Ethno-cultural Associations

Chinese settlers began to immigrate to Canada in the late 1700s, and following a century of outreach and evangelization, the first Chinese Christian mission was established in Calgary in 1901. The mission grew to become the Methodist Young Men's Christian Association. With church union in 1925, it became Calgary Chinese United Church-one of the first Chinese congregations of The United Church Canada.

In 1932, the United Church Moderator baptized several Chinese Christians in Calgary; by the following year, a Chinese congregation of the United Church had formed in Edmonton, meeting for worship in the minister's home.

The early years of Chinese involvement in the United Church were not without their struggles. In 1923, the Canadian government imposed the Exclusion Act, which banned Chinese immigrants from entering Canada until 1947. Many families were separated at this time. At the onset of World War II, the Rev. Ivan Wong of Vancouver Chinese United Church invited Chinese ministers of the United Church and other denominations to gather to share ministry and resources, and to organize support for refugees in mainland China. This particular effort was discontinued after the war when the Chinese Communist government severed ties with Chinese congregations in Canada.

Once the Canadian immigration ban was lifted, Chinese citizens were finally able to apply for their families to join them in Canada-many of these new immigrants joined The United Church of Canada. Chinese congregations of the United Church focused on their growing church schools, offering English and immigrant classes, and outreach to the Chinese community.

A 1955 national meeting of Chinese congregations, hosted by Toronto Chinese United Church, decided that a translation of the catechism booklet published by the United Church would be of great help to congregations-particularly as many reported a growing number of new Christians interested in being both baptized and confirmed.

Further meetings followed: a 1957 gathering organized by the Rev. Seto; a 1959 meeting called for by General Council with representation from four provinces. Four years later, the Rev. David Wen organized a meeting for Chinese United Churches across Canada to share experiences and develop culturally specific prayers and liturgical resources. These meetings formed the roots of the Association of Chinese Congregations, which first convened in 1970 in Vancouver. An early incident in the 1970s, in which a speaker at a National Ethnic Committee event encouraged gathered ministers to study the Bible in English rather than in their mother tongue, caused the Chinese delegation to withdraw from this committee's meetings for several years, but they later rejoined the national group.

The Chinese Association now hosts United Hands Across Canada (UHAC), leadership training events for Chinese youth and young adults. Its annual general meeting and continuing education events, open to both ministers and lay people of Chinese congregations, are held at different Chinese churches every year after Easter. The Association seeks to share ministry within Chinese congregations, stay abreast of the current church issues, and encourage the participation of lay women at gatherings. This networking creates a more effective and enriched congregational ministry.

The Association of Chinese United Church Congregations currently has 13 member churches and three missions in the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario.