Ernest Edgar Long (1901-1985) was a United Church Minister and the longest serving Secretary of General Council. He was born in Brighton England to Harry Oliver Long and Ellen Kate Pierce and raised in Woodstock, ON. He was inspired at a young age to become a minister by his missionary sister, and was received as a probationer for Methodist Ministry in 1916 by Woodstock District and Hamilton Conference. He served at the following probationary charges in the U.S.A. and Canada: Drumo-Richwood of Woodstock District, Shaunayon Presbytery Saskatchewan, Chetwynd Charge Burk’s Falls and East Dorset, Vermont. He earned his B.A. from Victoria College and Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary in 1927. While at Union Theological School he served as Boys’ Work Secretary and Youth Leader at Peoples’ Home Church and Settlement, East 11th St. N.Y.C. (Methodist) and Assistant Director of Christian Education at West Side Presbyterian Church, Ridgewood, N.J.. During this time he also completed most credits for M.A. at Teacher’s College, Columbia University, N.Y.. He was ordained in 1926 by the London Conference and served at the following pastorates: Avondale United Church, Collier Street United Church, Trinity United Church Barrie, Fairmount-St. Giles Quebec and Humbercrest United Church. In 1931 he married Dr. Dorothy Elizabeth Toye and had two children Peter bad Elizabeth. While serving as a minister he also held various responsibilities in church courts from 1939 to 1954. With his expertise in church government he become Secretary of the General Council in 1955 and served for seventeen years. While Secretary he did a lot of ecumenical work and most notably was a member of the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches.
St. Paul's United Church was located in Kelowna and part of Kamloops-Okanagan Presbytery. It begun by First United Church in 1947 under the name Mission Road United Church. On the occasion of building and dedicating a new church in 1958, the congregation was renamed St. Paul's. In 1961, the congregation became a separate pastoral charge from First United Church. On July 1, 2021, the congregation amalgamated with Rutland United and First United to form Central Okanagan United Church.
(日本語版は以下に記載) (Japanese version below)
The Japanese Methodist mission in Kelowna began in 1920 after Rev. Yoshimitsu Akagawa, a minister in Vancouver, made a strong recommendation for a need to serve the approximately 500 Japanese Canadian orchard farmers. The congregation built it first church on Harvey Avenue in 1922, and it served the broader population as a "Japanese Community Centre." With church union in 1925, the congregation became a United Church (essentially a name change). The Japanese Canadian population in the Kelowna area subsequently grew, particularly during the Second World War era. In 1965, a new church building on Highway 97 North was completed. It was sold in 1989, but the congregation continued to meet at First United Church (Kelowna). Over the decades, the Okanagan Japanese Pastoral Charge has included several additional preaching points: Greenwood, Midway, Nakusp, New Denver, Slocan, Okanagan Centre, Summerland, Vernon, and Westbank (West Kelowna). It was part of Kamloops-Okanagan Presbytery until presbyteries ended in 2019.
組織歴・履歴 :
ケロナ市 (英: Kelowna) に於ける日本を対象としたメソジストミッションはバンクーバー市に在住していた赤川美盈(よしみつ)牧師の提言により1920年に開始した。当時ケロナ市は凡そ500人の日系カナダ人の果樹園農家が在住していた。最初の教会堂は1922年にハーヴィーアベニュー(英:Harvey Avenue)に建設され、日系人コミュニティの集会所として活用された。第二次世界大戦時におけるケロナ市周辺の日系カナダ人の増加に伴い、1965年に97号線高速道路北(英:Highway 97 North)に新たな教会堂が建設された。教会堂は1989年に売却されたが会衆は第一合同教会(英:First United Church)で続行された。一時期には以下の市村もオカナガン日本人教会の司牧責任地域として制定されていた:グリーンウッド(英:Greenwood)、ミッドウェイ(英:Midway)、ナカスプ(英:Nakusp)、ニューデンバー(英:New Denver)、スローカン(英:Slocan)、オカナガンセンター(英:Okanagan Centre)、サマーランド(英:Summerland)、バーノン(英:Vernon)、ウエストバンク(西ケロナ)(英:Westbank (West Kelowna))。2019年に解散されたカムループス・オカナガン部会 (英: Kamloops-Okanagan) の一員でもあった。
St. Andrew's United Church in Fort Langley (in Langley District Municipality) which came into being with church union in 1925 was formerly, St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church. Regular Presbyterian services were first held at Fort Langley in a school house from 1872 until 1885 when St. Andrew's church was built. St. Andrew's was part of the larger Langley field which included Langley Prairie, Murrayville, Glen Valley and other points. In 1921 the field was divided into two fields centred at Fort Langley and Murrayville. The new Fort Langley charge included West Langley. After church union in 1925 St. Andrew's United was the centre of or associated with a number of pastoral charges: Fort Langley Pastoral Charge, which included Sperling, Glen Valley and County Line, from 1925 to 1953; Fort Langley-Milner Pastoral Charge, which included Milner, Sperling and Willoughby, from 1953 to 1962; Fort Langley Pastoral Charge, which included Sperling United and West Langley Memorial United, from 1962 to 1969; Fort Langley-Port Kells Pastoral Charge from 1969 to 1971; Fort Langley-Murrayville Pastoral Charge from 1971 to 1980, which included Sharon United Church in Murrayville and Milner United Church; and the Fort Langley-Milner Pastoral Charge since 1980 when Sharon became a separate charge. On July 1, 1991, the Milner United Church congregation was amalgamated with the St. Andrew's United Church congregation. The Milner property was sold, and the new one-point Pastoral Charge was named St Andrew's -Fort Langley Pastoral Charge, part of Fraser Presbytery. In 2012 St. Andrew's United Church amalgamated with Jubilee United, Langley United, and Sharon United to form the United Churches of Langley.
