Ayer's Cliff Gospel Chapel, QC

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History

Ayer's Cliff Gospel Chapel, QC, Ayer's Cliff, Memphrémagog, Estrie, Southeast Québec, Canada is an open brethren assembly founded in 1957.

The Ayer's Cliff assembly is the youngest of the English assemblies in the Eastern Townships.

In 1946, Edna Clymer came to Sherbrooke to begin activities with the Canadian Sunday School Mission. Some six years later, Jim Walker of Ayers Cliff, whose wife had passed away, married Edna and they soon started Bible studies and Gospel meetings in town. They were helped at first by people from Grace Chapel, Sherbrooke, but soon were carrying on by themselves.

 In September 1957, two weeks of special meetings were held at the Legion Hall in Ayers Cliff. These were sponsored by the Cherry River Gospel Chapel in cooperation with the Jim Walker family and Murray Down. A keen interest in the Gospel was evidenced by the good attendance which was taken as a token from the Lord that a permanent work should be established. The first regular service was held on November 3rd of that year, in the Saint Georges Parish Hall on Main Street. Remembrance services together with prayer and Bible study were held in the Walker’s home.

Two years later, the Lord sent three Christian school teachers to Ayer’s Cliff in the persons of Mr. & Mrs. Roy Langley, Mr. & Mrs. Walter Scott and Mr. & Mrs. Don Switzer. As a result, a little Sunday School was soon started in the Walter Scott home. Later on, hobby clubs were begun. It was about this time that the Lord led Norman Bronson to help for a short time as the first and only full-time worker to serve here. Others who have provided leadership over the years include Emerson Elliott, Edwin Down and Jake Jackson together with Rick Kerr and Alec VanZuiden, both sons-in-law of the Walter Scotts.

 In 1960, all services were meeting in a rented store in a business block on the corner of Main and Pleasant Streets. The Lord continued to bless, especially in the work of the Sunday School. A decade later, September 12, 1969, He wonderfully answered prayer and a small, two-storey building was purchased. It had been a protestant school but empty for some time and was soon made over into a rather commodious chapel - very traditional in size and shape. The work continues here to the present time.

AKA

  • Ayer's Cliff Christian Brethren Assembly 1957-1962

Location

  • 873 Clough St. 1969-2021+
    • facility built 1901 as a protestant schoolhouse

Correspondents

  • Donald Switzer 1961-1962
  • Walter Scott 1965-1967
  • Dr. James Everett Walker aka Dr. Jim Walker (1906-1993) 1963-1964, 1968-1976; 1979-1989
    • b. 1906 Springfield, MA; lived 1911-1921+ Stanstead, QC; 1930 Springfield, MA; 1935 Washington, D.C.; d. 1993 Hatley, Estrie, QC;
  • Emerson Elliott 1977-1978
  • Tom Robertson 1994-2003
  • Alec Van Zuiden 2004-2020+
  • Edwin Down 2004-2017

Alumni

Sources

  • Walterick Publishers Assembly Address Books: 1960-1980, 1982-1983, 1985-1987, 1989-2000, 2003-2004, 2006-2008
  • ECS Ministries (Emmaus International) Assembly Address Books: 2009-2010, 2013-2014, 2016, 2018, 2020
  • News of Quebec
  • Ancestry.com