As August unfolds, we find ourselves in that beautiful in-between—the tail end of summer and the quiet beginnings of fall. It’s a time of transition, a moment to reflect on what we’ve accomplished this season and what lies ahead.
At MCC Thrift & Gift, we’ve seen summer bring in fresh faces, generous donations, and countless moments of community connection. Each item on our shelves has a story, and every purchase or donation helps write a new one—supporting sustainability, second chances, and meaningful impact.
This month, we encourage you to pause and reflect:
• What can you let go of to make space for something new?
• How can you give back in small, meaningful ways?
• How do we honour the gifts of donations that we receive?
• What stories do you carry—and how can they inspire others?
BIRTHDAYS
The donations that we have received have helped us to exceed our budget for the past number of months. The work of everyone involved has helped us to continue to create sales that help increase our forwardings on to the projects of MCC.
Whether you’re decluttering, donating, or sorting, pricing or helping to make our shop beautiful, thank you for making MCC Thrift & Gift a place of purpose, hope, and heart. Here’s to savoring these last summer days and welcoming change with open arms.
Debbie Siertsema General Manager
MCC Thrift & Gift
Freida has offered to help all celebrate their birthday in her Mardi Gras mask!
Summer Construction
Just a quick word to Thank you all for your patience during our summer of construction. The current word is that project should be done mid-September, depending on the date started and all returned to normal. Perhaps we can all pray that this is true.
End of Summer Cool Down
Thanks to each of you for showing up with a smile through heatwaves and construction, keeping the shop full, fabulous, and welcoming. As summer wraps up, we’ll be saying goodbye to Ben Koop, Peter Kok, and some of our amazing student volunteer team members.
To celebrate all your hard work, we’ll enjoy some summer treats together during the last week of August. Stay tuned for details!
Let us know
Life brings both joy and sorrow, and at MCC Thrift & Gift, we want to support one another through it all. If you or a volunteer you know is going through a difficult time—and they’re comfortable with it being shared— please let a staff member know. Together, we can be a caring and compassionate community.
“Rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn.”
MCC Ontario Peace Conference
November 1, 2025 at Rockway Mennonite Collegiate in Kitchener
The MCC Peace Conference is your chance to learn the art of everyday peace and experience first-hand how you and MCC are changing lives and communities through peacebuilding. This event will inspire and inform through general sessions and conversations with messengers of peace. Save the date (November 1) and stay tuned for more details!
Learning Tour
In August, Monica will be joining a learning tour with an MCC Thrift group heading north to Timmins. MCC has determined the importance that we can connect the work in Thrift with the projects that MCC supports. Learning tours are identified to be an opportunity for experiential place-based learning through visits with Indigenous partners and conversations with knowledge keepers. Indigenous Neighbours Learning Tours encourage listening, learning and building relationships of care and mutual respect.
In this Learning Tour the team has been advised that:
1. We situate ourselves as “neighbours” to recognize the strength, autonomy and dignity of Indigenous communities and to communicate that outlook to Mennonite and other audiences as they look to build relationships with Indigenous communities.
2. We “Listen into Action” by “walking with Indigenous neighbours”—attending and helping facilitate events, hearing about problems and exploring them and consulting to learn how neighbours believe MCC Ontario could best act to help address an issue. We design a response and take action in partnership with Indigenous neighbours.
During the tour, we will hear many stories and share impactful experiences because storytelling is central to Indigenous cultures.
As with Debbie’s Learning Tour to Uganda, Monica will be available for times to share what she has learned or heard during this Tour. Ask your congregations if they would like to hear about her Tour. Perhaps we can also do a volunteer presentation at our Christmastime gathering or another volunteer time.
Summer Games
In this time of relaxation summer puzzles might be of interest to some of you; Thrift themed, of course.
Circle of Friends Celebrates 25 Years
Circle of Friends celebrated 25 years of relationships and community-building with a gathering of old and new friends and volunteers. It started in the year 2000 with a simple observation of the profound loneliness of folks coming off the streets into secure housing.
Margaret Nally, one of the key people who helped to envision and establish Circle of Friends, recalls the testimony of a woman who used to live at Mary’s Place, a shelter of the YWCA. “She said, ‘I never had a door to close to protect myself at the shelter or on the street... but once I got an apartment and that door closed, I broke down in tears.’” Circle of Friends was created to fill
that void of loneliness.
Circle of Friends is made up of a small group of volunteers and a staff member who meet weekly over coffee or card games with monthly activities with other circles. It’s a time of community-building, relationship-growing and just plain fun. The anniversary event featured trivia, food and drinks, a few words from MCC executive director Michelle Brenneman (who worked with Circle of Friends in the early days!) and reflections from participants and volunteers. Tex, a Circle of Friends participant, shared these words: “Circle of Friends helped me to not only make friends, but to grow as a person, too.”
Training Active Bystanders
This workshop helps you learn simple ways to speak up or take action when you see something harmful happening. You’ll get tools to feel more confident in everyday situations. MCC Ontario volunteers are not expected to step into unsafe situations—always talk to staff if something serious happens. This training is about helping you feel ready and supported. Contact Holly McClement, hollymcclement@mcco.ca, if you are interested in registering for and participating in the next workshop on Wednesday, Sept. 10th, from 9:30 am12pm ONLINE.
