Testimonies emerge of churches refocused and people astonished by the love

Esther Kwan
Special to Spur Ottawa

Building on last year’s momentum, the Big Give 2016 impacted people across Ottawa, inside the Church out. The breadth of participation across the Church is one aspect that most encourages Big Give founder Kathy Blakely.

“Churches often want to be an island to themselves,” says Blakely. “To see the different denominations for one project, one outreach, you don’t see that often. It’s incredible to see them working together.”

Last year, 52 churches came together for the Big Give. This year, the number of participating churches grew to 66. The broad parameters of the outreach allow churches, large and small, to find ways to connect with their neighbourhoods.

Volunteers hold a free car wash at the Big Give 2016. Photo by Kathy Blakely.

“Last year, a church served tea on their lawn and gave out balloons. That little church had nothing, but they were able to be involved and it meant so much for them.”

Besides helping people in need, Blakely believes the Big Give has the potential to dispel antipathy towards the Church.

“You’re giving [individuals from the community] a reason to go to a church parking lot and not feel threatened at all, and not asking them to do anything,” she explains. “You’re there, you’re giving, and that’s it.”

New opportunities

Kevin Presseault, Lead Pastor of the Greenbelt Church, seized the opportunity to participate in the Big Give. Presseault says his church has difficulty connecting with their neighbourhood, given that the congregation does not live near the church building.

“We are called to be a blessing to the community,” Presseault states, “and the Big Give is one way we can do that.”

CHRI’s Dan Adams broadcasting from the Greenbelt Church’s Big Give outreach. Photo courtesy of the Greenbelt Church.

Participating for their second year, the 45-year-old church connected with local Syrian refugees through a partnership with an Arabic church plant.

“Our [pamphlets] on the Big Give were translated into Arabic. They also included information for the Emergency Food Cupboard,” explains Presseault. “We then collected furniture for the refugee families.”

Loving thy neighbour

Presseault’s conviction certainly resonates with Franky Narcisse. As the pastor of l’Église Évangélique Baptiste d’Ottawa, Narcisse notes that the Big Give enabled his congregants to express love and concern for the homeless in their area.

Narcisse is particularly inspired by John 3:16, saying, “We want to express our love through giving, because that is what God first showed us.”

It was a challenge to initially learn this lesson. The church sees a lot of vandalism, which has frustrated members for years.

“The congregation learned to love unconditionally, through The Big Give,” states Narcisse. “Our congregation became more sensitive to, and welcoming of, the people in the neighborhood. We want to let them know that we love them, we’re there for them, no matter what their situation or background.”

Sowing seeds for the future

Similarly, the small congregation of River Jordan Ministries used the Big Give to reach out to those who are less fortunate.

“We know that there are quite a number of immigrant and low-income communities,” says Pastor Joseph Kiirya. “We identify with these communities because many of us have been in those neighbourhoods. Some of us and our friends still live there.”

Last year, given the church’s limited resources, Kiirya partnered with the Move In ministry to bless the Caldwell Housing Community. Kiirya says the continuity of presence is key.

“How would it be for these people—who saw the Big Give from our church last year—to not see us again this year? It is not so much what you give, but the attitude, the desire to give, that matters.”

In the month leading up to the event, Kiirya’s congregation knocked on 1000 doors, collecting items for the Big Give. On June 4, they distributed the goods to those living in the Caldwell community.

“This was a very different way of expressing the love of Jesus, by just being there and giving.”

The Big Give’s impact on the congregation was tremendous and empowering, recalls Kiirya. He says some members of the church “would identify themselves as low income [earners]. It’s very easy for them to feel that they cannot do anything. Through the Big Give, we enabled everyone to feel that there’s still something they can do.”

The Big Give also exposed the congregation to a different way of expressing Jesus’ love, and marked a cultural shift in the members’ understanding of evangelism.

“New immigrants, [because of] their traditions and cultures, express the love of Jesus by telling people to give their lives to the Lord,” Kiirya explains. “This was a very different way of expressing the love of Jesus, by just being there and giving.”

“Many of them wondered, ‘Do you need something from us?’”

For the people of Caldwell, it was unimaginable that people would give to them with no strings attached.

“Many of them wondered, ‘Is this it? Do you need something from us?’” Kiirya recalls. “And we’re like, ‘No, take the item and in addition you can have a drink and a hamburger and hotdog.’”

In the end, these acts of kindness are about sowing the seeds of love and compassion. Kiirya believes the Big Give should inspire the Church to make this kind of generosity a lifestyle, not just a one-day event.

“It may be five to 10 years down the road, for [members of the Caldwell community] to remember what the church did,” says Kiirya, “but hopefully it will soften their hearts to giving their lives to the Lord.”