A Christian group founded in Hawaii whose mission is to spread their faith within the action sports community plans to make Revelstoke their national headquarters, with intent to purchase St. Peter’s Church.
An offer was presented to the Diocese of Kootenay in December by the Eternal Riders, who appear to be a non-profit non-denominational charitable organization affiliated with the King’s Cathedral and Chapel in Maui, Hawaii. The sale has not been finalized.
Dallas McLean, the national director for Eternal Riders Canada, announced that they would be acquiring the St. Peter’s property during a sermon at the Revelstoke Baptist Fellowship Church on Jan.14.
During his sermon, McLean said finances are the group’s primary concern at this time and asked those present to consider contributing to Eternal Riders.
McLean wrote in an Eternal Riders email newsletter posted on Facebook in December that they were able to acquire the property with financial assistance from the King’s Cathedral and Chapel in Hawaii.
“The only way we have been able to pursue purchasing this property in downtown Revelstoke is through a church in Hawaii called King’s Cathedral that partners with us,” McLean wrote in the newsletter. “They are helping us with the purchase and we are required to raise the money to pay it off.”
When asked about the purchase, McLean said he was not at liberty to discuss the terms of the sale.
A spokesperson for the Diocese of Kootenay refused to comment on the sale negotiations.
The Eternal Rider’s other headquarters is located in Paia, on the island of Maui, in Hawaii, where the organization was founded in 1999 by former pro-windsurfer Pascal Hardy, who is a pastor for the King’s Cathedral and Chapel.
The King’s Cathedral and Chapel says it has 120 congregations and ministers, with 20, 000 people attending weekly services in 20 countries.
The King’s Chapel in Paia did not return several requests for comment.
According to a document posted online, the intention of purchasing St. Peter’s and establishing a headquarters in Revelstoke is to start a leadership training school for those interested in spreading the Christian faith through sport.
An official statement from Eternal Riders, said that the group plans for the 122-year-old church to continue being a place of worship and intends to uphold the history of the property.
“Our goal is to preserve the buildings and with the community’s help, do the necessary renovations so that it will remain a part of the community for many years to come,” the statement said. “We will not be in any way taking down or changing them.”
In Revelstoke, the Eternal Riders headquarters will operate under United Youth Outreach, a Calgary-based organization that facilitates evangelistic outreach.
McLean said that United Youth Outreach covers their charitable status.
“We’re under the umbrella of United Youth Outreach and they are our protection,” said McLean. “They cover our insurance, charitable status, and we’re under their umbrella.”
Eternal Riders will be hosting their second annual “Steeper and Deeper” conference at St. Peter’s next month. The conference will begin on Feb. 2. and take place over two days. Its intent, McLean said, is to offer a weekend of worship and riding.
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Steeper and Deeper costs $260 and includes two days of skiing at Revelstoke Mountain Resort, food and accommodations, and will be attended by pro-skier Dave Treadway and Hardy.
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The conference coincides with a free pasta feed on Feb. 2. at St. Peter’s.
A longtime member of the Anglican Church ministry said it will likely be another two months before the sale is approved by the Diocese of Kootenay.
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