Canada Day Celebration Hosted by St. Cyprian Believers Eastern Church

STONEY CREEK, Ontario – On July 1st, GFA World’s(www.gfa.ca) partner St. Cyprian Believers Eastern Church (BEC) (https://www.bechurch.ca/cyprian/) parish hosted a Canada Day celebration for the community with free pancakes, bacon, and activities.

Festive Canadian flags and pinwheels lined the sidewalk, and cheerful red and white cloths graced the tables. Canopies were set up to offer shade for those dining and cooking the pancakes.

Many people had come early and were ready for food as soon as we were able to serve them. Among the first to arrive were an officer and cadet from the local OPP detachment. They were able to interact with the community at the event. They also gave special stickers to many children.

Serving the Community, Impacting the World

BEC around the world looks for national holidays and other special occasions to connect with their communities. These outreach events are conducted in a way that is appropriate for each of the unique cultures. Often the church will use awareness days (such as World Environment Day) to reach out to people in their community. Though we do different things, our mission is the same – to worship God in spirit and truth, loving others and being obedient to the Great Commission.

Engaging the Stoney Creek Community

Aside from the delicious pancakes and bacon, and refreshments were served. We were pleased to offer a variety of fun and games for those who came, both young and old. Among these, and very popular with the little people, was a bouncy castle. We also had a pancake race, bean bag toss, live accordion music in the morning, and face painting. There was a candy guessing game and colouring contest for children and adults.

It was a joy to see people from all different demographics coming together to enjoy this Canada Day celebration. Families with small children and infants, older children, and seniors all came and were blessed. We were able to share about the church, our mission, faith, and practices, and invite people in the community to come and worship God with us.

Over 250 people came, and we were delighted with the excellent turnout. We were glad that Councilor Maria Pearson and Patty from Chamber of Commerce were able to join us. We were also pleased to see several people whom we recognized from the Strawberry Fest in June. Some attendees came all the way from Burlington, though most were more local. Some of those who came were new to the area, while others are long time residents. Several people mentioned that they have been to past pancake breakfasts and really enjoyed those as well. Everyone we spoke to expressed their appreciation and enjoyment of the event and hopes that more events like it would be offered.

The event was free for all and donations were accepted for the food bank. We are very grateful for the generosity of the community.