A New Home. The Same Heart. New Building Opens in Comox Valley
Ten years of dreaming comes true in the Comox Valley.
“Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.”
Habakkuk 2:3
Ten years. That is how long Captains Kevin and Michelle Elsasser, Pastors and Executive Directors of The Salvation Army Comox Valley Ministries, have been dreaming about this moment. And they were not dreaming alone. The staff who showed up day after day, in buildings that had long outgrown the mission they were trying to carry, held this vision too. They knew what this community needed. They believed it was possible. And on the weekend of September 11 to 13, 2026, they watched it become real.
“This building is fantastic. This is a gift. There is going to be a lot of great ministries taking place here in this part of the division.”
— Lt-Colonel Les Marshall, Divisional Officer Personnel Secretary and Divisional Mission Resources Secretary, BC Division
The weekend began quietly, the way the best things do. On Friday evening, the congregation gathered for a formal dinner prepared in the brand-new kitchen by volunteers, followed by a time of prayer led by Comox Valley Prayer Warrior Lynore Harrington. Commissioners Lee and Debbie Graves, territorial leaders, brought the devotional, anchoring the weekend in the purpose that built this place. Before the ribbon was cut, before the brass band played, the people who had carried this dream for a decade sat together, gave thanks, and remembered why.
Nothing in this building happened by accident. Every corner was designed with intention. The sanctuary opens up during the week to become a gathering space for youth programs, volunteer banquets, and community events. The kitchen, put to work on Friday night by volunteers, is built to serve both Sunday morning fellowship and weekday community meals. The food bank sits alongside counselling rooms and Pathway of Hope offices, because the people who walk through the door rarely need just one thing. The cross is the first thing you see when you come in. That was a deliberate choice. This is a building that says: you are welcome here, and we are here for all of you.
On Saturday, more than 100 people filled the grounds for the official ribbon-cutting ceremony, led by Commissioners Lee and Debbie Graves. The Victoria Citadel Brass Band played. The worship team, That’s a Rap, performed in the sanctuary. Kids bounced, laughed, and lined up for mini donuts and cotton candy. Volunteers from across the division worked side by side with the local Comox Valley team, serving hot dogs, pouring drinks, capturing memories, and making sure every single person who walked through felt welcomed. That evening, the doors opened again for a Praise and Worship night, with music and a devotional from the territorial leaders.
Sunday morning brought the formal dedication of the new facility within the regular Sunday service. With music from That’s a Rap and the Victoria Citadel Brass Band, and a message from the Commissioners, the building was officially dedicated to the mission it was built to carry. A light lunch followed. Neighbours stayed and talked. No one seemed to be in a rush to leave.
“Having been at the very beginning of these conversations, where people were just beginning to dream, to have the privilege to come back and see it accomplished is a testimony to God’s faithfulness and all those who have gone before and prayed and given and planned so beautifully. I only see amazing things happening for the kingdom.”
— Lt-Colonel Tiffany Marshall, Divisional Commander, BC Division
The Salvation Army has served the Comox Valley since 1964. This new building does not replace that history. It honours it and builds on it. Ten years of dreaming and believing. One weekend to open the doors. The Comox Valley is ready.
To learn more about the Comox Valley Ministries and to donate visit ComoxValleySA.ca
By Sipili Molia