this worked YOUR PLACE TO EXCHANGE IDEAS AND EXPERIENCES
Not Your Usual Trip to Cuba 1
Church group visit builds solidarity with Cuban partners by Nancy Nourse
“I FELT LOVE EVERYWHERE we went in Cuba, and I try to bring a little of that to each place and person I meet here at home,” says young adult Tamara Webster, reflecting on her experiences of a trip to Cuba by members of Northminster United Church, Calgary. Northminster has a long tradition of engaging the community and supporting outreach programs locally and globally. A few years ago, we began planning a mission trip, but keeping with the values of the United Church, we felt it would be inappropriate to visit a country thinking we could “fix them” or have all the answers as outsiders.
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We wanted the opportunity for mutual sharing, awareness raising, and relationship building. Our fundraising ahead of time included a Cuban dinner night, grants from our congregation and Conference for continuing education, and our two young adults received funding from M&S through the Vision Fund. With the help of Doris Kizinna of World Pilgrimage Global Education, an alternative tourism organization, we embarked on an 11-day trip to Cuba in February 2013. While there, we stayed at CESERSE, a retreat centre in Varadero with Presbyterian roots. Tourists staying there in winter raise funds to provide summer programs that nourish the physical, psychological, and spiritual needs of vulnerable groups such as children with chronic illness and elderly people. There were three generations in our group of 10. We toured a neurological clinic for infants, children, and teens,
Nancy Nourse
Donna Fraser serves drinks during an afternoon at a seniors’ day support program.
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The Rev. Nancy Nourse and Northminster United Church have shared in ministry together for three years. She looks forward to the next adventure they can embark on. Cuban partners received $58,000 in M&S funding in 2014. Northminster has contributed $180,900 to M&S since 2003 and $15,700 in 2013.
It’s Showtime! A cabaret raises funds for M&S by Jane Harding
David Armour and Deb Hinksman as The Soothsayer.
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hat about doing a good old-fashioned special event to raise money for M&S?” Deb Hinksman asked me in August 2013. Hinksman is a minister at Ellesmere United Church in Burnaby, British Columbia. Just like in the Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland movie days, we both said together, “Let’s put on a show!” Deb booked a theatre and started calling talented friends. The Shirley Goodness & Friends Cabaret Night was born. An initiative of the British Columbia Conference Stewardship Committee, the cabaret was held last October and raised $4,700 for Mission and Service. When I met with Nellie Tang, B.C. Conference Finance Minister, and she said, “We must do this. How can we help?” I knew that we had found an old/new way to raise awareness of M&S, use people’s gifts, and offer some hilarious fellowship. Deb was off and running, filling the slate with talent like Perry Dickison, the Spirit Sisters, Calla Krause, and Barb Nelson. Deb has several alter-ego characters—Shirley Goodness, Queen Victoria, and The Soothsayer—which she uses for dramatic purposes in worship and for special events, and she brought those characters to the cabaret night. Her
Nick Stebbing
and saw the holistic care provided at a rehabilitation centre. We visited a school that supports special needs children and teaches basic life skills and independence, and we spent an afternoon with seniors at their day support program. The Presbyterian Church in rural San Nicholas hosted us overnight, where we worshipped, attended their busy Sunday school, and saw first-hand a church initiative to process and distribute nutritious brown rice. Their youth leaders showed us the pigs they raise to fund their programs. We reciprocated after church with a pancake breakfast using supplies we brought from Canada. One of the goals and highlights was to connect with United Church Mission and Service partners. Our group visited the Evangelical Seminary of Theology in Matanzas, the Martin Luther King Centre and the Pogolotti Barrio, and a large organic farm that supplies food for a Meals on Wheels program. About 150 people receive daily meals delivered on bicycle organized by the Christian Centre for Reflection and Dialogue. (See a short video about the farm and Meals on Wheels program at youtu.be/ VWe_DSMMAWo.) Ernie Abbott, then-chair of Northminster’s Outreach Ministry, says, “Being able to organize this trip and turn these distant stories into real experiences for ourselves and members of our congregation was very energizing within our congregation.” Participant Carol Akins echoes that sentiment. “Each time I give a donation to M&S I can visualize where it is going and how it is helping,” she says. Had we travelled to Cuba thinking we could solve the challenges they face, we would not have been open to the insight and wisdom we received. Despite trade embargoes, crumbling buildings, and minimal financing, Cubans inspired us by their creativity in providing effective and compassionate community programs. Throughout the trip, one of our most wonderful surprises was the deep connection the United Church has with the groups and communities we met. Regularly, people inquired about familiar names of folks here in our Canadian congregations, and this affirmed that we had met our goal of building solidarity and relationship in global community that would last beyond the length of our time in Cuba.
