Around Town: St. Andrew’s Hall, Vabuolas vs BC, Renaissance Vancouver

Ross Lockhart with community members at St. Andrew’s Hall.

Change is in the air at St. Andrew’s Hall on the UBC campus.

A September 21 release announced that the college will increasingly focus on providing “accessible theological education” for lay leaders and will conclude its current partnership agreement with the Vancouver School of Theology.

Following are excerpts from the statement, posted by Rev. Dr. Ross A. Lockhart, Dean of St. Andrew’s Hall:

St. Andrew’s Hall, the Presbyterian Church in Canada college at the University of British Columbia, is embarking on an exciting new chapter of mission and ministry, guided by its recently adopted strategic plan and a renewed commitment to serving congregations through leadership development, theological education and Christian witness at the University of British Columbia.

Building on more than 70 years of service to church and academy, St. Andrew’s Hall is realigning its financial and human resources to strengthen its core ministries: cultivating a vibrant Presbyterian presence on the UBC campus through its residence of more than 200 students and their families, as well as expanding theological and leadership training through its Centre for Missional Leadership.

More than 200 students and their families live at St. Andrew’s Hall.

The renewed focus reflects the evolving needs of both church and society. As congregations across Canada adapt to changing realities, The Presbyterian Church in Canada has increasingly identified the need for accessible theological education, leadership development and ministry training for elders, lay leaders and ordained ministers. St. Andrew’s Hall is uniquely positioned to respond to that need. . . .

The Centre for Missional Leadership has emerged as a significant platform for theological education and ministry development, serving leaders across denominational and geographic boundaries through accessible conferences, courses, publications and mentorship.

Under the new strategic plan, St. Andrew’s Hall intends to further strengthen and expand these efforts, particularly in areas of lay discipleship, congregational leadership, mission and innovation. . . .

As part of this strategic realignment, the Board of St. Andrew’s Hall has decided to exercise the provision within its current 2005 agreement with Vancouver School of Theology (VST) to conclude that agreement effective June 30, 2029. . . .

“We are grateful for the partnership we have shared with Vancouver School of Theology and look forward to continuing to work collaboratively throughout the transition period and into the future as a member of the UBC theological community,” said [Mary Rozsa. chair of the St. Andrew’s Hall board].

“Our decision reflects not a departure from theological education but a renewed commitment to pursuing that work in ways that are most aligned with our mission, resources and the emerging needs of the church.”

St. Andrew’s Hall expresses its sincere gratitude to Vancouver School of Theology for many years of shared service in theological education.

Go here for the full statement, which links to a pdf addressing Frequently Asked Questions.

Some of the books written by Ross Lockhart and Centre of Missional Leadership staff.

Ross Lockhart has written several books which illustrate the kind of thinking behind this announcement, including some with members of the Centre of Missional Leadership and others.

The Director of CML, Mark Glanville has also written books in line with this approach, as has Tim Dickau, Associate at CML and head of CityGate Vancouver.

For example:

• Ross Lockhart: West Coast Mission: The Changing Nature of Christianity in Vancouver
• Ross Lockhart: Christian Witness in Cascadian Soil
• Ross Lockhart: Lessons from Laodicea: Missional Leadership in a Culture of Affluence
• Ross Lockhart & Jason Byassee: Better than Brunch: Missional Churches in Cascadia
• Mark Glanville: Refuge Reimagined: Biblical Kinship in Global Politics
• Mark Glanville: Improvising Church: Scripture as the Source of Harmony, Rhythm and Soul
• Tim Dickau: Plunging into the Kingdom Way: Practicing the Shared Strokes of Community, Hospitality, Justice and Confession
• Tim Dickau: Forming Christian Communities in a Secular Age: Recovering Humility and Hope

CML has hosted numerous missional gatherings, pastoral networking events and book launches over the past few years.

Vabuolas vs British Columbia

The Supreme Court of Canada building in Ottawa.

A case from British Columbia involving two former members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses will be heard at the Supreme Court of Canada beginning October 9.

This case (John Vabuolas, et al. v. Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia, et al) addresses whether the state can compel religious communities to release confidential records about decision-making on purely religious matters.

Among the interveners are the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC), the Canadian Centre for Christian Charities (CCCC), ARPA Canada and the Christian Legal Fellowship.

The EFC said in its weekly update October 6:

The EFC is co-intervening with the CCCC to argue that the Charter protects the communal life of faith communities, including their ability to pray, deliberate and discern together confidentially on purely spiritual matters. Please pray for legal counsel and for a good hearing.

Their July 29 statement on the Vabuolas case included this:

The dispute involves two Jehovah’s Witness congregations in British Columbia whose internal church records were ordered to be turned over to the province’s Information and Privacy Commissioner. The former members seeking access had voluntarily disassociated themselves from the congregations and now seek access to the private spiritual deliberations of a religious community they chose to leave.

The congregations challenged the order, arguing that the records constituted privileged and confidential religious communications, but lost at both the BC Supreme Court and the BC Court of Appeal. The lower courts held that although the production orders infringed on religious freedom, the infringement was justified and reasonable under section (1) of the Canadian Charter.

The EFC is intervening because the constitutional stakes extend well beyond these two congregations. In Wall (2018) and Aga (2021), the Supreme Court recognized that the courts cannot review church membership decisions, as these are ecclesiastical matters rooted in theology and doctrine. The EFC and CCCC are arguing that these protections should not be circumvented by reframing a membership dispute as a privacy complaint.

The EFC and CCCC contend that section 2(a) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects the communal life of faith communities, including their ability to pray, deliberate and discern together in confidence. The EFC is asking the Court to recognize a narrow exemption for records created during purely ecclesiastical decision-making, while recognizing state authority over civil matters such as employment and property ownership.

The Vabualos case will be webcast live.

Renaissance Vancouver

‘Cathedrals of creativity.’ Renaissance Vancouver looks like it could be a transformative event, especially for young people. For two days next week (October 16 – 17) the British initiative will take over Centre Church in downtown Vancouver.

SAINT (“a church for the people of East London”) created Renaissance, which it describes as “a global movement helping Christians ignite their God-given creativity, and empowering local churches to become Cathedrals of Creativity.”

And these Renaissance events are indeed happening around the world – apart from those in London and Vancouver, they will be in Oslo, Norway and several locations in Australia this fall.

Among the “speakers and creatives” at Renaissance Vancouver will be:

• Al Gordon, founder of Renaissance, London
• Ken Shigematsu, pastor and author, Vancouver
• Danielle Strickland, speaker and author, Vancouver
• Ruthie Kim, executive coach and speaker, San Francisco
• June Hur, author, Toronto
• Jonathan Anderson, Regent College professor, Vancouver
• Courtney Peters, marketing director, Vancouver
• Samuel Ham, creative director, Los Angeles

And several more.

Musicians from across the city, including from Centre Church, The Way, Village Church and SAINT Church UK, will lead worship. There will be labs and “interactive pop-ups” focused on arts, food, floral and music.

Those under 25 get a very good deal, with tickets at just $32.80.

Events are listed below, but there is also an Events page and a Jobs page on the Church for Vancouver site.