The Archdeaconry of Fredericton refugee sponsorship committee has been waiting for months to bring a Syrian refugee family to Fredericton. A couple weeks ago we were advised that the backlog of applications is now so large (thousands!) that it would be well into 2017 before we could even think of being matched with a Syrian family.
It’s disappointing. However, there are literally millions of other refugees, some of whom have been waiting in crowded camps for years. We were told that, if we would agree to sponsor an African family instead, it could take only a few more weeks or months before they would step off the plane in Fredericton.
Liberia is on the west coast of Africa
The committee, made up of 10 parishes and the cathedral, prayed, discussed and decided to help a family of four from Liberia in West Africa now, instead of waiting until 2017 for a Syrian family. Our application is being reviewed by the federal government, and we are waiting for news.
We have a few details: the father is Phillip, age 47, who has worked as a farm hand; his wife is Esther, age 50, a trader, probably selling fruit, fish or charcoal in an outdoor market; her children are a son, Arene, age 19, and a daughter, Catherine, age 16.
The family profile does not indicate how long they have been living in the refugee camp, situated in the neighbouring country of Côte d’Ivoire. Knowing there have been two civil wars in Liberia, we suspect it might be years. The parents have been subjected to violence and torture.
We do not yet know their religion, but the file says they can speak English and French plus their native language called Grebo. Their educational levels are very low, especially given the ages of the children. Conditions in the camp are not good concerning health care, dental care, education, etc.
If our application succeeds, it will be a huge challenge for this family to adapt to life in Canada.
If our application succeeds, it will be a huge challenge for this family to adapt to life in Canada. Think of our weather (the average annual temperature in Liberia is 28C!), the different culture here, their lack of education, and limited work experience. It is possible that they may never have enjoyed 24/7 electricity, running water, and all the amenities we take for granted. Life here may be overwhelming for them.
That is why the committee continues to prepare to welcome and help them. Financial donations have reached about $22,000 — we need $30,000 to look after them for one year. Thanks to you, donations of furnishings are going extremely well. (See list of remaining items sought.)
The Missions Committee at the cathedral will keep you posted on the progress of the archdeaconry’s application. Please pray for this refugee family and for our efforts to bring them out of violence and misery to a safe home in peaceful Canada.
FURNISHINGS LIST (remaining items needed as of June 22, 2016)
LIVING ROOM – modern TV (not the heavy, old, tube-type) MISCELLANEOUS – chair for computer desk
Items can be dropped off at Cathedral Memorial Hall during business hours.
If you wish to help support the family, you can provide a cheque, payable to Christ Church Parish Church, noting Refugee Fund on the memo line. The treasurer at that church is maintaining an account on behalf of all the parishes taking part in the sponsorship.
Spin the globe. Halfway around the world sits a refugee family dreaming of a better, safer life.
Spin the globe again. People from 11 parishes in the archdeaconry of Fredericton are collecting furniture and housewares to fill that family’s apartment here.
At this point, neither knows anything specific about the other, nor do they know when they will finally meet and start working together on the transition to a new life in Canada.
HELPING HANDS – Wendy Smith (at right), a parishioner from St. Margaret’s Anglican, delivers household goods donated by the congregation for the Syrian refugee family who will be sponsored by the archdeaconry. St. Margaret’s is kindly covering all items in the bathroom and personal supplies categories of a long list of furniture and supplies. Ann Deveau (at left) from the cathedral will put the items into storage until the family arrives in Fredericton. The timing is unknown because the archdeaconry is on a waiting list to choose a family.
Having met its self-imposed national target of 25,000 Syrian refugees by the end of February, the federal government has slowed its processing of refugee applicants. This is frustrating for potential sponsors. Patience and prayer will be needed in the coming months until a match is made.
While waiting for the bureaucracy to grind its wheels, committee members are raising funds (as of May 1st, donations now stand at $20,030.83), researching apartment prices, finding Arabic interpreters, looking for a doctor and dentist, learning which foods will be needed in a Syrian pantry, getting cross-cultural training, and so on.
Parishioners have asked how they can help the family. Some donations have already arrived and are being stored in the basement of Cathedral Memorial Hall, such as area rugs, desk, bed, floor lamp, coffee table, toaster oven, coffee maker, bedding, sets of cutlery and dishes, coat hangers, and much more.
One parish offered to supply everything needed to outfit a bathroom as well as all the personal supplies.
As the exact composition of the family is unknown, some questions cannot be answered now. Will we need bunk beds? A crib? Dolls and art supplies for wee ones?
Curtains or blinds will be needed, but what size will the windows be in the apartment to be rented later? Some items will just have to wait!
However, here is a list of things most likely required. If you can donate any of these items (clean, in good condition and in working order, please), e-mail Doug Milander and Ann Deveau <amdrm at nbnet.nb.ca> or call (506) 455-3299.
Drop-off and/or pick-up dates can be arranged later this spring. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Don MacPherson helps move articles for short term storage
As of 10 June …
LIVING ROOM – modern TV (not the heavy, old, tube-type)
BEDROOMS – mattress and boxspring for a single bed, mattress and boxspring for a 54-inch bed, 3 waste baskets
DINING/KITCHEN – 4 kitchen chairs, hand mixer, muffin tin
MISCELLANEOUS – chair for computer desk, radio, alarm clock, wall clock, paper/pens/pencils, 3 umbrellas, combs and brushes
Belize occupies not only a chunk of land in Central America, but also a special spot in the hearts of dozens of people from the cathedral who took part in mission trips there in 2005, 2007, 2010 and 2013.
“Our work as a church is to reach out and serve our brothers and sisters in Christ,” says Beverly Morell who led the four mission teams. “Belize is a wonderful example of one important way we do just that!”
Although a cathedral team has not gone south recently — largely due to the falling Canadian dollar which made the trip much too expensive — connections between the cathedral and a tiny Anglican parish in Belize continue.
Education is so important for these young people as is a well-equipped school …
For example, approximately $2,000 is sent annually to help St. Hilda’s Anglican School. It’s an elementary school (pop. 200) in a poor area in western Belize where three of the teams volunteered. The funds pay for school supplies as well as badly needed repairs such as fixing broken toilets and gaping holes in classroom ceilings.
Earth Day posters in Belize
The money for school supplies, including books, printer ink cartridges, paper and coloured pencils, is appreciated by the teachers. For example, it meant that the children had plentiful materials to work with when creating the Earth Day posters pictured here.
Another aspect of the relationship is assistance for higher education. In Belize free education stops at Grade 8. Many families live below the poverty line and cannot afford to send their children to high school. Former missioners and other donors have helped put several St. Hilda’s graduates through high school: Ashley Jones, Amieka Myers, Anfernee Vasquez, Jamal Whitty and Tianney Lamb.
Also thanks to donors from the cathedral family, three students from St. Hilda’s are currently attending high school: Aaliyah Augustine, Paul Jones and Anique Hernandez. Paul explains why the financial support and encouragement mean so much to him: “I come from a poor family, but I want to show other children like me that it doesn’t matter where you came from, you can still achieve the goal you set your mind on.”
Earth Day 2016 at St. Hilda’s
Originally, it cost $700 CDN per year per student, but the decline of our dollar means that it now costs $1,000 CDN annually per student. Although the existing students will be supported until graduation, unfortunately a high school scholarship cannot be offered to a St. Hilda’s graduate in 2016.
A couple years ago other donors at the cathedral kindly pooled resources to send two of the high school graduates to college. Although Anfernee Vasquez dropped out after a year, Amieka Myers intends to graduate with an associate in education certificate in 2017.
“Education is so important for these young people as is a well-equipped school,” says Brad McKnight, treasurer of the cathedral’s Missions Committee. “Our committee is considering a fund-raiser in late fall or early winter to make sure the financial support remains solid well into the future. Stay tuned for news about specific plans and for opportunities to volunteer.”
