SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
It's hard not to at least notice the Calvary Community Church sign on the outskirts of the downtown core, which has likely made many-a Yellowknifer pause to think about life.

Rachel Makohoniuk stands with her most recent sign at the Calvary Community Church on Franklin Avenue. Makohoniuk has been involved in spicing up the church signs with compelling and sometimes humourous messages for about two and a half years. - Simon Whitehouse/NNSL photo Previous signs Christmas - a story about a Middle East family seeking refuge Please pray for rain (During the fire season) I wish Noah had swatted those two mosquitos God doesn't pick favourites but our pastor does. Go riders! Mary wrapped the first Christmas gift Source: Rachel Makohoniuk

Sometimes it is with a chuckle but other times it's the catalyst to more serious reflection, as was the case last month.

"Christmas - a story about a Middle East family seeking refuge," read last month's sign, which was in clear reference to the Syrian refugee crisis.

Rachel Makohoniuk, a member of the church for seven years took on the role of making the signs about two and a half years ago. Until this time she has not revealed her approach to making the signs.

"It is a great location because so many people work downtown and so many people see it," she said.

"Before I got involved in this sign, I liked the Church of Christ (on Range Lake Road) sign because they have put up signs that make you think. Whenever I would visit friends in that area, I would look forward to seeing it.

"So I thought if I am thinking about the sign at the Church of Christ, imagine how many people would be thinking about our sign."

Makohoniuk said some of the responses she has received have been amazing. As president of the Yellowknife Guild of Arts and Crafts, she heard one student going on about the sign while teaching pottery one night, she said.

"I had a student just randomly start talking about the sign at the church not knowing I was involved whatsoever," she said. "She said 'I don't believe in God and I don't believe it is true, but I kind of like the signs and I look forward to them.' That is good and that is why I do it - to get people thinking about different topics and different things."

Makohoniuk said she puts a sign up about every month and it's often dependent on what current events are happening or what happens to be inspiring her.

In June 2014, she had mosquitoes on her mind.

"It was at the beginning of June and you start to remember why summer isn't awesome all the time. So I put up, 'I Wish Noah had swatted those two mosquitoes.'"

The sign attracted a number of admirers including Mayor Mark Heyck who posted a photo of the sign. It received more than 200 likes and 163 shares through social media.

Later that year, during the 2014 Grey Cup, she put up a sign reading, "God doesn't have favourites but our pastor does. Go Riders!" The sign was subsequently shared through the Saskatchewan Roughriders' social media and received thousands of likes.

Makohoniuk said she makes an effort to be sensitive to the church's image because it is easy to Google "inappropriate church signs" to see how the idea can go over the top.

"People give me suggestions and generally do enjoy them," she said of her church's reaction. "If (my ideas) are too edgy, I will run it past some people to make sure it is appropriate. I don't want to offend anyone and (be) appropriate for our church."

Karen Pryznyk, church council chair said the signs have been effective in being "topical and engaging."

"We haven't asked people if they start coming to our church because of our sign but that is possible," she said. "It does provide the basic information about our church service time if people want to come. We just want to give people something to think about as they drive or walk past ... maybe give them a smile."

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