Category Archives: Mission and Outreach

Clothing donations for those in need

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Cleaning out your closet and want to help Frederictonians in need?

The Cathedral Outreach Committee serves people in need who visit the steps of Cathedral Memorial Hall on the last Monday of each month. Those visitors are given a goodie bag of food items and a $10 gift card for a supermarket, and an opportunity to choose free items from a table of donated items. Currently, guests are in need of warm clothing, winter jackets, boots and gloves. Men’s items are especially needed, as most of the guests are men. Small-sized toiletries such as toothpaste, shampoo, shower gel and deodorant are also welcome. The Outreach Committee currently has plenty of scarves and hats, and does not need household items. Donations can be brought to the Cathedral Office during office hours, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon, Monday to Friday.

If you have items to donate that are not needed for the Monday Outreach program, consider donating to the Mission Thrift Store (387 Sunset Drive), the Salvation Army Thrift Store (275 Main Street), or  The Drive Baptist Church's Clothing Bank (150 Greenwood Drive).

The Drive Baptist Church's Clothing Bank is open to the public and serves those in need by providing free clothing, footwear, household items, Christmas decorations, food and hygiene products. The mission is run by retired seniors who volunteer their time.

If you would like to donate to the Clothing Bank, please place items in the orange donation boxes beside the church at 150 Greenwood Drive. No furniture or electronics, please. Donations can be made at any time.

If you know of someone in need who could benefit from the Clothing Bank, please share this information with them. Proof of vaccination and masks are required. Contact The Drive Baptist Church for more information.

Hours:

Wednesday, November 17, 9:00 am - 10:30 am
Thursday, November 18, 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Wednesday, November 24, 9:00 am - 10:30 am
Wednesday, December 1, 9:00 am - 10:30 am
Wednesday, December 8, 9:00 am - 10:30 am
Wednesday, December 15, 9:00 am - 10:30 am
Wednesday, January 5, 9:00 am - 10:30 am

Invest in communities with World of Gifts

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Whether planting seedlings in Uganda or breadfruit trees in Haiti, preparing gift bags for new babies in Lesotho or teaching gender rights in El Salvador, PWRDF partners are investing in their communities.

PWRDF’s World of Gifts makes it possible for you invest, too.

Supporting World of Gifts is an investment in a sustainable future for some of the world’s most vulnerable communities. This year’s guide supports 17 partners as they plan for a healthier and stronger future. Like any good investment, the return on World of Gifts is high: communities become stronger, healthier and more resilient, and we are able to live out Jesus’ commandment for us to love our neighbour, no matter where they may be.

Read the full article, written by Janice Biehn, and browse the gifts on the PWRDF website.

The gifts in this year's guide will bring new opportunities and hope for communities across the world as the Primate's World Relief and Development Fund partners strive to build a truly just, healthy and peaceful world. When you make a purchase, you can order a customizable gift card or e-card to send to your loved ones, so that they know a gift has been made in their honour.

2021 Christmas Angels ready for you

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Forty paper angels from Greener Village (the food bank) are waiting patiently to be chosen from a small tree in the cathedral. Each requests a specific Christmas gift or stocking stuffers for a needy boy or girl in our city.

Please print your name and telephone number on the clipboard to indicate which angel you are adopting. Bring your unwrapped gift, with the paper angel firmly attached, to the church on Sunday, November 14th. Drop-off boxes will be set up near the angel tree.

If you cannot bring your gift that Sunday, please bring it to the Cathedral Office no later than Wednesday, November 17th (office hours are 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon).

“This is the food bank's deadline for our crop of angels, allowing them time to distribute gifts to the hundreds of families they serve,” explained Outreach Committee treasurer Doug Milander. “The committee must purchase any gifts that arrive late or not at all.”

Another option for Christmas giving is to write a cheque payable to Christ Church Cathedral and indicate Christmas Outreach on the memo line. Deliver your cheque to the  church office by December 17th. As in past years, these funds will be divided equally among the Fredericton Homeless Shelters, Women in Transition House Inc. and the Fredericton Community Kitchens.

“The Outreach Committee thanks you warmly for your generous support in making Christmas special for people in our city who need help, especially in these difficult times of an ongoing pandemic and high inflation,” Doug concluded.

- by Ann Deveau

Early start for Christmas Angel program in 2021

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The Christmas Angels are soon coming back to the Cathedral.

