A Week with We Care | Christmas Mission Spotlight

We Care is a volunteer-run organization that has partnered with Sherwood Park Alliance Church for nearly twenty years. Every Sunday, this ministry brings church to a downtown parking lot—but their witness of the love of Christ goes far beyond a weekend message.

The true work of We Care starts on Monday when volunteers pick up furniture donations from their various partners. At their warehouses around the city, the furniture is assembled and prepared for delivery. These warehouses also act as a “store front” where people can make appointments to come and “shop” for the items they need. The items are given to them free of charge, of course! We Care strives to prioritize individual choice whenever possible; it might seem like a small act, but it goes a long way towards empowering individuals with dignity and autonomy.

On Tuesday, furniture donations are delivered across Sherwood Park and Edmonton. Keeping this ministry running is truly a full-time job, and from Wednesday to Thursday the pickup, building, assembling and delivery process repeats.

On Friday and Saturday, preparations begin for We Care’s weekend outreach. Volunteers drop off bagged lunches at the church, pick up food donations from local businesses, and organize other donations to be transported on Sunday morning for church in a parking lot. If you go to church with We Care, you’ll arrive to see a line of people gathered. Some have been waiting since 5 A.M. because they want to be sure they receive the items they need. Most don’t have access to housing, basic necessities, or even proper winter clothing. We Care volunteers set up tables: one for food, one for hygiene products, and one for seasonal clothing. A speaker is also set up, and the morning begins with worship and a brief message to convey the heart of this ministry: a commitment to sharing the love of God by serving His children. After the message, people can choose an item from each section. The gathering ends with a prayer circle, and We Care volunteers connect with the people who have come. They check in, ask how individuals are doing, and create a list of what people need.

On Monday morning, it all starts again.

We Care exists to show the love of Christ, our remarkable Saviour who broke bread with the people who needed Him and gave His followers the mandate to continue His good work. This year, we want to affirm and support We Care’s ministry with our Christmas offering.

One need We Care has identified is their lack of accessible transportation. Their current vehicle is high off the ground and has no safe way to load and unload supplies, except with multiple volunteers. The challenge of organizing extra help for pickups and deliveries disrupts We Care’s ability to get supplies to the people who need them most. To help solve this problem, the goal of this year’s Christmas offering is to raise enough money to finance a new, more accessible We Care van.

We Care reminds us that showing the love of God starts with meeting the needs of His children, and we hope that this Christmas you will partner with us in supporting the work of this ministry.

To learn more about We Care click here 

To support We Care financially click to our Give Page and select "Christmas Eve Offering - We Care" available from December 23rd-December 24th, 2024 after our Christmas Eve services.