Our Construction Story: A Journey from the Wilderness to Canaan

Shalom. I send my warmest greetings to all our church members in the name of our Lord. I am Justin Kim, currently serving as the Chair of the Construction Committee for the year 2026.

The path our "Disciple of the Lord" Church has walked over the past ten years has been more than just a process of erecting a building; it has been a "Living Construction Story" through which God has refined and guided our community. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Senior Pastor Young-woo Ko, whose initial decision set this journey in motion; to our congregation members, who built walls of prayer; to the past committee chairs and members, whose silent dedication paved the way; and above all, to God, who prepared everything and loves us unconditionally. Today, I wish to look back on the footprints of grace we have left together.
 

1. The Unexpected Beginning of the Wilderness (2015 – 2017) Our story began in June 2015 with a sudden notice that interrupted our peaceful routine. We were informed of a redevelopment plan for Como Lake United Church, which we had long used for weekday services and office space. The news of having to leave our beloved home was daunting, but it also marked the beginning of a "Wilderness Road"—a search for a new dwelling place prepared by God.

The Construction Committee immediately accelerated its efforts. In 2016, we considered the Winners building on United Boulevard, but its high price forced us to turn away. A post office building near Somang-gwan was also rejected as it did not meet our criteria for a larger sanctuary. Later, we hesitated on Riverside Church in Port Coquitlam, only to experience the heartbreak of seeing it sold to another church, and we also narrowly missed out on the JJ Spa building.

2. The Temporary Shelter of Somang-gwan and the Lougheed Miracle (2018 – 2019) In April 2018, as the closure of our previous building drew near, our church moved to the current "New Somang-gwan" (Ridgeway Ave) to secure space for weekday services and administration. However, this was merely a temporary shelter with a lease expiring in 2021.

Amidst this urgent situation, in July 2018, God showed us a new opportunity: "1963 Lougheed Hwy." Although the initial asking price of $9.2 million made us hesitate, persistent negotiations led to an agreement of $8.75 million. Finally, on March 15, 2019, our church completed the registration of the Lougheed Sanctuary. It was a miraculous moment that the entire congregation had prayed for and awaited.

3. The Great Barrier of Legal Procedures (2020 – 2022) Purchasing the building was not the end. Since the Lougheed Sanctuary was a "Business Zone," city permission was essential for its use as a religious facility. In November 2021, when the tenant, Exan, moved out earlier than expected, we received the keys and began full-scale preparations.

Initially, we sought a "Temporary Use Permit (TUP)" for a six-year period. However, the City voiced negative opinions, citing the scale of interior renovations, lack of parking, and traffic safety concerns. As we grew weary, the City suggested "Re-zoning" the property instead. While this was a more difficult path, it became a gateway of blessing, leading us toward a "CD Zone (Comprehensive Development)," which is far more advantageous for the church.

4. Milestones Encountered in the Wilderness (2023 – Present) The challenges continued into 2023. We gathered our wisdom to solve the parking issue, pursuing a long-term contract with the nearby KAL Tire and utilizing the purchase of the adjacent Coleman House to expand our parking capacity.

During this process, God provided further comfort. Despite the limited use of the building, persistent communication led to the recognition of the building’s religious value, resulting in a remarkable "Property Tax Exemption." This was truly a blessing of grace, much like receiving manna and quail in the desert.

5. Epilogue: Looking Toward Canaan Flowing with Milk and Honey From the beginning of this journey to the present, the Construction Committee continues to walk silently through the process of city negotiations and detailed design, building upon the "seeds of sacrifice" sown by our past chairpersons.

Leaving behind 20 years of renting, we are now moving toward a sanctuary of our own. Just as the Canaan that the Israelites entered was not merely a land of physical honey but a place where God's blessing resided, we believe the Lougheed Sanctuary will also be a holy place filled with our sweat, tears, and God's grace.

Until that day, our "Construction Story" will not cease and will continue to be written.

A Brief History of the Construction Committee, Disciple Methodist Church

Past & Present Committee Chairs

• 2007–2008: Elder Jintae Jeong
• 2009: Exhorter (Kwonsa) Yongsik Kang
• 2010: Elder Jacheol Koo
• 2011: Elder Hangwoo Lee
• 2012: Elder Youngsik Kim
• 2013–2014: Exhorter Chunsik Lee
• 2015–2017: Elder Youngsik Kim
• 2018–2019: Elder Cheolkyun Kim
• 2020–2021: Exhorter Changhwa Hong
• 2022–2023: Elder Yangseok Yun
• 2024–Present: Exhorter Justin (Sung Hun) Kim

Sunday Worship Locations

• July 7, 2002 – Feb 1, 2007: Former Somang-gwan (1071 Austin Ave., Coquitlam)
• Feb 15, 2007 – April 2, 2018: Como Lake United Church (1110 King Albert Ave., Coquitlam)
  • (July 24, 2007: Purchased Retreat Center at 1247 224St., Langley, B.C.)
• April 22, 2018 – Jan 3, 2022: New Somang-gwan (1065 Ridgeway Ave., Coquitlam)
  • (Sept 17, 2018: Sold Retreat Center – Purchased for $1.55M, Sold for $2.8M)
• Feb 1, 2022 – Present: Lougheed Sanctuary (1963 Lougheed Hwy., Coquitlam)

