To The Least of These

By Dennis Friesen

“Lord, open doors of opportunity so our community can see that we love them—and that Jesus loves them too.” 

Those weren’t the exact words of our Elders’ prayer, but they captured our shared burden. We long to be a church that does more than offer programs designed to draw people into our building. We are asking God to open opportunities to show our community His love, even if they never step inside our church. 

When those opportunities came, we hesitated. Would this truly fulfill our calling as Christians? Would the community welcome us? Did we have the skills and resources? Would people volunteer? We learned quickly that those answers don’t come all at once. What we do know is that today we are serving our community of 1,800 people through two programs deeply connected to our local schools. 

Literacy Partnership ​

In the spring of 2024, news across our province focused on growing concerns about students lacking adequate classroom support, especially in their early developmental years. Many children struggle to learn to read and do not receive enough support at home, while schools have limited access to support staff. Regardless of where blame may lie, these children are falling through the cracks, and the long-term consequences of poor literacy skills are significant. 
We at Dalmeny Bible Church began consulting with K–6 school administrators, who welcomed us to come into classrooms during school hours to provide a volunteer-led Literacy Program. Initially, there was understandable hesitation from teachers, likely due to concerns that we might have an agenda to evangelize students. Over time, trust grew as they recognized that our motivation was compassion, not coercion.

​This year, the partnership expanded to include all grades, with 15 volunteers now providing weekly reading support to students selected by teachers.  Our T-Shirts are recognizable to all and we are building healthy relationships with both staff and students.

School Nutrition Program 

Elders continued praying for more opportunities, and another door opened—far sooner than we expected. We received a call asking if we would consider applying for a School Board grant to start a student Nutrition Program. The timeline was tight, but after brief consultation with the Elders and our Property and Finance Committee, we moved forward. Conversations with school administrators confirmed a clear and pressing need. 

In June, we were stunned to learn that our application had been approved. We later discovered we were the only grant recipient in the entire school division. Implementing what is now known as the Dalmeny School Nutrition Program has been a steep learning curve for our church community. 

Our existing kitchen lacked the space required for new equipment and proper food storage, so we had to create and prepare a new inspected area by the end of August. While the grant supports the program, we are responsible for purchasing the food. God has faithfully provided through generous support from our church, community members, local businesses, and food suppliers.

When we shared the vision with our congregation, 50 people attended the initial information meeting. One important decision was whether to offer the program universally or selectively. To avoid marginalizing students with nutritional needs, we chose to provide healthy food for all students. 

The program continues to develop. Four volunteer teams rotate weekly responsibilities for food preparation and delivery, including baking and hot meals. Elementary students receive nutritious snacks or fresh baking twice a week, while high school students have access to a daily nutrition break with fruit or prepared snacks. In addition, we provide school-wide hot meals monthly or bi-weekly, always mindful of severe allergies. 

The response from school administrators and teachers has been deeply encouraging. Strong, healthy relationships have grown between our church and the schools. One teacher shared that the program has made a significant difference in her classroom. Some students arrive without enough food; others bring food that is not nourishing. Nutritious meals help students regulate, focus, and learn. 

Fulfilling Our Mandate 

​Should literacy and nutrition programs be part of a church’s mandate to make disciples? Three years ago, we would not have thought so. Today, we see differently. We’ve adopted the motto “to the least of these”, now stitched onto the aprons our volunteers wear.

Interpretations vary on what Jesus meant in Matthew 25, but when read alongside God’s commands to care for the foreigner and Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan, Scripture clearly reveals God’s heart for the marginalized. We believe children who struggle to read or come to school hungry are among “the least of these.” ​

When people ask why we do this, it gives us the opportunity to share how our crucified and risen Lord compels us to love others as He has loved us. 

These initiatives haven’t replaced teaching or outreach at DBC. Instead, they have created tangible ways for our people to live out their faith in the community. It’s been a challenging and humbling journey, and we continue to pray that we would be followers of Jesus who are united, patient, merciful, generous, kind, and loving. 

We would gladly share what we’ve learned, but above all, we encourage you to pray and ask the Lord to open new doors of opportunity—so you can love your community, and so they might know that Jesus loves them too. 

By DENNIS FRIESEN

Dennis Friesen is the Pastor at Dalmeny Bible Church in ​Saskatchewan.