| History of the Unitarian Church of Vancouver
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About Unitarianism in Vancouver
The Unitarian Church of Vancouver (UCV) was founded in 1909. Its members are part of a progressive, liberal religious tradition called Unitarianism that began in the 16th century. UCV promotes a non-dogmatic exploration of spiritual, intellectual, and ethical growth. It has served the greater Vancouver community through advocacy for peace, social justice, civil rights, environmental stewardship, education, inter-faith dialogue and diversity, and by its commitment and support for women’s issues and the gay and lesbian community.
Well-known Unitarians include Isaac Newton, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Susan B. Anthony, Lawren Harris, Buckminster Fuller, Beatrix Potter, Linus Pauling, Dorothy Livesay, Bela Bartok, T. S. Eliot, and Kurt Vonnegut.
How We Grew
The first Unitarian service was held at the Maple Leaf Theatre downtown on Granville Street in early 1909. The service was conducted by Dr. Wilbur, Principal of the Unitarian Pacific School for the Ministry at Berkeley, California.
A little later a small group of enthusiastic people decided to organize a church. The first regular service was held December 19, 1909, in the Lester Court building at the corner of Davie and Granville.
The congregation built its first church building, completed in 1913, at Granville and West 10th Avenue, which was then on the outskirts of the city. The building was the congregation's home for the next fifty years.
The American Unitarian Association, now the Unitarian Universalist Association, in Boston, and the General Assembly of Unitarian Churches in London assisted the church financially. They continued to provide financial assistance until the congregation became self-supporting in the 1960s during the ministry of Reverend Phillip Hewett, now UCV's Minister Emeritus.
First Free Forum for Speakers
In October 1926, church members organized a free forum that held meetings on Sunday afternoons, usually twice a month. This was the first forum in the city that placed no restrictions on speakers, representing Unitarian values in action. Participants discussed a wide variety of subjects and speakers included prominent persons in the community. The forum helped make the church known in the city, but did not bring in large numbers of new members.
Maintenance Costs in Depression Years
In 1938 the following repairs were made to the church building:
· Installation of tie rods to prevent spreading of the side walls
· Installation of a new roof of asphalt shingle with new gutters
and downpipes
· Relaying of drains around the church
· Installation of a new concrete floor in the rear portion of the
basement.
· Installation of a new furnace
Total cost of this work: $1000.
The Struggles of the First Fifty Years
There were many ups and downs over the first fifty years as a small congregation struggled with the frequent turnover of ministers and membership. At times the congregation went for several years without a minister. As a result, congregational growth failed to keep pace with the growth of the city and in fact fell far behind.
Eventually, beginning in the late 1950s, the growth rate took a significant upturn and since that time the larger congregation numbers have been maintained. When the church school became so large it was bursting at the seams, the congregation decided to build again.
After a five-year struggle with funding, the present church was finally built and was dedicated in September 1964.
Advocacy Over the Years
Over the years UCV has been involved in a variety of social action, although the pendulum swings between a focus on education and social witness. The church has been an effective voice in the community.
~In 1959 the congregation submitted a brief to the Royal Commission on Education in BC advocating that the Lord’s Prayer be dropped from schoolrooms and family-life education instituted.
~In 1965 we produced a brief on foster childcare, in 1966 on low-cost housing, in 1967 on abortion, in 1968 on marijuana legislation. Requests for these were received from all over the country.
~In 1970 the congregation supported aid to American War Objectors under the Immigration Act
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| Today's Church
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UCV’s award-winning 1964 buildings, the sanctuary, Hewett Centre, and the office building, are noted for their “simplicity and serenity.”
In 1998 they were voted among the “most beautiful” in Vancouver by a panel of architectural experts.
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| A Designated Heritage Building
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Designed by architect Wolfgang Gerson, this Modernist church was the first post-1940s building added to the City of Vancouver heritage register. Its form reflects the separation of the Unitarian church from traditional Christian practices. The building complex, clustered around a beautiful open courtyard, features cubic composition, overhanging flat roofs and floor-to-ceiling windows.
--Vancouver Heritage Foundation
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| Unitarian Church of Vancouver, 1913
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Granville & West 10th Avenue,
the outskirts of the city
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| First Regular Services, 1909
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Lester Court, corner of Davie & Granville
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