“In 2020, with the uncertainties of the pandemic and no vaccines in sight, we donated $1,800 instead of running the usual toy drive,” explained Outreach Committee treasurer Doug Milander.  “The cheque reflected the value of the toys usually provided by our congregation to the Greener Village Food Bank. The managers were really pleased with our help.”

This year 50 paper angels will be hung on a little, lighted tree in the cathedral. Each will indicate the name and age of a local child in need as well as a suggested toy or other gift. Some requests will be for stocking stuffers instead of specific toys.

“A new twist this year is that the food bank wants all of the items returned to them by November 15th at the very latest,” Doug added. “This will allow in-person or online shopping to be done well before the Christmas rush, and it will give their staff more time to arrange for deliveries to the hundreds of registered families.”

As in past years, collection bins will be set up at the cathedral and at the church office to receive the toys and stocking stuffers.

“The cathedral family has a long and generous history with the Christmas Angels program, and people always seem happy to put a big smile on a child's face at Christmas,” Doug said.

He added, however, that the Outreach Committee will dip into its budget to supply any of the 50 gifts missing at the deadline.

As soon as the paper angels arrive from the food bank in October, more details will be provided to the congregation. Stay tuned!

by Ann Deveau

Outreach Watches and Waits for the Right Time

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In this pre-pandemic photo, Cathedral members gather for fellowship with Outreach guests.

A couple years ago we had never heard of the coronavirus, the delta variant or the 4th wave. Now everyone is aware of these lurking threats to our health and safety.

“When the Province declared the green phase of the pandemic, we were excited to think that we could welcome back our Monday morning drop-in friends for weekly gatherings in September,” said Outreach Committee chair Penny Ericson.

“However, the delta variant is much more transmissible and deadlier than earlier versions of COVID-19; at this time we can't risk indoor, sit-down gatherings with a food buffet, live music, and a display of used clothing and housewares for people in need.”

Penny said it's important to be cautious and protective for the sake of the guests and the volunteers.

Rev. Kelly Burke of New Maryland United Church, whose congregation supports the cathedral's outreach efforts with volunteers, food donations and funds, agrees.

Before the pandemic, visitors were welcomed into the hall for a variety of food and drinks.

“It's hard not to come and be present to all our friends, but safety first,” she said. “This delta variant means that we need to be vigilant. We send our love and prayers and will see you again when it is good and safe to do so.”

Marc Schneider has been learning new songs on his banjo during the pandemic, so that the band at the drop-in would have a larger repertoire of gospel music when things returned to normal.

“It makes sense to wait, but it's sad,” he said.  “The personal relationships and support in the Monday morning community were very important to volunteers and guests alike. Maybe some day....”

Mary Lou Cotter worked in the kitchen on Monday mornings, serving coffee, making sandwiches, sharing her delicious homemade muffins. She is typical of other cathedral parishioners who help to run the program. “Let me know what I can do to help while we wait and see,” she said.

Goodie bags are currently distributed to Outreach guests one Monday each month.

Goodie bags with fresh fruit, cold drinks, homemade baking, cheese, and granola bars will continue to be distributed outdoors at Cathedral Memorial Hall on the last Monday morning of the month. People in need who stop by are also offered a $10 gift card for a local supermarket or some bus tickets. The average “attendance” is 46.

“We provided this modest help every single month throughout the pandemic, thanks to the support of our church family, our volunteers and St. Margaret's Anglican Church which supplies fruit,” Penny said.

“We'll keep doing it in this way, but we'll keep reassessing the situation until we're sure it's safe to welcome everybody back inside for what was always a fun time.”

-- by Ann Deveau

 

Scholarship Student Graduation

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Congratulations to Jocelyn Herrera, one of our scholarship students in Belize, who has graduated from Eden SDA High School!

Jocelyn attended elementary at St. Hilda's Anglican School. She is interested in furthering her education beyond high school, and has also previously expressed interest in becoming a business secretary. Please pray that, with God's help, Jocelyn will find her path. Read previous letters from Jocelyn to the Cathedral's Belize Mission Committee here, here, and here. You can watch her graduation ceremony on YouTube. Jocelyn's name is announced at the 47 minute mark.

