Caring and Outreach

At Deer Lake United Church all committees, task forces, groups and individuals are encouraged to express caring and outreach in their activities and policies.

We express our desire to be a caring congregation and to reach out to the world at large by maintaining a Pastoral Care and an Outreach committee. We are respectful and loving as we work locally and globally. We will explore ways of increasing awareness of and celebrating this work.

Caring

Pastoral Care is the term often used in spiritual communities for how people receive care and support from their church. While this area is overseen by the Pastoral Care team, it continues to be carried out by the whole community as acts of care, love and support continue to define who and what Deer Lake is. The “Care Ringers” are a group of people who are responsible for connecting with members of the church throughout the year. It is always a treat to receive a call from your “care ringer” who offers a listening ear as well as an update on the many upcoming events. The “Sunshine Committee” send cards to people at times of sympathy or loss as well as during special celebrations.

Outreach

Jesus once taught: “I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me” (Mt. 25) As a community that seeks to follow the Way of Jesus, outreach is one example of the living of our living our faith. Our current vision statement notes that we “explore and express our spirituality…”. Our outreach ministry oversees the myriad of ways that we “express our spirituality” in ways of compassion, care and justice. As such “expressing” our spirituality becomes more than just an act of charity. It is an expression of who we are as God’s people and how we are called to be in the world. Some of the examples of how we express our spirituality in the area of outreach are:

Project Chali

From time to time our congregation selects a special outreach project. In 2005 one of our members was moved by the story of this young man in Zambia. What started with one person's calling turned into a special outreach project to raise funds to send Chali to school to learn skills that would help not only him, but his family, his community and his country. Chali has now graduated and is on his way to a promising career.

Christmas families

Each year our faith community adopts several local families and provides them with the gift of a Christmas hamper which includes clothes, toys, food, and non-perishables to re-stock their pantry.

First Sunday food drive

On the first Sunday of each month, we take an opportunity to receive an offering of non-perishable food items. The donations have gone to help the Marguerite Dixon Transition House as well as the First United Church ministry.

Counseling, Support and Referral

Our minister and pastoral care committee are pleased to provide assistance to those who find themselves in need.

Ministry Partners

We support several organizations that provide important social services in our communities. Click here for information on our ministry partners.