Welcome > Programs > Outreach & Social Action > Ongoing Projects
OSAC - On-going Projects & Programs, Activities
Here is a list of our current projects and programs, and activities…..
Mission & Service Fund
- Set annual congregational target for the Mission & Service (M&S) Fund
- Educate congregation about the work of the M&S Fund by reading “Minute For Missions” during the service approximately twice per month
- Bring to attention of congregation M & S status, as necessary
Serving Coffee After Service, Once Per Month
This is outreach to our congregation. It gives us visibility as a committee.
It gives us a unique opportunity to promote that we are a fair trade congregation.
We serve coffee once per month, on the third Sunday of the month
Fair Trade Products (coffee, tea, chocolate)
This is an example of international outreach. Buying from fair trade producers ensures the workers are paid a decent wage for their efforts, while the majority of workers in the production of these products continue to be treated unfairly by large corporations, earning a mere pittance, with disregard for health and safety and employee rights. If you would like more information about ordering fair trade products, contact us via the church office or email via office@stpaulsajax.org Attn OSAC.
For more information on fair trade products visit: http://www.transfair.ca/
Bi-Monthly Blood Donor Clinic
The bi-monthly blood donor clinics are a valuable outreach to our community. This activity enables members of our congregation to be involved in outreach.
If you would like to assist with the blood donor clinics, please contact us via the church office or email via office@stpaulsajax.org Attn OSAC.
For more information on Canadian Blood Services go to: http://www.bloodservices.ca/
The Healthy Snack Program At Bolton C. Falby Public School
St.Paul’s involvement with the Healthy Snack Program began in Sept 1998 – first as a breakfast program, and then in 2002, as a healthy snack program with snacks being made available to all students. The program is under the umbrella of Durham’s Child Nutrition Project. Volunteers from St. Paul’s provide a healthy well balanced snack for approximately 611 students at Bolton C. Falby Public School from Monday to Thursday inclusive. Snacks are prepared as early as 6:45 am to 8:15 am and must include at least three of the four food groups. This year, the school has taken over the responsibility for the shopping. This is a positive development for the team and also indicates more ownership on the part of the school staff.
This is another example of valuable community outreach. We would be delighted if you could spare some time to volunteer as part of the healthy snack team. If you are interested, contact us via the church office or email via office@stpaulsajax.org Attn OSAC.
Food Bank
This is another example of valuable community outreach. OSAC encourages the donation of items to the Salvation Army food bank. Thanks so much to Sue and Cornie Tessman who, for the last decade at least, pick up the items from the church each and every week and deliver them for us. We have designated the third Sunday of every month as food bank Sunday, when we remind folks to bring along a non-perishable food item. But, you know, any day is a good day to drop off a food bank donation and place it in the basket in the narthex.
Annually in December, OSAC is responsible for distribution of gifts collected during the congregation’s White Gift Service. This is another example of community outreach. In 2005, gifts were graciously received by Herizon House (women’s shelter in Ajax), Cornerstone (men’s shelter in Oshawa), and the Salvation Army Food Bank. Cash donations were given to the benevolent fund.
Annual Projects
On Sunday, October 15, everyone in attendance at the worship service (numbering 218) stood up and were counted as part of a world wide tally, to break a Guinness Book of World Records and make it abundantly clear to world leaders that there is an unprecedented global movement committed to eradicating world poverty. In over 80 countries 23,542,614 stood up against poverty and set a Guinness world record. For more information on Make Poverty History go to: http://www.makepovertyhistory.ca/
On October 17, Glen Eagle and Helen Martin of OSAC along with two other members of the congregation attended at Make Poverty History Rally at MP Jim Flaherty’s office in Whitby.
We had numerous discussions on aids and the plight of Africa. Many of us read and discussed articles or read books. We attended or listened to or read about the Stephen Lewis lectures on aids. In response, we held a service about the work the parish nurses of Pickering Village United Church accomplished in Zimbabwe, at Howard Hospital. This served as an education piece for our congregation. But we were also able to make this an outreach project by giving them $200 as an honourarium for their presentation, and raising $515 from the congregation.
2002 – 2006 Co-sponsorship Of A Refugee Family
We worked diligently for two years to get a mother from Afghanistan and her seven children to Canada. They arrived in May 2004 after spending five years in a refugee camp in Pakistan. They attended our church picnic in June 2004. Throughout the summer of 2005, several members of the congregation tutored them in English. We supported them financially for two years. In 2005 we held a service where members of the family attended and expressed their gratitude and their joy at being in Canada. Today, we still keep in touch with the family. They have made amazing progress! Mom is going to school full time to improve her English, with hopes of getting into the nursing field eventually, while the children are all doing well at school. The oldest two boys also work part-time to help support the family. The eldest plans to attend university, while the second eldest plans to go into a trade apprenticeship after high school.
2005 Sale of Embroidered Name Tags
OSAC member Gladys Snelling painstakingly stitched beautiful personalized name tags for members of the congregation. In 2005, Gladys single handedly raised $1,500 with this laborious initiative. $500 was donated to a fund for Mariacu Kamara. This Pickering resident lost both of her hands and required prosthetic hands. Glady’s donated $1,000 to the St. Paul’s capital fund. Gladys is still producing these name tag work’s of art, if you are interested!
2004 Justice Vs Charity
Justice Vs Charity Lenten Series of Workshops were held in Feb/Mar 2004. There were six workshops held for Lent that investigated how a congregation could move from providing charity to underprivileged persons to seeking and working for justice that would result in lasting change .
2004 Beads Of Hope
We encouraged the congregation to sign the Beads Of Hope petition and we sold Beads Of Hope as a means of combating the AIDS pandemic.
Oct 26, 2003 To Seek Justice and Resist Evil
A worship service was held based on the United Church of Canada resource workbook of the same name.
Oct 26, 2003 To Seek Justice and Resist Evil
A worship service was held based on the United Church of Canada resource workbook of the same name.
Other Activities we have undertaken
2005 Pot luck supper with group visiting from Philippines
2003 October Service on world development, featuring a skit
2002 Kairos presentation on G8 Summit – Jun 9, 2002
2003 Protest against the Iraq War
Healing Fund Service
