Friends of The Nanaimo British Columbia Stake

04/22/2026

The Multifaith Action Society are convening an online meeting for all people of faith and spiritual traditions across the province of BC, where Prayers for Peace will be offered by previously designated representatives from a diverse cross-section of spiritual traditions. We look forward to hearing from our new Area Seventy, Elder M. Shayne Olsen, along with other leaders from various faith traditions.

The chaos, unrest, wars and rumours of war in the world today are causing distress in many forms and impacting the physical and mental well-being of many people around the world.

As people of faith, we must call down the powers of Heaven by petitioning God, Allah, the Creator, the Divine, the Higher Power in the Universe, to bring Peace to individuals and the world, and to help restore Faith and Hope! Our collective gathering in love and unity for the cause of Peace will be powerful!

Please join us online on Wednesday May 6th at noon for the offering of Prayers for Peace. The goal is to hold this meeting in one hour. (It will not include lectures, expounding of scriptures or recitations or explanations.) Sherry Marceil will MC this event.

Peace Prayers Meeting

Multifaith Action Society is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87040876041?pwd=j7ovuwwVzVFc3UkQtwwoU2MUM5RGSn.1

Meeting ID: 870 4087 6041

Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise cloud communications.

04/08/2026

STAKE TEMPLE DAY!

Remember to sign up for the Nanaimo BC Stake Temple Day!
Saturday, May 9, 2026 at the Vancouver BC Temple.

Endowed adults will worship together in endowment sessions.
Adults not yet endowed may join the youth to worship in the baptistry.

Two options to get to the temple:
1) Foot passenger on the 6:15am Departure Bay ferry and chartered bus from Horseshoe Bay (costs covered by stake)
2) Private vehicle (costs partially subsidized by stake)

For those with small children, childminding will be provided by the Stake Primary at the Templeview Chapel.

For more information, follow this link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uYYdemaYPAJ3oyEkHMQyWzWjtURXq6h5Xk5ywHWDPCk/edit?usp=sharing

DEADLINE TO SIGN UP: Sunday, April 19

04/08/2026

The Loaves and Fishes Food Bank accepts donations from the public.

They also operate a FOOD RECOVERY PROGRAM. Peter Sinclair (Executive Director of Loaves and Fishes) says there is an abundance of food. They accept surplus food—fruit, vegetables, meat, bread, dairy—from retailers. This ensures it’s used rather than discarded. They collect food from 38 recovery partners across the Island, including 19 grocery stores daily.

NOTHING SHOULD GO TO WASTE: Volunteers sort food to ensure only the highest quality reaches those in need. Anything unsuitable goes to farmers, industrial composters, or, as a last resort, the landfill.

FREE FOOD MARKETS are open to all, regardless of income or location are run by volunteers. People register and shop for food at the free food markets. They can have a specified quantity from each category (protein, dairy, bread, fresh produce, etc). This ensures they get things they will use. They can get fresh produce more than once a week.

The Loaves and Fishes supply food to over 100 Community Partners, including charities, schools, food banks, and Indigenous communities across the Island.

Loaves and Fishes are a partner with Food Banks BC National Hub which sources food through local, regional, and national partnerships. If there is an excess of food it is delivered to Loaves and Fishes to distribute throughout the Island.

Loaves and Fishes Empties 4 Food program has green bins in several locations where people can drop their bottles. This program raised more than $400,000 in 2025.

04/08/2026

CHURCH HUMANITARIAN FUNDING REQUEST:

In March 2026, Peter Sinclair (Executive Director of Loaves & Fishes) & Melissa Lavoie (Director of Philanthropy & Revenue Generation) gave Greg Holden (LDS Welfare and Self-Reliance Director for Western Canada), President Holt (Nanaimo Stake President) and Patti Spencer (Nanaimo Stake Communications Director) a tour of their present warehouse, their bottle sorting depot (Empties 4 Food program), a Free Food marke, and their new warehouse (New Regional Food Center).

The Loaves and Fishes serves over 15,000 people in 40 communities, including 15 indigenous communities across Vancouver Island- providing food free of charge.

