“We believe it is a powerful witness to those who are looking for hope.”

Craig Macartney
Spur Ottawa Writer

Unity and compassion send a powerful message in these divided days. That message is clear, pointing to the love of Jesus this Christmas, through a partnership between the Ottawa Seventh-day Adventist Church and Britannia Baptist Church.

“A much larger, established church helped us, a much smaller, newer church of mainly single moms from African countries, Haiti, and the Philippines,” explains Terry Orchard, Britannia Baptist’s pastor. “We had worked with Ottawa Adventist Church pre-COVID on the Big Give several times. They then offered to help families post-COVID, during Thanksgiving, and now Christmas this year.”

Orchard gave the Adventist church a list of 27 families and individuals from his church, who could use some help at Christmas. Members of the Adventist church donated money, bought food and other items, sorted them into hampers, and distributed the hampers to the recipients’ doors on December 15.

Each hamper included a frozen turkey, a pack of toilet paper, a bottle of cooking oil, a bag of rice, a large box of cereal, and a mix of other grocery items. Orchard says the gifts make a big difference for struggling families, especially with food prices rising so quickly.

“It was such a blessing and an encouragement to receive [the hamper],” one congregant shared. “As someone who has experienced food insecurity, it meant a lot to me.”

“We are stronger together when we pool resources.”

Another praised the Adventist church’s “great determination in delivering food to my family. Despite not reaching me on the phone, nothing deterred them from ensuring that the mission was accomplished.”

“With the many issues facing our society today, we believe it is a powerful witness to those who are looking for hope, when they see the Body of Christ working in unity and in love,” says Robert Greaves, senior pastor of the Ottawa Adventist Church. “We are stronger together when we pool resources.”

Greaves adds that their team of drivers were not just making deliveries. They took time to meet and talk with the families, and prayed with them wherever possible.

The church’s response, he says, come from “the call to be kind to our neighbours, to bear one another’s burdens, and to connect with others, as Jesus did. As the Body of Christ, there is often more that unites us than that which identifies our distinctions. It’s up to us to unite and live in the truth of Jesus’ words,” he adds, referring to John 13:35, that the world would know the disciples by their love for one another.

“Since then, a real friendship has emerged.”

Orchard underscores his gratefulness that the Adventist church took the initiative to reach out in this tangible way. He hopes many other churches will form similar connections within the Body of Christ in Ottawa. Yet, it is clear that the partnership between the churches is more than a Christmas outreach campaign—it is built on a long-term relationship.

“The partnership began about six or seven years ago,” Greaves states. “One of our pastors met Pastor Terry, hearing about the Big Give, and felt it would be an excellent opportunity to work together. Since then, a real friendship has emerged between the members and leaders of both congregations, and we have continued to collaborate over the years.

“The relationship between the pastors has also continued, with regular check-in calls to see how each other are doing and for prayer, as issues affect our community. Altogether, there has been a steady relationship for near to seven years.”