Christian Witness

Christian Witness Ministry (CWM) helps the people of Erb Street branch out beyond our walls to help people in need around the world. As we reach out, our Christian faith grows and deepens as we learn new perspectives and understandings through seeking to bring about positive change in the world. Below are listed the various ways CWM helps our church to branch, grow and become more rooted in our Christian faith.

	Refugee Ministry	In April 2010, our church sponsored a Palestinian refugee family who were trapped in an United Nations Refugee Camp on the Iraq border. The family now resides in the K-W community along with other family members who have been sponsored by other churches and Islamic organizations. Over the next year, our church is financially supporting this family along with helping them connect to the services they need such as housing, English As Second Languages classes, health care, transportation, education, etc.
	Erb Street Idol Re-Mix	Each year CWM hosts a night of music and entertainment whose goal is to raise awareness of the many mission and service programs supported by the Erb Street congregation through Christian Witness Ministry... the ones you are reading about here.
	Christian Education Electives for Adults	CWM helps our community explore a peace and justice issue. In past years we focused on the native land rights of the First People of Canada, transportation through an environmental lens. Future classes are planned to look at the broad issue of poverty in our region.
	Mary’s Place	Each year, our youth and members of our church plan, provide the food, prepare and serve a meal at Mary’s Place, a 60-bed shelter for women (16 and older), transgendered people, and families who are homeless.
	Service and Peace Witness Fund	CWM provides some financial support to congregants at Erb Street who participate in service and peace witness activities. Some of those activities have been a young adult in a study seminar around sanitation and clean water in Peru, and one who participated in the Canadian Mennonite University Outtatown program in South Africa. Applications for support from this fund may be made through the pastors.
	House of Friendship	Our church has a monthly food drive which goes to support the ministries of House of Friendship. House of Friendship is a Christian agency that serves annually 32,500 women, men, youth, and children living on low income in Waterloo Region through 18 programs. We also have a representative on their board.
	Mennonite Central Committee (MCC)	Our church supports MCC, both financially and through involvement in their programs. MCC is a relief, service, and peace agency of the Mennonite and Brethren Churches in North America whose work is both local and international. CWM was involved with Mennonite Central Committee Ontario (MCCO) workshops about Native land claim issues and are part of a MCCO bridge-building group with our Muslim neighbours.
	Partnership with Andrew and Karen Suderman	Our congregation shares in partnership with Karen and Andrew Suderman, Mennonite Church Canada (MC Canada) Witness workers. Karen and Andrew began a 3 year ministry in South Africa, July 2009. They work in partnership with Mennonite Mission Network, the Mission Agency of Mennonite Church USA and Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission, especially in the work of Bible teaching; peace, justice and reconciliation initiatives. This is an opportunity to strengthen participation in the global Church through prayer and communication.
	New Hamburg Mennonite ReliefSale	Each year in May, MCCO hosts this relief sale that brings in many funds to support MCC work around the world. Erb Street volunteers help with the sausage breakfast, quilt sale, electrical set up and grounds clean up.
	Out of the Cold	On each night during the winter, a church hosts the Out of the Cold program where homeless people can come, eat a warm supper and breakfast, and have a warm place to sleep overnight. Our church provides volunteers at First United Church, Waterloo on a rotating schedule with other area churches.
	Other	We provide birthday cake and pop as monthly treats for residents of a home for seniors who have mental health concerns.
	Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS)	is a volunteer network through which Mennonite-related churches can respond to those affected by disaster (hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, etc.) in Canada and United States. We support MDS financially and we have a representative who keeps the congregation informed of volunteer activities.
	Mennonite Coalition for Refugee Support (MCRS)
	Mennonite Coalition for Refugee Support (MCRS)	This agency walks with people who come to our borders or airports and seek refugee status. Through sales of Zehrs grocery gift cards, we are able to raise over $3000 annually for MCRS.
	Supportive Housing of Waterloo (SHOW)	is a non-profit organization whose mandate is to design, build, and operate permanent affordable, supportive housing in Waterloo to house the chronically homeless and hard-to-house individuals of Waterloo Region. Erb Street Mennonite Church sells Sobeys grocery and gift cards to raise funds for SHOW.