Reaching out to people around us is an essential part of Ste-Genny's ministry. Many of our outreach projects were started because someone had an idea, someone took on a cause. Some of these projects are small and involve few people, others are large and may involve the whole congregation. Many of our committees also include outreach projects as part of their activities.

Here are some of our outreach projects

• Over a period of several weeks at the end of summer we collect school supplies which are donated to Saint Columba House to be given to the children in their community.
• Every fall Ste-Genny's organizes a Food Drive. Our 2011 Food Drive started October 9. Over a period of 10 weeks non-perishable foods, household items, etc. were collected. A few days before Christmas, all the food collected was put on tables in McNevan Hall and Christmas Baskets were prepared for delivery and delivered to needy families in our neighbourhood.
• Every year our Sunday School has a special Lenten Jar project, where money is collected in a lenten jar and the funds raised are donated to a local organization, Saint Columba House in 2011. We have a special lenten calendar to support this project, see our 2012 calendar here.
• We have a large building, which is available for others to use as well (see details here). Various community groups as well as another congregation already use our facilities. Groups that have used or currently use our facilities include 7th Day Adventists, Scouts, Recovery Groups, Puppy School, Dance Groups and the West Montreal Readaptation Centre.
  
• Our United Church Women (UCW) have monthly visits to Ste. Anne's Veterans' Hospital and have, in the past, provided financial contributions to, for example, Montreal City Mission, Mission and Service, Caring and Helping Hands, Cheshire Foundation, Saint Columba House, West-Island Women's Shelter and West Island Palliative Care Residence. They have also catered a number of banquets.
• Our Healing Pathways team not only serves our own congregation, but also people from the wider community.
• Our minister, Rev. Ian Smith, together with one of our parishioners, continues to make visits to Château Dollard to lead in Communion Services with a small group of appreciative Seniors there.
• Our minister, Rev. Ian Smith, as part of his community outreach, continues in his role as the Pastoral Coordinator of the West Island Palliative Care Residence. This outreach ministry has led to many opportunities to network with - and minister to - people in the West Island community and beyond in both spiritual and secular contexts. It has also led to invitations to speak at functions sponsored by other church communities and at training workshop events sponsored by community-based organizations. In 2008 Rev. Ian Smith was invited to lead a workshop for the ecumenical Pastoral Care Team of the Lakeshore General Hospital and was also asked to facilitate an event about the "Spiritual Dimensions of Whole-life Care" held by the Montreal Presbyterian Women's Missionary Society.
• In December 2007 we started about twice a month interpretation of our worship services in sign language. This lasted for three years and currently we don't have deaf people taking part in our activities.
  
• Our Community Band organizes at least once a year a Coffeehouse. Part of the proceeds are distributed to a local charitable organization. Groups that have received funding include West Island Palliative Care Residence, Old Brewery Mission, West Island Citizen Advocacy, AVATIL, VOBOC, West-Island Women's Shelter, The Shriner's Hospital for Children and Big Brothers Big Sisters of West-Island. Our Community Band also regularly performs at other venues. In the past they have played at the Ecumenical Picnic, Norma Mc-Alister Senior Home, Side Door Coffee House, Château Dollard, Purcell Academy and the Annual Meeting of Montreal and Ottawa Conference, as well as at other churches, Roxboro United Church and Lakeside Heights Baptist Church.
• Our many Caribbean parishioners have organized several Caribbean Extravaganzas, where all could enjoy Caribbean food, music and hospitality.
  
• Many of our parishioners, as well as our minister, are active in Cursillo.
• In the past, our YOUTH GROUP sponsored the placement of a collection box in the church hall to collect donations for Dans La Rue. All donations of toiletries, jackets, mittens, blankets, socks, hats, etc. were gratefully appreciated!
• In 2009 our YOUTH GROUP started a new project with Invible Children, raising funds and increasing awareness of the plight of child soldiers in Uganda.
• Saint Columba House – Over the past several years, we have received a request from Saint Columba House to help out with school supplies for children in the community. Unfortunately normally the request comes at a point in time that many of the children only receive their supplies after the start of the school season. With this in mind, we are looking for donations and hoping to distribute them to the children before the beginning of the school year. Donations of the following would be greatly appreciated: Hilroy copy books, Hilroy loose leaf, Three-hole binders, Duo-Tangs, Pencils, Coloured Pencils (Laurentian), Blue pens, Red pens, Rulers, Erasers, Scotch tape, Yellow-highlighters, Liquid paper, Spiral Notebooks, Lunch Boxes, Geometry sets, Scissors, Glue Sticks, Lepages white glue, Kleenex boxes. Watch for sales beginning in July. Please bring your donations to the church office prior to August 3 so that we can deliver your donations. A box has been placed in the church for your donations. We will make sure Saint Columba House gets them, even when supplies are brought in after the school year has started.
  
• CANADIAN TIRE MONEY: The UCW is collecting Canadian Tire Money to to help the UCW purchase Jam / Preserve Jars. Please drop off your contribution in the designated envelope on the bulletin board.
• UCW from the Montreal Presbytery area collect Campbell's soup labels for a program entitled "Labels For Education". Campbell's soup labels are collected and sent to the Pathways Health Center in Sarnia, Ontario. Please bring in your contributions and drop them in the designated envelope on the bulletin board.
  
• The LIONS CLUB collects your old prescription eyeglasses. If you have any collecting dust in a drawer around the house, bring them in and drop them in the designated box in the corridor.
• The MIRA FOUNDATION is looking for your old used towels. If you have any towels that you are thinking of throwing away, please bring them to the church and drop them in the designated box in the corridor.
• SHRINERS HOSPITAL collects aluminum tabs for recycling into money to purchase wheelchairs, etc. Please save the tabs off your cans and drop them off in the designated envelope on the bulletin board.