STORIES
We’re happy to share the following stories and experiences, as written by individuals and ecclesias who have participated in outreach initiatives.
Our hope is that by sharing these stories, others will be encouraged and inspired to do the same whenever the opportunity arises (Galatians 6:10).
Bags of Love
December 2020
Toronto East Ecclesia
Covenant House, TorontoToronto, Ontario
I am Andrea from Toronto East Ecclesia. The charity which received the sleeping bags was Covenant House, which is a homeless shelter for youth in downtown Toronto. They help support youth who have been abandoned, trafficked or are experiencing different kinds of homelessness in Toronto. I felt that helping link up the garden with Covenant …
Bags of Love
December 2020
Comox Valley Ecclesia
Comox Valley Transition SocietyCourtenay, British Columbia
My mother-in-law ( Sharon Enns) and I did this together; we are from the Comox Valley Ecclesia on Vancouver Island. We chose the Comox Valley Transition Society to donate the sleeping bags to. They offer outreach services for women, children and families who are unsheltered or struggling through poverty; and partner with the RCMP to provide victim …
Bags of Love
December 2020
Pittsburgh Ecclesia
Saturday SuppersThe bridges and overpasses in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is known as the “City of Bridges.” There are 446 of them that cross three major rivers: the Monongahela, Allegheny and Ohio. In fact, there are more bridges here than any other city in the world. Even Venice, Italy has fewer. As Christadelphians we all are in the business of bridge building—both interpersonally and …
Bags of Love
November 2020
Chicago Christadelphian CYC
DuPagePadsWheaton, Illinois
As we discussed the project via our CYC group chat (Lombard CYC from Chicago ecclesia), many CYC members loved the idea of distributing sleeping bags to charities and individuals in need of them during this winter period. Most loved the idea but couldn’t make it on the designated date to drop off the sleeping bags …
Bags of Love
November 2020
Davenport Family, Le Grande, Oregon
Community Connection of North East OregonLe Grande, Oregon
On November 25, 2020 my kind neighbor helped me deliver 20 sleeping bags to Community Connection of Northeast Oregon. This facility works with the citizens of the community that need help getting their life back together. They provide many different services from feeding those in need to providing sleeping bags for those affected by homelessness. …
Bags of Love
November 2020
Cataumet Ecclesia
Department of Children and Families (DCF)Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Here’s a picture of Nate with Bags of Love delivery. He unboxed them and brought them to his friend’s mother, Lori, who is a DCF employee locally. Their office is closed now due to COVID, so we could not get pics at the site. The other two pics are of texts from Lori explaining how …
Bags of Love
November 2020
Vernon Ecclesia
Turning Points Collaborative SocietyVernon, British Columbia
I am new to Vernon and I was not familiar with any local shelters. When I found a local shelter, Turning Points Collaborative Society, I reached out to them and they were so happy to hear that I was interested in donating a number of sleeping bags! Vernon has had an early start to winter …
Bags of Love
November 2020
Barrie Ecclesia
Lighthouse Soup Kitchen and ShelterOrillia, Ontario, Canada
Here are some members of the Barrie Ecclesia dropping of the sleeping bags as well as some care packages we made that included hats and mitts, hygiene items, a Bible and the Bible Hope book. We delivered them to the Lighthouse soup kitchen and shelter in Orillia, Ontario, Canada. In the picture is Bro Bruce …
Bags of Love
November 2020
Portland Ecclesia
HomePlate Youth ServicesBeaverton, Oregon
The Portland Christadelphian meeting room is located in Beaverton, about ten miles away from downtown Portland, Oregon. Shockingly, there are around 2000 children (K-12) who are affected by homelessness in the Beaverton School district, yet there is only one non-profit organization that specifically helps homeless youth: HomePlate. Heart-breakingly, there are around 400 of these children …
Bags of Love
November 2020
Springfield Ecclesia
Ground Works, Our Place, Turning Point Recovery CenterBrattleboro, Vermont
This morning I rounded up some teenagers. We unboxed the sleeping bags and added a large print New Testament with a contact information card tucked inside to each bag. The card has some Bible learning websites as well as our ecclesial website and address printed on it. We delivered the sleeping bags today to three …