A tale of two churches: Before Rosedale church built its own sanctuary, it built a church in China.

How does a group of Christians organize a new congregation where none exists? Usually, people start by coming together somewhere for regular worship services. Then, they organize a church school and set up a building fund. Rosedale Church, Toronto, went through these stages in 1907 -- but with one major difference. When the congregation was ready to build, it built a church in China.

Why China? The statement of session in Rosedale's 1908 annual report contains the answer: "Notwithstanding the heavy claims on the congregation for church building, we have tried not to lose sight of the larger work of the church." The newly organized Rosedale congregation had been moved by an urgent appeal from the mission in Henan (Honan), China, at that time a mission of The Presbyterian Church in Canada, "for a church building at a strategic point." The congregation sent $3,000 to China, $2,900 from the church fund and $100 from the Sabbath school.

Perhaps it was providential that Dr. Andrew Grant, a medical doctor and a Presbyterian minister, lived in the Rosedale district. Grant had already done pioneering work as the first Presbyterian missionary to the Yukon, where he had founded the Good Samaritan Hospital in Dawson City during the gold rush of the 1890s. Returning to Toronto, he became general superintendent of home missions for the national church. As a founding member of Rosedale, he set up a general committee to organize the new congregation. But Grant was also instrumental in keeping Rosedale informed of "the larger work," including the need for a church in Henan.

The missionaries in Henan decided that Wei-hwei, located in the centre of North Henan province, at the crossroads of the recently built railroad and the Wei River (with all its floating traffic), was the "strategic point" where the church should be built. It was to be a large church, with a vaulted ceiling made of Douglas fir from British Columbia.

The minutes of Henan Presbytery record "its grateful appreciation of the generous gift ... from Rosedale Church congregation, who, before erecting their own place of worship, unselfishly gave a church for their Chinese brothers and sisters." Missionaries returning to Canada from China occasionally brought news of Wei-hwei and the mission at Henan. The first five annual reports of Rosedale Church include pictures of Wei-hwei Church.

During the first half of the 20th century, war and anti-foreign violence in China made regular contact with Weihwei difficult. Forced to flee China when war with Japan broke out, the missionaries found their way barred by the Communists when they tried to return after the war. The Communist government put an end to denominations, permitting only one Protestant Church and one Roman Catholic Church. Wei-hwei Church is, today, a part of that unified Protestant Church called The Three-Self Movement. The three selfs -- self-supporting, self-governing and self-propagating -- had long been the goal of the churches in China. When the Communists cut off all foreign support, they provided the catalyst that forced Chinese churches to become what they wanted to be, as embodied in The Three-Self Movement.

If you go to Wei-hwei today, and Christians there find out you are Canadian, they will direct you to the well-equipped hospital with its entirely Chinese staff. This is the same hospital built by Canadian missionaries nearly a century ago, along with the church and a school. The church is now located in a different part of the city where the congregation continues to worship despite China's upheavals and changes.

In Toronto, Rosedale Church still tries not to lose sight of the larger work of the church. In 1909, the congregation was giving financial assistance to 14 special projects at home and overseas while raising money for its own building fund. Ninety-two years later, motivated by the spirit of Grant and the other founding members, the congregation still contributes time and money to several projects. And, yes, Rosedale Church has been worshipping in a building of its own since 1910.

Jean Sonnefeld is a member of Rosedale Church, Toronto.