fall is my favourite.

the pretty colours and crisp air. thanksgiving. pumpkin spice lattes. (my mouth is watering just thinking about it.)

of course, there's a freshness to this time of year, too. for some, the start of a new school year. for others, a fresh start and new beginning, and for me, a time to step into my new role at the church in regent park.

come on a quick trip to the past with me to the summer of 2011. i was amidst a car full of people participating in a tour of toronto when we drove through regent park, toronto's oldest public housing project. known mostly for poverty and crime (especially) back then, i was intrigued, and thanks to the salvation army, i was able to get to know that community a bit better that summer.

but, even still, i never expected to play a small role in seeing it develop years later. (what you are a part of is always bigger than the role you play.)

now fast forward to the summer of 2016. i don't know how to say this other than the way i am about to say it, but i couldn't, for the life of me, get regent park out of my heart; i kept thinking about it and praying about it, reading up on it and brainstorming ways in which i could get involved it the community there somehow.

a few months later, i reconnected with an old friend, who, unbeknownst to me at the time, just so happened to be a part of a church plant there!

needless to say, a few weeks later, i headed to Toronto to check things out.

i remember walking into the community centre for the first time as if it were yesterday. there, hundreds of people were seated (and in line) for a home cooked meal, and some, for clothes.

i was directed to pastor jake, the community dinner leader, and got to learn about his heart for the community. i met countless others, too, who have lived there and/or have been coming to the dinners for quite some time. so many people. so many stories.

i looked around and saw people of different cultures and race, backgrounds and class.

in one chair, a new immigrant sat. in another, a woman born in toronto.

some had jobs, others didn't.

one man wore a dress shirt. another, a ripped (or shall i say 'holy?) one.

and my absolute fave, an intoxicated man sitting at the back of the voluntary post-dinner service who decided to stand up in the middle of the message and serenade us with the best rendition of O Canada that i've heard in a very long time.

but here's what stood out to me the most.

the pastor (my friend i mentioned above) didn't try and stop him and neither did anyone else; this particular anthem singer, hilarious 'interruption' and all, was welcome at the church in regent park. i was welcome at the church of regent park, and it took me all of five minutes to see how well i fit in there and how quickly i felt at ... home.

nine months later, i can honestly say that my heart has only grown bigger and bigger and more in love with regent park. what started with a small seed being planted in my heart during a tour of toronto in the summer of 2011 has blossomed into so much more, only i was oblivious to just how significant this very seed was back then.

you see, a few weeks a go, pastor jake announced his resignation as the community dinner co-ordinator and i was asked to fill the position.

i am both excited and honoured to report that as of september 16th, i will be giving leadership to the several churches and volunteers who so generously give of their time each week to make sure that that our friends in regent park are fed physically, emotionally and spiritually, as well as leading a mid-week life group in the core of their community starting a week later.

so ... here's to a new season, friends. a season of purpose and growth, full hearts and rich (in the best way possible) lives. the best is yet to come!

ps. for those of you asking, i still hold both my 'project serve Toronto team lead' position with youth unlimited (still in the fundraising stage - more on that later) and my guest experience leader role with mcdonalds here in brampton, which i plan on keeping until i move closer to regent park.