Hilltop Chapel was started in 1957 by a group of young families with a desire to plant an assembly on the western edge of Toronto. They met at Hilltop School and in homes until September 1962 when the present building was officially opened. The original families loaned the money needed to construct the building, and put a lot of their own labor into it. The lounge and offices were added just a few years later.
Due to the postwar baby boom, the Sunday school numbered around 200 and at one time in the early 70’s a portable building was set up on the property where the youth met. As of 2018, only one couple of the original group are still living, in a nearby seniors’ residence.
Many others have contributed to the Lord’s work at Hilltop, but all have served so that He would be exalted. Hilltop was committed to missions from its outset, and commended its first workers, the Pettigrews, to Bolivia within the first couple of years. Not long afterwards Hilltop started commending shorter term missionaries as well. Hilltop was unique in establishing a Summer Ministry program, enabling young people who were pursuing post-high school studies to serve in camps and missions overseas during the summer with a small stipend.
Many different programs have been covered over the 60+ years to reach the neighborhood. The goal from the beginning has been to teach and reach, to encourage, disciple and promote Christian fellowship, service and growth. Hilltop has been known for its excellent systematic plan of Bible teaching.
The year 2016 witnessed some important changes. After much prayer and discussion for a period of around 8 months it was agreed to have a merger of most of the members of Bethany Chapel with Hilltop chapel. it happened on January 1st, 2016. This merger resulted in an immediate growth of members. It is relevant to add a few lines about the background of the Bethany members who merged with Hilltop.
During the late nineteen sixties and seventies, a number of people from India immigrated to Canada for a better life. Among them there were a few believers from Brethren assemblies, mostly from Kerala. The brethren families in Kerala insist to follow the apostolic pattern of simplicity and scriptural doctrines. Most of them who settled in Toronto and surrounding areas continued as members of the local brethren chapels.
It was their desire to start a gathering to support the ministries in India from where they came from. The brethren (15-20) gathered together for the first time in a home in Scarborough on the last Sunday of November 1980. These meetings continued in the evening of last Sunday every month. Later they started gathering two Sundays a month in the afternoons, while all were attending other local Brethren chapels in the morning.
During this time, they enthusiastically received many visiting evangelists from India. That was a time of spiritual blessing and encouragement for the brethren as they were hearing about the ministry going on in their homeland. These meetings were in Faith Chapel, Scarborough; Bedford Park Chapel, North York; Ontario Bible School (Tyndale college) etc. from time to time.
Worship service every Sunday evening was started in February 1990. Sunday school and other activities were also started simultaneously. They had no facility available for morning service until 1997. Sunday morning services were started from April of 1997 at the Ontario Bible College and later in 1999 moved to a better facility at the Seventh Day Adventist church in Downsview. At this time there were more than 180 in fellowship. The Name of the gathering was Toronto Brethren Assembly (TBA). Meetings were conducted in English and Malayalam.
As the Assembly was growing, TBA prayerfully decided to buy a place of their own in the year 2000. During this time, Bethany Chapel was also praying for God’s guidance about the use of their facilities. TBA was concerned about the new generation too while Bethany was concerned about the dwindling number. Both assemblies, TBA and Bethany Chapel, discussed the possibility of a merger and sought God’s guidance. With God’s guidance and blessing, both assemblies merged together by the end of 2002 and carried on a combined name of Bethany Chapel.
Toronto Brethren Assembly sold its property eventually and used the proceeds to renovate the Bethany Chapel building and its facilities. This chapel was growing very fast and space was limited to hold the members. Bethany was praying and looking for a solution regarding space. Hilltop was looking for a group of the same faith to merge and continue the testimony. The Lord answered the prayers of both chapels, which resulted into the newly merged Hilltop.
The current Hilltop is a new beginning and continues with same vision, mission and passion. The growth of the chapel has been evident in these three years through personal evangelism, the influx of new families and students from overseas. We hold on to the same values of systematic teaching, worshipping in spirit and in truth, ministries of children, youth, community outreach through different programs, tracts distribution, outreach, short term missions, etc. We are so happy to see the chapel is used almost every day of the week for group Bible studies, men’s meetings, sisters’ meetings, kids’ clubs, and other youth programs. We understand there are challenges and differences, especially with the language, cultural practices, but more than the differences, we see the unity in vision, the unity in glorifying our Lord, and unity in faith and love.