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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!

The Reverend Areeta Bridgemohan will be leading the Cathedral Retreat weekend at Rivendell on Bowen Island, June 27–29, 2025.

Well, the week just kept getting better and better.

Tuesday morning started with a bit of adventure: I logged onto Zoom for a lively meeting with the Christ Church Cathedral Whitehorse Men’s Group. We caught up, tackled some timely topics, and then I led them in reflection and prayer. From there, I hopped in the Bronco and headed across town to the Church of the Northern Apostles, where a women’s group from the Cathedral was deep into some very fine needlework.

Now, when I say talented—I mean seriously talented. They showed me an array of handmade items, including beautiful stuffed animals they’ve created and donated to various worthy causes. They even let me hold the needles (don’t worry, no one was harmed in this experimental moment), and I had the joy of closing the gathering with a prayer.

After that, I met Bishop Lesley for lunch at the Gold Rush Inn. Over a Reuben and fries, we talked about ministry in the North—ways we could offer support to the Diocese of Yukon and how mutual ministry could help us both flourish. Somewhere between bites, we discovered a holy coincidence: I told her I had once served in Barrhead, Alberta, and she lit up—“That was my parish!” she said. Turns out, she’d been a lay reader at St. Mary Abbots before I arrived, having left about five years prior. We knew all the same people. Moments like that remind me just how connected we are in this beautiful Anglican family—degrees of separation in the church are often measured in...

Sunday June 29, 2025, 4 p.m. in the Cathedral

Pride Month, occurring annually in June, commemorates the Stonewall Uprising, which began in New York, USA on June 28, 1969. This was a watershed moment moment in the struggle for LGBTQ+ rights.

On the closest Sunday (June 29) we are offering a special Pride Broadway Vespers, with a Canadian LGBTQ+ rights twist, commemorating the We Demand Rally.

Join us for Sung Evening Prayer with Broadway favourites chosen to match the readings, including "When You Believe" from "The Prince of Egypt" and "Seasons of Love" from "RENT."

This year marks the 1,700th anniversary of the Nicene Creed—a milestone few Christian documents can claim. First adopted at the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, and then revised at the Council of Constantinople in 381, the Creed has stood as a foundational text for Christian faith and practice across centuries and denominations. In many ways, it is Christianity’s common grammar—clarifying how we speak about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the Church.

A Creed Born of Controversy, Shaped for Unity

The early fourth century was a time of intense theological debate. The Church had emerged from persecution and was wrestling with major questions about who Jesus is in relation to God the Father. The Council of Nicaea was convened to seek clarity and consensus, and what emerged was the first version of what we now call the Nicene Creed.

This was not simply a theological treatise—it was a statement of unity. It helped draw the boundaries of orthodox belief and gave the early Church a shared confession of faith. The creed was further refined at Constantinople to affirm the full divinity of the Holy Spirit and solidify a Trinitarian understanding of God.

Notably, this wasn’t a dry, academic exercise. The debates were so passionate that—according to tradition—St. Nicholas (yes, that St. Nicholas) became so incensed at one point that he struck the heretic Arius during the council. While the details are more legendary than confirmed history, the story captures the intensity with which the Church sought to protect the truth about Christ.

It is remarkable that a text forged in such a charged historical context still resonates today, uniting Christians across centuries and...

The Children's Ministry wants to invite kids in our congregation who want to serve our neighbours to join us on Sunday, June 29th. We will make care packages for the Cathedral's Maundy Cafe guests to offer our love and care. The care packages will be given to the Maundy Cafe guests during the Maundy mealtimes. This will take the place of our Godly Play time. 

Parents are invited to drop kids (aged 2-3+) off in the Park Room. Kids will rejoin their families for communion. 

"Yours are the eyes with which [Christ] looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world." - St. Teresa of Avila

Do you like baking cookies or finding those special ones that satisfy you on the first bite? The Cookie Ministry at Christ Church Cathedral is looking to double the number of cookies available each Sunday by inviting MORE OF US to offer to bring them. You can choose to bring them every second month for 6 months or less frequently, whatever works best for you.

If you are interested in having your name on our Jul. to Dec. 2025 schedule, please contact the Volunteer Coordinator for the Cathedral via a message at (604) 682-3848 or send an email to volunteer@thecathedral.ca OR you can email Julie Bauming, the Cookie Ministry Coordinator, at juliebauming@shaw.ca or phone (604) 986-5389 as soon as possible / before the end of June. Thank you for considering this opportunity.

Please note that incense is used at the Sunday 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. services.

We ask that anyone who may be affected by its use consider attending either the 8:00 a.m. or 10:30 a.m. services.

On Saturday, June 22nd, the Diocesan community gathered with joy and gratitude to witness the ordination to the diaconate of five new deacons including two of our own: Claude St-Denis and Sarah Lehman.

Claude, who has served as our Worship Animator, and Sarah, a faithful member of the Server’s Guild and an intercessor, were ordained alongside others in a beautiful diocesan liturgy. Claude will continue to serve among us as a curate at the Cathedral, while Sarah will begin her ordained ministry at St. Catherine’s, North Vancouver.

The now Rev. Claude St-Denis served as deacon for the first time at the 10:30am Eucharist on Sunday, June 23rd, and we look forward to welcoming the Rev. Sarah Lehman as deacon at the 10:30am Eucharist on Sunday, June 29th.

We give thanks for their vocations, their ministries, and the many ways they have already enriched the life of the Church.

Photo credits: Jane Dittrich

On Saturday June 21st, Archbishop John Stephens ordained Christ Church Cathedral’s Worship Animator Claude St-Denis to the transitional diaconate. On Sunday June 22nd, the now Rev. St-Denis served for the first time as deacon at the 10:30am Eucharist liturgy.