Divine Renovation: From a Maintenance to a Missional Parish
By James Mallon
Novalis Publishing/2014/286 pages
Fr. James Mallon is pastor and priest at the Roman Catholic Saint Benedict Parish in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He speaks frequently on the topic of church renewal and has hosted internationally acclaimed DVD series on Catholicism and Dogmatic Theology. St. Benedict is an amalgamation of three former parishes and under Fr. Mallon’s care has achieved remarkable success in becoming a Christian community focussed on mission outside of its doors as opposed to an inward- looking maintenance ministry. In this book, the author offers practical guidance and a step by step blueprint on that process.
Its time to start making disciples. The future of the Church depends on it.
The Church today is faced often with the overwhelming task of maintaining property. While our buildings are an enormous gift from our past, they can also become one of our greatest burdens if we are not successful at becoming the missional church we are called to be. Jesus does not call us to be caretakers but, rather to serve him by serving the world and making disciples. “Its time to start making disciples,” says Fr. Mallon. “The future of the Church depends on it.”
Chapter two focusses on a grounding of the theory to be presented from Roman Catholic specific papal encyclicals and denominational specific documents. That goal completed, Divine Renovation progresses towards an insightful read for the Christian of any denomination. It is particularly applicable for any denomination that recognizes sacramental dimensions of the faith. “The sacraments are our greatest pastoral opportunity” and, perhaps one of the reasons I find it easy to recommend this book is that I agree wholeheartedly with most, if not all, of the author’s fundamental beginning points as well as the conclusions. Changing the “culture” of the Christian Community is necessarily at the heart of a transformation from maintenance to mission. It is that change of culture that consumes the majority of this text.
The practical road map leading to the transformation of church culture is divided into several sections. These might be alternatively titled: “Fr. Mallon’s marks of a healthy church.”
Giving Priority to the Weekend
Hospitality
Uplifting Music
Homilies
Meaningful Community
Clear Expectations
Strength-based Ministry
Inspiring, practical, challenging and a bracing call are among the terms others have used to describe an insightful book. A good read for anyone who cares about how to do Church in our current context. Fr. Mallon addresses the clergy of the Anglican Diocese of Fredericton during the clergy conference in August of 2016.
Matt Allen has been a regular member of our congregation this past year and is preparing to serve God in a mission abroad with Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship. He is self-financing his salary for this mission and the Missions Committee would like to share his request for support.
“I am coming on staff with Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship. Over the past year I have been working with Inter-Varsity in Fredericton. But now I am feeling like God is calling me to an International placement with Inter-Varsity. I am looking at a placement in either Martinique or France to work with the local student groups and see how they can grow and make a larger impact on their campuses and in their countries. Right now both of those locations have less than five staff working there.
So I want to partner with them and see how we can grow. Right now I am fundraising for my salary and my budget costs. I am looking to fund-raise $40,000. Would you be willing to support me either financially or through prayer. If you would like to join my newsletter email me at <mallen at ivcf.ca> and if you would like to financially support me you can at ivcf.ca/donate/mallen” – Matt Allen
Locations: Florenceville-Bristol, NB; Fredericton, NB
Date: Saturday, June 4, 2016
Time: 9:30 AM – On-site registration; 10:00 AM – Opening ceremony
Run for the Word (R4W) is a fundraising event held in New Brunswick since 2013. This annual event aims to connect the Canadian Bible Society (CBS) friends and supporters together to raise funds for the Bible work in Canada and around the world. Participants join by committing to run or walk from 1km to 5km and to raise funds for the various Bible translation, distribution and engagement programs of the Canadian Bible Society.
to register, read stories,support a runner and for more resources
Making the Bible available for Canadians
This year, Run for the Word is raising funds for Bible translation, distribution and engagement programs in Canada. CBS partners with over 100 churches and organizations to distribute God’s Word to those who need it. Through partnership with various ministries in Canada, CBS is able to bring God’s Word to
Men and women in prison
Children and youth in summer camps
New refugees/migrants
Canadian soldiers
First Nations communities
The Visually-impaired
And more!
