Prosperity

Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver

Breathtaking vistas of mountains and shoreline are coupled with change as heavy industry diminishes in the Lonsdale area and new condos arise. Unlike other municipalities, population growth on the North Shore is low.

Prosperity has characterized most of the area, with property prices high across the board. (As of 2006, West Vancouver’s average house sold for over $1,250,000.)

The North Shore is comprised of three municipalities: the District of North Vancouver, the City of North Vancouver and the District of West Vancouver.

There are some 60 churches in North Vancouver, with around 12 in West Vancouver. Almost half of North Shore churches are Anglican, United and Roman Catholic.

Afshin Javid is pastor of one of the North Shore's three Iranian churches, Vancouver Christian Fellowship.

For more than 25 years, pastors from North Shore churches have gathered weekly to pray together, and mutually encourage and support each other. There are no illusions about ministry on the North Shore.

David Booker, pastor of The Bridge Community Church (previously Delbrook Baptist) says: “Two overriding things are common to the North Shore. Firstly, an aging population. Younger people unable to afford housing here. Secondly, there is affluence. We are a self satisfied people here; that makes it difficult to minister.”

In transition

Churches and ministries ebb and flow, seemingly despite faithful leadership and effort on the part of Christians.

Owen Scott, the veteran senior pastor of Valley Church, in the centre of the Lynn Valley area, describes the North Shore as  being in transition. “Two of the larger churches on the North Shore are undergoing senior leadership changes – North Shore Alliance and St. Stephen’s & St. Andrew’s Presbyterian.”

Scott acknowledged that over the years North Shore churches “have a tendency to not do so well.” Indeed a number of smaller churches have ceased operation.

At the same time, he described new initiatives taking place , with a number of small ethnic churches representing Iranians, Koreans and Chinese.

Julie Block, of North Shore Alliance (NSA) described planting Cove Community Church in the Deep Cove area in 2002; it has grown to over 200 in number.

NSA has also birthed a cluster of home-based churches on the North Shore (simplechurches.ca).

Youth leaders have a history of working together. Marcel Kurtz, youth pastor of Valley Church, comments, “Around 10 – 15  of us meet regularly and frequently cooperate in programs.”

Another veteran of the North Shore is Ed Hird, rector of St. Simon’s Anglican Church. Along with Owen Scott, he leads the weekly pastors’ group.

“Churches do have a voice in the community,” he said. “The North Shore News , has hosted a weekly column, ‘Spiritually Speaking,’ for eight years, with various pastors and leaders contributing over 400 articles.”

Bowen Island, also has a community of faith. Reached by ferry from Horseshoe Bay, it has a population of about 3,300 on its 50 sq km, with four churches.

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Harvest Project

MOST think of the North Shore as affluent. Nevertheless, hard times can hit anyone. The Harvest Project, started in 1994, provides support to residents who are living in poverty or facing other life challenges that put them at risk of becoming homeless.

Its building, in the south Lonsdale area, houses a small staff that work with clients and coordinate some 200 volunteers, many from local churches.

Clients meet with a trained client worker who helps them prioritize their needs. The Harvest offer services such as individual counselling, life skills training, information and referral, work clothing, and a month’s supply of food.

They also assist job seekers with resumes, as well as phone, fax, and photocopying services. The Dress for Success  program provides good quality clothing for individuals who are working, at school or job searching.

They see some 2,500 clients per year (8 – 10 per day), many with young children.

Harvest’s philosophy of ministry is encapsulated in the phrase “extending a hand up, not a hand out – offering short term physical, emotional and spiritual support to North Shore residents seeking self sufficiency.”  

Although 15 churches financially support the Harvest Project, businesses and individuals represent 70 percent of revenue.

Asked about the perception that there aren’t the same kind of needs on the North Shore as elsewhere, Harvest director David Polkinghorne responded: “Even with West Vancouver we see people struggling to pay bills. Some in $1 million homes are starving to death! Of course they need to sell their homes, but put your mom or dad in there – it’s hard to uproot, lose your friends and leave.”

The Harvest provides help to a wide range of clients.

“We see many who are dealing with divorce, unemployment, substance abuse and addiction, along with mental breakdown. Some are very ordinary people who are just going through a difficult time” he said.

BCCN  asked Polkinghorne, who took over leadership of Harvest this year, for his first impressions of the spiritual climate on the North Shore.

“There’s lots of ‘dry wood’ in the church, that is ready to burn well!” he said, adding, “We don’t have a large church with big influence on the North Shore. We’re each doing our thing and it’s good! But at times there needs to be a strong unity with a voice; we don’t seem to join each other on critical issues.”

The unique nature of the Harvest Project is appreciated.

“I can ring any of the three mayors and get an appointment anytime,” said Polkinghorne.

For the future: “I’d like to see us explore starting other ‘Harvests.’

– Peter Biggs

June 2007