Page 11 - PC Winter 2023-24

presbyterian.ca
WINTER 2023
By Penny Gillies, elder, St. David’s Presbyterian Church in St. John’s, N.L., Atlantic Mission Society
This March, during our monthly Atlantic Mission Society (AMS) meeting at St. David’s Presbyteri- an Church in St. John’s, N.L., we began to discuss what we could do to help the over 1,000 Ukrain- ians who were being housed in local hotels.
Folks coming to Canada need to communicate in English or French in order to get a job, go to school and then finally, when all of these building blocks are in place, find a home. So we de- cided that we would offer weekly conversation classes to assist in that endeavour. We enlisted the help of retired ESL teacher Cathy Anstey, who assured us we
needed no special skills or books to do this. We should bring pens and paper, magazines, flyers or a local map—whatever came to hand at home, and just start the conversation! Easy, right?
Very quickly, and with much laughter, hand waving and of course Google translate, we got star ted.
AMS members were soon joined by others in the congregation and some of their friends came along, too. As one of the local hotels was just a ten-minute walk away from the church, on Wednesday morn- ings there was a steady stream of Ukrainians making their way to the church, eager to make those con- nections. We have met folks from every walk of life, who had left their homes to resettle in Canada: accountants, chefs, engineers,
a seamstress, retirees, farmers, a cabinet maker, and many with young families. And of course there were stories to share about the situation with their loved ones and pets who were left behind in war-torn Ukraine.
As summer approached, we had the idea that perhaps little groups might like to use the kitch- en at St. David’s to enjoy their traditional tastes of home. And with the help of the Atlantic Synod Mission Fund, it became possi- ble. But our newfound friends had other ideas. A date was struck late in June when the Ukrainians insisted that we were all invited for an evening of Ukrainian food and culture. They were adamant that it was more meaningful to invite all the volunteers from the neighbouring churches to share in this celebration rather than cook for themselves. Imagine our sur- prise when we arrived to delicious smells, smiling faces, music and a packed church hall. It was trans- formed with beautifully set long tables (Ukrainian wedding–style) adorned with wildflowers like blue iris, grasses and dandelions. One very shy young woman, Marisha, had prepared a speech about coming to Newfoundland and as she delivered her final words in her best English all stood with hands over hearts to sing the Ukrainian National Anthem. There
was not a dry eye after that! What a memorable evening!
But now we are in October, and although there may still be a need for English classes, folks are more scattered around the city, and can no longer be housed in the hotels. But the good news is that many of the newcomers have found jobs and apartments. So our annual “Socktober Plus” campaign might help just a little in providing items to set up their homes. Every October, our sanc- tuary hangs multiple washing lines around the perimeter. Dur- ing the month, the congregation is asked to peg up socks, hats, gloves, personal care items, and this year we have added house- hold goods and small appliances
to that list. So we hope this can provide much needed home fur- nishings for the newcomers to Canada. There is also a plea for a set of bunk beds!
Above are some pictures of that wonderful Ukrainian evening of fellowship, food and smiles.
Connection
PRESBYTERIAN
11
Assisting Ukrainians in St. John’s
Ultimate Frisbee: Ultimately, a Connection with God
By the Vancouver Chinese Presbyterian Church in Vancouver, B.C.
This past summer, the Oakridge Christian Ministries and Vancou- ver Chinese Presbyterian Church in Vancouver, B.C., par tnered with Richmond Presbyterian Church to host an inter-church ultimate frisbee challenge. The game was a collaboration to encourage and suppor t inter-generational Presby- terian connections. The Growing Love of Church Ultimate Frisbee started during COVID-19 as a safe way to share the love of commu- nity, the endorphins of recreation and a time of fellowship.
In conversations sparked by the desire to encourage deeper
with excitement, energy, joy and mild competitiveness.
The purpose of the challenge was to 1) inspire inter-church relationships, 2) inspire and em- power a coming together of the individual church communities, 3) be a visible presence in the community, and 4) inspire people to see God in everyday activities!
On August 26, we gathered and played against one another. Despite the “challenge,” it filled each community with connection and love. For as much as we were looking forward to the game, the biggest win was the ability to be intentional about being part of the broader community of Christ’s church. We celebrated this win together over hot dogs and chips
A post-game photo of the ultimate frisbee players. PHOTO CREDITS: JOHN CON
The ultimate frisbee game in action.
connections with Christians in a fun and informal way, we ended up with a challenge being issued. The challenge was a final frisbee game at the end of the summer. This had our congregation abuzz
and took a trophy home to bring back to the congregation.
We plan to make this an annual challenge, and we wish to use this event as an opportunity for Christians to unite and worship God in new ways.
We would also love to grow this into a more extensive inter-church activity. We are so lucky to have siblings in Christ who are ready, willing and able to work at build- ing a Christian community that celebrates the joy of Christ’s love in different ways.
Please get in touch with Rich- mond Presbyterian Church or the
Vancouver Chinese Presbyterian Church if you wish to participate on Aug. 24, 2024!
A post-game fellowship BBQ at Rich- mond Presbyterian Church. PHOTO CREDIT: JACQUELINE CLELAND