Holy Trinity

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White Rock Anglican Church celebrates a century of faith and community

White Rock parish balances tradition with inclusivity, offering resources and connection for all

Holy Trinity has long been known for its commitment to Anglican liturgy, offering worship grounded in tradition, scripture, reason and community connection. Photo courtesy of The Church of the Holy Trinity.

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Holy Trinity Anglican Church in White Rock stands as both a spiritual and community hub, with a rich 100-year history with a forward-looking approach that welcomes people from all walks of life. With its robust liturgical practices and community outreach programs, the church is a vibrant centre of connection in White Rock.

“Our church is active and growing,” says The Rev. Joseph Dirbas, rector of  Holy Trinity. “We’re doing a lot to connect with the community and expand our programs, especially for children, youth and families. It’s exciting to see how much we can do together.”

“We’re doing a lot to connect with the community and expand our programs, especially for children, youth and families. It’s exciting to see how much we can do together," says The Rev. Joseph Dirbas, rector of Holy Trinity. Photo courtesy of The Church of the Holy Trinity.

Music at the heart of worship 

One of the church’s notable recent steps has been hiring a music director to elevate Holy Trinity’s music ministry. This new director leads the choir, prepares anthems and performs special pieces, including solos, during services.

“It’s a big step in making music a more central part of our worship and community events,” says Dirbas, noting the new music director, Maria Golas, is also a member of the Vancouver Chamber Choir, bringing added expertise to the role.

Tradition meet progress

Holy Trinity has long been known for its commitment to Anglican liturgy, offering worship grounded in tradition, scripture, reason and community connection. However, the church is socially progressive, welcoming members of the LGBTQ+ community and others who may have felt excluded elsewhere.

“We host many events like neighbourhood gatherings, a monthly Evensong service, and even a Christmas Market coming up on Nov. 30,” says The Rev. Joseph Dirbas, rector of Holy Trinity. Photo courtesy of The Church of the Holy Trinity.

“We balance being liturgically traditional with being inclusive and socially progressive,” Dirbas says. “People can come and be accepted as they are while learning about scripture and discipleship. We engage deeply with the community and strive to embody Christ’s example of loving all people.”

Beyond Sunday services, Holy Trinity Anglican Church opens its doors to the broader community. It hosts an array of activities such as yoga classes, Seniors Lunches, Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, food bank collections and Bible studies.

“We host many events like neighbourhood gatherings, a monthly Evensong service, and even a Christmas Market coming up on Nov. 30,” Dirbas says. “It’s all part of living out our mission statement: “In Christ, we are a growing community, welcoming others to join us on our faith journey."

The church is also a local resource hub that provides support for homeless individuals and families. “We share our space with Sources because it’s about putting the gospel into action,” Dirbas explains. “We respect the dignity of all people and want to share the joy and love of Christ with everyone.”

Dirbas, who immigrated to Canada with his wife – a fellow Anglican priest – and their five children in late 2021, feels deeply connected to Holy Trinity’s mission. “I love seeing the gospel put into action,” he says. “It’s a joy to guide this community, working together to live out our faith and make a difference.”

For more information on The Church of the Holy y Trinity’s programs and events, visit holytrinitywhiterock.ca or vancouver.anglican.ca.

Nativity

     I remember a Christmas when I lived in Louisiana and I was gifted with a beautiful nativity set. It was ceramic and a copy of the one owned by my mother-in-law who was a lovely and generous woman. Hers was painted and vibrant in its colours and detail. I opted for the unpainted white version which has been with me every Christmas since I have been an adult. It has always been my favourite I suppose because we have travelled many miles together over many, many years. As a “cradle Anglican” the Christmas story is not new to me. I do not remember seeing a nativity scene in my family’s home when I was a child however. Since the acquisition of my very own nativity set, they have become a favourite of mine; a way of recognizing the true message of Christmas. Don’t get me wrong; I like the Santas and the snowmen, the carols and the candy canes, the stockings and the snowflakes. It is a wonderful time of year for me and I love it all. However I do find that the nativity reminds us all of the why behind this time of year: the reason for the season, keeping the Christ in Christmas, if you will. 

     I remember that when our eldest was a toddler how important it was to me to find a durable, unbreakable nativity scene that our daughter could play and engage with, and in turn learn the story of the baby Jesus. And I did find one; mostly cloth but simple and colourful and one that she now cherishes and I take great pleasure in displaying every December.

     Our church is doing a display of our parishioners’ nativity scenes. They will be on display during our Christmas Market at the end of the month. I am really looking forward to it and can’t wait to see all the variety and diversity of the many representations of the birth of Jesus over two thousand years ago. This story truly is what Christmas is all about.

