100+ Years of St Pauls
Our story
A Brief History of St. Paul’s United Church
The United Church of Canada is the largest Protestant denomination in Canada.
We minister to over 2 million people in about 3,000 congregations. The history of the United Church is closely entwined with the history of Canada itself.
Here at St Paul's United Church, we know that sometimes all it takes to change the world is a little support. Since our founding in 1920, we have been determined to make an impact. The congregation at St. Paul's United Church is founded on the traditions of the United Church of Canada. We welcome all folk into our community, regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or background. Whether you are a seeker, a believer, or a skeptic, our doors are open to you. We cherish a community where we can express our love and gratitude for God through worship, music, and charity.
The community of St Paul’s United Church acknowledges with respect our location on the traditional lands of the Coast Salish people, the Pauquachin, and the W̱SÁNEĆ People, including the Tsartlip, Tseycum and Tsawout First Nations.
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The beginning of St. Paul’s Church dates back to 1872 when Mr. & Mrs. Samuel Brethour invited Rev. Christopher Thompson, the pastor of the Methodist Church in Victoria, to conduct services in their log home. Later, when the first school on the north end of the peninsula was built on Wain Crossroad, the church service was moved there.
As the community grew, and with the donation of a lot by Samuel Brethour Jr. on East Saanich Road, opposite Mills Road, a new church was built. It opened for worship on June 21st, 1891. In 1913, the Presbyterians began services in downtown Sidney, on Sunday October 5th. The following year, two lots at the corner of Queens Avenue (now Malaview) and Fifth Street were purchased and a new church was built on the site of the present parking lot. This church was named St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church. Meanwhile in 1914, the Methodists of Sidney built Wesley Methodist Church, dedicated on Easter Sunday 1914.
St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church and the Wesley Methodist Church amalgamated, becoming St. Paul’s Union Church on Sunday, November 7th, 1920, five years before the formation of the United Church of Canada on June 10th 1925. Thus, in 1925 the Sidney Union Church became St. Paul’s United Church.
In 1962 a new Christian Education Centre, with gathering hall and classrooms, was built on the lot next to the church. A few years later, as the old structure was no longer large enough to serve the needs of the congregation, the Christian Education Centre was renovated to become the present sanctuary and in 1967, the old church was demolished.
In 1974 a new Youth Centre addition provided a new gathering hall and kitchen. A further addition on the east side of the building, and considerable renovations were made in 1981, giving the church its present worship and work spaces.
A bell tower was constructed in 1984 and the bell from the North Saanich Methodist Church, which had been in storage for about 50 years, was re-dedicated. A new vestibule was added and completed with a rock wall front in 1986.
St. Paul's is always seeking ways of refreshing its aging image, thus the redesign and renovation of our kitchen, fresh paint and the laying of new flooring in the fellowship hall and in 2018 the redesign of the front of the church was completed, creating a much more welcoming entrance.
Exciting plans were made for the celebration of St. Paul's 100th Anniversary in 2020 with preparations for a variety of special events, one for each month. Capping the year was to be a presentation of a new hymn, which was commissioned by St. Paul's to commemorate this special anniversary. Unfortunately Covid 19 resulted in not only to closing the doors to public worship for a time, but the abandonment of the anniversary events. However the church bell was rung 100 times on Nov 7th in commemoration.
The impact of Covid 19 resulted in reduced attendance and as for many churches, St. Paul's had to cope with the challenge of how to remain a viable congregation. After much deliberation and soul searching, it was decided that St. Paul’s would bravely make the changes necessary to continue. Three major emphases have been adopted: first, a changeover model of ministry leadership; second, a lively reengagement with the community of Sidney; and third, a Capital Fund project to continue the good stewardship of our building with its our sixty-two year-old Sanctuary and fifty-five year-old Hall.
The ministry team is comprised of a forty-percent-time minister/administrator and two pulpit supply ministers. Together they are providing inspiring and empowering leadership.
A welcoming, open-door policy has been announced by the flying of rainbow flags, and other appropriate banners as well as by becoming officially an Affirming Church which we celebrated on January 14 2024. Other activities for our neighbours include a concert series, a childcare centre as of April 2024, and many friendship, arts, craft, discussion, activity and spirituality groups. As well, the library is open to and used by neighbours.
Recent upgrades to our beautiful building included a high quality audio-visual system, a new roof for the sanctuary, new drains around most of the building, and new flooring on the east side of the sanctuary. There is much more to be done. Therefore, we are “building on a strong foundation” that we have inherited from dedicated members of the past. For now, we enthusiastically face the challenges of our times, just as our ancestors in faith did, and just as those coming after us will do. Stay tuned for the next chapter in St Paul’s history. We are building it right now.
We look to the future with enthusiasm and work together to continue our Christian presence in Sidney.
ST. PAUL’S MEMORIAL STAINED GLASS WINDOWS
In memory of several faithful members of St. Paul's Congregation, artist Robert Wise was commissioned to fashion stained glass windows for the East wall of the sanctuary in 1981. The persons memorialized are named on small brass plates at the base of each window indicated from left to right, Charles H. Parnell, Frederika and Peter Porter, Dr. & Mrs. H.T.J. Coleman and J.S. and Agnes Gardner.
The artist adopted what may be called a non-directive style of expression. Shapes and colours flow from his imagination with limited use of familiar images, allowing viewers freedom to respond with their own feelings and thoughts.
Moving from left to right, the first window seems to embody a familiar image... of Madonna and Child, with two circles at the top suggesting Mary and the Baby Jesus. Consider the qualities of gentleness, caring and love, which arise from the flowing lines in this portrayal. This is perhaps appropriate in a time when we strive to acknowledge the feminine and motherly qualities in the character of God.
The second raises curiosity over the tiny bright square slightly off centre, which leads the eye out to the other portions of the design only to return again towards the centre. The artist allowed one comment as to meaning: "If we don't get right at the centre we can spend all our time chasing rainbows." But so much arises through intuitions of your own when you stay with this window awhile.
The third window tends to bring opposites into relation to one another, the heavenly and the earthly, the Creator and creation.
The fourth yields, even more, of mood than of anything intellectual. It carries an awareness of getting at the heart of things without reason or logic.
To experience these windows for yourself, is to see the poetry of forms, to hear the sounds of music, to feel the liveliness of dancing and to run with religious symbols.
Let them speak, therefore, in expectation of stirring up the gifts of the Spirit that are in you also...those images and thoughts of your own which yield the words and the acts of faith.
Who were these folk honoured in this special way in 1981?
Charles Parnell served at St. Paul's for many years, usually greeting those who came to worship. He was a member of the Board of Stewards for some years; later he was a Trustee, a member of the Session and roll clerk.
Mr. & Mrs. Peter Porter retired to their wee home beside the church. Mrs. Porter taught in the primary Sunday School for many years and the church and it's functions were an important part of their daily lives. They left their property to St. Paul's.
Dr. & Mrs. Coleman were active members of St. Paul's. Dr. Coleman, former dean of Arts and Sciences at UBC, was a lay minister and is well remembered for his poetry. Mrs. Coleman served as President of the W.A.
Mr. & Mrs. J.S. Gardner came to Sidney with their family in 1928, and were faithful workers in the church. Mrs. Gardner taught Sunday School and Mr. Gardner was always ready to help where needed. Today, family members, the Reimers, and the Gardners carry on the family tradition of service in the church.