Chronological History of the Construction Committee

• June 2015: Received redevelopment notice from Como Lake United Church (Based on the Austin Heights Neighborhood Plan enacted on April 4, 2011).
• Sept 2016: Proposal to purchase the "Winners" building rejected (Steering Committee).
• Nov 2016: Proposal to purchase the Post Office building rejected; Purchase of Riverside Church put on hold (Steering Committee).
• May 2017: Proposal to purchase "JJ Spa" building rejected (Steering Committee).
• Sept 2017: Lease application for College Elementary School denied.
• Nov 17, 2017: Decision to purchase Maple Ridge Farm passed (Steering Committee).
• Nov 24, 2017: Decision to purchase Maple Ridge Farm reversed (Steering Committee).
• April 24, 2018: Leased current Somang-gwan.
• May 27, 2018: Departure of Rev. Sung-soo Shim.
• Q2 2018:
  • Explored pre-sale availability of SafeWay on Austin Ave (Failed due to prior sell-out).
  • Explored church site within Fraser Mills development (Failed).
  • Reviewed ~3-acre land/house near Pitt Meadows Golf Club (On hold).
  • Inquired about purchasing various churches near Calvary Church (Rejected).
• June 17, 2018: Proposal to purchase Somang-gwan building (potential for 23–25 story redevelopment) rejected (Steering Committee).
• 2018: Reviewed and rejected purchase of Burnaby building ($12.5M).
• June 24, 2018: Arrival of Senior Pastor Young-woo Ko.
• July 15, 2018: Approval of criteria for new sanctuary purchase (Steering Committee):
  • New construction or purchase of a building with educational facilities.
  • Within a 10km radius of Como Lake Middle School.
  • Budget within currently available funds ($11M).
• July 2018: First proposal to purchase 1963 Lougheed building (Information provided by Elder Hangwoo Lee).
• Aug 26, 2018: Public Hearing conducted.
• Sept 2, 2018: Bulletin insert advertisement regarding the purchase of 1963 Lougheed.
• Sept 26, 2018: Report to the Board of Officers regarding the purchase.
• Nov 25, 2018: Report to the Annual General Conference (Danghoe) regarding the purchase.
• Dec 9, 2018: Open House at 1963 Lougheed.
• Dec 23/30, 2018: Information sessions for Seniors and Adults.
• Jan 2019: Town hall meetings for small group leaders and the general congregation.
• Jan 20, 2019: Special Conference (Danghoe) passed the purchase of 1963 Lougheed.
• Jan 27, 2019: Charge Conference (Guyeok-hoe) passed the purchase.
• Jan 31, 2019: Subject Removal and Completion of the 1963 Lougheed purchase.
• Mar 15, 2019: Title transfer of 1963 Lougheed Hwy.
  • (Purchase Price: $8,650,000; Mortgage: $3,900,000; Fixed Rate: 3.7% for 20 years)
• Oct 26, 2020: Purchased Coleman House (1880 Coleman Ave.).
• Nov 30, 2021: Tenant (Exan) vacated the building.
• April 1, 2021: Applied for Temporary Use Permit (TUP) with the City of Coquitlam.
• June 23, 2021: Received proposal from the City for Rezoning (Business → Comprehensive Development Zone).
• Oct 1, 2021: Appointed LCP (Liveable City Project Management) as consultants.
• Dec 1, 2021: First Service in the new building.
• Mar 1, 2022: Signed parking agreement with KAL Tire.
• Mar 15, 2022: Submitted Rezoning Application to the City of Coquitlam.
• April/May 2022: Easter gift distribution and Neighbor Day event for local residents.
• June 14, 2023: Received notice of Property Tax Exemption from BC Assessment.
• Aug 25, 2023: Received partial property tax refund check.
• Jan 14, 2024: Relocated Sunday Worship to Cineplex.
• Jan 15, 2024: Rezoning Application resubmission including:
  • a. Assembly Gross Floor Area (GFA)
  • b. Residential Parking
  • c. Partial Demolition info
  • d. Arborist Report
  • e. Parking Assessment Study
• Jan 31, 2024: Second appeal for DMC building property tax to BC Assessment review panel.
• July 3, 2024: Approval of $124,639.00 property tax exemption by City of Coquitlam Finance Dept.
• May 6, 2024: Council in Committee (CiC) meeting for Rezoning.
• June 4, 2024: First Reading of Rezoning Application by City Council.
• July 8, 2024: Public Hearing, Second and Third Reading by City Council.
• Oct 25, 2024: Submitted Civil Engineering Drawings to the City.
• Nov 15, 2024: Received 1st Review Comment Letter regarding technical details of Civil Drawings.
• Aug 1, 2025: Civil drawing review with consultants and the City; Commenced off-site pre-ducting for power/communication.
• Sept 1, 2025: Off-site pre-ducting continued; expected completion of detailed drawings.
• Nov 1, 2025: Decision to integrate architects from Mara-Natha to Cloudscape.
• Dec 31, 2025: Coordinated a "Hybrid" process to handle Rezoning, Parking issues/Coleman House, and Building Permit (BP) applications simultaneously; changes in City development staff.