Crescent Fort Rouge United Church

Community

Refugees

Our ecumenical refugee committee is helping both Lino Gomik (Uganda) and Fetno Kemo (Ethiopia) find their feet in their new home. The committee is financially responsible for their upkeep for the first year after their arrival, and is busy with fundraising activities. We also are engaged with offering the gift of friendship, teaching them about Canadian customs and culture (what is a jellied salad anyway?), and offering moral support as they find their feet. Donations, both financial and of time, are always welcome!

Partners in Mission

Our congregation supports:

St. Matthews-Maryland Community Ministry. In the heart of Winnipeg, this outreach offers programs to meet basic needs, provide self-help education and options, and work for social/political change.

With a vision of healthy community where everyone experiences God's promise of abundant life for all, they strive to achieve the goals of community building and empowerment. One of the many projects run at the Community Ministry is the Community Gardens. The St. Matthews' neighbourhood is home to two community gardens, located on McGee Street. Because the community has few spaces and yards are small, the gardens are an important way of reclaiming vacant lots and transforming them into beautiful community spaces. In the gardens, neighbours of all ages can meet each other, work together, learn and share gardening skills where participants learn to preserve the garden produce, and also learn new food handling and business skills while marketing their products.

Project Peacemakers: An affiliate of Project Plough shares, this group works for peace from a faith perspective. Their main areas of concern are war and children, missile defence, peace education and sanctions.

Alpha House: Sometimes known as a shelter, Alpha House's mission is to provide protective, affordable, longer-term housing for women and children leaving abusive relationships. It also offers comprehensive emotional and practical support so residents can move toward an independent life in the community.

Our community activities

Coffee and Company: Gather at 10:00 a.m. most Friday mornings - September through May in the Fellowship Hall for an unstructured time to sit and chat over coffee with friends and whatever staff may be around. Sometimes you can help out, too, by assisting with such tasks as assembling the Sunday service bulletins.

Timber Wolves: The 1st. Winnipeg Timber Wolves meet on Tuesday evenings 6:45 - 8:15 p.m. in the gym. Boys between the ages of 8 and 11 are welcome. Timber Wolves are members of the Timber Wolf Pack, & join in many games and activities, based on the Jungle Book, written by Baden Powell's friend Rudyard Kipling. Much of their learning is by doing. A strong emphasis is centred on outdoors & life skills.

Explorers: The 1st. Winnipeg Explorers meets on Mondays from 7:00 - 9:00 and is for boys ages 11 - 18. The Explorer Troop comes after Timberwolves and is based on Baden-Powell's book "Scouting for Boys", with the emphasis placed on outdoor activities.

Fort Rouge Child Care Program: This is a long-time partnership of CFR. The Children's Centre provides excellent child care in the church facilities. For more information call 284-5474 or 453-3088.

Concert venue: Rainbow Harmony Project, ECCO and the Winnipeg Singers are just a few of the groups that have performed here. Look for the Winnipeg Singers in concert in March 2007.

Watch the local media and the church notices for future concerts. Our Church Administrator, Sharon, will be pleased to talk with you. We have dates available for the fall and winter season.

Village Green Morris Men : Shakespeare spoke of Morris dancing as an already ancient ritual though it was still commonly practiced in his time. Men gather each Wednesday 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. in the gym to enjoy this dance form in a contemporary setting.

Our church activities

Women's circle 1: On the third Monday of each month, there is a gathering of women who meet, usually in members' homes. Often there is a speaker, video, or other program on a topic of common interest or concern.

Women's Circle 6-13: On the second Tuesday afternoon of each month, in the Fellowship Hall of the church, another group of women meets. They, too, often have speakers or videos on current affairs or on topics of the day.

Women's Circle 8: This is another group of women who meet monthly in the homes of members for fellowship and friendship, as well as mission education and projects.

Church in the City: This is an occasional gathering of folk who go to "events" in the city that may have a social justice and/or spiritual and/or artistic aspect. There is usually time after for discussion over coffee/refreshments. The event may be a movie, play, art show, etc.

Book Club: Once a month people gather to discuss the current best seller or a book of interest to the group. Their choice ranges from fiction to non-fiction, faith based or adventure and mystery.

The Crescent Fort Rouge Book Club meets on the 4th Tuesday of the month except in December, and the summer months. We will begin the 2009-2010 season on September 22nd at 7:30 pm at the home of Margaret Ashan. Newcomers are welcome.You can come for a session of particular interest or come to all. Watch the Sunday Bulletin for locations. For information contact Bill or Diane Gillis at 475-3463.

Here are the books for this coming series:

March 23rd - My Stroke of Insight by Jill Bolte Taylor

April 27th - Small Island by Andrea Levy

May 25th - The Lightening Tree by P J Curtis