The Reverends Nelson and Kara Mejia are SAMS Canada (South American Mission Society) missionaries and priests in the Diocese of Honduras. Kara Mejia is the daughter of retired New Brunswick priest Gordon Thompson and his wife, Bell.
The Cathedral Missions Committee supports their Ministry in Roatan, Honduras with yearly donations.
By the Revs. Nelson and Kara Mejia:
The ministry of the Church in Roatan has not stopped; the churches are open and the Gospel continues to be preached, and leaders in each of the churches have led the services worshiping Jesus Christ every week. It has been our responsibility to equip those whom God has placed in our hands for every good work of service, as Ephesians 4:12 says. To equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up!
This message of good news was sent to Beverly Morell, former Belize Mission team leader. It is from Amieka Myers, a Belizean student that the Cathedral congregation supported with a high school scholarship, and continued supporting her with tuition for an associate's degree at the University of Belize, from which she graduated in 2018.
Since then, Amieka has become a mother, began a teaching career, and has returned to additional university studies. She has made a wonderful life for herself! As you can tell from her letter, she was grateful for the opportunity to receive a high school and university education, which is an outstanding achievement for a student from St. Hilda’s Elementary School. Please keep Amieka, her son, and all of our scholarship students past and present, in your prayers.
Greetings Ms. Bev!
I hope everything is okay; it has been a while since we exchanged emails. I hope you and your family are doing well. A lot has changed since the pandemic, and now, a lot has returned to normal, for which we must thank the Lord.
Cathedral member Jim Morell and Amieka Myers in 2018 in Belize.
On my end, I'm doing fantastic! I've had some difficulties in the last three years, but I've overcome them with the assistance of God. I am presently a high school teacher, teaching first and second year English and Belizean Studies at Belmopan Baptist High School in Belmopan City, Belize. In addition, I was accepted into UB's Bachelor in English Education program. My first semester began in January and finished on May 12th. Teaching, studying, and being a mother are not simple duties; nonetheless, my prior hardships inspire me to persevere. On the other hand, my son Amarion, is currently in kindergarten and, by God's help, will begin primary school in September. He has a speech issues, and as a busy mom, I haven't had time to coach him. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.
I thought I'd offer an update on my life as it's been a while since we exchanged emails. I also believe you and the church would be very delighted to hear I'm establishing a life for myself. I will be eternally thankful for the chance to attend high school and get an associate's degree thanks to the generosity of you, your family, and the church family.
Hoping to hear from you soon.
Regards, Amieka Myers
The Cathedral congregation continues to support students from St. Hilda's School with scholarships for high school tuition. Read about our recent fundraiser, a very successful yard sale to support the scholarship program.
The Belize Mission Committee is thrilled with the outcome of a yard sale raising funds for high school scholarships in Belize. Between item sales and envelope donations, approximately $3000 has been raised so far - enough for three scholarships!
Currently, we provide scholarships for four students who would not able to attend high school without support, since high school is not publicly funded in Belize. This additional education provides them with important skills and opportunities. Each scholarship is $1000 CAD per year. The Cathedral also provides $2000 per year to St. Hilda’s Anglican School in Georgeville, Belize, which is used for supplies for the elementary school.
Held on Saturday, June 24, the yard sale attracted hundreds of community members searching for treasures and deals. Items in the yard sale were provided by members of the congregation and community who decluttered and donated their items to be sold at the pay-as-you-wish sale.
A dozen volunteers helped throughout the week to set-up, unpack and sort items, assemble photo collages, greet customers, collect donations, repack items, and distribute leftover items to organizations such as the Multicultural Association, the puzzle lending library at Wilmot United Church, Farraline Place, and charitable stores. Many leftover novels and children's books were also brought to Little Free Libraries and book houses around the city, for our neighbours to enjoy.
A number of people attending the sale asked about the scholarship fund and our relationship with students in Belize.
