Bold, Courageous And Hope-Filled: Sackville United Church Brings Our Healthbox To Their Community

The United Church of Canada seeks to be a bold, connected, evolving church of diverse, courageous, hope-filled people. United in deep spirituality, inspiring worship, and daring justice.

Sackville United Church embodied this vision when it tackled the opioid crisis and the need for harm reduction services in our small New Brunswick community. Between 2021 and 2022, over 120 people died from apparent opioid-related toxicity across New Brunswick, and our community was not spared from this grief and loss.

In response, Sackville United Church committed to being a safe, nurturing environment, affirming and including all by partnering with Ensemble Moncton for a harm reduction initiative. They provided space for a ‘smart’ harm reduction vending machine, Our Healthbox.

Harm reduction includes measures to allow those with limited access to obtain necessary resources for health and well-being, such as warm clothes, hygiene products, food, syringes, and information. Our Healthbox ensures our town remains connected in helping one another in difficult times.

... by providing harm reduction supplies, we meet people in their lived experience and love them in that moment – so we can love them again tomorrow when they might be ready to make different choices.

Located at the heart of Sackville, Sackville United Church provided an ideal space for this Healthbox. The old entrance on the southeast side of the building was renovated by Ensemble Moncton to create a vestibule for the dispensing machine. This central, highly visible, and accessible location helps destigmatize the use of the machine, contributes to user safety, and minimizes concerns about loitering and vandalism.

The Healthbox provides free HIV self-test kits, personal care items, harm reduction supplies, and critical information to those who may not have access otherwise, including our neighbors in the greater Tantramar and Amherst, Nova Scotia areas.

I don’t fully understand addiction. But I understand shame, guilt, sin, brokenness, forgiveness, wholeness, love, and community.

Some might argue that providing space for a harm reduction vending machine condones the use of injectable opioids and other illegal drugs and that addiction treatment options should be supported instead. To this criticism, I respond: by providing harm reduction supplies, we meet people in their lived experience and love them in that moment – so we can love them again tomorrow when they might be ready to make different choices.

As a person of faith and clergy, I cannot grasp all the scientific research supporting harm reduction models in addiction. Even after serving as a Prison Chaplain with men who often indicated that drugs played a role in their offenses and who continued to use drugs even in prison, I don’t fully understand addiction. But I understand shame, guilt, sin, brokenness, forgiveness, wholeness, love, and community.

Addictions are often rooted in shame and guilt, resulting in compounded sin (missing the mark) and brokenness. It is our hope and prayer that those who enter Sackville United Church to access supplies from Our Healthbox receive them as a gift of love – a reminder that they are worthy, good, and part of the community. These supplies might contribute to their health and safety, helping them live to see another day and the possibility of making different choices.‍

About the Organizations and Authors‍

Sackville United Church, an Affirming Ministry of the United Church of Canada, collaborates with Ensemble Moncton in a Harm Reduction initiative. It was also part of the former SRRC (Sackville Refugee Response Coalition), which facilitated the settlement of refugee families in Canada. Visit Sackville United Church’s website to learn more.

Lloyd Bruce, Minister of Sackville United Church, was ordained by the United Church of Canada in 1991 and has served communities in Alberta, Ontario, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. Previously, Lloyd served as a Chaplain with the Correctional Service of Canada and as Operations Officer with Kairos Pneuma Chaplaincy Inc., which he co-founded in 2013. Returning to ministry, Lloyd served the Parrsborough Shore Pastoral Charge before joining Sackville in May 2017. As Minister, Lloyd brings a passion for creative communication and connecting with people, a passion he also enjoys while riding his motorcycle, discovering how we are more alike than different.

These supplies might contribute to their health and safety, helping them live to see another day and the possibility of making different choices.