Tuesday, November 01, 2005

Some Service Opportunities!

From Rick Wukasch:

One of our goals for groups this year was that you would pray and dream and listen to God and each other about a special service project (or more than one!) that you can do as a group.
We hoped you would decide about this early, since the year flies by, and opportunities do as well.

Here are some ideas:
Do Coffee Time on Sunday mornings -
Many of your people are regular partakers of Java-time in the Lounge on Sunday mornings. Cell groups used to do this on rotation way back when. The people who have been doing this regularly have either moved on (Torrens), had babies (Janet Campbell Body), or are tired and need reinforcements! What if your group was to pick a few weeks, or even a month of the year to host this Coffee Time? Call Terri Schulz, who has the details on how to do it – 416-495-0138 eric.terri@sympatico.ca

ADOPT-A-FAMILY:
Naomi VanDeVisch tells me that again this year Toronto City Mission is asking for your assistance in helping less fortunate families in our communities have a happier Christmas.
The Adopt-a-family program links families living near our mission locations in Malvern, St. James Town, Bridletowne and Willowtree with donors. Donors are asked to provide each member of a selected family with a $30.00 gift certificate to a store of their choice and a $20.00 voucher for food. The total cost is $60.00 per person per family that includes the certificates for a Christmas gift and food as well as an additional $10.00 per person to be applied to the cost of the Christmas celebration dinner. If sponsors purchase the gift certificates, the $10.00 per person may be forwarded directly to the Toronto City Mission. Our experience has been that the certificate program gives families equity in the community and allows them the option to choose what each family member would appreciate receiving.
Your participation is essential to making this program work. For more information or to register as a donor please call TCM at 416-922-6223.
Help with the TCM – Willowtree Christmas Dinner
Contact TCM at the same number to volunteer to host a table, cook a turkey, etc.

Be an Usher, Greeter, or Nametag Day Team
It’s great when Ken Gillan doesn’t have to run around grabbing people just before the offering to help, and when there are smiling people welcoming others to worship, or helping us connect better on first name Sundays. What if your group was to do a month of ushering, or get into a rotation, or provide greeters at some of the doors for a month, or help distribute name tags?
For ushering, Contact Ken at 416-781-0679 or kengillan@hotmail.com
For greeting, contact Wil Tranter at 416-229-0494 wiltranter@sympatico.ca
For Name tag Sundays, contact Hugo or Diana Marrello at 416-492-6944 dianam@marcl.com

Adopt a Garden, Be a snow remover from the sidewalks before church
Now that the bulbs have been planted, and the perennials are in place at Spring Garden, we need people to tend them, weed them, and water them periodically.
If you like gardening, contact Wes Chapman of the Property Comm., and help us keep the place looking like a spring garden, not a hayfield J.
Or help us make it easier for people to find their way to the door by arriving early to shovel snow on those winter mornings.
Call Wes Chapman – 416-222-6963 wes.chapman@tdsb.on.ca

Help With the Community Food Cupboard
Throughout the summer, there were not enough volunteers to help run our food bank – the Community Food Cupboard. Currently, it is shut down. What if your group took this on as a project for a month, or a year, working with Al Karhu and Gene Lem to make it happen?
Call Al Karhu - 416-502-0144 or Gene Lem 416-222-5341 beldip@pathcom.com

There are lots more possibilities. Perhaps God might stir you up about some around the church, or in the community! Listen to Him, and go for it!

Rick