Assemblee Chretienne de Shawinigan, QC
From BrethrenPedia
History
Assemblée chrétienne de Shawinigan, Shawinigan, Mauricie, Central Quebec, Canada is a French open brethren assembly.
In late 1949, Paul Boëda and his family moved from Cap-de-la-Madeleine to Shawinigan Falls where there was already considerable interest. Joseph Darling and his wife Gertrude, commended from their home assembly in Grand Haven, Michigan, and in the province since 1946, soon joined them. The work went on slowly but steadily meeting in homes during the winter of 1949-1950, until a public place for meetings was opened.
Major opposition was not long in coming. News media across North America, if not around the world, carried the report. An existing scrapbook of newspaper clippings and similar items gives proof to how widespread the coverage was. As would be said today, it went viral! This proved to be a turning point in the history of the work. Henceforth opposition and harassment were more subtle and significantly toned down.
In 1956, the Assemblée chrétienne de Shawinigan occupied its newly-constructed Gospel Hall with living quarters for the Darlings on the upper floor. These early pioneers returned to Michigan in 1987 and two years later were replaced by Jean and Lillian Lépine who remained for eleven years. In 1999, the assembly acquired the Ecole Saint-Jude where it remains to the present time.
AKA
- Salle Evangelique Gospel Hall 1956-1962
- Assemblee Chretienne Gospel Hall 1963-1970
- Assemblee Chretienne 1971-1986
- Assemblee Evangelique 1987+
- Assemblee Chretienne +1989-2020+
Locations
- homes in Shawnigan Falls +1954-1955
- 1894 St. Laurent 1954-1999
- 1763 69th St. 2000-2020+
Correspondents
- Joseph Darling +1954-1987+
- Denis Legendre @ Grand'mere +1989-2003
- Guy Bourassa @ St. Boniface 2004-2008
- Gaetan Bellemare 2009-2020+
Alumni
Sources
- Walterick Publishing Assembly Address Books: 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, 2020
- News of Quebec
