Skip To Content
Bulletin Board

Bulletin Board March 22

Bulletin Board is the Diocese’s bi-weekly e-bulletin for clergy and lay leaders. To subscribe to Bulletin Board, email your name, parish and email address to editor@toronto.anglican.ca or sign up online.

Deadline for OFOH grants approaching
Parishes and congregations in the Diocese are invited to submit applications to receive Our Faith-Our Hope: Re-imagine Church grants in the following areas: leadership development; pioneering ministry; communicating in a wireless world; enabling parishes to become multi-staffed; and adaptive re-use of parish facilities. Spring applications are due by April 15. Learn more on the Our Faith-Our Hope page.

Criminal record check forms updated
All criminal record checks in the Diocese are processed by the approved background checking service, XpressChek Inc. XpressChek has moved, and effective immediately the new mailing address is 140 Yonge St. Suite: 200, Toronto, ON M5C 1X6. The forms and instructions for obtaining a criminal record check in the Diocese have been updated and can be found on the Screening Forms and Resources page. Note that the fax and email address remain the same.

Diocesan youth event explores aboriginal issues
Registration is open for Interface, a diocesan workshop that empowers youth to live out their faith in their communities. This year’s event will focus on the theme “Exploring Aboriginal Issues” through hands-on exercises led by KAIROS Canada and Canadian Roots Exchange. The cost for the day is $10 per person, including lunch, payable by PayPal or at the door. Learn more and register online.

Lay anointers invited to refresher day
Archbishop Colin Johnson will speak on the topic of prayer at a Lay Anointers Refresher Day on April 30 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Trinity Church, Aurora. Participants can also choose one of two workshops in the afternoon:

  • The Rev. David Bryan Hoopes, OHC teaching on sacramental prayer.
  • The Rev. Jo-Anne Billinger offering “All Who Are Called Are Worthy,” a workshop exploring the calling to healing ministry.

The cost is $20, payable at the door. For more information, contact the Rev. Stephen Kern at skern@spoth.ca or 905-477-1991. Register online by April 24.

Save the date: Clergy conference
This year’s clergy conference will be held May 25-27 at Brock University. The theme is “Preaching Luke, Hope for Our Times” with guest speaker Dr. Paula Gooder, a writer and lecturer in biblical studies. Registration will open soon.

Tickets on sale for Bishop’s Company Dinner
Tickets are now available for the 2016 Bishop’s Company Dinner on April 21. The evening begins with a reception at Holy Trinity, Trinity Square at 6 p.m. followed by dinner at the Toronto Marriott, Eaton Centre at 7 p.m. Bishop Mark MacDonald, the national indigenous Anglican bishop, will be the guest speaker.

Funds raised from the dinner support the bishop’s emergency fund, which supports clergy and their families in crisis. The fund also helps with travel emergencies, school support for the children of clergy, bursaries for religious scholarships, curacy training for the newly ordained and emergency medical expenses.

Tickets are $175 for individuals and $1,550 for parish tables until March 31, or $200 for individuals and $1,750 for parish tables after March 31. Buy your tickets online.

Youth invited to summer gathering
Registration is open for the 2016 Canadian Lutheran Anglican Youth (CLAY) gathering, an event of fun, learning, worship and spiritual growth. This year’s gathering takes place Aug. 17-21 at the University of Prince Edward Island. Youth participants aged 14-19 from the Anglican Church of Canada and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada are invited to attend. Register by March 31 to get the early-bird rate. Learn more on the CLAY 2016 website.

Archbishop hosts clergy at town hall meetings
Archbishop Colin Johnson is inviting clergy to join him for a time of conversation on the future of the Diocese. He would like to hear feedback on the possibility of reconfiguring the episcopal areas and reducing the number of suffragan bishops, along with any other topics of concern that clergy would like to raise. Five town hall meetings have been scheduled:

  • April 11 at Grace Church in Scarborough
  • April 21 at St. John the Baptist (Dixie)
  • May 2 at St. George, Allandale
  • May 9 at St. Luke, Peterborough
  • May 16 at the Cathedral Centre

These meetings are not mandatory. Clergy may choose to attend any meeting that is convenient for them. Register online.

Good Friday walk to focus on water
This year’s Ecumenical Good Friday Walk for Justice on March 25 will focus on the issue of water, reflecting on Jesus’ cry from the cross, “I am thirsty.” Walkers will gather at Harbour Square Park (at the foot of Bay Street, just west of the ferry docks) at 2 p.m. and will proceed north along Bay, stopping at stations along the way to decry the unjust use of the divine gift of water. The walk will end at Holy Trinity, Trinity Square with a brief worship service and a message from Jennifer Henry, executive director of KAIROS. A simple supper will be served after the service. For more information, visit the Good Friday Walk for Justice website.

York-Credit Valley churchwardens invited to evensong
Bishop Philip Poole invites churchwardens and deputy churchwardens of the parishes of York-Credit Valley to a special commissioning service to recognize and affirm their valuable ministry. Evensong will be held at 4 p.m. on April 17 at St. Peter, Erindale, followed by a wine and cheese reception in the parish hall. All clergy, churchwardens and their guests must register online by April 9.

