Blessings of the PIE to Pride season to you and your faith community! We are excited to invite you to our United Church:Pacific Mountain Region-wide screening of the documentary “Mama Bears”. This screening follows the multiple local screenings that took place around the region in March for PIE Day.

Did you know there are more than 32,000 mothers in America, many from conservative, Christian backgrounds, who fully accept their LGBTQ+ children? They call themselves “mama bears” because while their love is warm and fuzzy, they fight ferociously to make the world kinder and safer for all LGBTQ+ people.

For more information on the film, you must register for this free event.  CLICK HERE to register and also see the related discussion group options.

Services at St. Columba's Church Port Hardy and St. John's Port Alice
(for details on a particular service see our events list here)

Updated:

May 25 Morning Worship with Communion led by Rev. Bob Gilbert 10:30 AM at St. Columba
May 25 Afternoon Worship with Communion led by Rev. Bob Gilbert 4:00 PM at St. John's Port Alice
NOTE: Both the worship services will take place even with the planned power outage. St. Columba's will have coffee and hot tea available both before and after the service and lunch downstairs starting at about noon.

June 1 Afternoon Worship with Communion led by Rev. Sheila Cook 3:00 PM

On May 27–28, 2025 VST will host Compassion: Mutual Care for Troubled Times. Kicking off with a free, public keynote lecture on May 27 at 7pm, this conference is all about engaging with what the spirituality and practice of compassion should look like in our time. 

The keynote speaker for the free public event is Dr. Terry Elizabeth Givens a Professor of Political Science at the University of British Columbia and the author of Radical Empathy: Finding a Path to Bridging Racial Divides. She is a celebrated speaker and advocate for diversity and inclusion through empathy. 

Note: To receive the Zoom link for the free public event you still need to register. Click the "Read More" button then the registration link at the top or bottom of the new page.

June 10, 2025 will mark The United Church of Canada’s 100th anniversary—an opportunity to learn from our past to prepare for the future! 

The 100th Anniversary will be celebrated in worship on June 8, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. NT (2:30 p.m. PDT), the in-person service will be held at Gower Street United Church, 99 Queens Rd, St. John's, NL. But you can tune into the livestream on YouTube. The YouTube link will become live at the time of the service or click the "Read More" button below for a link from the St. Columba website. If you want to watch the service, but don't have Internet or want to watch it with others, please speak to or contact Robert or Judy Fyles on or before June 8 at morning worship at St. Columba. 

Following the recent liquidation of the Hudson's Bay Company, Bishop Anna Greenwood-Lee has written a piece for the Times Colonist's Spiritually Speaking blog about the HBC's role in colonizing and selling off land on Vancouver Island. Bishop Anna writes about how our diocese profitted from this sell off and the dangers of the church becoming entangled with empires. To read the full piece, CLICK HERE. 

Just released! The latest edition of  SPIRIT magazine. It is full of information about the great things that are happening at St. Peter's Anglican, Campbell River. You will find articles of interest written by Council members and parishioners. Our church is alive with outreach programs and activities.

Our theme for this issue, "That's Why I Believe", has inspired, in the words of our editor, Jane, 'powerful, thought provoking articles on belief.'

[Folks viewing this post via St. Columba news are encouraged to read the thought provoking and Spirit filled articles (starting on page 13) on the theme by folks from St. Peter's].

Many thanks to our contributors and to the editor, Jane, and to Trina, who produced and designed this edition.

The link to the Spring/Summer SPIRIT magazine is: SPIRIT Spring/Summer 2025

These professionals share tips to help Canadians stay grounded.

As found on the Broadview Magazine website: Read it here.

Photo: National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland. (Photo: Gage Skidmore / Flickr) as found in the Braodview Magazine article.