The Parish of St. Thomas, Vancouver is engaged in community organizing within the neighbourhood. This involves intentionally going out into the southeast Vancouver locale, seeking out folks and finding out what issues are important to them in order to work together for the common good. The commitment to meeting people, listening to them and moving towards action is based on the model of The Metro Vancouver Alliance, a member of the Industrial Areas Foundation, a 70 year old organization which started in the US and brings organizations from labour, the community, religion, education and small business to work together. St. Thomas parish desires to deepen its ministry of concern for the well-being of the area with which it shares the soil.
What better way to connect than through a shared love and respect for pets.Having a pet celebration was a way to have a fun-filled event and meet neighbours. Members of St. Thomas leafleted the area over a 3 week period, talked with folks at the door, on the street and in the parks. There are so few ways of meeting neighbours these days. This seemed a positive one to many. The parish is continuing to build partnerships with other churches and organizations in the area such as the neighbourhood houses and schools in this work towards the common good. The parish will be able to follow up with people we met at the door and those who came to the event in listening to their voices about issues in our area.
This event took place on Saturday, June 8th, 2013 and was an unqualified success.
Images: Top, St. Thomas Priest-in-Charge, the Reverend Margaret Marquardt with parishioner and event co-organizer Lorie Chortyk’s dog, Bob. Middle right, A boy from the neighbourhood and his dad wait for their chance to bring their pet hamster forward. Homepage, Dog-owners and their dogs. Below, Lorie, Margaret and others invite visitors with pets forward so the St. Thomas community could meet the pets and the pets meet each other. As an icebreaker there were categories for pets: smallest, furriest, etc.