Download the 2009 Outreach events brochure here »

The Scott Mission needs your help! The Scott Mission Food Bank is in need of non-perishable food items and they’ve asked for our help. There is a basket at the back of the church for your donations. Thank you. Read more about The Scott Mission website here » - "A Christian ministry of mercy and love". The Scott Mission is a Christian, non-denominational urban mission responding to the needs of the poor, homeless, abandoned and vulnerable of all ages. Based in Toronto, Canada, the Mission offers practical, emotional and spiritual support to thousands of people every year.

Outreach events already held in 2009-2010

SEPTEMBER BACK TO CHURCH SUNDAY/ THE COMMUNITY CLOSET September 2, 20009Pret a Porter St. Barnabas style!

• OUT OF THE COLD needs your help!
  [St Barnabas supports the Out of the Cold program - for information, see below ]
  
  On Friday nights from November 6, 2009 until March 26, 2010, volunteers from the Out Of The Cold program are busy setting up in the Eastminster kitchen. Almost 150 people line up on the steps of this church every Friday night during these chilly months. Here at Eastminster, we offer shelter – not judegment – a nourishing meal and access to a nurse, a hot shower and decent used clothing. Many will choose to stay the night. It is a mat on the floor and a blanket – far from ideal – but at least our church hall is secure and out of the elements. After a hot breakfast in the morning, they are on their way. Since the winter of 1992-1993, volunteers from all walks of life have put their faith into action, serving over sixty-five thousand meals (dinners and breakfasts) and providing more than twenty thousand beds. If you would like to volunteer, please contact the Eastminster Church Office, 310 Danforth Avenue: (416) 463- 2179. Our Volunteer Coordinator will be in touch with you.
  
  
• JANUARY/2010 FOCUS: MALVERN
  • January 17, 2010 - 10:30 a.m. Sunday Service
  • Guest Homilist Vida Stevens, Toronto Public Health
  • Vida Stevens is a Registered Dietitian Public Health Nutritionist & Family Health Manager with the Toronto Public Health Peer Nutrition Program. She has extensive experience working with aboriginal, ethno-cultural communities, parents & families, children & seniors in nutrition, healthy eating, poverty and food security issues & has developed several training programs for peer & community workers. She volunteers with outreach, children and youth education programs at Church of the Nativity & the Malvern community & co-chairs the African & Caribbean Diabetes Prevention & Heart Health Education Program
    
    Learn more! Visit the Toronto Public Health homepage here »
    
    
• APRIL FOCUS: KAIROS
  • April 18, 2010 - 10:30 a.m. Sunday Service
  • Guest Homilist: Gail Turner, Sub-Regional Representative Great Lakes-St.Lawrence Co-ordinating Committee, KAIROS
  • KAIROS unites churches & religious organizations in a faithful ecumenical response to the call to “do justice, & to love kindness & to walk humbly with your God (Michah 6:8 link »). They deliberate on issues of common concern,advocate for social change & join with people of faith & goodwill in action for social transformation.
    
    Earth, air and water – essential elements of life that humanity seems to take for granted, and to which it has caused environmental harm are the central concerns of KAIROS work for ecological justice. It is rooted in hope & in the belief that we can change our ways and live in right relationship with all of creation. Gail is the Chair of the Toronto Central KAIROS Committee and spoke about Kyoto-Plus: Creating new Global Climate Protection Covenant at the Outreach Conference in October, 2009. KAIROS website unavailable at time of writing.

TOUCHSTONE YOUTH CENTRE

• Touchstone was our outreach focus for November, 2009 - wiht Guest Homilist: Anthony Stewart General Manager
  
  Touchstone Youth Centre is a 32 bed emergency shelter for 16-24 year old homeless and at risk youth. In addition to shelter, they address the many issues of homeless youth by offering an Employment Program, Housing Help, a Drop-In Centre & Outreach Workers. They are committed to addressing the pressing issues of young victims: hunger homelessness, unemployment and alienation from family.
  
  By offering the opportunities to develop social and life skills, Touchstone supports youth as they strive to achieve independence & integration into mainstream society. As General Manager, Anthony Stewart ensures that Touchstone creates new programs that leave lasting impressions on the youth of East York. Most of his experience is from an Australian model influenced by a North American Theory base.
  