Every year, CBS receives hundreds of requests from organizations who have identified the Scripture needs of people they minister to. CBS partners are able to determine what Bible version or format (e.g. print, audio, Braille) would be best for those who receive them. They are responsible for making sure that the Bibles produced by CBS end up in the hands of people who hunger and thirst for God’s Word.
Through the generosity of supporters, CBS is able to produce these Scriptures year after year. As a result, people are able to read the Bible in their heart language and lives are transformed.
A community without volunteers wouldn’t be much of a community.
That’s the opinion of Doug Wright who has been a volunteer on a cathedral team at the Fredericton Community Kitchen for about 10 years.
“I think people have to go further than just sitting in the pews,” he said as he chopped broccoli for a salad one recent evening at the soup kitchen.
Working nearby, Wayne Phillips agreed. “It’s good to give back to the community,” he said. “Too often, the church is about money and politics, not about helping people.”
“I think people have to go further than just sitting in the pews …”
Wayne is a 17-year veteran at the kitchen, but newcomers feel the same way.
Rebecca Butler and Kurt Goddard joined a cathedral team this year. “I see it as another form of mission,” Rebecca said, thinking of the third Mark of Mission which is to respond to human need by loving service.
She and Sarah Petite wiped down tables in preparation for dozens of supper guests who would soon line up for turkey rice casserole, beets, vegetable soup, juice, coffee and sweet treats donated by a local “big box” store.
The cathedral’s Outreach Committee co-ordinates four teams who help the chef at supper time on Saturdays year-round. (The kitchen serves supper and lunch daily as well as breakfast on weekdays.) Duties include preparing and serving food, doing dishes, and cleaning up after the evening meal.
Each team has more than a dozen members, and four-to-six are expected to cover the two-hour shift which runs from 4 to 6 p.m. Ideally, it should mean one’s turn comes up every other month, but it varies in reality.
The guests stream in from the homeless shelters, rooming houses or shabby little apartments. A few are living on the street or are transients passing through due to unemployment, addictions, mental illness, poverty in general. Sometimes there are children.
“The people who come here are so grateful for what they receive and what we do.”
“It’s not a tough job,” said longtime volunteer Wayne Burley as he rinsed and stacked plates. “The people who come here are so grateful for what they receive and what we do.”
Jason Parsons stepped up a couple years ago. “I’m busy with my work and my three children, but it’s is a small commitment of time. It really gives all of us a chance to be the hands and feet of God in our city,” he said.
In recent years, the cathedral has not been able to provide enough volunteers to fill four teams. Currently, teams have non-cathedral members serving as volunteers which does add a nice social aspect to the work. If anyone is interested in finding out more, please contact Doug Milander from the Outreach Committee.
Christ Cathedral Church
168 Church Street
Fredericton, NB E3B 4C9
Dear Father G. Hall and Congregation;
The Fredericton Shelters and its staff members recently took the much needed time to remember and recognize the tremendous support that it receives from its many generous donors. You are receiving this letter because you are one of those giving, selfless community members who cares about helping those in need. Upon reflection, we realize that we could not do anything to help our homeless men and women without your contributions, and we want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
The Shelters continues its daily functions of providing a safe, stable, caring environment to approximately 35 homeless individuals each month. As of October 2014, we have been under the leadership of a new
Executive Director who, like his staff, possesses a great deal of empathy for the people that we serve. Our energy has been renewed, and we are hoping to do everything we can to increase the potential of the shelter, staff and most important, the residents.
In the past, efforts like yours have kept the doors open so that we did not have to turn away anyone who was in need of warmth and a good night’s rest. Without maybe realizing it, you also have played a significant role in lessening the loneliness of isolation, and you have helped many people know that despite their circumstances, people do care about them.
Our homeless men and women still need your help. We hope that you will stay connected with the shelters as we continue to count on people like you so much.
Again, we thank you and appreciate everything you have done.