Pierce Memorial United Church began as a Methodist mission in the early 1870s. During this period it was part of the Port Simpson circuit. A Methodist church was built in Port Essington in 1876. The congregation provided baptism, marriage, and burial services for the Indigenous, Japanese Canadian, and European Canadian residents of the town. Port Essington Methodist Church came into church union in 1925. On March 15, 1936 a new church building was dedicated at Port Essington, which was named Pierce Memorial, in honour of Rev. William Henry Pierce, the first Methodist minister in the area and an Indigenous (Metis) man who was ordained at the first meeting of the British Columbia Conference in 1887. According to the United Church yearbooks, Port Essington Pastoral Charge has had many different preaching points over the years such as Balmoral, Haysport, and Sunnyside. In the 1950s Prince Rupert Presbytery decided to close the congregation.
Peter Wyatt (1943-) is a minister, and former General Council Office staff with The United Church of Canada. He was born in Stratford, Ontario. He received his B.A. in English from Victoria College at the University of Toronto in 1966, his M. Div from Union Theological Seminary (New York) in 1969, and his Th.D. from Victoria University (Toronto School of Theology) in 1983. From 1995-2001 he was the General Secretary, Theology, Faith and Ecumenism at the United Church of Canada General Council office. Following that, from 2001-2008, he was Principal of Emmanuel College, and in 2012 Acting Executive Secretary of Toronto Conference. His pastoral ministry includes a summer mission field at Belmont Lakes Pastoral Charge (1967), Field Education at Riverside Church and East Northport Methodist Church, Long Island (1966-1969), Minister at St. Paul's Pastoral Charge (Alberta, 1969-1974), Whitevale Pastoral Charge (Toronto, 1974-1977), Port Hope United Church (Port Hope, 1977-1984), Trinity-St. Paul's Church (Toronto, 1989-1995), Supply at St. Andrew's U.C. (Brantford, 2009-2010), Knox United (Agincourt, 2011), Rosedale United (Toronto, 2012), Burk's Falls Pastoral Charge (2013-2014), Lynn Valley U.C. (Vancouver, 2015), Trinity St. Paul's (Toronto, 2017), and Trinity United Church (Huntsville, 2020-2021). He has taught various courses in theology at Emmanuel College and other institutions, published many articles, and two books entitled "Jesus Christ and Creation in the Theology of John Calvin" (1996) and "The Page That Fell Out of My Bible ; Sermons Preached at Trinity St-Paul's United Church, 1990-95" (1995). He married Joan (Parsons) Wyatt in 1965 who has taught courses alongside him, co-authored articles and shared ministry.
Peninsula United Church was formed in 2017 when three congregations in South Surrey and White Rock (Crescent, First, and Sunnyside United Churches) joined together to form one united congregation. It was a member of Fraser Presbytery until presbyteries were dissolved in 2019.
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.
The Esquimalt United Church was founded on May 31st, 1911 and was called Esquimalt Naval and Military Methodist Church. It served the community in the area of District of Esquimalt and Victoria West. Rev. Thomas Keyworth was appointed as the first Minister of the Methodist Church. The first worship services were held in what was known as Kent's Hall on Sunday, June 11, 1911. At that time, Sunday School was formed by the Ladies Aid Society. Sunday School was being held at the Methodist Soldiers Home of that time. On September 11, 1913, a new building located on the corner of Admirals Road and Lyall Street was opened.
As far back as the 1870s, ministers of the Presbyterian and Methodist churches travelled through Williams Lake and preached. Regular work was not established until 1920, initially under the leadership of Rev. J.H. White. The Rev. Dr. A.D. MacKinnon arrived in the fall of 1921 for a long-term ministry for the Presbyterian Church, serving the people of Williams Lake and the vast surrounding area until 1941. St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church and manse were built on Oliver Street, Williams Lake, and was officially dedicated in 1922. During church union in 1925, the congregation joined The United Church of Canada and its name changed to St. Andrew’s United Church.
In 1953, St. Andrew’s sold its original buildings and moved to the corner of Cameron Street and Third Avenue. A hall, later to be named MacKinnon Memorial Hall, was built. The congregation intended that a sanctuary would also be erected, but this did not materialize, so the hall served as a sanctuary and Christian Education centre. A manse was built beside the hall, and served the ministry staff until it was sold in 1974 to give the minister opportunity to choose suitable housing.
