George Affleck was born in Lanark, Ontario on March 7, 1912. He was educated at the University of Toronto, Emmanuel College, and St. Andrew's University in Scotland. He was ordained in the United Church in 1939 and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree by Union College (Vancouver) in 1969. George Affleck and his wife, Fronia, served United Church congregations in British Columbia, including Skidegate, Kimberley, Vernon, Crescent Beach (Surrey), Powell River, Port Alberni, and Parksville. From 1972 to 1977, he was Presbytery Officer for the Vancouver Island Presbytery. George Affleck died July 15, 2000 at Nanaimo, B.C.
Ahousaht Residential School was located just south of Marktosis #15, of the Ahousaht First Nation, on the southeast end of Flores Island on the western shore of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. The Presbyterian Church in Canada operated a day school/informal boarding school on the site from 1895-1904. From 1904-1925 it was a residential school; funded by the Government of Canada and operated/managed by the Woman’s Missionary Society of The Presbyterian Church in Canada. In 1925 the management and operation was transferred to the the Board of Home Missions of The United Church of Canada until the school was officially closed in January, 1940.
Alberni Residential School was located on the west bank of the Somass River, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, just south of the Tseshaht Reserve and about four kilometres north of Port Alberni. It was operated by the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the Presbyterian Church in Canada, and after 1925 The Woman's Missionary Society of The United Church of Canada. A day school first opened at the site under Missionary Rev. J.A. MacDonald of the Presbyterian Church in Canada in 1891. Soon, with the support of the government the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the Presbyterian Church opened a larger boarding home called Alberni Girls' Home to operate alongside the day school until 1899. Then, the Alberni Residential School opened in 1900. The United Church of Canada took over operations in 1925, and the school remained open until 1966. The Alberni Student Residence operated there from 1967-1973, with the Government of Canada taking over full responsibility in 1969.
Aldergrove United Church began as Aldergrove Presbyterian Church in Langley District Municipality. Services began as early as 1885 with regular services commencing in 1889, although a church was not built until 1911. The earliest Session records (1914) indicate that the Aldergrove charge consisted of three other points: Aberdeen, Pine Grove and Patricia. After union in 1925, Aldergrove remained a separate charge until becoming part of the Murrayville charge in 1932. In 1961 Aldergrove and Murrayville became separate charges. Since 1963 Aldergrove has, with Mount Lehman, constituted the Aldergrove-Mount Lehman Pastoral Charge in Fraser Presbytery.
All Hallows' Residential School was a boarding school for girls (Indigenous and non-Indigenous), located in Yale, British Columbia. It was established in 1890 and operated by the Anglican Church in Canada with initial staffing coming from the Sisters of the Community of All Hallows in Norfolk, England. The school was closed in 1917 and the students transferred to the Residential School at Lytton.
Eric Winston Austin was born in Northwich, England on August 27, 1906. His family came to Canada in 1910. After graduating from medical school in 1932, he was employed for a short time at Large Memorial Hospital in Bella Bella with Dr. George Darby, and then on board the Thomas Crosby III (1932-1938) with Rev. Robert C. Scott. Dr. Austin subsequently became a physician at Wrinch Memorial Hospital in Hazelton (1938-1942). From 1942 until the end of the Second World War, he served the Royal Army Medical Corps. At war's end, he became a surgeon for the Vancouver Military Hospital, then for Vancouver General Hospital, and in later years had a private practice. Dr. Austin married his second wife, Mary Louise Hannah (nee Reid), in 1978. The couple were members of Shaughnessy Heights United Church in Vancouver. Eric Austin died on August 8, 1994.
Douglas Bacon was born in Peterborough, Ontario and grew up in the in United Church. After studying Medicine for one year at the University of Toronto, he decided that his skills would be better served as an ordained minister. He received his Bachelor of Sacred Theology from McGill and was ordained by Bay of Quinte Conference in 1969.
Douglas served in pastoral ministry Bruce Mines, Ontario; St. Margaret's, Kingston; West Point Grey, Vancouver; and Colebrook, Surrey. He held positions as Secretary of Kent Presbytery, London Conference (1974-1976); Chair of Education and Students Committee, Bay of Quinte Conference; member and Chair of the Worship and Liturgy Committee of the United Church, and co-editor of A Sunday Liturgy (1978-1984); Chair of Vancouver-Burrard Presbytery (1987-1989); and member and Chair of the national Candidature Committee of the United Church (1990-1996). He retired in 2010.
