From the Deacon’s Desk

A Place for the Homeless
It seems like forever since I have been regularly at St. Anne’s on a Sunday morning!  As many of you know, I have been on the circuit in St. Thomas. 

Unlike London where there are a number of shelters, St. Thomas has only had limited space for homeless women and nothing for men.  Much of my outreach ministry involves my work in the community in St. Thomas working with low-income and disabled people.  With others from the community, I have worked with a small group to set up a winter homeless shelter in St. Thomas.  We call it the Inn Out of the Cold.  Many of you have met my partner Heather and she has been part of our small group setting up the shelter.  In fact it was at her urging that “something had to be done” that got us going.  The shelter opened in October and has regularly had 6 to 8 guests staying each night, many of them young men.  In November alone, we had 16 different people who stayed the night.  They arrive in early evening, are provided dinner, breakfast and a place to sleep.  Our shelter operates out of Central United Church.  Before our operation, there was nothing and in past winters, the homeless were sent to London shelters.

The Inn operates primarily with volunteers.  It takes a lot of volunteers to provide meals, set-up, be with the guests in the evening and overnight and then to provide breakfast before they are out in the morning.  The faith community has been providing
many of them.  It has been my job on Sunday mornings to talk to the churches about our project and to ask for volunteers.  I have spoken to Anglicans, Roman Catholics, Uniteds, Presbyterians and others.  It has been very helpful educating the community and finding volunteers.  While I have missed Sundays at St. Anne’s, it has been worthwhile as our shelter is operating and providing a warm place for the homeless to come, especially now that it is getting colder.

Rev. Ken Brooks