Right, Left and Centre: The Poltics of Some Canadisn by Dave Jaffe: A Happy Couple in a Sometsimes Conflicted Church.

     Chapter 41. Part Five by Dave Jaffe


    Like any other organization the Unitarian Church of Vancouver was a hierarchy. At the top of the pyramid stood women like Patience Towler, Dorothy Goresky, Evelyn Riley and Art Hughes. Towler was a sometimes stern police type who kept troublemakers in line or got them out of the church. She came from England and showed up at the church in the 1970's. In the 21st century she went back to England.
     Evelyn Riley was a thin elegant woman who had a great love for opera. Dorothy Goresky had been a medical doctor from at least  the 1950's to the 1990's. This was a rare accomplishment in an age when women were routinely kept out of lucrative male-dominated professions. She was a skilled bureaucratic practitioner who kept the church functioning efficiently.
      Art Hughes was a tall military veteran who was always collecting money from many organizations. He always defended the Canadian military against any critics. "I don't trust him," said one woman who at one time invited Hughes into her house. Yet this was a minority opinion in the church. After he passed away, Hughes received a glowing obituary in the 'Globe and Mail'.
      The Unitarian Church attracted some very talented people. The Saskatchewan born Harold Douglas Brown played classical music on most Sunday mornings at the beginning of the church service. This is the way many newcomers and longtime members of the congregation were welcomed to the church.  The Boston-born Jeanni Corsi was another talented musician who often played the piano at Unitarian services. She not only played music. She also composed songs and operas. The tall Elliott Dainow took over Harold Brown's job of playing music every Sunday, when Harold Brown retired in the 1990's.
     Along with these talented pianists , many other gifted people came to the church to perform. Carol Davis sang some beautiful music as one of the lead singers in the Unitarian choirs. Davis was a very fine singer who at one time tried unsuccessfully to get a job with the Vancouver Opera. Still, she had a great voice and the Unitarian choirs performed some fine music. "The choirs kept the church together through some very difficult times," said former choir director Sally Novinger.
      A fine actress Susan Chapple appeared at many Unitarian services. So too did another talented actor namely Joy Coghill and her also very competent actor and daughter Debra Thorne.
        Not only actors flocked to the church. So too did visual artists. A wonderful artist named Don Slade often had shows at the church. Margaret Wilkins was another talented visual artist who painted beautiful abstract works. As some of these people mentioned got older, new younger persons came along.  Meanwhile many brilliant academics came to the church also.