The Centre for Christian Engagement finds its mission in the creation of a “culture of encounter,” for the Church to become “a place of mercy freely given, where everyone can feel welcome, loved, forgiven and encouraged to live the good life of the Gospel.”

Our Vision emphasizes the importance of listening, reflecting, learning, discussing, and praying, St. Mark’s Centre for Christian Engagement seeks to enable dialogue by creating opportunities to address the challenges associated with the disengagement of Christians from the Church and the life of faith, including:

•  Nurturing the dialogue between Christians in the life of the Spirit and the Academy with that of wider society
•  Meeting individuals in their concrete life situations and accompanying them on their respective faith journeys
•  Providing forums (public lectures, retreats, panel discussions, debates, summit meetings, etc.) to address the issues and challenges associated with Christian disengagement
•  Highlighting and encouraging the prophetic voices of the age as they proclaim the Gospel as the ultimate message of Christian engagement
•  Highlighting the unique and important experiences of those who have been on the margins of both the Church and the world, including  people with disabilities, women, Indigenous peoples, those living in poverty, and migrants and refugees

None of the conference sessions will be recorded or live-streamed.  

However, all keynote speakers (plenary sessions) will be recorded, live-streamed and posted to the St. Mark’s College YouTube page after the conference.

Yes. All the event spaces are accessible, including washrooms.

Please contact the UBC Welcome Centre: HERE

There is no cost to attend the keynote (plenary) addresses, but registration is necessary.

Registration for the conference is open to the general public ($60.00 for the 3 day conference):

If you would like to register a group for the conference please email the organizing team at [email protected]

Presenters and members of the Presidents Panel have a separate registration link. If you can’t find it in the announcement email, please contact [email protected].

Accommodations are not included in registration costs for presenters or attendees.

There are several options for accommodation on UBC campus:

1. UBC Gage in May is around $339/night, but thanks to our special conference rate, you’ll enjoy a discounted price of just $227/night!  This discounted rate is available from April 28 to May 6, 2025.

2. Carey Theological College | Across the street from St. Mark’s College (cheaper rates)

3. Suites on the UBC Campus (more expensive rates)

There are numerous hotels available in Vancouver, but it would be necessary to travel to campus from these hotels by bus, taxi, or Uber.

Restaurants + Eateries:

There are numerous restaurants, cafes, and lounges on the UBC campus, please check them out at this helpful link below or via Google Maps and Yelp App.

Once you land at Vancouver Airport (YVR), you will need to travel to the UBC campus, which is located in Point Grey, the westernmost point in Vancouver. You can travel to campus easily by taxi or by Uber. There are also public transit options from the airport.

For specific information, please see:

Three basic routes are available.  Google Maps is the best for transit updates.

• Travel by the SkyTrain (light rail) to Vancouver and get off at the Langara-49th St. station, taking the 49 bus to campus.
• Travel by the SkyTrain (light rail) to Oakridge-41st St. station and then travel by the R4 bus to campus.
• Travel by the SkyTrain (light rail)  to the downtown Vancouver Olympic Village Station and then take the 84 bus to the UBC campus. When you arrive at the UBC Bus Exchange you are a 2-minute walk from the conference accommodations.

The conference will be held at St. Mark’s College at UBC, located at 5935 Iona Drive, Vancouver. For those who wish to drive to the College, please note that there is no public parking at the College. There are various options for paid parking at UBC.

A large conference requires the assistance of many people.

If you are interested in helping to support the conference financially, please contact us at [email protected].

We would be happy to discuss with you the range of sponsorship options available.

If you would like to support the conference as a volunteer please let us know about your interest at [email protected].

We would be happy to find you a role at the conference and would be pleased to offer you admission to all conference sessions free of charge.