The Senior Pastor, CAC Way-To-Life, Ottawa, Christopher Adebo Adeoye, was full of appreciation to God as he recalled the church’s humble beginning.
As a new arrival in Canada on August 6, 2018, Adeoye and his family upheld their faith in God by worshipping him in a remote space with a few others.
In the beginning, they gathered twice in a neighbour’s room for fellowship before the Adeoyes got a two-room apartment. One of the rooms was promptly turned to a place of worship.
Pastor Adeoye got his bearings from Dr Solomon Oyeleke, who came from the United States of America, to see him in Montreal when Adeoye just arrived in Canada and was staying in Montreal.
Pastor Oyeleke took him to Ottawa and told him that was where he would continue his services to God. It is worthy of note that Pastor Adeoye was ordained a CAC pastor on June 11, 1999.
Recalling the history of the church, he said, ” Baba Oyeleke took me to Ottawa on August 25, 2018. He took me to 1240 Donald Street, a place nicknamed, ‘Nigeria Embassy’ because of the population of Nigerians in the building. We prayed with some brothers, including Brother Friday, then he took me back to Montreal. I returned to Ottawa on August 28.
The first fellowship was held on September 2, 2024, in a neighbour’s room.
From the tiny, one-room gatherings, a church of God came into existence. It started with fellowships in a neighbour’s room, to Adeoye’s room, then at 306 Shakespeare road, a space at the back of the shelter. Soon, the worshippers were 30. One of them, brother Akinyemi, asked God to provide a bigger space for the worshippers within 30 days. On the 28th day of their fasting and praying, God provided them with a bigger church at 325 Montreal Road, Ottawa.
“The Lord asked us to dedicate seven special Sundays to him for our needs. On February 10, 2019, we started the morning service.
“Towards the tail end of 2019, the Lord told us a calamity would befall the world, and we should pray for protection. We were instructed by God to face all directions and pray. We did. Soon after, Covid 19 broke out.
“Around March 2020, Covid was declared a pandemic, and the trouble started. They asked us to shut down our churches. We thanked God that though our members worked in health facilities, we did not lose any of them to Covid. Instead of us dying of Covid, massive positive documentation occurred. Many of us were accepted by Canada.”
One secret shared by Pastor Adeoye was that when you are looking unto God for something, you prayed and felt your prayers were not answered, start praising God. In no time, you’ll be surprised by what God will do concerning your request.
In the anniversary sermon, titled: The will of God, and delivered by Pastor Elijah Itasanmi, who came all the way from Nigeria, the power of praises was also stressed.
Pastor Itasanmi, who is a CAC Zonal Superintendent, said God is working wonders in the CAC Way-To-Life because the church leadership and members are doing the will of God. He added that foundation is the most important in any structure and that Way-To-Life has a solid structure in Christ.
He urged the leadership and members to uphold the love and unity that evolved in the church and never depart from it. He backed his sermon with passages of the Holy Bible, Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 18, and Chronicles 20, verses 20 through 25. Pa Itasanmi further asked the church not to quench the flame of the Holy Spirit.
“We must not quench the fire of the holy spirit with doubts. He backed that up with Thessalonians 5, verse 23. “May the God of peace himself make you perfectly holy, and may you entirely, spirit, soul, and body, be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
The tone for the anniversary was set with uplifting music ministration by Evangelist Olatunde Ogunleye, popularly known as Ola Glorious and 42 halleluyah coordinated by the Church’s regular announcer, Elder Olawale Otun.
The marvelous history of the church was earlier told by Isaac Adeoye after the younger children stated all they had gained from the church in terms of virtues. Did the children learn anything from the church? Marvelous Augustin, Dominion Oparaocha, Sharon Ogunleye,
Adebisi Adeoye, and
Divine Oparaocha said, “Yes.” They all attested to the goodness of God.
Little Adebisi Adeoye recalled that: “I have learned to fear and honor God and continue to grow in his ways…”
The vote of thanks was done by the 6th Anniversary Planning Committee Chairman, Elder Eric Ogbegie.
He thanked all contributors to the success of the anniversary and wished them a multiplier effect on their finances.