Bella Bella Day School was located in Bella Bella, on Campbell Island, British Columbia. It was operated by the Wesleyan Methodist Church, then, after 1925 The United Church of Canada. In 1883 the Wesleyan Methodists sent an application for school aid to the Department of Indian Affairs for "BellaBella" and in 1885 grants were authorized for Bella Bella Day School. In 1891, records note that the day school still received a grant paid through the Methodist Society in Toronto. Around 1904 a new school building was constructed, and there are reports of staffing, funding and renovations up until 1963. Government records indicate the school closed in 1976. Further research is required to find more information about the operation and general history of the school.
Bella Coola Day School was located in Bella Coola, British Columbia. It was operated by The Methodist Church of Canada, and after 1925, The United Church of Canada . Department of Indian Affairs records show that as of 1902, Bella Coola had a church and a day school under The Methodist Church of Canada. In 1911, a new schoolhouse was built on the north side of the river where most of band resided. Although there is little information on the school after this period, it appears to have been regularly open for the next 30 years. United Church records indicate a second classroom was added in the 1940s. By September, 1962 there was a new two-storey school building at Bella Coola though it is unclear whether this was related to the day school as Government records suggest the school closed in 1957. Further research is needed to confirm when the school closed, and its general history.
Rodney M. Booth was born in Arvida, Quebec. He obtained a Master of Divinity degree from United Theological College (UTC). He was later awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from UTC. Booth was ordained by Montreal-Ottawa Conference in 1957 and served congregations in Nakusp (1957-1959) and East Trail (1960-1966). He became the first Director of Student Affairs at Selkirk College, Castlegar in 1966. The following year, he became Director of Broadcasting for BC Conference, pioneering the church's venture into television. In 1984, he moved to Toronto to serve as Media Director/Executive Producer of United Church Television with the National Division of Communication. Booth was Chairperson of the World Council of Churches' Communicators' Network, and over the years provided resources and media coverage for three Assemblies. He also participated in co-productions of documentaries with the BBC, NBC, and CBC, and earned numerous international awards for his writing and documentaries. Booth retired to Surrey, B.C. in 1999 and continued consulting in the field of broadcasting and communications for several years.
The Brechin community was made up largely of coal miners' families. The first Methodist church services were held in homes, beginning in 1905. By 1910, Brechin was part of the Wellington Circuit, which included five preaching points: Wellington, East Wellington, Brechin, South Wellington and Cedar. A community hall, known as Brechin Hall, was moved onto a lot donated by the CPR on Estevan Road; it was used as a day school and Sunday school. When the mines closed in 1913, the Hall was given to the Methodist Church. This structure served as the church building until 1958. After church union in 1925, Brechin United Church became part of the Wellington Pastoral Charge.
In 1931, the Nanaimo Suburban Pastoral Charge was formed, comprised of a varying number of preaching points over the years. In 1958, a new building was constructed at the corner of Brechin and Estevan Roads; the building was dedicated on October 11, 1958 and the old Brechin Hall was demolished shortly afterward.
Brechin United Church became a separate independent charge in Comox-Nanaimo Presbytery in 1961, where it remained until the end of presbyteries in 2019. The church building was demolished in early 2019 and a new church and housing complex was built, owned and managed by the Pacific Mountain's housing society.
Brighouse United Church in Richmond was officially constituted as a congregation in January of 1926. The congregation met initially in the Richmond Municipal Hall for services. The first church building was opened in June 1927. Within a decade, it was evident that a larger building was needed. A new building was opened in September 1940 at 816 Granville Avenue; it was extended and remodeled in 1956. To accommodate growth, a church hall was added during 1951-1952. Although originally part of the Richmond pastoral charge (along with Richmond United Church), Brighouse became a separate charge in 1958. In 1974, the church building was moved to 8151 Bennett Road. Brighouse United was part of Vancouver South Presbytery until the Presbytery was disbanded in 2019. The congregation disbanded in June 2023.
