Denis had stooped and collected in the only way he felt he could support our fundraising drive, but his contribution to the needs of NightShift on that momentous occasion was worth so much more than the monetary content of his jar. As a ministry relying on voluntary donations of time and money to provide for those in our community who have so much need, Denis came full circle in his relationship with the ministry, and as his note attests, with God.

As we continue to do His work in meeting the needs of our street friends, people living in poverty or without a home, people who have lost a great deal more than a lucky penny or two, we are truly humbled by the support the ministry continues to receive.

Christmas 2010 was approaching and we urgently needed help to carry on bringing sustenance to others. When Kent Sillars of Vesta Properties called to tell us about the $50,000 matching donation challenge he had issued on behalf of NightShift we were amazed. When he told us only a few days later that the challenge had been taken up so enthusiastically by so many local businesses and individuals, we were speechless. They ended up raising $67,500 from their partners – which came to $135,000 with Vesta’s matching donation – all in a very short time! We were floored. It was an overwhelming success and it made a huge impact in reaching out, feeding and sheltering the poor and homeless people in our community.

Traditionally, people tend to give more to needy causes at Christmas time. However, people are hungry and in need of consistent support beyond the holidays. In order to administer our outreach programs year-round, NightShift continually has to raise funds to provide our services to homeless people in our neighbourhoods.

Today, Vesta Properties is launching another matching donations program to raise $150,000 by June 15, 2012! We are expanding the challenge to people who are already involved with NightShift, providing an opportunity to double that donation. With your help, each dollar contributed now goes twice as far.

Please help us and pledge your support now!

Join us before June 15th, as people like you and me, businesses and individuals, all rally together to help bring unconditional love, hope and purpose to those less fortunate in our community.

On behalf of our friends: thank you and blessings,

MaryAnne Connor (Rev), RPC (Cand)
Founder/President
NightShift Street Ministries

Not only did we benefit from their willingness to join us and our street friends in the evenings, but we had enthusiastic support during the daytime, too.

Some of the students went to our new Care Cottage location, where we may not have had all the appropriate tools to make the most of their time (and hearts…these kids really came to work and do whatever needed to be done), but they got on with whatever needed their attention. They did some post-renno cleaning and pressure washing, and moved trash from the back of the property to the front so that it could be loaded on to a truck and taken to the dump. They helped move furniture and assemble a bed and and and… We enjoyed sharing our stories and passion for the work we do and a little about how God is working in our situations.

At the NightShift Centre the students there rolled up their sleeves and got stuck right in, cleaning and washing and organizing everything in sight! In the warehouse the cubbies and clothing bins were reorganized and the food shelves were inventoried and restocked with zeal. The team assisted with sorting clothing and stocking our mobile clothing truck, from which they later served our street friends with a clean change of clothes.

They certainly knew how to put in their elbow grease in preparation of the nightly servings.

In the evenings, the group joined our regular street outreach volunteers to provide sustenance to our street friends. It can be a bit of a culture shock the first time you step out and personally engage with people who are hurting, living in poverty and desperation on the streets, and so we split up the troupe into smaller groups so as not to overwhelm people who regularly use our services. There was an almost immediate knitting together, of ‘family helping family’, and an awareness that God used or drew on some real interactive gifting. Any preconceived notions and fears were wonderfully dashed and the group had a blast serving with us.

As one of their group put it so well, “We all need to be loved and cared for. This was easily revealed after having just a few conversations with some of these people on the streets. The difference between us is only a few circumstances, only a few different choices…” The full article and others are available on the INN blog.

It was great to spend time with these precious young people and we truly appreciated their hearts for Jesus.

The focus of our first sessions of The ‘Shift  is on Alpha. Sessions begin Sunday, March 18th, at 2: 30 pm.

Contact us to register or to start the questions rolling…

If you would like to find out more about the program and to register for the spring session, please email or call the office at 604.953.1114.

Blessings,

Cynthia Cavanaugh
Leadership Development Director

Pastor Steen Laursen was my friend. A man I looked up to and respected. I am sad/happy to hear that he has gone home to be with the Lord. Happy to know he’s dancing with Jesus, free of pain and suffering. Sad, because he’ll be missed by us waiting to go home to Glory!

Pastor Steen was pivotal to NightShift’s beginning. It was at his small street church in 2004, that God planted the first NightShift seed that has grown into a thriving ministry in Whalley. The Gentle Shepherd was our roof for six months, and the dwelling place where I first fell in love with our friends living on the street. He had a heart for those perishing on the street. Scripture tells us that God is close to the broken-hearted. Pastor Steen and his wife Lyn emulated God’s heart as they served faithfully and tirelessly for many, many years serving ‘the least of these’.

I know angels are rejoicing. I can only imagine what that must be like. He is joined in Heaven, by many who have gone before, that Pastor Steen had introduced to Jesus. What a hallelujah party that must be!

We’re coming Pastor Steen. See you on the other side!

Mac

A Memorial Service will be held at 1 pm on Saturday, 18th February
at Southgate Community Church, #120-5501 204 Street, Langley, BC

To provide the context, our team walks the designated route, handing out hot chocolate, and we usually stop by the skate park to hang out with the youth there for a bit. We all pour hot chocolates, sit and chat. On this night, we sat down with a group of young guys and asked if we could pray before we left. They all seemed really responsive and one guy spoke out and shared about his mom’s state of health, saying she’d been on medication for 17 years. Recently she had to have surgery, which she was finding so hard to handle. He was really upset and wanted us to pray for anything to help the situation. So we joined him and pleaded with God to step in.