Danforth churches join in Good Friday walk
Five churches on the Danforth are inviting people from the wider community to take part in an ecumenical Good Friday walk from church to church, following the stations of the cross. The walk begins at 10 a.m. at Riverdale Presbyterian Church, 662 Pape Ave., and ends at Eastminster United Church, where refreshments will be served. For details, visit the St. Barnabas, Chester website.

Parish teams invited to worship conference
Liturgy Canada invites parish worship teams to “Real Presence: the Gathered Community,” the first of four conferences on renewing Eucharistic worship. The conference will take place on April 23 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Christ’s Church Cathedral, 252 James St. N., Hamilton. The cost is $35 per person or $125 for a parish team of up to five people ($25 per person after the first five). Register online. For a list of workshops, visit the Liturgy Canada website.

Panel to discuss physician-assisted suicide
St. Matthew, First Avenue is hosting a panel discussion on the implications of and possible responses to physician-assisted suicide in Ontario. The event will take place on April 13 at 7:30 p.m. at 135 First Ave., Toronto. The panel includes a doctor, a palliative care hospital chaplain, a representative of the Canadian Disability Alliance and a philosophy professor from Ryerson University. This event is free and open to everyone.

Conference explores Christian healing ministry
The Region 8 (Ontario) chapter of the International Order of St. Luke the Physician is holding a conference open to anyone interested in learning about and being encouraged in Christian healing ministry. The event will take place on May 14 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at St. Simon’s Anglican Church, 1450 Litchfield Rd., Oakville. Registration costs $20 and is available online. For more information, email editor@oslRegion8.org.

Marathon to close streets
The annual GoodLife Fitness Toronto Marathon is scheduled for Sunday, May 1 and will result in street closures. Marathon and 10K races begin at 7:30 a.m. and the half marathon begins at 8:30 a.m. Police will be at major intersections to direct traffic, but drivers should expect some delays. For a full list of road closures and times, visit the event website.

Scholar-Priests conference coming to Toronto
The Society of Scholar-Priests is holding its 2016 conference at Trinity College from June 9-11. This year’s event will focus on what it means to be oriented to wise action through the lens of serving and leading as engaged priests and scholars. Learn more on the conference website and register online.

Episcopal areas hold leadership workshops
Are you a leader in your parish or thinking about becoming one? Not sure what to do or what’s involved? Save the date for a parish administration workshop in your episcopal area:

Cottages on Lake Simcoe available to clergy
Anglican clergy (licensed priests and deacons) and their families are invited to rent cottages at a reasonable cost at The Church Camp on Lake Simcoe in July and August. Two- and three-bedroom cottages are fully equipped except for bedding and towels. Rental costs are $963 for a month, $292 for a week or $53 daily. For more information or to book a cottage, contact Kathy Forster at kathymil@cogeco.ca or 905-320-1112.

York-Credit Valley confirmands invited to meet bishop
Bishop Philip Poole and Rosemary MacAdam, youth ministry coordinator, invite York-Credit Valley youth confirmands to attend an evening of fellowship on March 29 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Holy Spirit of Peace, 1170 Tynegrove Rd., Mississauga. This informal gathering gives confirmation candidates a chance to meet Bishop Poole before the confirmation services in their parishes. The event is open to young people from about Grade 6 to Grade 12 and those in university. All confirmands should be accompanied by a parent, guardian or priest from their parish. Light refreshments will be served. Register online by March 22.

Webinar examines Christian healing
InterChurch Health Ministries Canada is holding a webinar called “The Church as a Place of Health and Healing” on April 19 at 7:30 p.m. It will examine the theological foundations of Christian healing ministry and survey its biblical origins, historical development, the various forms it has taken and how parish nursing continues to evolve within this framework. Visit the ICHM website for more information, and register by emailing info@ichm.ca.

Parish seeks director of music
Holy Trinity, Thornhill is seeking a part-time director of music to continue and further develop a program facilitating a balance of vibrant traditional and contemporary Anglican worship. The ideal candidate is an excellent musician with experience and knowledge of liturgical, traditional, gospel and contemporary music, the ability to play organ and piano, and skills in leading and teaching choral music. A Bachelor of Music in organ performance, ARCCO or Master of Sacred Music organist qualifications are preferred. The position will be a minimum of 10 hours per week. Remuneration will be commensurate with experience and qualifications according to RCCO guidelines. Apply with a resume and cover letter by March 31 to Holy Trinity Church, 140 Brooke St., Thornhill, ON L4J 1Y9 or search@holytrinity-thornhill.ca. See a full position description on the parish’s website.

Part-time music director wanted
St. Martin, Bay Ridges (Pickering) seeks a creative, flexible and proficient musician for choral and keyboard leadership. The appointee will know and appreciate both traditional and modern church music. With one weekly choir rehearsal and one Sunday service, in addition to monthly meetings with clergy, the position will demand about 10 hours per week. Knowledge of Anglican liturgy is preferred, and the ability to plan for major festivals throughout the church year will be an asset. The applicant should have a music degree, strong playing and conducting skills, leadership and interpersonal skills, and a passion for worship ministry. Remuneration is commensurate with RCCO salary guidelines, and vacation pay is commensurate with the Ontario Employment Standards Act. To apply or inquire, email the Rev. Dr. Alison Falby at alison@stmartinsanglican.ca by April 2. Learn more about the congregation at www.stmartinsanglican.ca.