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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
(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。
(中文版在下面) (Chinese version 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.
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。
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.
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 constitued 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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
(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。
(中文版在下面) (Chinese version 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.
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.
(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。
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.
The Methodist and Presbyterian Church were both active in the Rosedale, Cheam, and East Chilliwack areas of Chilliwack District by the 1890s. Cheam became the centre of Methodist work with the creation of Cheam Circuit in 1888 (formerly part of Sumas and Chilliwack Circuit). Rosedale became the centre of Presbyterian work with the construction of a church building there in 1908. The Cheam Circuit and Rosedale Presbyterian Church also included congregations at East Chilliwack and Camp Slough. Rosedale was part of Westminster Presbytery (1925-1959) and Fraser Presbytery (1959-2019). In 2020 Rosedale amalgamated with Mount Shannon and Chilliwack United Church to form Cheam View United Church.
In 1917 the Methodist and Presbyterian congregations entered into a local union in association with the Presbyterian Church -- this local body was called the Rosedale Union Church Circuit and the constituent congregations adopted the "Union" name as well. After church union in 1925, Rosedale Union Church Circuit became Rosedale Pastoral Charge. Cheam and East Chilliwack remained part of this charge until they both closed ca. 1958. From 1917 to ca. 1958, the three Rosedale congregations maintained a joint management board, although separate boards and organizations were also maintained in the individual congregations. In 1969, Rosedale United Church joined Agassiz United Church in a two-point charge known as Agassiz-Rosedale Pastoral Charge. This arrangement continued until the two congregations became separate charges in 2013. In 2020, Rosedale amalgamated with Chilliwack United and Mount Shannon to form Cheam View United Church.
The British Columbia Conference was established in 1887 and remained in place until the union of the Methodist and Presbyterian Churches in Canada to form the United Church of Canada in 1925. Prior to 1887, the work of the Methodist Church in B.C. was carried out under the auspices of the Toronto Conference. The Conference was an annual meeting with an equal number of lay and ministerial representatives from each District. Its functions were to elect representatives to the General Conference, to approve any sales of Church property within its jurisdiction, and to appoint and supervise the work of various Church committees and officers within its boundaries. In between sessions of the Annual Conference, a Special Committee of senior members reporting to the Conference was responsible for handling any business that could not be left until the next Annual Conference, with the exception of Church property, which remained the sole jurisdiction of the Conference. Each Conference was immediately preceded by a Ministerial Session whose function was to examine and approve the ordination of ministers and probationers within the bounds of the Conference.
Victoria Presbytery was one of four presbyteries created in 1892 when the Presbytery of Columbia was replaced with the new Synod of British Columbia. It was originally called Vancouver Island Presbytery and was renamed Victoria Presbytery in 1895.
The British Columbia Synod of the Presbyterian Church in Canada was created in 1892. Prior to that, Presbyterian work in B.C. was carried out at the presbytery level (known as the Presbytery of Columbia). After 1892, the administration of the B.C. Synod was carried out like any other synod in Canada. The chief officer was known as the Moderator, the second officer was known as the Clerk, and there were several standing committees that paralleled the boards and committees of the General Assembly (the national governing body of the church). The B.C. Synod was represented at the General Assembly, and the Assembly had staff, such as the Superintendent of Missions, at work in the Synod.
The B.C. Synod was divided into presbyteries, with five such presbyteries in existence at the time of church union in 1925. Although the synod represented a higher level of church government, the presbyteries were invested with the greater power. In turn, the presbyteries were made up of congregations and pastoral charges.
On May 9, 1888 the Richmond Mission was constituted by action of the Methodist conference. The congregation met in the municipal hall, then situated at Cambie and River roads, until their first church, Richmond Methodist, was built in 1891. Following church union in 1925, the church became Richmond United Church (essentially a name change). In 1961, the congregation sold the original church building and parsonage to the Municipality of Richmond and moved into a new church building at 8711 Cambie Road. The Municipality moved the original church building to Minoru Park as a centennial project in 1967 and re-dedicated it as a non-denominational church serving the community for weddings and baptisms. It is now known as Minoru Chapel.
