Christ Church Cathedral Vancouver BC

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If you wish to see something published in this newsletter, please either fill out the Communication Request Form (click to be redirected to the Cathedral website) or email your edited and proofed text to newsletters@thecathedral.ca by Tuesday at Noon. If you have any questions, please email us at newsletters@thecathedral.ca.

Please note that these are the only two communication channels used in the creation of this newsletter.

If you attend in person on Sundays, a special parking rate is available at the Park Place Parkade. The parking code for 2025 is 20254630. Rate details are available here.

You can watch past live-streamed services on our YouTube channel — click to watch the ones you missed or rewatch the ones you enjoyed!

Easter 2025

Δεῦτε λάβετε φῶς ἐκ τοῦ ἀνεσπέρου φωτός.
Come, receive the light from the unwaning Light, and glorify Christ, who is risen from the dead.

Dear friends in Christ,

Alleluia! Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed. Alleluia!

With these words, the Church bursts into song as Easter dawns—shouting what the world has scarcely dared to hope: that love is stronger than death, that hope rises from despair, that Christ is risen and nothing will ever be the same again.

As we stood together in the dark at the Easter Vigil—candles lit one by one from the Paschal flame—I was reminded of that ancient Orthodox hymn: Come, receive the light from the unwaning Light. In the Orthodox tradition, this is sung not as a metaphor, but as a reality. The unwaning Light is Christ himself, the crucified and risen One. And the light we carry is not just a symbol—it’s a participation in his risen life. We become bearers of that Light.

Throughout Lent, we have walked together—fasting, praying, yearning to desire God more fully. We’ve faced hard questions and real grief, as we walked the way of the cross through the streets of Vancouver, amid the suffering of a wounded world. But that road, as we know, does not end at Golgotha.

Dean Andrew McGowan of Berkeley/Yale reminds us that Christian faith is not an escape from the real world but a reorientation within it. In the Eucharist we celebrate not just a memory of Jesus, but the presence of the risen Christ who feeds us with himself. At the altar, we receive both the crucified body and the risen life—and in turn, we are sent to be his Body in the world: broken, blessed, and shared.

New Testament Scholar N.T. Wright puts it this way: “The message of the resurrection is that this world matters… that the injustices and pains of this present world must now be addressed with the news that healing, justice, and love have won.” Easter is not the end of the story; it is the beginning of a new creation. It is the launching of God’s project to make all things new—and we are invited in.

So, Cathedral community, here is my Easter invitation to you:

Come, receive the Light.
Let the risen Christ meet you personally this season—in Word, in Sacrament, in silence, in song. Let Easter joy fill the spaces Lent made ready in your heart.

Be bearers of the Light.
In a city yearning for belonging, peace, and justice, carry that flame. Into classrooms, hospitals, studios, kitchens, protests, boardrooms, and bus stops. Let Christ’s risen life shine in your life.

Glorify the Risen One.
Let our Cathedral be a place where resurrection is proclaimed in word and in action—where the outcast is welcomed, the hungry fed, the lost found, and joy abounds.

This Easter, may the same power that raised Jesus from the dead breathe new life into you. May you find strength in community, hope in the Gospel, and courage to live as a witness to the resurrection.

With joy and love in the risen Christ,

The Very Rev. Christopher A. Pappas

Dean of New Westminster
Rector of Christ Church Cathedral, Vancouver

The Census is now complete – we had a terrific response - thank you everyone! Please join us to learn about the results at the 40-minute Forum on May 4th.

The Census was the first part of the Strategic Planning Process and is now being followed by a second survey that was launched on Sunday April 27, and is running until May 18.

This Future Outlook Survey is a deeper dive into what matters most in our Cathedral life. It asks questions about our personal hopes and dreams for The Cathedral. Some questions will allow analysis based on the many and varied groups and perspectives that make up who we are, such as old and young, newcomers and long-standing parishioners and so on. The results will be used to shape our discussions in the upcoming Listening Circles taking place in June. From your feedback we will identify areas to explore in greater detail.

As a community, we value transparency in our relationships and so we are requesting you identify yourself. While the results will be presented anonymously, we would like to be able to contact you for clarity or additional information if needed. All responses will be used for the purpose of determining the future direction of The Cathedral. The Future Outlook Survey will take about 15 minutes to complete and must be done in one sitting.

Access the Future Outlook Survey

by scanning the QR Code in this Sunday’s Bulletin or on posters in the Narthex, Parish Hall and outside the office.
through the link in the 10:30 livestream Chat Room.
in a special email you will receive on Tuesday April 29.

To be contacted by one of the Steering Committee members, please call or email reception@thecathedral.ca if you:

have questions or thoughts about the Future Outlook Survey or the Strategic Planning Process,
need help linking to or help completing the Future Outlook Survey, or
if we don’t have your email address

Thank you for helping us grow together!