Around Town: Advent, craft fairs and carols; ACTS transition; Hopehill . . .

KOLO Choir will sing traditional songs and Ukrainian Christmas carols at Canadian Memorial United Church.

Advent begins Sunday (November 30), but Christmas-related events are already happening in churches all around us.

The various gatherings focusing on Advent, craft fairs, sing-along Messiahs, Christmas fairs, blue Christmases, singing Christmas trees, concerts, plays, readings and Christmas carols are quite impressive.

Thus far, I have more than 100 events listed on the Church for Vancouver Calendar, with a large number of them taking place this weekend and next.

As usual, many of them – especially the craft fairs, Christmas fairs and markets – are hosted by mainline churches. Anglicans are particularly active, it seems, but United, Catholic and Lutheran churches are busy too, in all neighbourhoods, from UBC up the Valley.

But many other churches are right in there too, of course, from Pentecostal and independent to Baptist and many others.

Our own church hosted a craft fair with another church this year, for the first time. Many neighbours dropped by and enjoyed the atmosphere – something more traditional churches must have learned decades ago.

Do look at the bottom of this page or go straight to the Calendar pages, but here are a handful of events that look particularly interesting to me:

• Ancestral Voices: Ukrainian Polyphony with KOLO Choir, Canadian Memorial United Church, Vancouver, November 29:

Rooted in seasonal rites, these ancient songs are not arranged but felt, improvised within tradition, passed down by ear from one generation to the next. They are heritage made sound – living memories in voice.

KOLO, meaning “c’ircle’ in Ukrainian, was formed in New Westminster in late 2022 and has since blossomed into an ensemble of over 20 passionate singers. All proceeds from ticket and merchandise sales will go toward supporting Ukraine.

• 

  Artisan Fair will return to Regent College December 3.

  Artisan Fair, Regent College, UBC, December 3:

Join us for the return of the Artisan Fair! Our annual market features vendors that bring locally made, and ethically sourced creations to fill the Atrium. Our wares are sure to inspire gifts and goodies for this holiday season. We’d love to see you there.

• Fair Trade Christmas Craft Fair, St. Andrew’s United Church, North Vancouver, December 6:

As Christmas approaches, support struggling Palestinian artists and artisans at a fair trade Christmas craft fair. The items for sale come directly from small artisans in and around Bethlehem in the West Bank and from charitable organizations like L’Arche Bethlehem, Wi’am and the Bethlehem Bible College. All money (other than shipping costs and duties) goes directly to the artists in the occupied West Bank.

• Christmas Presence, Pacific Theatre, Vancouver, December 12 – 23 (10 shows):

Christmas Presence: 10 shows at Pacific Theatre

Someday soon, we all will be together, if the fates allow. The basement living room glows with a familiar warmth and musicians tuning up for our final Christmas Presence in the alley theatre [they are forced to find a new home]. With Pacific Theatre founder Ron Reed as your host, celebrate the season with a thoughtful mix of stories, poetry and the music that brings light in the darkness.

• Always Waiting: An Advent Lessons & Carols Service featuring the music of The Forest Archive, St. Alban the Martyr Anglican Church, Burnaby, December 19:

The Forest Archive, Jason Wood, is a singer/songwriter who pairs the energy and earthiness of grassroots folk with a lyricism rooted in the poetry of the ancient psalmists and prophets. Sung by and for community, his songs invite others to join in a deeper story, a divine epic of celebration and lament, longing and gratitude, resistance to injustice and unfettered joy. Always Waiting is his newest album – a collection of Advent themed reimagined traditional hymns and original works.

Do let me know of any good events I’ve missed and I’ll add them to the Calendar.

ACTS transition

ACTS Seminaries will be closing next spring, but the individual seminaries will carry on.

A November 13 update from the four Presidents of the ACTS Seminaries partner seminaries stated that the ACTS society will be dissolved next spring.

The cooperative seminary initiative is based on the grounds of Trinity Western University in Langley; its first class began in the late 1980s.