From 1958-1970, Richmond United and Sea Island United were part of a two-point pastoral charge. The Sea Island congregation disbanded as of September 1970 and many of the remaining members of that church joined the Richmond congregation. Although the name "Richmond-Sea Island pastoral charge" remained for many years after that, the congregation was a single pastoral charge and reaffirmed its name as Richmond United Church only in 2012. Richmond United Church was part of Vancouver-South Presbytery until the Presbytery was dissolved in 2019.
St. Andrew's United Church was founded in 1895 with the purpose of bringing the Presbyterian faith to the small mining town of Rossland, British Columbia. The first religious services were held on the last Sunday in May 1895, in a partially constructed butcher's shop. The first church was erected in Nickel Plate Flat and opening services were conducted on August 28, 1895. Although originally a Presbyterian church, St. Andrew's would, in 1917, vote to unite with the Rossland Methodist Church (founded 1897). The name and church of St. Andrew's were retained for the new church, however, Methodist ministers continued to lead "union" services from 1918-1925. After this time the church was referred to exclusively as St. Andrew's United Church and United Church services and ministers were used. By the late 1960s, there was a spirit of growing cooperation with the local Anglican congregation, St. George's. Negotiations with St. George's Anglican Church regarding the sharing of services and buildings through a lease ended with a five-year lease being approved by both congregations in 1969. Shared services were held between St. George's and St. Andrew's until 1982, when St. George's terminated the arrangement. Major renovations to the church building were completed by 1985. The church continued to grow into the 1980s, recording a membership growth and budget surplus by 1987. In 2003, St. Andrew's joined with the congregations at Trail, Salmo, and Fruitvale to form the four-point Communities in Faith Pastoral Charge. Salmo United Church disbanded 2016 and the new Beaver Valley Pastoral Charge (based at Fruitvale) left Trail and Rossland congregations in a two-point pastoral charge. The congregation was part of Kootenay Presbytery. In 2018, the congregations amalgamated to form a single congregation, Communities in Faith, overseeing two properties.
Wilson Heights United Church was founded as Wilson Road Methodist Church. The church was built in 1910. The membership grew quickly, and a new church was built and dedicated in March 1912. This church was named Wilson Heights Methodist Church. In 1925 the congregation came into church union, and was renamed Wilson Heights United Church. A new church was built and opened in 1958. In 1995 Vancouver-South Presbytery established a three point Collingwood - Fraserview - Wilson Heights United Pastoral Charge, but all three met and worshipped at the Wilson Heights church building. In 1998 the Pastoral Charge name was changed back to Wilson Heights, and it was recognized as a one point Charge. The congregation amalgamated with Oakridge United Church on January 1, 2023.
Pilgrim United Church was begun in 1977 with informal services in the Colwood area of Victoria. In January 1978, the congregation was constituted as a second point of the Gordon United Church Pastoral Charge. In July 1979, Pilgrim United Church became an independent Pastoral Charge, and the new church building was dedicated in May 1980. Pilgrim United was a member of Victoria Presbytery. The congregation disbanded in 2013 and the property sold the following year.
First United Church was established in 1916 when the congregations of Knox Presbyterian Church and Kelowna Methodist Church voted to merge in a local union. A complete union, in terms of organization, occurred in 1924. The union congregation entered the wider church union as First United Church in 1925. In 1947 a new congregation was started in Kelowna by First United Church. It was named Mission Road United Church. After a church was built in 1958, it was renamed St. Paul's United Church and became a separate pastoral charge in 1961. First was part of Kamloops-Okanagan Presbytery until 2019, when presbyteries were discontinued. First United amalgamated with Rutland and St. Paul's on July 1, 2021 to form Central Okanagan United Church.