St. Andrew's-Wesley United Church

Last updated
St. Andrew's-Wesley United Church
St Andrews Wesley Church, Vancouver 01.jpg
St. Andrew's-Wesley United Church in 2008
St. Andrew's-Wesley United Church
49°16′53″N123°07′36″W / 49.281250°N 123.126756°W / 49.281250; -123.126756
Location1022 Nelson Street
Vancouver, British Columbia
V6E 4S7
Language(s)English
Denomination United Church of Canada
Website standrewswesley.com
Architecture
Completed1933
Clergy
Minister(s) Dan Chambers, Rhian Walker

St. Andrew's-Wesley United Church is an affirming church located in the downtown core of the city of Vancouver. Part of the United Church of Canada, it welcomed its first congregation in 1933. Renowned for its architecture and art, the church underwent a major restoration beginning in 2019. It holds three services every week, including the long-standing jazz vespers.

Contents

Early history

The origins of St. Andrew's-Wesley United Church begins with the establishment of the Methodist and Presbyterian churches in the Greater Vancouver area. [1]

In the present-day city of Vancouver, on 30 July 1863, the Reverend Ebeneezer Robson, a Methodist minister from New Westminster, held the first preaching service of any kind at Stamp's (Hastings) Mill to a group of six men. [2] A Methodist church was built in 1875 on Water Street for the Indigenous workers at the mill. It was destroyed in the Great Vancouver Fire of 1886. [3] The church (called the Methodist Hall) was rebuilt. The congregation then attended the Homer Street Church, built in 1889, located at the corner of Homer and Dunsmuir Streets. It was followed by the Wesley Methodist Church, erected in 1901, and situated at Georgia and Burrard Streets. [4]

Meanwhile, the local Presbyterian Church had its beginnings along the Fraser River south of Vancouver. The Reverend Robert Jamieson travelled upriver as far as Fort Langley, and established a church on Sea Island, in the river's estuary. Subsequently, the Reverend T. G. Thompson began services in Vancouver, and a Presbyterian church was built on Oppenheimer (now Cordova) Street. This building was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1886, and another church was built on the same street. This in turn was replaced by a church located at the corner of Hastings and Gore Streets. [5] A growing need led to the construction of a second and more expansive building to the west, St. Andrew's Presbyterian, opened in 1890 and located at Georgia and Richards Streets. [6] [7]

The amalgamation of the two churches derived from the creation of the United Church of Canada in 1925, whereby a union was formed between the Methodist, Presbyterian, Congregational and Local Union churches. [8] Looking ahead to this union, a committee was struck in 1924 to explore a merger of Wesley Methodist Church and St. Andrew's Presbyterian. [9] In 1927, an affirmative vote on the union took place, [10] and the first joint congregational meeting occurred in 1929. [11] Funds were raised from the sale of Wesley Methodist church, and St. Andrew's-Wesley United Church was built on the corner of Burrard and Nelson Streets. [10] It was dedicated on 26 May 1933 to overflowing crowds. [12] The first minister was the Right Reverend Bishop Willard Brewing. [13]

Architecture and art

The church was designed by the firm of Twizel & Twizel. With the exception of the terra cotta, materials were sourced locally from British Columbia. It was constructed using granite from Nelson Island and stone from Haddington Island. [14] The church has a late 14th-century Gothic Revival tower, and is laid out in a cruciform shape. [15] [16] The interior has a vaulted timber roof. [16]

