3/23/14

North Lonsdale United Church, 1915 
131 East Kings Rd.
(REF 1.)

Posthumous
Bethel Methodist Church/North Lonsdale United Church
North Vancouver, B.C. Canada

The 1993 District Heritage Inventory, page 117 (REF 3.)-"1915-Secondary List-This plain and modest church is simply detailed in the Craftsman tradition, with triangular eave brackets, exposed rafter end, and pointed verge-boards. Originally the Bethel Methodist Church, which became part of the United Church of Canada, (1925), it has served Baptist congregations since 1953." 

"By 1915 a small church was built on East King Road, first called Bethel Methodist Church but the name was soon changed to North Lonsdale Methodist.

" A Sunday School was with Mr. E.T. Bailey as superintendent. At the time of organic union of the Presbyterian, Methodist and Congregational churches in 1925, this church became North Lonsdale United, its congregation augmented by those who transferred from St. Stephens Presbyterian. From 1914 to 1919, North Lonsdale was a joint pastoral charge with West Vancouver, from 1919 to 1934, with Lynn Valley, and from 1934 to 1957 with Capilano.

1930 Fire Insurance Map

131 East Kings Road (on south side of street)

"The King’s Road church was bare, with plain wooded chairs for the congregation and a little pump organ. There was a small kitchen at the rear with a stove on which the ladies prepared hearty congregational dinners. This room was used also for meetings, as a Sunday School classroom, and as a dressing-room at Christmas concert time. Until 1948 North Lonsdale Church, received financial assistance from the Board of Home Missions, but from that time it was self-supporting, the minister’s salary and expenses of the manse being shared with Capilano.

"By 1948 it became evident that the little church was no longer adequate, and in 1950 two lots were purchased at the corner of Lonsdale Ave. and Osborne Rd. A building which was to serve eventually as a Christian Education Centre, but was to be used as the church in the meantime, was erected largely by volunteer labour and was dedicated on December 13, 1953." (Link 1.)

1964-131 Kings Rd. became Kingscrest (Kings Road-REF 2.) Baptist Church with renters from First Baptist and One Spirit Mission Church-serving a Korean congregation. (REF.2) and since 2008, the WestCoast Baptist Association.  In 2014 the building was still owned by Kings Road Church.

For more information on WestCoast Baptist Association see Blog Post 5/18/14.
For more information on North Lonsdale United Church see Blog Post 1/23/11.
Link 1: Link 1:http://nluc.org/about-us/history-of-the-church/
Reference 1: The Story of North Lonsdale 1913 to 1990-The Church on the 
                           Hill  is available at the North Vancouver Archives.
Reference 2: 2014 e mail from Janet Campbell, Office Administrator,  
                          WestCoast Baptist Association.
Reference 3: 1993 District Heritage Inventory, North Vancouver.
Reference 4: 1930 Fire Insurance Map available at North Vancouver Archives.

Prayer

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