UPDATE REGARDING CURRENT ABBOTSFORD STATE OF EMERGENCY
Currently, we are not mobilizing into a formal, coordinated response.
Our team encourages you to “be the church,” use your network, and leverage your resources.
With those that you know and those that you come across, ask: “what do people need?” And, “what can I do about it?”
As we continue to pray for our city leaders and first responders we recognize the importance of respecting their directives.
Once we become aware of more opportunities and discover long-term needs, we will work to communicate those.
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.”
(Psalm 46:1-3)
SERVE THE CITY WEEK is a time we set aside for the groups to break from their normal rhythm of meeting to serve and love the people in our city.
Date: November 22-28, 2021
The goal: every group would find one way to practically love our city
Want to get involved? You can do so in one of two ways:
Love your neighbour. Love your neighbourhood.
As a group, decide who and how you want to serve. Then, go serve together in that way during the week.
Choose one of our curated service opportunities
As a group, look through our list of opportunities below and decide which one you’d like to engage with. Once you decide, register for that opportunity and we’ll be in touch with next steps.
HOMELESS INITIATIVES
The 5 and 2 Ministries Homeless Shelter
Come alongside the incredible ministry of 5 and 2 and help them serve those on the margins in one or more of the following ways:
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Make and serve breakfast
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Put together snack bags (granola bars, cookies, individually wrapped snacks)
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Donate wet weather gear, sleeping bags, tents, tarps, socks, etc.
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Other as needed
CYRUS CENTRE (at-risk youth)
Help care for and serve homeless and vulnerable youth in our city. There are many ways to get involved, from making and dropping off meals to onsite cooking and relationship building. Find out all the ways you can serve at https://cyruscentre.com/services/
FOOD INITIATIVES
HEY NEIGHBOUR!
- Run your own food drive benefitting Archway Foodbank
ARCHWAY FOOD BANK
- Food pick up
- Home delivery
- Food sorting
Starfish Backpack Program
Partner with this ministry to help make a difference in the lives of students & families in Abbotsford. Starfish provides weekly groceries for families in need in our community. We currently pack bags for 63 kids/families in our city!
- Pick up groceries from Whatcom Save-On Wednesday after 6pm. Sort & pack the groceries at Central Heights.
PRAYER
- Spend the week praying for our city from the comfort of your home or by getting out as a group and doing a prayer walk in your neighborhood.
ENCOURAGE TEACHERS / POLICE / HEALTH CARE WORKERS
Be creative and encourage those who are on the front lines in our community. Examples:
- Make bags filled with sweet treats & notes for teachers at a school you choose
- Send encouraging notes and treats to police officers and health care workers
CARE FOR INDIVIDUALS/FAMILIES IN OUR CITY
There are a lot of needs in our community. Help us care for those in need, like:
- Single moms (ex. landscaping, grocery pickup and delivery, cleaning)
- Hope Pregnancy Centre (adopt a young mother and child)
- Seniors (ex. Grocery pickup and delivery, visits, phone calls)
- Family Care Packages (assemble a care package for a family in need)