Diocesan Archdeaconry of Fredericton Refugee Sponsorship Meeting
Held at Cathedral Hall
Thursday, March 10, 2016 at 1:00 p.m.
The third meeting of the Diocesan Archdeaconry of Fredericton Refugee Sponsorship Project was held at the Cathedral Hall in Fredericton, NB on March 10th beginning at 1:00 p.m. The meeting was chaired by Archdeacon Pat Drummond. Numerous handouts were distributed to the attendees. Specifically:
Guidebook for Sponsoring Syrian Refugees Through the BVOR Program
Settlement Preparation
Furniture and Equipment “Wish List” for Sponsored Family
A copy of the Bishop’s letter in last week’s Diocesan e-news requesting volunteers
Application for Criminal Record Check
The various areas of need were outlined with a view to designating specific people who would be responsible for assisting our refugee family in each area of need.
Generally speaking, the family will need basic life-skills training re:
apartment regulations
use of appliances
use of a telephone, including 911 and an emergency contact number
use of public transit: bus stops, transit routes, bus schedules, etc.
small-group orientation
Chair and liaison with all parishes involved in the project – Pat Drummond
Application/Liaison with ABC – Kelly Humber Kelly
Note: Ann Deveau to assist Pat and Kelly as necessary with their tasks
Treasurer: Dave Blacklock, Christ Church Parish Church, 457-2894
Kelly agreed to compile an Orientation Binder including:
photos of the contact people
Tele-Help services at 811
maps
bus schedules
immigration documents that need to be completed
Accommodations: Sonya Solven of Considerate Property Management will find the accommodations for the family. Contact Info.: <[email protected]>
Cell Phone: 260-0442. Pat Drummond and Kelly Humber Kelly will assist if need be.
Furniture: Doug and Ann Deveau will oversee the acquisition and storage of furniture. Doug also volunteered to help with moving. E-mail: <amdrm at nbnet.nb.ca>
Medical/Dental: The Fredericton Downtown Clinic has been designated to serve the incoming refugees. Kelly has the list of dentists that may be willing to offer their services. In the meantime, the refugees are covered under an Interim Federal Health Program. Nancy Wiggins will be asked to oversee this area. Sally Grace offered to help. <sgrace68 at gmail.com>
Household Items: Nancy will e-mail an updated list of the Furniture and Equipment “Wish List” to reflect what items have already been acquired or offered.
Clothing: Value Village coupons are available and they are currently offering one free outfit for each family member. Pat explained the family will have to understand second-hand clothing is not an issue in Canada. Gail MacGillivray and Sasha Fetter agreed to oversee this.
Foods, Kitchen, Grocery Shopping: Betty Scovil and Gladys Lacey House have volunteered to oversee this. Elizabeth Hamilton will help. Some crossover with furniture assignment will be worked out.
Paperwork: Ann Buckland has agreed to oversee setting up a bank account for the family. They will require a direct deposit form, a debit card, a child-tax credit form, and a GST refund form. They will need an address in order to proceed. They will have already been issued S.I.N. numbers, but the paperwork they arrive with must be checked to make sure it is accurate. The Multi-Cultural Association has contact information. James McCarthy is able to speak Arabic and has volunteered to help with budgeting. Sasha Fetter and Anne Hewson will assist.
Contract for Phone/TV/Internet: Peter Jacobs has agreed to locate a computer and printer for the family and negotiate the hook-up contract for them. [email protected]
School Enrollment: Multi-Cultural Association will assess their current level of functioning for placement. They also do bridging with family and school. Anne Hunt and Anne Hewson will assist with this.
Language Training: There is an Arabic-English Bilingual Dictionary available at Westminster Books. They are currently on back-order but you can call and add your name to the list. Shipments come every two weeks. Language training sessions are being offered through the Multi-Cultural Association. The family will also require drivers to get to language classes. Anne Hunt and Sherry Pope will assist with this.
Bus System: Sally Grace and Kelly Humber Kelly will assist with this.
Orientation: The city is offering free recreation passes. It would be nice to take the family on a tour of the city. Kelly and Ellery Furlong volunteered to help with this.