St. Andrew's-Wesley United Church has the most diverse array of stained glass windows of any church in Vancouver. [17] The first window installed was commissioned in 1935 by the Prime Minister of Canada, R. B. Bennett, in memory of his sister, Evelyn Bennett Coates. The artist chosen was Duncan Dearle, of London's William Morris & Company. [18] Dearle designed the window above the altar, The Sermon on the Mount , and went on to produce ten other windows for the church. [17] In 1969, St. Andrew's-Wesley commissioned French stained glass artist Gabriel Loire for the east window, the inspiration drawn from Mark 16:15, "Go Ye into all the World." It is saturated with the colour blue, harkening back to medieval artists. In addition, Loire fashioned six panels illustrating women of the bible. At this time he also supplied cartoons for eight more windows, consisting of a set of four with an Old Testament theme which were to face their more light-filled New Testament counterparts. [19] These windows were installed in 1981. [20] In contrast to the older leaded glass technique, Loire's creations were made using the more robust Dalle de verre method. Other artists who have designed stained glass for the church include Rupert Moore, Louise Duthie, and Lutz Haufschild. [21]

In the chancel there are four bas-relief sculptures of angels playing musical instruments, a flute, a cello, a trumpet and a pair of cymbals. [22] Evoking Psalm 150, they were sculpted in the late 1940s by Leonard Woods and are called The Angelic Symphony. [23]

Economics and restoration

In 2000, the church received approval from the city of Vancouver to build an apartment building at a cost of $35-million. [24] The result was a 22-storey tower with 199 residences, St. Andrew's Residence at Wesley Place. [25] In 2019, the church property was the most expensive religious real estate in Vancouver, valued at $85.7 million. [26]

In 2019, it was reported the church would close for two years to undergo a major restoration. [27] Besides a seismic upgrading and receiving a new copper roof, the original plaster interiors would be restored, and a new stone floor and pews put in place. The work was undertaken by Ryder Architecture and RJC Engineers. [16] The organ was also refurbished [28] and the renovations were complete in 2021. [29] The restoration work won a 2021 B.C. Heritage Award [30] and a 2023 Vancouver Heritage Conservation Award. [31]

Reconciliation

Between 1849 and 1969, the United Church of Canada and its predecessors operated fifteen residential schools in the country. [32] In 1986, the Moderator of the church, Reverend Robert Smith, apologized to Indigenous people for past wrongs, a declaration that was somewhat controversial at the time. [33] In 1998, the church made a more specific apology for its participation in the residential school system, which it re-affirmed in 2018. [32] The United Church of Canada has had two Indigenous Moderators, the Right Reverends Stan McKay and the current Carmen Lansdowne. [34]

In 1940, St. Andrew's-Wesley United Church installed a bronze plaque commemorating Reverend Charles Montgomery Tate (1852–1933), a missionary of the Methodist Church and a founder of Coqualeetza residential school in Chilliwack. He had a mixed legacy, being generally well regarded by the Indigenous community, and writing a Chinook-English dictionary while at the same time opposing the potlatch. In a gesture of reconciliation, in 2021 the church commissioned Xwalacktun (Rick Harry), a Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) carver, to reconceptualize the plaque in an appropriate way. The figures of Xwalacktun's resulting house post have ascendancy while not suppressing the plaque. As a mark of respect and to denote the occasion, the church invited Sam George, a Skwxwú7mesh elder and residential school survivor, to give a sermon. [35]

Services

The year 2017 marked the 25th anniversary of the church's Sunday evening jazz vesper services. [36] St. Andrew's-Wesley United Church holds two additional Sunday services. The location serves also as a concert venue and is a popular site for television and film productions. [28]

