CHILLIWACK, B.C.
The newest MB church in Chilliwack, B.C., formerly known has Promontory Community Church, has been forced to reinvent itself. Just over two years ago, Promontory purchased the downtown Chilliwack Liquidation World building as a second campus to house the growing congregation.
At the end of 2013, the church announced expansion plans for their new building as part of a new lease arrangement with the store which had stayed on as a tenant.
Then, the lease evaporated just prior to signing, when U.S.-based Big Lots announced closure of all of its Canadian Liquidation World and Big Lots outlets as of spring 2014.
The decision blindsided the rebranded Promontory Ministries and Liquidation World’s Chilliwack’s management. The loss of rental income means a significant subsidy to underwrite the costs of the original Hillside campus is gone. Hillside services took place in the local community school in the Promontory neighbourhood.
Lead pastor Shawn Vandop says church leadership anguished for a long time but concluded they must make a fiscally responsible decision and merge the Hillside service with the downtown Main Street Church location. The move was announced Mar. 2, 2014, and took effect the following Sunday.
Meanwhile, a bold plan, already funded by members, to expand church facilities in the store site will proceed.
—Barrie McMaster, B.C. correspondent
Trace the trajectory of Promontory’s expansion:
Promontory goes downtown
