Service

We are called to live out the purposes of God’s kingdom seen in Jesus and shared in scripture. “I came not to be served, but to serve” (Matthew 20:28 and Mark 10:45, cf., John 13:1-17); this is how Jesus describes His purpose. Service describes an obligation placed on us as members of His body: “Just as the Father has sent me, so I am sending you” (John 20:12). We live this out when we look at the people around us and by the power of God’s Spirit seek to address the needs we see. We are to love mankind (philanthropia) as God has loved us (Titus 3:4, Acts 28:2, Acts 27:3). This love can happen in many ways, but it is reflected most powerfully through feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, caring for the sick, lifting up the lowly and downtrodden, encouraging the timid, supporting those who suffer injustice, and pursuing peace and reconciliation. Here are some of the ministries that we supported in recent years.

College of Emmanuel and St. Chad

The Provincial Synod of May 1967 formally recognized the College of Emmanuel & St. Chad as the official accredited Theological College for the Ecclesiastical Province of Rupert's Land. The student body includes postulants from the dioceses of this Province and various other provinces of the Anglican Communion

Mission:
  • Preparing leaders to renew the growth, mission and evangelism of the Anglican Church;
  • Equipping students with a strong foundation in the study of the scriptures and the Christian and Anglican tradition;
  • Partnering with dioceses to enhance the preparation of aboriginal people for leadership and ministry;
  • Developing and enhancing skills for ministering in cross-cultural contexts in order to serve an increasingly diverse Church.

https://www.usask.ca/stu/emmanuel/

Plan International Canada

Plan International Canada is a member of a global organization dedicated to advancing children’s rights and equality for girls. We have been building powerful partnerships for children for over 80 years and are now active in more than 70 countries.

https://plancanada.ca/

Habitat for Humanity (Southern Alberta)

Habitat for Humanity brings the community together to help families build strength, stability and independence through affordable home ownership.

With the help of sponsors, donors, community partners and volunteers, we build homes alongside future Habitat homeowners to provide a solid foundation for better, healthier futures.

Families purchase their homes with no down payment and no interest, and mortgage payments never exceed more than 25 percent of each family’s total household income. These monthly payments are pooled together and used to build more homes for more families, so each family is helping another family become a homeowner and paying it forward.

https://www.habitatsouthernab.ca

Mountain View Food Bank

The Mountain View Food Bank Society is an organization of caring people who assist citizens of the Mountain View County Requiring emergency food needs.

http://www.mountainviewfoodbank.com/

Olds and District Christmas Angels Society

The Olds and District Christmas Angels Society provides food and toys during the Christmas season to less fortunate families and individuals living in Olds

For over 19 years the volunteers of the Olds and District Christmas Angels Society have been providing food and new toys during the Christmas Season to less fortunate families and individuals living in Olds and surrounding area.

The Olds and District Christmas Angels Society rely entirely upon the generous donations of individuals, organizations and businesses to provide the cash and gift donations for the hampers.

https://www.facebook.com/OldsChristmasAngels/

Mount View Special Riding Association

The Mount View Special Riding Association (MVSRA) has been providing a therapeutic riding program to physically- and/or intellectually-challenged children and adults of Olds, Didsbury, Carstairs, Sundre, Three Hills, Innisfail and Mountain View County for over 35 years.  The program has been immensely successful at instilling riders with understanding, confidence, empowerment, exercise and of course riding expertise. Therapeutic riding has been endorsed by doctors, therapists and educators as a very beneficial form of therapy offering all of physical, psychological and social benefits.

There have been dozens of horses, mules and donkeys that have been involved in the program over the years.  Animals are screened at the beginning of and throughout the sessions for their suitability for the program.  Riders are taught and all activity is supervised by nationally certified instructors.  The program is run entirely by volunteers, over 50 in all at each and every spring and fall session!  Some of those volunteer and deliver their animals for the program, many assist directly by working with the horses and riders, some provide snacks for the participants and others assist with administration of the program…and then there are those that do all of those things!

