Service Times
What We Believe
100+ Year History of Our Church
Tent Meetings on Triumph Street
By 1912, people had begun to settle in north Burnaby, and the opportunity was seized by the Convention of Baptist Churches of B.C. to found a new cause on the edge of the new settlement on the hill. The first meeting of “The Vancouver Heights Baptist Church” – as it was then called, was held on March 24, 1912, in a tent which was set up on a wooden floor at the corner of Triumph Street and Carleton Avenue. A Sunday school, with about fifty pupils, was opened at the same time. The church was organized with a small membership very shortly after, and was officially recognized by the Baptist convention on June 6th that year. The first building, which was little more than one large room, replaced the tent at the same location about a year later. Reverend George Black, who already was serving one or two other Baptist congregations in the Vancouver area, became the first pastor. Between 1916 and 1919, the church had no permanent pastor, as ministers were in short supply during wartime.
Moving to Albert Street
In 1929 the church building was extended to provide more Sunday school space. No sooner was the project completed when the Burnaby School Board decided it needed the property for a new school. The purchase was made early in 1931, for $6,000. The congregation obtained its present church property at 3977 Albert Street in the deal. Under the leadership of Reverend A.W. Mayse, a new building was put up and opened, debt-free 9 months later. Shortly after, arrangements were made for the congregation to have its first full-time minister. Reverend Henry Knox, then associate pastor of First Baptist, Vancouver, was called and began a vigorous ministry lasting 14 years till he retired in 1946. During the next pastorate of Reverend James Smith, the first parsonage was acquired – on Trinity Street, and a mission Sunday school and midweek children’s programs were carried on for a time in the growing Brentwood area. In 1948-50 the congregation reported it had 185 children in its midweek children’s groups.
Lots of Children – Building Extension and a New Name
The Sunday school grew steadily in the 1950’s, and in 1957 there was an increase of seventy-five pupils, making necessary the building of the Sunday school hall at the back of the church. The Sunday school peaked in 1958, shortly after the hall was completed, with 236 children enrolled. Reverend David Forbes was the pastor at that time. As the congregation increased, it began to desire larger and more adequate facilities. During the 1970’s, when Reverend Ernest Hanson was pastor, it sought a new and larger location further east in Burnaby. It was impossible, however, to obtain a large enough property in an attractive location. Finally, in 1975, the decision was made to rebuild and enlarge the present sanctuary. This work was completed under the leadership of Dr. Benson Jones, and the church was renamed “Burnaby North Baptist Church” at the rededication service on October 3, 1976, when the renovated building was officially opened. About five years later, the $175,000 debt acquired during the renovation was cleared.
A Time of Transitions
In 1985 Pastor Awlwyn Balnave was called to be the Director of Christian Education and he served as the lead pastor from 1991- 2005, returning for a year as interim pastor in 2016. Reverend Keith Sweeting served as his associate and Andre Van Ameyde served as pastor of youth and worship until 1996. Bill and Joanne Morphett then took on the youth and children’s work and later, Dr. Balnave’s wife Pauline and their son Stephen served. As the city demographics changed, so did the congregation – blended music, cultural diversity, new mission and vision. Pastor Jim Walton was called in 2005 to be the lead pastor. Also at that time came Roger Mott as pastor of worship & youth, and Sandra DeLeo as children’s director. Anne Lee served in the areas of children and outreach during a two-year extended maternity leave for Sandra DeLeo, from 2009-2011. (Anne came to us after serving at the Lazarus Community Society’s Gilmore House for refugees – at the corner of Gilmore and Pandora). Pastor Jim Walton retired in 2016 and the congregation called Rev. Douglas Green as lead pastor in Nov, 2017. Pastor Doug came to us after many years of service in Atlantic Canada, the Southeast US, and the country of Bangladesh.