City hall usually seems to have already made up its mind by the time we hear about its various initiatives. But Vancouver Plan looks like a real opportunity to have some input. The City of Vancouver is asking all its…
In the 15 years I’ve been helping churches and municipalities engage with one another, I’ve never been more hopeful that genuine dialogue is keenly desired on both sides of the table – nor more convinced that time is running out…
Jonathan Bird has been working on a unique project with the City of Vancouver and is offering an opportunity to inform how the Christian community and the City interact in future for the common good. Read his article and look…
Generations ago some wag coined the local aphorism, “Vancouver’s favourite bloodsport is real estate investment.” I first heard it when I arrived in the city 22 years ago during a period of rapid rise in home prices, one that now…
City Councillor Andrea Reimer would love to see churches working together for the good of the city. “Many things start in a church basement,” she said recently. “I use that phrase a lot – and here we are in a…
Vancouver City Council will consider the redevelopment of the First Baptist Church property next Tuesday evening (July 18). City staff recommended June 27 that the application by Bing Thom Architects Inc. on behalf of First Baptist Church and Westbank Project Corp. be referred to a…
Vancouver is a green city, but apparently not as green as it used to be, nor as green as the mayor would like it to be. So TreeKeepers is taking action to make sure that our ‘urban forest’ gets a…
Now that’s the way to celebrate your 30th anniversary! When the dust settled at the Commodore Ballroom last Monday (June 23), Pacific Theatre had won four Jessie Awards in the Large Theatre category for plays from their 30th season. And…
How many times have I heard people bemoan the lack of art – or even the appreciation of art – in the modern church? That may have been legitimate in the past, but the tide has clearly turned. Here are…
Read through the 123-page West End Community Plan released by the City of Vancouver October 22 and you might come to the conclusion that there’s no longer much room for the church in that congested and secular environment. The comprehensive…