On April 9, 1980, a fire destroyed MacKinnon Memorial Hall. St. Andrew’s worshiped in the Anglican church and then in local school gyms. St. Andrew’s sold the Cameron Street lot in 1981 and purchased a new site in the 600 block of Midnight Drive from B.C. Rail. A new structure, 1000 Huckvale Place, was completed in July 1982.
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.
In the early 1860s, Methodist and Presbyterian ministers who were stationed in New Westminster considered the Richmond area to be part of their parish. Methodist missionaries were instrumental in having a small church built on the mainland side of the North Arm of the Fraser River around 1870. This little church became the preaching centre for several Christian denominations. By mid-1887, a small church was built at London's Landing and, like the original church on the North Arm, it became a Union Church, used by all Christian denominations. Methodist services continued in the London's Landing Church until the Steveston Methodist Church was built in 1894. The Presbyterians used the London's Landing Church until 1906 when the South Arm Presbyterian Church was built. The Presbyterians also held services in the Steveston area, beginning around 1890. These services were discontinued around 1912, and some families from Steveston attended the South Arm Church. In 1917 the Presbyterians decided to resume their work at Steveston and acquired an old school building.
At the time of church union in 1925, the Presbyterian and Methodist churches united to form Steveston United Church, using the former Methodist building for all services, including Sunday school. From 1925 until 1962, Steveston United Church was part of the South Arm-Steveston Pastoral Charge, after which they became separate single-point charges. Steveston United amalgamated with the neighbouring Japanese United Church in 1953, and the combined congregation assumed the name Steveston United Church. The combined congregation rehabilitated the former Japanese United property in 1954; it was used for kindergarten, Sunday school and mid-week activities. When the Steveston Community Centre was built two years later, community demand for use of the church hall greatly diminished, and the old mission church was demolished. That property was leased as a parking lot and finally sold in 1971. In 1978, the congregation built and dedicated a new church building to replace its 1894 structure.
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.
As early as 1910, a small group of Methodists and Presbyterians gathered for worship at the Wilson Road (Kerrisdale) School prior to the establishment of Kerrisdale Methodist Church. Kerrisdale Methodist Church opened on November 26, 1911 in a small building on the north-east corner of 45th Avenue and Yew Street, Vancouver. In 1925, Kerrisdale Methodist Church came into union, and changed its name to Ryerson United Church. Ryerson United required a larger church building, and the present building was dedicated on March 25th, 1928. A Christian Education Centre in the Ryerson Memorial Centre was built and dedicated in March of 1950. The Ryerson congregation amalgamated with Dunbar Heights United Church to form Dunbar Ryerson United Church on January 1, 2017 and changed its name to Pacific Spirit United Church the following year.
St. Andrew's United Church was created when St. Andrew's Presbyterian voted to enter Church Union in 1925. It was located at Georgia and Richards, and was the site on June 10, 1925 of the service of celebration of union for The United Church of Canada in B.C. Shortly thereafter, a joint committee was formed with Wesley United Church, and St. John's United Church (which included the members of First Congregational Church who had also chosen to enter union) to consider amalgamation of the churches serving the west side of Vancouver. The First Congregational Church building was given to the continuing Presbyterian Church.
In 1927, St. Andrew's United Church amalgamated with Wesley United Church, and in 1928, new property was purchased for the new St. Andrew's-Wesley United Church on Burrard and Nelson, after the sale of Wesley United Church. The amalgamated congregation continued to use the two buildings, with morning services at St. Andrew's, and evening services at Wesley, until December 1932. The new St. Andrew's-Wesley church was opened in May 1933. The old St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church building, erected in 1890, was torn down in 1937.
St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church was organized in 1888, with the support of First Presbyterian Church, which had been organized in 1885.
St. Andrew's Presbyterian was to serve the west side of Vancouver. A small church was built and opened in July 1888. The first minister was Rev. E.D. McLaren. Within a year, the congregation had outgrown the first building, and a new church on Georgia and Richards was opened and dedicated in May 1890. In 1904, a Sunday school building was opened, and in 1906, the church building was enlarged.
St. Andrew's Presbyterian voted to enter Church Union in 1925, and was the site on June 10, 1925 of the service of celebration of union for The United Church of Canada in B.C.
Maggie Dieter is an ordained minister in The United Church of Canada. She is Cree, from Peepeekisis First Nation. Maggie has served communities of faith within the Saugeen-Ojibway Nation Territory, the Neyasshingaming and Saugeen First Nations, and has served as the Executive Minister, Indigenous Ministries and Justice at The United Church of Canada’s General Council office from 2009-2021.
Previously known as Central Methodist Church (1908-1916), Turner Institute amalgamated with First Presbyterian Church at the time of Church Union, 1925.
