A local ministry is excited to raise its community through prayers and love during their Thanksgiving meal.

This Thanksgiving, a Winnipeg ministry was in need of help during their annual meal. After putting out a call for volunteers to help serve and pray over their annual Thanksgiving dinner, Union Gospel Mission was overwhelmed with support.

Development Manager Martin Chidwick says after sending out an email asking for help, they suddenly had a good problem. Chidwick says he had so many people volunteer that they now have a waiting list.

Due to gathering size restrictions, Chidwich says the number of people in the dining room will be fewer than normal. He says they will have three to four sittings and will also be handing out to-go meals. He anticipates two hundred or so people will join them this year despite having fewer physical seats. 

While all of this is happening upstairs, downstairs a team will be praying for everyone UGM is reaching out to this Thanksgiving.

Chidwick says volunteers will be literally lifting up the guests with prayer, as they will be raising their hands to God just one level below them. 

While UGM has more volunteers than they need on Thanksgiving, Chidwick says that they are in need of regularly-scheduled volunteers. He says clothing donations, in particular, have risen greatly but they do not have enough people to help with it. He says they also need help with other areas of the mission during the day.