RURAL NOVA SCOTIA CHURCH WORKS WITH COMMUNITY

Working Together for the Common Good

by Shawna Peverill,

WI NDING ALONG Highway 210 on the south shore of Nova Scotia, pine forests line the road for kilometers. It seems isolated until you turn a corner and approach the banks of the Medway River, home of the Medway Reserve (part of the Acadia First Nation) and the community of Greenfield.

It may appear to be a quiet place. But suddenly a large facility housing the Greenfield Recreation Centre and Greenfield United Baptist Church can be seen.

The concept of a combined centre began in the late 1970s. While Greenfield Baptist was considering the future of their aging building, Greenfield Recreation was dreaming of creating a sports area. That’s when church and community united.

Church members and the recreation committee discussed creating a place where children and teenagers from the wider community could gather for sports, youth groups, and extracurricular activities; a place for young people to develop physically, socially, and spiritually.

“You have to give children an opportunity to grow where they live,” says Kevin Freeman, a deacon at Greenfield Baptist Church. “As a church, we wanted to give something to the community. Forward thinking is what set the whole project in motion.”

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Freeman was one of almost 200 volunteers to work on this development. Community businesses promoted the project, local craftspeople offered their skills, and residents held bottle drives to raise funds. In 1985, the dream became a reality with the dedication of the church and centre.

Since that time, it has been the hub of the community. On a weekly basis there are church services, community groups, and sports. It houses the pre-primary class, and the local school board leases the gymnasium. Both church and recreation share costs including insurance, plowing, and maintenance.

ADC graduate Rev. Janet Baker is Pastor of Greenfield United Baptist Church. She says the facility is used for many special occasions simply by opening the sliding doors between the two spaces. She sees growth at Greenfield Baptist as families who move into the area first use the recreation centre, and then get involved in church.

“Some of the people I play pickle ball with at the rec centre are now attending church and come to special services,” says Janet. “It is those connections, made with me and others at Greenfield Baptist who use the Rec, that are helping to building bridges in the community.”