The Food Bank has outgrown their current warehouse. The new warehouse is to be completed by June 2026.

We are looking at ways the Church can help Loaves and Fishes in their exceptional work in many Island communities.

Church of Jesus Christ - Victoria BC Stake
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - Canada

03/19/2026

YSA CONFERENCE

2026 Rooted & Reaching Conference is Canada's largest conference for single adults ages 31–49.

This year's event will be held in the heart of the Canadian Rockies and will include:

• Canada Area Leadership participation (Elder & Sister Evanson, Elder & Sister Atwood)
• Uplifting and practical workshops
• Temple opportunities
• Off-site activities and mountain experiences
• A 90's Theme Dance Party
• Meaningful opportunities to build lasting relationships, and more.

https://sites.google.com/view/rootednreaching/home

03/07/2026

Hello, Relief Society Sisters. See the information about the upcoming Relief Society Devotional. You can view it starting on March 8.

https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/event/worldwide-relief-society-broadcast-2026

12/05/2025

Nanaimo British Columbia Stake

Dear Sisters and Brothers, we feel to extend an invitation to you for this weekend, in conjunction with our monthly fast.

We are all waiting, with more or less patience, for an announcement about the Victoria British Columbia Temple. We are regularly asked if we have an update, and so far the answer is still no.

We remind you of the words of Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve, in April 2024 General Conference:

"My beloved friends, if we are able and have not already increased our attendance at the temple, let us regularly find more time to worship in the house of the Lord. Let us pray for the temples that have been announced, that properties can be purchased, that governments will approve plans, that talented workers will see their gifts magnified, and that the sacred dedications will bring the approval of heaven and the visit of angels." (emphasis added)

In this spirit, we invite you to consider adding as a purpose of your fast, that progress can be made in the commencement of the Victoria BC temple, in addition to whatever other objects for fasting are personal to you. As always, we encourage you to include a generous fast offering as part of your fast. Fast offerings are the primary method the Lord has instituted for the care of His people when they are in financial need.

We wish you a Merry Christmas, and pray for the Lord's blessings to be with you this festive season!

President Holt

President Orrego

President Kingsley

Nanaimo BC Stake Presidency

11/21/2025

How wonderful!

11/12/2025

11/11/2025

Brothers and Sisters,

The Global Launch of the 2025 Giving Machines begins THIS Wednesday, November 12, at 8:30 AM (PST). Here is a quick update from Karl Cheney, Global Manager of theChurch's Giving Machine initiative.

The global kickoff of the 2025 LightTheWorld Giving Machine will be livestream on social media. Links are in Karl's email below. Please feel free to share this info widely in your communities.

We’re excited to host Giving Machines in BC for the first time this year! There will be three new digital touchscreen Giving Machines in Victoria from Nov 14--Dec 3 at Tillicum Centre. These same machines will then be in Vancouver from Dec 6--Dec 29 at the Tsawwassen Mills Mall.

The season of giving is here!

Kristine

PS - Special thanks to Joyce Thomson, Victoria City Co-Lead, for advance photos of our BC Giving Machines

Kristine Ashton
Communication Director
Vancouver BC Coordinating Council
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

********
From: Karl Cheney
Date: Sat, Nov 8, 2025 at 12:46 PM
Subject: Global Launch Event Details

2025 Light the World Giving Machine Initiative Global Launch

Wednesday, November 12, 2025
9:30 AM (MST), 8:30AM (PST)

From the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, General Authorities and General Officers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will announce the worldwide locations and deliver remarks to kick off the Light the World Giving Machine Initiative 2025 season.

Light the World, the annual Christmas initiative of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, invites everyone to celebrate the birth and life of Jesus Christ and to follow His example of caring for and serving others.

This year, the Giving Machine Initiative will be larger than ever before:

126 cities

21 countries
6 continents
More than 500 nonprofit organizations worldwide are participating
Over 4,000 items available for donation
The Church’s Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube accounts will livestream this event.

More information and media assets will be available on the Church’s Newsroom website (www.Newsroom.ChurchofJesusChrist.org) after the event.

Victoria DIgital GM event.

Victoria DIgital GM