Write a Card of Encouragement
Several SAGEers participated in the ‘Write a Card of Encouragement’ project in December 2020.
The cards were received and distributed to women on the street in Edmonton, shut-in seniors in central Alberta, and to a few homeless folks.
Some bright and sunny, non-Christmas cards were delivered, with a specific thank-you note, to staff at busy grocery stores, drug stores, and the Mission Thrift Store in Red Deer. The faces of the people receiving these cards just lit up and their appreciation was beyond obvious.
In some cards $5 bills were slipped in and handed to homeless folks in the Red Deer and Sylvan Lake area.
One rather ingenious SAGEer claimed he was not good at writing, but he contributed and sent photocopies of heart-warming, encouraging, and even funny stories he has been collecting over the years. These stories were hand-delivered or mailed to various folks. Some recipients were not seniors, but the fit was perfect.
SAGEers are looking forward to the next time they can bless folks this way. And are hoping to have some SAGEers in other parts of Alberta be participants in distribution.
Romans 12:6-8 (slightly edited) We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is … is serving, then serve … if it is to encourage, then give encouragement … do it cheerfully.
Reported by Lorna Joch, December 2020
CHCS (College Heights Christian School) SAGE Workday August 23, 2020
SAGE Alberta is a growing ministry for those 50 years of age and older and in 2020 several events were planned but due to the COVID 19 pandemic they had to be cancelled. So, the first SAGE 2020 event which took place was the College Heights Christian School Workday on August 23. Thirty SAGErs and younger friends along with 2 SAGE ‘early birds’ and one SAGE ‘late bird’ participated in this event. The early birds could not participate on August 23 so on August 20 Bob and Marlene came to the school, moved many library books to another room and one ‘late bird’ Judy the following week taped new arrow floor signs and also helped clean and organize the old library and Grade 5 rooms.
The main SAGE Workday began in the school gym with worship by Pastor Don Corkum and a warm welcome by the new school principal, Steven Gabrys. Then the work began. Many worked hard at painting, building a walkway to the cold storage, cleaning lockers, tables and chairs in all classrooms, disinfecting school game supplies, cleaning and graveling the playground area, and much more. Many completed their work in the early afternoon but, a few stayed to finish a room painting and the installation of locks on some cupboard doors before they went home.
Yes, this workday gave many who participated a very rewarding feeling as they worked to encourage God’s Christian School teachers and staff to draw the children attending closer to Jesus.
Meeting in Entryway Cleaning Light Covers Disinfecting Exercise Toys Gravelling Playground
Walkway to Cold Storage Assembling Desk Tables Painting a Classroom Wall Installing Locks on Cupboard
MANS (Mamawi Atosketan Native School) SAGE Workday August 30, 2020
Sunday, August 30, 2020 was a very memorable day for the 36 SAGErs and younger friends who participated. It was a day when a lot of work was accomplished for the Mamawi Atosketan Native School near Ponoka, Alberta. Those who participated started with worship by Pastor Don Corkum in the Elementary School Gym. Gail Wilton, Principal of the school welcomed all who came and then work began.
An Elementary school wall and entryway were painted, shelves in hallways were also painted. Classroom tables, chairs, lockers and hall walls both in the Elementary School and High School were all washed and cleaned. Two men brought riding lawn mowers and a weed eater and grass around the building and playground was mowed and raked with the cut grass then taken to a large pile on the grounds. Fallen trees were cut up and stacked. By the end of the day people were very happy to see all the work that was accomplished.
Yes, this wonderful school is well worth all the work as it reaches out and ministers to over 200 Native children who attend. This truly was a very memorable day!
Cleaning Classroom Cleaning lockers Painting a wall Repairing an Entryway
Cutting Grass Cleaning the Playground Cutting Down Trees Cutting Grass
Painting of Shelves Cutting Grass Raking Grass Hauling Cut Grass