In Belize, the average age at which a child leaves school is 13 years old, because of the prohibitive costs of tuition for high school, which families must pay. Unemployment in the country is high, there are many large single-parent families, and almost half of Belizeans live below the poverty line.
The Cathedral has a special relationship with the staff and students of St. Hilda’s Anglican School, an elementary in the rural village of Georgeville. Over two hundred children attend the school, ranging between kindergarten and grade 8, in addition to a recently established preschool.
Cathedral teams have travelled to Belize five times: in 2005, 2007, 2010, 2013 and 2018. Over 60 Cathedral members ranging in age from 15 to 79 have participated in a mission trip to Belize, and hundreds of people in Fredericton have supported the work at St. Hilda's through organizational support, donations and prayers.
In 2010, Cathedral mission team members established a high school scholarship program which has allowed students from St. Hilda’s to apply for a scholarship to continue their education past grade 8. Some of the graduates supported by the Cathedral have gone on to post-secondary education, and all have gained knowledge and experience that will help them in their future.
We are grateful for all who have helped to provide scholarships for these teenagers, and support for programs at the elementary school. Learn more about our mission work in Belize.
You can still contribute to the mission in Belize through offering envelopes or donate online.
If you are interested in participating in future endeavors benefiting the students in Belize, please contact the Cathedral Office to connect with members of the Belize mission committee.
Donate your good condition, previously loved items and we'll sell them at our upcoming indoor yard sale. All proceeds will go towards high school tuition for Belize scholarship students.
We're looking for household items, decor, toys, games, books, etc. No clothing or furniture please. We'll also accept reusable shopping bags.
Deliver items to Cathedral Memorial Hall between June 19-23, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Due to storage limitations, we cannot accept items before June 19.
Thank you for your generosity!
If you don't have items to donate but would like to contribute to the scholarship fund, please make a donation using your offering envelope or donate online.
Mark your calendar and shop the pay-as-you-wish yard sale on Saturday, June 24, 8:00 a.m.-12:00 noon!
Why do we have a high school scholarship program for students in Belize?
In Belize, the average age at which a child leaves school is 13 years old, because of the prohibitive costs of tuition for high school, which is not publicly funded. Unemployment in the country is high, there are many large single-parent families, and almost half of Belizeans live below the poverty line.
The Cathedral has a special relationship with the staff and students of St. Hilda’s Anglican School, an elementary school in the rural village of Georgeville. Over two hundred children attend the school, ranging between kindergarten and grade 8, in addition to a preschool recently established at the school.
Cathedral teams have travelled to Belize five times: in 2005, 2007, 2010, 2013 and 2018. Over 60 Cathedral members ranging in age from 15 to 79 have participated in a mission trip to Belize, and hundreds of people in Fredericton have supported the work at St. Hilda's through organizational support, donations and prayers.
In 2010, Cathedral mission team members established a high school scholarship program which has allowed students from St. Hilda’s to apply for a scholarship to continue their education past grade 8. Some of the graduates supported by the Cathedral have gone on to post-secondary education. Currently, we provide scholarships for four students who would not able to attend high school without support. This additional education provides them with important skills and opportunities. Each scholarship is $1000 CAD per year.
We are grateful for all who have helped to provide scholarships for these teenagers, and support for programs at the elementary school. Learn more about our mission work in Belize.
Sandy Robb - a former guest who turned into one of our most willing outreach volunteers!
Sandy Robb was a survivor.
Most people would have crumpled helplessly under the weight of the obstacles she faced. She was an unwed teenage mother, an alcoholic, a precariously employed cook, homeless more than once, beset by chronic illnesses, in and out of the hospital.
Yet, by the time she died in her sleep recently, she had fought to become a well-housed and sober senior citizen, offering no-nonsense advice as a peer support worker at a downtown medical clinic that helps addicts to recover. She had become well-known to politicians and the media as an effective advocate for the poor and the homeless in our city.
