Wednesday Bible Study - Bi-Weekly - Please Call To Confirm - 613-933-1825

BATHROOMS

We started here in the basement at 1702 Dover Road, Cornwall in 1990. Stayed for about ten years until some felt we needed to move. Certainly dedicated classroom space was also more desirable. Besides Lord's Day services and mid-week studies; weddings, memorial services and many other fellowship activities took place here, not to mention outdoor BBQ's and pot lucks. Many fond memories indeed... It felt like a wonderful thing to dedicate a portion of our home to the Lord, considering He provided it all anyway. I've been in some pretty large extravagant 'mansions' owned by Christians, but whether lavish or humble have often wondered why believers have never made it a custom to consider dedicating a part of the home that God gave them, to a prayer or chapel room. Perhaps they were choosing to go up on their roofs or use an upper room three times a day to pray instead. Seems God so often gets our leftovers or our priority list gets filled up first and fast before we even begin to calculate what's leftover for God.  

In addition to everything, once we opened up our home to 'public worship' we were taxed commercially proportionate to the space used for religious purposes. A representative from the local assessment authority, informed that we were going to be charged a commercial rate. Then we could seek re-imbursement. Yet, every time I called 'bureaucracyland', nobody knew what this 're-imbursement was about. Go figure. What really started unravelling the roll of red tape was a neighbor complaining about our parking on the street (anywhere from 1-3 extra cars} for two hours once a week. We were a small group and our driveway held four vehicles, including our own. All a bit of irony as neighborhood household parties, BBQ's and yard sales put far more vehicles on the street, more often and for more duration, often double parked. Nevertheless, the city stepped in and while they finally admitted we could use our home legally for religious purposes, we would now have to conform to any and all codes applicable to the public use of a facility, including the minimum number parking spaces required. Oddly, our 'religious presence' was even acknowledged by city council via a regular meeting with a resolution contained in 'the minutes', on the 'books' for the record, that we were all present and accounted for 'in doing just what we were doing and doing so for ten years no less.' That's our tax dollars at work. Thank you Caesar!

RENOVATIONS - HOME

Then this opportunity came along. A building centrally located with main hall upstairs measuring 30 x 50 feet. Bathrooms downstairs, with an office kitchen, large open area and two classrooms. The first drawback was parking or lack of it. 'As is', the driveway was only good for a couple of cars. However the city told us we could park on the street as the times of our set meetings did not conflict with street parking restrictions.

To be sure it was a 'fixer upper' but the price was right and we would be able to fix'r up as we went and could afford. We definitely needed assistance and after 'thought and prayer' we decided to go for it. We had been bouncing around quite enough and if the Lord wanted us to have it- we decided to let Him decide. The Lord answered and the assistance came...

​Many in the brotherhood from individuals to congregations sent amazing support and encouragement.

The father of one of our members held a private loan for us.

We were able to come up with a fair bit amongst ourselves.

​It  appears the Lord decided we should have this building. In spite of a Building Inspection it would turn out to be a blessing, a challenge and a learning experience to say the least. To see the 'fixes' needed check out 'Renovations 'R Us'.

CLASSROOM

Then came word that we might be able to rent the Cornwall Seaway Lion's Club facility, and we did.

We had used it once before when the Great Lakes Christian Chorus came to Cornwall. It had bathrooms upstairs and downstairs as well as a kitchen. Plenty of open space downstairs. The main hall upstairs could seat 150 people. A driveway which circled the building for easy access and exiting, good yard space and ample parking. After meeting there for a while a Lion's club member mentioned to us that the club wanted to sell the building. He even said, his preference would be to sell the building to us.

We put in an offer, only to find out after the fact, it had been held back while the realtor from the real estate company handling the sale, sold it to another realtor with the same company. Oddly enough we were being represented by an agent from the same outfit. Did somebody say 'unethical and conflict of interest' in the same breath? 'Skull duggery' to be sure but apparently the only avenue on this one was to sue in civil court.

Not being in the 'lawsuit' business we moved on. 

OFFICE

CALL

​TO CONFIRM

MAIN WORSHIP AREA

FOYER

STAIRWELL

Thank you​

In the Lord, to one and all who have helped us get to where we are. A very special thanks for your faith and prayers which can move mountains, people and most importantly hearts and souls. With many of you having already bestowed your faith and encouragement upon us, is both our privilege and an endearing matter of trust to update, share and salute you, in our prayers, for your prayers, and acknowledgement of our aspirations. We are pleased to offer an update and vision as to making our building more presentable and functional.

As always- Lord willing and keeping in mind: Acts 7:48 ... the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands... God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being. Acts 17:24-28... Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 1 Corinthians 3:16-17... Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

We humbly, prayerfully press forward and upward with conviction and a vision. Your prayers are an investment in our walk of faith and your own.

We decided to rent a room at the Kinsmen Center.

I believe it cost $50.00 a week to rent for Sunday assembly. The room was upstairs and there was a gym and kitchen at our disposal for potlucks and fellowship activities. The stairs were a bit of a draw back but limited parking in the rear was available.