J.G. Brown was born September 6, 1880 in Lakefield, Ontario. He received his university and theological education in Toronto at Victoria College. He was ordained by the Bay of Quinte Conference of the Methodist Church in 1908. After a few years in pastoral work in Ontario, he came to British Columbia in 1912 and ministered at Enderby and Vancouver (including Turner Institute, Ryerson, and Kitsilano Methodist congregations). He was appointed Principal of the newly chartered Ryerson Theological College in 1923. When, in 1927, Ryerson College and Westminster Hall were merged (following church union), Brown became the first Principal of Union College of British Columbia, affiliated with UBC. Under his administration, the main Union College buildings on campus were erected. He had the task of guiding the College through the Depression and then through World War II. Principal Brown also served as President of BC Conference of The United Church of Canada, 1936-1937. After his retirement in 1948, he lived for three years in Oxford, England, until his return to British Columbia, where he assumed the pastorate of the Church of Our Lord in Victoria. J.G. Brown died October 15, 1956.
Rev. William Lemuel ("Lem") Burnham was born in Summerberry, Saskatchewan. He moved to Vancouver in 1945 and studied theology (Union College) and social work (University of British Columbia). He was ordained by BC Conference in 1954. From 1955 to 1973, Burnham studied and worked in Hong Kong. He returned to Vancouver in 1974 and served the Chinese United Church until his retirement in 1985.
Burns Lake Hospital was located at Burns Lake, British Columbia. A small hospital was opened in a farm house at nearby Francois Lake in 1919 and in 1920 some larger quarters became available at Prosser's Point (now known as Hospital Point). The staff relocated to Burns Lake in 1924. In 1931 construction began on a new 19 bed hospital. The Woman's Missionary Society of The United Church of Canada, the provincial government and the Department of Indian Affairs all made substantial grants and it officially opened in 1932. Then, a new larger and better equipped building was opened in July, 1952. Another building was opened in August, 1960 by the WMS and Ministry of Health Services in the province.
Camp Fircom was founded in 1923 by First Presbyterian Church at the time when the Rev. J. Richmond Craig was Superintendent. The 50 acres of land was acquired shortly after. The original campers were primarily mothers and children living in the inner city. In 1925, First Presbyterian voted to amalgamate with other participating churches throughout Canada, and First United Church was formed. From then on, Camp Fircom was administered by First United Church.
The camp would undergo several renovations, changes, and additions throughout its lifetime, including the purchase of additional 22 acres of land in 1960. In 1979, Camp Fircom was incorporated as a society, and therefore was no longer a programming branch of First United Church. The Camp Fircom Society remains affiliated with the United Church.
In 2005, the camp closed for significant renovations and re-opened in 2011.
Camp Koolaree was established in 1931 after the land was purchased by Rev. Beverly Oaten along with Dr. Coughlin, Dr. Daly, and Dr. Auld. Camps were interdenominational until the 1970s when it began being operated exclusively by the United Church.
In 1905, W. Pascoe Goard, a retired Methodist minister and real estate professional, bought 136 acres of land overlooking Semiahmoo Bay, parceled it into lots, and sold it. One of the portions of land was turned into a park by the name of ‘Ocean Park’ and administered by the Methodist Church. The first camp at this location was hosted in the summer of 1910.
The first permanent building was erected in 1912 and served as a venue for lectures, church services, entertainment, and as a community hall for the burgeoning community until the Ocean Park Community Hall was built in the 1920s.
In 1925, in the wake of the church union, the United Church of Canada (B.C. Conference) gained responsibility of the property. The infrastructure of the camp continued to develop over the decades as cabins and dining facilities were built. In 1963, a swimming pool was added to the property.
Camp Kwomais ran as one of the oldest camps registered with B.C. Camping until its closure in 2004. The camp was eventually sold to the city of Surrey in 2007 due to a need for funds, an awareness of the site’s conservation needs, and a desire to keep the park accessible to the public.
The first United Church Chaplain, Rev. M.J.V. Shaver, was appointed to the University of British Columbia after its creation by BC Conference in 1959. An interdenominational committee, the Anglican-United Joint Chaplaincy Committee, was formed in 1969, through the BC Conference Committee on Church and State in Education, to begin the process of creating a joint chaplaincy at UBC. In 1970 the Anglican United Campus Ministry (AUCM) was created. In 1974, the AUCM and the UBC Student Christian Movement (SCM) merged to form the Cooperative Christian Campus Ministry (CCCM) at the University of British Columbia. In 1979, the SCM left the CCCM and the United Church and Anglican Church continued to operate campus ministry at UBC through the CCCM. In 1986, the CCCM was dissolved and the partnership between the United Church and Anglican Church at UBC ended. Later that year, after a brief period without a United Church campus chaplain, the United Church Campus Ministry (UCCM) at UBC was formed. In 2021, Campus Ministry at UBC became a part of Pacific Mountain Regional Council through the formation of Campus United.
