Assemblee Chretienne, Cap de la Madeleine, QC
From BrethrenPedia
History
Assemblée chrétienne de Cap-de-la-Madeleine, a French open-brethren assembly, was begun in 1947 as a result of the labours of early pioneers such as John Spreeman, Noah Gratton and Paul Boëda. Elsie Scott and Dorothy Kenyon were part of the team as was Sheldon Bard who arrived two years later. It was the fifth French-speaking assembly to see the light of day in La Belle Province.
After meeting in homes for the first nine months, a property was secured which included a workshop that was transformed into a meeting place complete with wood stove and folding chairs. Affectionately know as "La Cabane", it served the needs of the assembly for several years. The first province-wide conference for all francophone assemblies was held here in September 1949. Seated in the front row of a portrait of those in attendance can be seen most of the Lord’s servants labouring in Québec at that time.
The following year, a building permit was requested. This met with strong opposition, one highly-placed person declaring that much bloodshed would take place before a Protestant church would ever be built in that city. Dr. Arthur Hill of Sherbrooke just so happened to be friends with the brother of Cap-de-la-Madeleine's mayor. On the strength of the doctor's good reputation, a permit was granted and the newly-constructed chapel was occupied for Christmas 1950.
The 50s were difficult years for the French work. The spring of 1950 witnessed the riots against believers at nearby Shawinigan Falls. The education of believers’ children, who could with much difficulty remain in the Catholic schools of the province, was a major concern at that time. This assembly established one of the few alternate schools to cope with the situation.
Needless to say, the assembly has had its ups and downs over the years as do all local churches. It has, however, remained one of the strongest and most influential of francophone assemblies in Quebec. A goodly number of workers have been sent out and supported by the Cap including Roland Lacombe in 1950, the first French-Canadian to be commended to the work. Others include Fernand and Yolande Saint-Louis (1962), Marc and Lise Champagne (1970), Jean and Lilliane Lépine (1981), Michel and Diane Pedneault (1989), Gabriel and Mélanie Paquin (2011) along with others.
The assembly building has seen several expansions, notably in 1954 to seat 300 and again in 1965 to accommodate 400 persons. Most recently, a fire destroyed the building in 2012. A new and enlarged facility has since been erected on the same location.
AKA
- Christian Brethren Assembly Hall 1955-1962
- Chapelle Evangelique
- Assemblee Chretienne
Location
- St. Pierre & Fusey +1950-1954
- 225 St. Pierre St. 1955-1969
- 225 Lupien St. 1970-2020+
225 Lupien St. is near Fusey... same address throughout?
Correspondents
- Fernand St. Louis 1947+
- Rolland Lacombe +1950+
- Paul-Henri Boeda (1915-2006) +1954-1956+
- Stan Stanford +1958-1962
- Gerard Dufour 1963-1985
- Michel Pedneault 1986-2020+;
Alumni
Sources
- Walterick Publishing Assembly Address Books: 1948, 1950, 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, 202
- News of Quebec
- Ancestry.com
