“Your donation, along with our contribution, helped us to have a great impact in the community [helping over 50 families and individuals in Sudbury to have a better holiday season.]”

Pastor Elvis also presented a special award to their local retail partner, Dollar Tree, for their donations to the church and for helping to make Sudbury a better place.

Elvis Dumitru
Pastor, Sudbury Seventh-day Adventist Church

There were musical performances from Crawford Adventist Academy Choir, Crawford East Steel Pan Orchestra, Kingsway Adventist Academy, and others. Performances also included the award-winning author and poet Nadine Williams and the "MLK Litaneers," young people aged 10 to 12 years who shared their poetry about the impact of Martin Luther King on the world.

Dr. Abraham Jules, President of the North Eastern Conference, was the keynote speaker. His powerful message reminded the audience that it was Martin Luther King Jr.'s committed faith in God that allowed him to make a profound difference in the world.

Part of the MLKC mission is to inspire and support young people to pursue academic excellence. This year, 12 scholarships were provided to youth attending university or college. Recognition was also given to local leaders who have made a difference in the black community. This included distinguished individuals like Jean Augustine, the first black MP in Canada. An award was also given to the Ontario Conference Youth Ministries department in recognition of its support in making the first celebrations possible. Pastor John Scott accepted the award on behalf of the Conference.

One of the highlights was the recognition of the founder of the MLKC, Pauline Christian, who is a member of Apple Creek Adventist church. She was recognized for her vision, and a special announcement was made about her recent book release, "Breaking Barriers in Pursuit of Excellence." She spoke afterwards, sharing her journey and thanking the support of her community, sponsors and especially the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

In addition to the music and the awardees, the evening was noted for the dignitaries present. The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, sent a video greeting recognizing the importance of the event locally and nationally. The mayor of Whitby, local MPPs, and the Chiefs of Police from Durham and York Region also offered words of encouragement and support for the work MLKC. Pastor Jakov Bibulović, president of the Ontario Conference, Paul Lewellyn, President, and Cyril Millett, Executive Secretary from the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Canada(SDACC), were present and were recognized for their support. Dr. Leslie Pollard, President of Oakwood University in Alabama, was a community award recipient. In his acceptance speech, he stated his appreciation for the collaboration between MLKC and Oakwood University.

When the event was over, Ms. Christian shared, "After 25 years, the MLKC program has gone from a small church program to one of Canada's major black history events. It has given away hundreds of scholarships and community awards and inspired many youths. It is humbling to have been part of this. I can't wait for next year to continue to showcase our community and inspire others with the message of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr."

The 25th Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration will be shown on the local Rogers community channel during black history month.

Pastor Shawn Ellis
Director of Communications and Media

Led by Pastor Preston Patterson, Living Faith offered to organize a Christmas program for Matthew House, a refugee shelter. This was met with surprise and deep appreciation by the director. He shared that he saw the offer as “God-ordained” because the board had recently decided to cancel their Christmas program as they could not find a venue. With the go-ahead, Pastor Patterson collaborated with Windsor Seventh-day Adventist Church Pastor Alexandre Golovenko and his congregation to use their facility for the program.

The members of Living Faith hosted a celebration for over 200 refugees, including children. Pastor Golovenko delivered a touching and inspiring sermonette, drawing parallels between the struggles of the refugees and Jesus’ own experience as a “refugee” in Egypt. The Christmas program featured a wonderful lineup of music. One refugee shared, “The program is so beautiful. I feel I am in worship.” Another refugee, a pastor’s daughter, also moved by the experience, stood up and encouraged others to accept Christ.

As Living Faith continues the work of being the “hands and feet” of Jesus, they continue planning for other outreach events. Local stores hearing of Living Faith’s long-standing community efforts have expressed a willingness to provide financial and material support. The congregation looks forward to ministry opportunities and blessings God will bring to them and the community in 2024.

Grace Mallett
Elder, Living Faith Seventh-day Adventist Company

This community service initiative stems from the collaborative effort of local businesses (Adonis and Geeland Grocery store), our Pathfinder Club David, the Ottawa Adventist School and compassionate church members. Donations from these various sources ensured a diverse range of items in each food hamper, from pantry staples to culturally significant foods like Halal meat or veggie protein, catering to the diverse backgrounds of the recipients.

What sets this initiative apart is the personalized touch of preparing curated food hampers. Volunteers from our sister church’s Pathfinder club (Orleans French Seventh-day Adventist Church), some young adults and seniors, took the time to sort, pack and prepare hampers based on the dietary needs of 50 newcomers.

The initiative has profoundly impacted both those receiving and preparing the hampers. The recipients expressed gratitude for supporting their families and making Ottawa a welcoming place. The volunteers spoke about their positive experiences, highlighting the joy and fulfillment of making a tangible difference in the lives of others.

The food program has been so successful that there are discussions at the church about expansion, including mentorship programs, language support, and cultural exchange initiatives to help newcomer integration. “Une Main Secourable” is also considering a partnership with some other Adventist congregations near the Rideau-Vanier area for a more significant impact in 2024.

As Ottawa continues to grow and diversify, initiatives like these will play a crucial role in bringing the church to the community, showing them the love and compassion of Jesus and His church.

Elia Menard
Ottawa French Seventh-day Adventist Church

Boston Pizza in Hamilton agreed to host the event and generously donated some of their sales to support the Pathfinders. The afternoon was filled with fun as the kids, club leaders, and others enjoyed the food and each other’s company.

The “Dine For A Cause” was fun for the Hylander Pathfinder Club and demonstrated how companies are willing to provide financial support to church organizations that make a difference in the community.

Maurice A. Rose, Area Coordinator, Southwest District