Mountain View Special Riding Association is a registered Canadian charity that depends in small measure on rider fees paid for participation.  Fees are purposely kept low in order to enable participation by all of those in need of the program.  The Olds Regional Exhibition’s in-kind contribution of use of its Caluori Pavilion enables operation of the program.  The largest financial revenues arise from grants given by Carstairs Community Chest and Mountain View County’s Rural Community Grant program.  The program is also enabled by directed donations, some of those made in memory of loved ones and in 2019 programming was enabled by notable donations from the Alberta Paint Horse Association, St. John’s Anglican Church, Tagish Engineering as well as from a host of others.  The majority of the expenditures go to a small fuel allowance paid to those providing and delivering the animals and to providing equipment for use in the program.

The MVSRA program, operating from the Olds Regional Exhibition’s Caluori Pavilion in Olds, Alberta is accredited by the Canadian Therapeutic Riding Association which links it to 82 similar organisations in Canada.  The program is offered Monday and Tuesday afternoons and evenings during a spring session that starts in early May and runs through the end of June; a fall session starts Labour Day and runs until the end October.  Sessions use both carts that enable those unable to mount and manage a steed to participate as well as horses that accommodate riders of all abilities. Each riding season is capped off by a “Wind-Up” that tests learnings, recognises achievement and of course offers a great time for participants, families and the public in general.

https://www.mountviewriding.com/

Mountain View Emergency Shelter Society

The Mountain View Emergency Shelter Society is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide support and services to victims of family violence.

Mountain View Emergency Shelter is not operating a physical shelter at this time.

https://www.facebook.com/mountainviewemergencyshelter/

Chinook Arch Victims Services

Victim's Services Units, including Chinook Arch Victim's Services Society (CAVSS), provides immediate crisis intervention, support, information and referrals to victims of crime and trauma. We are an RCMP based non-profit organization, which means most of our referrals for service come from the RCMP but we also get referrals from Fire Departments, Mental Health, Hospitals, Crown Prosecutor, and self-referrals.

CAVSS services are performed by a team of 12 to 15 highly trained Volunteer Advocates as well as 1 paid full-time Program Manager and 2 paid part-time Program Coordinators. Each paid staff member works in an office located in each of the three RCMP detachments in our service areas. These service areas include Olds, Didsbury, Sundre, Mountain View County, Bowden, Carstairs, Torrington, Cremona, and Water Valley.

Our funding comes from many sources. The bulk (70%) comes from the Solicitor General of Alberta. The other 30% must come from personal and corporate donations, solicitations to other community organizations (including FCSS), matching grants, and fundraising initiatives.

If you would like more information regarding our program, how you can donate, or how you can become a volunteer Victims Advocate (all training is provided), please do not hesitate to call. We would love to hear from you.

http://chinookarchvictimsservices.com/

Anglican Foundation of Canada

The Anglican Foundation of Canada was established in 1957 to encourage and support ministry within the Anglican Church of Canada.

Leading the way in resourceful ministry for 60 years, AFC has benefited dioceses, hundreds of parishes, and thousands of Canadian Anglicans with the provision of financial support for ministry from coast to coast to coast.

https://www.anglicanfoundation.org

Mennonite Central Committee (Restorative Justice)

MCC’s restorative justice programs help individuals and churches find healthy ways to deal with harm and conflict, as well as respond to and prevent violence and sexual abuse. We also support healing processes through biblical reflection.
Some of our restorative justice programs include:
  • Support for families and churches dealing with pornography, sexual abuse and domestic violence
  • Circles of Support and Accountability: Volunteers meet with individuals with sexual offending histories, helping them transition back into communities
  • Prison visitation and reintegration initiatives: Support individuals during incarceration and as they return to the community
  • Publishing books and resources

https://mcccanada.ca/learn/what/restorative-justice

The Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund

The Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF) is the Anglican Church of Canada’s agency for sustainable development and relief. Through the support of Anglican parishes across Canada, PWRDF makes financial and human resources available to partners around the world working to improve health, food security and livelihoods for vulnerable people.

