White Gift
Trinity’s White Gifts program is an ongoing Outreach Activity where grocery items and funds donated by the Congregation of Trinity, as well as community and individual sponsors, are taken personally to homes of needy families within the community at Easter, the beginning of the School Year, Thanksgiving, Christmas and in emergency situations. Trinity’s Outreach Ministry maintains a food basket in the narthex at all times. Members of the congregation can bring non-perishable food items on Sundays and drop in the basket. This allows us to maintain a reserve of food to distribute to those in need.
For more information on any of these White Gift Programs please contact Linda Roberts through the Church office 905-845-3152.
What is Mission and Services – Not Just Another Charity
Many organizations work for a better world by addressing one cause or another. The Mission and Service Fund, on the other hand, is the unique way we as United Church witness to God’s love, whether it be with overseas partners, in Canadian outreach, in hospital or university chaplaincies, in supporting small congregations, or in assisting intern ministers. It is not really possible to compare the M&S Fund to any charity-it is much bigger, more encompassing than any of these. It is the church.
The M&S Fund represents our collective way to be God’s presence in the world to be the church, to love and serve, to seek justice, to live with respect in creation. It gives us a collective voice in advocating change, justice, and peace, whether through the Canadian government or in work with our ecumenical partners. The M&S Fund ensures that we are participating together in all of this work and more.
*It has been said that “for Christians giving isn’t an option,” and for United Church members, M&S shouldn’t be. We all make decisions about which charities we want to support. For United Church members, the M&S Fund should not be part of that decision. M&S is not a charity; M&S is who we are and what we do. It’s the United Church faith in action.
*From United Church of Canada Website
http://www.united-church.ca/funding/msfund/about/101
Roofs for the Roofless
Roofs is an Outreach Activity of Trinity where pennies are saved, collected (do not need to be rolled), and banked for aiding villages in India to build houses, schools, and to help with various developmental programs. Monies raised are usually sent directly to the program director, in Madras, India.
This picture shows how your donations add up and what they can do to change living conditions for others.
The primary goal of ROOFS is to restore dignity to this rural community by liberating them from the endless cycle of poverty, disease and death. This is being done through various projects such as housing, health care, sanitation and water supply, education, garment making and agro-industries.
ROOFS is also at the cutting edge of social and political reform within this community and plays a key role in the emancipation of women and advocated social justice for all. But most of all, it is the dedication and consuming visionary zeal of this organization that is touching hearts and changings lives.
The Trinity Coordinator and link to Roofs for the Roofless program in India is Joan Cooke. Joan has lived in Oakville for 40 years. She, with her late husband Ron, raised five children and now has eleven grandchildren.
The story of ROOFS FOR THE ROOFLESS and the rural villages of southern India came to Trinity United Church about 24 years ago. On behalf of this organization, she and Ron became an active part of its’ initial Outreach. Now retired from teaching, Joan spends much time travelling to share the ROOFS story with youth and adults alike. Her own personal visits to the villages of southern India are captured on slides. It is Joan’s mission that others become aware of ROOFS FOR THE ROOFLESS and its’ ongoing, life-restoring Outreach.
If you are interested in having Joan for a speaking engagement, please call or e-mail. You can can reach Joan by contacting our church office at 905-845-3152 or through the “contact us” section of this web page.
| If you wish to make a tax deductible donation to Roofs, please forward a cheque payable to Trinity United Church, and mail to: Trinity United Church 1250 McCraney Church St. East Oakville L6H3K3 e-mail: [email protected] Indicate “Roofs Donation” in the memo field of the cheque. Tax receipts are sent in January of each year. |