St. Luke’s Mission & Outreach Activities

Tuesday Morning Hospitality

Every Tuesday morning, from September to June, the church doors open at 8:00 AM, and as many as thirty people from the neighbourhood troop in.  There are muffins and other goodies to eat, and the coffee is hot.  Several volunteer parishioners make every effort to ensure that all our guests at home.  Some of them are “regulars,” some are just passing through; there are grizzled old men, and young mothers with their toddlers; there are people who spent the previous week living on the riverbank, and people who have small, well-kept apartments; but for the next hour they all enjoy a relaxed visit in a warm and friendly place.  And, before leaving, each receives a small gift voucher which they can redeem at the local grocery store.  On the streets, St. Luke’s is known to be a good neighbour.

We need and appreciate any contribution towards this programme, big or small.  Donations are tax-receiptable, and can even be made online right here (in the place where it says, “Fund/Designation,” select “Tuesday Hospitality fund.”).

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The Scanterbury Outreach

St. Philip’s, Scanterbury

St. Philip‘s Scanterbury^* is a small church building and congregation on the Brokenhead reserve, Northeast of Winnipeg.  Although, for various reasons, the church was at risk of closing, early in 2007 life began to return on Sunday afternoons.  With the help of St. Luke’s and St. James Beausejour, there is now a weekly gathering for worship and Christian Education.  Clergy are involved, presiding at the Eucharist once or twice a month, but the project is anchored by lay people.  The parishioners themselves, with support from their Band Council, are keeping the building in good repair; and two Lay Readers from St. Luke’s (Susan Roe Finlay and Doreen Blackman) lead prayers, present educational sessions, take Holy Communion to the sick and shut-in on request, and do what they can to build up the church community.

Officially, St. Philip‘s Scanterbury is a branch of St. James, the Anglican parish in the town of Beausejour.  However, St. Luke’s has offered to be the congregation’s urban “twin,” providing a spiritual home for residents of the Brokenhead reserve whenever they happen to be in Winnipeg.

^* It is said that the unusual place name, “Scanterbury,” is a contraction of “South Canterbury.”  A community further North, now known as “Balsam Bay,” was once called “North Canterbury.”  These names reflect the strong Anglican past of the native communities in that part of Manitoba.

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Our Partner Parish In Uganda

St. Luke’s is linked to a “companion” or partner parish in Africa: Lwanga parish, consisting of a main church of St. Peter, and six satellite churches in the surrounding villages.

Their pastor, the Rev’d Canon Patrick Lubwama, bicycles to a nearby urban centre where he is able to send us emails from time to time.  He invites us to pray for his Parish Council, for the disabled, for youth and vulnerable children, and for some retired clergy and their wives.  He rejoices to say that his parish has recently been able to purchase two bicycles for the Lay Readers to use as they travel between the villages of the parish.  Lwanga parish is currently fund-raising to purchase a “boda-boda” — a small motorcycle for Canon Lubwama.

We hope to be able to post some pictures of Lwanga parish on this website in the near future.

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HIV/AIDS Orphans Fund

It is said that there are over 1.8 million orphans in Uganda.

Parents have been killed by AIDS/HIV, or the civil war, or (to a lesser extent) malaria.  Relatives try to look after the children, with some households having 15, or even 20 little ones to care for.

Basic needs can perhaps be met, but it is impossible for the community to provide this great tide of children with even the most rudimentary education.  It costs over $100 per year to send one child to primary school; $300 per year for secondary school.

St. Luke’s supports a school programme which raises money in this diocese for distribution to the Ugandan children by the Diocese of Central Buganda (through participating parish clergy and headmasters).  You can help.  Any contribution will be greatly appreciated, and can even be made online right here (in the place where it says, “Fund/Designation,” select “Mission & Outreach,” and, in the message line, mention “Ugandan Orphans”).  Alternatively, you can send a cheque to St. Luke’s, 130 Nassau St. N., Winnipeg, MB, R3L 2H1. Indicate on the MEMO line of your cheque that the gift is for the “Ugandan Orphans.”

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Other projects, big and small

Every Sunday St. Luke’s makes a gift of food to Winnipeg Harvest, our city food bank.  Non-perishable items, brought by members of the congregation, are put into a basket, which is then offered at the altar during worship (along with the bread and wine, and the weekly financial offerings).  Later in the week, a volunteer delivers these items to the food bank.  (Reminder: please do not put perishable goods (meat,produce etc), expired canned goods or opened items (rice, tea, powdered juices) into the food hamper.)

In Advent each year, St. Luke’s collects White Gifts to be given at the Christmas party of the St Matthews-Maryland inner-city ministry.  As well, these White Gifts have been augmented in recent years by toiletry treats for the parents.

Individual St. Luke’s parishioners support PWRDF^*, and devote many person-hours to city and Diocesan mission and justice initiatives.

From time to time St. Luke’s prepares and serves a meal during Habitat for Humanity’s “blitz build” week.  This will be done in 2009 on Wednesday, August 12.  Contact Susan Roe Finlay for more information, and to volunteer.

The parish has a Mission & Outreach Committee which promotes, supports, and monitors all the projects described on this page.

^* “Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund.

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Haiti Orphans

(not yet online)

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