Every Bit of Ink

Homeless church has Hollywood ending

New Home In Cinema; ‘We have the ability to be as loud as we want’

Cassandra Jowett, National Post
Published: Friday, March 27, 2009

Each Sunday, the Center of Hope International Church sounded more like a live concert than a worship service, rocking a newly renovated east-end Toronto warehouse with its love for God.

For about a year and a half, visitors worshiped at the church’s Eastern Avenue location to the tune of a full, plugged-in rock band.

But when a yoga studio opened next door last month, the evangelical church’s musical messages drowned out the yoga students’ quiet meditative oms. The studio’s owner complained about the noise and the building’s landlord decided to kick the church to the curb.

Sheila Cullen knew her Seven Seeds Studio was opening next door to a church, but she envisioned something a little quieter. It wasn’t until she was renovating the space in preparation for the move that she heard the power of the congregation’s prayers.

“They have a devotional practice that is very loud. It rocks the house,” she said. “It’s just not very relaxing for people who are coming here to do yoga,” which includes long periods of silent meditation.

The Center of Hope’s pastor Deon Malloy doesn’t perform, but his wife and fellow pastor, Melissa, sings in the band that leads the 40-member congregation at the Sunday morning services. “Our style of worship uses a lot of music and instruments,” Mr. Malloy said. “The style is different, but the message is the same.”

Although the building’s landlord spent thousands of dollars on soundproofing, it still wasn’t enough to dampen the group’s spirited songs, which would play through most of the day on Sundays.

Ms. Cullen said her studio teaches a few hundred students each month, and more than 50 on Sunday — the studio’s busiest day.

She asked the pastors to tone down the music and Mr. Malloy said they tried, but ultimately it wasn’t enough. The landlord terminated the church’s month-to-month rental agreement at the end of February and gave them 30 days to move out.

“I was desperate,” Mr. Malloy said. He and the other church leaders scoured the community for another space to hold their services. Even the church’s former home, St. John the Baptist Anglican church on Woodbine Avenue, offered up its basement in case a suitable space couldn’t be found in time.

Finally, Mr. Malloy approached the owners of the historic Fox Theatre about renting the theatre on Sundays.

Fox Theatre co-owner Andy Willick said the arrangement was a perfect fit, adding the church’s sound equipment will allow the theatre to further diversify the Fox’s programming, which already includes opera and ballet, to include concerts. “We don’t have anyone here on Sundays, so it makes a lot of sense for us.”

Although the parishioners can’t come and go as they please at the Fox — a staff member has to let them in and lock up behind them– the rent is cheap enough that they were able to acquire office space nearby on Beech Avenue.

The Malloys, who moved the church’s equipment into the new space on the weekend, say the conflict has been a blessing in disguise because holding their services in the 250-seat theatre is a better match for their modern, performance-style of worship.

“The size is ideal and we have the ability to be as loud as we want,” said Mr. Malloy.

The arts-oriented congregation also uses hip hop, drama and dance to share its message in an effort to appeal to youth who may feel alienated by more traditional church services, which have seen a steady decline in attendance in recent years. The Center of Hope’s congregation, by comparison, has quadrupled since its inception four years ago.

The Center of Hope will hold its first service at the Fox Theatre on Sunday, April 5, one week before Easter.