Blog

Seeds of Hope in Bloom: Growing Forward

Supported by a $10,000 Seeds of Hope grant in 2023 from the Watkins Fund for Innovative Ministries with Senior Adults, Westminster United Church in Orangeville, ON, set out to make their community garden more accessible. The congregation planned to build a retaining wall that would allow people of all ages and abilities to participate in growing food together. 

Soon after receiving the grant, however, construction costs rose dramatically, with quotes increasing by nearly 170% in just one year. Despite exploring additional funding opportunities, the congregation could not raise enough to complete the original design given this unexpected obstacle.  

Rather than abandoning the project, members began asking a different question: How can we still fulfill the purpose behind this vision? 

Following conversations with the Foundation, Westminster adapted the project, applying the grant to a new vision that continued to advance accessibility, sustainability, and community connection. 

Steadfast purpose 

The congregation’s new vision took shape as a thoughtfully designed pergola that supports a living green wall. 

Completed in October 2025, the structure blends naturally with the church’s architecture. Garden netting allows vegetables to grow vertically throughout the summer, making fresh food easier to harvest without bending over while creating shade for the building and reducing the need for air conditioning. 

Climbing hydrangea and schisandra vines frame the pergola, while zucchini and pole beans ascend the netting during growing season. Over time, the congregation hopes the mature green wall will provide even greater cooling, produce more food for neighbours, and create an increasingly beautiful gathering place. 

Sometimes a project changes dramatically while its purpose remains exactly the same. 

Growing together 

The redesign was a collaborative process, bringing together the congregation for problem-solving and creativity. 

The Garden Transformation Coordinating Committee, Property Action Group, Outreach for Social Justice Action Group, and Westminster Executive all contributed to shaping the final design. Working alongside Whispering Pines Landscaping, members carefully considered how the new structure could complement both the church building and the ministry it supports. 

The result is a pergola that members describe with genuine pride. 

One person reflected, “I feel like I am walking into an old monastery when I walk under the pergola.” 

Others commented, “It looks like it belongs here, like it was planned from the beginning,” and praised the craftsmanship, scale, and attention to detail. 

The project has also sparked curiosity and conversation throughout the community. 

Visitors ask what vegetables can grow vertically, how long the vines will take to provide shade, and how the congregation made the project possible. The green wall has become something beyond a place for growing food, into an invitation to be curious and learn. 

Learning like gardeners 

As with any garden, Westminster understands that growth comes through patience and experimentation. 

This first growing season has already started offering lessons about planting schedules, protecting young vegetables from rabbits, and identifying which crops thrive best in vertical growing conditions. 

Over the coming years, members plan to measure food production, observe the green wall’s impact on cooling the building, and continue refining the project. 

Rather than expecting perfection in the first year, the congregation embraces the ongoing work of tending, learning, and adapting. 

Looking ahead 

Although Westminster’s original plans could not move forward as expected, the congregation discovered that faithful ministry is not defined by following an exact blueprint. Unexpected challenges invite new creativity and reveal unique possibilities. 

Today, the green wall is drawing people together through its beauty, sparking conversations about food, sustainability, and accessibility, while creating new opportunities to welcome older adults and neighbours to participate in gardening. 

Like the vines climbing steadily upward, the project continues to grow one season at a time, reminding the congregation that when circumstances change, hope can still flourish. 

Whether adapting a long-held plan or discovering a new direction through unexpected challenges, congregations across Canada continue to find creative ways to nurture community, care for creation, and create spaces where people can grow together. 

Your congregation can discover new ways to connect with neighbours, build meaningful relationships, and create welcoming communities where curiosity can grow into belonging.  

Interested in applying for Seeds of Hope or other grants? We are now accepting applications. Applications are due October 15, 2026. Your next ministry may begin with a challenge that grows into an unexpected opportunity.