Sometimes people unfamiliar with ChristianWeek and Fellowship for Print Witness will ask me how many people we have working out of our head office in Winnipeg. More often than not they're surprised when I tell them eight, plus advertising reps that work from other posts. “National Christian newspaper” can sound a little grand, I suppose, ostensibly putting us up on the same level as some national secular publications with hundreds on staff.

However, it never fails to amaze me what our little band can accomplish. Every other week ChristianWeek goes off to the press and every month four editions of ChristianCurrent do the same. Now and then we throw in a special supplement for good measure. In between there is a flurry of ad sales, database entries, article writing, filing, editing, layout, more editing, ad building, design, accounting, long range planning, marketing, promotions and much more.

My colleagues are a gifted bunch-I'm sure they could be writing or designing or managing or accounting for a number of different places which could mostly likely afford better career placement and better pay. However, with wholehearted dedication, they choose to be here, working in ministry, using their gifts for a greater purpose.

But what I appreciate most about our staff is the true camaraderie that exists in this office. Every week we gather for a devotional time and staff meeting. We take turns leading the devotional part, and invariably I learn something new. We've come to a point where we feel comfortable sharing parts of our outside lives, which in turn helps us to better understand and care for each other.

And we pray for each other. I'm sure other offices do this as well, but CW is the first place at which I have worked where this has been the case. These are real, meaningful prayers, the kind that happen when you're not only co-workers, but friends.

Some people bitterly complain about their jobs, and make no mistake, this happens in ministry-oriented workplaces as well. But I, for one, am glad to say our office isn't one of those. We do experience our share of workplace tensions, but we experience God's grace as well-and that's what makes the difference.