What is it to observe a moment of silence? After a bomb blast, at the funeral of a murdered school boy, or on a march […]

Every Tuesday morning around 9:30 a.m., a group of people begin to gather in the kitchen at St. Andrew's, Owen Sound, Ont. We try not to be late so we can chatter about our week. What we have been up to, how the weather has been, what everyone's children and grandchildren are up to, where we have been this past week; rail at the price of gas, how to grow tomatoes, who is in the hospital, who is home from hospital; discuss local politics and upcoming concerts. We range in age from young children to seniors, and all are welcome, especially the best banana muffin maker in town. It really is the best time and we all look forward to it. Oh, yes, we gather to make sandwiches.

Teddy bears always manage to bring a smile to a child's face. Imagine how much bigger that smile must be when the bear is given to a child in need. Teddies for Tragedies sends knitted and crocheted teddy bears overseas to children in hospitals, orphanages and poor communities. The women at Westminster, Pierrefonds, Que., have been supporting the project for about two years, and just sent 300 bears away for distribution. "I look at these bears and I think, 'what a small thing and yet, what a big thing in a child's life,'" said Mary Lou De Silva, secretary at Westminster and part of the women's group that knits the bears. "Is this not what Christianity is all about?"

How do we love others? That's the question we at Knox, Wallaceburg, Ont., asked ourselves. Motivated by our church's mission statement of Here We Grow In Christ, we were challenged by our minister's recent proclamation that church is "all about relationships — relationship with God, His Son, the Holy Spirit and other people." We informally adopted this new commandment, reflecting Jesus' thoughts on the most important call for Christians. Through this call to serve others, Christ opened our understanding to the truth that loving God and others is what gives life its purpose.

Good morning. Could you take Justyne with you to church today?"

You might say Waterloo North Church has already been bucking the Presbyterian trend. Rather than offering a single, lightly-attended Sunday service, it has two on Sunday — with 80 people attending in the morning and about 250 at night. The congregation also has a unique approach to mission, where Haiti is the country of choice. It stems from the idea that this developing country has no shortage of labour but needs the money and the materials to build better lives. "We're simply trying to fulfill our mission statement by being a people who continually share the good news of Jesus Christ in word and deed," said Waterloo's minister, Rev. Dwight Strain. "And that often means just giving people what they need."

A special Scottish service has captivated two congregations on two sides of Ontario. St. Columba, Dalkeith, about an hour's drive from Ottawa, and Knox, St. Thomas, just minutes south of London, are home to an annual service celebrating the traditions of its Scottish founders. Kirkin' O' the Tartan has been going strong at St. Columba for 27 years, and at Knox for four. The special service commemorates the hardships their highland ancestors endured after their defeat at the Battle of Culloden in 1746. "It's a time to remember our heritage and what our Scottish ancestors went through," said Joslyn MacGillivray, a member of St. Columba for 12 years.

Amidst the tall trees and tranquil shores of Georgian Bay in Penetanguishene, Ont., members of First Church are counting their blessings — and extending those blessings to others. Thanks to a friendship between the church's minister, Dr. Gerard Booy, and missionaries in Mozambique, the congregation is helping build a classroom for students in the small village of Gurué in northwestern Mozambique. "Living in Canada, we're fortunate," said Mary Sheriff, chair of the missions team that coordinated the project, "but do we realize it? This was a chance to get to know each other more, and our community more, and to learn about others living elsewhere."

Grace Presbyterian, Calgary, is a growing congregation in the heart of the city. The downtown church with a membership of almost 600 grossed $24,000 last year with its annual Christmas cake fundraiser. The popular project sells nearly 5,000 pounds of cake to parishioners and non-church goers alike. Going strong for about 40 years, the cakes require a mammoth amount of ingredients, including 100 kilograms of sugar, 145 kilograms of butter, 270 kilograms of raisins, 454 kilograms of almonds and 250 cartons of eggs.

"Over eighty people for the first sitting!"