What God has Done
A Brief History of Bethel Church
On May 21, 1874 a meeting was held to organize a new mission church on the fringes of the growing community of Kingston. Bethel Congregational Church of Kingston, located at 314 Johnson St. was the result of that vision. Who in that group could have looked ahead through the years and imagined God’s blessing? How we praise God for those with vision 135 years ago!
As a congregation we are proud of our heritage of ministry to downtown Kingston. Some formal highlights include:
- 1874 — Organizational meeting to plant a church on the current site
- 1884 — completion of addition housing current International Room
- 1925 — independence following the joining of other Congregational Churches into the United Church of Canada
- 1949 — affiliation with Associated Gospel Churches of Canada, which continues today
- 1961 — construction of addition housing the Old Gym
- 1978 — completion of balcony
- 1984 — completion of front foyer and offices
- 1986 — purchase of 318 Johnson
- 1999 — Build ’99 Facility Development
- 2004 — West Wing completed (Gym/Auditorium, new classrooms and connecting space for all)
- 2006 — Café Church, “daughter church” of Bethel is approved by the congregation and begins ministry at the Wellingston Street Theatre
- 2007 — Conversion of houses at 318 and 324 Johnson to Bethel House Ministry, in partnership with Salvation Army Harbour Light Centre for men leaving the addictions treatment program.
- 2008 — New Senior Pastor Mark Kotchapaw comes on board on August 1st.
- 2009 — New Director of Family Ministries Jamie Stinson starts, on May 1st.
- 2009 — Café Church moves to her own location on Ontario Street in downtown Kingston.
Through the years Bethel Church has been a welcoming family for all different kinds of people. The effects of ministry in the lives of people touched by the Gospel, are innumerable. Proximity to Queen’s University has provided a natural ministry focus with students. A strong tradition of involvement in worldwide mission has also developed through the years.
Pastoral/Teaching Staff
Mark Kotchapaw
Senior Pastor
markkotchapaw@gmail.com
The Kotchapaw household is slowly beginning to scatter as our kids grow up and pursue higher education. Our daughter Lyndsey is out in Calgary attending university. Landon our middle son, is pursuing a degree in sound engineering in London, Ontario and Taylor, our youngest, is finishing up grade 12 here in Kingston. He is entering into the process of figuring out where to go to school next year and what career to pursue.
Rhonda (my wife) and I are loving this stage of parenting. While it is painful to see our kids move on we realise that it is necessary and healthy in their continued development. Rhonda is busy with a full-time job and various ministry commitments at Bethel. And we both have interests that help keep us balanced and healthy – we both enjoy reading, exercising, and spending time by the quiet lake when time permits. My wife is also into making homemade soaps and creams. I use them but have no interest in adding that to my list of hobbies!
We are loving Kingston and the diversity that we find here. The close proximity to everything is awesome and makes checking off “to do” lists a lot easier than when we lived over in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Rhonda and I both have a vision for the local church that includes authentic community, transformed lives, and relevant ministry to bless the congregants, as well as city and a team approach. It’s about team, not one or two people being at the centre.
Fred Grendel
Youth Director
fred@kingston.net
Jamie Stinson
Director of Family Ministries
rstinson2@cogeco.ca
Pastoral Assistance
Bill Duffy
w.duffy@sympatico.ca
Phone: 613-634-7116
Martha Blair
marymarthablair@yahoo.ca
Phone: 613-542-2990
Elders & Deacons
Doug Boyd
Chair – Elders’ Board
Doug came to Kingston back in 1989 resulting from a job transfer out of Northern Ontario. His home town is Ottawa, where his family all still live, who he visits on a regular basis.
Even after more than 20 years as a Project Engineer at the MTO on John Counter Boulevard, Doug still enjoys his work as his responsibilities are always changing. He derives particular satisfaction from seeing all his efforts in highway design come to fruition during construction.
Doug met Nettie at a singles’ event and they were married back in 2000. Their son Joshua, who is now 7 years old, has lots of aunts, uncles and cousins on Nettie’s side in the Kingston area. Nettie’s brother Mark Adams and his family and sister Cathy Adams also attend Bethel.
When Doug isn’t on the computer, at a meeting or leading a bible study, you can usually find him playing hockey or watching the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Nettie, Josh and Doug absolutely love the City of Kingston and have no plans of ever leaving.
Doug Brown
Elder
dgbrown62@gmail.com
Roy Chan
Elder
Steve Dickey
Elder
Ewen MacKenzie
Elder
emackenzie1@cogeco.ca
Scott Wylie
Elder
Mendal McEwen
Chair – Deacons’ Board
Geoff Baker
Treasurer
Steve Ditmore
Deacon
Carmen Gauvin-O’Donnell
Church Administrator
betheladmin@cogeco.ca
Brian Perkins
Deacon
John Sheahan
Deacon
Bob Willis
Deacon
Administrative Staff
Mark Adams
Building Superintendent
Carmen Gauvin-O’Donnell
Church Administrator
betheladmin@cogeco.ca
Carmen began working for Bethel Church in September 2006 after attending church here for a few years.
She unashamedly tells anyone who is willing to listen that is is the best job she has ever had and God-willing, they’ll take her out of it in a coffin when she’s 95!
Carmen and her husband Mike, who’s in the army, have been in the Kingston area for going on 14 years. They both love the city and hope to retire here. They have no children, but two old annoying cats who believe that “starvation” is defined as “any time after you have given me food, and I have forgotten about it.”
When not working at Bethel, Carmen can usually found on a soccer field somewhere as she is a Chick Obsessed With Soccer (C.O.W.S), or playing softball with the Bethel Blue Sox “B” team. She also leads an awesome bunch of women in a bi-weekly bible study, her second most favourite “job.”
Tom Hodgins
Web Administrator
Amy Grendel
Secretary
bethel@kingston.net