Media Connection

According to CTV, [37] along with an unnamed Bowen Island community group, St Andrew's-Wesley United Church sponsored Ibrahim Ali into Canada. Ali was later convicted [38] of raping and murdering of a 13 year old teenage girl in Burnaby, British Columbia.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Beautiful Edifice Impressively Dedicated, pp. 5–6.
  2. ↑ St. Andrew's-Wesley Church, Reflections 1933–1993, p. 4.
  3. ↑ Beautiful Edifice Impressively Dedicated, p. 6.
  4. ↑ St. Andrew's-Wesley Church, Reflections 1933–1993, pp. 10, 12.
  5. ↑ St. Andrew's-Wesley Church, Reflections 1933–1993, pp. 10–11.
  6. ↑ St. Andrew's-Wesley Church, Reflections 1933–1993, p. 11.
  7. ↑ 25th Anniversary, May 26th, 1933-1958. St. Andrew's-Wesley United Church. 1958. p. 5.
  8. ↑ "St. Andrew's-Wesley United Church (Vancouver, B.C.)". Memory BC. Archived from the original on 15 December 2022. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  9. ↑ St. Andrew's-Wesley Church, Reflections 1933–1993, p. 14.
  10. 1 2 St. Andrew's-Wesley Church, Reflections 1933–1993, p. 17.
  11. ↑ Beautiful Edifice Impressively Dedicated, p. 7.
  12. ↑ Beautiful Edifice Impressively Dedicated, p. 3.
  13. ↑ St. Andrew's-Wesley Church, Reflections 1933–1993, p. 21.
  14. ↑ Beautiful Edifice Impressively Dedicated, pp. 4–5.
  15. ↑ St. Andrew's-Wesley Church, Reflections 1933–1993, p. 20.
  16. 1 2 3 "Vancouver's St. Andrews Wesley United Church to be restored". Canadian Architect. 21 March 2019. Archived from the original on 30 November 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  17. 1 2 Ward, Robin (23 December 1997). "Discover rich images in stained glass". The Vancouver Sun. p. B12. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023– via Newspapers.com Lock-green.svg .
  18. ↑ St. Andrew's-Wesley Church, Reflections 1933–1993, pp. 61–62.
  19. ↑ St. Andrew's Wesley Church, Reflections 1933–1993, pp. 63–64.
  20. ↑ Campbell, Aileen (9 October 1981). "Church windows evoke past". The Province. Vancouver. p. C7. Archived from the original on 31 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023– via Newspapers.com Lock-green.svg .
  21. ↑ St. Andrew's-Wesley Church, Reflections 1933–1993, pp. 63–65.
  22. ↑ "Anglican's angel sculptures to be restored". Diocese of New Westminster. 3 November 2004. Archived from the original on 10 August 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  23. ↑ "Artist's Work Featured in Sermon". The Province. Vancouver. 23 October 1948. p. 19. Archived from the original on 12 August 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023– via Newspapers.com Lock-green.svg .
  24. ↑ "Church plans $35-million project to survive". The Vancouver Sun. 29 June 2000. p. 1. Archived from the original on 28 August 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2023– via Newspapers.com Lock-green.svg .
  25. ↑ Stueck, Wendy (13 August 2002). "Tower secures church's daily bread". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on 28 August 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  26. ↑ Fumano, Dan; Todd, Douglas (23 March 2019). "Houses of the Holy". The Vancouver Sun. pp. A12–A13. Archived from the original on 28 August 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2023– via Newspaper.com Lock-green.svg .
  27. ↑ Gangdev, Srushti (29 January 2019). "Vancouver's St. Andrew's Wesley United Church prepares for two-year closure for restoration". Global News. Archived from the original on 28 August 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  28. 1 2 Brown, Scott (29 January 2019). "St. Andrew's Wesley United Church closing for seismic upgrade". The Province. Vancouver. p. A11. Archived from the original on 28 August 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2023– via Newspapers.com Lock-green.svg .
  29. ↑ Duke, David Gordon (4 November 2021). "Back to live choral performances". The Vancouver Sun. p. A12. Archived from the original on 28 August 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2023– via Newspapers.com Lock-green.svg .
  30. ↑ "St Andrew's-Wesley United Church, Vancouver". Canadian Architect. 5 January 2022. Archived from the original on 9 June 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  31. ↑ Caulfield, Peter (11 August 2023). "Vancouver church wins heritage award for upgrades". Daily Commercial News. Archived from the original on 29 August 2023. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  32. 1 2 Bai, Stephanie (21 July 2021). "Indigenous group applauds United Church's financial offer to communities impacted by residential schools". Broadview. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  33. ↑ Tait, Mark (17 August 1986). "Natives receive church apology for past wrongs". Calgary Herald. p. A10. Archived from the original on 28 August 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2023– via Newspapers.com Lock-green.svg .
  34. ↑ Lee-Young, Joanne (25 July 2022). "United Church elects first Indigenous woman as its spiritual leader". The Vancouver Sun. p. A4. Archived from the original on 29 August 2023. Retrieved 29 August 2023– via Newspapers.com Lock-green.svg .
  35. ↑ Todd, Douglas (24 December 2021). "Can First Nations and Churches 'Find Peace on Earth?'". The Vancouver Sun. p. A8. Archived from the original on 28 August 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2023– via Newspapers.com Lock-green.svg .
  36. ↑ "'Where jazz meets the spirit': B.C.'s oldest jazz vespers celebrate 25 years in Vancouver". CBC News. 24 September 2017. Archived from the original on 30 November 2022. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  37. ↑ "Who is Ibrahim Ali? New details on Marrisa Shen's accused killer". British Columbia. 2018-09-12. Retrieved 2023-12-12.
  38. ↑ "B.C. jury finds Ibrahim Ali guilty of first-degree murder in 2017 teen slaying | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 2023-12-12.

