Linwood House Ministries

One of The Two Certainties in Life

From an email sent out to our Canadian distribution list a couple days ago...

We know that you support Linwood because you believe in the work we are doing to restore dignity and hope to marginalized women locally and around the world. However, as the year comes to a close and our thoughts turn to such mundane matters as taxes, it’s good to know that the Canadian tax system is set up to encourage giving, and that you will get some of your generosity back in the form of credits from Canadian Revenue Agency.

 

Provincial tax rates, and therefore the credit you will receive, vary from province to province. In British Columbia, donors receive a tax credit of approximately 43 cents per dollar given for gifts over $200. (For total donations under $200 a reduced credit of about 20 cents per dollar is granted.)

 

Additional facts to keep in mind:

• Donors can deduct up to 75% of their net income
• Unclaimed charitable donations can be carried forward for up to 5 years
• Either spouse can claim the tax credit

 

Here’s an example:

 

          Your Gift:                             $500.00

          Tax Credit:                          $171.22

          Net Cost of Donation:          $328.78*

 

Click the button below or here to make a year-end gift to Linwood House Ministries.

 

Thank you so much for your ongoing support and enouragment. Best wishes for a meaningful New Year, and may your own journey continue to unfold in a significant way in 2011

 

 

The Team at Linwood House Ministries

 

 

*Formula used:

(0.2006 x donation amount (up to $200)) + (0.437 x (donation amount minus $200)) Federal Tax Credit: 15% on Donation Amount up to $200 then 29% on remainder Provincial Tax Credit: 5.06% on Donation Amount up to $200 then 14.7% on remainder

The Year That Was

From an email sent out to our distribution list a couple days ago...

As the year comes to a close the entire team at Linwood would like to take a moment and thank you for your support, encouragement and generosity over the past 12 months.

 

2010 has been a busy and exciting time. Here are just a few of the highlights:

 

• We increased the number of editions of The Journey held, and welcomed new partners into the program
• Our Radical Hostesses were a huge success, and this was just one of the many programs operated from the Great Room during the 2010 Winter Olympics.
• Speaking of the Radical Hostesses, during the Games we welcomed people from across the globe (tourists and athletes!) to the Great Room, and introduced them to the history and community of the Downtown Eastside.
• Our annual trip to support our partner Home of New Beginnings in the red light district of Bangkok, Thailand took on a different flavour this year, as the team bore witness to the tragedy and violence of civil unrest in that country.

 

The year ahead looks to be an exciting one, as we look forward to journeying with even more women into the hope of their story.

 

Thank you for being with us on the road.

 

The Team at Linwood House Ministries

 

 

Click the button below or here to donate to Linwood House Ministries

 

Love Incarnate

Once In Israel, love came to us incarnate,
stood in the doorway between two worlds, and called…
~ Annie Dillard

I See You

One of the great things about our work in the Downtown Eastside is our desire to see our friends not as projects, or as problems to be solved, but to really see them. To love them, to journey with them, to include them in our lives, and allow ourselves to be included in theirs.

For that reason--and a million others--we're thrilled Help-Portrait Vancouver was such a huge success. Congratulations to everyone involved. 

This wrap-up video from Steve Tan is fantastic. Just look at the expressions on the faces of people who are really being seen. What a joy to see some of our friends making appearances!

 

Help-Portrait Vancouver 2010 (Thank You) from Steve Tan on Vimeo.

 

Love, Warmth and Security

"The last time I felt this much love, warmth and security was in my mother's womb. That's what this time at Linwood House has been for me. It's like being in a womb."

Those words were gifted to us on the final day of our Christmas Journey last week, from a new friend who had come to Linwood House for the first time. I don't think I have ever heard such a moving and poignant descriptive.

As we move through the season of Advent I have been reflecting on the candle of Love, sometimes remembered as the candle of Mary. In our women's circle at the Great Room this week we spent time talking about the love of Mary, the womb of Mary. Hers was a love that was instinctive, genuine, and yet so simple. She was giving birth to a King, a Saviour and you could expect that her love, the welcome of her son would be extravagant and grand. But it wasn't. Mary's love was meek and humble. It was a stable. Hay. Animals. Quiet and unassuming.

God asked so much of her, and yet in many ways, asked so little. "Just have faith, and take these simple steps towards love." Fanfare and opulence and royalty and attendants were not necessary. A simple stable, soft hay, the sacredness and safety of a quiet place were enough. It was, and is, enough.

There, out of those tiny acts of love, was birthed the Greatest Love Story the world will ever know.

And so in those moments in our circle, we asked ourselves....

.....where do I need the infilling of this "Mary love" in my own life?

.....where in my life do I need to take simple steps towards love?

As you enjoy all that this Season has to offer, may you be blessed and filled with this kind of Mary love, and may it birth even greater things in your family, your life and your world.

Guest Post: Who’s Making an Impact?

Cross posted from the Love It blog, written by Ceri, one of our friends @ Dossier Creative:

At this time of year, many of us will compliment our own feasting and gift-giving with small gestures towards those less fortunate than ourselves; perhaps contributing to office collections, or donating food hampers for families in need. What a great way to ‘make an impact’, and think – and act – outside of ourselves. Sometimes I wonder though, who really impacts who? Don’t get me wrong – it’s appropriate that we should help those who’ve lost their footing in a society designed to benefit the rich. But it struck me this week that often it is precisely these people to whom we seem to have so much to give, who in fact might have even more to give to us.

I was on my way in to work on public transit through Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. I’d had a tricky weekend with moments of frustrating relational conflict; and was heading in to some urgent tasks that should have been undertaken many days earlier. It was not one of my best Monday mornings! Just as I was trying to jolt myself out of my malaise, a precious woman with whom I’d previously exchanged brief pleasantries, got on the bus. Immediately upon seeing me, her face lit up and she exclaimed loudly to everyone on the bus, ‘I recognise that face,’ and we entered in to conversation. I asked how she was, and she said she was well, and launched in to a story about her father who had come through serious surgery, and the son who had saved his life twice and of whom she was very proud.

This lady, apparently ‘in need’ in so many ways, had the most extraordinary impact on me. She was pleased to see me, and I her. From a place of vulnerability, she shared her great delight in the important things in life – of family, and good health. As she did so, I realised that we are not so different after all. For a few brief moments, we shared our common humanity – me on my way to the studio; she on her way to a government-run program. She reminded me of the importance of relationships. She reminded me of what it means to love.

A Christmas Letter

Yesterday we sent out our Christmas Letter to our distribution list. 

You can read it here, and if you would like to be added to the list, please let us know.

Merry Christmas!

 

A Carolling We Go

Join us next Wednesday, December 15 for our 2nd Annual Downtown Eastside Carol Sing!

Well meet up at the Great Room (2nd Floor, 108 W, Hastings at Abbott) for appetizers and cookies at 6:45 pm. We'll sing a few carols to warm up, then head out into the community.

Last year we had a fantastic time, and this year should be the same.

Download a flyer here, and check out more photos of last year here.