Today is a day that we face with a mixture of sadness and of hope. It is sad to see the roof and walls of the Cote Church removed. We cannot forget those who built the church in faith and in hope in 1903, following the destruction by fire of the preceding building. And the walls of that building, over 120 years, have housed many events that have touched the lives of thousands. Now the walls come down, leaving the foundation, basement and the sanctuary floor. It will be hard for any of us to see, especially those with their roots in the Cote community. But we have hope. We are looking into 2024 with hope, for we are looking for a resurrection. The space that does not look like life right now is going to be built back up into something new and good. Throughout the decades the dreams have been more than about a building: they have been about faith and community. And the dreams of the original builders, and the dreams of those who worked on the basement spaces that were added in the 1960's, and the dreams of the current congregation will all be carried forth in the renewed building. A renewed building where the past is not forgotten, but also a building in which we can have hope for our future as a community of faith, based in that same place and reaching out to the broader community. Out of the dust of today's work will arrive the renewed building - with exterior walls and roof truss being in place over the next month or so, and the complete job being done by May. This is resurrection, born out of the faithful dreaming of those of the past, and those of the present. Stay tuned. Watch for a resurrection to new life. | Aujourd'hui est un jour que nous affrontons avec un mélange de tristesse et d'espoir. Il est triste de voir le toit et les murs de l'église de la Côte enlevés. Nous ne pouvons pas oublier ceux qui ont construit l'église dans la foi et l'espérance en 1903, après la destruction par le feu du bâtiment précédent. Pendant 120 ans, les murs de ce bâtiment ont abrité de nombreux événements qui ont marqué la vie de milliers de personnes.
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