The Little Church with the Big Heart in Vancouver

By Erie Maestro
Vancouver-Canada
November 9, 2021
 




There is a little church in East Vancouver with a big heart and wide-open welcoming arms for everyone, especially the migrant workers. In 2019, St. Mary the Virgin South Hill Anglican Church opened its doors to Migrante BC in partnership. What used to be the occasional Migrante Mass is now a joint monthly service of the church and Migrante BC.



The church is on the street corner of an East Vancouver neighbourhood, sometimes easy to miss because it is a little church after all. St. Mary the Virgin declares its church as a welcoming one to all communities and denominations. Many Filipinos have taken this to heart and know that this church walks its talk.



Expedito Farinas, or Apo Expie as he is known to his community (Apo , an Ilokano word which means Elder), has roots in the Cagayan Province in the northern Philippines. He was ordained in the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) or the Philippine Independent Church. He describes himself thus: “I came to Canada as a migrant priest, and now working in the vineyard of the Lord serving as Priest in the Anglican Church of Canada. I am the rector of the Parish of St. Mary the Virgin South Hill.”

St. Mary the Virgin church is a growing community, and many Filipinos now call the church their own. Among its programs are a youth program, a mothers group called the Mother’s Union, a Sunday school, a Senior’s telephone tree to check in with the senior members, and a new program called Fitness for All under Yolanda Lumase, fitness instructor and a member of the church.

In August 2021, Apo Expie offered the church hall for the mobile mission for Overseas Filipino Voting Registration and other consular services of the Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver, a much-appreciated public service.

With Migrante BC, the church’s partner in migrant ministry, the church has been working together to get donations of adult bikes and jackets/long sleeved shirts for the Filipino and Latino farm workers. The church has also been supportive of disaster relief and the recent community pantries movement in the Philippines.

Pre-COVID-19, the whole congregation always looked forward to the Tea & Coffee after the church service. Tea and coffee were always on, the table offered a wonderful spread of potluck goodies, the congregation’s birthdays and anniversaries were celebrated, connections were strengthened. and friendships made.





Some of these rituals of gathering changed as the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions rolled out. The BC government issued COVID-19 protocols: social distancing, mandatory use of masks, and rules of maximum capacity. First, all church after-service refreshments were stopped in compliance with health protocols. Then the face-to-face church worship services were stopped. These were replaced by online services via zoom. The new ways were not without their challenges, but the church and its members overcame these and kept community.

St Mary the Virgin Church adapted. The church community did as well.

For Ash Wednesday, Apo Expie and the church staff mailed its members their envelopes with the small sachet of ashes for the online service via Zoom. In anticipation of Palm Sunday, members received their envelopes of mini palm crosses. In the online masses, birthdays and anniversaries were still announced, and prayers for the sick and intercessions were still offered.

The sign of peace that, in pre-Covid 19 times, would have the community getting up to greet people across and around the pews, to shake hands, even give a light hug and whisper “Peace be to you”, was replaced by flashing the V-sign on the Zoom screen.





The COVID-19 pandemic continues well into its second year. On June 13. 2021, with the BC government announcement of relaxed restrictions for public gatherings, St. Mary the Virgin re-opened its doors for the eagerly awaited face-to-face Sunday worship, but still compliant with social distancing and masks, and with maximum capacity in place.

With the vaccine rollouts, the coffee & tea after-service fellowship has resumed to the delight of the church community while observing with health protocols.



The little church with the big heart in Vancouver remains “open and welcoming, celebrating the diversity of all people,” especially with migrants and migrant workers, despite the pandemic.

Thank you, Apo Expie and the St Mary the Virgin Church!