The first Methodist services in New Denver were held in the hotel dining-room, ca. 1890, and a church was built two years later. The circuit included Nakusp, Sandon, Slocan City, and smaller points and mining camps in the Slocan Valley. In 1904, Nakusp was separated from the New Denver circuit. A Presbyterian field including New Denver and Silverton, with headquarters at Nakusp, was set up in 1896. Knox Presbyterian Church (New Denver) was built in 1897. After union, the New Denver pastoral charge included Silverton (Zion) and Sandon. In 1940, the Nakusp-New Denver pastoral charge was formed, but travel proved to be inconvenient, and New Denver again separated in 1947, although it was supplied from Nakusp. In 1963, the yearbook included New Denver in the Arrow Lakes-Slocan Pastoral Charge, where it remained until 1984. In 1985, New Denver (Turner Memorial) became part of the Kootenay-Slocan pastoral charge, which also included Kaslo (St. Andrew's), Proctor, and Silverton (Zion). In 2009, Turner Memorial and Zion (Silverton) amalgamated to form Turner Zion United Church. The Turner Memorial building was sold in 2015.
St. Andrew's-Wesley Church is a congregation of the United Church of Canada, a denomination formed in 1925 by the union of Presbyterian, Methodist, Congregational and Local Union Churches. As the name implies, it is the successor of two congregations, St. Andrew's Presbyterian and Wesley Methodist.
Methodist services began in Vancouver as early as 1864, when Methodist missionaries recorded as arriving in the Vancouver area in 1859. A parsonage and church was built on Water St. in 1875. A fire destroyed this church in 1886 and temporary services were held in a hall on the site of the former church. In 1887, the congregation divided into two: Princess Street and Homer Street. By 1901, it was clear that the membership had outgrown the Homer Street church and a new foundation was laid at the corner of Georgia and Burrard Streets, with the new church to be known as Wesley Methodist. Completed and dedicated by the end of 1901, Wesley Methodist is regarded as the lineal descendent of the first Methodist Church on Water Street, and the mother of many of the Methodist Churches that later sprang up in Vancouver.
A Presbyterian congregation was organized in a community schoolhouse in the 1870s. First Presbyterian Church was erected on Cordova Street but was destroyed in the 1886 fire. The congregation then moved to a larger centre on the corner of Gore and Hastings Streets in 1892. The building was enlarged and re-dedicated in 1906 and after 1932 became the home of First United Church. St. Andrew's was also mother to a number of new Presbyterian Churches in Vancouver.
First Congregational Church held its first service on April 28, 1888 in Wilson Hall on the southwest corner of Cordova and Abbott streets. The congregation was officially organized on June 17, 1888. It secured property on the corner of Richards and Georgia streets, with the new church officially opening on December 8, 1889. The congregation split away to form Central Congregational Church over the issue of pacifism, but returned to First Congregational Church in 1903. Property was purchased at the corner of Thurlow and Pendrell Streets and a new church building was opened on November 9, 1912. In 1925, First Congregational Church became a congregation of the United Church of Canada and First Congregational was amalgamated with St. John's United Church. The First Congregational Church building was given to the continuing Presbyterian Church.
On June 10, 1925, the union of the United Church of Canada was celebrated at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church on Georgia and Richards, with both St. Andrew's Presbyterian and Wesley Methodist joining union. Following church union, a joint committee of St. Andrew's United and Wesley United Churches, along with representatives of St. John's United Church (which included the members of First Congregational Church who had also chosen to enter union) to consider amalgamation of the churches serving the west side of Vancouver. St. Andrew's-Wesley United Church came into being as the voted union of Wesley United and St. Andrew's United Church in June 1927.
The first services of St. Andrew's-Wesley United Church were held on September 7, 1930, with morning services in St. Andrew's church and evening services in the Wesley church, a procedure followed until December 4, 1932 (The Wesley property was sold in 1928, though it remained in use until 1933). The sale enabled the congregation to purchase a site on Burrard and Nelson streets. The "Cathedral Church of the United Church in B.C.", St. Andrew's-Wesley's new building was opened on May 26, 1933, with Rev. Dr. Willard Brewing as first minister of the united congregation.
From 1976-1981, after a fire destroyed the St. John's United Church building, St. John's United became part of a two-point St. Andrew's-Wesley-St. John's pastoral charge, but the two congregations did not amalgamate. In 1981, with a new church building, St. John's United again became an independent pastoral charge. St. Andrew's-Wesley continues as one of the formative congregations of the United Church in Vancouver.
(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。
Sharon United Church, located in Murrayville, in Langley District Municipality, originally was known as Sharon Presbyterian Church or Langley Prairie Presbyterian Church. The congregation formally began in 1876 as part of the larger Langley field or mission of the Church of Scotland, which also included Fort Langley. In 1886 the Langley field became part of the Presbyterian Church in Canada and a church building was first erected at Murray's Corners (later Murrayville) in 1890. The congregation continued as part of the Langley field until 1921 when the field was divided between the two central points of St. Andrew's in Fort Langley and Sharon Church in Murrayville. The latter included smaller congregations at Langley Prairie (today, city of Langley) and Lochiel. In 1925 the congregation entered into union, although some members were non-concurring and formed a continuing Presbyterian congregation. Sharon United Church has been a separate charge in Fraser Presbytery since 1980. Prior to 1980 the congregation has been a part of various pastoral charge arrangements: Langley Prairie or Langley United Church remained connected to Murrayville until 1950; Aldergrove United was a part of the charge from 1932 to 1961; Sharon Church was a separate charge from 1961 to 1965 when Milner was joined with the congregation, forming the Murrayville-Milner Pastoral Charge; in 1971 St. Andrew's in Fort Langley was added creating the Fort Langley-Murrayville Pastoral Charge; and in 1980 Sharon became a separate charge. In 2012 Sharon United Church amalgamated with Jubilee United, St Andrew's United, and Langley United to form the United Churches of Langley, part of Fraser Presbytery.
