Gary Paterson has had a long association with Bethlehem Centre going back to 1990. He was ordained a minister in the United Church of Canada in 1977. A Progressive Christian theologically, he served his early years in a variety of congregations, including a small country church; a couple of city churches, small and big; and as a member of the BC Provincial Conference Staff, where he had a focus on Youth and Young Adult ministries; then at First United Church in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, before becoming the Lead Minister at St. Andrew’s-Wesley United Church, the big “cathedral-esque” downtown church in Vancouver. In 2012 Gary was elected the 41st Moderator of the national United Church. He was the first openly gay person to be elected as Moderator. He retired from active full-time ministry in 2021 but continues to preach when invited and conduct workshops.