Social work students at King������Ƶapp University College are putting in-class knowledge to good use at the Salvation Army������Ƶapp Centre of Hope in London, Ont.

VATICAN CITY -- Loving acts of service and charity not only help build up the Kingdom of God, they attract and influence others, Pope Francis said.

The Canadian Council of Churches has questions and it has plans. The questions are for the government and its plans are for Canada������Ƶapp Christians.

As the CCC executive committee elected new officers, including the first Salvation Army president in the Council������Ƶapp 68-year history, it also trekked to Parliament Hill to ask politicians and bureaucrats about environmental policy and plans for an Office of Religious Freedom within the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.

“We went there knowing there are issues on the horizon that we would like to ask questions about and simply learn more about,” said CCC general secretary Rev. Dr. Karen Hamilton.