Two weeks later we saw the group again. After some conversation, someone asked the guy we’d connected with before how his mom was doing. In response his eyes lit up…”Dude,” he said, “My mom is totally healed! She is completely off medication after 17 years…it’s a miracle. God answered your prayers. Thank-you.” 

I was shocked and couldn’t help almost crying on the spot when I heard that. I know that some of our street friends embellish stories, that’s the reality of addiction; but this guy was different. God used the innocence of a young man to show that he hears our prayers and answers them. Even in my doubt, I had to believe this story!

Sometime it feels like I just go hand out some hot chocolate, have a conversation, sometimes pray and then move on…BUT there is more. We do those things, but God stays – he swirls around wherever we move, whoever we talk to and he lingers after. It’s beautiful and I’m so grateful that God moved the curtain that night and we got to see a bit of his plan in the life of  this son and his mom. He’s moving beyond the nights we go out. He finishes every conversation we start and has the power to continue to spiritually “feed” his children beyond our hot chocolate and muffins.

Those little glimpses of answered prayers provide hope and purpose to keep on going, keep serving, and most importantly, loving the people God puts in our way well. He will do the rest. 

Britney

Every evening, a dedicated team of volunteers organizes, prepares and serves that meal to anyone who is hungry for nourishment, warmth and compassion. Year round, NightShift coordinates donations to provide the ingredients on a nightly basis, and hundreds of people are involved in ensuring that these needs are met.

At this time of year, when the bitterly cold weather adds to the perhaps bitter-sweet memories or painful reminders of a different Christmas, one spent with loved ones in different circumstances, it can be particularly harsh out on the street. We therefore appreciate all the extra help we can get to help ease the pain, to lighten the load and to share in the gift of time spent with friends.

• Two weeks ago a small fleet of vans and mini-buses transported our street friends to the Uptown Church in White Rock for a special Christmas Dinner. 
• This Friday we look forward to a feast of prepared turkey, salmon, prawns, fried rice, mashed potatoes, gravy, veggies, salad, stuffing, dinner rolls, and scrumptious desserts, all generously provided by the Overwaitea Frood Group in Langley.
• On Christmas Eve, the Whalley Legion (13525 106 Avenue) will be serving a sit-down meal from 5 pm, for our street friends, and the NightShift team will be handing out stockings and singing carols around the streets of Whalley. 
• At our regular serving in the evening on 25th December, our volunteer team will be out with lots of support to serve dinner and celebrate Christmas together.

Ours is definitely a mixed menu of very special delights, as we witness people coming together to share food, of their time and of themselves. Regardless of who we are and what we share, we are all receiving so much more than we can imagine.

Merry Christmas!

Andria
Volunteer Services

Our Sisters and NightShift volunteers track daily the items needed most by our street friends, as they replenish the clothing truck from which we hand out clean supplies and blankets every night of the year. We are so thankful for all the extra offers of help to collect warm winter wear and extra layers under which to sleep. One family we know is giving up their own gifts to provide gloves and socks to those who so desperately need them. Local community groups, teams of colleagues, such as the RCMP family of personnel, and whole businesses are turning their focus to supporting others this Christmas. In lieu of parties, we know of fundraisers being planned (for example, at Exclusive Floors and Cotter Architects) to benefit individuals in need. We are also receiving dozens and dozens and dozens of Christmas stockings (Surrey Red Hat Society and Regent Christian Academy and so many more) for distribution on Christmas Eve and care packages and food items for Christmas hampers…what a wonderful time of the year!

This year we are again so very, very thankful to be the intermediary beneficiary of the REALTORS Care Blanket Drive campaign. In Episode 12 some of the donations are literally being driven and dropped off at NightShift…

For all your contributions now and throughout the year, thank you.

Angie
Coordinating clothing donations
for NightShift and Sisters Thrift Boutique

Saturday’s Gala was an awesome evening of light! Every year the team pulls together – with such a drive and determination – to provide a delightful evening of celebration and sharing, reflecting on the year and looking to the future of all that NightShift can be. Every year this most important fundraising event in our calendar brings people together with the desire to make a difference. In the spirit of community and corporate responsibility, we can each individually accomplish much together.

Seeing a packed room with everyone dressed in their finest is surely a stark contrast to what we see daily on the street. We have much to be thankful for. It was therefore all the more heartwarming to have some of the members of our Street Soccer Team join us. They had – no pun intended – a ball! Lee Aaron and her musicians were amazing.

Everyone had a purpose for attending, which was to support NightShift and the people we love on the street. We shared details about our plans and walked our guests virtually around the Care Village in Fort St. John where we are building a place of retreat and restoration. 

I would once again like to thank everyone who participated in any way they could, from our generous sponsors to the donors of the wonderful live and silent auction items, from our guests on the night to anyone participating from afar, from every individual who shared of their time, talent and tirelessness to each of you who pray for NightShift and the people we serve. Thank you.

MaryAnne Connor (Mac)

Photos courtesy of Derek and his team at LeaderBoard

2. The Care Village is also the focus of our fundraising efforts at the 5^th Annual Gala of Light. Please join us on Saturday 19^th November as we welcome Lee Aaron to perform for all our guests. Support NightShift’s pursuit in offering hope, love and care with your attendance, sponsorship or donation.

3. NightShift is a proud participant at this year’s Beyond Homelessness Conference, presented by City in Focus. Join the series of expert panels, workshops, discussions and key-note speaker, Brian Walsh, this coming weekend 28-29^th October at Tenth Church in Vancouver.