St. Barnabas' Anglican Church
Outreach at St. Barnabas
This year, St. Barnabas' had a somewhat unique "Lenten Project",  or
"Journey", in support of St. Mary's Food Cupboard.  Empty food tins were
distributed at the beginning of Lent which we were encouraged to fill with
loose change during the Lenten season.  Each $5 collected "bought" one
footstep and our goal was to complete a footpath from the entrance of the
church to the Altar by Easter morning.  Over $790 was raised and our
footpath not only reached the Altar, but circled it on Easter Sunday.  Funds
raised were matched from the parish Outreach budget.  The photo below
shows Carol Malewicz (left) of St. Mary's receiving a cheque for $1581
from representatives of the parish Outreach Committee - Jane Crosby,
Linda Allen, Debbie Maeckeler and Patty Boucher.
Special Notice Regarding Environmental Preservation

Respecting our Environment and to Better the Lives of Others

Our environment … Parish Council wishes to respect our pledge of a several years ago to avoid the use of styrofoam items and plastic utensils as a contribution to
conservation of resources and reducing garbage. (Styrofoam is not recyclable.)  Our kitchen is well supplied with all the equipment we need and washing facilities.
Individuals wishing to donate cups/plates that can be recycled as an alternative are, of course, welcome to do so if they choose.

To Better the Lives of Others … Coffee is one of the most heavily traded commodities, yet much of the world’s coffee is grown by small farmers struggling to make a
simple living at the whim of the conventional trading system.  The producers of a rich crop are trapped in poverty. Using what is called “Fair Trade Coffee” is a way
to address this problem.  Farmers earn a fair income from the crop they grow and we receive coffee grown with care and pride, making a difference in the lives of
people around the world.

When our current supply of coffee is finished, we will be using “Fair Trade Coffee” for our social functions. We are also encouraged to purchase “Fair Trade Coffee”
for our personal use.

These steps are in line with our church’s commitment to a better environment and to help in poverty alleviation and sustainable development.  
Some of our community initiatives include:
  • A praise and worship service held at Malden Park Continuing Care Hospital on the first Thursday of each month
  • A prayer and Eucharist service held at Victoria Manor Nursing Home on the third Thursday of each month
  • The Alpha program, open to the entire community regardless of denomination, runs two to three times a year on Monday nights
    at St. Barnabas' and offers individuals a look at a video program that is guaranteed to help them see their lives in a different light.
  • We routinely bring communion into the community for those who are unable to attend a service, with 234 people being served
    communion last year.
  • In the summer, we offer a Vacation Bible Camp for a week in August.  The 2010 camp was Luau themed, the 2009 camp was
    "Champions of Jesus", with a sports related theme. The 2008 theme was "Christmas in August".
  • Each Easter, we offer our Stations of the Cross presentation to the community, free of charge.
  • Each Christmas, we offer our Living Nativity to the community, free of charge for all to attend, located outside on the Tecumseh
    Road side of the church.
  • This past Christmas, we collected food and supplies to fill 4 Christmas hampers, which were handed out to families in need in
    the community with the help of the Downtown Mission.
  • As well, the members of the parish collected supplies to fill shoeboxes for the Seafarers around Christmas, lead by the
    Pollyanna Group.
  • The Pollyanna's also contributed to the Hiatus House.
  • The Central ACW, including the Pollyanna's and the Friendship Circle, also donated money to the Children's Aid Society, Foster
    Parents Plan, Campbell Shoe Fund, the Huron Church Camp, the Hospice, The Downtown Mission, the Alzheimer's Society, and
    Windsor Goodfellows.
  • The church also donates to the Huron Hunger Fund, Huron Church Camp, and the Primate's World Relief and Development Fund.

For more information about any of our initiatives or to get involved or offer us suggestions for further outreach programs, please
contact us.
St. Barnabas Lenten Journey 2011
St. Barnabas' kicked off their 2011 Christmas Hamper project on November 20 in
partnership with the Windsor Downtown Mission.  Over the coming 4 weeks parishioners will
be donating food and toiletries for six food and gift hampers to be delivered to families in
our area.  Each shopping trolley represents one of the hampers - the gift wrapped 'parcel' in
each lists the items needed.  Many thanks to Home Depot (Tecumseh Road store) for the
generous loan of the 'orange' shopping carts for the project!  
St. Barnabas Christmas Hampers 2011
St. Barnabas Pet Service
Sunday, September 11, 2011
On September 11th, St. Barnabas’ hosted its second ‘Blessing of the Animals’ service, in working cooperation with the Windsor/Essex County Humane
Society. Both organizations extended invitations broadly to parishioners and Society members to attend our Church service, and bring along their beloved
pets for a service that was focused on thanksgiving for the joy and love that domestic pets bring into our homes and our lives. The Parish was also
delighted to welcome Ms. Nicole St.-Onge of NCS Pet Photography, who volunteered to join us and help capture the occasion in photographs.

Over 75 Parishioners and friends attended the Service, accompanied by 19 pets representing species across the animal kingdom – from desert Gerbils to
an assortment of 17 Canines and one Feline friend. The Church rarely sees a gathering of such diversity – where the gathering was a joyous and raucous
emotional plea that cruelty or other mistreatment of animals be an object of God’s mercy and deliverance. In his Sermon, Rev. Colin Pearce pointed out
that pets are not only objects of our affection, and how they so often project love to their human companions in a way that is unselfish and un-demanding.
The open offering to God, supplemented from the Parish outreach budget, was directed to the Humane Society in support of their ongoing efforts to shelter,
rehabilitate and offer placement services on behalf of orphaned and abandoned animals in the Windsor/Essex County region.

Of course, most Services are followed by goodies – and if we Anglicans love to eat when we gather, why not our pets as well? And so it was; the coffee
hour and social afterwards included ‘treats’ for our 4-legged friends – including an assortment of biscuits, bites and cereals as tempting morsels for our
special guests.  Taken together, giving thanks for God’s creation in all its splendid diversity was an enormously positive and energetic experience for the
Parish. We’ll definitely do it again!
Our “2012 Lenten Journey” … in support of Faith’s Orphans Fund
(FOF)

This year, our Lenten Offering is in support of Faith’s Orphan’s Fund. Faith’s Orphan’s Fund ministers
to over 3900 HIV/AIDS orphans in rural Zambia through the provision of clothing, rural teachers,
school fees, Bible teaching and life skills such as horticultural training, bricklaying, stewardship and
sewing. Just $55 pays for the school fees for one child to attend school for an entire year. Simple
cotton dresses, sewn by volunteers in Canada, and other clothing are also distributed to the children
under Faith’s care.

We can make a difference in the life of a child …
… each Sunday during Lent we will be collecting cash donations and also providing a dress pattern for
those handy with needle and thread. We will start a foot path beginning at the back of the church …
every $55 will add one logo to the pathway; each finished dress, one “dress” to the path.
Our goal … to reach the Altar by Easter Morning and send at least 20 children to school!

What can you do …
… bring your loose change weekly for the “School House” bank
… place the FOF coin jar in a handy spot at home and encourage family contributions
… use one of the special envelopes to make a donation (receipts issued for donations of $10 or
more)
… can you sew(even just a straight line)? Do you have friends or relatives who sew? Plan to join the
parish sewing bee … the more the merrier!
… pray for Faith and for her ministry

Remember, Jesus said …”the harvest is ready” … are we? Matthew 9:37
Pictures of our Lenten display coming soon!