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Credits, this page: Nick Stebbing
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The Spirit Sisters performed.
Queen Victoria made an appearance.
Queen Victoria was piped in by 11-year-old piper Kendrick Rutherford to open the show. The emcee, the Rev. Graham Brownmiller, kept the show moving along. David Armour, the United Church’s Director of Philanthropy, shared the stage with The Soothsayer in a totally unrehearsed “reading” that involved him producing his wallet and hardly flinching as she skillfully coerced a $20 bill out of it. We asked agencies that receive Mission and Service funding to attend and share how M&S enables their important work. We heard compelling stories from First United Church Mission on the Downtown East Side of Vancouver and from Our Place Society in Victoria. There was an opportunity to make an extra donation to M&S during the evening, and Mission and Service information was at each table. Tickets were $50, with a $30 charitable tax receipt. Dinner was a generous appetizer buffet. The timing of the event on the Friday of Thanksgiving weekend was intentional. We felt
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that gratefulness and abundance combined with M&S and thanksgiving to make an important message. Tickets were sold mostly online. We invited people to attend through congregation bulletin inserts and PowerPoint slides, as well as by advertising it through the Conference website and its online newsletter and through direct e-mail invitations. Charitable tax receipts were sent by mail, and we recognized generosity with personal thank-you notes with the receipts. Using evaluation after the event to make some tweaks, we have made plans for the 2014 cabaret. “Being part of a stewardship project has never been so fun or memorable,” commented Ruth Stebbing, Stewardship Committee Secretary. “I can’t wait to see what this amazing group comes up with.” In a generous gift, Ellesmere United, which is closing, offered $5,000 in sponsorship for this year’s cabaret. Singer Linea Good will headline, and Perry Dickison, the Spirit Sisters, and Shirley Goodness will be back. Entertainment will include local youth taking part in biblical comedy and drama and presbyteries participating in a biblical spelling bee. Check out the website bc.united-church.ca for tickets and more information. This event has given the B.C. Conference Stewardship Committee purpose and confidence. It has generated an opportunity for creativity beyond dealing with budgets and terms of reference. We are helping with the annual Conference planning, lifting up M&S and the ministry of the United Church, and asking for and responding to stewardship needs in B.C. Most of all, the stewardship team has created an engaged, efficient, effective group who are committed to stewardship and each other. Jane Harding is the United Church Financial Development Officer for the B.C. region and chair of the B.C. Stewardship Committee. The people of British Columbia Conference gave $2,013,180 to M&S in 2013.
