At Grace Mennonite Church in St. Catharines, Ontario, faith is lived out in practical ways.  Pastor Darrel Winger reflects that “Grace has a long history of compassionate engagement in our local community and at a broader level.”  There is a history of “partnering with area churches and the local mosque to sponsor and support refugees; volunteering with Mennonite Disaster Service; serving at our local MCC Thrift Store; establishing housing for seniors and holding parking lot/garage sales for the Niagara Palestine Coalition.”  Service and projects tend to flow from personal interests, abilities and time.  Once such project, Grace Gleaners has grown from a simple act of care into something much larger.  It has become a living expression of generosity, creativity and connection, both within the congregation and throughout the wider community.

At its heart is a simple question: what can we share?

A Ministry That Multiplies

One of Grace Gleaners’ most beloved projects, Bears and Blankets, began modestly but has since grown into a broad, community‑wide effort.

Led by Grace MC’s Commissioned Chaplain, Jan Carrie Steven, the initiative provides thoughtfully assembled care kits that include an individualized teddy bear, a handmade lap‑sized blanket, a handwritten card and, when appropriate, a bear‑paw cookie.  These kits are shared primarily with seniors in long‑term care and retirement homes who might benefit from a simple reminder that they are seen and cared for.

The items themselves offer more than warmth and comfort. Soft, tactile objects such as teddy bears and blankets can support emotional and physical well‑being, helping to reduce stress and promote a sense of calm.  In moments of loneliness or vulnerability, these small gestures can help.

Jan notes that the impact of the project extends beyond those who receive the kits.  Those who contribute also experience a sense of purpose and connection through their participation.  For some, crocheting blankets from home has become an accessible way to contribute, for another volunteer, it’s making individualized scarves for the Teddy Bears that has become a specialty.  Each gift and talent adds something unique and makes the project that much more special.

Unexpected Partnerships

As the need for supplies increased, so did the network of support.

A local Value Village reached out with offers of teddy bears and blankets, helping to meet growing demand.  Jan expresses gratitude for this connection in simple, relational ways, including regular visits and gestures of thanks that have fostered trust and goodwill.  Through this relationship, additional resources began to flow – children’s books, plush toys, larger blankets and more.

Each item is carefully handled.  Donations are washed, sorted and thoughtfully distributed, and children’s books are reviewed before being passed along.  Items that might otherwise be discarded are seen instead as opportunities to meet real needs.

Finding Homes for What Others Overlook

Grace Gleaners has continued to expand organically, responding to needs as they arise.

Children’s books and small plush toys are shared with local schools, supporting reading and offering comfort.  Larger handmade blankets are provided to the Westview Centre for Women, where they are consistently needed.  Socks, in the thousands, are distributed to organizations serving people experiencing poverty or who are unhoused, to schools for children in need and even sent internationally to support injured soldiers in Ukraine.

The guiding principle behind this work is simple:  if something has been overlooked or cannot be used elsewhere, it can still be of value in the right hands.  Even small adaptations, like turning socks into mittens, can meet practical needs.

This is the quiet theology of Grace Gleaners, attention, abundance and restoration.

An Example of Being the Church

In St. Catharines, through teddy bears and blankets, books and socks, and relationships formed along the way, Grace Mennonite Church is living out a vision of church that extends beyond its walls.

It is visible in the connections formed between donors and recipients, in the participation of community members who find purpose in contributing and in the quiet assurance offered to those who receive something made or given with care.

This is what can happen when a congregation pays attention to what it has, notices what others need and brings the two together with grace.