Living Beyond: A Core Value of Who We Are
The mission of Redwood Park Church is to become fully alive followers of Jesus and to become people who Love God, who Love One Another, and who Love Our World. Living Beyond is how we express our heart and passion to "Love Our World."
Followers who Love Our World are evidenced by people who are actively engaged as we Serve the City, Serve the Region, and in broader contexts oversees as we Serve the World. It is Redwood's desire to be a church that lives beyond itself - a core value.
SERVE THE CITY
A primary focus of Redwood’s outreach strategy will always encompass social justice issues and poverty, as well as address issues of racism, discrimination, and understanding right uses of power and privilege. It is also a part of the fabric of Redwood to be a Church for the City, and to be people for all people of the City.
As such, initiatives will be developed to encourage Redwood congregants to commit to being for specific families in their circles (who are outside of the church), and to commit to love and support them and to build relationship with them and be there for them in tangible ways.
City Ministries & Partnerships
Redwood Park Food Bank
Our food bank has been operating for over 12 years now, serving approximately 250 families per month. We are the second-largest food bank in Thunder Bay, and rely on donations from our Redwood community and our community garden, as well as the Regional Food Distribution Association.
Our food bank is open to clients every Thursday from 12:30-2:30pm at 532 North Edward Street. Sign-ups begin at 10:00am.
To volunteer with our food bank email foodbank@redwoodpark.org.
Redwood 'Unleashed'
There is a team of people from Redwood who also serve a meal at the Shelter House on the third Wednesday of each month. For more information or to volunteer with this team, join the facebook page or email Marcia at shaunmarcia@tbaytel.net
Partnerships & Annual Events
The Coldest Night of the Year - in support of Grace Place
The Day of Caring - in support of United Way
Christmas Wish Bags - in support of Dilico Anishinabek Family Care
SERVE THE REGION
The largest number of people with Indigenous ancestry in Canada live in Ontario- with almost half of the registered ‘Indian’ population in Northwestern Ontario (45,000) living on sixty-six reserves. Thirty of these First Nations are small remote communities, accessible only by air year round, or by ice road in the winter.
The majority of First Nations living on reserve, including children, live in poverty. It is Redwood’s heart to address issues of poverty and justice with northern communities for which Thunder Bay has become an ‘urban hub’. Access to clean water is one of these major issues.
Volunteer Opportunities
Eagle's Cove Camp - July 22-27
Eagle’s Cove is a property owned by NorthWind Family Ministries, located about 40 minutes outside of the city of Thunder Bay. NorthWind runs a number of programs over the summer from Play Days in some of Thunder Bay’s housing complexes to camp experiences at Eagle’s Cove for different ages.
Redwood has committed to staff one week of the kids’ camp at Eagle’s Cove this summer, with a team of people ages 12+ to seniors, with positions ranging from kitchen staff, cabin leaders, activity facilitators to support crews.
To apply, please fill out the following application and email to livingbeyond@redwoodpark.org
Student Summer Sponsorships - July/August
Up to $2000 available to any student seeking to serve in local or regional areas of ministry over the summer.
*LIMITED SPACES AVAILABLE*
Qualifications:
1. High School/College/University Student - 8 weeks of volunteer ministry
2. Active Redwood Park Church Participant
3. No other income source (ie employment)
4. Deadline for Application: May 30th of Applicable Year
5. Confirmation letter from Organization or Ministry
6. Applications to be sent to livingbeyond@redwoodpark.org
7. Living Beyond Committee approval
8. Report of your experience/share a story at conclusion of summer ministry
SERVE THE WORLD
More than 80% of the population of the world lives in poverty. There are approximately 370 million Indigenous Peoples worldwide, and although they make up 5 percent of the global population, they make up 15 percent of the extreme poor. Redwood recognizes that Indigenous People world-wide seem to face similar issues at the hands of the dominant society, so it is Redwood’s desire to learn with and from Indigenous Peoples of other countries (and organizations who are working well with them), to gain knowledge on how to live in a better way with our own Indigenous neighbours.
Redwood will also focus its global efforts on identifying organizations who are in alignment with Redwood’s vision and values, working globally to address overall issues of poverty, health, AIDs and access to clean water, and will partner with organizations financially to help address these global concerns.
Opportunities & Partnerships
Redwood Compassion Trip - TBA
We are so excited to be partnering with Compassion Canada for a future trip to a Compassion location site. The trip will include visiting some of the Compassion projects that we are partnering with and homes of children in the projects, visiting the country office as well as meeting some of our sponsor children!
If you are interested in this trip and would like more information please email livingbeyond@redwoodpark.org
Lifewater Canada
In the summer of 2018 we successfully raised over $20,000 to provide safe clean water, sanitation, and basic health and hygiene training in support of Lifewater Canada. Our donation helped to drill a village well for the people of Old Community Land in Liberia and we also drilled a well for the people of Happyville Community in Liberia.
For more information about Lifewater Canada see www.lifewater.ca
Christian & Missionary Alliance Global Advance
We support global outreach projects by contributing $25000 annually to the Alliance Global Advance Fund. “Jesus motivates us to go, to live on mission, aiming to be a Christ-centred, Spirit-empowered, Mission-focused movement.
With approximately 250 international workers, spanning the globe, more than 40% of are in countries that closed their doors to traditional missionaries long ago. These countries are now referred to as Creative Access Countries. Each area in our global regions (Caribbean Sun, Desert Sand, Silk Road and Asian Spice) has a broad range of both physical and spiritual needs that intertwine in the lives of those who live there.”
To learn more about CMA's Global endeavours see https://www.cmacan.org/global-ministries
