In a growing region that has several universities and colleges, it's no surprise that children and youth ministries are the focus for numerous churches in the Waterloo-Wellington presbytery. Sunday schools are being renewed and some congregations are offering innovative mid-week family programs.
The presbytery covers the geographical counties of Waterloo and Wellington, which lie to the west of Toronto. It is divided into four quadrants: Cambridge, Kitchener-Waterloo, Guelph and the Northern Quadrant (nicknamed the Northern Kingdom).
The 29 charges and 34 congregations make Waterloo-Wellington the most populous presbytery in Canada. Although membership has declined in the past few years, the number of people attending services has increased.
“All my congregations are amazing,” says presbytery clerk Janet MacDowell. She says there are a number of students from the presbytery attending Knox College and the Presbyterian College, including two candidates for ordination. Around 200 presbytery youth attended CY06 this summer.
In October, the churches held a walk, run and cycle to benefit Towards A World Without AIDS. Rev. Jeff Veenstra, minister at St. Andrew's, Hespeler, says the idea came from his trip to Malawi on a PWS&D study tour last year. A planning committee organized the five- to 20-kilometre event held near Cambridge.
“It was an incredible day. People were just really thrilled,” says Veenstra. There were 215 participants and more than 20 volunteers from across the presbytery. The event raised nearly $30,000.
Ministers in the Northern Kingdom meet once a month for a social event. The presbytery's rural towns northwest of Guelph include Harriston, Drayton and Palmerston.
Superstars is an annual presbytery day-long youth event, with the winner of the games played hosting the event the following year.
Knox, Waterloo, has the largest LOGOS program in Canada. LOGOS is a weekly ministry focusing on Bible study, worship skills, recreation and family time. Adults are “table parents” for the youth during the family time meal. Knox has been running the program for 13 years, and Rev. Linda Ashfield says it helps connect families.
“It's really, really been an amazing thing for our congregation,” says Ashfield. “We can't quite imagine our church without it now.” Every Thursday evening, up to 100 people participate.
Knox is starting a new family ministry program. Geared towards encouraging young families, Ashfield says it will help support parents to nurture their children's faith.
The youth at Knox went on a mission trip in 2005 to Winnipeg where they helped out at the PCC's aborignal ministries Anishinabe and Flora House. The 23 participants built a playground and painted rooms during their stay and have plans to return next summer. The church also holds Food For Thought, a weekly College and Careers group.
St. Andrew's, Kitchener, is the largest Presbyterian church in Canada, with a membership of close to 1,800. Rev. Mark Lewis says a team of people, including youth, recently went on a trip to help rebuild hurricane-damaged areas in New Orleans. The downtown church has an active youth group and a growing Sunday school.
St. Giles, Cambridge, is in the process of building a children and youth ministry. Rev. Penny Garrison says this summer the church launched Centre Stage Youth Ministries, a drama and music program for its youth and the community.
Garrison says the Sunday school has been growing in the past four and a half years. The church's space is limited, but Garrison says this is a good problem. The church had its 50th anniversary last year and is now in strategic planning.
Children's ministry has been growing at Central in Cambridge. Rev. Aubrey Botha says in the past five years the number of children has increased from a handful to more than 100. A second floor in the church was added to allow the Sunday school to have more room. The church has a new youth leader and a youth group that is getting stronger.
St. Andrew's, Hespeler, in northern Cambridge has a mid-week LOGOS program. The church also has an active youth group. Doon, Kitchener, has a youth group and a growing Sunday school. St. Andrew's Galt, Cambridge, has a small Sunday school but offers a mid-week Kids' Club.
Knox, Guelph, has a Wednesday night program called Feed Your Faith. Now in its second year, the program is drawing a good response, says Rev. Thomas Kay. There is a meal, contemporary worship time and programs for different age groups. Knox is focusing on developing a stronger youth ministry. “We're certainly hoping that we will see growth in that younger portion of our congregation, that we will continue to have a vibrant existence downtown,” says Kay.
Kitchener East's seven-year-old weekly drop-in centre for parents and children has “proved to be a very successful outreach program,” says Rev. Mark Richardson.
Richardson says all ages are involved in the church. “I know I'm blessed to be in the younger congregation with a good mix of ages, and there's a respect and a trust and appreciation for the younger ages,” he says. Each year the youth participate in World Vision's 30-Hour Famine.
