Two of the region’s largest United Churches have voted to amalgamate after more than a year of planning and debate.
At the end of November, the congregations of Cadboro Bay and St. Aidan’s United Churches held simultaneous votes on amalgamation with results in favour of the proposal by 87 per cent and 79 per cent, respectively.
The new congregation has yet to be named but will occupy the soon-to-be revitalized site of St. Aidan’s United Church near the corner of Cedar Hill Cross and Richmond roads.
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Beginning in the late summer or early fall of 2020, both congregations will temporarily relocate to Cadboro Bay’s Arbutus Road site while renovation takes place at the permanent location. The new church will be the largest United Church on Vancouver Island.
Lead minister for St. Aidan’s, Rev. Cheryl Black, said the new congregation will offer a wider variety of worship styles as well as opportunities for small group spirituality participation, intercultural services and reconciliation with First Nations.
“This is an historic moment in the life of this region’s progressive Christian community…a community that takes the Bible seriously but not literally and honours a full range of lifestyle choices including the LGBTQ2 community,” Black said.
A newsletter on the Cadboro Bay United Church website says the official date of amalgamation will be May 31.
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