Who We Are
Our Mission
We are an active church with a history rooted in Coombs .B.C. Our congregation is made up of worshippers from Coombs and the surrounding areas from Deep Bay to Nanaimo, Parksville, Errington and Qualicum Beach.
Our mission is to welcome all people into our church family and to provide opportunities for all ages to grow in the knowledge of the Christian way of life. We do this primarily through faithful and joyful worship and by speaking and living out our Christian values.
Ed Lewis
Pastor
Our History
Early worship services in the Salvation Army Colony of Coombs were held in the 1911 Salvation Army Citadel (a small building still there today, which is now a newly renovated private home) on the east corner of Station Road and Alberni Highway.
The Salvation Army Colony, in 1910, was a newly inhabited area on Vancouver Island named in honour of the retirement of Commissioner Thomas Bales Coombs, an Englishman who was the head of the Salvation Army movement in Canada at that time..
In 1925, second larger Salvation Army Church was constructed on the east corner of Coombs Road and the Alberni Highway, which also later became a private home.
As more settlers arrived in Coombs, a United Church presence came into existence with a Reverend A. R. Wiseman leading the services. Ella (Foster) Allen (who was the first child born in the Coombs Salvation Army settlement) became the organist and continued faithfully as Church organist, and community pianist for 65 years. After an influx of Pioneers from the Canadian Prairies arrived, the present Grace United Church (which included a much desired basement, activity room and kitchen) was built in 1945… the architectural design of Mr. Sam Little of St Andrew’s Lodge in Qualicum Beach.
Historically Grace has been part of a 2-point Pastoral Charge with St. Stephen’s United in Qualicum Beach, but on November 1, 2008 Grace chose to separate from this arrangement and became a stand alone church. On March 1, 2009 the Reverend Mas Iwasawa became the first minister of the Coombs Pastoral charge.
Recently a carillon has been installed and during daytime hours the bells are beautifully chimed out into the country air from 9am through 9pm. Lovely melodies are heard on Sundays and other special occasions.
As more settlers arrived in Coombs, a United Church presence came into existence with a Reverend A. R. Wiseman leading the services. Ella (Foster) Allen (who was the first child born in the Coombs Salvation Army settlement) became the organist and continued faithfully as Church organist, and community pianist for 65 years. After an influx of Pioneers from the Canadian Prairies arrived, the present Grace United Church (which included a much desired basement, activity room and kitchen) was built in 1945… the architectural design of Mr. Sam Little of St Andrew’s Lodge in Qualicum Beach.
Historically Grace has been part of a 2-point Pastoral Charge with St. Stephen’s United in Qualicum Beach, but on November 1, 2008 Grace chose to separate from this arrangement and became a stand alone church. On March 1, 2009 the Reverend Mas Iwasawa became the first minister of the Coombs Pastoral charge.
Recently a carillon has been installed and during daytime hours the bells are beautifully chimed out into the country air from 9am through 9pm. Lovely melodies are heard on Sundays and other special occasions.