St. Andrew's, Mount Forest, just started a high school youth group this fall in addition to its younger youth group. Last summer on Friday nights, the church ran a program called The Back Door to reach out to teens in the area. For the past three years, the church has offered an after-school Kidz Survivor Klub to help children develop street skills.
“It was a lot of fun and certainly made a lot of contact with people in the community,” says Rev. Nan St. Louis, minister at St. Andrew's with a two-point charge at Conn, Knox. The service has started a blended worship with a praise band, and “most of the people coming in really enjoy it. We see a lot of new faces coming in the door,” she says.
Knox's Galt, Cambridge, uses the David C. Cook Sunday school curriculum. Children ages three to eight attend the Noah's Park class, which may include a puppet show and crafts. The junior youth class is called Knox Rocks, and the church plans to hire a senior youth leader.
Knox Preston, Cambridge, uses a one-room Sunday school, covering major Bible stories over a four-year cycle.
St. Andrew's, Arthur, recently started a youth group. The church also helps with a local Youth for Christ drop-in centre called The Door and participates in an ecumenical Vacation Bible School. Rev. Brice Martin says the church built a new addition three years ago. Martin has a two-point charge with St. Andrew's, Gordonville, a congregation with many young families. “There's a lot of joy in the church,” he says.
Renovations and relocations are happening at several churches. Rev. Dr. Linda Bell at Gale, Elmira, says the congregation is looking to build a new church a kilometre and a half from its current location. The new site will allow for highway visibility, more parking and future expansion.
Bell says the congregation sees the need to build a new church and is committed to the project. “There is a strong conviction telling us it is our turn, to do it for the future generations,” she says.
Calvin, Kitchener, is sharing its church building with The Church of the Lord, a Korean Presbyterian congregation that began early in 2005. Kortright, Guelph, bought and relocated to an elementary school last year. St. Andrew's, Mount Forest, is upgrading its facilities, and next year for its 150th anniversary will renovate the main building.
There are new initiatives across the presbytery as churches take on exciting projects and modern elements. This fall, trailblazers at St. Andrew's, Guelph, signed up for a program called The Bible Trail, developed by ministers Rev. John Borthwick and Rev. Janice Hazlett. The Trail involves reading and preaching the entire Bible over two and a half years. The church's website has a blog with updates and comments on the progress. Trail parties encourage accountability in small group study, and monthly large group meetings called “summits” allow everyone to meet with the ministers. More than 60 people are participating.
Some congregations are moving towards modern styles of worship. Elora, Knox, has started using multi-media technologies. “It's a gentle shift,” says Rev. Kees Vandermey, who has a two-point charge with St. Andrew's, Alma, and is interim moderator at Knox-Calvin, Harriston. “I think we're trying to keep up to date to see where our culture is going.”
St. Andrew's, Fergus, has been offering a weekly contemporary service in addition to its traditional service since January 1. “It's been going strong ever since,” says Rev. David Whitecross. The change, which includes the use of PowerPoint and drums, has increased attendance, offerings, commitment and involvement in the church. “It's made a difference,” says Whitecross. “I recommend other churches make the jump to the 21st century — it's worth it.” The church also has four active youth groups.
Many missions trips to Nicaragua have taken place in the presbytery through PAN — Presbyterians Aiding Nicaraguans. St. Andrew's, Arthur, is planning a trip in January 2007 — its fourth in a row — while St. Andrew's, Fergus, is planning its third trip with 26 people in March. The church also supports a sister church in Haiti through missions trips and financial donations. Elora, Knox, had its third mission trip to Nicaragua this past July. The church also runs local missions projects through K.n.e.c.t. (Knox Elora Care Team). Kitchener East makes annual mission trips with Missionary Ventures in Guelph to Honduras. This spring, several senior youth group kids would like to go, says Rev. Mark Richardson. St. Andrew's, Hespeler, is raising funds for 15 people travelling to the Ukraine in June on a PWS&D trip.
Westminster-St. Paul's in Guelph hosts a monthly seniors' dinner and devotion night. Rev. Karla Wubbenhorst says it has been a very positive outreach, with up to 100 people in attendance.
Lay leadership is strong in the presbytery, with many churches involving members in pastoral care. There are several Stephen Ministry congregations, which train lay people to provide one-on-one care to others in need of support.
With its diversity of small towns and different-sized city centres, the presbytery of Waterloo-Wellington has an interesting blend of churches and the presbytery is looking forward to hosting the General Assembly in 2007.
“It's certainly an area where there is a lot of growth,” says Nan St. Louis. “I think we have some cutting-edge congregations who are trying some new things.”
