Sutheroand Church

                                                                                                                 January 26, 2014

630 East 19th Street

Sutherland Church
North Vancouver, B.C. Canada

"Sutherland Church is a multi-generational, community church.  The heritage of the church is from the Plymouth Brethren tradition and the congregation is made up of people from a large number of denominational backgrounds." (Link 1.)

The origin of  Sutherland Church was in the Hollyburn Gospel Chapel in West Vancouver, B.C..  However, the members of the Hollyburn Gospel Chapel that lived in North Vancouver, the city to the east of West Vancouver, decided that they wanted a church in their own area.  

The property was bought from the City of North Vancouver in 1967.  The lot on the north-west corner of East 19th Street and Sutherland Avenue was a swamp and needed to be built up before construction of a church could begin.

After a very successful Vacation Bible School at Queensbury Elementary School, North Vancouver in the summer of 1968. The congregation continued Sunday worship services in the cafeteria at Sutherland Secondary School on 19th St. and Sutherland Avenue.

Actual construction of the church building was started and completed in 1970. The first part to be built was the foyer and lounge.  An auditorium was added in 1974.  The church at this time was called Sutherland Bible Chapel.

"The ministry of the church was carried out in the tradition of the "Christian Brethren" in that there was no paid or full time ministry staff.  Rather, the Elders and others voluntarily took an active and visible part in leadership,counselling, visitation, preaching, teaching music and other spiritual ministries,...  in the early 1980's the Elders decided that because of the practicalities of the times, a full time Pastor would be a good idea." (REF.)

This 1970's church was demolished in 1995, the 25th anniversary of the church. The new church was built with its entrance of a bank of broad steps on East 19th Street. "Shortly after moving into our new building our fellowship's name was changed to the present 'Sutherland Church' ". (REF.) 

Sanctuary/Auditorium

The new church sanctuary/auditorium has a balcony and a foyer.  There are numerous meeting room, an office, and an active daycare area.

"Today there are still remnants of the twelve families that formed the nucleus of our original church..."  In the 1980's the Brethren heritage was blended with that of the Baptist Church.  Since 1992 Youth Pastors have also been hired to work with the children of the church. (REF.)

Banner made by the children

For more information on Sutherland Church see Blog Post 1/19/14.

Thank you: To church secretary Sharon La Lau, Youth Minister Keith Williams
                 and congregation member Bill Gillmartin for information on the 
                 church.
Reference: "History of Sutherland Church, 8/2013"  from Bill Gillmartin.
Photos: Photos taken in 2013 by SW. 
                 Top photo taken in year 2000 by SW for Project Your 
                 House/Our Home on file at the North Vancouver Archives.
Link 1: http://sutherlandchurch.ca/
Link 2: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plymouth_Brethren

Prayer

God, be with the persecuted Christians through out the world. Amen (SW.)