Victoria Drive Gospel Hall, Vancouver, BC

From BrethrenPedia

[edit] History

At least twenty of the Seymour Street Assembly had settled in the Cedar Cottage district south of Vancouver, an area then having no convenient transportation to Seymour Street Assembly. Prayer meetings, Bible Readings, and a Sunday School were established by the believers living there in the early years of the first decade of the twentieth century.

The brethren at Seymour Street were praying about the formation of a new assembly in the Cedar Cottage district since about 200 were in fellowship at Seymour at that time. James Rae offered the use of a lot he owned on Kingsway (then called Westminster Road), and Thomas Miller built a Gospel Hall there in 1909. This became known as the Cedar Cottage Assembly, which had about 26 in fellowship at its beginning. These included Charles Hillman, Thomas Miller, John Burr, Horace Oliver, James McConnell Sr., Matthew Mawhinney, and their families. Many others came to live in the area in the next few years and joined the fellowship, including Charles Summers and Frank Goff and their families.

Hundreds of children began attending the Sunday School at the Gospel Hall even in its first year, and an addition was soon built to accommodate them. One class met in the home of Frank Goff. In the next few years, Sunday Schools were held in other homes and in rented stores.

A portable wooden tent was constructed in 1911 and used for evangelism by David Scott, J. J. Rouse, and others for many years, with many persons saved.

In 1912, a larger Hall was built nearby on Welwyn Street for the Cedar Cottage Assembly. Also in that year, the assembly commended C. S. Summers to full time service for the Lord. From 1913 on, the assembly has held conferences almost yearly at Thanksgiving time. Street meetings were a feature of the assembly. A ‘Gospel Car’ was used to carry the Gospel to different parts.

Elders in the early years at Cedar Cottage Assembly included John Burr, John Bell, George Vout, Frank Willox, John Dennis, John Morgan Sr., Alex Bryson, and Frank Goff. Many others have served in leadership since that time. In 1931, the assembly commended Hector Alves to full time service for the Lord.

The Cedar Cottage Assembly was active after World War II, having about 175 in fellowship then. It had a thriving Sunday school work about two miles north at First and Nanaimo in a prefabricated building. In 1957, the assembly built and occupied the new Victoria Drive Gospel Hall a few blocks away.