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What started out as a simple children's teaching turned into a fundraising free-for-all this past Sunday.

Martin and Margaret Cull came forward at the end of the service to kick off the donation drive for our courtyard's decorative flowerbed gravel, unveiling a beautiful diagram of the space. They explained that the flowerbed had been divided into sections, and invited parishioners to "buy" a section by donating the cost of the gravel for that section – $25 for large spots and $5 for smaller ones. Best of all, when you buy a section, you get to colour it in on the diagram!

Rev. Bonnie then got the rocks rolling on the initiative, by giving a $5 to each of the Sunday school children, so they could buy and colour in a section on her behalf. She quickly ran out of fives, and appealed to the congregation to keep the gravel train going, reminding us, "It's not really our money, it's God's!" Our people responded extravagantly, and about two-dozen squares were coloured in before the recessional hymn began!

The momentum continued through the week, and by Thursday, we were 80% of the way to our $700 fundraising goal. Martin, Margaret and People's Warden Hal Anderson are ecstatic about the response, and are confident that every section of the diagram will be coloured in by early July.

Way to go, St. Peter's – what a profound example of responsiveness, generosity and stewardship! And thanks to Martin, Margaret and Hal for their faithful and creative leadership of this important project!