Mission PossibleNewsletter

Christmas Edition 2019The Downtown Mission

In this Issue of Mission Possible

Pg. 1- Thank YOU for being a LIGHT for our Guests, Thanks To Our Board of Directors Pg. 2- Thank YOU for YOUR HELP - Volunteers and DonorsPg. 3- Thank YOU for YOUR SUPPORT - DTM Fall 2019 EventsPg. 4- Thank YOU for YOUR PRAYERS -Message from Rev. Ron Dunn andWe HOPE to see YOU SOON!

Editor: Rev. Ron DunnContributing Writers: Jim Douglas, Racquele Smith, Rukshini Ponniah

Design and Layout: Ruth Dunn

Board President: Dan Wilson, Vice President: Michele McGregor, Treasurer: Dolph Barsanti, Secretary: Angela Yakonich

Members: Anna St. Antoine, Rev. Dr. Catherine Collins-Barker, David Tell, Jeff Slopen, Sandor Kapasi, Steve Irwin.

Many Thanks To Our Board of Directors Who Assist With Governance of The Mission

Matthew 5:14-16 - “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Thank YOU for BEING a LIGHT for those who come to the Downtown Mission for a meal, a bed, support to get through a tough time or help to move forward in their lives! Thank you for being a friend to someone who's lonely, a cheerleader for someone who's trying something new or someone's last hope in their time of desperation. The Guests of the Mission you see here and thousands more, have a little bit of hope today for a better tomorrow, because of you, being a light to them. So thank YOU!

Thank YOU for being a LIGHT for our Guests

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We are so grateful here at the Downtown Mission for the ongoing volunteer efforts of The Windsor Destiny Centre Fellowship. This group has been faithfully providing Gospel services to not only their own members, but to the guests of the Downtown Mission for the last 2 years. For those experiencing the difficulties associated with poverty and homelessness, their pain (our pain) can often be a stumbling block to seeing and then accepting God’s unwavering love for us. In knowing and understanding the difficulties our service-users often face, The Windsor Destiny Centre has been faithfully providing Gospel

Service in our Victoria Avenue Chapel every Thursday evening, in an effort to contextualize the Lord’s message of love and hope to those who need to hear it the most. And as if nourishment for the spirit was not enough, the group also regularly prepares meals for the kitchen and some good old-fashioned ‘Homestyle Barbeque’ to our guests in the summer. Windsor Destiny Centre, we thank you for feeding the spirit and the stomachs of the people here at the Mission. Thank YOU for being such a positive Light to all of us Staff, Volunteers and Guests of the Mission as well as our Community at large.

Thank YOU for YOUR HELP - Volunteers and Donors

Some of our friends from the Windsor Destiny Centre, thank you for your friendship, support and service, we love seeing you at the Mission every week!

Thank you to all these shown here and so many others - Holy Names HighSchool helped with a Sock Drive after learning that socks were one of the most needed items at any Shelter; Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare donated over $1,400 each from their Christmas Lunch to the Mission and Our West Windsor; Applied Systems held a Reverse Advent Calendar Event to collect donations; Caesars Windsor Audit Department raised over $1,000 for the Mission with a Bake Sale; Rana Eye Care donated proceeds from sales of Glasses to the Mission; the University of Windsor Nursing Society wanted to do their part to help and canvassed their neighbourhoods in Windsor and LaSalle to collect donations of canned goods to stock the Mission’s Food Bank where shelves are emptied daily; Sammy Guenther was back for a 3rd time with his Buck for a Puck Campaign where he surpassed his goal and raised over $2,600 each for the Mission and Street Help; Rob Tamblyn of the Tamblyn Family Foundation stopped by with a very generous pledge to support our Building Hope Campaign and the future work of the Mission; the ladies of Kensington Court Retirement Resident Knitting Club stopped by the Mission with over 200 pieces of winter gear they’d knitted lovingly for our Guests.

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Thank you to the various individuals, groups, companies, young and older who stopped by the Mission over the past few weeks in their attempts to help us with our work through the Christmas Season and in support of our Building Hope Campaign. Whether it’s a smaller gift or a larger gift, something you’ve made or a monetary donation, every little bit helps make a difference in the lives of those we serve, so thank YOU for taking the time, thank YOU for going above and beyond and thank YOU for caring! We are all blessed to call YOU our friends!!!

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The 6th Annual Trivia Night Fundraiser was hosted by the Downtown Mission at Rockstar Music Hall in the beautiful Platinum Room on Nov. 8th, 2019. 18 Teams came out for a night of fun and frolic, delicious food and of course some mind-bending Trivia all in support of the Mission!!! Thank you to all who donated a Silent Auction Prize, Participated as a Player or Volunteered that evening. With everyone’s help, we raised over $6,000

for the Downtown Mission! Congratulations to our Tope 3 Teams - #3 Glenwood United, #2 - It’s All Trivial and #1 Just a Guess! We hope everyone had a blast and we can’t wait to see you next year at our 7th Annual Event, it’s sure to be another amazing evening of fun as we raise much-needed funds for the Mission.

