Archdeacon: The Ven. Barbara Clay (retired)
Regional Dean: The Rev. Randolph Bruce
The knitters at St. Timothy's produce baby sweaters and blankets for both Aunt Leah's and the pregnancy program at the Burnaby Family Life agency. Food is collected for the pregnancy program and clothing is provided regularly. A program that will provide food and information about cheap recipes and sources for low-cost meals is in the planning stage. Support was provided by individual parishioners to the ministry of Ed and Kay Schmitt in South America. The parish facilities are used by a Korean Church, Brownies, Sparks, a day-care and a choir.
St. Margaret of Scotland
parishioners are volunteering at the downtown Union Gospel Mission, at seniors' health programs and for local environmental advocacy. The parish's primary outreach is the maintenance of two Abbeyfield Houses which provide affordable accommodation and social activities for seniors. The food bank receives contributions from the parish, and the Taiwanese Presbyterian Church uses the facilities. School tutoring takes place as well.A day care center at St. Alban's has space for 25 children from lower income and immigrant families. The program includes special events, such as a breakfast with Santa. An unadvertised food cupboard is stocked by parishioners so that a person in need can receive immediate help. The parish is building a relationship with two half-way houses some of whose clients attend church services or the Alpha program. The parish opened its doors to AA, NAnon, The ARK, and Scouts. In 1991, St. Alban's received an SIA grant to organize a program for children of divorced parents with the help of a part-time social worker. That program grew into The ARK, Child Services Society, which helps children cope with divorce, separation or the death of a parent.
St. John's
rallied around a clothing donation project just before Christmas in 2003. They were made aware that families at the Edwards Community School were in great need of warm clothing and shoes. These families are refugees from the Sudan, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Eastern Europe who arrived here ill equipped for the wet and cold winter. The congregation responded with countless bags of donations and provided intergenerational outreach: a parish composed mostly of seniors brought in clothes for children in addition to shoes, household goods and clothes for the parents. The project continued through the winter, followed by donations for spring and summer items and once again for the cold winter months - it is an on-going project with parishioners and others in the community. There is also a regular collection of non-perishable food for Quest.For the past five years, Aunt Leah's Independent Life Skills Society, a non-profit society, has been working with All Saints, in offering restaurant training for high-risk youth, and in providing a meal for the disadvantaged in the community on Wednesday evenings. Approximately 100 meals are served each week. The parish offers the use of the building, kitchen, dishes and dishwashing equipment. All Saints also pays for the cost of the food that is cooked off site and transported to the parish where the food is kept warm and served. With the support of All Saints and Aunt Leah's, 85% of the young people who complete the program end up in full time positions. Many who come to eat receive toiletries, a blanket - maybe a coat in winter.
Profiles were compiled by Bettina Gruver.