We regularly contribute articles to the Masthead News to communicate events and activities that St. James’ participates in and to draw attention to various social justice issues of importance to the community such as domestic violence, gender and indigenous issues. Our external sign and Facebook page are updated regularly to increase visibility St. James’ events, services and community issues

Neighbourhood Soup Servants Facts

First Soup made in April 2019, delivered to 15 people in the communities of Boutilier’s

Point and Head of St Margaret’s Bay.

The idea sprang from an Anglican workshop entitled MORE where the participants were

encouraged to walk around their neighbourhoods and think about the people who lived in

the houses and how we could best connect with them and perhaps support them – as we

are called to Love our neighbours as ourselves.

The walk revealed that there were people I had never met, people who had health issues,

elderly people who did not get out much, people who longed for visitors, people who

lived alone and people new to the neighbourhood.

The 15 has grown to more than 60 regular clients and each month we deliver to 75 -80

people.

New neighbours, people who have welcomed a new baby into their home, someone

recovering from a surgery or illness or those dealing with any kind of personal trauma are

examples of people who get added to our list each month. Deliveries usually include a

small chat and a catch-up on what has been happening in their lives over the past month.

We only do it once a month, but even once a month seems to give people a boost and lets

them know that we are thinking of them and care about them.

Now our deliveries take us from Queensland to Three Brooks and From Hammonds

Plains to Seabright.

We have no lack of volunteers with almost 30 people from both our church and our

community willing and wanting to help out.


We have tried 16 different recipes and are always open to trying others.

4 years ago everyone just came and pitched in where ever they were needed and had a lot

of fun socializing.

With the advent of covid, when we were allowed to restart, volunteers were given

specific tasks and could only be at the hall long enough to do their task and then had to

leave. The number of people in the building was strictly regulated to keep it safe for

everyone – with lots of sanitizing and masks.

This created a much more streamlined and efficient system which will continue as we

move ahead.

It is a win-win situation for everyone; the volunteers enjoy getting together, chatting and

catching up on news and working on a meaningful project that provides a healthy meal to

people around our neighbourhoods. We have lots of laughs and even tears sometimes.


The project continues to evolve as everyone learns more or suggests a new way of doing

things.

Most of our funding comes from a grant from the Anglican Diocese of Nova Scotia and

Prince Edward Island and the rest is by donations from church members and community

members.