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Despite its nominally Christian majority, Montreal and the larger province of Quebec are among the most unreached regions of North America.
This makes it especially exciting that on Sunday, September 18, the180 Church had their official launch in Laval, QC.
Over 200 people and 60 kids attended the gathering, packing out the industrial warehouse in which they meet. The deputy mayor was invited onstage and gave an encouraging word as the gathering began, indicating his happiness at the presence of this new church within the community with the vision to love Jesus and love like Jesus. The gathering continued with singing, a short message from lead pastor Dom Ruso and then the crowd was dismissed outdoors to enjoy cotton candy, corn on the cob, a bouncy castle and facepainting.
The dream of the180 is to create a "a safe place to get honest about our wounds, a thoughtful place to process questions without shame, and a church family with whom to raise our own families in a complicated and changing world." All in all, this gathering signalled hope for the future that the church might just be a safe place for those on the outside, or those who have been disenchanted with church.
Listen to the launch sermon or check out the #my180 video project created by the180 to tell the stories of some people who are informing the kind of church they wish to be and become.
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During the summer of 2015, Dom, Bev and their three boys made their way back to Quebec with an undeniable sense of God's calling to plant a new church. After a time of discernment they found God confirming that they were to provide leadership to a new church family in the city of Laval, in the greater Montreal area which has since become the180 Church. You can learn more on their website, or support the180 Church here.