Phone +1 905-287-7000 | Founded 1985, Oakville, Canada | |
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Headquarters Oakville, Ontario, Canada Number of employees 33 full time (2006, CRA) Website www.themeetinghouse.com Address 2700 Bristol Cir, Oakville, ON L6H 6E1, Canada Type of business Nonprofit Religious Organization Similar Mary Mother of God Parish, St Andrew's Church, St Michael's Roman C, St Joseph's Ukrainian, St Matthews Roman C Profiles | ||
The Meeting House is a Canadian church located in the Toronto suburb of Oakville, Ontario. It was founded in 1985 by Craig and Laura Sider, and was originally known as "Upper Oaks Community Church". With a consistent average weekly attendance of 4,400, it is ranked by the Hartford Institute of Religion as fourth among large churches (sometimes called megachurches) in Canada. Teaching (sermons) produced on the church's main Oakville campus is either simulcast or sent out on a one-week delay to nineteen satellite Ontario satellite locations, most of which meet in cinemas.
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History
In 1985, Craig and Laura Sider moved to the west end Toronto suburb of Oakville, Ontario to start Upper Oaks Community Church. They were supported by the Brethren in Christ Canada.
In 1996, Craig and Laura accepted a leadership position with the Brethren in Christ in Pennsylvania. Bruxy Cavey became the Teaching Pastor and the church met at Iroquois Ridge High School. Shortly afterward, the church changed its name to "The Meeting House".
The Meeting House has grown and has attracted the attention of other Christian churches and the mainstream media.
In 2016 (and for the previous two years) the main Oakville location has an attendance of about 2,000 per Sunday. The attendance over all sites is about 5,100 people each Sunday morning.
Leadership
Bruxy Cavey is the Teaching Pastor. He is the author of the book The End of Religion. The Meeting House is a multi-site church, based in Oakville, Ontario with nineteen regional sites meeting mostly in cinemas. Each Site is led by a Lead Pastor with a team of Elders and part-time staff.
Teachings
The Meeting House teaching aligns with Anabaptist teachings. They emphasize a lifestyle of compassion, peace, simplicity, and the priority of community. The Meeting House has a particular emphasis on the irreligious nature of the teachings of Jesus. Their core beliefs are outlined in the Articles of Faith and Doctrine of their denomination.