She was also a longtime, valued volunteer with the Monday Morning Outreach program at Christ Church Cathedral where she baked delicious cookies and knew most of the people in need who attended.
Sandy, at the City of Fredericton Unsung Hero awards ceremony in 2018. Pictured: Cathedral Outreach Committee Chair Penny Ericson, Fredericton South MLA David Coon, and Sandy Robb.
Outreach Committee chair Penny Ericson was a dear friend. “I've lost my buddy,” Penny said sadly. “We learned so much from Sandy. She had a big heart, and she was always ready to speak up for what was needed by the less fortunate in our city.”
It's one of the reasons Sandy won an Unsung Hero award from the City of Fredericton in 2018, being acknowledged for helping to shape this community for the better.
“Sandy was a force to be reckoned with - such a kind and generous person in her own way,” recalled retired Parish Nurse Kathleen Snow who worked closely with her at the outreach drop-ins. “A true Christian in many ways.”
Rev. Kelly Burke from New Maryland United Church, who has helped Cathedral volunteers with outreach activities for 15 years, agreed.
Sandy, helping to pack goodie bags for a COVID-safe Monday Outreach in 2020.
“So much life and goodness flowed from that woman,” she said. “She was a wise and challenging teacher for us all. Well done, good and faithful servant.”
“Sandy was the best kind of woman, and it was a pleasure to get to know her at outreach,” added volunteer Susan Colpitts, echoing comments from other volunteers. “She will be missed by all of us who were fortunate enough to share space with her.”
Heather S., a visitor to Monday Morning Outreach for many years, called Sandy “a wonderful woman” who helped her to get free furniture when she finally found housing. “She was always reaching out to somebody, so it's heart-breaking to think that she's gone.”
For the May 29th voucher day, Sandy sent a loaf of sandwiches and a newcomer who needed a pair of shoes. By the time the woman happily laced up a gently used pair of sneakers, eager to thank Sandy, our spunky and extraordinary friend had slipped out of this world.
Condolences are offered to Sandy's family, friends and to all who will miss her. Her legacy of kindness, common sense and advocacy will live on.
- by Ann Deveau
Click here to read Sandy's obituary. There will be a celebration of Sandy's life in Doaktown, Saint John and Fredericton at a later date.
Two articles about Sandy have appeared on the Cathedral website in the past:
In 2017, Sandy participated in the short documentary film ‘The Rest Will Follow’, a collaboration of DocTalks, the Community Action Group on Homelessness and Housing First.
We continually pray for our friends in Belize - the students and teachers at St. Hilda's Anglican School, as well as the scholarship students who have moved on to High School. In May, Ms. Jane Ramirez, Principal at St. Hilda's, sent us this update to Cathedral Belize committee member Rebecca Butler.
Click here to read the profiles of St. Hilda's students Jaryon and Alynna in the Anglican Diocese of Belize's youth ministry newsletter.
Greetings Rebecca,
I pray that all is well with you and your family. We're almost at the end of another school year. Yeah!! We have overcome many challenges by God's grace and are looking forward to our summer vacation. I just wanted to share some highlights with you.
In February, one of our Standard 1 students participated in a national spelling bee contest among Anglican schools. He placed 4th out of 12 students. In April, we had our annual staff Lenten retreat. Funds were used to pay for food and transportation for our teachers. It was a blessing to spend time together with teachers from the four other western schools.
The month of May is Education month. We celebrated Education week last week with various activities including a sports day, Teacher's day and we had a visit from another Anglican school.
We have our kitchen that is functional and we are feeding 50 children, 3 days per week. Some children give a small stipend to assist with purchasing groceries while others who cannot afford it eat for free.
We also started a garden. We have our gardening, cooking, sports and arts and crafts clubs.
We have two students who will be featured in the Anglican Diocese Youth Newsletter. I am sharing the article that we sent in.
I will be checking for an update with our scholarship students shortly. Caleb brought in his mid semester report and he did well. I will be checking with Gian and Korey for the same.
