We serve Old Strathcona by:
- Building relationships to encourage and facilitate positive changes in purpose, lifestyle and behavior;
- Connecting participants with agencies equipped to provide longer term support;
- Advocating for justice, mercy and compassion on behalf of those who are vulnerable through regular meeting with various entities that interact with marginalized and homeless, such as local police and businesses.
"We’re called to ministry not as a distraction but as an amalgamation."
"[We] connect with the people that we’re being called to in ways that provide the real hope I’m talking about: the HOPE of Christ. So, the HOPE of Christ is not in …things, it’s not in a homeless shelter. The HOPE of Christ is from God, from Christ, and we share that in our presence to the people who are struggling. I’m talking about a HOPE that’s eternal, thorough, and long-lasting."
Redefining Homelessness
"The word 'homeless' is a soft, nice word that harmfully insinuates that the solution is simply to provide a home to our neighbours who are living on the streets and in shelters. Generally speaking, a more accurate description is "our neighbours who are suffering from multiple addictions and trauma, who are caught in an endless cycle of toxic relationships, who are struggling with hopelessness and who are bound down by feelings of shame, resentment, condemnation, and unforgiveness and who live believing they're being punished by God for their mistakes."
Welcome to Our Neighborhood