There will be feelings of both excitement and loss at the Sunday service on May 24 at 麻豆社国产United Church, according to Reverend Karen Millard.
The service will be the last for the congregation in its current sanctuary.
鈥淭here will be great excitement and celebration about the new beginning, but I think that there will be some grieving,鈥� said Millard. 鈥淭his congregation and the church has been here a long time.鈥�
The church donated its land and buildings at Fourth Avenue and Victoria Street to Sea to Sky Community Services for the Centrepoint development.
鈥淭his is a big deal for the church,鈥� Millard said, adding that 麻豆社国产United Church has been a part of 麻豆社国产since 1891.
鈥淚 mean there are folks in our congregation who built this with their bare hands.鈥�
For the congregation, the donation of the land was a way to fulfill the church鈥檚 mission, Millard said.
聽鈥淭his project really helps live out our mission of what church is called to be, caring for community.鈥�
The 麻豆社国产United Church congregation numbers about 100 families, Millard said, and on an average Sunday morning about 60 families worship.
There will be a new sanctuary for the church within the Centrepoint project, set to break ground this summer on the church鈥檚 current property.
Centrepoint will include various community rooms, a preschool, programming rooms for social services, 32 affordable housing rental units and office space.
Millard stressed that the church isn鈥檛 closing.
鈥溌槎股绻鶸nited Church will still be, we are just in transition,鈥� she said.
The church will assemble at St. John the Divine Anglican Church for the 18 to 24 months until Centrepoint is built.
As always, everyone is welcome to the May 24 service, Millard said.
鈥淲e just want to honour the gift that this church has offered to so many and celebrate and honour that as we also anticipate new beginnings and new dreams,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t is a loss of what was, and a hope of what is to come.鈥�
Anyone interested in attending the final service is asked to contact the church office in advance at 604-892-5727 or .
