Abbotsford church asks for help after Canada Day theft

Abbotsford church asks for help after Canada Day theft

Published 3:49 pm Thursday, July 30, 2026

While most people were out celebrating their country at various Canada Day festivities, the leaders of Christ Ambassadors Church in Abbotsford were dealing with a massive burglary.

According to the worship leader, Joy Lupai, approximately $20,000 in equipment was stolen from the church.

The Abbotsford Police Department received calls about a break-and-enter on the afternoon of July 1, with officers believing the incident to have occurred sometime the night before.

“We lost nearly everything we rely on for our worship services, including our sound system, instruments, TVs, cameras, computers, and other ministry equipment,” said Lupai.

“The theft has had a devastating impact on our church.”

Christ Ambassadors Church is a smaller congregation of less than 100 people, making such a significant loss even more impactful for the group, which has existed in Abbotsford for almost 20 years.

In the aftermath of the burglary, Lupai said the church has seen some incredible support from the community.

Other local churches have donated some equipment, and community members have made other contributions to the congregation.

“Every contribution, whether big or small, has reminded us that we’re not going through this alone, and we’re very grateful for everyone’s kindness and prayers,” said Lupai.

Even though they’ve received some assistance from locals, Lupai said the church is still in need of significant help to replace everything that was taken from them.

That’s why the group established an online fundraiser with a goal of $15,000, which can be found at gofundme.com.

As far as the investigation goes, the Abbotsford Police Department said it has yet to arrest anyone in connection with this incident.

Currently, officers are reviewing surveillance footage from the area to try to identify any suspects.