CMP has recently initiated a couple of new outreach projects.
One of these is a new project in the Plateau, to establish a fellowship out of the home of CMP members Paul Bode and Catherine Irwin-Gibson.
The vision of this project is to offer a safe space for francophones on the margins of faith (who have been dis-churched or are un-churched), and who are reluctant to enter a traditional church building or community, but who nonetheless are spiritually interested, to engage with Christian spirituality and community through a home environment.
CMP member Jeremy Favreau, who has extensive French-language ministry experience across Quebec, will be investing one-day per week to lead this project. While Catherine and Paul will provide the hospitality, Jeremy will be making connections and creating French resources, for which he will be remunerated.
CMP wishes to thank the Diocesan Standing Committee on Mission for their generous financial support for Jeremy’s work, and to the Bishop and Council for their support for CMP’s funding application to The Anglican Foundation.
CMP has also been seeking to strengthen its connections to Ville St Laurent.
To this end, CMP has recently joined the Comité des organismes sociaux de Saint-Laurent. Through this Committee, local community groups come together for shared planning, sharing resources, and for access to municipal government.
CMP is the only religious organization in the committee, and there was some wariness in the Committee about our application. However, through CMP’s programs supporting recent immigrants and refugees, and through the good relationships built by CMP’s Outreach Ministers, André and Fatima Leitão, CMP was accepted, and can now participate in municipal activities (such as the annual St Laurent Festival), and advertise our events through municipal channels.
For instance, on Saturday June 14, CMP hosted a “Family Fun-Fest” in the park behind St Laurent City Hall, in which our youth and their leaders provided an afternoon of food and games for local families and children. We were very happy with the turnout, of about fifty local children, plus parents and municipal officials.
Activities at the Family Fun-Fest included action games, along with table activities, such as face-painting and bracelet making, among many others!
