June 9th

God's Love in Scarborough in a Pandemic

Above: Pastors Jordan Thoms and Jon Folkeringa with a load of food to deliver to their people in their neighbourhood.

"Are little kids really going to enjoy me coming to physically distance chat with their mom? Not likely!” says Judith McCartney, pastor at Soul House. “So I brought McDonald’s French fries for the kids – and they were a hit!” Covid-19 has greatly impacted Toronto over the last three months. Soul House continues to find ways to minister to their congregation and to their community. “It’s spreading a little bit of joy during this vulnerable time for people,” says Judith.

"I brought McDonald’s French fries for the kids – and they were a hit!”

Zoom meetings have allowed those at a distance to join into the Soul House community. The "French fry" family is a family who do not have a car and would need to take public transit to be a part of Soul House gatherings. “Zoom allows them to be an active part of our family,” says Colin McCartney. “We hear of the needs and Judith was able to arrange a visit – complete with French fries!”

Soul House and Warden Underground congregations have found themselves baking cookies, collecting food, face masks and hand sanitizer to deliver to their own people and also to the community at large. They were able to arrange a drop-off of diapers and baby supplies to a young mom who recently had her baby.

“In Toronto there are still huge lines to get into a grocery store,” explains Colin, “and then when you get in, they may not have what you are looking for.” He further explained that folks within their church community need to use public transit to travel to the grocery store, get what they are able after standing in long line-ups, and then return home using public transit, increasing their potential exposure to Covid-19. “We didn’t anticipate providing food and groceries for people,” says Judith. “But the need was so obvious and just fell on our doorstep.” Colin and Jordan Thoms, pastor at Warden Underground, knock on doors in the Warden Underground neighbourhood delivering food. They also delivered food throughout all of Scarborough through working with the Warden Woods Community Centre food bank.

“You would think that a social media platform would be impersonal but we have found the exact opposite. People have welcomed us into their living rooms and kitchens and have shared deeply with us within the online community.”

Colin and Judith have been working together to hold on-line Bible studies. They have noticed that during this time of pandemic, more people have begun to join their weekly studies. “It’s easier to click on a link and join a Bible study than it would be to come to our home,” says Colin. “Covid-19 has forced us to become more relevant and accessible for some people,” says Judith. “You would think that a social media platform would be impersonal but we have found the exact opposite. People have welcomed us into their living rooms and kitchens and have shared deeply with us within the online community.”

“Zoom also allows us to address issues and respond quickly,” says Colin. They changed the focus of their Bible study to bring together young black leaders in their community in response to George Floyd’s death on May 25, 2020. “Our young black leaders were able to discuss from their heart how they feel and what they are experiencing,” said Colin. “We were able to listen.”

Moving forward Colin and Judith see the need for continued meetings on social media platforms as well as face to face meetings. “The human element is not lost,” says Judith. “Some people feel more comfortable to come on-line. On-line meetings work in tandem with the human touch.”

Soul House and Warden Underground are both MCEC congregations in Scarborough, ON. They both officially joined MCEC this past year.

Below: Handing out gift baskets in the community; eating French fries!; packing face masks