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
Updates needed for outreach prayer cycle
Every year, social justice and advocacy staff prepare the Outreach & Advocacy Prayer Cycle to lift up the ministries of parishes throughout the Diocese. Staff would like to have the 2023-24 cycle (which starts on the first Sunday of Advent) ready to share at Synod in November. Visit the Prayer Resources page to see the current version and check if your parish’s information is still up to date. Report any changes to Elin Goulden at egoulden@toronto.anglican.ca.
Nominations invited for the Order of the Diocese of Toronto
Nominations are invited for the Order of the Diocese of Toronto to recognize and honour members of the laity who have given outstanding service over a significant period in their volunteer ministry. This year, every parish in the following deaneries is eligible to submit one nomination: Victoria/Haliburton, North Peel, St. James, Toronto East and Nottawasaga. Download the nomination form from the Order of the Diocese of Toronto page. The deadline is Nov. 20.
Archives to close for October
The diocesan Archives will be closed to visitors and research inquiries from Oct. 2 to Nov. 7 so staff can undertake inventory work and other much‐needed projects. Urgent inquiries, including requests for certified copies, will still be processed during the closure, but all others will have to wait until the Archives re‐opens. The staff regrets any inconvenience this may cause. For more information, contact Claire Wilton at cwilton@toronto.anglican.ca or 416‐363‐6021 (1‐800‐668‐8932).
Province increases minimum wage
Minimum wage rates in Ontario will increase on Oct. 1. The increase to the general minimum wage is $1.05, which brings the new rate to $16.55 an hour. If you have any employees being paid minimum wage, make sure you change their wage rate. For more information, see the Government of Ontario website.
Packages mailed for withholding taxes at sources
The 2024 T1213 package for clergy receiving a housing allowance was mailed in August. (Clergy living in a rectory don’t need to apply for this.) Clergy receiving a housing allowance need to file form T1213 and receive written approval from the Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA) before being allowed a reduction of tax at source. The diocesan payroll office must receive your written approval from the CRA by Jan. 12, 2024, or your housing allowance will be treated as a taxable benefit. If you’d like to have a reduction in withholding taxes at source, we recommend that you submit this paperwork by Sept. 30, as the CRA’s processing time will be 16-20 weeks. If you haven’t received your approval by the middle of December, contact the CRA to follow up. If you don’t wish to have the reduction in withholding taxes at source, you don’t need to submit this paperwork to the CRA.
Diocesan events
Session equips lay anointers
A day of training for lay anointers will take place on Oct. 21 at St. Margaret in-the-Pines. It will include practising anointing, along with presentations on the history and theology of anointing and healing, boundaries and confidentiality, supervision and prayerful support. Register online. This day is part of discernment to take on this role, so speak with your priest about being a lay anointer before you register.
Conference explores children’s ministry
Registration is open for the Toronto Children’s Ministry Conference, a gathering of people who are dedicated to the spiritual growth of children – parents, church volunteers, ministry leaders and anyone who has a passion for ministering to children. The conference will take place on Nov. 4 at St. John, York Mills and online. For more details, visit the conference website.
Register for Synod and Pre-Synod
A virtual meeting to help members prepare for Synod will be held on Oct. 21. Register for Pre-Synod by Oct. 13. Synod itself will be held in-person on Nov. 17-18 at the Sheraton Parkway North Hotel. Register for Synod by Oct. 10. Get more details about Synod on the 2023 Regular Synod page.
Series probes Black artforms as resistance
The deacons of the Parkdale-West Toronto deanery invite you to join them for their series “The Art of Resistance” to learn how Black storytellers, poets, writers, visual artists and musicians use their artforms to expose anti-Black racism and resist oppression. All sessions will be held on Thursday evenings from 7-8:30 p.m. via Zoom. For each session, registered participants will be given links to view or read in advance and will have an opportunity to discuss their responses, before hearing from a Black artist on that evening’s theme. The series begins with “Recovering the Truth About Black History in Canada” on Oct. 12. For more details, or to register, visit www.toronto.anglican.ca/artofresistance
Tickets on sale for Bishop’s Company Dinner
The Bishop’s Company Dinner is back in-person on Oct. 20 at the Marriott Downtown at CF Toronto Eaton Centre. The guest speaker is Blake Goldring, ODT, a business leader, philanthropist and the executive chairman of AGF Management. The evening will be hosted by the Rev. Roshni Jayawardena, and dinner includes a musical performance by Nathan Hiltz. The Bishop’s Company supports the Bishop’s ministries, provides emergency care for clergy in need, and gives bursaries for religious education. Tickets are $175 each or $1,600 for a parish table. To buy tickets, visit the Bishop’s Company website. Registration will include a choice of entrée and dessert until Oct. 9 at noon. Any registration after that date will receive the chicken entrée. Tickets will be available until Oct. 17.
