The Air Up There

[Eric]

I have run across some stats I received because I am on an email list that consists of people from all three streams of the RM in Canada.

"Claude Cox, editor of "The Campbell-Stone Movement in Ontario:  Christian Church (Disciples of Christ, Churches of Christ, Independent Christian Churches / Churches of Christ,"  Edwin Mellen Press, 1995, is writing the Ontario section of the article on the RM in Canada for the forthcoming Stone-Campbell Encyclopedia.  To that end, he asked me for estimates of attendance at Independent and Disciples congregations in Ontario.  After some phone calls, I reported the following:

The attendance is the FIRST figure on each line with the membership figure following in brackets:

1.  Churchill Meadows Christian Church, Mississauga -- 250 (50)
2.  Church of Christ (Christian Chapel), Selkirk -- 200 (390)
3.  Grand Valley Church of Christ -- 17 (10)
3.  Keele Street Christian Church, Toronto -- 150 (250)
4.  Kingsway Christian Church, Ottawa -- 40 (75)
5.  Mountainview Christian Church, Hamilton -- 40 (60)
6.  North York Church of Christ, Toronto -- 40 (50)
8.  Welland Church of Christ, Welland -- 15 (?)
9.  West Lake Church of Christ -- 62 (95)
10. Westway Christian Church, Toronto -- 75 (150)

Estimated Independent attendance:  889
Estimated Independent membership:  1095.

For the numbers below, I consulted with a knowledgeable Disciple.

The Disciples congregations in Ontario include:
1.  Church of Christ (Disciples), West Lorne -- 25 (30)
2.  Chalice Christian Church, Mississauga -- 37 (55)
3.  First Church of Christ, London -- 65 (75)
4.  Guelph Christian Church -- 50 (60)
5.  Hillcrest Christian Church, Toronto -- 75 (150)
6.  Hillsburgh Christian Church -- 40 (100)
7.  Iglesia Cristiana, Toronto -- 25 (60)
8.  Mapleton Church of Christ, Aylmer -- 70 (157)
10.  Ridgetown Christian Church -- 50 (65)
11.  St. Thomas Christian Church --  25 (102)
12.  Windmill Point Church of Christ -- 50 (100)
13.  Winger Church of Christ, Wainfleet -- 90 (155)

Estimated Disciples attendance:  602
Estimated Disciples membership:  1109

In a few instances, I was unable to get a direct response or more informed estimate.  Feel free to correct. Russ Kuykendall"

There are some interesting things happening here.  In the West there is the Western Canadian Christian Convention (similar to a meeting in the States) and it has consistently drawn people from all three groups.  This year is the first year it will be outside of Alberta (an experiment).  It will be at Regina, SK where the CofC has already been trying to cross those kinds of lines with their own annual meetings.

Eric

[janine]

It's interesting to hear about Christians in Canada.  My sister goes up there periodically because of her work preserving Cajun culture.  She ends up in Nova Scotia often, and a Quebecois (sp?) documentary film crew came down here & followed her around this past summer.

[janine]

Yeah, they were 'Francophone' alright, Quebecois fer sure, right down to the raging torrent of French cursing around Mamman Rita's kitchen table when the Diva and the Director threw down.

What's the deal with the churchy cursing?  ("Tabernacle!  You chalice, you!")

[Eric]

I was asked since I keep defining my experiece through a Canadian lens, to say something about the Restoration Movement in Canada.  Since I know that there are others on this list from Canada I hope that they too will speak up and share their experience.

I know that within the acapella CofC there is usually one church per major city in Canada, with a few exceptions.  The two most populace areas (southern Ontario and the West Coast are).  The praries (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, & a little of Alberta) are what I know the most of so that is where most of my talking comes from.  I know that Alberta has a lot of CC/CofC especially with Alberta Bible College being there, but the group is almost nonexistant in Saskatchewan (there is a fairly new church plant in Saskatoon - aided in some aspects by the acapella group there).  

I think that there is a DOC group in Regina that goes by the name Christian Church.  

In many small towns and small cities there are acapella Churches of Christ (Prince Albert, Perryville, Moose Jaw, Estevan, Weyburn, Swift Current, North Battleford, and others).  However many of these are very small (not all).

Any thing else?

Eric

[Bon Voyage]

I live in a border town, eh.  I think there are a few across the river.

[Eric]

Since you asked, Quebec is the province but Quebecois is a french way of referencing the people of the province (specifically the french speaking people), it is like saying a Nova Scotian.  You caught and used the tougher of the words, good job.

From my knowledge of the real east of Canada, the RM there is far more influenced from Great Britain than from the US.  The CofC in Calgary was orginally started by Easterners who moved to Calgary and so it had a very different flavor for a long time than USA flavor of the RM.  Since this is what I heard, I can't tell you exactly what that is, but the unique flavor is no longer there.  As far as the different groups go, I here more about CC/CofC than about CofC in the east, and though I know nothing about the DofC in the east I suspect that there would be some good websites that would have that kind of information like Disciples Alive!--A new voice in the Christia...

I am not sure what kind of listing there are on the webpage, but I have found interesting article there.  You may find links to Canadian webpages.
Eric

[WileyClarkson]

I posted some of this info to the Gamble article discussion originally but it seems that this is a really good place to put it also.

Followers of Christ (a church of Christ) Brantford, Ontario, about 60 miles southwest of Toronto.   They have been involved in some very interesting activities with the help of the city they are in.  They are a grace centered, outreach oriented church which puts them at odds with most of the CoC's in the extended area from what I've been told by Rick and Susan.  I don't know what the membership is, but then I haven't really asked.