Activities and Groups at St. Andrew's
St. Andrew's supports a wide variety of ministries that help residents of our community, our city, and our planet. There is always a need for extra help, so please consider lending your talents to a cause that is near to your heart. Scroll down to see them all, or select from the list:
Healing Touch
Mission Statement:
"As a part of the Christian community at St. Andrew's United Church, we foster the development of a healing ministry within our community. We offer support to those training in the art of healing touch and an opportunity to practice their skills. We also offer healing touch to the members of our community."
Healing Touch is a form of prayer. We enter into this work with the intention of doing the highest good for the person we are working with. We meet people where they are and offer ourselves as a channel for the healing power of God.
The Healing Touch groups at St. Andrew's meet for practice sessions each Monday evening at 7:00 p.m., and Tuesday afternoons at 1:30 p.m.
We offer Healing Touch on a drop-in basis Tuesdays at 1:0 p.m.
If you would prefer to have a private Healing Touch treatment, please phone the Church office at (403)259-4080.
For more information, please visit:
Women's Network
The Women's Network at St. Andrew's United Church is active in a wide range of activites. The leaders as of Fall 2010 are Sylvia Davis, Dorothy Block and Joye Brown. For more information, please contact Sylvia or the church office.
Church in Society
What St. Andrew's is doing in the church and the world...
The Church in Society Committee concerns itself with the human and social issues existing in the community and the world, to increase awareness of them in the congregation and to instigate action where required.
Inn From the Cold:
St. Andrew's is one of the many churches throughout the city that participates in this program by hosting 15 homeless people overnight twice a month from September to June. The program continues into July and August, as there is a shortfall in accommodation in the summer. Fifty volunteers are involved and the clients are given supper, breakfast and a bagged lunch.
Sandwich Making for the Calgary Drop-In Centre:
A group of volunteers meet once a month in the church kitchen to make sandwiches for the Calgary Drop-In Centre, a facility for the homeless. These are delivered to the Centre along with clothing, toiletries and ingredients for soup. We run extra sessions in July and August as some churches don't continue through the summer. About 25 volunteers participate over the year. The bread is donated by the Food Bank, and fillings are provided by the Women of St. Andrew's and by donation.
NeighbourLink:
NeighbourLink co-ordinates the benevolent activites of a network of Christian churches that are committed to matching their resources to the needs of the prople in the communities. Volunteers from St. Andrew's deliver food hampers to needy families through the NeighbourLink network. For the past two years in the fall we have run successful appeals for ICU2 (Infants and Children Under 2), a NeighbourLink program asking for diapers, formula and baby food for babies in need. Please visit NeighbourLink Calgary for more information.
Calgary Inter-Faith Food Bank:
Every communion, usually the first Sunday of the month, St. Andrew's people bring donations of food which are then delivered to the Food Bank.
Collections of Items for Charity:
Eyeglasses for the Lion's Club, Campbell's Soup Labels for local needy schools and stamps for the Canadian Bible Society are just a few of the items received in the receptacles in the Narthex.
St. Andrew's Community Ministry:
Our Ministers have funds available to provide emergency help, through the NeighbourLink network, such as coupons for food and prescriptions, assistance with utilities, rent, damage deposits and the like.
Habitat for Humanity:
To work in partnership with families, volunteers and donors to build simple, decent and affordable homes for Calgary Habitat for Humanity families in need.
Independent Overseas Projects
Add Your Light Charitable Foundation:
Jan Tollefson, a medical doctor with a specialist certification in Community Medicine and a masters in Health Care and Epidemiology, has a serious commitment to the poor in the Dominican Republic. Donations from Canadian churches, individuals and other groups are currently funding water filtration projects, building one-room schools and latrines and sponsoring village lighting projects using LED's (Light Emitting Diodes). For more information, please visit Add Your Light.
Mama Orphans Children's Home in Kenya
Mama Orphans Children's Home is a non-profit home in western Kenya that seeks to provide family-style care for orphaned children. Mrs. Monica Oduor (Mama) began the orphanage in 1996; it needs help to feed, clothe and educate the children.
Contact Names
Ministers:
Rev. Dr. Rod Sykes (403)259-4080
Rev. Shannon Mang (403)259-4080