October 2025 Updates
Greetings!
What a summer it’s been! I have been busier than I ever thought possible and neglected really important things, like this update! Please accept my apologies and keep me in prayer for continued focus and learning in this ministry. I hesitate to say it, but things are starting to feel more grounded for me, and with any luck that will mean updates and communication more often!
Romans 12:6-8
6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your[a] faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead,[b] do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
This last year, my first year in ministry, has been exceptional. While it is common to spend the first year getting to know the community, the job here was more complex due to the necessity to learn the culture as well. What a joy it has been! The Chippewa and Cree cultures are as vibrant and new in my life as one might imagine. Truly an extraordinary experience. Ministries are alive and well here at Our Saviour’s (OSLC), we continue the food ministry each month, delivering between 40 and 80 bags of shelf stable food and fresh produce to those in need. The number of bags provided depends on our purchasing power. I have submitted a grant application for $10,000 to utilize the land and space to engage in more food sovereignty work in the community. We have scheduled time for a grief group each Tuesday, and on Wednesdays we have a crafting group. Our Thrift store is active, and we are currently looking for ways to make it more accessible. Our layette and toiletry ministries are well used by the community as well.
While the year started with the stress of being uninsured, a legacy gift helped us to restore as much insurance as we could. We still have multiple buildings uninsured, including the Mission House (because we are living in it). We have a plan for a parsonage next summer and excited to move forward with fundraising efforts to that end. Living in a public building has presented many joys and challenges for both the community and our family, but God is with us and guiding us through each glorious day.
Growing edges continue to present themselves, and include website updates more regularly and the renewal of the Teepee Smoke publication.