"Over eighty people for the first sitting!"
"There's a big lineup already, and cars are parked all over the place."
People continued to pour into the Legion building in the Northern Ontario village of Sundridge, almost three hundred of them on a stormy evening in February of 2004.
The occasion? A church beef supper? A community hockey event?
No. This was a spaghetti supper fundraiser for a project in Zambia. Five people from Knox Presbyterian, Sundridge would soon be heading for Africa. Arleen and Bob Johnstone, Barry and Ryan Hubbert and Team Leader Bill Hunter were undertaking the adventure of their lives by travelling to help build phase one of a community multi-purpose building in a remote Zambian village. The proceeds from the supper would help buy building materials in Africa. The whole community had rallied to support this project.
Knox Sundridge has a long history of missionary outreach. For years the congregation accepted the annual Presbyterians Sharing allocation without prolonged discussion. In fact one member usually asked why the allocation wasn't higher! Each year the congregation has donated to international and local charitable projects. Average Sunday attendance is about seventy persons. Then, Knox people started to make mission trips, at personal expense.
Arleen Johnstone made three short-term trips to Corrymeela, Ireland, where she served as a volunteer counsellor to inner city youth, handicapped children and people in financial difficulties. It was there that she had an inspirational conversation with Mother Teresa. Later Arleen made three trips to Haiti where she assisted at an orphanage operated by the Sisters Of Charity.
Some years ago Marg and Bill Hunter moved to the Sundridge. Bill made a trip to Guatemala in 1998 and in succeeding years both of them travelled to Malawi and Nicaragua. People familiar with such mission trips know that each person in the work party can take two hockey bags of donated school supplies, children's clothing, etc. And that's where Knox congregation, as well as sister churches on the Burk's Falls Charge, St.Andrew's, Burks Falls and Knox, Magnetawan, generously donated materials and financial assistance for the trips.
Rev. Wally and Audrey Little became part of the Knox family after Wally's retirement from First Presbyterian, Collingwood. In 2000 Wally and Audrey led a team to Malawi where they began work on a girls' school. In October of 2003 they returned to Blantyre Synod, Malawi for a six-month assignment with International Ministries of the Presbyterian Church. They served as temporary replacements for Rev. Glenn and Linda Inglis, as well as assisting with a host of other duties. They distributed many school supplies donated by people from the Burks Falls Charge, Knox, Magnetawn ladies crafted children's blankets, which were distributed to local orphanages. Ladies from the three churches have also become involved with Presbyterians Aiding Nicaraguans and have made hundreds of bags to be filled with gifts for young cancer patients in that country.
And Knox Sundridge is still at it.
In July 2003 teachers Rosalie and Alan Howard and their children travelled the province of Uttaranchal, India. They are serving as house dons on a two-year assignment under the auspices of the Presbyterian Church. In addition, Rosalie has been assisting with French instruction in the school.
In February of this year, Marg Hunter travelled to Malawi to assist the Littles with a work project. She was accompanied by Yvonne Heaman of St. Andrew's, Parry Sound and Linda MacLennan and Sandra Beattie of Calvin, North Bay. The ladies received some assistance from Presbyterian World Service and Development.
And there's still more!
Rev. Dr. Walter Winger is part time co-minister on the Burks Falls Charge. He and his wife Lois have made several trips with Medical Ministries International. In January of this year they travelled to Jamaica as part of a team to treat people with eye problems and to distribute hundreds of pairs of eyeglasses, all without charge to the people.
Behind these mission travellers are the people in the pews of the three churches who have said, "We can help." These are the generous, hard working people who are found in any congregation. These are the good folk who open their hearts and their wallets for causes in the name of Christ.
Yes, thank God for small churches!