Congratulations, Claude! 

Photo credits: Jane Dittrich

The Pacific Chamber Ensemble is dedicated to cultivating the art of chamber music and sharing their passion with audiences and communities in Greater Vancouver. Formed by distinguished faculty members from Pacific Chamber Music Academy (PCMA), the Ensemble made its debut last spring at Christ Church Cathedral in front of a packed audience. PCMA Artistic Director Ken Lin will be joined by cellist Ashton Lim and Steinway Artist Ronald Sat for the Classic 2 Tango program, featuring works by Beethoven, Piazolla and Brahms.

Event: Pacific Chamber Ensemble “Classic 2 Tango”
Date: Friday, June 27th , 2025
Time: 7:30pm – 9:00pm
Location: Christ Church Cathedral, 690 Burrard Street (at Georgia)
Admission: By Donation

Dr. Marvin Westwood's receipt of the King Charles III Coronation Medal on June 6th, 2025, celebrates a remarkable quarter-century of veteran support through the group- based Veterans Transition Program. Born from interviews with World War II veterans in their eighties, this ground breaking program has transformed how we care for those with war-related trauma injuries.

Developed at UBC, and delivered across Canada through The Veteran Transitions Network, the program has reached 2,000 soldiers (1500 men – 500 women) with extraordinary results—most notably, lower PTSD symptoms and reduced risk of suicides among participants. This life-saving impact extends beyond Canada, with successful collaborations in the UK and Australia fostering international partnerships in veteran care.

The program's success stems from its ability to help veterans become productive community members while addressing trauma through evidence-based support and peer connection. Special recognition goes to CCC for providing crucial pro bono meeting space during the program's formative years, directly contributing to its development and life-saving impact.

In addition to receiving this prestigious award, Dr Westwood’s work has also been recognized with both the Queen Elizabeth II Golden and Diamond Jubilee Medals in 2005 and 2013 for his contributions to Canada.

Congratulations, Dr Westwood on your outstanding accomplishments and the honours bestowed. Bravo!

It is four years since British Columbia experienced a heat dome that resulted in the deaths of 619 British Columbians (June 25 - July 1st, 2021).

This anniversary is significant for several reasons:

a) Never before have so many people lost their lives due to a climate-related extreme temperature situation in Canada.

b) While it was an isolated event in the past, scientists predict that such weather extremes will become increasingly common.

c) The Cathedral has acted to offer a respite cooling centre to residents and visitors during such an emergency. In partnership with the City of Vancouver.

The Cathedral will offer a recognized cooling centre should another heat dome occur. Christ Church Cathedral is the first non-governmental organization to enter into such a partnership with the City of Vancouver. The cost of the cooling centre will be borne by the city, and management will be carried out by trained city staff in cooperation with Cathedral building staff.

This initiative was brought forward by CATS (Climate Action Through Stewarding) ministry with whole-hearted support from office and building staff. If you would like further information on this partnership speak to one of the CATS members.

Vancouver School of Theology is pleased to announce its plans for July Summer School programming. Most courses will be taught in hybrid form, in-person classrooms and virtual Zoom classrooms. Classes will be taught synchronously only.

Vancouver School of Theology has been utilizing Zoom with great success for its growing number of distance students, and is pleased to extend this opportunity to its Summer School participants. To participate via Zoom, please register using course codes that end with ‘D’.

Pastoral care at the Cathedral is thriving; things are on track and moving forward!

Last year on April 21, 2024 the newly commissioned Pastoral Care Team, under the leadership of Rev. Areeta, was officially blessed. There were 6 people initially in the group. A year later, the number of members of our team has doubled! 

We make Eucharistic visits to mobility-challenged congregants in homes or care facilities. We lead a short communion service with Bible readings and prayers and end with a social visit. These visits generally last between 60-75 minutes.

When asked why she is part of our team, one member said ...

Morning Prayer on Zoom | Monday to Friday | 9:30am to 10:00am

Fellowship for Parishioners of African Descent | Last Saturday of each month | 5:00 to 7:00pm

Summer Hiatus for Upper Zoom Bible Study - Resumes September 4, 2025  

As summer begins and some of us may be longing for some time to unwind, your Upper Zoom is also taking a break for a few weeks. After an amazing year studying our Sunday readings as well as the Book of Psalms, it is time for me to get ready for what comes next, and for you, to enjoy the long expected summer.

Thank you for your presence week after week. Thank you for the knowledge and spiritual insights you shared through our conversations. The depth of this ministry comes from the group as a gift from God. We pause for the summer, but the Upper Zoom Bible Study will be back on Thursday, September 4, 2025.

In the meantime, the references for the Sunday readings are published online through our Canadian lectionary. Feel free to reach out to share your thoughts and questions through the summer. My email is claude@thecathedral.ca.

Blessings,

Claude

The Cathedral office is open Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Staff contact information is available here. 

REGULAR SUNDAY SERVICES

Holy Communion | 8:00 a.m.

Choral Eucharist | 10:30 a.m.

St. Brigid’s Eucharist | 1:30 p.m.

Sundays@4 Choral Service | 4:00 p.m.

Compline | 8:00 p.m.

WEEKDAY SERVICES

Holy Eucharist | Monday—Friday
12:15 p.m.

Holy Eucharist | Thursday
7:30 a.m. (with breakfast following)

Rite of Reconciliation (Confession) | 4th Wednesday
11:00 a.m.—Noon

Healing Prayers & Anointing | Wednesday
Following the 12:15 p.m. Eucharist

ONLINE

If you wish to worship with us online, click on the button below.

Those seeking prayers for themselves or others may email the Cathedral Prayer Link at prayerlink@thecathedral.ca to have their name added to the list.