Canadian Ecumenical Action began in 1973 as People's Opportunities in Ecumenical Mission (or POEM), for the development and support of new expressions of mission, and support of the expression of faith in work and in daily life by lay people of all churches and faiths. Rev. Val Anderson served as the founding coordinator of the new organization, which was originally organized into the Planning Board and standing committees (most prominently the Executive, the Finance Committee, and the Nominations Committee), the office, and numerous smaller committees or activity groups responsible for specific programs or projects. From the beginning, POEM served as a seedbed for other ventures, providing phone and office services, information, advertising and support through its newsletter and network of volunteers, and in some cases providing space or funding support. Many endeavours began as ventures within POEM, and eventually came to be independent.
In December 1976, POEM's name was officially changed to Canadian Ecumenical Action (CEA); however, the mission, and the organization of the work, remained substantially unchanged. Programs introduced between 1976 and 1979 included Alternatives in Justice and Corrections, the local chapter of the Canada-China Program, the Single Parent Network (also known as the Single Family Network and the Single Parent Action Network or SPAN), Poverty Focus, and the SFU Campus Ministry, among others.
By 1981, CEA's activities were clearly organized into the four divisions. Communication, Education, Community Action, and Administration, each of which had its own managing committee and reported separately to the Board.
CEA was also involved in organizing the 1983 World Council of Churches in Vancouver. CEA's orientation during this time was changing more and more towards sharing and cooperation among peoples of all faiths, rather than just Christian faiths, and in 1985 constitutional changes were made to reflect CEA's emerging identity as "a multifaith community action organization." By the early 2000s, the organization became the Multifaith Action Society, dedicated to the facilitation of interfaith education and dialogue.
Canadian Memorial Chapel was the result of an amalgamation of Sixth Avenue Methodist Church and Fourteenth Avenue Methodist Church. It became known as Canadian Memorial United Church after Church Union in 1925.
Canadian Urban Training began as a resource where clergy could prepare themselves for inner city social justice work in Toronto in 1965. CUT was an ecumenical program (funded by the United, Presbyterian, and Anglican Churches) that grew to include others that wanted to work towards social change. As more women and minority groups joined CUT, the program and network evolved to meet the needs of the people it served. The Action Training Collective (a part of CUT) was located at 200 - 1955 West Fourth Avenue, in Vancouver; along with the BC Conference offices. The program was dissolved in 1988 after it was decided that its forms and structures were no longer serving its objectives.
Cariboo Residential School was located southwest of Williams Lake, halfway between Quesnel and Kamloops on the BC Interior. It was funded by The Government of Canada and operated by the Roman Catholic Church from July 1891-March 31, 1969. From April 1, 1969-June 1981, the federal government managed and operated the school.
Central Okanagan United Church was formed July 1, 2021 through the amalgamation of three congregations: First United in downtown Kelowna, St. Paul's, and Rutland.
Agnes Chan (Ah Fung) was born in China. She came to Victoria, B.C., as a youth, and entered the Oriental Home and School. The Women's Missionary Society of the Presbyterian Church provided financial support for her to attend the Women's College Hospital in Toronto, from which she graduated in 1923. Agnes Chan moved to Foshan, China, where she was appointed Assistant Matron, then Superintendent of Nurses at the Wesleyan Methodist Girls' School hospital (1924-1938). This was followed by several years working at an orphanage in Wuchow.
Phoebe Chan came to Canada in about 1900 to join her brother, Rev. Yu Tan Chan, who served as lay preacher at the Chinese Methodist Church in Vancouver. Because of her experience in a mission school in China, she was engaged by the Woman's Missionary Society as Kindergarten Assistant and Bible Teacher at the church. She spent about 35 years teaching and providing pastoral care within the Chinese community, through the Methodist and United Churches. Following an accident in about 1942, Phoebe Chan retired as kindergarten teacher at the age of 72. She died in 1953, in her 84th year.