I continue to say thank you and God bless you all for having us at heart. Your continued support and prayers is very important to our success. I pray all the best for our Friends of St. Hilda's family.
The Cathedral Outreach Committee is requesting gently used running shoes for men or women. These will be offered to people in need who visit our monthly Outreach program.
Donations can be delivered to the Cathedral Office, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Monday to Friday.
The Outreach program occurs on the last Monday of each month, from 8:30 - 10:00 a.m. in the lobby and Formation Room of Cathedral Memorial Hall.
Guests in need receive: a few city transit tickets or a $10 gift card for a supermarket; a goodie bag with fresh fruit, homemade baked goods, cheese, a drink box or bottled water; and a wrapped sandwich. They may choose from a selection of non-perishable grocery items as well as browse tables stacked with used clothing, toiletries and small housewares. Each month, approximately 50 people attend.
This program is made possible thanks to volunteers and contributors from the Cathedral and other local churches.
On Saturday. April 15, the Ukrainian Community of Fredericton gathered at Christ Church Cathedral to celebrate Easter.
A priest travelled from Moncton to hold worship for over 100 attendees of all ages. Many wore traditional Ukrainian clothing and brought baskets for a special tradition - the Easter food basket blessing. They were thrilled to be able to worship in their own language, for the first ever Easter service of its kind in Fredericton.
Archbishop David Edwards, Bishop of Fredericton, gave permission for the Greek Catholic service to be held in the Cathedral. In that tradition, Easter was celebrated on Sunday, April 16 this year, so Ukrainians in Fredericton celebrated the Saturday evening before.
Oksana Tesla, volunteer with the Ukrainian Community of Fredericton, coordinated with the Cathedral. She shared,
"Everything went flawlessly and fabulously! We were singing acapella and the acoustics made the Cathedral sing along. Many community members mentioned to me that they were feeling this bright warm light inside during the service. Thank you so much for opening your doors for our community and we really appreciate your support."
Thanks to Cathedral members Hank Williams and Kurt Schmidt for facilitating the event.
Through the Facebook page of the Ukrainian Community of Fredericton, the group commented, "We are so happy to have such an amazing supportive community here in Fredericton. And the opportunity to celebrate at such an incredible place - the Christ Church Cathedral - is a blessing! ... We cannot thank you enough for such generosity! We felt like we are home at the Cathedral!"
We recently received this note from Montgomery Street Elementary's Home and School Association, to which the Cathedral has previously provided support for children in need.
I wanted to let the church know that with the remainder of the donation provided to our committee, after paying for the hot lunches and milk program to our children within the school who needed it, we were also able to help an urgent need to a family.
A recent call ended up with a family who had to quickly move out of their house due to pipes leaking through their ceiling. Home and School were able to purchase and drop off groceries for their family of six (with three children at Montgomery) and purchase their meals at the restaurant within the hotel for a few days. Without the donation from the church, we wouldn’t have been able to do what we did for them until their insurance was able to take over.
From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for always supporting our committee and trust that we will help whenever and where we need to.
Reegan McDougall President/Volunteer, Montgomery Street Home and School Association
In December, Christ Church Cathedral donated $2000 to Montgomery Street School, a nearby elementary school with a number of children in need. The money, given by the congregation through a Giving Tuesday campaign, supported a school lunch program. We recently received a thank you note from the Home and School Association, signed by children in the school's Leadership Program.
A HUGE THANK YOU FROM US...
It is so heartening when we receive a gift from a generous group that allows us to say "yes, we can help" to one more child within Montgomery Street School. We would love to extend our appreciation and thanks from the children, staff and Home and School Committee to the congregation of Christ Church Cathedral.
With your generous donation that was provided, we are able to ensure that children are fed, have warm clothes for wintertime as well as all the extra needs needed by our students and families.
We are so lucky and grateful to have your support.
Reegan McDougall President: Montgomery Street Elementary School, Home and School
By the Revs. Nelson and Kara Mejia:
