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What are you known for? Have you ever played a get-to-know-you game where you were asked to describe yourself in one or two words? What words best describe you?

In our small and active congregation in Exeter, ON, we are known for 3 things in our community:

  1. We host a hospitality dinner every month for seniors in our community. Our church basement is crowded and full of happy diners. And the good news is…we give away our profits.
  2. We run an Ecology Camp for children on the last week of August. This, too, fills our church basement with the voices of happy, enthusiastic campers.
  3. We have a monthly goal to help to stock the shelves of our Huron County Food Bank. In April we gathered peanut butter. May was spaghetti sauce month and, in June, we collected 123 boxes of macaroni and cheese. Our goal for July: canned fruits and vegetables.

 Caven Presbyterian, situated in the heartland of some of Canada’s most productive farmland, has been a worshiping, caring body of Christ for 150 years in Exeter, Ontario.

 Each Sunday the beautiful, old yellow brick church opens its doors to members and friends of all ages — children, youth, and adults. There is a friendly, community-feel to Caven, and there is lots of chatter and laughter before, after and during the worship.

 Our worship services are thought-provoking, hope-filled, full of God’s grace and easy for both long time and new Christians to understand.

Come join this friendly, family-sized congregation at 10:30 on Sunday morning for a faith experience that will fill you with hope, joy and renewal.

Read about our congregation’s connection to food, faith and fun (Exeter Times Advocate, August 2011)

Caven Church connects food and faith

The members of Caven Presbyterian Church on Main Street, Exeter, understand the  link between food and faith. Members of Caven laugh about how easily church meetings can turn to discussion of food.

Every month from September to June the church hosts a Sunday night hospitality dinner for 70 seniors and people who might otherwise be alone for Sunday dinner. The church basement is filled with delicious foods and aromas, music and laughter. Under the leadership of Bonnie Sitter, the dinners are prepared and donated by church and community members.

The profits from these dinners go to worthy causes—Huron County Food Bank, The Canadian Food Grains Bank, Kintail Camp and a women’s self-employment project in Guatemala.

The congregation also donates regularly to the Huron County Food Distribution Centre which is directly across the street from Caven Church. Since May, the congregation has donated 36 jars of peanut butter, 48 cans of spaghetti sauce, 123 boxes of macaroni and cheese and 75 cans of fruit and vegetables. During the month of August, members will collect back-to-school snacks for children.

In her spare time, Caven’s minister, Dorothy Henderson, is busy compiling a cook book, featuring the smorgasbord of foods grown and raised in Huron County.

As the congregation celebrates its 150th birthday, members said, “What better way to mark the event than by hosting a chicken barbeque?” This dinner will be held on October 22 in the Legion, under the leadership of Len Fleet.

Caven Church decided to extend this connection between food and faith by offering a culinary camp for children ages 9-12 during March school break, 2012. The program is called “Food, faith and fun.” The week features games about food and nutrition and stories of food from the Bible. Under the direction of one of Caven’s members, Jenny Rowe, the children will learn to set a beautiful table,  prepare and serve a delicious, simple meal. The grand finale of the week will be a meal prepared by the children for their lucky parents or grandparents.