As we BUILD more room for God in our lives and our church, we are reminded of the ways He moves despite of personal limitations or physical space constraints. Compassionate Ministry is a beautiful example of how the power of God helps us in spite of physical barriers to bring His Kingdom down, even if only for a night, to a place where people need help and hope… right here in our community. As we wait on His provision to BUILD more room for marginalized communities in Calgary, we are in awe over what He continues to do in us and through us. For the next several weeks, leading up to Christmas, we are celebrating what God is doing through various programs in Compassionate Ministry. This week, we begin with the miracle story of this Ministry’s birth.

PART 1: Compassionate Ministry Beginnings

Physical church buildings are lighthouses for the community, offering help and hope to people in need. After the 2015 downturn, more and more people brought their burdens to our building. Worried the church was not prepared for an infux of people, Global Ministry Pastor Brad Friesen began to pray for guidance. “I felt God shift my thinking. I realized, we don’t need a strategy; we need a miracle. I began to pray for mana from heaven,” said Pastor Friesen. Soon after, the Calgary Food Bank phoned CSC, seeking a partnership. “They said they’d provide unlimited food if we provide the space. I asked if we could tell people about Jesus and they agreed. So I said, ‘we’re in.’

The rest was history and in 2016, Compassionate Ministry was born. But praying Global Ministry leaders knew the mission
shouldn’t stop at food. As Jesus said in John 4:13-14 “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the
water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” Compassionate Ministry Pastor Steve Griffinn notes the difference between “benevolence” and “compassion” in the church’s
responsibility to help the marginalized. “Before Compassionate Ministry was established we were helping people in need by
providing food or resources (benevolence). These were quick fixes,” explains Pastor Steve. “But now we are moving toward nurturing
true long-term life change on the basis of discipleship and in the spirit, John 10:10 – living life to the full through Jesus.”

WHY BUILD MORE ROOM FOR COMPASSIONATE MINISTRY

The population of people in need is only going to grow. The Calgary Food Bank wants to send us more people in need
and our vision at Centre Street Church is for people to walk through a doorway where they will not only be fed for an
evening, but for life. We want to see people and resources, community and deeper meaning in the name of Jesus.

To accommodate growing crowds with diverse needs, we need to BUILD more spaces that are designed with a
missional purpose so we can BUILD people up in Jesus. We need space that can accommodate large crowds and the
logistics required to serve them.

God is moving through this Ministry. To support this and other amazing CSC ministries facing physical space
constraints, please visit buildmoreroom.ca