No church in Canada has generated more news coverage for more years than Vancouver's First United. That has everything to do with its location in the heart of the infamous Downtown Eastside and with its role as caregiver and defender of the poor, the needy and the homeless inhabitants of Canada's poorest postal code. Like Mother Teresa's mission to the slums of Calcutta, the First United seizes its position among the marginalized as an opportunity to serve and has proven a shining example of humanitarian activism for 125 years.

Famous for its defence of the jobless poor during the Great Depression under the leadership of the Rev. Andrew Roddan, it is now equally renowned as a bastion of support for modern-day street people with more complicated problems. With its roots in the early Presbyterian and Methodist Church Missions established in Vancouver in 1885 and 1888, the history of the First United Church spans that of the city it resides in. During that time it has seen the area around it and the population it serves undergo tremendous changes, as initial generations moved out to the suburbs, and the congregation assisted with the settling of newcomers from all over the world.

In this well-written and lively account, Burrows, himself a United Church minister for over four decades, brings his lifetime of commitment and compassion to the remarkable history of the First United Church in Hope Lives Here.

In 2001, Bob Burrows received an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Victoria University, at the University of Toronto, in recognition of a lifetime of service to the United Church and his community. He began his work on the British Columbia coast as minister and captain of a mission boat based at Ocean Falls in 1960. From 1981-84 he was Chair of the national United Church Committee responsible for all mission hospitals across Canada. He lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.

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"This well-researched book chronicles the complete story of the history of one of the Downtown Eastside's most important institutions, and is told by someone with unparalleled first-hand knowledge. From its beginning as a place of worship in the new city of Vancouver to its crucial role in the challenging decades that followed, this is a must-read for those who have supported, admired or received assistance from the venerable First United Church."
. . . Lori Culbert, co-author, A Thousand Dreams: Vancouver's Downtown Eastside and the Fight for Its Future

"Vancouver's Downtown Eastside is a place few Canadians will ever experience--a place of poverty and prostitution, of drugs and homelessness, of life lived on the edges of both law and survival. And in the middle of it stands First United Church. For 125 years it has adapted its service and outreach to its constantly changing context. In this book, Bob Burrows details the many ways this church has changed, and the people who have helped it change. Far more than a history, this book illuminates with stories and pictures the evolution of a mission to 'the least of these' in a unique part of Canada."
. . . James Taylor, author, An Everyday God: Insights from the Ordinary

"Bob Burrows' lovingly researched history of First United pulses with the stories of the extraordinary people who built--and continue to build--one of the most remarkable church missions anywhere. The book also invites us to journey with the equally extraordinary people who pass through the front doors at 320 East Hastings. As Burrows points out, they now fi nd bunks instead of pews in the sanctuary. Yet First United remains, as it has for 125 years, a deeply holy place where the words of St. Francis reverberate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year: 'Preach the Gospel at all times, and if necessary use words.'"
. . . David Wilson, editor, The United Church Observer

Praise for Hope Lives Here

Hope Lives Here: A History of Vancouver's First United Church

The history of the Vancouver’s First United is a model for understanding the history of East Vancouver as well as a case study of social justice in action. Vancouver’s First United has a 125 year history of providing both a spiritual presence and social service to the Downtown Eastside. In the early days their community was immigrants seeking new opportunities. Today marginalized citizens with a range of complex needs are served. First United’s history begins in 1885 with the settling of the townsite of Granville. By 1929, it was the central church of the East Vancouver, providing relief to the poor during the Great Depression and WWII. Nowadays, First United is central to the well-being of the Downtown Eastside, offering companionship to the lonely, raising concern over women’s welfare and providing shelter to the homeless.