The Christ Church Cathedral worshipping community have been out of the Burrard and Georgia Street building for six weeks and meeting to Celebrate the Eucharist in the Burrard Ballroom of the Century Plaza Hotel is fast becoming part of that faith community's routine.
The Burrard Ballroom is located on the second floor of the hotel complex at 1015 Burrard Steet. It is a pleasant enough space but in reality it is more of a utliity gathering space than a ballroom, however the minor inconveniences of the location have not prevented the parish from gathering to worship together. On July 5, 2015, downtown Vancouver was blanketed in forest fire haze and the weather forecasters had predicted that temperatures downtown would soar above 30 degrees. This did not keep people away from worship. The Cathedral's Project and Events Manager, Jim Cheatley told diocesan communications that between 285 and 300 seats are set-up in the Burrard Ballroom for the 10:30am principal worship service. On July 5, perhaps 15-20 of those seats were unoccupied.
On July 5, music in worship was led by the director and co-founder of the Good Noise Vancouver Gospel Choir, Gail Suderman; the preacher was Cathedral deacon, the Reverend Liz Hamel; and Dean of the Diocese and Rector of Christ Church Cathedral, the Very Reverend Dr. Peter Elliott presided at the Eucharist. With more than half a dozen Communion stations located in the ballroom to serve the 260+ congregation, the service was concluded in 60 minutes with the next item on the parish agenda, a family picnic planned for down the street in a West End park.
In his pew bulletin notes for July 5, Dean Peter wrote the following penultimate paragraph of his reflection on being out of the building, "A faithful congregation: it has been inspiring to see the continuing commitment to the Cathedral's life and worship even whilst we worship in a: United Church Chapel (the 8am Sunday Holy Communion worship from the BCP); a downtown hotel ballroom (the principal 10:30 Choral Eucharist); a little parish church near VGH (Vancouver General Hospital); and an office building with the street address 666! (the weekday Celebration of the Eucharist at 12:10pm). Day after day, Sunday after Sunday congregations gather and discover, once again, the holy in our midst. Journeying together through these pilgrim days it has been a renewed discovery of the amazing grace of God that holds this holy community together."
Diocesan communications will continue to cover the progress of the Cathedral building renovation, please stay tuned.
More photos are available for your enjoyment of the diocese of New Westminster's Facebook page - ANGLICAN CONVERSATION.