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Once each month, members of The Village Church target a park, home, or business in Thorold, Ontario, and take it over—with kindness.

Members of the Village Church participate in random acts of kindness.

The -supported church plant uses “Random Acts of Kindness” (RAKE) to renew the community by encouraging people to act kindly and pass that kindness on to others.

“The residents of Thorold are getting to know the Village Church as the ‘community-involved’ church that offers different groups and services to Thorold and its residents,” says Pastor Mike Collins. “It has proven to be a great way to get to know our own church members and our city.”

RAKE is based on Collins’s love for the Thorold community, which has inspired him to use small gestures to show God’s love for the city and its people. So far, a team of Village volunteers has completed 30 projects, including raking leaves at residents’ homes, shoveling snow, handing out water at a local park, cleaning up parks, and passing out flowers door-to-door.

The projects have also led to the development of the church’s “Love Thorold” team, a small group of church members seeking to provide more formal community assistance.

The Thorold community is taking notice. The principal of Thorold Secondary School appreciated the church cleaning up garbage on the school’s property. A local community group was grateful for work done at a community center.

“We have received many letters of appreciation and donations from residents of Thorold,” Collins says.