Vancouver Unitarians

Vancouver Unitarians is the largest and oldest Unitarian congregation in British Columbia, Canada, established in 1909.

The church meets every Sunday morning in the building at 949 West 49th Avenue (at Oak) in Vancouver.

The church has many active groups and committees and also offers space to various organizations.

Beliefs
Like most North American Unitarian congregations, the belief system is pluralistic and could be phrased as "spiritual but not religious" in the sense of required adherence to a particular creed. Rev. Phillip Hewett was quoted in the Vancouver Courier saying, “The Unitarian movement has been set up to be based on personal spirituality, your own development, rather than adherence to a particular creed”.

Advocacy and social responsibility
The congregation has active teams that work on social justice issues, including the environment, gender equality, racial justice and resettlement of refugees.

In 1971 a committee of environmentalists started meeting in the Fireside room of Vancouver Unitarians. They had been loosely affiliated with the Sierra club and called themselves the “Don’t Make a Wave Committee.” Once they decided to take unsanctioned direction action against nuclear testing, they decided to reformulate independent of the Sierra Club. The new name was Greenpeace. According to Rex Weyler, this historic naming happened on the campus of Vancouver Unitarians.

The Vancouver Unitarian congregation is particularly well known for its environmental advocacy. In 2012, the congregation divested Enbridge stock and encouraged members to do the same. In 2023, they voted to divest all fossil fuel stocks.

Architecture
The campus was designed by member and architect, Wolfgang Gerson, and has won architectural awards. It was constructed in the 1960s.

UCV’s award-winning 1964 buildings, the sanctuary, Hewett Centre, and the office building, are noted for their "simplicity and serenity". In 1998 they were voted among the "most beautiful" in Vancouver by a panel of architectural experts.

The Fireside Room is noted for being an early meeting place of the Don't Make a Wave Committee, which later evolved into Greenpeace. It received a Places That Matter designation and plaque noting this history.

The site has two labyrinths on the property. One is a classical three-circuit square and the other a double-processional labyrinth in the garden on the west side.

Leadership
As of August, 2023, the current minister is Rev. Shawn Gauthier.

Rev. Dr. Steven Epperson served as minister from 2001 to 2020. Rev. Phillip Hewett was parish minister for 35 years from 1956 to 1991. He was appointed minister emeritus. He died February 24, 2018, at the age of 93.