History

What we now call TrueCity grew out of a shared conviction and a shared dream—a conviction that churches have a unique role to play in seeing transformation come to their neighbourhoods and this city.  A dream of churches connecting in ways that allow them to learn from each other and collaborate so that they grow stronger as local congregations even as they bless their neighbourhoods and this city.  It is a dream of partnership in the gospel.

In the summer of 2004 Hughson Street Baptist and Philpott Memorial began to explore with International Teams Canada (ITCA) how to pursue this dream.  The churches decided to work together to expand the Christmas hamper project that HSBC was doing each year in their neighbourhood, but they dreamed of a movement that went beyond their relationship and one project.  First Hamilton Christian Reformed Church had begun to dig into how to be a blessing in the Durand neighbourhood and was very keen to be involved, so in the fall these three churches and ITCA members began to meet.

2004-05

  • The name TrueCity and the tagline “Churches together for the good of the city” are established
  • In April 2005 more than 120 people from over 20 Hamilton area churches gathered at Philpott Memorial church for the first TrueCity Conference.
  • Wentworth Baptist, Bethany Gospel Chapel, and Little Bethel Community Church join the movement.
  • The first TrueCity video is produced for the first conference

2006

  • The six core churches establish the TrueCity Values
  • The second TrueCity conference takes place in February 2006–260+ people from more than 50 churches attend
  • Three videos are produced for the second conference telling the stories of churches engaging their neighbourhoods, churches learning from each other, and church involvement in the creation of Micah House
  • The Meeting House–Hamilton joins the movement
  • The core churches agree to a covenanting process