(日本語版は以下に記載) (Japanese version below)
The Fraser Valley Japanese Mission was formed in the early 1930s. It was an extension of the New Westminster Japanese mission, which had begun in 1898. In 1934, the Fraser Valley Japanese Mission became a separate mission and continued as such until 1942 when the Canadian government forcefully uprooted and interned Japanese Canadians. In the late 1950s, Fraser Valley Japanese United Church was re-established, and continued until it formally amalgamated with Northwood United Church (Surrey, B.C.) in 2013.
組織歴・履歴 :
フレイザーバレー日系人合同教会 (ミッション市、ブリティッシュコロンビア州)は1930年代初期に結成された。当初は1898年にニューウエストミンスター(英: New Westminster)で行われていた日系移民ミッションの一環であったが1934年に独立。1942年のカナダ政府による西海岸在住の日系カナダ人の強制収容まで活動した。1950年代後期に再度結成され、2013年に同州サレー市 (英: Surrey) のノースウッド (英: Northwood) 合同教会と統合するまで活動を続けた。
Methodist services began in the Queensborough (latter New Westminster) area with the arrival of Methodist Ministers in 1859. A new church was built and dedicated on April 8, 1860. In 1862, Presbyterian services were begun in New Westminister in the old Court House, with a new church being built and dedicated on December 30, 1863. In 1898, a disaster hit New Westminster as a fire broke out in the town and destroyed every business place and dwelling below Royal Avenue and as far west as Tenth Street, including the Methodist church. After the destructive fire, the Methodists decided to re-erect the church, and a corner-stone was laid on June 28, 1899, with the new church on Queens Avenue being dedicated on April 22, 1900. With the coming of church union in 1925, Queens Avenue United Church gathered for the inaugural service of the new union congregation on May 13, 1926.
(日本語版は以下に記載) (Japanese version below)
The Japanese Methodist Mission was established in Vancouver in 1896. It fell within the purview of the Home Missions Board until well after WW II, even though the congregation had become self-supporting by 1936. The congregation's first building was constructed in 1907 or 1908 at the corner of Jackson and Powell Streets. It became known as the Powell Street Church. A gymnasium and social hall were added in the 1920s, for which the congregation raised $12,000. The Woman's Missionary Society (WMS) was involved with the Japanese Mission from very early on. They taught kindergarten and home economics at the Mission, held prayer meetings, and raised funds to add to the voluntary contributions of the congregation and Home Missions. The congregation boasted an excellent Sunday school, Tuxis and Explorers groups, Mission Band, and CGIT. The Rev. Dr. Kosaburo Shimizu served the congregation from 1926 to 1942. He introduced many Christian education opportunities within the congregation, established the Young People's Union, introduced monthly English-speaking worship services, and started a relief department providing food and clothing during the Depression of the 1930s. He also helped the congregation achieve self-supporting status.
Members living in Vancouver's Fairview neighbourhood raised enough money, along with a Home Missions grant, to build a second Japanese Church in 1928 (by then part of The United Church of Canada).The Fairview Mission later became known as the Columbia Street Mission (from 1949 on), which was sold in 1977. From 1942 to 1949, the two buildings were used by First United Church, St. Giles, and the WMS while Japanese Canadian citizens were interned in internment camps. The Powell Street and Columbia Street buildings were held in trust by the Board of Home Missions during the war. In 1953, the Powell St. property was sold. From then on, the Japanese- and English-speaking congregations met in a number of different venues, none of which they owned, beginning with First United Church. In 1958 both Nisei and Issei (Japanese speaking) church members were worshipping in Fairview Church on Columbia. In 1962, they moved to Renfrew United Church. In 1978, the congregation purchased St. Luke's United Church building.
At its general meeting in May 2009, BC Conference made a statement of Recognition and Apology to the Japanese United Church for the sale of the Powell Street church building 56 years earlier. In June of that year, a Service of Reconciliation took place at the Vancouver Japanese United Church. Early in 2017, the English-speaking congregation disbanded.
