more care packs if possible. But we need the help of our congregation family!
This year's crop of angels has arrived at the Cathedral!
Paper angels from the Fredericton Food Bank are waiting to be chosen from small trees in the cathedral and in the hall foyer. Each of the 60 angels indicates a specific gift for a needy boy or girl in our city.
Unwrapped gifts, with the paper angels, firmly attached, should be brought to the church or the hall on Sunday, 02 December. Drop-off boxes will be set up near the angel trees in advance.
If you cannot bring your gift on time, please take it to the drop-off box in the hall no later than Monday, 03 December. It might seem early, but it's the Food Bank's deadline for our deliveries, allowing them time to distribute the gifts to the families they serve.
If you prefer to donate money, please write a cheque payable to Christ Church Cathedral and indicate Christmas Outreach on the memo line. Your cheque should reach the church office by Monday, 17 December. These funds will be divided equally among the Fredericton Homeless Shelters, Women in Transition House Inc. and the Fredericton Community Kitchen.
The Fredericton Food Bank has more than 700 children on its list this year. The Outreach Committee thanks you for your generous support in making Christmas special for 60 of them.
I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. (Philippians 1:3-5, NIV)
Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!
Psalm 96:2-3, ESV Bible