Click here to read about our participation in various Mission and Outreach initiatives.
Probably one of our most consistent and longest running “poverty” initiative is operating a FOOD BANK depot out of our church every Thursday afternoon with faithful volunteers for over 25 years! Dayspring’s contribution to the work of Edmonton’s Food Bank was recently recognized by the awarding of the “Janet Hughes Award.”
Recently a woman who once received food from the food back at DPC has returned to our food bank depot to show her appreciation for the food she received when she was in need. She went back to school and now has a permanent job and over the past few months has been making a cash donation to the volunteers… It has been suggested that she send it to The Food Bank (main office) so that she might receive a tax receipt….Upon hearing this, she said “He (meaning Jesus) didn’t ask for a receipt when he was on the cross”!
COVID-19 may have resulted in our closing the doors of the church building (except for minimal usage) for over a year. However, the mission continued and still continues, locally and to the ends of the earth.
There is more information on our Mission & Outreach Opportunities Report here.
Our Dayspring Carnival: (about 5 years old) has been an outreach into the community immediately surrounding our church. It was be back again, better than ever, in 2022. During a recent Carnival, one of our members was making candy floss. A small child was looking longingly at the candy floss sticks while holding his Dad’s hand. The child was invited to take a candy floss stick but the Dad anxiously said, “How much is it?” When he was told it was FREE… everything here is free… the food, drinks, face painting, play, etc. The Dad’s smile was full of emotion as he said “Thanks!” The little boy took the candy floss his eyes popping with delight and he turned to his Dad and said with such delight – “This is the BEST day ever.”
A few years ago we prioritized our Mission & Outreach initiations.
Refugee support – The refugee sponsorship situation has changed somewhat in the last few years. Government practices have backlogged the application process so that legitimate refugees that are in terrible situations cannot get their requests processed, for years. However, we recently had a “breakthrough” and are now “sponsoring” (in a variety of ways) 5 refugee families that have been prioritized to come to Canada. One of these families has already arrived and another is hoping to arrive in late winter 2023.
Address needs of poverty in our city: We have been working on this. One of our long-term initiatives has been provision of a Food Bank Depot as described above.
Another initiative involves providing the makings for a healthy breakfast for the students at a nearby school.
Another is the collection of items that support the work being done by inner city agencies. A while ago we received a note that said: “Thanks so much for thinking of us in terms of donations! This is Amazing! Your congregation were totally thinking of the right things. We can ALWAYS use coffee, tea, hot chocolate, travel size hygiene items, socks and underwear, feminine products, toothbrushes and toothpaste.” We continue to have a donation box in the Great Room where you might put these items.
Mission Trips: We supported some people in our congregation a few years ago on a Mexico trip to build houses for families in need. COVID-19 makes that kind of initiative impossible for now.
And we continue to support Presbyterians Sharing, and Presbyterian World Service & Development.