ABOUT OUR FAITH PILLAR.

Faith at the Heart of Our Mission

Christian Roots.

SUMS Place Society was founded on Christian conviction — and built to serve every person who walks through our doors, regardless of what they believe. Here's how faith shapes our mission, and how we hold that identity with an open hand.

Our name has changed since 1995, but the conviction underneath it hasn’t.

Lutheran Urban Mission Society

Surrey Urban Mission Society

  • Lutheran Urban Mission

    Founded by the Lutheran Church to serve Surrey’s most vulnerable neighbours.

  • Surrey Urban Mission Society

    Registered as a charity under a new name, operating as a non-denominational Christian non-profit ever since.

SUMS Place Society

  • SUMS Place Society

    Renamed again to reflect a calling that now reaches beyond Surrey — while carrying forward the legacy of our original SUMS Place kitchen and shelter.

WHY WE SERVE

Care as conviction.

Loving God was intimately bound together with loving one another in material, practical ways — especially those poorest among them. 

— ROOTED IN THE TEACHINGS SUMS WAS FOUNDED ON

This conviction runs through the Christian scriptures our founders drew on, and it is our calling to end homelessness regardless of any one church, denomination, or tradition. You don’t need to share our faith to share this cause — ending homelessness and caring for the vulnerable are goals that cross every religious, cultural, and political line.

A weekly gathering.

SUMS Place hosts a weekly worship service for anyone who wants one: our guests, our neighbours, and our wider community.

This service is a genuine expression of the Christian faith that inspires our mission — and it's offered in the same spirit as everything else we do: freely, and without pressure.

  • Open to everyone. Guests at any of our three locations, staff, volunteers, and the public are all welcome — you don't need to be connected to SUMS to attend.

  • Come as you are. Whatever your faith background, or none at all, you're welcome to simply observe.

  • Never a requirement. Declining to attend has no bearing on any support or service SUMS provides.

BEYOND OUR WALLS

Faith held with an open hand.

Three commitments that shape how we show up as a Christian organization in a diverse community.

  • Every tradition is welcome here.

    Our community is strengthened by people of many faiths and spiritual traditions. With generous support from local gurdwaras, temples, mosques, and other community partners, we bring together staff and volunteers from diverse religious backgrounds.

    Everyone who shares our commitment to this work is welcomed, valued, and invited to contribute.

  • Walking together toward reconciliation.

    Guided by humility, accountability, and respect, we are committed to building meaningful relationships with Indigenous communities and taking part in the ongoing work of truth, healing, and reconciliation on the land where we live and serve.

  • Everyone can belong as they are.

    As a non-denominational community, we welcome and support people across the full diversity of gender identities and sexual orientations. 2SLGBTQIA+ staff, volunteers, and clients are valued, respected, and encouraged to bring their whole selves to SUMS.