EMPOWERING
CHURCHES TO
SERVE COMMUNITIES
UNITED TO LOVE LOCALLY
This is Our Story.
In 2021, the Aaron Ministries Network worked with Dr. Strang, Nova Scotia’s Chief Medical Officer, to facilitate a dialogue about the pandemic bewteen faith communities and public health. This project helped us to recognize a deep desire among churches to collaborate with other churches and community stakeholders to support local needs! Our team began discussing opportunities to preserve this vision going forward. We wanted to transform church-led ‘Collective Impact’ into a reality across Nova Scotia, uniting with others to serve our communities with love and respect. In 2023, Aaron Ministries launched “Serve Nova Scotia”, a program that partners with leaders across the province and nation, to support local churches in collaborating to identify and meet community needs! This story is not finished: we are excited to foster a vision for unity and service across Nova Scotia.
What’s your
story?
You have a story! It’s a story about the community needs that are on your heart, and the reasons you are passionate to address them. Whether it is housing, food insecurity, or something else, there are churches, non-profits, and other civil servants around you with a similar vision. We want Serve Nova Scotia to support your story by uniting you with those who share your passion. How can you work towards change, through collective impact, in your own community?
UNITED TO LOVE
“Above all, clothe youreselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.”
— Colossians 3:14
MEET the
SERVE NS TEAM
This program is led by a passionate team who have diverse backgrounds in church, ministerial, non-profit, and governmental work.
Liz Strijf-Mandishora
Director of Serve NS
Tim Smith
Consultant
Rachel Habermehl
Assistant Director of Serve NS
Dwight Habermehl
Consultant
Daria Nardozza
Consultant
Chris Ivany
Consultant
Dr. Robert Strang
Consultant
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAM
Serve Nova Scotia is a program uniting churches across denominations to join other local stakeholders, like non-profits and government groups, to collaborate for our shared goal of serving and supporting Nova Scotian communities.
MANY TEAMS
Collective Action and Impact Teams (CAITs) exist regionally, across NS, representing a specific town or city. Each team is an independent group that works to identify and meet their own community’s needs! A CAIT is made of representatives from local churches that are willing to collaborate with other groups serve their region.
ONE PROGRAM
Serve Nova Scotia (SNS) is a program that plants and equips CAITs across the province. We coach and resource teams to strategically meet the needs that they identify as most relevant to their community. We also facilitate networking between regional CAITs and existing community efforts.
FAQs
What Serve NS is…
FREE: the program is supported by funding partners who believe in bringing stakeholders together to transform communities! Serve NS is a free resource to coach, equip, and connect those who wish to advance their community efforts through an independent CAIT.
A COACH: to help you start and/or continue a collective impact journey in your community! We offer support and training to help you overcome whatever barriers are relevant to your work, weather that is identifying partners, generating revenue, promoting your work, or something else.
A NETWORK: we learn and grow best in community! Serve NS is here to connect you with other CAITs around Nova Scotia who share similar visions, goals, and challenges in serving their local community. We want you to be encouraged and inspired by your neighbouring communities while likewise sharing your story with them!
AN ADVOCATE FOR UNITY: We already share a vision for community change, so let’s share goals… we go further together! We want to maximise impact by uniting congregations and denomenations to be active participants in community service. We want The Church to collaborate with other community stakeholders who share our vision for positive change!
What Serve NS is not…
A FUNDER: We do not provide finanical sponsorship to community work; rather, we have a team who can coach and equip you towards funding your own vision (e.g., helping you identify grants, strategize budgets and funding, promote your work, etc.).
ANOTHER COMMUNITY PROGRAM: Serve NS is not seeking to replace existing community work. Rather, we want to enhance and support what is already happening! Our goal is to help you identify the efforts and programs that exist in your community, and enhance these through unity and strategy.
A PASTOR’S PROBLEM: We know that most pastors are already overwhelemed with community responsibilities. Serve NS is designed to be a group effort, not a pastor’s problem. CAITs are made of delegates from local churches: that means that to participate, most churches will select a representative (e.g., a deacon, missions coordinator, trusted member) to attend CAIT meetings, acting as the bridge between their church and the wider CAIT efforts.
Unanswered questions…
If you cannot find an answer on this webpage, consider checking out aaronministries.com to learn more about the hosting organization! Still have questions? Then please email us at info@aaronministries.com because we would love to connect to answer all your questions.
FIND A LOCAL CAIT
STATUS UPDATE: Serve NS is working to establish the first pilot CAITs. When a CAIT becomes active, its locations will be announced on this map.
Don’t see your region? Email info@aaronministries.com to launch a team in your community.
How to be a part of the movement
- Join your local CAIT as a team member
- Recommend a CAIT launch for your region
- Promote Serve NS (within your denomination, organization, etc.)
- Commit to praying for CAITs and Serve NS
- Financial partnership
Financial Partnership
YOUR DONATION MAKES POSSIBLE . . .
Operations: maintaining Serve NS; program administration; essential tools; website maintence.
Coaching: sponsoring the team who equips and coaches regional CAITs.
Story telling: equipping the team to share impact stories through media, events, networking, or public-speaking.
A specific CAIT*: if you specify a regional CAIT you would like to support with your donation, we ensure that 100% of your funds go directly to advancing their work.
CHEQUES
mailed to 36 Brookshire Courte, Suite 6, Bedford
PAY PAL
to info@aaronministries.com
E-TRANSFER
to info@aaronministries.com
Please note “Serve NS” on your donation.
days
hours minutes seconds
until
Serve NS Launch Event
JOIN THE LAUNCH EVENT ON MAY 14!
Join us for an exciting gathering, from 8-10am at 222 Sackville Dr, to launch the new ‘Serve Nova Scotia’ program. This initiative will unite churches, across denominations, to join local businesses, government, and community organizations to create meaningful change! This event is an opportunity to hear about community needs and solutions from Nova Scotian leaders, learn about the role of ‘Serve Nova Scotia’, and connect with like-minded community change makers! Whether you want to enhance your community impact through collaboration, or simply learn more about Nova Scotian needs, this event is for you!
The event will include a complimentary breakfast, an introduction to the program, and exciting speakers to discuss topics of community need and impact.
Tickets are free! Gratuitous donations for the breakfast event are warmly accepted by e-transfer to info@aaronministries.com .
This event is made possible by the generosity of
Blain King Insurance and Financial Services Inc (Co-Operators)
Habermehl Contracting Ltd.
Rock Churh Halifax
Quiora Consult
Serve Nova Scotia 