A rainy day, but a busy one on the MacNab campus of New Vision. Every Thursday we recreate our Thursday outreach program. It has been a part of this site for over twenty years.
Volunteers are waiting at the door when our custodian arrives for work in the morning at 8 am. Tables are set up, food is prepared. A tub filled with whatever baking was left at 3 am in the morning at the Tim Horton’s at John and Jackson comes in and the contents placed on trays to be made available as snacks. At 9:55 all the volunteers gather for announcements, news, and a prayer. The doors are opened at 10 am and participants come in. There is an early rush for the food cupboards that our companion church Graceworks and we offer. As the rush subsides, community time around the tables with coffee and tea and snacks develops. A volunteer led worship service occurs at 11:45 ably assisted by New Vision’s music leader. Then it’s lunch time, and everyone present is served a hot meal. Today we had turkey and trimmings. The participants finish their meal, and make their way back out of doors. Volunteers wash up, clean up, sweep and mop the floors, and put the garbage and recycling out. Today the last volunteer was out at 1:45 pm.
Many volunteers contribute, and that’s why I’ve not named names. All are welcome – to the meal, to the community time, to whatever is available in the food cupboards or on the clothing table, to volunteer. We’re all recreating the Thursday Outreach program together, each week.
This Sunday New Vision does its first Threshold Partners’ Affirmation and Commitment as part of worship. Then, following worship and after a brief all purpose pause, we’ll gather again as a community of faith to vote on some questions the United Church is asking all of its communities of faith to answer. Then we’ll head back outside again. I hope the rain will have stopped, and the skies are clear.
See you Sunday!
Rev. Ian