Difference between revisions of "Hope Community Church, Lennoxville, QC"

Revision as of 20:47, 19 April 2021

History

Hope Community Church, Lennoxville, Sherbrooke, Estrie, Southeast Québec, Canada is an independent Bible Church founded in 1955 as an open brethren assembly.

By the mid-fifties, many children and youth were being transported from Huntingville, a quiet little English village situated picturesquely along the Salmon River in the low rolling hills of the Eastern Townships, to Grace Chapel in nearby Sherbrooke. The need was felt for a work in this growing bedroom town itself. At the suggestion of Dr. William Klinck, the abandoned Universalist Church, the oldest of its kind in Canada, together with the schoolhouse on the same property were secured for this purpose. Andrew Patton, a talented singer and preacher, soon assumed the leadership and before long families from Huntingville, Milby and the surrounding countryside were beginning to attend. Several families from Grace Chapel who lived in the area helped, namely, Gordon Wright, Arthur Heath, Esther Dix, Bertha Cowhard and Pauline Statton. Norman and Margaret Gentry eventually followed Andrew Patton in the leadership.

 For the first decade, evangelistic meetings were conducted here each Sunday morning with folk attending the Breaking of Bread at Grace Chapel in the evening. Application was made on November 12, 1967, to Grace Chapel for permission to become a local autonomous assembly. This was granted and plans for a building were formulated. Lyn and June Taylor joined around this time. Mr. and Mrs. W. Buchanan, Arthur Clymer, and Mr. and Mrs. Ken Sparkes also helped a great deal in many ways.

 In the early seventies, Maplemount Children's Home, of which Roger Gurnett was then director, moved from Cookshire to Huntingville. For several years, the Gurnett family were an inspiration and great help to the community. They were followed in the leadership by Bob and Eleanor Seale. Bob being a graduate of Dallas Seminary, his preaching and pastoral care were most helpful. Commended workers who, among others, have laboured here include Les and Margaret Picard, Gordon and Charlotte Warnholtz, Mark and Laurie Strout, Bob and Wendy Pond, David and Nancy Dytynyshyn.

 In 2011, the congregation sold its building in Huntingville and moved to within a stones-throw of Bishops University in Lennoxville, The Catholic Church in the centre of town was purchased and remodeled at significant expense. Today the congregation numbers over 300 and provides services to university students as well as outreach activities into the community. The Lord’s Supper is celebrated monthly.   

AKA

• Huntingville Christian Church (OB) +1970-1977+
• Huntingville Community Church (OB BC) 1970's-2011

Locations

• 3975 Rte. 147 1956-1970
  • The first location was formerly the Huntington Universalist Church (1844-1951), that denomination's first building in Canada.
• 1399 Campbell Ave. +1989-2000+
• 1501 Campbell Ave. +2003-2004
• 1399 Campbell Ave. +2006-2011
• 102 Queen St., Sherbrooke 2011-2020+;

Correspondents

• Andrew J. Patton +1961-1964+
• Dr. William John Klinck (1911-2005) @ Lennoxville +1970-1983+
  • b. 1911 Waterloo, ON - d. 2005 Sherbrooke, QC
• Lynwood Taylor 1989-1992
• Rob Daley 1990-1996
• Mrs. Cathy Little +2003-2004+
• Laurie Strout +2006-2008
• John Haffenden 2008
• Kim Davis 2009-2013
• Paula Crozier 2014-2020+

Civil Pastors

• David Dytynyshyn ?-2007
• Randy Crozier 2007-2017
• Hudson Taylor Wells 2017-2020+

Alumni

• Who’s Who at Hope Community Church, Lennoxville, QC 1955-2020+

Sources

• Walterick Publishers Assembly Address Books: 1954-1956, 1958-1980, 1982-1983, 1985-1987, 1989-2000, 2003-2004, 2006-2008
• ECS Ministries (Emmaus International) Assembly Address Books: 2009-2010, 2013-2014, 2016, 2018, 2020
• Ancestry.com