About Us
Welcome to WPGUC. With open doors, open minds and open hearts, the church has welcomed worshippers from the West Point Grey community and beyond for over 100 years. Whether you are a committed Christian, a spiritual seeker, a member of the WPG community or from farther away, we hope you will join our faith community at worship on Sundays or as a participant in one of our many church activities. Whoever you are and from wherever you are, join us on our journey and find yourself at home.
We are
An Intercultural Church: We strive to be an intercultural church, where our differences are affirmed and celebrated. We understand that culture is much more than food, clothing and festivals; it is about our identity and boundary. We want to create a safe, welcoming faith community that we call our home.
Committed to Reconciliation: We recognize the lands upon which we worship as the ancestral, traditional and unceded lands of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh people, and commit to the ongoing work of reconciliation with all our Indigenous sisters and brothers.
An Affirming Church: On May 28, 2023 we officially joined Affirm United after two years of careful discernment. By joining Affirm United, we commit to Publically (through the use of signs and symbols, such as the pride flag), Intentionally (through continued learning and ongoing commitment), and Explicitly Affirm the place of 2SLGBTQ+ people in our church, loved and blessed as God has made them. For more information about the Affirming Church movement visit affirmunited.ause.ca – or, if you’re looking for an affirming congregation outside of our area or internationally, check out gaychurch.org
A Caring Church: We strive to support and nourish our Church Family through Pastoral Care. Our church also opens its doors to the wider community of West Point Grey and beyond, by welcoming All people, offering supportive services and programs and creating a warm, safe and inclusive environment.
A Church committed to a safe environment: We strive to relate to one another with respect, humility, patience, open – mindedness, courage, compassion and kindness. We are a community built on the contributions of all our members and adherents, each of us with our own perspectives, experiences, and capacity for service. We value each individual equally, acknowledging our different paths to and with our community of faith, respectful of each others’ backgrounds and identities. While we endeavour to treat others in the ways in which we would want to be treated, we realize that mistakes do happen. When mistakes or misunderstandings happen, we will work gently to ensure clarity and healing occur.
Our Team
Siiri Rebane
Director of Music
music.ministry.wpguc@gmail.com
Siiri Rebane was born in Estonia where she received her Masters in Piano Performance from Estonian Music Academy before moving to the United States to pursue her doctoral studies in Organ Performance and Conducting.
Throughout her career, Siiri has led church music programmes as a music director, organist, pianist, choir director, and worship band leader. From 1995 to 2021 she held the position of Music Director/ Organist at St. Catherine’s Anglican Church in North Vancouver.
Siiri has worked and collaborated with various choirs and orchestras as a singer, an accompanist or a conductor in Europe and Canada. She was a singer and accompanist for Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, associate conductor and accompanist for BC Boys Choir and Coastal Sound Music Academy. As an organist, she collaborated with Estonian State Symphony, Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra, “Ellerhein” Girls Choir, and others.
Siiri is currently the director of the choral programme at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in North Vancouver, British Columbia. Siiri is active as an accompanist for choirs, individual singers, and instrumentalists. She is a BC Registered Music Teacher in piano and organ.
Contact
music.ministry.wpguc@gmail.com
Sonia di Tullio-Zelichowska
Office Coordinator
604-224-4388 ext. 1
office@wpguc.com
My name is Sonia di Tullio-Zelichowska. As the Office Coordinator I am delighted with my association with West Point Grey United Church.
I was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil of Italian parents and have resided in Vancouver for the past 40 years.
My work experience has primarily been that of an administrative assistant working in various companies and organizations including the Provost Office at UBC.
The clerical and management role requires multi-tasking but communicating, supporting and responding to the staff and the congregation is what I most eagerly anticipate.
As we come to the end of the Covid-19 epidemic I hope to more fully complete that aspect as well. I look forward to getting to know you and working with this Faith Community.
Contact
604-224-4388 ext. 1
office@wpguc.com
Linda Liang
Intercultural Ministry Coordinator
778-898-4532
lindaliang0205@yahoo.com
My Name is Linda Liang (梁志遐). I am married. My family moved Canada from Beijing, China in 2010. I have a son. I am the Coordinator of Intercultural Ministry of West Point Grey United Church. I have been in the position since 2014. Although it is very challenging, I like it very much. It has great meaning to me. I have been worked toward this ministry with all my effort and hearts. This ministry is to provide support for the Intercultural event and activities such as the Sunday Worship, Lunar New Year Celebration, Canada Day Celebration, Christmas Family Gathering, ESL Class etc. In order to bridge ministry with the community and the church to gather for spiritual opportunities. I decided to study in VST (Vancouver School of Theology) for the Certificate of Theology from 2016 to 2018. Now I still keep my study in VST to equip myself in the knowledge of the Bible and Christianity of the United Church of Canada and its Worship Service. That helps me to become a valued member of this faith community and beyond. I have led Chinese Bible Study every Monday for 3.5 years. Other than that I keep my different hobbies in my daily life: yoga, reading, dancing and singing. I hope that you can come to the church and meet new friends in this big family.
Contact
778-898-4532
lindaliang0205@yahoo.com