Outreach
“Truly I say to you, as you did it to one of the last of my brothers and sisters, you did it to me.”
Matthew 25:40
The Outreach ministry provides for:
- direct help to those less fortunate in our community;
- an annual Lenten Outreach program;
- operation of One Roof Community Centre;
- support for the work of the Anglican Church of Canada in the community, the diocese, across Canada and around the worlds, largely through FaithWorks and our parish Outreach Committee;
- meeting space for a variety of community groups; and,
- support for local outreach projects such as Brock Mission, Cameron House, Crossroads.
St. Margaret’s Guild
Members meet the second Tuesday of each month, from September to June, in the St. Nicholas Hall, for friendship, fellowship, a devotional, and a speaker. They organize a number of fundraisers throughout the year to benefit local and national ministries and social projects.
The Knitters’ Group
The Knitters’ Group meets once a month in the Guild Hall after the Wednesday morning service. They usually have an outside speaker to talk on a topic of interest, often from one of the groups the knitters support. The knitters create items of clothing for colder weather, including hats/toques, mitts, and scarves, and distribute them to shelters and other organisations around Peterborough and to Indigenous communities in the North.
One Roof Community Centre
One Roof is a ministry of St. John’s that is open 365 days a year, providing a drop-in centre for those experiencing homelessness, loneliness, food insecurity and more. One Roof is open from 12 to 7 p.m. every day and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on extreme cold or hot days. Lunch is served every Monday to Friday and dinner is served every day. In 2019, almost 90,000 meals were served. The Centre offers professional training, life skills, community building, harm reduction, access to primary health care, and a safe space to be. Friendships are made, achievements are celebrated, and hardships are overcome. One Roof Community Centre is operated out of the lower level of the church, at 99 Brock St. All are welcome. For more information, visit www.oneroofptbo.ca.
Open Circle One Roof Community Centre Volunteers
The Open Circle worshipping community at St John’s volunteers one Tuesday night a month to prepare and serve dinner at the One Roof Community Centre. Members of the group raise funds to purchase the food for the supper and then gather in the kitchen to prepare the meal. Besides providing a meal to people in need, it is a source of friendship and satisfaction for those who are involved.