This year, the Belize Missions Committee has used contributions from the Cathedral congregation to provide scholarships to four students enrolled in high school. In Belize, the average age at which a child leaves school is 13 years old, because of the prohibitive costs of high school tuition. Unemployment in the country is high, there are many large single-parent families, and almost half of Belizeans live below the poverty line. In 2010, Cathedral mission team members established a high school scholarship program which has allowed St. Hilda’s students 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, four students attending high school benefit from Cathedral scholarships. $4000 was sent in August 2020 -- $1000 each, which helps to cover the cost of tuition, books and other required materials. The 2020-2021 scholarship students are: Jocelyn Herrera, Grade 12; Jenniah Tillett, Grade 11; Gian Myvette, Grade 10; and Edvin Perez, Grade 9.

This past year has been a challenging one for students across the globe, and we pray that our sponsored students will be guided by the Holy Spirit in their lives and in their studies.

Donations towards the Cathedral's efforts in Belize are always appreciated, and are especially welcome after this year of pandemic in which the Missions Committee has not been able to hold a fundraiser. You may donate and receive a charitable tax receipt by using an offering envelope marked "Belize" or by making an online donation. Funds will be used to support St. Hilda's Anglican School (elementary) and the high school scholarship program.

InterVarsity Christian Fellowship

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InterVarsity in New Brunswick (May 2021)
 
Games Night Set Up We hosted virtual games nights over the winter term in addition to meeting for Bible study
 
Gathering Around Scripture
This term we studied the Gospel of Luke. Our hope was to draw on our 12 Neighbours study from last term and continue to think about what it means to love our neighbours. There was a bit of dread in the air as we anticipated hosting everything online for the winter term, but we were pleasantly surprised.  People showed up! They wanted to engage with Scripture with their friends, and they found our Bible study a good place to do so. I think attendance was more consistent than it’s ever been.

 

 
One of our “picnics” held online, the first half of May was cold and rainy here!
Picnics in The Park

We are thankful for the warm weather and will be taking advantage of it this summer by hosting weekly, socially distanced “picnics in the park”. We’ll be gathering in Queen’s Square Park at 6pm on Thursday evenings all summer with our packed dinners to sit on the grass together, six feet apart. If weather or pandemic restrictions require it, we’ll meet online to eat together.  Feel free to share this information with any students in the Fredericton area who may want to join us.
 
 
Thank You
 
This August will be my final month as a campus minister with InterVarsity. I want to thank all of you who have prayed and donated during the past four years. This work is not something that any one person can do alone and I am very grateful for your many contributions to it. I’m sad to be leaving and also excited for the next adventure, I’ll be heading back to school in the fall to study law at UNB.  My colleague Patrick will continue to serve students in New Brunswick.  InterVarsity’s Atlantic Director, Jamie Macarthur, is looking for staff and/or volunteers to serve the work in New Brunswick and across the Atlantic region.  If you have any questions about InterVarsity’s future in New Brunswick, or just want to say hello, please reach out to Jamie!

 

 Krystal, myself, and Emma as students at a retreat in 2014.
 
Join Us for a Reunion

We are hosting a reunion for all staff, students, volunteers and friends who have ever been involved with InterVarsity in New Brunswick. We’re going to meet for one hour over zoom on Sunday, May 30th from 7pm to 8pm to catch up and reminisce. InterVarsity’s Atlantic Director Jamie, and President Nigel, will both be joining us.  Come meet them! You should have already received an invitation to this from us, but if you’re looking for the zoom link just respond to this email.
 
 
Fundraising Update
I will be raising support for InterVarsity in New Brunswick this summer. As an Atlantic Team, we have set collective goals around raising funds and finding volunteers before the end of August.  I hope to connect with you in the coming months!
 
Donate
 
Prayer Requests
We’re still living in a pandemic. Please pray that students will recharge this summer after another challenging online term. Pray for health and safety this summer, and that universities will be able to re-open fully in the fall.
Pray for connections this summer. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and we’re meeting outside! Please pray that friendships will form and that students will experience community in meaningful ways.

Missions Committee provides support throughout the pandemic

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“Serving God in mission, sharing Jesus with the world” is the mission statement of the Christ Church Cathedral Missions Committee.

The committee works together with the Cathedral congregation to reflect the teachings of Jesus and the heartbeat of Christian history. The committee's goals are to: raise awareness about mission work, prayerfully and financially support missionary efforts, and encourage action by the congregation.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the committee has been conducting business virtually, primarily through email, and has been able to continue communications and support for several long-standing mission partners.