日本メソジスト伝道ミッションが1896年にバンクーバーに設立されました。第二次世界大戦後まで、ホームミッション委員会の管轄下にありましたが、1936年までには自立していました。会衆の最初の建物は1907年か1908年にジャクソン通りとパウエル通りの角に建てられ、パウエル通り教会として知られるようになりました。1920年代には体育館と社交場が増築され、そのために会衆は12,000ドルを集めました。婦人宣教会（WMS）は、非常に早い時期から日系人宣教に関与し、伝道所で幼稚園と家庭科を教え、祈祷会を開き、教会とホームミッションへの自発的な献金に加えて献金を集めました。教会は優れた日曜学校、タキシス、エクスプローラーズグループ、ミッションバンド、CGITを誇っていました。清水小三郎牧師は1926年から1942年まで牧師として仕え、教会内に多くのキリスト教教育の機会を導入し、青年会を設立し、毎月の英語による礼拝を導入し、1930年代の大恐慌の間、食糧と衣類を提供する救済部門をも開始しました。彼はまた、教会が自立した地位を獲得するのを助けました。
バンクーバーのフェアビュー地区に住む会員たちは、ホームミッションの助成金と合わせて、1928年に2つ目の日系人教会（当時はカナダ合同教会の一部）を建てるのに十分な資金を集めました。フェアビュー・ミッションはその後、コロンビア・ストリート・ミッション（1949年以降）として知られるようになりましたが、1977年に売却されました。1942年から1949年まで、日系カナダ人が収容所に収容されている間、この2つの建物はFirst United Church、セントジャイルズ、WMSによって使用されていました。パウエル通りとコロンビア通りの建物は、戦時中、ホームミッション委員会に信託されていましたが、1953年、その教会は売却されてしまいました。それ以来、日本語を話す信徒と英語を話す信徒は、First United Churchを皮切りに、いくつもの異なる場所で集うようになりました。1958年から、二世（英語）と一世（日本語）の教会員が、コロンビアにあるフェアビュー教会で礼拝していましたが1962年は、レンフルー合同教会に移り、1978年にはSaint Luke United Churchの建物を購入しました。
2009年5月、カナダ合同教会のBC Conferenceでは、56年前にパウエル・ストリートの教会堂を売却したことに対し、日系人合同教会に認識と謝罪の声明を発表し、同年6月、バンクーバー日本人合同教会で和解の礼拝が行われました。2017年初め、英語部の会衆は解散しました。
(日本語版は以下に記載) (Japanese version below)
In 1895 or 1896, a Christian missionary in Vancouver, Matsutaro Okamoto, led the effort to build a small mission building for Japanese fishermen. A plot of land was secured on the grounds of the Phoenix Cannery (between present-day Chatham and Moncton Streets at No. 1 Road). However, just as the mission building was completed, a typhoid epidemic broke out and the building was used primarily as a mission hospital. Mr. Okamoto and others served as volunteer nurses and provided additional spiritual nurture through morning and evening prayers and at Sunday meetings. In 1897, the Methodist Church General Board of Missions took on responsibility for Japanese missions in B.C.
By 1900, the Church transferred full responsibility for hospital operations to the recently established Japanese Fishermen’s Benevolent Society, which had already been carrying the financial burden of the hospital. The Benevolent Society built a new Japanese Fishermen’s Hospital separate from the mission building; the hospital operated until 1942. During the intervening decades, the Methodist mission continued providing spiritual care at the hospital, and the minister who served the mission generally also served as hospital superintendent.
In 1904, the Benevolent Society demolished the old mission building and built a new one, where Sunday worship, Sunday school, and primary education in Japanese took place. The mission also began offering night school classes in English by 1911. When the Methodist Church of Canada amalgamated with Presbyterian and Congregational churches in 1925, the mission became a congregation within The United Church of Canada. That same year, and at the behest of the Benevolent Society, the United Church Woman’s Missionary Society (WMS) began teaching English in the Society’s newly constructed Japanese kindergarten building.
In 1942, during Rev. Kyuichi Nomoto’s pastorate, the Japanese Canadian community at Steveston was among the first of the coastal communities to be uprooted and forcibly sent to internment camps in the interior. When the federal government lifted restrictions in 1949, allowing Japanese Canadians to return to the coast, a small number of families gradually returned. Church services resumed in 1951, with Rev. W.R. McWilliams as the primary minister, and WMS worker Hedwig Bartling ministering to children, youth and families and teaching kindergarten at Steveston. The congregation used Steveston United Church’s building on Broadway Street at Second Avenue, and in February 1953, the two congregations formally amalgamated. The combined congregation rehabilitated the former Japanese United property in 1954; it was used for kindergarten, Sunday school and mid-week activities. When the Steveston Community Centre was built two years later, community demand for use of the church hall greatly diminished, and the old mission church was demolished.
