Don Valley Bible Chapel has been a cornerstone of this neighbourhood for over 60 years. From the very beginning, our church community has sought to be a blessing to families in this area. Whether through our childcare center—which just celebrated 35 years of operation—or the many children’s programs and summer camps we’ve run throughout the years, we’ve consistently looked for ways to serve families practically and meaningfully.
Read MoreMy journey to Toronto City Mission (TCM) started when I joined Liebenzell Mission, a mission organization in Germany, that connects volunteers with service opportunities abroad. The idea of working in a Christian organization that serves children and families affected by poverty in Toronto inspired me deeply. I wanted to be part of something meaningful while growing in my faith and character. When I first arrived, I was both excited and nervous about what lay ahead. It was my first time being so far away from my family, which felt daunting, but I knew this was a unique opportunity to trust God and His plan for me.
Read MoreI flew to Canada with a goal to grow in faith, develop my character, and make a difference. I didn’t have many expectations but was still excited for the journey. I did wonder, though: would this experience live up to the dreams I had when I was younger? Would I feel needed?
Read MoreAs programs began the following week, the feeling of determination I had developed over the summer had returned. While the word, determination, might sound promising or even praise-worthy, don’t be fooled. This determination was fuelled by doing a good job and meeting criteria in order to be able to sleep well at night. In other words, I began to rely on my own strength to attempt to power through and even cope with the challenge of increased leadership. It wasn’t until a couple of incidents that I finally understood what this more important word, Strength, had meant both in terms of ministry and my life as a whole.
Read MoreAs I think about the life of Jesus, my mind thinks of how great it probably was to be sinless and perfect. I think of how he probably never had to worry and could handle any challenging situation. Then I really think about the life of Jesus and realize that although He was perfect and sinless, it doesn’t mean that there were not challenging situations around him. One lesson we talked about in our curriculum this past semester is the stress that Mary and Joseph had to endure while preparing to have Jesus and even the years following.
Read MoreIn my first complete year as an Outreach Worker in the community of Jesse Ketchum, I have felt both broken heartedness, and the joy of having my heart be healed by God's grace and love. I want to share with you a story of how my heart broke for what breaks God's heart, and how my heart was also healed.
Read MoreAs I prayed, God revealed that one of my strongholds was “control.” In this sense, a stronghold is a place we create to protect ourselves from attack. However, I realized that the more I wanted to control my life, the more my anxiousness got worse—it didn’t serve as an actual, ultimate stronghold.
Read MoreFor the longest time, I’ve struggled with expressing my emotions to God. I somehow convinced myself that when I come before Him, I should have nothing to complain about—that my prayers must always be filled with joy and thankfulness. As a result, especially during times of sadness, I became good at invalidating my emotions. Instead of bringing my feelings to God, I would try to handle everything on my own.
Read MoreIn reality, we’re crumbling inside–so afraid to let anyone see cracks in our facade, but we continue to break. We become masters of disguise, hiding our vulnerability behind a mask of indifference. However, this isolation only deepens the wound, preventing us from experiencing the healing power of Jesus through connection and vulnerability.
Read MoreAs someone who tends to prioritize tasks and plans, I often ignore and suppress my emotions in the name of getting things done. However, I am reminded that God created emotions for us to feel, not to hide away. So if you’re still reading, pack your bags and your bible and join me on this adventure as I try to make sense of feelings, what the bible says about them and what are my most relevant feelings right now.
Read MoreIn today's attention and headline grabbing society, our feelings of well being and hope can at times be determined by the number of likes or clicks or from what we read and feel as we scroll through our most liked social media platforms.
Read MoreThis now-concluded summer of 2024 taught me so much about what it means to be a leader. This was also my second time as a summer intern for Toronto City Mission.
Read MoreThe past 6 months have been some of the most interesting moments in my ministry career. In late 2023. I felt like the Lord was calling me to take a leap of faith. I didn’t fully understand what God was calling me to because my ministry at Jesse Ketchum had been going extremely well. We were hitting our capacity numbers and I was becoming comfortable with my role as an OW, the children, and their parents.
Read MoreAlthough there were various job options I had this summer, God has called me once again to serve with TCM and the community of Jesse Ketchum. Despite the different work experiences I had this past year, I still felt a calling to return for another summer.
Read MoreThis summer is my second summer with Toronto City Mission/Sonshine Day Camp and it has been so awesome to see how God is working in the lives of the kids, interns, and staff.
Read MoreMy journey to TCM was a dive into an unknown area of serving and it was quite surprising how I ended up here. I didn’t know much about TCM and what their purpose was but I knew that it was a ministry that my sister, Janice, was a part of.
Read MoreThis is my second year as a summer intern for Sonshine Daycamp at TCM’s Jesse-Ketchum site. Since last year, I've been so excited to return and experience the joy of camp with these kids again. I think God has made a special place in my heart for this community. And despite having just graduated from university, I felt called to come back for at least one more summer.
Read MoreGoing into the camp, there have been many uncertainties, notably how campers would interact with each other.
Read MoreMy journey with Toronto City Mission started this January when a friend invited me to apply for the summer internship. Hearing about Sonshine Day Camp and the after-school programs from friends this past year made me curious about God's good work in this organization.
Read MoreI’ve done many summers of camp in my life, both as a camper and a counsellor, but this summer has been a new experience for me all together. I’ve felt very humbled leading these kids in day camp and it’s shown me how much more there is for me to grow as a leader and a role model.
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