Annual financial assistance of $1500 was provided to support the stipend for Canon Paul Jeffries at Bishop McAllister College in Uganda as well as $1500 for Reverends Kara and Nelson Mejia and their Honduras Mission Fund.

A $350 donation supported the mobile medical clinic in Ho, Ghana - a campaign initiated by the Diocese of Fredericton.

$250 was donated in response to an urgent appeal by PWRDF for financial assistance in August 2020 to assist with humanitarian needs following the Beirut explosion.

The Cathedral Missions Committee has remained in touch with members of the Refugee Family Sponsorship Team. In October, members of the committee assisted others in helping the Weah-Gmah family move to their new home.

A related committee under the Bishop and Chapter responsibility of Mission/Outreach maintains communication with St. Hilda's Anglican School in Belize.

Like so many others across the globe, our mission partners faced unforeseen challenges over this past year. School closures threatened to jeopardize the entire ministry at Bishop McAllister College. A shut down of the tourism economy in Roatan placed Rev’s Nelson and Kara in the position of needing to feed regular meals to over 200 residents in their community. When both of these partners reached out, the Cathedral offered additional assistance of $250 each and shared their messaging with the congregation via the missions web page and corresponding links on the Cathedral website and Facebook pages.

The committee posts online updates to keep the congregation informed of ongoing developments with our mission partners and continues to ask for prayerful support. In the year ahead, it is hoped that guest speakers can be invited back to the Cathedral.

The Missions Committee welcomes new members and is happy to answer questions. Contact the Cathedral Office or communicate directly with committee members Brad McKnight, Sam Mayo, John DosSantos or Kurt Schmidt.

Details from the Missions Committee update in the Christ Church Cathedral Annual Report for 2020.

COVID-19 Vaccine: Why not pay it forward?

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by Ann Deveau

As the pandemic has dragged on, disrupting all our lives, I've been waiting impatiently to get my first shot of a vaccine to protect against COVID-19.

Suddenly, the words of my late father penetrate my whiny muttering. Dad would often say: “There's always someone worse off than yourself.”

A bit red-faced, I ponder that bit of wisdom.

More advice floats to the surface.

My best friend, Deb, died of ovarian cancer this spring, still smiling and reminding people to “Cultivate an attitude of gratitude.”

My face gets redder.

After all, because I'm lucky enough to live in a relatively prosperous place like Canada with a good health-care system and with a government that bought zillions of doses in advance, it's certain that I will get vaccinated if I wish to do so. I enjoy privilege and security.

But, if I happened to live in a crowded slum in India, a remote village in Tanzania, or the high mountains of Bolivia, what would be the chances of my family getting the vaccine any time soon? Slim to none, possibly. And that's quite simply wrong.

I decided to take the advice of my wise Dad and my kind friend; be grateful for what you have and share it with someone who needs it. As soon as I get my jab, I'll pay it forward by donating to the Vaccine Equity Fund at the Primate's World Relief and Development Agency (PWRDF).

Canada's Primate, Archbishop Linda Nicholls, has written that seeking vaccine equity is not optional. She noted that our baptismal promises command us to love our neighbour as ourselves.

Archbishop Nicholls was also motivated by the words of her Anglican colleague, Archbishop Thabo Makgoba of South Africa. “Everyone deserves more than the crumbs under the table when others are eating a full loaf of bread,” he pointed out.

Our Primate urged Anglicans to speak up for countries often left with “crumbs.”

For example, we can urge our members of Parliament to donate our excess vaccine to less fortunate nations because vaccine inequity threatens everyone while the virus rages. We can ask our prime minister to support a temporary suspension of trade restrictions, which control the price of vaccine, so that production can reach into heavily populated areas.

Aside from advocacy, the Primate suggested something tangible. When Anglicans receive their vaccines, they can contribute to the Vaccine Equity Fund at PWRDF. Each gift will support PWRDF partners in the most vulnerable parts of the world as they prepare for vaccination roll-out, including work already under way to supply PPE, thermometers, sanitation and hand-washing facilities, and accurate public health information.

If you visit the link to donate, you'll see that you can choose an amount  which matches your personal budget. You can also dedicate your contribution to someone special, and PWRDF will notify them about your generosity.

It's going to be difficult for PWRDF to send e-mails to my father and my friend, but I won't let that little problem stop me from paying it forward and helping a vulnerable person  somewhere get vaccinated against this deadly virus.

What will you do?