You’re probably wondering how all this beef got here...
This isn't just about a donation; it's a story of interconnectedness, unexpected opportunities, and the beautiful way a community can rally together. It all started with a simple prayer.
During a Ladies’ Interact Bible Study, a concern was raised: our food bank was lacking protein. This struck one attendee whose family farmed livestock as an opportunity and an invitation. Inspired to help, they offered to donate a cow and even explored the possibility of the church purchasing one to raise for future Food Bank use. While the church decided against livestock management, our exploration together led us to the local chapter of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank.
The Canadian Foodgrains Bank invited our Pastor of Missional Engagement, Samuel Sarpiya, to a breakfast gathering of local farmers to share more about who we are as a church and the vision God has given us. What Samuel didn’t know was that a UCB Radio interview highlighting our church's Food Bank and the donated meat had already captured their attention; they were eager to learn more about our vision.
One of the things that they were particularly excited by was hearing about our partnership with Northwind and the upcoming Cooking for Life program we are hosting that is all about empowering folks with essential cooking skills with a focus on health and community.
This holistic approach to Food Bank ministry struck a chord with their desire to make a tangible difference. Their response was to make us a regular recipient of their wonderful, locally-raised beef.
Now, every few months, they will be supplying us with local beef to share with our Food Bank clients who, through the Cooking For Life program with Northwind, can learn how to prepare and cook delicious and nutritious meals with the food they receive from us.
This incredible journey – from a prayer request to a generous partnership – highlights the amazing web of interconnectedness that is the result of open-handedly and faithfully following where the Lord leads, even when we can’t see what’s around the corner and how it all fits together. This is why we believe so much in this invitation to explore; because the tapestry that God is weaving through all of us will always be more beautiful than what we can make by ourselves.
The Canadian Foodgrains Bank invited our Pastor of Missional Engagement, Samuel Sarpiya, to a breakfast gathering of local farmers to share more about who we are as a church and the vision God has given us. What Samuel didn’t know was that a UCB Radio interview highlighting our church's Food Bank and the donated meat had already captured their attention; they were eager to learn more about our vision.
One of the things that they were particularly excited by was hearing about our partnership with Northwind and the upcoming Cooking for Life program we are hosting that is all about empowering folks with essential cooking skills with a focus on health and community.
This holistic approach to Food Bank ministry struck a chord with their desire to make a tangible difference. Their response was to make us a regular recipient of their wonderful, locally-raised beef.
Now, every few months, they will be supplying us with local beef to share with our Food Bank clients who, through the Cooking For Life program with Northwind, can learn how to prepare and cook delicious and nutritious meals with the food they receive from us.
This incredible journey – from a prayer request to a generous partnership – highlights the amazing web of interconnectedness that is the result of open-handedly and faithfully following where the Lord leads, even when we can’t see what’s around the corner and how it all fits together. This is why we believe so much in this invitation to explore; because the tapestry that God is weaving through all of us will always be more beautiful than what we can make by ourselves.
Our mission moves at the speed of our collective generosity. Be a part of this ongoing story of exploration and impact. Join us as we work towards a thriving Northwestern Ontario for everyone. Support the Exploration Campaign.