Conference considers social justice issues
This year’s Outreach and Advocacy Conference, “Living in Exile: Inhabiting a World of Displacement,” will take place via Zoom on Oct. 28 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The keynote speaker is Dr. Brian Walsh – theologian, pastor, farmer, board member of A Place Called Home in Lindsay and co-author of Beyond Homelessness: Christian Faith in a Culture of Displacement. Morning and afternoon workshop sessions will address different aspects of physical, economic, social and spiritual displacement experienced in a variety of contexts. Visit www.toronto.anglican.ca/outreachconference for details and to register.
External events
Married couples invited to retreat
The Couple Wellness Experts are hosting “7 Principles for Making Marriage Work,” a two-night couples’ retreat on March 22-24 at the Queen of Apostles Retreat Centre in Mississauga. This educational workshop is designed to help couples improve their friendship and conflict management skills. Learn more and register online.
Toronto clergy lead Holy Land pilgrimage
The Living Church is holding a pilgrimage to the Holy Land from April 2-12, 2024, led by the Rev. Nathan Humphrey (incumbent of St. Thomas, Huron Street) and Bishop Jenny Andison (incumbent of St. Paul, Bloor Street). Pilgrims are invited to travel and learn together about the remarkable life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth and reflect more deeply on the gifts of Christian unity and the life of Christ. Learn more using group code 24026.
Conference explores preaching in the 21st century
The Living Church is holding Preaching in a Post-Christian Age, a conference on the art and craft of preaching in the 21st century, on Nov. 16-18 in New York City. Keynotes and conversations include preaching as devotion for mission; apostolic preaching; preaching that builds community; building your sermon series; preaching as a sacramental act; and preaching in a post-Christian age. Discounted tickets are available for students and seminarians. Register online.
Resources
Parish looking for music solution
As it recovers from the fire in 2019, St. James, Roseneath is looking for other congregations with experience providing music without a pianist or organist. The parish needs a system of hymns that can be played through a digital keyboard or through a laptop and speakers. Any parish with suggestions, or anyone familiar with apps such as the Anglican Hymnal or Hymns Without Words, is asked to contact Ross Stevenson at rossstevensonkrs@gmail.com.
Survey asks about advocacy priorities
The Interfaith Social Assistance Reform Coalition (ISARC) is a province-wide advocacy coalition made up of dozens of faith communities, including the Diocese of Toronto. This fall, ISARC is conducting a survey of its member communities to help refine its advocacy priorities. You can help them by responding to the survey by Oct. 20.
Bursary fosters liturgical and musical creativity
Are you looking for ways to develop, support and encourage creative musical and liturgical experimentation in your parish? The Douglas C. Cowling Bursary is an award of $5,000-$10,000 to a parish in the Diocese to support further liturgical training of music staff or to help provide creative liturgical programming. For more details, see the call for submissions. The deadline to apply is Dec. 31, with grant recipients announced in January.
Job postings
Church seeks parish administrator
St. George Memorial, Oshawa is seeking a parish administrator to work closely with the parish priest and leadership teams in planning and carrying out the day-to-day operations and administrative tasks for the parish. The position is 20 hours per week starting Oct. 30, or earlier if mutually agreeable. See the full job post for more details. To apply, submit a CV and two professional references to church@stgeorgesoshawa.org by Oct. 20.
Property assistant wanted
Trinity East (Little Trinity) is looking for a friendly, handy and reliable individual to take responsibility for the care on a part-time basis (4-10 hours weekly) of its building and parishioners while offering a friendly environment for Sunday evening services. There is a small component of cleaning and facility maintenance for the building and grounds. See the detailed job description. To apply, submit a resume or get in touch with the facilities manager at facilities@littletrinity.org. The position is open until filled.
Church seeking sexton
Church of the Redeemer, Bloor St. is seeking a sexton who will support the mission of the parish by being an onsite presence during worship, parish programming and when the building is rented. See the full job description for more details and apply to office@theredeemer.ca.
Parish musician needed
St. Nicholas, Birch Cliff is seeking a parish musician who will work in consultation with the incumbent to execute and implement the musical elements of the parish’s Anglican worship and liturgy. Learn more on the parish’s website. To apply, submit your CV, along with a maximum of three samples of your organ playing (YouTube videos or audio attachments), to musician@stnicholasbirchcliff.com by Oct. 20.
