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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!

• Dean Chris: away July 7–14

• Rev. Areeta: away July 7–27

At the end of June, I had the pleasure of attending the 44th General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada, with the inspiring theme taken from Isaiah of They Will Soar On Wings Like Eagles. Over a hot week in London, Ontario, we prayed together, made decisions together, and demolished a truly impressive number of cups of coffee.

This General Synod featured the election of our 15th Primate, the Most Reverend Shane Parker. Archbishop Parker accepted his election with the understanding he would be a bringer of change to our Anglican Church of Canada. Using the metaphor of insulation, he said it was time for the church to remove its insulation, to feel the needs of the world around us, and to change to respond to those needs.

One of the functions of General Synod is legislative; to bring resolutions to the floor to debate how the church should respond to the challenges of the day. Although much attention was pulled to the Primatial election, there are a number of resolutions of significant interest even to non-church nerds.

Liturgy and Worship

This General Synod passed resolutions embracing both Freedom Sunday and the Feast of the Creator, new liturgical feasts to celebrate the liberation of enslaved people and ecological justice. It also adopted the...

Join the Very Rev. Christopher A. Pappas, Rev. Clare Morgan, and Dr. Neil Cockburn, for a relaxing retreat at the Sorrento Retreat & Conference Centre July 20-26, 2025.

The Rev. Canon Dr. Harold Munn will also be in residence this week to offer his course, "God Talk for Secular Ears".

You won't want to miss Cathedral led activities such as: Theology on Tap, Hymn Sing, and Hike & Pray at Margaret Falls.

Contact Sorrento Retreat & Conference Centre to reserve your place for this wonderful week here.

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.

Dear Friends, 

It has been so wonderful to work with Elena and Kaka, our new children's ministry assistants.

Over the past two Sundays, our kids have been involved in doing service for others. We start our sessions with our opening rituals: a prayer/song, lighting of the candle and ringing of the bell. Then the kids reflected on a Bible story where we see an instance of God feeding people. On each of the two Sundays, kids were invited to do some service for others. 

On Sunday June 22...

Summer is here – or at least school is out! 

During the summer, our Sunday school (I'm still working on finding a good name for it) is on a summer hiatus. Sunday school will be on a summer hiatus starting on Sunday July 6 and will be back on Sunday August 31. 

We will have the mats in the Nave (where the 10.30am church service takes place) with quiet toys and books, where children and their grownups are invited to sit.

In the Anglican Church, we have a phrase: "lex orandi, lex credendi" – meaning the law of prayer is the law of belief. In terms of children's ministry and spiritual accompaniment, we believe that worshiping together teaches children lots of things about praying together and we also believe that children teach us about their place in worship when they worship with us. 

May your summer be a time of renewal, of slowing down, with moments of leisure. God bless you wherever your summer journeys lead.

Your friend in Christ, 

Areeta+

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p.s. Here is an excerpt from an article with...

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.