User:Josh3580/sandbox/Sunnyside Wesleyan Church

Sunnyside Wesleyan Church is a multi-site Christian church founded in 1921 to serve Ottawa’s Old Ottawa South neighbourhood in Canada’s capital. In 2010, the church expanded by adding a Downtown site, which serves Centretown and Sandy Hill, making it among the first churches to become multi-site in Ottawa. . Sunnyside is a part of the Wesleyan Church and part of the Central Canada District of the Wesleyan Church. Sunnyside’s original Grosvenor Avenue site is located near Carleton University and the new Downtown site holds services on the University of Ottawa campus. The current lead pastor is Pastor Brent Russett, who was first called to the position in 1990. History In the early 1900s, the Ottawa neighbourhood now known as Old Ottawa South looked very different than it does today. A news report in the Ottawa Free Press from 1913 said, “In 1909 there were few persons in Ottawa with either sufficient courage or optimism to buy land in Ottawa South.” Within a few short years, however, the promise of an electric railway in the area had lured many people to Old Ottawa South. Housing prices had begun to spike, elementary schools – such as Hopewell School – were built, and the Bank Street Bridge was put in place. As the infrastructure came, so did the people. It was into this time of growth and change that a missionary came to Ottawa in 1916 with a goal of establishing a church, and rented a building located at 58 Grosvenor Ave. – the modern day site of the current Sunnyside Wesleyan Church. Rev. J.R. Pit was pastor of this congregation until 1920, when he was replaced by Rev. A.J. Shea. Rev. Shea was the father of George Beverly Shea, a Canadian-born American gospel singer and hymn composer. The younger Shea’s career is also tied to the history of the church; Shea became a Christian again at age 18 during a service at (what was at the time) Sunnyside Wesleyan Methodist Church and went on to enjoy a lengthy career as “the first international singing 'star' of the gospel world”. During Rev. Shea’s time at the church, a series of meetings were held over 1920 and 1921 to help plan the next step for this group of believers. Finally, Sunnyside Wesleyan Church made its official debut in November 1921. Seven years later, in 1928, that site at 58 Grosvenor officially became property of the church as it was purchased for $6,250. The church was led by Rev. W.E. Hamilton from 1929 to 1934, when Rev. J.A. Bain took over until 1939. Rev. S.W. Blanchard took the church threw the war years until 1945. The church saw continued growth for the next several years, and in 1942 the excavation began on a parsonage which is still standing to this day. Some 15 years later, in 1957, the current church was constructed and it was dedicated that November. Rev. Mervyn Summers led the church for nearly two decades from 1960 to 1979. During his tenure, the church retired its mortgage in 1962 and the growing children’s ministry took over the church parsonage for use as Sunday School rooms in 1969. Between 1979 to 1984, Rev. James A. Blain and Rev. Murray McKnight were at the helm of the church. In 1985, Rev. Ray Erikson was called to Sunnyside and established the foundations for a ministry to university students. Jody Cross and Dale Shaw were hired to carry out this mission. Jody Cross is known for his award-winning worship albums. In 1990, the church called Rev. Brent Russett, who remains the church’s lead pastor today. During his time leading the church, the ministry to university students has grown, attracting students from nearby Carleton University, Algonquin College and the University of Ottawa. The student ministry led to a thriving children’s ministry as people stayed in the congregation after graduating, marrying and having children of their own. In 1999, the church began offering two services on Sunday morning to address capacity issues. In 2006, Sunnyside commissioned 53 people from its congregation to rebuild the Wesleyan ministry at Highland Park. In 2007, the church renovated its building at 58 Grosvenor, expanding the foyer and nursery, adding more meeting space and installing a lift for the mobility impaired. In 2010, the church grew again with a Downtown site located in space rented from the University of Ottawa. Under the leadership of Rev. Kerry Kronberg, a core group of congregation members launched the Downtown site at 10 a.m. on Easter Sunday, March 28, 2010 in Alumni Auditorium in the Jock Turcot Building of the university. The church’s primary audience includes the people of Centretown and Sandy Hill, as well as university students. Since late 2011, the site pastor for the Downtown church has been Rev. Matthew Laker. Beliefs Sunnyside Wesleyan Church’s mission is to be a community of people who: •	encounter the love of God the Father •	enter entirely into the character of Jesus Christ, and •	engage the world in the power of the Holy Spirit.

As a branch of Christianity, Sunnyside adheres to the belief that a person can have a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ, that a person is connected relationally with the body of Christ, and that a person is following Jesus’ mission by living a life of justice and mercy, and by personally articulating the gospel. In addition, Sunnyside is centred around six key principles of the Wesleyan doctrine, including: 1.	The Bible is inspired by God and is authoritative in all matters of faith and conduct. 2.	There is one God who exists in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 3.	 Jesus Christ is God; we affirm His virgin birth, sinless humanity, and His divine miracles. We also affirm His atoning death, bodily resurrection, and ascension. He continues to mediate for us and He will come again. 4.	Humanity is spiritually dead because of sin. Our only hope is the merits of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Salvation is a free gift of God, received by faith, accompanied by repentance. The Holy Spirit applies Christ’s work to our lives, giving us spiritual life. 5.	The Holy Spirit empowers believers to live holy lives that positively affect those around us. 6.	The Church is made up of all people in whom Christ dwells. Further, followers of the Wesleyan doctrine believe that truth is understood and identified by going through scripture, tradition, reason, and experience. This is known as the Wesleyan Quadrilateral.

Finally, Sunnyside adheres to several key principles including:

1.	We do what we do for the kingdom of God and we hope that our church benefits. 2.	Sunnyside is a grace-based church. Grace permeates all that we do. 3.	We desire the presence of God in our lives and in our community. 4.	Organizational structure serves the life of the church, not the other way around. 5.	We will serve the neighbourhoods where we are located.

More information about the church can be found at www.sunnysidechurch.ca.