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''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. T<span style="font-size: 0.939em;">he first province-wide conference for all francophone assemblies was held here in September 1949. Seated in the front row of a an outdoor portrait of those in attendance can be seen most of the Lord’s servants labouring in Québec Quebec at that time.</span>
<span style="font-size: 0.939em;">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.</span>
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 However, 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 assembly, 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 several 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, originally purchased in the late 1940s.
==AKA==
* ECS Ministries (Emmaus International) Assembly Address Books: 2009-2010, 2013-2014, 2016, 2018, 202
* News of Quebec
* ''25ième Anniversaire 1947-1972 : Assemblée Chrétienne du Cap de la Madeleine''
* [http://www.ancestry.com Ancestry.com]