In 1910, in response to the increasing population, the Presbyterian Church of Canada established a second Home Mission field in North Vancouver, which began holding services in the Exhibition Hall at 23rd and Lonsdale where North Vancouver’s Centennial Theatre now stands. This Mission was known as “North Lonsdale Presbyterian Church,” and was led by Rev. R. Van Munster.
On May 17th, 1910, at a meeting of the Presbytery of Westminster, the following motion was passed: “that the Presbytery approve of the initiation of work in North Lonsdale and express its thanks to Mr. Alec Philip for his work in acquiring a site for a church free of cost, and for other services in connection with the cause.” Alexander Philip and Robert Fowler presented the congregation with the deeds for three lots in North Lonsdale, at the southwest corner of 27th Street and Chesterfield Avenue.
In 1915, the congregation in North Lonsdale became a “Self Sustained Charge” and changed its name to “St. Stephen’s Presbyterian Church”.
Later, as a result of church union in 1925, the two Presbyterian churches on the North Shore amalgamated and in 1952 became St. Andrew’s & St. Stephen’s Presbyterian Church.
