Good things happen (for everyone) when churches come together

Yesterday, I stood in one church, as a member of another church, inviting people from a bunch of churches to an event at a different church. Doesn’t that sound wonderfully confusing?

Yesterday, I stood in one church, as a member of another church, inviting people from a bunch of churches to an event at a different church. Doesn’t that sound wonderfully confusing?

I was updating folks at a Syrian lunch hosted by one of the five churches participating in our Port Perry Refugee Support Group. I was letting them know about an upcoming event at a third church, this one geared toward training us all in the art of welcoming our Syrian neighbours to our town.

Our sponsored refugee families (three and counting) could arrive any day, and I believe they will move into a more united, more compassionate and more “together” town than they would have four months ago.

Our town has always been great. It’s pretty, tidy, artsy, and a short (pretty!) drive to all Toronto has to offer and more. And like many towns we have quite a few churches, who all support each other in word, but sometimes we don’t have the chance to work together in deed. Combining our efforts in the refugee crisis has made that happen in a wonderful way.

We’ve made money to help the families (more than we planned on), and we’ve made friends to help ourselves. In a world when we can so often be torn apart, we have been knit together in a really great way. I can’t help but think that God, who is our refuge, is pleased.

Karen Stiller is a senior editor of Faith Today. Remember Faith Today’s contest to send pastors away on retreat. Deadline to nominate your pastor is Feb. 29