Two Saturdays. Six elder zones. One church family on a mission. By God’s grace, our community said yes.
On June 13, more than a hundred members of Edmonton Central walked the streets of Schonsee and the surrounding neighbourhoods, delivering food drive bags door to door. We knocked on hundreds of doors, prayed for our neighbours, and invited the community to give.
One week later, on June 20, we came back. This time we were collecting. Bag by bag, porch by porch, we filled trunks and minivans and drove them to the Edmonton Food Bank. The skies opened up that morning with rain during church service, and we prayed for a window. God answered. The rain stopped just in time for our teams to head out.
Pastors David Guzman and David Hamstra. Sister Irene Barankariza, Community Services Lead. Brother Benji Aqua, day-of coordinator. The elders. The Pathfinders, the Adventurers, the MIT, Children’s Ministry, Family Ministries, Youth & Young Adults, the deacons, the deaconesses, the musicians, the prayer team, and every member who knocked, drove, lifted, prayed, or simply said yes. One body. One mission.
Dear Church family,
I want to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who made this year’s food drive such a blessing.
To our pastors: Thank you for casting vision and praying for the success of the food drive. Your leadership set the tone of compassion and unity we felt throughout the planning and actions taken leading to today.
To our ministry leaders: Thank you for organizing teams, coordinating drop-off points, collecting donations, and delivering to the food bank. Your behind-the-scenes work turned a simple idea into real impact for people in need of food.
To every volunteer: Thank you for showing up to distribute bags and collect food with joy. Every hand mattered. You are the hands and feet of Jesus in this community.
Because of your faithfulness, we collected 1,665.4 pounds of food that went directly to the food bank. More than the numbers, you gave people dignity, hope, and a reminder that they are not forgotten.
We’re proud to be a church family that doesn’t just talk about love. We live it out. Thank you for making Edmonton Central SDA Church a place where generosity is normal and service is worship.
“Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord.” — Proverbs 19:17
May He return to you the blessing you’ve poured out.
With gratitude,
Irene Barankariza
Community Services Lead, Edmonton Central SDA
Mobilization Day · June 13 · thank you to all our volunteers! Tap any photo to feature it.
To every volunteer who walked a route, every driver who hauled bags to the food bank, every neighbour who placed groceries on their doorstep, and every prayer that carried this from idea to action: thank you. The work of the Kingdom looks like this.
Special thanks to Pastors David Guzman and David Hamstra for casting the vision. To Sister Irene Barankariza for her exemplary leadership as Community Services Lead. To Brother Benji Aqua for coordinating day-of logistics. To every elder who led a zone. To every Pathfinder, Adventurer, MIT, Children’s Ministry volunteer, deacon, deaconess, musician, and member who showed up. And to our partners at the Edmonton Food Bank and ADRA Canada. No one was on the sidelines. This was the whole church.
Community Services led this outreach. We’re always looking for women who want to live their faith out loud and serve our community. Come join us.
Learn About Community Services Call the Church Office