Outreach Ministry
The mission of Newtonbrook’s Outreach is: With God's help we work together to make our world a better place. For further information on Newtonbrook’s major Outreach ministries, including the NUC-TUCT sponsored programs, please click below:
Amnesty International
Drop Inn Program
English as a Second Language
Meals on Wheels and More
Toronto Grandmothers Embrace
Drop Inn Program
English as a Second Language
Meals on Wheels and More
Toronto Grandmothers Embrace
Communication
Newtonbrook United Church publishes a quarterly newsletter, in September, Advent, Lent and May, which is distributed to all members, and is now available online with automated mailout to subscribers, as part of our ongoing initiative to reduce our carbon footprint and go green.
In keeping with the fresh new look of our website, we have made-over the Newsletter. We designed a new look to complement the tremendous work done by the Woodrow family in recreating our website.
Along with a new front page has come a more defined interior with columns reserved specifically for committee news, church groups and their activities, a “local hero” or “unsung hero” column or page celebrating the work of our members and, of course, a continuation of current columns/pages such as “Browsing”, “FaithWorks”, and the worship schedule. The front page article is usually reserved for our ministers’ writings, unless they succumb to writers block. We also inject some humour here and there…. and photographs! Please send in your photos! One of the benefits of an electronic newsletter is the ability to record our activities in living colour.
In keeping with the fresh new look of our website, we have made-over the Newsletter. We designed a new look to complement the tremendous work done by the Woodrow family in recreating our website.
Along with a new front page has come a more defined interior with columns reserved specifically for committee news, church groups and their activities, a “local hero” or “unsung hero” column or page celebrating the work of our members and, of course, a continuation of current columns/pages such as “Browsing”, “FaithWorks”, and the worship schedule. The front page article is usually reserved for our ministers’ writings, unless they succumb to writers block. We also inject some humour here and there…. and photographs! Please send in your photos! One of the benefits of an electronic newsletter is the ability to record our activities in living colour.
Detailed weekly bulletins of church activities and related community events as well as special announcements are included with the Sunday worship service bulletin as well as the on-line calendar.
The church’s web site and all the links to other related web sites are maintained, including the events calendar, announcements page, the content of all pages within our web site.
There are several bulletin boards in the church to help keep congregational members informed. One is located in the Auditorium to the left of the kitchen entrance which features items relating to Outreach activities and Mission and Service programs. The choir has a bulletin board near the choir room which provides information about upcoming choir events. Two bulletin boards inside the parking entrance near the church office have postings of Willowdale area community events and Newtonbrook United Church staff and United Church event notices.
Fair Trade
Good news on sales to date! Since September 2006, total sales have been $10,398.75 and $2168.20 has been profit for the church. Remember to check the article in the Easter 2009 Newsletter to learn more about how Fair Trade had made a difference in the life of a cocoa farmer in the Dominican Republic.
Beginning in 2009, Newtonbrook United Church’s Outreach Committee will offer coffee and tea sales only with sales date being the first Sunday of the month, from September to June. Coffee is the most popular Fair Trade item - beans, ground and decaf and Equita provides a fresh and tasty product!
A larger range of products will be sold again in the holiday season in December 2009 as these items are popular for Christmas gifts. The cheery red bags will be back this year and you can fill them with gift items of your choice.
Despite some increase in wholesale costs, I have kept the retail price the same or lower than many retail outlets.
Beginning in 2009, Newtonbrook United Church’s Outreach Committee will offer coffee and tea sales only with sales date being the first Sunday of the month, from September to June. Coffee is the most popular Fair Trade item - beans, ground and decaf and Equita provides a fresh and tasty product!
A larger range of products will be sold again in the holiday season in December 2009 as these items are popular for Christmas gifts. The cheery red bags will be back this year and you can fill them with gift items of your choice.
Despite some increase in wholesale costs, I have kept the retail price the same or lower than many retail outlets.
Buying Fair Trade at Newtonbrook fosters a connection with farming communities in developing countries who are struggling to improve their lives and provide educational opportunities for their children. In a small way, supporting Fair Trade keeps us a positive part of the global community.
