ST LUKE'S UNITED CHURCH

Provide weekly in-person and on-line worship services to all ages gender and ethnicities. Provide pastoral care to members of our church family and community. Donate to other registered charities in the community (food bank Brunswick St Mission Halifax Regional center for Education Canadian Mental Health Association-Nova Scotia Division Sponsor a Foster Child Provide private space for local addictions groups to meet and council others A monthly activity for our Freedom Renewal Center has returned. This involves volunteers from our congregation and the local Anglican Women's group. The ladies from a local group home come and engage in activities conversation and a hot meal. Support the local food bank with donations of money groceries and fresh vegetables Provide space for local community choir theatre group and public performance opportunities Social Enterprise activity to obtain and distribute vegetable (seconds) to assist the community needs for food security. Sunday school activities and programs for youth are expanding with many new ways to involve them in the life and work of an active congregation. Volunteers are an integral part of the function of these programs and of the building itself. They are needed to set up for events run these programs clean-up and maintain the facility. We have numerous volunteers (30-50 dedicated ones at least) that are responsible for fundraising accounting snow removal lawn mowing and hours to numerous to count.

Every liturgical season comes with a new book study bible study or group discussions. All topics are new and relevant to our needs as a congregation. This year the emphasis has been on becoming an anti-racist church while continuing the work of an Affirming church. Fellowship (food and beverages) after the sunday services give our church family a time to catch-up on weekly activities and check on the health and well-being of our members. This year there were several projects that reached out to the community and beyond. Funds were raised for the United Church 'Emergency Response for the Middle East'. The 'Holiday Cheers' program provides gift cards to local high school students in need. The New Horizon's grant activities for seniors came to a close. A grant from RBC is helping support our 'Square Roots' program to local residents facing food insecurity. The RBC grants will also support the 'Marguerite Centre' program that helps with women from a local group home as well as ACL (Association for Community Living) that meets in our hall every week.