陳星階 CHAN Sing Kai grew up in a Christian household in China and was instrumental in establishing the Wesley Methodist Mission School in Hong Kong. He was invited by the Methodist Church of Canada to serve as lay preacher at Vancouver's first Chinese congregation in 1888. Chan was ordained in 1891 (the first person of Chinese descent to be ordained in the Methodist Church of Canada). After Vancouver, he served Chinese congregations in New Westminster and Victoria before moving to the United States for health reasons. His ministry continued in Oregon and California, where he died.
陳燿檀 CHAN Yu Tan was born and raised in China, where he grew up in a Christian family. He and his brother, CHAN Sing Kai, were instrumental in establishing the Wesleyan Mission School in Hong Kong. He arrived in Canada eight years after his brother, in 1896, serving as a lay preacher at the Chinese Methodist Church in Vancouver until 1906. This was followed by pastorates in Victoria, Nanaimo, and New Westminster. CHAN Yu Tan was ordained within the Methodist Church in 1923, and continued in ministry within The United Church of Canada after 1925 when it was formed through an amalgamation of the Methodist Church and other denominations.
The Cheam Methodist Church was founded in 1890. This congregation was the centre for the Cheam Circuit (est. 1888) which embraced congregations at East Chilliwack, Rosedale and Camp Slough in the Chilliwack area. In 1917 the Methodist circuit merged in a local union with the Presbyterians which were centred in Rosedale Presbyterian Church, becoming the Rosedale Union Church Circuit. As a result Cheam Methodist became Cheam Union Church. After national union in 1925, it became Cheam United Church and the circuit became Rosedale Pastoral Charge. The congregation continued as a part of this charge, with Rosedale and East Chilliwack United, until Cheam United closed in ca. 1958.
Victoria (Toy Mea) Cheung (Chung) was born in Victoria. Her family were members of the Chinese Presbyterian Church in Victoria, but because of the family's poverty, she was raised largely by the Oriental Home and School. The Presbyterian Women's Missionary Society sponsored her to attend Medical College at the University of Toronto, beginning in 1917. Dr. Cheung spent her career serving at Marion Barclay Hospital for women and children in Jiangmen, working mainly in gynaecology and pediatrics. She remained there during the Japanese occupation and after the Korean War.
Chilliwack United Church began as Chilliwack Methodist Church. The first services were held in a private home in 1865 and in 1869 the first building was erected. In the following year Sumas and Chilliwack Circuit was established; as the Methodist work grew in the area, new circuits were set apart from Sumas and Chilliwack: Cheam in 1888 and Sumas in 1892. Carman Methodist Church, founded in 1898 in Sardis, was a part of Chilliwack Circuit until it, too, became independent in 1910. Chilliwack Methodist entered into the United Church in 1925, drawing some members from the local Presbyterian church which remained outside the new union. Since 1925 it has continued mainly as a single point pastoral charge, in Westminster Presbytery until 1959, and since 1959 in Fraser Presbytery. Mount Shannon United Church, also in Chilliwack, was briefly joined with Chilliwack United in a team ministry from 1969 to 1972. In 2020 Chilliwack United amalgamated with Rosedale and Mount Shannon to form Cheam View United Church.
(繁體和簡體中文版本如下)(中文版在下面) In 1888, a Mrs. M. Monck, daughter of pioneer missionary Rev. Ebeneezer Robson, began teaching English classes to Chinese students in her father's home. In November of that year, Mr. Chan Sing Kai, who had worked in the Wesleyan Methodist School in Hong Kong for the previous eight years, arrived in Vancouver to set up a mission. After three years, he was ordained by the Methodist Church in Canada. The mission initially met in small quarters near Hastings and Abbott, then relocated to quarters on the south-east corner of Hastings and Columbia Streets. As the mission outgrew its space, it moved to 186 Pender Street West, in the heart of Chinatown. A new building was completed at 531 Beatty Street in 1906; it contained a chapel that would accommodate 300, rooms for Sunday school, and a night school. At church union in 1925, the mission joined The United Church of Canada.