The room was typical classroom size. In fact, back in the day it was a YMCA facility. In 1964 it had even been used in part as a 'high school' for 120 grade nine students until a formal new high school under construction (General Vanier Secondary School - GVSS) was completed. What an irony! I was one of those 120 students. Our day usually consisted of seven to nine 35 minutes classes daily, starting around 8:20 am and ending at 1:20 pm.

All in all, things seemed okay until we had to find a new location as the Center was being closed and converted into a condominium. For that matter, GVSS after being shared with the Catholic School Board, the Public Board of Education was forced to hand it over to the Catholic Board by the province. Revamped in name and identity - GVSS became SJSS (St. Joseph's Secondary School and is 'no more' than a wisp of history which appeared for a little while and then vanished.

Again, this is 'us' today. To repeat, the 'this is us' as in a 'building', is not who we are, but where we are today, 'make-overs' and all. Christ's one church is not a physical building, although the so-called Christian world in general plays it out that way. Christ was born in a manger. This is ours.Thank you Lord for blessing us as you have in every way- truth, trial and/or tribulation: it may not be all happiness but it is all joy (James 1:2-4). We as believers, are the one church that Jesus built. We meet at 103 Third St West, Cornwall. 'Who' we are, have all had spiritual 'makeovers' in our lives. As for 'where' we are and building makeovers: New roof, new eavestroughs, new weeping tile, new windows, new sign on building, new furnace and HW tank, new flooring downstairs, paved parking, and new CRA registered business and operating names (previously church of Christ at Dover) now Church of Christ - Cornwall. We even have an agreement with Big Brothers-Big Sisters next door for shared parking. We are 'open' when they are 'closed' and vice-versa. With their old fence removed and our driveway cleaned up and paved, works out just fine.

​

And, if you think the building has undergone some changes, you should see what Jesus has done in our lives, can do in your life. Talk about make-overs!

One thing that hasn't changed, been altered or modified in any way, shape or form- walking the same old principled pattern, worshipping in spirit and in truth, according the the Way, the Truth and the Light. The path of 'thus says the Lord' based upon a better covenent enacted on better promises (Hebrews 8:5).

New roof, attic insulation, windows, signage, weeping tile, drywell, sump pump, furnace, eaves troughs, bathroom toilets, vanity, basement tiling, front steps makeover, paved driveway

To say we were scrambling again would be a bit of an understatement. The school board gave us no notice regarding vacating the facility. It morphed from a 'come as you are' party to a 'go as you are' parting.

The only available affordable place that would take us was 'Murphy's Inn'. We were able to rent a banquet room for $50.00 a week for Sunday service. They would set up the chairs for us and were pretty good at that except for a few occasions when the attendants forgot. We soon learned that Murphy's was notorious, at least with us, for overbooking/double-booking the room, at times conflicting with our study/service slot. Seems they charged us $50.00 per use because we committed to being regular 'patrons'. However, when a group wanted same time slot and were willing to pay regular fare, it was 'book 'em Dano' (Hawaii Five-O and Jack Lord). On one occasion in the middle of our service, we had to pull up stakes and move to a much, much larger hall which we couldn't begin to set up to our needs, as it was also already booked and set up for another much larger group for their needs.

After repeated similar disruptions and we decided to go back tome 'home' gatherings, alternating between member's homes. Murphy's Inn thereafter, mostly because of poor and mismanagement became a facility nobody wanted to use except as a last resort. It even closed for a while.

Probably should have changed their name from Murphy's Inn to 'Murphy's Law' Inn.

Building and property as purchased in 2009

Ideal downtown location - residential plus numerous apartment buildings

It was a bit of a scramble to find a place but a number of us played floor hockey at Gladstone Elementary Public School. After a few inquiries Gladstone's principal said we were welcome to use the gym for our Sunday services. The principal figured, it was paid for by tax payers thus taxpayers should be allowed to use it. As individuals we were all taxpayers. That was reasoning and bureaucracy at its best, which usually happens when 'all' is kept in its simplest form. Loosely translated, 'How can I help you? That's why I'm here'.

There were some ups and downs to be sure.

Each meeting we had to set up chairs and arrange the gym to suit our needs, then put everything back again.

Over our first winter at the school it was customary for them to turn the heat down for weekends and often Sundays we kept our winter coats on. Other times during 'gym maintenance' like waxing the floor, the gym wasn't available to us. Usually we would find that out once we got there for service as it wasn't their policy to call or forewarn.

That said we were just happy to be somewhere. The school wasn't charging us anything. However, when we found out the school was looking for donations to update its sports equipment, our small group donated $600.00. Oddly, enough, that had to go through the school board bureaucracy. When it came to the school board's attention that we were 'there', we were promptly booted out. No reasons given, no warning, no grace period. Yes, they kept the cheque.

Not that we were not asking or looking for it back. We weren't giving it to the board, so-to-speak. We were thinking of the kids. 

Welcome...to the only church that Jesus built!

Matthew 16:18-19

the churches of Christ Salute You   ​Romans 16:16