“The kindness they showed was such a wonderful demonstration of God’s love.”

Carrie Marston
Special to Spur Ottawa

Community Bible Church, in Stittsville, is a bustling place on Wednesday and Friday mornings. The small church opens their doors for the Chuckle Club, a playgroup where moms and their kids gather to play, hear stories, sing, and enjoy snacks.

“We exist to meet the needs of families with young children,” says Chuckle Club director Shirley Crighton. “Parenting young children is both a joy and a challenge, so we are motivated by God’s love to serve families.”

The playgroup isn’t specifically a church ministry. It started in 2005, with two moms who were new to the area and wanted a place where their kids could make friends and they could bond with other moms.

The group is open to anyone, regardless of their faith background, but the leaders don’t shy away from sharing their faith. They pray before snack time and everyone is invited back to church on Sunday. Crighton says some of the moms who joined ended up becoming Christians and now regularly attend church.

When Natalie Castonguay moved to Stittsville, she found the playgroup online and signed up.

“I started regular attendance in December, 2012,” she says. “I had a brand new baby and two other children with me. Everyone was so welcoming and accepting. The kindness they showed was such a wonderful demonstration of God’s love. I wanted to get to know the community, so I started attending the church in August 2014.”

In the last 11 years, more than 100 families have joined the fun. The playgroup runs from September to May, with activities for kids from newborn to five-years-old. In addition to the kids’ activities and the fellowship for moms, they also have resources to help equip parents, grandparents, and caregivers.

Many families, like Castonguay’s, have been blessed by the Chuckle Club’s welcoming and loving approach. In fact, Crighton says one of the biggest outcomes is the friendships that developed between the mothers. She adds that a number of mothers, whose kids out-grew the program, have stayed in touch and developed long-lasting friendships.

“It’s a great program,” Castonguay states. “My children look forward to playing with other children and I look forward to talking to other moms.”