Traditional Chinese:
歷史簡介
1888 年,先驅傳教士Ebeneezer Robson牧師的女兒 M. Monck 夫人開始在她父親的家中為中國學生教授英語課程。同年十一月,曾在香港衛斯理 (Wesleyan)衛理公會學校工作八年的陳星階 (Chan Sing Kai)先生抵達溫哥華設立佈道會。三年後,他被加拿大衛理公會按立牧職。傳道部最初在Hastings和Abbott街附近的小宿舍會面,然後搬遷到Hastings和Columbia街東南角的宿舍。隨著教友人數的不斷增加, 聚會空間明顯不夠,傳道部搬到了唐人街中心的 186 Pender Street West。 1906 年,一棟新建築在Beatty街 531 號落成;此建築含有一個可容納 300 人的小教堂、主日學校的幾個房間和一所夜校。在 1925 年的教會聯合會上,此傳道部加入了加拿大協和教會。
Simplified Chinese:
历史简介
1888 年,先驱传教士Ebeneezer Robson牧师的女儿 M. Monck 夫人开始在她父亲的家中为中国学生教授英语课程。同年十一月,曾在香港卫斯理 (Wesleyan)卫理公会学校工作八年的陈星阶 (Chan Sing Kai)先生抵达温哥华设立布道会。三年后,他被加拿大卫理公会按立牧职。传道部最初在Hastings和Abbott街附近的小宿舍会面,然后搬迁到Hastings和Columbia街东南角的宿舍。随着教友人数的不断增加, 聚会空间明显不够,传道部搬到了唐人街中心的 186 Pender Street West。 1906 年,一座新建筑在Beatty街 531 号落成;此建筑含有一个可容纳 300 人的小教堂、主日学校的几个房间和一所夜校。在 1925 年的教会联合会上,此传道部加入了加拿大协和教会。
- 中文名陈星阶源于此文 Chan Sing Kai (1854-1952) | Victoria's Chinatown (uvic.ca)并得到档案馆首肯。
(繁體和簡體中文版本如下) (繁体和简体中文版本如下) (Traditional and simplified Chinese versions below) Methodist mission work among the Chinese population of Victoria began in 1868, when services were held in an unused bar room at the corner of Government and Herald Streets. The church also opened a night school. As work grew, the Sanford Mission (named after a donor) was established at Government and Fisgard Streets, where daily classes and Sunday services were held. A new structure was built on Fisgard Street ca. 1890. The work of the congregation was closely connected with the Oriental Home and School on Cormorant Street. At church union in 1925, the congregation joined The United Church of Canada.
Traditional Chinese:
歷史簡介
衛理公會在維多利亞(Victoria)華人中的宣教工作始於 1868 年,當時的宣教處位於Government 和 Herald街拐角處一閒置的酒吧間。教會也開設了一所夜校。隨著工作的發展,Sanford 傳道會(以一位捐助者的名字命名)在Government 和 Fisgard 街成立,在那裡開設每日課程和舉行週日禮拜。大約在1890 年,一棟新建築 在 Fisgard 街上落成。该教會的工作與位於Cormorant街的東亞女學堂的活動密切相聯。在 1925 年的教會聯合會上,此教會加入了加拿大協和教會。
Simplified Chinese:
历史简介
卫理公会在维多利亚(Victoria)华人中的宣教工作始于 1868 年,当时的宣教处位于Government 和 Herald街拐角处一闲置的酒吧间。教会还开设了一所夜校。随着工作的发展,Sanford 传道会(以一位捐助者的名字命名)在Government 和 Fisgard 街成立,在那里开设每日课程和举行周日礼拜。大约在1890 年,一个新建筑 在 Fisgard 街上落成。该教会的工作与位于Cormorant街的东亚女学堂的活动密切相联。在 1925 年的教会联合会上,此教会加入了加拿大协和教会。
(繁體和簡體中文版本如下) (繁体和简体中文版本如下) (Traditional and simplified Chinese versions below) The Chinese United Church Mission in Victoria was created when the Methodist Mission joined The United Church of Canada in 1925. The United Church Year Book last records the existence of the congregation in 1965.
Traditional Chinese:
歷史簡介
維多利亞的華人協和教會在1925 年華人衛理公會加入加拿大協和教會時成立。協和教會年鑑最後一次記錄該會的存在是在 1965 年。
Simplified Chinese:
历史简介
维多利亚,华人协和教会在1925 年华人卫理公会加入加拿大协和教会时成立。协和教会年鉴最后一次记录该会的存在是在 1965 年。
The Chinese Methodist Church was established in Nanaimo in 1894 when Mr. Tom Chu Thom was stationed there. A church was built in 1895, and Rev. Fong Dickman was appointed to Nanaimo as a "missionary-at-large" in 1898. The congregation became the Chinese United Church in 1925, at church union. In 1960, Chinatown suffered a fire. A new building was dedicated in 1961. The congregation ceases to appear in the United Church Year Books after 1965.