Oxfam Equita, which is based in Montreal, also strives to make their product packaging as green as possible and to provide employment in their warehouse facility for adults with special needs. For further information on Oxfam Equita, please click on the following link: www.equita.qc.ca.
Food Cupboard
Non-perishable food is collected at Newtonbrook United Church for our food cupboard. Donated food is distributed by the church administrator to those in need.
Global Issues
Newtonbrook United Church’s Global Issues team’s aim is to explore local and global social justice and environmental issues and to enable the entire congregation to make faith-based responses to these issues. Everyone interested in environmental and global issues is warmly invited to attend. Please check the on-line calendar for the next scheduled meeting.
The team meets 3-4 times per year usually before or after Sunday Worship service. Ongoing projects include:
• Fair Trade products sold after Sunday service once or twice monthly
• FaithWorks, a column in the Newtonbrook United Church Newsletter
• Continuing encouragement to use vegetarian and locally grown foods in church activities.
• FaithWorks, a column in the Newtonbrook United Church Newsletter
• Continuing encouragement to use vegetarian and locally grown foods in church activities.
In the last few years, projects have included:
. Observance of Earth Hour
. Distributing postcards encouraging finding alternatives to our addiction to fossil fuels
. Hosting a well-attended, Earth-friendly, potluck lunch with dishes using locally-grown, organic ingredients.
• Letter writing campaigns for such issues as making climate change a priority, protection of the David Dunlap lands for heritage, urging reversal of the decision to eliminate the lump sum payment of the back-to-school and winter clothing allowances for those on Social Assistance or Ontario Disability Support Plan, the Tar Sands, Minimum Wage in Ontario, Alternative and Sustainable Sources of Energy for Ontario, the devastation caused by mining in Mexico and Climate Change
. During the Week to End Poverty, distributed soup mix to the congregation encouraging a poverty meal and donation to 25 in 5, a group advocating a reduction inpoverty in Ontario.
• The David Suzuki Challenge
• Sunday Worship Services on such topics as Destruction of the Earth, Water, AIDS in Africa and our Stewardship of Mother Earth.
• Greening Sacred Spaces Walk-through Audit and Grant through Faith and the Common Good to replace old refrigerators and freezers with Energy Star and incandescent light bulbs with energy efficient fluorescents
.
. Distributing postcards encouraging finding alternatives to our addiction to fossil fuels
. Hosting a well-attended, Earth-friendly, potluck lunch with dishes using locally-grown, organic ingredients.
• Letter writing campaigns for such issues as making climate change a priority, protection of the David Dunlap lands for heritage, urging reversal of the decision to eliminate the lump sum payment of the back-to-school and winter clothing allowances for those on Social Assistance or Ontario Disability Support Plan, the Tar Sands, Minimum Wage in Ontario, Alternative and Sustainable Sources of Energy for Ontario, the devastation caused by mining in Mexico and Climate Change
. During the Week to End Poverty, distributed soup mix to the congregation encouraging a poverty meal and donation to 25 in 5, a group advocating a reduction inpoverty in Ontario.
• The David Suzuki Challenge
• Sunday Worship Services on such topics as Destruction of the Earth, Water, AIDS in Africa and our Stewardship of Mother Earth.
• Greening Sacred Spaces Walk-through Audit and Grant through Faith and the Common Good to replace old refrigerators and freezers with Energy Star and incandescent light bulbs with energy efficient fluorescents
.
For more information on the David Suzuki Challenge please click on the following link:
For more information on Greening Sacred Spaces, please click on the following:
“May I become at all times, both now and forever
A protector for those without protection
A guide for those who have lost their way
A ship for those with oceans to cross
A bridge for those with rivers to cross
A sanctuary for those in danger
A lamp for those without light
A place of refuge for those who lack shelter
And a servant to all in need.”
Anonymous
A protector for those without protection
A guide for those who have lost their way
A ship for those with oceans to cross
A bridge for those with rivers to cross
A sanctuary for those in danger
A lamp for those without light
A place of refuge for those who lack shelter
And a servant to all in need.”
Anonymous