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A Special M&S Christmas Gift Church has new energy for mission and giving by Ken Fanstone
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Tammy Bleue
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ast December, when it appeared that Oakbank United Church’s M&S target was not going to be achieved, the board decided to commit the congregation’s entire Christmas offering to the M&S Fund. This focused and meaningful gesture resulted in Oakbank exceeding its annual M&S goal and was, perhaps, one of the best Christmas gifts our church gave last year. Cathy Kinsman, left, and Maureen McCartney. Oakbank United in Manitoba has always been committed to supporting M&S. Members believe that we are all trustees of God’s gifts, and we have contributed funds toward inner-city outreach ministry in Winnipeg, provides a safe, the broader efforts of the United Church around the world. accepting environment in which services are offered to respond But something very exciting has been happening at Oakbank to the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of people living in United Church recently. We’ve witnessed a real surge in the this downtown neighbourhood. West Broadway’s Community desire of congregation members to actively participate in local Minister Lynda Trono visited Oakbank in February and shared mission projects in a hands-on way. with our congregation her insights into its work. Oakbank The spark for this new energy was ignited by our own minUnited has supported West Broadway through food donations istry team of Cathy Kinsman and Maureen McCartney; their and financial contributions, as well as with volunteers helping wonderful, spiritual sense of mission has been contagious. out with onsite programming. Kim Reid, former chairperson of the board, reflected on A variety of other things—such as a Minute for Mission Cathy’s positive influence since she was called to Oakbank being printed in our weekly bulletin, food donations gathUnited two years ago. “Cathy’s spiritual leadership and belief ered for our local Springfield Food Bank, and the promotion in both local and global mission efforts have strengthened of the Gifts with Vision giving catalogue—help increase our our congregation’s commitment in this area,” said Kim. awareness of the needs of people in our own community and “When Maureen joined the ministry team last year, their around the world and provide opportunities to share our gifts combined energy made us even stronger.” with others. Last October, in recognition of World Food Day, Carol Maureen says she believes that supporting M&S is part of Thiessen, Public Policy Advisor for the Canadian Foodgrains our calling. “Otherwise, we become internally focused and Bank (CFGB), was invited to join our worship service. The have learned nothing from the words of Jesus, ‘in as much as CFGB is a Christian response to global hunger supported you have done this to the least of these my brethren, you have by the United Church, and Carol shared that one way they done it unto me,’” she says. “We give to M&S not because we address this issue is by influencing public policy. They can, but because we must!” engage Canadian citizens in this work by promoting responsible policy changes and asking concerned citizens to send Ken Fanstone is a long-time member of Oakbank United personal letters to their Members of Parliament. Following Church and currently serves as an elder and chair of the worship that day, many congregation members gathered in Stewardship Committee. the church hall to draft letters encouraging federal government commitment to helping people adapt to a changing Oakbank has contributed $91,000 to M&S since 2003 and climate and the resulting impacts on agriculture and food increased its generosity between 2012 and 2013 by $3,000. supply. Congregation member Joan Nurse was there. She says she is pleased that our church learned of this work in OAKBANK UNITED CHURCH, MANITOBA the fight against world hunger and is cooperating with 15 other Canadian churches in this effort. • location: a small town northeast of Winnipeg West Broadway Community Services, an M&S–supported • about 140 member families
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Candace Maxymowich
Wired for Outreach
George Feenstra is a volunteer with the West Broadway Community Ministry, Winnipeg
An emphasis on service is part of this church’s DNA
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teinbach United Church is all about outreach—in Manitoba, in Canada, and around the world. “It begins in the local community, where we offer time and talent to support and encourage others,” says Dennis Coley, the leader of the congregation’s Mission, Service, and Outreach team. “From there we expand to involvement with regional partners, offering time, talent, and money. Our global outreach is mainly accomplished by providing money to mission partners in other countries through the Mission and Service Fund.” The strong emphasis on outreach has had an impact on Steinbach United’s givings to M&S, which have increased. A good example of the congregation’s local outreach is the Helping Hands community food bank. It has its roots in the imagination and commitment of congregation member Hank Klassen. Working with friends, Hank developed a model that supports people in need without stigma and with no strings
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by George Feenstra
attached. When asked about the motive for this effort, he smiles and responds, “When you see what happens to people that you help, how grateful they are, that is the reward.” Dennis and I volunteer with the West Broadway Community Ministry, a Winnipeg inner-city ministry supported in part by M&S. Food supplies obtained through the Helping Hands network are donated to West Broadway, as well as other Winnipeg inner-city ministries supported by M&S. The United Church of Canada’s Extra Measures initiative provides congregations with opportunities to participate with overseas mission partners. Steinbach United responded by committing $3,000 each year to support the Jampason Outreach Children’s Literacy Program in the Philippines. Gay Boese serves as a key lay leader in the congregation. “The Extra Measures initiative is about building relationships, about moving from a charity mindset to a justice one,” says Gay. “As we learned about the Philippines, the Filipino people, and specifically about the Jampason project, we began to feel a living connection. When a typhoon hit the Philippines last year care and compassion overflowed for people in the Philippines, as well as Filipino people in our neighbourhood and our region. As this relationship deepens, so will the understanding of the common justice issues that perpetuate the need for food banks and Jampason projects around the world.” Steinbach United is an example of what it means to be a faith community devoted to service. The congregation has expressed a clear sense of purpose that reaches beyond the church’s own interests. They have shaped a culture that inspires congregation members. One example of this stands out. In February, 10-year-old Jesslyn Dueck travelled with her family to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. She and her mom, Melissa Walsh, visited an organization called Families at the Dump. They had brought school supplies and toothbrushes to offer as gifts to the children there. Jesslyn told the congregation what she saw: “Their homes are actually made from scraps and garbage collected from the dump. I would call them shacks, not homes.” She went on to describe what she experienced with the children she met. After her talk she told people, “I made a promise that day, that I wanted to help those kids and their families any way I could.” Jesslyn’s experience offers a testimony to the grace of God that is liberated when people of faith decide to move from self-interest to mission and service at home and abroad. Steinbach United is a lively, mission-focused congregation and through this focus, it has increased its gifts for M&S by 54 percent over five years. The Rev. George Feenstra serves with Steinbach United Church as its half-time minister. Steinbach has contributed $139,800 to M&S since 2003.