(繁體和簡體中文版本如下) (繁体和简体中文版本如下) (Traditional and simplified Chinese versions below) The Chinese United Church in Vancouver had its roots in the Methodist Church, which joined The United Church of Canada in 1925. Shortly afterward, and to better serve the needs of the Chinese community (which had begun to shift eastward), the congregation relocated from Beatty Street to the corner of Pender Street and Dunlevy Avenue. The new church building and Christian Education Centre were dedicated on December 3, 1929. For nearly 70 years, the mission relied on the Board of Home Missions and the Woman's Missionary Society for financial support and leadership, and was known as the Chinese Mission, United Church of Canada. As it worked toward full self-support, which it achieved in 1955, it became known as the Chinese United Church. The congregation officially amalgamated with Chown United Church on April 14, 1992, becoming Chown Memorial and Chinese United Church, located at 3519 Cambie Street.
Traditional Chinese:
歷史簡介
溫哥華華人協和教會起源於衛理公會。 此會於 1925 年加入加拿大協和教會。不久之後,為了更好地服務華人社區(已經開始向東轉移)的需要,教會會址從Beatty Street 搬到了 Pender Street 和 Dunlevy Avenue 的拐角處。 1929 年 12 月 3 日,新教堂和基督教教育中心落成典禮。 約70年間,該傳道部的運作仰仗家庭宣教委員會和婦女佈道會的財政支持和引領,並被稱為加拿大協和教會華人宣教會。该教會努力實現完全自給自足, 並於1955成功實現這一目標,自此被稱為華人協和教會。 1992年4月14日,華人協和教會與Chown United Church正式合併,成為周氏紀念堂和華人協和教會 [Chown Memorial and Chinese United Church],其地址位於3519 Cambie Street。
Simplified Chinese:
历史简介
温哥华华人协和教会起源于卫理公会。 此会于 1925 年加入加拿大协和教会。不久之后,为了更好地服务华人社区(已经开始向东转移)的需要,教会会址从Beatty Street 搬到了 Pender Street 和 Dunlevy Avenue 的拐角处。 1929 年 12 月 3 日,新教堂和基督教教育中心落成典礼。 约70年间,该传道部的运行仰仗家庭宣教委员会和妇女布道会的财政支持和引领,并被称为加拿大协和教会华人宣教会。该教会努力实现完全自给自足,并于1955年成功实现这一目标,自此被称为华人协和教会。1992年4月14日,华人协和教会与Chown United Church正式合并,成为周氏纪念堂和华人协和教会 [Chown Memorial and Chinese United Church],其地址位于3519 Cambie Street。
CHOW Ling was born in Kaiping (Hoiping), Guangdong, China and came to Canada as a boy of 14 in 1907. He spent his early years in Victoria, attending the Methodist Church there. In 1920, the church sent him to Nelson, B.C. to relieve C.Y. Chow. He returned to China to study theology at Guangdong Union Theological College, from which he graduated in 1929. Soon after his return, Chow was ordained by BC Conference within The United Church of Canada in 1931. As an ordained minister, he served pastorates in Cranbrook (1932-1934), Victoria (1934-1945), Vancouver (1945-1955), and Edmonton (1955-1964), retiring to Vancouver in 1964. While he was serving the Chinese United Church in Vancouver, the Canadian government lifted the Chinese Exclusion Act (1947); Chow was instrumental in beginning night school classes at the church, to help newcomers learn English.
The Coqualeetza Industrial Institute, also referred to as Coqualeetza Residential School was located on the shores of Luckakuck Creek in Sardis, British Columbia, about five kilometres south of Chilliwack in the traditional territory of Skowkale First Nation. It was operated by the Woman's Missionary Society and the General Board of Home Missions of the Methodist Church of Canada, and after 1925 the Board of Home Missions of the United Church of Canada. It was first founded as a day school in 1884 by Missionary Charles M. Tate and his wife, Caroline. Two years later, they began boarding some students in the mission house, first at their own cost and later with the support of the federal government and the Woman's Missionary Society (WMS). In 1888, the WMS built a residential school named the Coqualeetza Home, which continued to operated until it burned down in 1891. With some help from the federal government, the school was rebuilt and opened as the Coqualeetza Industrial Institute in 1894. In 1900, the General Board of Missions took over from the WMS. In 1924 the federal government built a new building to accommodate 200 pupils, which opened in October. In 1925, The United Church of Canada took over operations. In 1939 the Institute closed, and afterward the building became the Coqualeetza Sanitorium under the management of the federal government. It was partially destroyed by fire in 1948, with a new building being completed in 1956.
