During a 10 August 1999 telephone interview the pastor of the Vancouver Persian Church stated that although the official name is the Vancouver Persian Church it is also known by other names, including the Iranian Church and the Farsi Church. Its mailing address is 220 West 8th Street, North Vancouver which corresponds to that of St. John's Anglican Church, where the Vancouver Persian Church holds services twice a week: Sundays at 4 P.M. and Wednesdays at 7 P.M. The use of St. John's Anglican Church at these times by the Vancouver Persian Church was corroborated during a 10 August 1999 telephone interview with the Parish Secretary of St. John's Anglican Church. She said that the Vancouver Persian Church has been doing this for about three years.

An Iranian Christian Church of Vancouver is listed on the Website of Iranian Christians International with the address of St. John's Church, 13th and Chesterfield, North Vancouver, B.C. and telephone numbers of (604) 341-6966 and (604) 451-5544 (n.d.). Worship services are indicated as occurring on Sundays at 4 P.M. (ibid.). The pastor of the Vancouver Persian Church stated that St. John's Church is located between 13th and Chesterfield (10 Aug. 1999).

The pastor of the Vancouver Persian Church said that the church is about 10 years old and has been affiliated with the British Columbia Conference of Mennonite Brethren (MB) Churches for about the last four years. He stated that his registration number, with the [British Columbia Ministry of Seniors], as a minister, is 26887. During a 13 August 1999 telephone interview, a representative of the Religious Representative Registry of the BC Vital Statistics Agency, an agency of the Ministry of Health and Ministry Responsible for Seniors, corroborated this information. She stated that this "certificate number" has been assigned to pastor Seervan Dowlati of the British Columbia Conference of MB Churches on behalf of the Vancouver Persian Christian Fellowship. She stated that the pastor, or minister, do not apply themselves for the certificate number, but rather the registered religious body does this on their behalf as per the provisions of the British Columbia Marriage Act. The pastor, or minister, then uses this number to indicate that they are registered to perform religious marriages in the province of British Columbia.

Both the Refugee Concerns Coordinator of the Mennonite Central Committee of British Columbia, and the Director of Church Extensions for the British Columbia Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches, stated in separate telephone interviews that the Vancouver Persian Church is affiliated with the Mennonite (or MB) Church and that its pastor is Seervan Dowlati (11 Aug. 1999; 12 Aug. 1999). The Director of Church Extensions described the process whereby a prospective congregation becomes affiliated with the MB Church. As Director, it is his responsibility to bring in, under supervision, prospective congregations. When a group expresses interest, the MB Church appoints one of them as a "Church Planter." In the case of the Vancouver Persian Church it was Pastor Dowlati. The Church Planter then works with other members of the group who have "common values and goals" with the MB Church. During this period of development the group is referred to as an "emerging church" and typically maintains this status for a number of years, under the supervision of Church Extensions of the MB Church. Once the emerging church has developed policies, principles, and documents that are consistent with the values and goals of the MB Church, as well as demonstrated a sustainable structure within its congregation, it is granted full membership within the MB Church. This is done at the annual Convention of Churches upon the recommendation of the Director of Extensions.

In the case of the Vancouver Persian Church, the Director of Extensions said that he knows that Seervan Dowlati was initially working independently while maintaining a "collegial" relationship with members of the MB Church. After about a year and a half, along with a few other interested persons, Seervan Dowlati met with representatives of the MB Church in order to develop an affiliation. From that point, and for about eight years, the Vancouver Persian Church was an emerging church of the MB Church, becoming a full member of the MB Church in the past year.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

British Columbia Conference of Mennonite Brethren (MB) Churches, Vancouver. 12 August 1999. Telephone interview with Director of Church Extensions.

Iranian Christians International. n.d. "Worldwide Directory of Iranian/Persian Christian Churches." http://www.farsinet.com/icc/canada.html] <

Federation of Independent School Associations. 1999. "Greater Vancouver." http://www.direct.ca/fisa/nonfisa2.htm. [Accessed on 30 July 1999].

Electronic Sources: IRB Databases, LEXIS/NEXIS and Internet.