Related Research Articles

Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother Charles Wesley were also significant early leaders in the movement. They were named Methodists for "the methodical way in which they carried out their Christian faith". Methodism originated as a revival movement within Anglicanism originating out of the Church of England in the 18th century and became a separate denomination after Wesley's death. The movement spread throughout the British Empire, the United States and beyond because of vigorous missionary work, and today has about 80 million adherents worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church of North India</span> Dominant united Protestant church in North India

The Church of North India (CNI) is the dominant united Protestant church in northern India. It was established on 29 November 1970 by bringing together most of the Protestant churches working in northern India. It is a province of the worldwide Anglican Communion and a member of the World Methodist Council and the World Communion of Reformed Churches. The merger, which had been in discussions since 1929, came eventually between the Church of India, Pakistan, Burma and Ceylon (Anglican), the Methodist Church, Disciples of Christ, and some congregations from the United Church of Northern India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Presbyterian Church in Canada</span> Protestant Christian denomination in Canada

The Presbyterian Church in Canada is a Presbyterian denomination, serving in Canada under this name since 1875. The United Church of Canada claimed the right to the name from 1925 to 1939. According to the Canada 2001 Census 409,830 Canadians identify themselves as Presbyterian, that is, 1.4 percent of the population.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burleigh Heads, Queensland</span> Suburb of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

Burleigh Heads is a suburb in the City of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Burleigh Heads had a population of 10,077 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clifton, Queensland</span> Town in Queensland, Australia

Clifton is a rural town and locality in the Toowoomba Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Clifton had a population of 1,456 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wesley's Chapel</span> Church in London, England

Wesley's Chapel is a Methodist church situated in the St Luke's area in the south of the London Borough of Islington. Opened in 1778, it was built under the direction of John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement. The site is a place of worship and visitor attraction, incorporating the Museum of Methodism in its crypt and John Wesley's House next to the chapel. The chapel has been called "The Mother Church of World Methodism".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lota, Queensland</span> Suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Lota is an eastern outer coastal suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Lota had a population of 3,256 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tiffany glass</span> Glass developed by Tiffany Studios in New York City by Louis Comfort Tiffany and others

Tiffany glass refers to the many and varied types of glass developed and produced from 1878 to 1933 at the Tiffany Studios in New York City, by Louis Comfort Tiffany and a team of other designers, including Clara Driscoll, Agnes F. Northrop, and Frederick Wilson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Andrew's Scots Church, Malta</span> Church in Valletta, Malta

St. Andrew's Scots Church, sometimes known as the Church of Scotland, is a 19th-century church in Valletta, Malta. The church was built to the neo-gothic design of Maltese architect Giuseppe Bonavia. It is still an active church today, as a joint congregation of the Church of Scotland, as part of the Presbytery of Europe, and the British Methodist Church South-East District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warren H. Hayes</span> American architect

