St. David’s United Church

Colleen Blair

St. David’s has been my faith community since the late 1980’s,  starting out as a lay person and then joining the staff in 1995 for children, youth and family ministry.  

I grew up in the Roman Catholic tradition but came to St. David’s after a period away from church and when our children were young.  I love the United Church of Canada because I value the openness and freedom to pursue personal faith exploration amidst the inspiration and support of a wonderful faith community. There is very real respect for all people and solid encouragement for living out our faith, questions and all.

The  philosophy underlying children and youth ministry at St. David’s, is to help children and youth have an experience of God that gives meaning to their lives…an experience that helps them know themselves as beloved and which encourages them to respond to others with compassion and love.

In my spare time, my soul is replenished by time with family and friends, making soup in my kitchen and being in the garden. And in a very real sense, my soul is nurtured, challenged and blessed by the people at St. David’s.

blessings to you,

Colleen

Chris Astill

She was raised in the United Reformed (Congregational) Church in England, moved to Vancouver more than twenty years ago. As St. David’s Administrator she has been on staff since 1994 and finds the members of St. David’s to be her second family. Before coming to St. David’s, Chris was Sunday School Coordinator at St. Andrew’s-Wesley Church for ten years and Chair of the Board and Chair of Ministry & Personnel Committee. Chris has a real warmth and is an especially dear friend to children and the elderly. Her love of people has led her to broaden her interests to activities in healing touch and the theatre.

Reverend Dan Chambers

In August of 1999, my family and I moved from Berkeley, California to Vancouver to serve the St. David’s congregation.  I was drawn to the warmth of the community, the vibrant children and youth program, and the open-hearted/open-minded disposition of the people of this church.

I have a passion for authentic and dynamic worship, meaningful programs in spiritual formation, pastoral care and congregational renewal through service and outreach. 

At St. David’s, we believe church is about lives changed so significantly the richness and blessing cannot be contained in these walls and spills over in the transformation  of the world.   In a very brief phrase, our vision statement expresses the purpose of this church, as we exist for Changed Lives, Changed World.   Here, we hope and believe people will come and be changed, for good.

If you have come to this web site with questions of faith or have an interest in finding out more about the church, I would be happy to receive your call or e-mail.

Blessings and Peace.

Dan

Background: 

In addition to his Masters of Divinity, Dan completed a Masters of Arts degree in Comparative Religion, focusing on Buddhism and Christianity (his Master’s thesis is titled, Immanence and Transcendence: The Ordinary as Sacred).   After graduating from the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley in 1993, Dan was ordained and served a church in Southern California. He also taught two classes at a nearby university, “The Life and Times of Jesus,” and “The Living Religions of the World.” He then returned to Berkeley where he served the First Congregational Church for three and a half years. Both congregations nurtured and supported his ministry with their generous spirit and active involvement.

Prior to seminary, Dan taught English in a public high school in Japan for two years, and prior to that, Dan was studying and working in San Diego as tutor, waiter, and pedi-cab driver.