April 15th, 2025Chin Christian Church ERG story
Luther Tin Hre (pictured left), the new chair of the Chin Christian Church in downtown Kitchener, has his hands full.
Overseeing building maintenance and the budget is just one of the tasks the volunteer leader has to fit into his busy calendar.
The congregation purchased the building in 2014. A restaurant had been operating in the building for 11 years prior, and required work to convert it back into a place of worship.
The aging church building is located on a busy street in a neighbourhood that dates back to the early 1900s. The congregation of 220 is working to keep up with repairs and upgrades on the old building.
They recently replaced some failing doors and windows to upgraded units with $3,000 of help from Mennonite Church Canada’s Emissions Reduction Grant (ERG). However, the project price came in at double the amount of the grant.
Vintage churches seldom conform to current standards for replacement products. The congregation had to find a supplier willing to provide windows and doors for the old building, said Tin Hre, which added more to the cost than they expected.
Replacing windows and doors is not the only work they have done. They recently upgraded their air conditioning unit, a $15,000 cost they are paying for in monthly payments spread over 5 years. Heavy snow over the winter of 2024-25 damaged gutters and pipes that drain water from the roof, requiring urgent repairs – and more money.
Although the church is thriving and growing, building upgrades are more of a day-at-a-time approach rather than long term planning.
The membership comprises refugees and newcomers from Burma (recognized as Myanmar by the United Nations). Many of the newcomers are starting life over again in Canada.
Tin Hre grew up in a small village in the Chin state, a sparsely populated and heavily forested region of the country. Ecological awareness was not top of mind where he grew up. His people focused on survival and subsistence living. In summertime, villagers cleared forests and burned remaining brush so they could to plant rice, corn, and other vegetables, he said.
Tin Hre arrived in Canada in 2018, after laying over in India for a time. Despite the challenges of adapting to a new country, culture, and language, he’s happy to be here. His children can safely attend school. During the week, he operates a robot in a factory that manufactures parts for cranes and other heavy equipment. He’s also a dad to five children, ranging in age from 1.5 to 12 years old – parenting he somehow fits into his busy life.
Tin Hre’s work as volunteer chair of the church may well get busier. The building they worship in is under review by the city, and could be designated a heritage building. A decision is expected in 2027.
Buildings that received a heritage designation may qualify for grants to repair or restore certain features to their original state. But restoration work can also be costly.
Church leadership has reached out to city officials for more information, but Tin Hre said he doesn’t yet know what a heritage designation will mean for his church.
Photo 1: Luther Tin Hre, father of five young children, is the new volunteer chair of Chin Christian Church in Kitchener, Ontario.
Photo 2: Vintage church buildings need constant care and upkeep. The Chin Christian Church in Kitchener, Ontario, may be designated a historically significant building by the city. Church chair Tin Hre doesn’t yet know what such a designation will mean for his church. – Google Street View image
Photo 3: A work crew replaces gutters and pipes to improve drainage at the Chin Christian Church in Kitchener, Ontario. Heavy snows this winter damaged the gutters. – photo supplied