Mustard Seed Updates

For over 25 years teams from SCCC have been involved in ministry at The Calgary Mustard Seed. Each month teams have met on the first Wednesday of every month, initially at the downtown location and now at the Foothills shelter of the SEED to prepare and serve the evening meal for the guests staying at the shelter.

During the past year due to Covid-19, this task has become more difficult. From April until August for the first time since we started ministry at the SEED it was not open to volunteers due to an Alberta Health Services order after which we were happy to be able to return with new protocols in place.

Thankfully the shelter did not experience it’s first case of Covid until October when a staff member contracted the virus and the SEED was again closed to our ministry. We were allowed back in November and have been serving each month since then.

Testing for the virus is performed on both guests and staff on a regular basis, and a small number of cases of the virus have been found since then. The kitchen has been clear of any infections as neither the staff nor volunteers have experienced cases of the virus.

When entering, the volunteers now have their temperatures checked and must be masked along with the previous existing health requirements while working in the kitchen. Most major changes at the shelter apply to the guests.

About 100 are now housed at First Alliance Church and a portion of the meal that we produce is delivered to them. Instead of the dining room being crowded with people, visiting over the meal only one guest is allowed to sit at any table.

My other observation from serving in March was that it appears to be a change in the people who are using the shelters services, people who are having a difficult time due to the pandemic.

For us it is a joy at still being able to provide the nutritious chicken stir-fry each month with the knowledge that the members of SCCC are behind us in providing the funding for the meal. Thank you especially everyone who has unstintingly volunteered on site at the SEED.

Thank You, South Calgary.

We are looking for a few keen volunteers to join us at the SEED as age, Covid and changes in time of meal preparation and serving the meal have reduced our numbers over the past while. If you would like to find out more contact the church office and they will put you in contact with me.

Jim Prichard

Ministry Leader for Mustard Seed