On Tuesday nights, Scarborough Citadel is a busy place. With three youth bands, three children's singing groups and a praise and worship team rehearsing, as well as English language conversation classes taking place, the church becomes a centre for its members and the outside community to mingle with each other.

“Scarborough Citadel began the Tuesday night programs several years ago in order to reach out to the neighbourhood and provide, along with music and language classes, a connection to Christ,” explains Captain Rob Kerr, corps officer. This past year, approximately 50 families with 75 children participated in the youth initiatives, says Kerry Brown, songster leader.

Vocal groups span every age, including moms with babies, a young children's choir and an older children's singing company. The three bands offer beginner, intermediate and junior levels. Throughout the year, the musicians showcase their talents at different concerts, such as a Christmas carol sing and an end-of-year fundraiser, which took place this year on May 31. Parents helped out at the bake sale and the fundraising lunch, and proceeds contributed to funding children's trips to summer camp.

While their children are practising, parents enjoy coffee, cookies and fellowship at the church café, and starting this year the praise and worship team will be leading a half-hour praise session every Tuesday night, open to everyone. Brown hopes to launch new teen drama and dance teams this fall, as well as cultural music lessons, such as African drumming.

A Christian focus underlies all of these outreach efforts, and the bands and choirs perform traditional Christian songs and include times for prayer and devotions. The goal of this ministry, as Brown says, is that “as the groups experience the joy of making music together, they also learn more about Christ.”

Photo: Children in Scarborough Citadel's singing company perform at a concert