Focus on Missions

 

Focus on Missions is a committee of St. Paul's Anglican Church that meets monthly to assist Vestry and Corporation to oversee the missions budget and related missions activities. Our team:

  • Provides and directs prayer support for missions-related activities
  • Ensures that funding is in place to support missionaries and approved projects
  • Arranges regular project updates, blogs and presentations from supported missionaries
  • Interviews and trains individuals for short-term missions
  • Helps create and monitor agreements with international partners and projects
  • Assists with community outreach activities while maintaining regional and international objectives. 
International Outreach

Rwanda Projects

Rural Development Interdiocesan Services (RDIS) Housing Project 

St. Paul’s has been providing funding for two housing projects per year, with needy recipients selected by parish pastors in Cyangugu and Shyogwe dioceses.  This is the testimony of Yvonne MUKAMUGEMA. In her own words she explained her thanksgiving after being given a home.

This is the testimony of Yvonne MUKAMUGEMA. In her own words she explained her thanksgiving after being given a home:“I truly thank God for the miracle he has done for my family. Last year our house was destroyed by a heavy rainfall. In that time my son and I were in trouble because of not having a shelter, no food, no clothes and my husband was in prison for many years. It’s amazing to live in a cemented house and windows & doors with glasses. Many thanks to RDIS and their supporters for giving us a house, today we have a place to live and my husband who has disappeared is now back home. We are very happy for the house with an improved cook stoves, ceramic water filter and solar home system. God bless you. This is the start of joyful life and promising future.”

Yvonne's House  Yvonne

Cyangugu Diocese Youth Education

A local committee selects students who have been forced to stop attending classes because their families can no longer afford to send them to school. Depending on the situation, fees and transportation or boarding costs may be covered. Support continues until students complete their trade-related objectives or until they graduate from Senior 6 to prepare for advanced education. In 2022, St. Paul’s is sponsoring 15 students. 

One student who recently became part of the program is MAHORO KEZA, a student in Senior 2 at Ecole Notre Dame Karubanda. She lost her father and is staying with her mother, who has no job. It is very difficult this mother to raise school fees and she needs support so her daughter can continue her studies. 

Mahoro

Cyangugu Microfinance 

This program helps people learn about savings, credit and business planning. It provides microloans to start small businesses and encourages villagers to work together to earn enough income to support their families.

Nora Talking with Microfinance

 

Embrace Rwanda www.embracerwanda.org

St. Paul’s also provides regular support to the Healthy Mums Program of Embrace Rwanda. This Vancouver-based charity promotes a range of interrelated community-oriented programs to “cultivate capacity.” 

 

Other International Outreach

OMF  www.omf.org

Overseas Missionary Fellowship, founded in 1865 by Hudson Taylor as China Inland Mission, continues to share the good news of Jesus Christ in all its fullness with the people of East Asia. St. Paul's directly supports Don and Sandi Howell, who have deep historic ties to our parish, and minister at the National Office of OMF Canada.

Ratanak International  www.ratanak.org

Focus on Missions encourages support and prayer for the persecuted church around the world: especially for exploited youth in Cambodia through Ratanak International. 

Regional Outreach

 Diocese of the Arctic  arcticnet.org/atts

Regular support is provided to the Arthur Turner Training School (ATTS), a theological college located in Iqaluit, Nunavut and affiliated with the Anglican Diocese of the Arctic. There is a great need for qualified clergy across the vast northern reaches of Canada’s arctic. 

Local Outreach

We work with St. Paul’s Community Outreach coordinator to promote awareness and support for indigenous people. Lori Calkins, an experienced cultural birth helper, auntie, and mentor (as well as a Diocesan priest) provides support to Indigenous families during pregnancy, birth, postpartum, early parenting, and through other rites of passage and times of transition, including end of life.

St. Paul’s supports the All Nations Centre that ministers to new immigrant families, providing a variety of services including ESL, homework help and general advocacy for those who seem to have fallen through the cracks of other support services. Support is also directed to other agencies that provide for those lacking life’s necessities in the Edmonton area. 

For more information about Focus on Missions or to reach a member of the committee,
please contact the church Office.