By Carolyn Purden

The Rev. Karen Hamilton, general secretary of the Canadian Council of Churches, reads the second lesson. Photos by Michael Hudson

The diocese launched the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity with an ecumenical evensong on Jan. 18.

It is the 101st year that the week has been observed world-wide. An array of leaders of many denominations and faiths participated in the 90-minute service at St. James Cathedral in Toronto.

Archbishop Thomas Collins, Roman Catholic archbishop of Toronto, read the first reading, a passage from Ezekiel, and the Rev. Karen Hamilton, general secretary of the Canadian Council of Churches, read the second, a passage from Romans.

Gathering together in the chancel, other leaders read the intercessions: Bishop Bagrat Galstanian, primate of the Armenian Diocese of Canada; Bishop Michael Pryse of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada – Eastern Synod; the Rev. William G. Ingram, senior minister, St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church; the Rev. William Osborne, British Methodist Church; the Rev. G. Malcolm Sinclair, minister, Metropolitan United Church; the Rev. Andrew Stirling, senior minister, Timothy Eaton Memorial Church, United Church of Canada; Lt. Col. Floydd Tidd, divisional commander, Salvation Army; the Rev. Lisa Wang, associate priest, St. James Cathedral; and the Rev. Archpriest Father Zareh Zargarian, pastor, Holy Trinity Armenian Church.

The choirs of St. Michael's Choir School sing.

The music also reflected the ecumenical theme. The service contained three soaring anthems, sung by the choir of St. James’ Cathedral, the choirs of St. Michael’s Choir School, and by the combined choirs.

At the conclusion of the service, Bishop Colin Johnson sent the worshippers into the night with a blessing.

The theme of this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity was “One in Your Hand,” chosen by the churches of Korea, based on their experience of being a divided nation. Their choice was inspired by the prophet Ezekiel, who also lived in a divided nation and longed for the unity of his people.

The Rev. Brian Stiller preaches.

The Rev. Brian Stiller, president of Tyndale University College and Seminary, used one of Jesus’ parables, from Luke 18, as the text of his sermon on unity. The parable, about a Pharisee and a tax collector praying in the temple, highlights those who think they are righteous and who view others with contempt.

The Pharisee prayed with self-satisfaction about a life well-lived and thanked God that he was not a tax collector. The tax collector prayed as a sinner. Jesus’ lesson is that all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

Mr. Stiller asked the congregation to put themselves into that parable, and to ask themselves whether they were the Pharisee, an honorable man and certainly no hypocrite, or the tax collector, “not such a good guy.”

He said people bring themselves and their own history into that decision. In his own case, he would like to be seen as the tax collector, he said, but he was a Pharisee.

Despite his work with Roman Catholics during his ministry, he said, “The lack of charity I attributed to others was a block of wood in my own eye.”

He said we see others as having less than our faith, and as not being legitimate.

Christians of many denominations join together.

Unity, he added, is rooted in the heart of God. It begins with us, in our prayers and confessions, and is rooted in humility, as the tax collector’s prayer was rooted in humility.

“Unity is a cocktail of the fruits of the spirit,” such as kindness, patience, love, joy, and peace, he said. “Bring this together and what do you have as a natural outgrowth? Unity.”