Working towards a truly just, healthy and peaceful world.

https://pwrdf.org

Anglican Journal

Anglican Journal enjoys a special relationship with the 19 regional or “diocesan” newspapers that bring local news to parishioners in some 30 dioceses across Canada. We asked some of the diocesan newspaper editors to describe what this unique and vibrant news group means to them.

https://www.anglicanjournal.com

Olds and District Hospice Society

The Olds & District Hospice Society is a group of community members who support the availability of Hospice Palliative Care in our area.

Our current board is a blend of members with varied professional and volunteer experience and those who have walked the palliative journey with their loved ones.

https://www.oldshospice.com

Threshold Ministries

Threshold Ministries exists to help bring people from all walks of life into a living relationship with Jesus Christ and His people.

Our Vision: To be a leading organization in the training, equipping and releasing of Evangelists, and to assist the Church in becoming missional in communicating the Gospel.

https://www.thresholdministries.ca

Salvation Army, Red Deer

he Salvation Army is a Christian organization that gives hope and support to vulnerable people in 400 communities across Canada and in 131 countries. The Salvation Army exists to share the love of Jesus Christ, meet human needs and be a transforming influence in the communities of our world.

https://salvationarmy.ca

Central Alberta Pregnancy Care Centre

Whether you are wondering if you are pregnant or wanting to receive a free pregnancy test, we know it is a sensitive and often stressful time. We are here to answer your questions with expertise as well as care and compassion.

At CAPCC, we recognize that women have a right to make their own choice about the outcome of their pregnancy and their sexual health. We are here to help teen girls, young women, women, and families make informed choices.

https://www.pregnancycare.ca

Essentials for Our Community

Essentials for our Community is a new non-profit society that was established to build a greater network for serving those in our community who are in need.
The board consists of members who are representative of several local churches, businesses, and community members at large. All donations are used to directly benefit people in Didsbury, AB.

Unlike a food bank, we do not distribute food items. Instead, we work in partnership with local business and have established a system of pre-paid cards that people can take for the food and baby items they actually need and use. This reduces waste, work load, and allows for people to get the specific items they most need. We give out:

  • Grocery cards
  • Diaper coupons
  • Gas cards
  • Hair cuts
  • Counselling and mentoring.
 
When an individual/family comes for support, we take the time to get to know them, their specific situation and offer not only the cards, but specific support for their individual circumstances. We have seen this approach change lives as people feel safe, open and accepted.

https://www.facebook.com/pg/essentialsdidsbury/about/

Mustard Seed, Red Deer

The Mustard Seed Red Deer is a ministry that is seeking to build hope and well being for our most vulnerable citizens through Jesus’ love. Operating out of the 54th street building, we are excited to have the opportunity to plant this Seed that we hope will grow into a strong ministry that changes lives.

As a member of the Red Deer community, this is your ministry. We want to work with you to ensure that our approach fits with the real needs of people experiencing poverty and homelessness in Red Deer.

We are committed to:

  • Being good neighbours to the people of Red Deer.
  • Walking alongside this community to create a Christ-centred ministry that changes lives.
  • Conducting a needs analysis so we can create targeted programs that are specific to the areas of greatest need.

Our current programs:

  • Meals Served: Mon, Wed, Fri: 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
  • Drop-In: Tues & Thurs: 12 p.m. – 3 p.m.
  • Bible Study: Mon & Fri: 4 p.m. – 5 p.m.
  • Prayer Meeting: Wed: 4 p.m. – 5 p.m.
  • Wellness Advocacy: Please inquire inside with staff to book an appointment
  • Donations Accepted: Mon, Wed, Fri: 12 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., Tues & Thurs: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

https://theseed.ca/reddeer/