Bulletin Board is the Diocese’s bi-weekly e-bulletin for clergy and lay leaders. To submit an item, email editor@toronto.anglican.ca.
Diocesan business
Memo clarifies requirement for T3 returns
On Nov. 10, the CRA announced that it won’t require T3 Trust Income Tax and Information Returns for internal trusts held by registered charities. T3 trust reporting will still be required by charities in certain situations, including express trusts held by charities for beneficiaries other than the charity itself, such as a bequest for the support of a theological student. Based on this guidance, Patricia D’Souza urges parishes to review the terms of their funds. Parishes that must file T3 trust returns must do so by March 30. See the full memo for more details.
Vestry motion addresses right to housing
The social justice vestry motion for 2024 addresses some of the key obstacles to the realization of housing as a human right in Canada and in Ontario. You can find the motion and backgrounder on the Vestry Motion page, along with video and print resources to help you learn more.
The Social Justice & Advocacy Committee and the Housing & Advocacy subcommittee are inviting people to submit questions about this year’s motion to Elin Goulden by Jan. 15. Members of the committee will respond to questions in a video Q&A, which will be available by the end of January.
Canon revision changes audit requirements
A revision to Canon 14 approved at Synod raises the income threshold to $500,000 for parishes requiring an audit for the fiscal year 2023 and onwards, in line with provincial legislation. Most parishes will now require a review engagement.
- If your parish’s income is $500,000 or greater, you will need an audit.
- If your income is $100,000-500,000, you can undertake a review engagement with an extraordinary resolution passed by vestry to approve the review engagement instead of an audit.
- If your income is below $100,000, you can conduct a compilation agreement with the permission of the bishop and with vestry passing an extraordinary resolution.
All three agreements need to be conducted by a licensed CPA. If your parish’s income is under $500,000 you should conduct a special vestry meeting before the end of January 2024 to pass an extraordinary resolution to appoint a CPA for a review engagement instead of an audit. If you have any questions, contact Patricia D’Souza at pdsouza@toronto.anglican.ca.
Diocesan events
Youth leaders gather for theology day
Youth leaders (age 18+, paid or volunteer, lay or ordained) are invited to a youth leaders’ theology day on Jan. 20 from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at All Saints, Kingsway, 2850 Bloor St. W., Toronto. Participants will enjoy a day of theological presentations and conversations with the hope of deepening their personal understanding and exploring together the important and foundational theological topics that impact their faith and their ministry with young people. Learn more and register online.
Clergy invited to vest at installation
The Very Rev. Dr. Stephen Hance will be installed as the new Dean of Toronto and Rector of St. James Cathedral on Jan. 14 at 4:30 p.m. Clergy are invited to vest and process (stole colour: white); RSVP to Amanda Lowry at alowry@toronto.anglican.ca.
Event considers unconventional saint
The Toronto chapter of the Fellowship of St. Alban & St. Sergius and the Sisterhood of St. John the Divine are hosting an event to celebrate the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity on Jan. 25 at 6 p.m. at St. John’s Convent, 233 Cummer Ave., Toronto. “Unconventional Saints: The Case of Saint Maria Skobtsova” will include Orthodox Vespers, a light supper and a talk by Svetlana Panich on the life of Saint Maria of Paris, who was martyred in 1945 in Ravensbrück concentration camp. Register by calling the convent guest office at 416-226-2201, ext. 1 or emailing at guesthouse@ssjd.ca.
Workshops held for parish leaders
Diocesan staff will hold Zoom workshops for parish leaders, especially those new to their roles. If you are a leader in your parish or thinking about becoming one, you are strongly encouraged to attend. The same content is offered at each workshop, so you only need to register for one. Visit the Supporting Parish Leaders Workshops page for more information. The sessions are:
- March 18, 6:30-9 p.m. Register online.
- March 20, 6:30-9 p.m. Register online.
- March 23, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Register online.
For more information, contact Pamela Boisvert, Secretary of Synod, at pboisvert@toronto.anglican.ca.
Service celebrates Christian unity
A service marking the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity will be held on Jan. 21 at 4 p.m. celebrating the theme “You shall love the Lord your God… and your neighbour as yourself” (Luke 10:27). For the first time, the annual service will be held at St. Mark’s Coptic Cathedral, 455 Ferrier St., Markham. This large and impressive cathedral, which has been open for less than 10 years, includes beautiful wood carvings and icons created in Egypt. The service is organized by the Greater Toronto Area Christian Council of Churches and includes participants from across the wide diversity of Christian churches present in the GTA. Bishop Peter Fenty will join the Coptic bishop, the Roman Catholic archbishop and representatives from the Lutheran, Pentecostal, Baptist, Greek Orthodox, Mar Thoma and many other churches. All are welcome.
Deacons’ series continues
“Emancipation and the Price of Liberty,” the next session in the Art of Resistance series hosted by the deacons of Parkdale-West Toronto, will take place on Jan. 18 at 7 p.m. The special guest will be Henry Gomez, actor, educator, calypso artist and past chair of Caribana. To register or find links to the materials, visit the Art of Resistance page.
Primate attends film screening
St. John the Baptist, Norway and the Diocese are presenting a screening of The Philadelphia Eleven, a documentary about the group of women and their supporters who organized their ordination to become Episcopal priests in 1974. The film will be followed by a Q&A session with Primate Linda Nicholls. The event will take place on Feb. 3 at 3 p.m. at the St. James Cathedral Centre, 65 Church St., Toronto. Doors open at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are free and available on Eventbrite.
External events
Authors hold Q&A
Join Brian Walsh (keynote speaker at the 2023 Outreach & Advocacy Conference) and co-author Steven Bouma-Prediger, with host Byron Borger, for a live discussion of the themes of their book, Beyond Homelessness: Christian Faith in a Culture of Displacement. The event takes place on Jan. 11 at 7 p.m. There will be opportunity for Q&A with the authors. Register online for this free event.
Spiritual centre offers retreats
Mount Carmel Spiritual Centre in Niagara Falls has released details about upcoming retreats and workshops this winter. Visit its website for more details.
Session considers refugee youth
The Private Refugee Sponsor Network of Ontario is hosting a free online workshop on Jan. 17 from 12-1 p.m. on the benefits of engaging refugee youth in the community. Learn how to create opportunities for youth refugees to express themselves, build skills and networks, and improve their social and emotional well-being. Email info@refugeesponsornet.ca to register.
Resources
Article gives advice on digital ministry
Canon Janet Marshall and Tim Ralph, ODT have written a short article to help parishes considering their digital ministries in preparation for winter and budgeting for 2024. The article and other resources on digital ministry are available on the diocesan website.
Job postings
Sexton wanted
St. Olave, Swansea is hiring a part-time sexton. This is a busy church with Sunday worship and other midweek events, plus a full-time weekday tenant, weeknight tenants, weekly outreach and two additional Christian congregations. The sexton’s job is to support the mission of the parish by looking after the building and property for ministries, user groups and the broader community. The successful candidate will work Monday to Friday (three hours a day during business hours), plus occasional evenings or weekends (maximum 18 hours). The wage is $22/hour and the schedule can be flexible. Read the full job description. To apply, send a resume and cover letter to stolaves@stolaves.ca by Jan. 31.
Parish seeking music director
St. John, Willowdale, a multicultural parish, is seeking a music director for its Chinese service to conduct the Chinese service choir and to serve as organist alternating with volunteer organists. This is a part-time position. To apply, submit your resume in confidence to the Rev. Canon Simon Li at simonli.toronto@gmail.com or by WhatsApp to 416-806-0099.
