Lynn and The New St. James Presbyterian Church

We’re honoured to recognize a generous donation of new socks, underwear, and hygiene products from Lynn and the congregation at The New St. James Presbyterian Church. These essentials were collected as part of the Church’s Back to Basics program, launched annually after Ash Wednesday to help ensure that community members in need have access to the basic necessities many of us take for granted.

While the initial round of donations was a success, one essential item was missing: socks! Through their renewed fundraising efforts, the Church raised over $400 worth of new socks, which have been donated to local children’s charities, including Merrymount.

The Back to Basics initiative has been a long-standing effort by the Church. In recent years, it has grown to include feminine hygiene products, a much-needed yet often overlooked category.

Lynn shared that the Church is proud to support organizations like Merrymount, as children are among the most vulnerable members of our community and deserve support through challenging times. Many members of the New St. James Presbyterian Church are parents and grandparents themselves, and their congregation includes many young families. The Church also features a nursery and hosts a Childreach program, offering activities and expert-led resources for caregivers and young children. Lynn proudly noted that many newcomer families to Canada participate in this program and become warmly welcomed members of the community.

In addition to their local outreach, the New St. James Presbyterian Church has been engaged in international fundraising and mission work for many years. Their efforts in Malawi and Central Africa include fully self-funded trips every few years, with past highlights such as building a children’s centre in 2010, installing a jungle gym, and completing maintenance work. They focus on supporting the local economy and provide quarterly donations to maintain these connections. Past trips also brought medical aid, a licensed optometrist, and a seamstress who taught sewing classes and distributed sewing machines. Lynn herself has participated in three of these trips, including a three-year teaching stay in Liberia.

The Church recently celebrated its 192nd anniversary and is proud to operate in a fully accessible building. Their mission is simple and clear: “Following Christ, worshipping God, serving others.”

We are so grateful to Lynn and everyone at the New St. James Presbyterian Church for their ongoing generosity and community spirit.

To learn more about their programs and outreach, visit: www.newstjames.ca.

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