At the heart of many of these ripples stands a familiar building on Penrith Avenue, known today as Weird Church.
The coal-era roots of Cumberland United Church
Long before its current name, this was the Cumberland United Church. Established over a century ago during the village’s early coal-mining days, it was a place where people gathered through hardship and celebration: baptisms, funerals, potlucks, and quiet moments of reflection. Generations passed through its doors, each leaving an imprint, each carrying something outward into the community.
This legacy has not faded. If anything, it has expanded. It has evolved into an inclusive, affirming spiritual community hub rooted in reconciliation, equity, and environmental care. It isn’t defined by a single purpose or group, but by its openness. People of all faiths, and none, find belonging there.
What a week at Weird Church holds
On any given week, the building hums with activity. The Cumberland Food Share uses the hall to prepare its biweekly hamper deliveries for those in need, while people drop items off at the Food Shed outside for others to pick up (like a Little Free Library for food). The sound of children laughing floats up the stairs from Adventure Daycare.
“Over the course of a year, an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 visits take place within these walls, representing many hundreds of individuals whose lives are touched—sometimes profoundly”
Music regularly fills the air from choirs gathering to rehearse and perform. Film nights and arts events, hosted in collaboration with the Cumberland Community Arts Society and Weird Cinema, regularly transform the space into a cultural venue. 2SLGBTQIA+ groups meet for peer support and connection. Reconciliation circles bring Indigenous and non-Indigenous community members together in dialogue and relationship-building
Each of these activities has its own ripple effect. Together, they form a “third place” where creativity, care, justice, and connection all intersect. Over the course of a year, an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 visits take place within these walls, representing many hundreds of individuals whose lives are touched—sometimes profoundly.
A failing roof and a $75,000 gap
But the future of this space is not guaranteed.
Its distinct red roof, after decades of service, is now failing. Leaks have begun to cause damage that will only worsen with time. The risk isn’t only structural. It feels like it could be existential. Losing the building would mean losing the many programs, partnerships, and relationships that it houses.
The solution is clear and urgent: a $150,000 roof replacement project is underway. The new roof will provide shelter, improve insulation and energy efficiency, and support the structure’s long-term sustainability.
So far, the community has already raised over $75,000 through donations and events—a testament to how deeply this space is valued. Additional funding applications are also in progress, but approximately $75,000 still needs to be raised to cover the cost of this project.
Supporting the replacement of the roof is not just about fixing a building. It’s about sustaining the place that allows countless small and meaningful moments to continue unfolding. It’s about ensuring that a parent can access food support without stigma, that a young person can find an affirming community, that artists and musicians have a place to gather and share their work, and that conversations around reconciliation and care continue to happen. It’s about community resilience.
It is also about continuity—honouring the generations who built and sustained this place before now, and ensuring it remains available for those who come next. This place holds many of our stories, relationships, and possibilities that extend far beyond its walls.
To learn more or contribute to the roof replacement campaign, community members are encouraged to connect with Weird Church at weirdchurchcumberland.com and be part of sustaining a space that continues to lift the entire Comox Valley.
