West End Christian Reformed Church Has a History…

On 4 May 1954, a small group of believers organized themselves as Jasper Place Christian Reformed Church and held their first worship services above a bowling alley not far from West End’s present location. In 1957, the congregation purchased a church building on 156th Street. Three years later, the group already outgrew that building and soon thereafter purchased what then was the St. Andrews United Church building across the street south of  West End’s present location. In 1963, the congregation changed its name to West End Christian Reformed Church. The congregation continued to flourish and by 1978 had again outgrown its facilities. A new congregation then was started from within the West End membership, and Covenant Christian Reformed Church was formed. By the mid-1980s, West End was bursting at the seams again. This time, however, rather than splitting the congregation again, plans were made to purchase the vacant land across the street and to build a new and larger facility there. In February 1991, the present building was dedicated to the Lord, with thankfulness and joy. Many of you will remember well the events of the time, begun nearly thirty years ago and completed more than twenty years ago. Others may be sufficiently interested to have a quick look and perhaps recognize themselves or some of the other people on the pictures, all at a younger stage in their lives.