“Project Oikos”

 Raising funds to buy and refurbish a church building during a global pandemic seems like a crazy idea. But then again, so does crossing the Red Sea on dry ground. This is our story.

 One of the meanings for the word “oikos” in New Testament Greek is “a house” or “dwelling place.” The people of All Saints Community Church have called this proposal “Project Oikos” because we believe it is time for us as a community to have a home base; a place where we can worship God, and serve our neighbours.

 In order for us to make the Holy Cross Church in Crescent Beach our home, we need to raise $3 million. This will include paying off, and renovating the inside of, the building.

                                        The Vision

The vision for this historic church is threefold:

Sacred Space

The first priority is to maintain a “sacred space.” The historic tradition of All Saints Community Church, previously known as Holy Cross Church, is that people have prayed in this church since 1946. Keeping a sacred space will honour the historical integrity of the congregations who have gone before. It also means that the wider community can have access to the sanctuary–during the day—for prayer, reflection and rest.

Ministry Center

The second imperative for our church building is to ensure that a “ministry centre” will complement the sacred space. A ministry center will provide the Church community a place to serve the wider community.

Ministry opportunities include:

• caring for senior citizens
• ministry for youth and children
• welcome and care for new immigrants (especially those who are experiencing “immigration abuse”)
• providing English as a second language
• collecting food and goods for the food bank
• a day care and nursery center
• supporting local restaurants and coffee shops
• help and support for refugee families
• providing a place for lonely people (one of the greatest needs in our community)
• providing a memorial garden
• hosting an annual summer festival (as we have done in the past)

Debt Free

The third priority for our building is to entrust it to the next generation of Church leaders—debt free. The success of All Saints and its ministry is largely dependent on the fact that the future Church community will not have to pay off a previous debt. Rather than paying debts, the people of God should be engaged in serving the local community.

We encourage you to partner with us to make a difference.

(Please note that all donations to All Saints Community Church are tax-deductible for residents living in Canada.

100% of your donation will go to the purchase and refurbishment of the building.)