Portico Community Church
Mississauga ON

PORTICO means a ‘place of entrance’ or‘place of welcome’. PORTICO is a multi-cultural, multi-generational, and now, multi-site church community. Our main campus is located in the heart of Streetsville in Mississauga, ON with our newest satellite located in Milton, ON. Our geographic locations and broad demographic representation uniquely positions us to be a church community that extends a warm and sincere welcome to people that are new to our community, new to their journey of faith or simply looking for a church to call home.

PORTICO’s demographic profile, which is reflective of the communities and regions we serve, enhances our vision to be One Church, sharing One Message, through Many Expressions. Our vision is expressed through multiple worship venues on Sunday mornings.

Our main venue, PORTICO Live, which gathers in the Worship Centre at 8:40, 10:10 and 11:40 am every Sunday, combines vibrant, contemporary worship with live teaching from God’s word. If you prefer a more conventional worship style, check out The Chapel at 10:10 am on Sunday mornings. The Video Café, which meets in the Gym during all three service times provides a more relaxed and informal worship environment. We also provide age-specific venues for children during all three service, as well as Jr High during our 10:10 & 11:40 am services and Sr High on Friday evenings.

Our satellite campus, PORTICO Milton, gathers Sundays at Milton Christian School, 45 Bruce Street in Milton at 10:10 am. This campus provides age-specific programming for children birth to Gr 5 during the service.

We also have PORTICO Español, our Spanish campus that meets in our Chapel at 11:40 am each Sunday.

Our ministries are designed to assist you no matter where you are in your spiritual journey. Check out our events calendar for current activities and events.

At PORTICO, we desire to create environments where people can encounter God, connect in meaningful relationships, and experience the joy of serving back into our community and the world.

 

http://www.porticocanada.ca/  

 

In 1970, the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada (PAOC) had a vision for a church in the growing municipality of Mississauga. In cooperation with Rev. Paul McInroy, they purchased a large white house at the QEW & Hurontario Street, in which Paul lived with his family conducting house meetings. Helen Aello, a current member of PORTICO, was part of that original group. As the group grew to almost 50 people, they started meeting in Sheridan Park Public School in Port Credit where they continued to meet for approximately one more year. When Rev. Paul McInroy left, the fledgling group continued to meet from time to time in Helen Aello's home, but soon scattered.

With renewed vision to maintain a PAOC church in Mississauga, the Western Ontario District Office of the PAOC as Rev. Fred Fulford to come and establish Mississauga Gospel Temple (MGT). In February 1972, Fred and Micki Fulford began conducting services in the Orange Hall on Agnes Street in Cooksville with 28 people. In June 1972, MGT was organized as an affiliate of the PAOC and a two-acre site was purchased in Erin Mills for a future building. In September of that same year, the congregation moved from the Orange Hall to Sheridan Park Public School where services were held for three years while the church was being built.

In 1975, a congregation of almost 100 moved into the new church facilities at 2460 The Collegeway, affectionately called "The White Church." Over the next five years, rapid growth took place, "party due to the fast-growing nature of the community and to the many talented, dedicated, and loving members" noted Rev. Fulford. In February 1980, a 4.5 acre property was purchased on Barbertown Road, making way for full construction of the largest evangelical church in Mississauga. The congregation, now numbering approximately 550, met at Erindale Secondary School during the construction period, having sold The White Church to the Salvation Army. On Sunday, March 7, 1982, the formal dedication of these facilities at 1814 Barbertown Road took place. Rev. Fred Fulford continued ministering until the fall of 1985, having pastored MGT for almost 14 years. When Rev. Ken Birch assumed the pastorate of MGT in April 1986, it numbered almost 1,000 people. God continued to bless this church under his leadership, particularly in the area of Youth Ministries.

In the fall of 1992, Rev. Evon Horton assumed the role of Senior Pastor of MGT, having served as an Assistant Pastor under Rev. Ken Birch for almost three years. Under his leadership, MGT's community awareness increased due to the presentation of large-scale Christmas productions and because of close personal relationships with other Mississauga area pastors and with Mississauga's mayor, Hazel McCallion.

In June 2001, Rev. Doug Rhind accepted the call to become Senior Pastor of MGT Family Church, and the church has continued to grow under his anointed leadership. In January of 2005, it was determined that a change in name would more accurately express who we are becoming; and so MGT Family Church became PORTICO.

God's blessing over this congregation has been evident under the gifts and leadership of each of these men, as they have served as Pastor of our church. Through God's grace, as we Connect, Grow and Serve, we are "Helping people find their way back to God."