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Bethlehem Centre Moves to Next Stage of Development
Volume 29 Issue 10, 11 & 12 | Posted: December 14, 2015
Bethlehem Centre in Nanaimo has taken the next key step to its flourishing as a progressive spirituality centre for Vancouver Island and beyond. While many people have pledged ongoing support for the centre, Bethlehem needs a charity registration number to be able to properly take advantage of these opportune offers and encourage more pledges.
Through a complex legal process known as a reverse takeover, Bethlehem has joined forces with The Basic Christian Community Association (BCCA) and by Christmas hopes to have completed many of the fourteen steps outlined by its legal adviser, a lawyer who specializes in these matters.
Bethlehem Centre in Nanaimo has taken the next key step to its flourishing as a progressive spirituality centre for Vancouver Island and beyond. While many people have pledged ongoing support for the centre, Bethlehem needs a charity registration number to be able to properly take advantage of these opportune offers and encourage more pledges.
Through a complex legal process known as a reverse takeover, Bethlehem has joined forces with The Basic Christian Community Association (BCCA) and by Christmas hopes to have completed many of the fourteen steps outlined by its legal adviser, a lawyer who specializes in these matters.
This is the third important stage of development for Bethlehem centre. The actual successful purchase was completed this year, that gave rise to its first annual meeting as the Friends of Bethlehem Centre. This well attended event included a grassroots consultation workshop that outlined the priorities for the board of directors as it develops programming for the centre and the physical plant of the centre itself.
A key part of the ongoing success of Bethlehem will be its procurement and utilization of a federal charitable registration and status on an ongoing basis. The reverse takeover process is a strategic aspect of this stage. Building up the clientele base and helping to realize the pledges already made to Bethlehem in the purchase process are top priorities now. The next three years are key to this stage of ensuring ongoing success.
Four or five individuals should be pointed out from the early business sale stage of things. Chairperson Gerry Herkel was challenged by Bishop Remi De Roo to see if Bethlehem could be saved eighteen months ago. He quickly pulled together an effective committee of local individuals already passionately committed to Bethlehem in Rick Earl, Tony Orchard and Bob Muir as well as Peter Daniel of Victoria. Mr. Daniel is the Asset Manager of the Anglican Diocese on Vancouver Island.
The Anglican church and three other individuals and their families put up the purchase shares. These individuals wish to remain anonymous generally, but they rose from among the nearly two hundred members of the Friends of Bethlehem Society. One of the fourteen steps to be undertaken in the reverse takeover process will be to rename The Friends of Bethlehem Society to the Bethlehem Centre Society.
Meetings have already been held with the membership of the Basic Christian Community Association and its board of directors and they have voted to allow the reverse takeover. The BCCA has existed for more than twenty years on Vancouver Island, initiated by the Jesuit Father Jim Sheppard at the time. It has changed in its ambitions in the last decade and co-operating with the FBC was within its mandate. At its annual general meeting last August the membership voted to effect this change. If you wish to get involved contact Bethlehem.
Contact information for Bethlehem includes the following. The centre is seeking volunteers, members, course registrants and donations of funds and kind. (http://friendsofbrc.com/)