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And a Little Child Shall Lead Them Children make bracelets to support M&S partners by Kathryn Murray
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Jacob Smith-Merkley, second from left, and other Sunday school children proudly show their bracelets.
“Wow,” said Anna Entzin-Telford. “We made a lot of bracelets. I think God is happy because we are trying to help others.” Members of our congregation are thrilled. Along with name tags, many people are remembering to wear their M&S rainbow bracelets. It has been fabulous to watch the children take on this message that a strong and caring church reaches to communities throughout the world. It was heartwarming to watch the children sell bracelets to the members of our congregation, and to see the conversations between young and old filled with good manners and fun. It is touching to know that our children see themselves as church workers who spread the love of Christ in tangible ways. The spirit of Trinity United Church continues to grow through our children. This was an idea of the children, created by the children, and given to the children. “This project made church awesome!” said Jacob.
Sherry Entzin-Telford
ight-year-old Jacob Smith-Merkley was inspired. He proposed that the children of his church, Trinity United in Bobcaygeon, Ontario, make rainbow bracelets to support M&S partners in the Gifts with Vision catalogue. This idea came from a conversation with his family at lunch during the Christmas break. His mom, Suzanne SmithMerkley, is the Children’s Church Coordinator and his dad, Rodney Smith-Merkley, is the minister of Trinity United Church. Rainbow looms are all the rage with children and were a hot ticket item for many families at Christmas. They are designed to help create bracelets from small, brightly coloured elastics. His family thought Jacob’s idea was a dandy one. They made phone calls to other families, and excitement grew. Trinity United is a warm and welcoming church. Members have worked hard to engage young families and keep their Sunday school a vital and fun place for children to learn, grow, and laugh. On Sunday, January 4, 2014, the children of the Sunday school taught each other how to create bracelets using the looms. The M&S hat that proudly displays the rainbow colours of the M&S logo served as a guide. This hat is sometimes used for the Minute for Mission part of worship. The Sunday school read through the Gifts with Vision catalogue, and the children prioritized the projects they wanted to support. Jacob’s brother, Anderson, felt that clean water was the greatest need. In the catalogue, this cost $150 and seemed like a huge amount of money to the group. After great debate, it was decided that first they would purchase a goat ($30) and second, a backpack of school supplies ($50), and a third, far-reaching goal would be to help build a well. The congregation got on board. Following worship in the church entrance, the children sold all the bracelets by donation in 10 minutes with a profit of $68. This was enough money to buy the goat! A few more bracelets and the backpack would be filled. Some children ran to our new toy store in Bobcaygeon to purchase more elastics. All the children took supplies home to continue the work. Charles Flynn made 11 bracelets in one week. When called to the dinner table, Laura, his sister, replied, “Not now; I am busy doing my church work!” Week two and the children sold out again, with a profit of $90. After three weeks, the children raised $235; after four, they raised $500, surpassing their own expectations, and Suzanne purchased the chosen items from the catalogue.
Kathryn Murray has been a member of Trinity United Church for 25 years. She is currently a member of the Stewardship Committee and the mother of two Sunday school children. Gifts with Vision giving catalogue is made possible by M&S and is a way to provide additional support to Mission and Service partners. See giftswithvision.ca. BobcaygeonProvidence Pastoral Charge has contributed $439,900 to M&S since 2003 and increased its generosity by $15,700 between 2012 and 2013.
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