Reconnecting Churches in Central Alberta with “Night of Encouragement”

Marg Hoogland, Diaconal Coach for Alberta North (Central Alberta) saw an incredible opportunity to get the churches in her area reacquainted – to her as their coach and with each other! She reached out to the churches in the Parkland area and discovered a strong thread among most of the churches: refugee engagement. And so began her plans for a “Night of Encouragement” on a cold winter’s night in February!

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Ontario Church Cooks Up Ways to Help Refugees

The Refugee Committee of Meadowlands Fellowship CRC (“MFCRC”) has been very active for the last 7 years. During that time, the committee has helped eight (8) families – a total of 39 people – move from places of desperation to settlement away from conflict and into a place of peace and hope for their futures. In order to support another refugee family that the church is working hard to bring to Canada, the committee held a unique fundraiser on Saturday, November 6th: an online Arabic cooking class!

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NewGround Partnership Helps Church Love Refugees

“The refugee crisis desperately needs churches to show up in ways that further hope, healing, and reconciliation in the world,” Danielle Steenwyk-Rowaan, Open Homes Hamilton’s team leader, shared.

With the help of a NewGround grant, New Hope Church in Hamilton, ON showed up to partner with Open Homes Hamilton. This new partnership has allowed New Hope to welcome refugee claimants into communities of belonging and has reminded them of the transformative power of the ancient Christian practice of hospitality.

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