Transportation: Gladys Lacey House volunteered to oversee this. We will require a driver schedule and a list of volunteers and phone numbers. Deanna McG. , Gladys L.H., Doug M., and Chris Fetter may help with this. A schedule will need to be developed.
Pat explained that a Criminal Record Check is required for all people who want to volunteer to work with children and vulnerable people. The completed application form should be returned to City Hall or the police station. You will require two pieces of I.D. including a photo I.D. Your passport and/or your driver’s licence along with your Medicare or S.I.N. card will do. It takes 2 to 3 weeks to process and they will call you when it’s ready for pick-up at the police station. Ask your parish minister to write a covering letter for your application. As you are a volunteer, the cost is $11.30.
Pat further explained that Muslim is pronounced Mu-slim rather than Maw-slem. The second pronunciation is offensive to them. Also, for religious and cultural reasons, please make sure to always have a woman from your sponsor group present when visiting the home and have the wife present whenever a female volunteer is interacting directly with the husband.
While we do not need all of our sponsorship monies up front, we are in need of funding to begin the settlement process. To that end, please let your parish know that they may make monetary donations through their Church Treasurer. Just mark the envelope “Refugee Sponsorship Fund” and your treasurer will issue you a receipt and forward the donation to the Treasurer at Christ Church Parish Church for deposit to the Refugee Sponsorship Account.
The meeting adjourned with The Grace at 2:10 p.m.
Sherry Pope
31 March Update
Committee of 11 parishes from the archdeaconry met again March 30th with six parishes in attendance.
Some have contributed money to the trust account, and others are currently doing fund-raising. Pat Drummond will contact others for status reports.
Criminal record checks are ongoing for volunteers.
Members have portfolios such as medical/dental; accommodations; education; language training; budgeting; food; furnishings; transportation; orientation. Some cannot accomplish much until the composition of the family is known and/or the timing of the family’s arrival, but are researching what to do. Donations of household goods are being collected.
For decision-making purposes between meetings, the executive committee comprises Archdeacon Patricia Drummond; The Rev. Rick Robinson; Kelly Humber-Kelly; Ann Deveau.
As a recent example of the need for rapid decisions, the Atlantic Baptist Convention asked if we would accept a Somali family on very short notice. The man is in his 70s, blind, in a wheelchair, illiterate and considered unemployable. His wife is younger and in better health but also illiterate with poor employment prospects. They wondered if we would take this family with high medical needs and do hands-on support for two years, not one as anticipated with a Syrian family. Furthermore, it would be in addition to a Syrian family to be chosen later! As unfortunate as the situation is for these Somalis, the committee discussed it, considered what we have ready for money, preparations and a team, and concluded we did not feel ready to handle such a heavy responsibility well beyond the scope of anything the vestries had agreed to do originally. The larger committee agreed that it was best to decline.
The committee continues to want to sponsor a Syrian family of four or five people. However, the Atlantic Baptist Convention reported to us last week that the whole process has slowed down considerably at the federal government level which has pulled back hundreds of temporary staff from overseas to their regular jobs in Canada. Also, they have several churches ahead of us waiting to choose families from the lists of refugees released periodically by the government. They say, realistically, it may be four to seven months before “our” family arrives in person.
Questions? Contact the Project Chair Jamie Yeamans at <jamieyeamans at gmail.com>
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Why is it important that we have a visitation? There are five reasons:
Spread the good news: all the positive things going on in our church. So SHARING is the first reason
SEEK FEEDBACK from our congregation on our services, programs and congregational life and have this information documented via a questionnaire
CONNECT with recent newcomers and non-regulars and invite them to fully participate in our worship and programs
STEWARDSHIP – We want to make everyone aware of where our money comes from, where it is spent and the need for increased giving in order for us to be able to do God’s work more effectively
INVITE PARTICIPATION and others into the life of our church family
We ask for your prayers and support to make this project a success. Thank you.
FURNISHINGS LIST (remaining items needed as of June 22, 2016)
