Does this jerk at your heart?  The above picture was taken by a photographer on March 24, 2008 at a business on St. Catherine Ouest.   What should we do about it?  What can we do about it?

Impact is taking off on social justice causes.  In January 2008, we sponsored Justice Jam and 275 people attended that event raising $1600 for International Justice Mission.  In March, we served food to about 80 people at the Mission of the Great Shepherd on a Saturday.  In April, a handfull of people fed homeless people on the streets as a random act of expressing God’s love.  Fast-forward to Fall 2011, and we are geared up to help at-risk children and youth at Tyndale Community Center (details below).   We can, and will do much more, as you catch the vision.  What are you called to do to make an impact on a social justice issue in the name of Christ?

SERVING AT TYNDALE COMMUNITY CENTRE – Beginning September 2011

Mercy Ministries at Impact wants to let you know of a great opportunity to serve!  Tyndale-St George Community Centre is located in the low-income neighbourhood of Little Burgundy, right next to where we meet for church at the YWCA. They offer after-school programs for kids and a youth empowerment program for youth at risk of joining gangs or dropping out of school.  Activities include tutoring, cooking classes, leading recreation, and just hanging out with kids and teens.  We’ve been talking for some time now about joining with them to serve the community. Be praying about this and looking in your agendas to make time for it! You’ll need to sign up very soon since they are recruiting for their after school programs immediately and are in need. We’ll be discussing the opportunities in more detail in our LifeGroups so that you could partner-up with others in your group to serve together. For more info right now, you can reach esther@impactchurch.ca.  Also, you can see more about Tyndale at  http://www.tyndalestgeorges.com .

Thanks,

Esther

—————————————————————-

More info on the Tyndale Community Center Ministry Partnership

By Justine Zwicker

There has been a lot of talk around Impact for a while now about how we, as Christians, can serve the poor, how we can be the hands and feet of Jesus to a hurt and broken world. After much prayer, we feel as though God has brought us to Tyndale St-George Community Centre!! http://www.tyndalestgeorges.com/english/volunteering/

We decided that we would volunteer with this organization because:

1) It involves forming relationships with the people we are helping, and it is through relationships that true sacrificial love takes place. Through these relationships we hope to learn how to better love, serve, and share Christ with the people we are helping.

2) It involves serving in a capacity that we are able to do! The opportunities  involve tutoring, cooking classes, recreational sports/games, etc.

3) It does not require summer commitment

4) They are aware that we are Christians and will never require us to be inauthentic and hide our faith with the people we interact with (which many similar organizations do.) **

5) It is located in the neighbourhood of the YWCA (so it’s not too far, PLUS, as we get to know people, they may be interested in worshiping at our church)

**Just to clarify – we go as ambassadors of love and peace, as well as messengers of the Gospel.  We’re not out to just go “convert“ people, we want to love and serve them as Jesus commanded (and as he has loved us.) But part of loving someone is wanting the best for them and caring about their salvation!!  If we can introduce people to a life-changing relationship with the Saviour, what better expression of love is that?!

Like I said earlier, this is something that a lot of prayer has gone into. The bible is quite clear that we are to love all people and serve the least of these.  We know that everyone is busy, but I would challenge everyone to honestly pray about this and ask God if this is a way He would have you serve and further His Kingdom. Remember, we serve and omnipotent God who is bigger than time!!

DETAILS:

Commitment: once a week or every other week (as you are able) starting, well, NOW!

The times listed below may change from semester to semester, so see esther@impactchurch.ca for exact details.  Times and activities listed are for illustration purposes.

Elementary kids

• Tutors needed afternoons
• Recreation Helpers needed each day Mon, Wed, Fri 4-6pm

High school

• Cooking Class Helpers Tues nights
• Tutors Mon and Wed evenings

  —————————————————————-

A Word About Social Justice

By Jeremy Jackson

Oppression, poverty, bondage, physical, sexual and mental abuse, discrimination, prejudice, violence.  What causes injustice?   Will the unjust ever be brought to justice?  Is there an end to all these horrible things and is that at all relevant for our lives now?

Prophets in the Bible lamented again and again at the injustice perpetrated by Israel, God’s chosen people.  In the Book of Amos, the Israelites are accused of oppressing the poor, debasing what God had established as sacred, being selfish, materialistic, glutonous, and proud.  Though the Israel of that day was wealthy and successful, their lives were leading to nothing of eternal value and worth.  The prophet gives the image of Israel as being a young woman dead before her time of promise.  This is a culture not too different from ours today.  We have achieved great success in the arts, culture, and education, but few of us have experienced true personal satisfaction.  So many are still seeking, spiritually and have not found the fulfillment that comes through a relationship with the Living God.

The Bible explains that a lack of care for God leads to death and destruction.  Sin - missing the mark God has set for us as humans - results only in death and separation from God; Romans six  23 says - “for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus”.  Paul’s letter to the Romans (in 3:23) also says that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God”, and that salvation only comes through the love of Christ Jesus.  Many religious figures have said great things and taught much that is true, but only Jesus claimed to be the Truth.   And only He taught that he is the way to heaven.

While many in Israel at that time tried to find satisfaction in living only for themselves and the things that they loved, others thought that doing certain religious actions would satisfy God and that because of these actions they would be saved from their wrongs on judgment day.  They pined for their vindication as the people who were right all along in what they called “the day of the LORD”.  Our guess is that these people thought that God didn’t really care about the injustice going on in their midst.  They didn’t believe that they were meant to leave their world better than they found it.  Well, the Israelites were told again and again by the prophets that they too would be judged, and in some cases they were judged more harshly than the people around them because they were the people God had called to be his representatives and be like Him.  While they thought they were safe not doing anything wrong, God’s anger burned against them for the good that they had the opportunity to but didn’t do.

If you’re in either of these situations, the fact is that there is injustice happening all around us.  And this is not just some distant, metaphysical problem.  There is a relational disconnect between the creation and the creator.  The creator intended to have relationship with the creation through people.  But the Bible and our experience show that our attitudes and actions have separated us from God.  And most of us don’t know where we will be when we die.  The need is clear then for every person to commit to a changed life and come into a saving faith and knowledge of Jesus Christ.  We challenge all in our community to engage with the teachings and life of Jesus, and consider seriously his mission and purpose.

Because of these things, to do this work, we are uniting around the person of Jesus Christ.  He is our Lord, and Savior.  In our lives and throughout the world, there is none who brings Justice like he does.  So, until Justice rolls down like waters … Jeremy