MCC.
Committed to serving schools
“If you’ve been to MCC Alberta on a Tuesday morning, you may have seen Simon Eng. Simon is a 35-year-old man with Down Syndrome who volunteers at the Material Resources Centre and has been doing so since November 2006.
Simon loves packing School kits, and as of November 23, 2021, he’s packed more than 38,000 of them – 38,114 to be precise! This represents more than 49,548 kg of supplies, including 457, 368 pencil crayons, 11+km of rulers laid end to end and more than 20 million pieces of paper…”
(This is an excerpt from a story in December’s edition of In Touch by Linda Dickinson. For more stories like this, subscribe to In Touch by clicking here)
–
Growing livelihoods in Syria
MCC partner Um al-Nizar Relief and Development Committee (URDC) has a great project in Syrian towns like Homs, Hama, and Tartous that provides vocational training and start-up funds for people starting new businesses.
One beneficiary of this project applied for the project to raise sheep and earn income by selling their products. He is considered one of the success stories due to the great impact the assistance made on his family’s economic and social situation.
Our friends in the Church can support this project by giving to “Support a Shepherd” in the Christmas Giving Catalogue.
–
Needs from Material Resources
Material Resources is currently low on supplies for Hygiene and School kits. Please click here for kit item lists and consider helping where you can.
CMU.
Christmas at CMU – Watch this year’s Christmas at CMU program from the comfort of your own home. Christmas favourites performed by current CMU instrumental and choral ensembles, this is our gift of glad tidings and joy to you! Click here.
Handel’s Messiah performed by the CMU Festival Chorus and the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra on December 15 at 7:30 PM. To watch online (for only $10) click here.
Through this Place – Stay connected with CMU’s monthly e-newsletter about the inside, outside and all about CMU. Click here.
Update from the Mennonite Benevolent Society
(taken from “Conditions in Ukraine” by Boris Letkeman, director of the Mennonite Family Centre)
“Most of Ukraine is again in the “red zone” with COVID-19 in the fourth wave. Daily cases are again over 22, 000 new infections per day in Ukraine with about 500 daily deaths. Hospitals are filled and unable to accept new cases. Vaccines are readily available but there has been a reluctance to get vaccinated for various reasons, so less than 20% of the people have been vaccinated.
For the Centre the Day Program is suspended, and the Home Care program restricted to only those clients who cannot survive without it. Until just a few weeks ago, we had no reported infections, but we now have five staff recovering.
Ukraine is also going through severe inflations which affects food costs, heating, water and electricity. Utility costs take all or most of the pensions, leaving very little for food. Despite better crops and gardens this year, it will be a very hard winter, particularly for those with a fixed income.
War in eastern Ukraine is escalating. The war has been ongoing for 5 years. People live in fear of getting through the winter, and what the future may hold. We expect more requests for help in the coming year, especially for food. With a limited budget, we are able to help only those without any other options.
We trust in God and know we are in his hands. He will not leave or forsake us.”
If you would like to contribute to this cause, you can make cheques payable and send to:
The Mennonite Benevolent Society
Ukraine Ministry
1045 Concordia Ave.
Winnipeg, MB R2K 3S7
The Edmonton and District Council of Churches is once again running their No Room In the Inn campaign for 2021.
This year, No Room In the Inn is supporting L’Arche Edmonton, which provides supportive housing and help for adults with special needs. With the funding raised in this year’s campaign, L’Arche Edmonton will be renovating and upgrading one of their seven houses in the Edmonton area. For more information, click here.
Camp Evergreen.
Our Winterfest Family Camp will be happening on February 18-21, 2022 and registration is OPEN NOW!
Get away from the hustle and bustle of every day life and come out to camp to enjoy a long weekend of rest, fun activities, delicious food, and solid teaching!
Family Day Long Weekend has never looked more fun! This special Family Camp is a whole lot of special with a giant dose of fun. You can expect a weekend full of skating, pond hockey, sledding, Jug ‘n’ Jog in the snow, Crokicurl, Redneck Curling, and all of the activities you have come to love. If you love Camp Evergreen in the summer – you are going to love how magical it is in the winter.
CLICK HERE for more information and to register!