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Leaders of The Meeting House, a Toronto space megachurch with a number of areas and as soon as one of many largest congregations in Canada, has shut down its public ministry, changing into a consortium of smaller congregations.
“It is with disappointment that we’re required to deliver the public-facing ministry of The Meeting House to an finish as of August 29,” in accordance with a press release posted on the church’s web site. “Going ahead, there’ll now not be church buildings working applications or doing ministry underneath the banner of The Meeting House.”
The church’s distant websites will probably be rebranded because the “BIC Church Collective,” a bunch of 9 congregations that share preaching in addition to back-office assist. Details of the brand new collective, which is a part of the Be In Christ denomination, had been scant.
“If you could have questions on what is going on at your native church in September or the longer-term imaginative and prescient in your location, please discuss to your native pastor,” the assertion on the web site of The Meeting House suggested. “They would like to have that dialog with you and work with you to construct the way forward for your native church collectively.”
The launch of the brand new collective comes as The Meeting House congregants proceed to reckon with the fallout from abuse allegations towards its former longtime pastor, Bruxy Cavey. In late 2021, Cavey was accused of sexual misconduct and resigned just a few months later. A church investigation later alleged that his conduct had been abusive. The Meeting House additionally disclosed that an investigation discovered 38 instances of reported misconduct involving 4 pastors on the church.
Though one of many prison expenses towards Cavey was stayed in July of this 12 months after a courtroom decided his proper to a speedy trial had been violated, The Meeting House’s legal responsibility insurer canceled its protection.
After shutting down its in-person conferences in June, The Meeting House started livestreaming new sermons in August, in accordance with The Walrus, a Canadian journal that has tracked The Meeting House scandal. Then, on Sept. 1, the church’s livestreaming operation was rebranded because the BIC Church Collective.
“This is Day One of our new id, this placeholder id, as we stroll in line with the Spirit into this new and considerably unknown future,” Jimmy Rushton, who had been a instructing pastor at The Meeting House, stated in introducing the streamed service.
Jen McWilliams, now pastor of the East Toronto BIC, and several other different pastors listed on the BIC Church Collective web site didn’t reply to electronic mail requests for remark.
“While we’re unhappy to see the ending of the ministry of The Meeting House, we’re dedicated as a denominational household to persevering with God’s work on the earth each by way of the institution of recent BIC church buildings and the influence of present BIC congregations,” stated Charles Mashinter, govt director of Be In Christ Church of Canada, in an electronic mail.
Mashinter stated that the brand new BIC Church Collective was not a “rebranding of the Meeting House and that the denomination is all the time working with teams that share their convictions “to see what new congregations would possibly emerge.”
“Currently we’re doing this with folks in a number of former Meeting House areas, and exploring how they could work collectively in a collective ministry mannequin,” he stated.
The Meeting House will proceed to gather donations to assist the brand new BIC Church Collective, in accordance with the church’s web site.
“The Meeting House continues to function as a charity and supply tax receipts for all donations,” the web site learn. “Your giving supplies helpful monetary assist for brand spanking new native church communities being established throughout Ontario by way of the BIC Church Collective.”
In his 25 years of management, Cavey had grown The Meeting House, which was based as Upper Oaks Community Church, right into a congregation of greater than 5,000 conferences in 19 satellite tv for pc campuses and greater than 200 house teams, in accordance with The Walrus.
Cavey has admitted what he known as ethical failings however has denied committing any crime. “I do not imagine I failed legally,” he stated in July after one of many expenses towards him was stayed.
The Meeting House nonetheless faces authorized troubles regardless of the top of its public ministries. The church is dealing with a number of lawsuits filed within the wake of the abuse allegations.
© Religion News Service