Warren Howard Hayes (1847–1899) was a leading designer of churches in the United States and Canada during the late 19th century. Hayes' work holds a significant place in its association with the "Social Gospel" movement. He is credited with some of the earliest use of the "diagonal auditorium" plan and the vast majority of his churches uncovered to date are centered on the diagonal auditorium design with fan shaped pew arrangements and, to assure excellent acoustics, the seating sloping toward the pulpit and domed ceilings. As noted at the opening of the Rockville Ct. Congregational Church:

The acoustic properties of the auditorium are something wonderful. The pastor says he never before spoke in church or hall which can compare with it in this respect. There are yet to be added a protected desk light for the pulpit and a shaded reflector for the organ. The seating capacity of the auditorium is 600, of the gallery 300, of the chapel 300. This capacity can be extended by placing chairs in vacant spaces without obstructing any aisles from 100 to 200 more. —Warren H. Hayes of Minneapolis.

Religion in Atlanta, while historically centered on Protestant Christianity, now involves many faiths as a result of the city and metro area's increasingly international population. While Protestant Christianity still maintains a strong presence in the city, in recent decades Catholic Christians have gained a strong foothold due to migration patterns. Atlanta also has a considerable number of ethnic Christian congregations, such as Korean Baptist, Methodist, and Presbyterian Churches, the Tamil Church Atlanta, Telugu Church, Hindi Church, Malayalam Church, Ethiopian, Chinese, and many more traditional ethnic religious groups. Large non-Christian faiths are present in the form of Buddhism, Judaism and Hinduism. Overall, there are over 1,000 places of worship within Atlanta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tallebudgera, Queensland</span> Suburb of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

Tallebudgera is a suburb in the City of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Tallebudgera had a population of 3,826 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First Presbyterian Church (Hartford City, Indiana)</span> Historic church in Indiana, United States

The First Presbyterian Church of Hartford City is a Presbyterian church in Hartford City, Indiana, United States. The edifice is the oldest church building in a small city that at one time was a bustling community with as many as ten glass factories – and over 20 saloons. Located at the corner of High and Franklin Streets, the church is part of the Hartford City Courthouse Square Historic District. The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Andrew's Uniting Church, Brisbane</span> Heritage-listed building in Brisbane, Queensland

St Andrew's Uniting Church is a heritage-listed Uniting church at 131 Creek Street, Brisbane CBD, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by George David Payne and built in 1905 by Alexander Lind & Son. Initially St Andrew's Presbyterian Church, it became part of the Uniting Church following the merger of the Presbyterian, Methodist and Congregational Churches in 1977. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glengallan, Queensland</span> Suburb of Southern Downs Region, Queensland, Australia

Glengallan is a rural locality in the Southern Downs Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Glengallan had a population of 57 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Churchill Methodist Church</span> Methodist Church in Churchill, North Somerset

Churchill Methodist Church, in the village of Churchill, North Somerset, is a Grade II listed Methodist church on the Somerset Mendip Methodist Circuit. Designed by Foster & Wood, Bristol, of Perpendicular Gothic style, the church opened on 2 May 1881. The schoolroom and coach house, of Elizabethan architecture, were erected before the new church, and opened on 1 June 1879 (Whitsun). Sidney Hill, a wealthy local businessman and benefactor, erected the church and schoolroom as a memorial to his wife.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Andrew's United Church</span> Church in Hokitika, New Zealand

St Andrew's United Church, previously the Scot's Memorial Church, in Hokitika, New Zealand, is a Presbyterian/Methodist United church. It is a Category I registered building on the West Coast of New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashgrove Uniting Church</span> Place of worship in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Ashgrove Uniting Church is a heritage-listed former church at 24-30 Ashgrove Avenue, Ashgrove, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Established in 1962 as the Ashgrove Methodist Church, the church is also known as The Grove Uniting Church. It was designed by James Gibson of Cross and Bain. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 25 June 2021.

The Angelic Symphony is a set of four sculptures by Leonard Woods in the chancel of St. Andrew's-Wesley United Church in Vancouver.

References

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.