スティーブストン日系人合同教会は1895年(一説では1896年とも)にバンクーバー在住の宣教師に岡本松太郎が日本人の漁師を対象としたミッションを推し進めたことから始まった。教会堂用にフィーニックスキャナリ (英: Phoneix Cannery) (現代のチャザム通り (英: Chatham) とモンクトン通り (英: Moncton Streets)の間)に土地を確保し建設自体は無事に完了したものの、腸チフスが流行を始めたことにより布教活動にではなく病棟として主に使われることとなった。1897年にメソジスト教会ミッション委員会がブリティッシュコロンビア州在住の日系人への布教活動の指揮を執り始めると、病院の管理は成立されたばかりのスティーブストン漁者慈善団体 (英: Japanese Fisherman’s Benevolent Society) に委託された。漁者慈善団体は直ちに新たな病棟を建設し、1942年まで運営を続けた。メソジスト教会の日系人ミッションを担当していた牧師は病院でスピリチュアルケアを提供した他、病院運営の監督者としても派遣されていた。
1904年にスティーブストン漁者慈善団体は最初の教会堂を解体し、新たな教会堂を建設。新教会堂は日曜崇拝のほか、日曜学校と日本語での小学教育が行われた。1911年ごろには英語での夜間学校も提供され始めた。1925年に行われたメソジスト教会、会衆派教会、長老派教会の統合後にも活動は続いた。また、同年に漁者慈悲団体の申請を受けてカナダ夫人宣教師会 (英: Woman’s Missionary Society) は新たに建設された日本人保育園で英語教育を始めた。
1942年にカナダ政府による日系カナダ人の強制収容が始まると、スティーブストンの日系コミュニティはごく初期に移動を強いられることとなる。強制収容命令が解除がされた1949年には数世帯はスティーブストンに帰還し、1951年にはW.R. マクウィリアム (英: W.R. McWilliams) 牧師を主任牧師に礼拝が再開された。カナダ夫人宣教師会のヘッドウィッグ・バートリング (英: Hedwig Bartling)が子供や若者の礼拝、保育園の運営などを担当した。当初、日系カナダ人の会衆はセカンドアヴェニューのブロードウェイ通り(英: Broadway Street at Second Avenue)にあるスティーブストン合同教会で行われていたが、1953年の2月にスティーブストン合同教会に吸収された。1954年には政府に没収されていた教会堂を取り戻すことに成功。旧教会堂はその後保育園や日曜学校などの活動に利用されたものの、2年後のスティーブストンコミュニティセンター (英: Steveston Community Centre)建設に伴い需要が大幅下がり、解体された。
First Metropolitan United Church was formed by the amalgamation of two Victoria downtown church (Metropolitan United Church and First United Church) in 1997. At the end of 2023 it amalgamated with Broad View United Church, Victoria.
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.
Kamloops Presbytery was one of the original four presbyteries that made up the Synod of British Columbia, which the Presbyterian Church in Canada established in 1892.
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.
Vancouver-Burrard Presbytery was created in 1959, within the bounds of British Columbia Conference, when the former Vancouver Presbytery was divided in two (the other being Vancouver-South Presbytery). Vancouver Presbytery had, itself, been the result of an amalgamation of two presbyteries in 1926: Vancouver East and Vancouver West. With the change in the church's governance model, the presbytery disbanded as of December 31, 2018.
BC Conference introduced the position of presbytery officer in several presbyteries between 1969 and 1973. The aim was to divide up the work of the two Superintendents of Home Missions in the Conference, and to improve communication between the Conference and the presbyteries. The position was conceived of as a resource for the presbytery, providing coordination, consultation and counselling for all levels of the church within the presbytery, as well as serving ecumenical functions at the local level. George Affleck was appointed to the position (originally named Comox-Nanaimo-Victoria Presbytery Officer) in 1973, and served in that capacity until 1976. He was succeeded by Leslie U. Clark (1976-1982) and William L. Howie (1982-1996), after which the position was discontinued. Two separate Conference Ministers for Victoria Presbytery and Comox-Nanaimo Presbytery were introduced in 2008.
In 1925, the Secord United Church congregation was established, and their first church building was erected in 1928. At that time, Secord United was a part of a three point Pastoral Charge. River Avenue Pastoral Charge (1925-1931) included River Avenue United Church in South Vancouver, Secord United Church, and Dundonald United Church, located in South Burnaby. From 1931 to 1935, a new partnership arose with Secord-Renfrew Pastoral Chrage, which consisted of Secord and Renfrew United Churches. From 1936 to 1950, Secord United became a one point Pastoral Charge. In 1950 the name of the church was changed to Fraserview United Church, and in 1953 the building underwent major expansion and renovations. On July 1, 1995, Fraserview United Church was amalgamated into Collingwood-Fraserview-Wilson Heights Pastoral Charge, which met as a single congregation at the Wilson Heights church building. In 1998, this Pastoral Charge was renamed Wilson Heights Pastoral Charge.
St. Giles United Church began its life as Mount Pleasant Presbyterian Church. A Union Sunday School had been meeting at 7th Avenue and Westminister Road (now Kingsway) as early as 1890. In 1891, a Presbyterian Mission was established at the Temperance Hall on 10th Avenue near Westminister Avenue (now Main Street). The Mount Pleasant Presbyterian Mission was formally organized in February 1892, and their first church was built on property between 7th and 8th Avenues on Westminster Road (Kingsway). Due to the rapid growth of the congregation, a new church was built and dedicated in January of 1910. The congregation voted to enter church union in 1925 and changed their name to St. Giles United Church. In the years following World War II, the southern area of Vancouver grew rapidly and St. Giles United moved to a new neighborhood on 41st Avenue, east of Cambie Street. The new church was dedicated in November 1949. In 1996, St. Giles and South Hill United Churches amalgamated to form St. Giles-South Hill United Church. In 1999, the name of this congregation was changed to Oakridge United Church.
