Is God calling you to ministry in a Toronto Baptist church? See the opportunities posted on the Canadian Baptists of Ontario and Quebec website.

Is your church looking for ministry staff? Does your BCOQ congregation need volunteer help with a short- or long-term mission project? If so, e-mail us what you need and we'll post the information here.

Many Toronto-area outreach ministries need vounteers. If you have time to spare and gifts to share, scroll down.

THINKING ABOUT DRAMA?

Dennis Hassell of Dramatic Change Youth Theatre, offers these ideas, opportunities, and resources:
1. Scripts, instructors, and opportunities for your group(s), at great discounts for youth groups in TBM churches.
2. Drama Projects your group can do:
a) Youth Outreach Production: 1 or 2 weeks full-time with a professional director, at your church, during summer or March break. Option to tour.
b) Summer Drama Intensive: 5 days of professional training, ending in a showcase for your community.
c) Sketches and monologues for outreach or worship, that you rehearse and perform at your own pace.
 3. Workshops at your church, ranging from three hours to a full weekend on-site:
a) Scripture as Script: a collective creation
b) Skill builds: acting, improv, writing, directing.
 4. Regional auditions: Actors aged 14-25 are trained and used in weekend tours of The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe.

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW YOUR NEIGHBOUR?

Are people in your congregation curious about their Sikh, Hindu, or Muslim neighbours? Do they wonder what they believe, how they worship, or how they perceive Christ and Christianity? You could teach a seminar or show a video at your church.

But here's a better idea--take a group to Brampton and see the real thing. The South Asian Welcome Centre, TBM's partner ministry at the heart of Peel Region, invites you to take advantage of their "Getting to Know Your Neighbour" program. It begins with an introductory seminar on the religions of the South Asian community, and continues with visits to their places of worship. Designed for 14-15 participants, this is an excellent mission immersion experience for your youth group, mission committee, or women's fellowship.

Call Bill Virgin or Sushil David at SAWC (905-790-0676) and ask how they can help you get to know your neighbour.

(Above) Bill and David took a dozen Toronto Baptists to the Malton gurudwara (Sikh place of worship).

VOLUNTEER ESL TUTORS NEEDED

Toronto Baptist Intercultural Services/Dixon Ministry, one of TBM's partner ministries, has about fifty volunteers engaged in helping newcomers, many of them Somali people, with English learning, vocational studies and public school courses. Some volunteers teach women’s ESL classes at an elementary school, or tutor men and women in their homes. Others help children at the local school homework clubs or at home, during school terms and summer vacations. Some help family heads, one-to-one, to acquire job skills and find work. Requests from immigrant families far exceed the supply of helpers from churches. Training and mentoring are available for volunteers. If you're intested in volunteering, Jeff McCarrell, invites you to contact him (416-621-3152) and to come to prayer breakfasts, held every six weeks or so at Kingsway, and be inspired by the volunteers' stories.

VOLUNTEER AT FRONTLINES

Frontlines, a community outreach of Weston Park Baptist Church near Lawrence and Weston Roads, offers these opportunities to serve throughout the year:

• Drop-in volunteers to oversee and participate in games and conversation with teens.
• Maintenance help to complete a thousand little (and big) tasks around our building.
• Drop-in volunteers for First Cup, a social time for patrons of the WAES food bank, located at the rear of our building. If you're available for an hour or so on Tuesday or Friday mornings, we invite you to join us to chat and help serve.
• Homework Club mentors for kids in grades 3 to 6.
• Short-term Missions Groups of 5 or 25, to run a kids club, do construction, or bring other benefits to Frontlines' kids.

For these and other opportunities contact director Kristy Grisdale or call 416-244-7017.

VOLUNTEER AT MATTHEW HOUSE

Matthew House in downtown Toronto provides temporary shelter and assistance to approximately 20 newly arrived refugee claimants from around the world. This vital ministry of "welcoming the stranger" depends on volunteers in the following areas:
Language translation
Orientating people to Canadian society
Being a friend
Teaching English
Cleaning
Cooking/baking
Driving/escorting people to appointments
Apartment searching
Repairs and maintenance
Garage organizing and cleaning
Donation pickup and delivery
Newsletter
Social events coordination
Grocery shopping for the house
Fundraising

If you would like to volunteer, please e-mail or call 416-364-8287.