Although this Sunday morning gathering is audibly silent, it’s visually loud. When Helen Bickle leads the weekly worship service at her unique congregation for the Deaf in Belleville, Ontario, no words are spoken. Rather, Deaf congregants enthusiastically sign prayers and songs, while the text is displayed on a screen.

Worshippers have come together at Quinte Deaf Fellowship since 2007, when Deaf members of several local churches decided to form their own non-denominational church. Bickle, who was born Deaf, serves as the lay pastoral minister.

While some adults may think youth are only interested in the latest fashions or downloads for their iPods, many young people across the United Church of Canada are reaching out to serve others and learn more about life.

Each March break, a few youth from Port Elgin United Church do some hands-on learning. In the past three years, this Ontario group has helped build homes for El Salvador’s homeless, cleaned up around a St. Thomas, Ontario, home for young mothers, and learned the realities of people struggling with addictions in Hamilton’s inner city.