Metropolitan Bible Church

The Metropolitan Bible Church, originally called the Metropolitan Tabernacle is a church located in Nepean, Ontario, Canada, at West Hunt Club Road & Prince of Wales Drive.History20th century: inception and growthThe Metropolitan Bible Church originally started meeting in the Metropolitan Tabernacle in Huckell's Hall in Higgerty's Shoe Store on Bank Street. That meeting turned into a first gathering of 80 people on September 13, 1931 at 453 Bank Street. The Bank street land was then purchased for $6,500. The church building was built similarly to a movie theatre, so that it could be used as such if the church became unsuccessful. However, the church attendance rapidly grew, to the point that the building needed to expand. For this reason, the adjacent Esso was demolished and relocated to the other side of Bank Street, allowing the church to expand its size. The main and second floors of the new building included adult classes as well as the library, nursery and office rooms. The newly built basement included rooms for child and youth ministry, a gymnasium and a kitchen, as well as an elevator designed exclusively for accessibility purposes.2000s: new building and relocationBy the new millennium, the church building was getting too small to accommodate its guests. For example, the Metropolitan Bible Church held services at Carleton University for additional guests. Additionally, the youth ministry's night services were relocated to nearby churches and/or schools because women were gathering at the Met during the same time. The need for additional space prompted the church to seek a new building that it would build debt-free, at a cost of $13.5 million, by using guests' general and earmarked donations. In June 2007, some volunteers started to help clear the eight acre piece of land for the new location. The new location was to be at Prince of Wales Drive & West Hunt Club Road. Up until the new church was built, church attendance was of 1,800 guests meeting in various buildings.