Assemblée chrétienne de Shawinigan, QC
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[edit] Address/Contact
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Street
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[edit] Links
[edit] History
The Assemblée chrétienne de Shawinigan in Shawinigan Falls, 20 miles north of Cap-de-la-Madeleine was established as an outgrowth of the Cap assembly. Mr. and Mrs. Paul Boèda began the work in 1949, followed soon by Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Darling. The Shawinigan assembly began about 1950. Almost immediately these Christians came under persecution, for when 10 fellow-believers from the nearby Three Rivers/Cap-de-la-Madeleine area joined them for a meeting, a mob attacked and greatly damaged the building they were in. For a long time the assembly was unable to get a meeting place, so they met first in a rented basement and then in the Darling’s kitchen. In 1954, Mr. Darling obtained permission to build a chapel at 1894 St. Laurent Street. Persecution continued from neighbors objecting to their presence and by physical damage to the building. Gradually the tension abated, but many years passed before any neighbors began attending the fellowship or any were saved.
Among the first saved in Shawinigan were Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Legendre. Mr. Legendre became
a forcefu1 speaker. Mr. Beaulieu, a barber, was saved at the time of Mr. Legendre's untimely death. His shop became a place where the Gospel was promoted. Arthur Legendre’s son Denis later became an elder, shouldering most of the responsibility in the assembly. Other leaders in the early period were Emile Ricard, Jules Juneau, Antoine Beaulieu, and René Bellemare. Gospel meetings with John Spreeman, Noah Gratton, and Vincent Davey were held in the early days.
The Darlings continued as full_time workers at Assemblée chrétienne de Shawinigan through 1986. Since 1988, Jean and Liliane Lépine have served full time at the assembly. Guy Bourassa serves as an elder along with Denis Legendre and Jean Lépine. The assembly currently sponsors an annual youth conference, attracting nearly 300 young people. About 170 adults and youngsters attend Assemblée chrétienne de Shawinigan today.
[edit] Also See
Assemblée chrétienne Source de Vie, Lennoxville, QC
Assemblée chrétienne de Cap-de-la-Madeleine, QC
Assemblée chrétienne de Trois-Rivières-Ouest, QC
Assemblée chrétienne de Grand’mère, QC
Assemblée chrétienne de Shawinigan, QC
Assemblée chrétienne de La Tuque, QC
Assemblée chrétienne de Drummondville, QC
[edit] Author
Dan H. Smith, Ed.D. President, Emmaus Bible College
[edit] Resources
Looking Backward, Pressing Forward: A Brief History of the Montreal Assemblies of Christians known as brethren, 1860s-1993 by George H. Dixon.
30th Anniversary of God's Faithfulness to Huntingville Community Church, 1955 _ 1985.
Sorel - Dedication of a New Chapel, 1996
Portfolio of Huntingville Community Church, undated
News of Quebec, vol. 41, #1, spring 1986; vol. 41, #2, summer 1986; vol. 41, #3, fall 1986; vol. 42, #1, spring 1987; vol. 42, #2, summer 1987; vol. 44, #2, summer 1989; vol. 44, #3, fall 1989.
Letters of Interest, June 1945, p. 13; September 1946, p. 33; June 1948, p. 19; May 1950, p. 17; October 1955, p. 14; November 1955, p. 7; January 1958, p. 3; June 1962, p. 21; July/August September 1963, p. 8; April 1971, p. 16; September 1973, p. 6; January 1985, p. 8.
[edit] Ending Note
There about two dozen additional present-day assemblies of French-speaking believers in Quebec for which the necessary historical information is lacking