In 1861, the Presbyterian Church of Ireland sent a missionary to British Columbia. After months of travel throughout the colony, he organized "First Presbyterian Church of Vancouver Island" in Victoria in February, 1862. Initial services were held in various halls, until the church was opened in October, 1863 at Pandora and Blanshard. Difficulties arose in 1866, leading to the founding of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, and the closure of First Presbyterian Church from 1867 to 1876. In 1882, the First Presbyterian congregation joined the Presbyterian Church in Canada. It was burned in a fire in 1883, but rebuilt the same year, and expanded in 1890. In 1913, a new church school hall at Quadra and Fisgard was completed; the congregation vacated the church and met at the school hall. The cornerstone for a new church building at that site was laid in September 1914, and the building was completed and dedicate in May 1915. The First Presbyterian Church congregation entered the United Church of Canada in 1925, becoming First United Church. The First Presbyterian Church congregation entered the United Church of Canada in 1925, becoming First United Church. In 1997, First United Church and Metropolitan United Church were amalgamated in the First United Church building and the congregation became known a First-Metropolitan United Church.
First United Church, White Rock, B.C. was founded in 1925 at the time of church union. The predecessor congregation was White Rock Methodist Church. The first Methodist worship services began in 1910, and were held in homes and a school until a church was built in 1912. In April 1922, a new church building was dedicated. White Rock Methodist Circuit consisted of White Rock, as well as the Hazelmere Methodist Church (Surrey B.C.) After Church Union, White Rock Pastoral Charge consisted of First United Church (White Rock), Hazelmere United, Sullivan United (1925-1934), and Crescent United, Surrey (1925-1952). In February 1958, a new church building was dedicated. By 1969, White Rock Pastoral Charge included Sunnyside United Church (Surrey, B.C.) In 1989, the First United congregation became a one-point pastoral charge and remained so until July 1, 2017 when it amalgamated with Crescent United and Sunnyside United Church to form Peninsula United Church.
Princess Street Methodist Church was subsequently known as Central Methodist Church (1908-1916), when Vancouver's Princess Street was changed to Pender Street.
Previously known as Princess Street Methodist Church (1888-1908), Central Methodist subsequently became known as the Turner Institute (1916-1925).
First United Church has its roots in First Presbyterian Church (organized in 1885) and Princess Street Methodist Church (begun in 1888). The two congregations were involved in mission work very early on, and performed joint outreach projects since the early 1900s. By the time of the First World War, the national mission boards of both churches put the two congregations under their control in order that the mission work could continue. Princess Street Methodist Church, which had become Central Methodist Church in 1908, became the Turner Institute in 1916.
First United Church in Vancouver was established in 1925 through the amalgamation of First Presbyterian Church and the Turner Institute. The amalgamated congregation chose to meet in the Presbyterian Church building, which had been erected in 1892 at the corner of Gore and Hastings Streets. The minister, referred to as Superintendent, served as pastor to the congregation and had oversight of mission operations.
After church union, the old Turner Institute building was used for First United's Welfare department, later known as Welfare Industries. The Rev. J. Richmond Craig, who had served as Superintendent of First Presbyterian Church from 1921, helped establish Welfare Industries, as well as Camp Fircom, and the congregation's radio ministry. Welfare Industries was organized to provide employment, training, rehabilitation and opportunity for those unable to find employment in normal industries. Camp Fircom was established on Gambier Island as a fresh air camp for mothers and children. The Rev. Andrew Roddan is another significant Superintendent (1930-1948), who saw the mission through the Depression and war years. The original Presbyterian Church building was torn down in 1964 and the present building opened in 1965 at the same spot.
Welfare service work and advocacy programs have been the central components of the mission. Over the years, First United Church has mainly addressed the needs of the homeless, the unemployed, and ethnic groups (including the Finnish and Japanese congregations). In 2007, the congregation was disbanded, but the mission remains active.
The Very Rev. Dr. Wilbur Kenneth Howard (1912-2001) was a minister and the 26th Moderator of the United Church of Canada. He was born in Toronto. He spent his undergraduate years at the University of Toronto's Victoria College, completing his Bachelor of Arts in 1938. In 1941, he became the first Black graduate in Theology at Emmanuel College, receiving his Bachelor of Divinity. He was ordained by Toronto Conference the same year. He later did post-graduate studies at Union Theological Seminary in New York and, in 1969, received an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Emmanuel College. In 1975, he was given an LL.D. degree from the University of Winnipeg. Howard had a wide-ranging career before receiving a settlement, serving as Boys' Work Secretary for the Ontario Religious Education Council (1941-1949), Christian Education Secretary for Manitoba Conference (1949-1953) and Associate Editor of Sunday School Publications at the General Council Office (1953-1965) where he helped shape The New Curriculum. In 1965 he got the call to team ministry at Dominion-Chalmers in Ottawa, serving there until 1970, then Emmanuel United in Ottawa until 1981. While in Ottawa, he was at one time president of the Montreal and Ottawa Conference, and was also a member of the Refugee Status Committee through the department of Employment and Immigration for the Federal Government. He was also a member, then President of the John Milton Society for the Blind in Canada, and Chairman of the Ontario Advisory Council, Alcohol and Drug Concerns, Inc. In 1974, Howard became the first Black Moderator of The United Church of Canada, elected at the 26th General Council to serve the 1974-1977 triennium. After serving as Moderator, Howard returned to Emmanuel United in Ottawa until he retired in 1981. In 1991 he was received into the Order of Ontario. In 2001, Wilbur K. Howard passed away.