Thank YOU for YOUR SUPPORT - DTM Fall 2019 Events

Cold inclement weather and a bronchial virus could not deter the Reverend Ron Dunn from his resolve to raise awareness for issues related to homelessness, poverty and experience some of the struggles faced by those experiencing homelessness and sleeping rough on the street. During Reverend Dunn’s 24-hour Bench Talks and SleepOut Event many community leaders and citizens came by to offer support and donations to the Mission’s Building Hope Campaign including: Windsor Police Service Chief, Pamela Mizuno, Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare Chief Executive Officer, Janice Kaffer, Windsor Regional Hospital Chief Executive Officer David Musyj, Windsor-Tecumseh M.P. Irek Kusmierczyk and Windsor West M.P.P. Lisa Gretzky. Rev. Dunn said “I want to be in solidarity with those we serve. It’s also an opportunity to have frank discussions about what the issues are and what resources are needed to help the hurting in our community. Together, as a community, we can end homelessness. That’s what this annual event is really about,” said Reverend Dunn, Executive Director of the Downtown Mission.

Reverend Dunn was joined in this event by Greg Lemay, a Community Activist who helped raise much support This was Rev. Dunn’s third Bench Talks Event. Donations from individuals and organizations raised $28,632.95 in the 24-hour period and an anonymous donor matched the community donations to raise a total of $57,265.90 in support of the Downtown Mission’s Building Hope Campaign. It was also wonderful to have many who stop by sign the “Committed to Building Hope Together” Poster which was set up to encourage our community to learn more about and pledge their support for the Mission’s Building Hope Campaign.

Congratulations to our 2nd Place Winners: It's All Trivial

Congratulations to our DTM Trivia Champs 2019: Just a Guess

TRIVIANight Fundraiser

Thank you to our friends from Tim Hortons who stopped by to replenish their donation of hot drinks and treats for our Bench Talks and Sleep Out Event

Greg Lemay, Community Activist and Rev. Ron Dunn, Executive Director of the Downtown Mission

Community Members sleep out in solidarity with Ron and Greg

Congratulations to our 3rd Place Winners: Glenwood United

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I want to help provide mealsand other vital services to theWindsor and Essex Countyarea’s homeless.

$18.66 to help 6 people

$40.43 to help 13 people

$62.20 to help 20 people

$83.97 to help 27 people

$................... to feed and carefor as many people as possible

Please charge my gift onmy credit card (SEE RIGHT)

Please make cheques payable to: Windsor Downtown Mission

I would like to make a donation of $ One time donation Monthly donation

Please charge my gift on my credit card: Card # - -

Expiry Date: /

I support the work of the Windsor Downtown Mission and enclose my donation of $

Name:

Street:

City:

Telephone:

Prov:

Email:

Apt#:

Postal Code:

Visit www.downtownmission.com to make a credit card donation on line.The Downtown Mission issues charitable donation receipts for all monetary donations.

THE UNITED CHURCH DOWNTOWN MISSSION OF WINDSOR INC.664 Victoria Avenue, Windsor, ON. N9A 4N2 (519-973-5573)

I want to help a hungry, homeless or hurting neighbour today

YES

-

CVV:

Dear Friend, Another year is coming to a close and what a year it’s been. Thank YOU to each and every one of you, YOU have been a friend to us here at the Mission in one way or another and a blessing to our Guests we have served here this past year. Because of YOU, thousands of men, women, youth and even children were fed, sheltered, clothed or simply given hope for tomorrow! Thank you for being the light that shines in the darkness (John 1:5) as by being a light to those we serve here at the Mission, they are in darkness no more and have hope for tomorrow. Romans 10:12 says “Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other”. Thank you for loving, supporting and praying for all of us here at the Mission this past year. It’s definitely been a year full of difficult challenges and wonderful opportunities, with you by our side, we look forward with great anticipation to what’s to come next for our Mission Family and what more we can do for the people who we see each day. Please continue to keep us in our prayers and if you haven’t been by the Mission lately, I encourage you to reach out to me or one of my team to see what we’re about today and learn more about our plans for tomorrow as we do all we can to Build Hope in our new home. Thank YOU again and from all of us here at the Mission, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and all the very best in the year ahead!God bless you!

Rev. Ron DunnExecutive DirectorThe United Church of Canada Downtown Mission

Thank YOU for YOUR PRAYERS - Message from Rev. Ron Dunn

and walk with us!

Date: February 22nd, 2019Location: 664 Victoria Ave., Windsor

Registration Opens: 4 pmOpening Ceremonies: 5 pm

Contact: Afshin Ali (afshin@downtownmission.com / 519-973-5573 X 340)Register: https://www.downtownmission.com/event/coldest-night-of-the-year-2020/

We HOPE to see YOU SOON!