Daughters

      We are blessed with two wonderful, smart, caring, considerate daughters. They are adults now but there are still moments when looking at them that I catch a glimpse of the fun and fantastically funny little people they were once upon a time about two decades ago. And as much as I loved our lives when they were fresh on the planet, I also love knowing these two amazing, incredible and kind young women, right here, right now. And I would not change that for anything.
     It never fails to amaze me however, how much we are ourselves our whole life through. And I am astonished at how much we forever look like ourselves as well. The essence of who we are is always there. I can look at my eldest daughter’s hands and still see the little tiny hands that they used to be twenty years ago. And they're still busy, active, hard-working hands. Sometimes my youngest daughter will give a laugh that reminds me of the giggles we heard from her when she was a little girl; she's still mischievous. These young women are the same as they always were but different too: grown up.
     Sometimes I miss those little voices, those tiny hands and small feet. Life seemed simpler then; our problems were easier, the world a bit safer. Our daughters were there with us always and we could hold them. Now they are out in the world every day and it’s harder to protect them, even if we could. 
     Life is that story; the growing up, the moving out, the moving on, the ebb and flow of human existence. And amongst it all is that beautiful crazy lovely funny thing we call parenthood. What a blessing!

 

Dogs

     They say that taking a dog for a walk is like handing a new book to a human being: a fresh world to discover. According to The Washington Post a dog hanging out only in the backyard is like reading the same book, over and over again. With my family away, I have the keys to the library; I am in charge of the reading list! 

     Walking anywhere is good for you and walking a couple of dogs makes it even better. The fact that I am getting our pooches out for a sizeable stroll at least twice a day is making a difference to how I feel physically and mentally. I was expecting the exercise to improve my physical health but did not realize how much it would help me mentally. This time of year is not my favourite; the cold and gray depresses me. My garden is winding down and sunshine is hard to find. But getting out of the house early, the earlier the better, is really making a difference. 

     And it goes without saying: the dogs love it. Now that I know that every walk is a new book, I am challenging myself to take them on a different walk every single time. At this point I can say that I have been successful but of course there will come a day when we will run out of new options. Eventually though the old trails will smell a little differently. And by then I’m hoping that they won’t remember that they’ve already read this one.

Finn

     One of the benefits of family is meeting their friends and sometimes getting to know one or two of them quite well. We recently had the pleasure of hosting a friend of our younger daughter, a young man who I'd like to think has now also become a friend of ours. Circumstances had created the need for alternate living arrangements and we were able to provide that for several months. It's not easy to fall into a family and find a way to navigate all the ins and outs of group life in a family that's not yours. Our young friend found a way to do that without infringing on anyone's space or privacy and actually found a way to contribute. Whether by cutting the grass or reorganizing a cupboard, taking out garbage or walking the dogs, he found a strategy for adding to our summer rather than diminishing it in any way. 

     It can be challenging to be a good guest but he was up for the challenge and in fact, exceeded my expectations. We experienced the death of a young family member this summer and our friend was exceptional in his ability to empathize, to support, to listen and to understand. I felt heard; I think we all did and his recognition of our collective grief and sadness was a gift he shared generously. As any grumpy old lady would, I have sometimes wondered about the younger generations and their values. This young man filled me with hope and made me glad that we had space to share...thanks buddy. We miss you already!

Kezia

     Her name is the Hebrew form of the word cassia and means "cinnamon" and was the name of Job's middle daughter. It will always evoke for me sweetness, loyalty and spirit. At five years old and the youngest she was the very centre of their family, the one that everyone else big or small, looked out for.  As she twirled and whirled and ran like a tiny breeze in those dresses she loved, she was the epitome of light and life and love. Our entire extended family is unable to understand how she could be so fully with us one minute and gone from us the very next. I sat with her on a swing this past Thursday and we talked about everything and nothing. She did not stay still for long! But I knew from that conversation and from every other interaction that I have ever had with her that she would not want me to be miserable. Surely I think, she would want us all to smile when we thought of her. The trauma of her leaving us, all of us, for we were all there, although horrific, is unequal to the joy she brought to everyone upon whom she bestowed a smile. And forever and ever the smell of cinnamon, the face of a five year old, the kindness of a little one to another, the feel of a welcome breeze, will always make me think of her. That means that she will never be far from my thoughts. And I can live with that. I must live with that. 

    

Sunflowers

     Our elder daughter has been determined to grow sunflowers this year. She had a very successful roadside business in the past and although we have much smaller square footage here, we do have an opportunity to grow dozens of plants in our raised beds. Last year we suspect that rabbits ruined any chance of a good sunflower harvest so this year, we took advantage of our little greenhouse, got an early start and used every inch of garden we could to guarantee a bold return. A little fencing didn't hurt either. We are both excited to see what happens next. And the fact that the little seedlings were not bothered by the torrential rains or the little bit of hail we experienced recently makes us hopeful. The presence of a nearby bird feeder filled with black oil sunflower seeds means that we are never alone. Robins, chickadees, finches and even mourning doves make their presence known. And Mr. Rabbit is nowhere to be found. I suspect he found a more enticing spot without the possibility of our dogs making an appearance.

     Growing flowers, vegetables or fruits is never a sure thing, any farmer will tell you. And despite what those forget-me-nots poking up through cracks in the concrete might imply, the conditions must be right. Proper soil, sunlight, rain and care will not ensure success but will be very helpful.

     Whatever comes of our daughter’s efforts, we are looking forward to those blazes of yellow, orange and gold petals, those complicated yet simple centres, those broad green leaves and thick strong stalks. They're all gorgeous, generous and a patient gardener’s dream. And with a little help, luck and a few prayers we will be back in business, whether she sells any or not.