Dr. Kevin Schular, President of Canadian Baptist Seminary, Dr. Mark Wessner, President of Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary, Dr. Barton Priebe, President of Northwest Baptist Seminary and Dr. Todd F. Martin, President of Trinity Western Seminary said they were writing “to offer a joint statement regarding the future of theological education at ACTS Seminaries and the development of the new School of Theology at Trinity Western University (TWU).”

Here is part of the letter:

In March 2024, the ACTS Board of Directors and partner seminaries engaged in a process of discernment about the most sustainable path for theological education in the years ahead. Following careful evaluation, the Board made the decision that the ACTS consortium would dissolve as a society while its accreditation would be transferred to Trinity Western University (TWU), enabling TWU to open a new School of Theology.

A petition was then submitted to the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) for approval of the transfer of ACTS’ accreditation and governance to TWU. That petition was approved by ATS in June 2024.

Then, as Trinity Western University (TWU) moved toward establishing its School of Theology, the board of Trinity International University (TIU) approached TWU to explore the possibility of transitioning Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (TEDS) to TWU, as both institutions share a common heritage within the Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA).

TEDS and TWU uphold the same doctrinal commitments and maintain strongly aligned values, making this transition both a strategic and ideal fit. In April 2025, TWU and TEDS entered into a memorandum of understanding through which TEDS will extend its legacy of faith and scholarship by joining Trinity Western in launching a global seminary.

TWU is now planning to launch a new School of Theology – set to open in fall 2026 – that will build upon the legacies and academic excellence of both ACTS and TEDS.

As seminary presidents, we are deeply grateful for the remarkable legacy that ACTS has built over nearly four decades of ministry. Since its beginning, ACTS, in partnership with TWU, has granted 2,023 diplomas to 1,953 graduates-ranging from certificates to full master’s and doctoral degrees.

These graduates now serve in churches, mission organizations, classrooms, and communities across Canada and around the world, embodying the gospel and the vision that first brought our schools together in partnership.

Trinity Western Seminary, as part of TWU, will join the new TWU School of Theology. The other three will continue to operate. Northwest Baptist will remain on the TWU campus, Mennonite Brethren will likely remain there and Canadian Baptist has moved its offices offsite.

Go here for the full release and for several FAQs.

Hopehill: Dogwood Residence

The newly opened Dogwood Residence has 14 one-bedroom units and 50 studios.

When I wrote ‘High profile building projects dot the city landscape’ earlier this fall, I missed (at least) one significant project. A new Dogwood Residence was completed late in the summer and has opened its doors to residents:

Hopehill announced October 1:

On August 27, we officially celebrated the opening of our newest Dogwood Residence, with 14 one-bedroom units and 50 studios expanding our community even further. This milestone was also highlighted by CTV News, shining a spotlight on Hopehill’s role in increasing safe, affordable housing for seniors in Vancouver.

We are deeply grateful to our speakers – Honourable Hedy Fry, Honourable Niki Sharma, Vancouver City Councillor Mike Klassen, Cam Kasper, Jack Webster, and Jack Borchert. Their support helped make this milestone especially memorable.

Thank you to everyone who joined us in celebrating this achievement. Together, we are creating more homes, and more hope, for seniors in our community.

Jamey McDonald (centre, in white) and his team were joined by several local politicians for the ribbon cutting.

Hopehill is “a caring community that provides affordable housing and assisted living for maturing adults.” Founded by the Canadian Baptists of Western Canada in 1951, their five communities on 5th Avenue just east of Rupert Street in east Vancouver offer housing to hundreds of seniors and has a staff or more than 50 people.

Hopehill CEO Jamey McDonald said on CTV News:

It’s not just cheap rent, it’s actually community. We have staff in place that provide support services. We’re not an assisted living facility. We’re an independent living. People are here and they’re residents. They’re renters. This is their home.

Hopehill’s leadership is changing this fall. McDonald retired October 31 after eight years as CEO. Sam Nakai, formerly at Carey Theological College, will take over as CEO December 1.

In my ‘High profile’ article I wrote about:

• Lakeview Multicultural United Church;
• a former Salvation Army temple;
• Harbour Light;
• First United;
• St. Paul’s Hospital;
• Menno Hall;
• Regent College;
• Timothy Hall;
• Neighbourhood Church;
• others briefly mentioned.