  Learn more! Visit the Touchstone Youth Centre website here »

Vestry motion: The vestry of St. Barnabas, Chester commends the Government of Ontario for its commitment to a poverty reduction plan for Ontario, and urges that the government’s 2009 budget contain specific anti-poverty measures so that substantial progress is made toward poverty reduction and in alleviating hardship among the poor during 2009.

Bulletin from the Bishop: As Anglicans, we need to respond to the economic recession as an act of our faith in the incarnate God who calls us to love our neighbour as a witness to our love of God. We are doing so, both through parish outreach and through our FaithWorks ministries. The scope of the need is large enough to require a forceful response by government as well. That's why we're advocating with government for steps to help the poor in the spring provincial budget. It's also why we've produced the attached bulletin insert, to help educate Anglicans both about the urgency of the situation and the need to respond. See statement here »

The Rt. Rev. Colin R. Johnson
Bishop of Toronto

Reaching out to the community, sharing in God’s love
to provide information and action
to ensure a safe and nurturing environment
where everyone can co-exist
free from prejudice, poverty, sickness, violence and fear.

ST. BARNABAS OUTREACH MINISTRY PROGRAM

St. Barnabas Anglican Church re-vamped its Outreach Program in 2007 to reflect its growing passion and concern for the welfare of the community in areas of poverty, homelessness, accessibility, health issues, safety, diversity, affordable housing, refugee and aboriginal issues and the environment. 

Using the collect for St, Barnabas as its inspiration, the Outreach Ministry has planned to focus on several prominent issues on a bi-monthly basis.  The focus will be reflected in the whole of the church’s life, encompassing the worship services, the Sunday school program, special events, and the display table at the back of the sanctuary.  We invite the community to witness God’s work in action as we commit ourselves to "giving generously of our lives and substance for the relief of the poor and the sharing of the Gospel, bringing encouragement to all."

KAIROS - Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives

KAIROS - is Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives. A church-based social justice movement, "Kairos educates on the issues of common concern, advocates for social justice and joins people of faith and goodwill in action for social transformation. Kairos works with its members, partners, and community-based networks in the areas of aboriginal rights; Canadian Social Development (including refugees, health and anti-poverty); ecological justice, Global Economic Justice and International Human Rights.

The current Toronto East KAIROS committee consists of 3 members from the Anglican Church, 3 menbers from the United Church, one member from the Quaker community and 1 member from the Roman Catholic Church.

Visit the KAIROS website here ».

View/download the parish outreach brochure here » (184k PDF).

The Primate's World Relief and Development Fund • PWRDF

PWRDF is the national Anglican Church of Canada's agency which enables anyone anywhere in Canada to support emergency relief, refugees, sustainable development, and justice throughout the world.

With the support of Anglican parishes across Canada, PWRDF makes financial and human resources available to support partners' initiatives and to promote knowledgeable actions of solidarity at home and around the world. You can make a difference to this worldwide outreach through St. Barnabas.

Visit the PWRDF website here ».

FaithWorks

FaithWorks is the fund by which people at St. Barnabas and others across the Diocese of Toronto act together with and on behalf of all Anglican parishes to directly support families in crisis, children, youth and women in need, immigrants, the homeless, the unemployed, the imprisoned, and those living in the developing world. FaithWorks has helped fill a void in the social assistance network, providing hope where there was despair and compassion for a broken spirit.

Read more about FaithWorks here ».

The Out of the Cold (OOTC) network is an ecumenical project of a large number of Toronto-area religious communities, which open their doors to provide shelter, food and personal support for those in severe need in our city. Programs are coordinated so there are always locations open during the winter months from November through April. Guests at overnight locations are served an evening meal, accommodated on mats and sleeping bags for the night, and served breakfast in the morning.

Eastminster United Church at 310 Danforth offers a Friday supper for 125 and overnight night hostel for 60. Many at St. Barnabas volunteer assistance and support there. You can help too: in person, or with money or food, a TTC ticket per guest, cleaning materials, towels for showers, toiletries, blankets, Christmas packages, and clothing. See information here »

THE STOP Community Food Centre

The Stop Community Food Centre works to increase people’s access to healthy food while maintaining dignity, building community & challenging inequality. Programs include community kitchens and dining, urban agriculture, a food bank, drop-ins, civic engagement and pre & post natal nutrition and support.

Learn more! Visit The Stop website here »