Crescent United Church began its life as a "Union" church. While the property was held by the Presbyterian Church when it was organized in 1920, it was a community effort with people from several denominations active in the development of the congregation. In June 1922, the new church was dedicated. With church union in 1925, Crescent Union Church became Crescent United Church and also became part of White Rock Pastoral Charge. This continued until 1952 when it became an independent Crescent Pastoral Charge. On July 1, 2017, Crescent United amalgamated with First United Church (White Rock, B.C.) and Sunnyside United Church (Surrey, B.C.) to form Peninsula United Church.
In 1933 the Cultus Lake Camp Committee was created; it was made up of members from Chilliwack, Sardis, Sumas, and Rosedale United Churches. Campers slept in tents until 1949 when Oliver Wells wrote that in order to "meet [certain camp] requirements, and as well for the benefit of the camp, we must this year begin a permanent construction program."
In terms of governance, United Church camps in B.C. generally fell within the BC Conference Christian Education Committee. In the mid-1960s, a Conference sub-committee on camping was formed, and representatives from the individual camp boards met annually at the BC Conference Camp Consultation. Cultus Lake Camp reported to the Conference until the early 1980s, when it was decided that it would report directly to Fraser Presbytery. Unlike most United Church camps in B.C., Cultus Lake Camp did not become separately incorporated as a society until 2010. Also unlike most camps, it leased the property from the province; its original 50-year lease was renewed in the 1980s for 30 years, and then again until 2015. In 2014, it was disbanded.
Dr. George Darby was a physician who served the Methodist and United Church as medical superintendent of R.W. Large Memorial Hospital (Bella Bella, B.C.) from 1914-1959. Heiltsuk Chief Moody Humchitt bestowed the name, Wo-Ya-La ("The Highest") on Dr. Darby in 1944.
Mary Violet Deeprose was born in Stockdale, Ontario on February 11, 1903. She attended the United Church Training School in Toronto, 1938-1940, and was designated a deaconess by Alberta Conference, August 18, 1941. She was appointed by the Woman’s Missionary Society to the Crosby Girls’ Home in Lax Kw’alaams (then known as Port Simpson), 1940-1944. She left the work due to a family illness. From 1946-1949, she was employed as superintendent of the Mountview Social Service Home (Calgary). She taught in the public school system in Alberta from 1953 until her retirement in 1962. Violet Deeprose died at Drumheller, Alberta on February 22, 1991.
Ilma Dunn was born Ilma Beamish. In 1931 she worked at the Port Simpson Residential School, where she connected with several local Indigenous families. She would later work at Ten Mile Lake school, where she met her husband. She lived in East Burnaby during the late 1930s. Ilma was also connected with the Canadian Girls in Training (CGIT) and with Camp Kwomais (then Ocean Park Camp), where she volunteered as a cabin leader. In the 1980s and '90s, Ilma participated in the United Church's Community of Concern.
In 1980, Marta Gloria de la Vega, a Guatemalan labour lawyer exiled to Costa Rica, toured BC as a Ten Days visitor. Hearing about her family's plight, Kamloops United Church sponsored Maria, her husband, and her 5 kids as refugees in 1982. Maria was hired as staff for the newly-formed Guatemala Refugee Project (later renamed the Central America Education and Action Project). Meanwhile, Anglican and United Church communities were meeting for week-long "Summer Justice-Making Institutes" in order to talk about the injustices happening in the Central America. Marta's advocacy and work, along with increasing communities focused on justice in Central America, led to the founding of the Christian Task Force on Central America (CTF) in 1984. Marta worked with the CTF from its inception until its dissolution in 2008.
CTF worked variously with agencies and advocacy groups, both in Canada and abroad. They intervened in the seizure of kids from Latin American families by the B.C. Ministry for Children and Families. In 2002, TFC changed its name to the Ecumenical Task Force for Justice in the Americas.