PENINSULA
NEWS REVIEW Winnie Wu Realtor©
On stage at Stelly’s
Putting a lid on Christmas
Wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
A production of Anything Goes will be on stage for the first time in a decade, page 9
Students and staff at Kelset Elementary School don festive caps for the holiday, page 10
www.winniewu.ca Black Press C O M M U N I T Y
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Wednesday, December 23, 2015
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Brentwood Bay church to close doors Shady Creek United Church will be the home for entire congregation
Carlie Connolly News staff
With low numbers and an older population, Brentwood Bay United Church has been on the market since the summer and will be closing its doors. “Part of it is that the numbers were diminishing which means that the finances to keep both places open are diminishing,” said Reverend Barbara Hansen. As one congregation, Shady Creek United Church and Brentwood Bay United Church have been one pastoral charge since 1990. Hansen said it isn’t unusual this is happening, as main line churches across the country have been losing members. And it isn’t “Some people just Christian churches. There are other faith communities too that feel it’s a terrible are having a similar kind of thing, change because becoming a sort of trend. Roll clerk, Marian Garnett, who they’re attached to the keeps records of the members’ list, building ...” has been one of the longest-serving members of the congregation for – Marian Garnett more than 30 years. She said Brentwood Bay United came to be as the congregation at Shady Creek was, at the time, just too big and all the members could not fit in the smaller church. At one point there were 40 people and now it’s closer to half a dozen at the Brentwood Bay church. Garnett said most of the elderly members have died or have moved into nursing homes, leaving very few of the original members. “The numbers have (become) so low,” she told the PNR. Currently, people are worshipping together at Shady Creek. “In terms of needing one room to put everybody in, Shady Creek is a smaller building, it’s adequate,” she said. “Some people feel it’s a terrible change because they’re attached to the building and some people feel it’s a terrible change because they’re being asked to worship at a different time in the morning,” said Garnett.
O Christmas Tree Steven Heywood/News staff
Keating Elementary School student Devan Pickering-Glasgow makes a grab for the star atop the Christmas tree costume worn by teacher Mr. Chan during a school sing-along. See page three for more.
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Please see: Local United Church will carry on, page 4