A History of Cowichan Valley Quakers 1960s - 2025
From the 1960s to the 1990s, Friends in the Duncan area and up-island attended Meeting for Worship at the Fern Street Meetinghouse in Victoria and in the homes of individuals elsewhere on Vancouver Island. Among this scattered group were Friends Mary and John Gibson and Mary and Ted Gillman, joined by Hubert and Mildred Mendenhall and their family in the late 1970s.
In the late 1980s, other families and couples joined, including Genevieve Singleton and David Polster and their children, the youngest of whom was born soon after the family’s arrival in Duncan. Not long afterwards, David’s mother, Betty Polster, also joined the Duncan area group.
In the late 1990s, Nancy Dalby and Linda Hill and her spouse John Scull joined.
The formation of the Duncan Worship Group
A regular worship group – Duncan Worship Group (DWG) – commenced at Providence Farm in the late 1970s, meeting first and third Sundays. The group was particularly engaged in disarmament concerns in those years. A First Day School was soon started; previously children sat through meeting in the manner of Conservative Quakers. Potlucks were a regular event. An Easter egg hunt became an annual tradition, along with a talent show the Sunday before Christmas Day.
The DWG was an active and very experienced group of Friends. A number of members served on Canadian Yearly Meeting (CYM) committees and on Vancouver Island Monthly Meeting (VIMM) committees. DWG Meetings for Worship for Business were held as needed. Always interested in Quaker studies, the DWG offered study/discussion groups. Friends in the DWG were connected to the local community through individual involvement with the peace tax, disarmament concerns, Earth Charter, environmental groups, nature education, restoration of damaged areas, refugee committees with the United and Anglican churches, mental health groups, Cowichan Valley Hospice, Cowichan Family Life, KAIROS, and others.
These concerns carry forth to this day with an added concern of building relationship and understanding with Quw’utsun Cowichan indigenous people. As of 2025, six members serve on CYM committees and the Canadian Friends Service Committee (CFSC).
The transformation into Cowichan Valley Monthly Meeting
After much individual and corporate discernment in 2014, many Cowichan Valley Friends were ready and eager to establish a Monthly Meeting of their own. In early 2015, the group informed VIMM of its plan. In July 2015, VIMM minuted approval and support for the establishment of Cowichan Valley Monthly Meeting (CVMM). At that time, VIMM approved the transfer of ten memberships to CVMM: Nancy Dalby, Linda Hill, Rick Juliusson, Sarah Juliusson, Susan Karamessines, Colum McCready, Joyce Munn, Donna Sassaman, Linda Scheiber, and John Scull. Donna Sassaman was approved to serve as Administrative Clerk and John Scull as Treasurer.
One of the guiding principles of the new Meeting was to operate as a committee-of-the-whole whenever feasible. That means few standing committees (as of 2025 the Meeting has a First Day School Committee and a Library Committee), and rotating presiding and recording clerks, which gives willing Friends the opportunity to practice their clerking skills. The Administrative Clerk ensures that the administrative work of the Meeting gets done and the Treasurer ensures that the finances are in good order.
Another guiding principle of CVMM is to rent rather than to own property; this allows the small Meeting to support charitable organisations both locally and globally. Cowichan Valley Quakers continue to meet in the Saint Ann’s Garden Club Building at Providence Farm from September to the end of June. During the summer months, Friends gather at the home of one of the members.
Since the Meeting’s formation, Cowichan Valley Quakers have welcomed a number of new members, including families. As of 2025, five children attend the First Day School. Willing Friends take turns providing the First Day School program on the second and fourth Sunday of each month, excepting July and August.