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Ottawa Churches Respond to Hurricane Melissa Relief Efforts

November 13, 2025 | Robert Greaves | Ottawa Seventh-day Adventist Church

When Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 hurricane, swept through the Caribbean, it left a trail of devastation across several territories. In the wake of the disaster, Mrs. Marsha Coore Lobban, Jamaica's High Commissioner to Canada, reached out to the Ottawa Seventh-day Adventist churches for assistance in sending aid to Jamaica.

Responding swiftly, the Ottawa Seventh-day Adventist Church Board and ministry leaders mobilized into action. Working in collaboration with the High Commissioner’s office, five community drop-off locations were established across the city. Ottawa residents were invited to bring designated relief items—such as non-perishable food, clothing, and hygiene supplies—to support the affected communities in Jamaica.

The Jamaica Ottawa Association then transported collected items to the Ottawa Seventh-day Adventist Church, where the Property Management and Community Services Departments set up a dedicated sorting room and organized shipping containers on the church premises. Once filled, these pods were shipped via the Port of Montreal to Kingston, Jamaica.

Additionally, the church board approved the use of the sanctuary to host a benefit concert, organized jointly by Adventist and non-Adventist churches in Ottawa. The concert aimed to raise much-needed funds to assist families impacted by the hurricane.

To demonstrate that the Ontario Conference stands in solidarity with Jamaica and other Caribbean territories, special Sabbath offerings collected on November 8 and 15 were presented to the High Commissioner’s office.

Expressing her gratitude, Mrs. Coore Lobban thanked the leadership and members of the Ontario Conference family for their generosity and compassion during this critical time.

Reflecting on the outpouring of support, Pastor Deon Rose, Community Services Pastor at the Ottawa Adventist Church, shared:

“Here at the Ottawa Church, we are striving to have the heart of Christ. Matthew 25 compels us to respond to the call of our brothers and sisters. As Christ said, ‘Whatever you have done to the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to Me.’”

Pastor Robert Greaves
Ottawa Seventh-day Adventist Church