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Bulletin Board

Bulletin Board September 15

Bulletin Board is the Diocese’s bi-weekly e-bulletin for clergy and lay leaders. To subscribe to Bulletin Board, sign up online. To submit an item, email editor@toronto.anglican.ca.

Diocesan business

Clerics and parish staff to renew police record checks
Responsible Ministry: Screening in Faith stipulates that all active clergy, chaplains, deacons, honorary assistants, parish employees, churchwardens and volunteers in high-risk ministry are required to have their police record checks renewed every three years and these must be obtained through XpressChek. Please be in touch with the screening coordinator at your parish to ensure your application for a police record check is submitted. It is your responsibility to keep track of when you last completed a police record check and when you are due for a renewal.

Please ensure that you complete this process as soon as possible. The forms and instructions can be found at: www.toronto.anglican.ca/forms-and-resources/ (Appendix M – Police Records Check).

2021 reduction in withholding taxes at source packages mailed
The 2021 T1213 Package for clergy receiving a housing allowance was mailed out on Aug. 27. Clergy living in a rectory do not need to apply for this. Clergy receiving a housing allowance must file form T1213 and receive written approval from the Canada 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. 15, 2021, or your housing allowance will be treated as a taxable benefit.

We recommend that if you would like to have a reduction in withholding taxes at source that you submit this paperwork by Sept. 20, 2020, as the CRA has advised that processing time will be between 16 and 20 weeks. We also recommend that if you have not received your approval by the middle of December that you contact the CRA to follow up. Additionally, if you do not wish to have the reduction in withholding taxes at source, you do not need to submit this paperwork to the CRA. If you did not receive a package and you receive a paid housing allowance, contact Keri Stilling at 416-363-6021 (1-800-668-8932) ext. 239 or kstilling@toronto.anglican.ca.

Diocesan events

Registration open for Rural Ministry Consultation with Bishop Asbil
On Sept. 26, join Bishop Andrew Asbil for a conversation about rural ministry in our Diocese. All clergy and lay people are welcome. There will be some music, a morning with the bishop and an opportunity to share our questions and dreams about rural ministry. Register now to ensure your online spot. You are invited to gather in safe social circles – in homes or at your parish – for this Zoom meeting. Join your friends and church family and make a pot of coffee. For more information, contact Elizabeth McCaffrey at emccaffrey@toronto.anglican.ca or 416-278-5495.

Black Anglicans of Canada and Toronto Urban Native Ministry present series
Black Anglicans of Canada and Toronto Urban Native Ministry have partnered to present a series of conversations on anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism in Canada. The conversations will take place through Zoom, and registration is required to attend.

  • Sept. 16: Co-Creating Safety: Perspectives of Black-First Nations Women
    Speakers: Monica Shevoic Forrester, Executive Director of Trans Pride Toronto and Aleshia Johnson, Advocate and Student, Osgoode Law School
  • Sept. 23: Building Alliances: Solidarity across Black and Indigenous Communities
    Speakers: Aleshia Johnson, Advocate and Student, Osgoode Law School; the Rev. Leigh Kern and Sandra Campbell, Toronto Urban Native Ministry; Lance Wilson, Co-Chair of Black Anglicans of Canada and the Rev. Jacqueline Daley, St Margaret, New Toronto, Co-Chair of the Black Anglicans of Canada.

Registration now open for the Bishop’s Company Cabaret
Join us on Oct. 16 at 8 p.m. for the first Bishop’s Company Cabaret. In place of this year’s dinner, we will be presenting a free evening of online entertainment brought to you by artists from across the Diocese. The event will be hosted by the Ven. Stephen Vail with a message of hope from our guest speaker, the Most Rev. Linda Nicholls, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada. Registration is available on Eventbrite, the Bishop’s Company website and Facebook pages in September. Requests for donations will be made throughout the evening. This event is open to everyone. Feel free to share it with your family, friends, and fellow parishioners.

Registration now open for the Outreach Conference “No One Is Disposable”
Registration for the Annual Outreach Conference is now open. The entire event will be held virtually on Oct. 24. Participants are asked to register separately for each session. There is no cost to attend, but donations to defray the cost of honoraria are gratefully accepted (tax receipts will be issued for donations of $10 and over). Youth aged 11-18 are invited to sign up for the workshop “Breaking Through the Roof” to hear from those engaged in frontline ministry through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Area Events

York-Credit Valley deacons host series on Indigenous justice and reconciliation
York-Credit Valley deacons the Rev. Evelyn Butler, the Rev. Elizabeth Cummings, the Rev. Alison Kemper and the Rev. Claudette Taylor present “Dinner & A Movie: A Reconciliation Walk,” a series of events on Indigenous justice and reconciliation beginning in September. Events will take place via Zoom on Thursday nights (Sept. 17, Oct. 15, Nov. 12, 19 and 26) beginning at 6:30 p.m. All events are free.

The first session, planned for Sept. 17 at 6:30 p.m., features the screening and discussion of the film “Niigaanibatowaad: FrontRunners.” The film tells the true story of 10 Indigenous teens, nine of them from residential schools, who were chosen as torchbearers for the 1967 Pan-Am Games in Winnipeg. After carrying the torch 800 km over an ancient message route, the torch was taken from the boys outside the stadium where the opening ceremonies took place and brought in by a non-Indigenous runner, while the boys were escorted away. Thirty-two years later, the province of Manitoba issued an official apology. Niigaanibatowaard is a story of survival, reconciliation, and hope for future generations. Please register to receive the Zoom link for the event.

Annual FLAME conference open for registration
On Oct. 30-31, join the Toronto and Montreal FLAME committees for the virtual FLAME conference, which will focus on Jesus Christ and how we relate to Him, and how He relates to us. It will feature Bishop Dan Herzog of The Episcopal Church as a keynote speaker. More information and registration is available on the conference website.

Register for the 10th annual Schomberg Country Run
From Sept. 16-26, you can participate in the 10th annual Schomberg Country Run. It’s easy to join in: you can choose your own time, run your own route, or run over several days. This year’s virtual run is in memory of the founder, the Rev. Sheilagh Ashworth, with proceeds going to the Toronto Urban Native Ministry. The event’s fundraising goal is $10,000, which will be matched by FaithWorks. Learn more about the country run.

Registration for We Are All Saints is now open
On Sept. 26 at 12 p.m., All Saints Church-Community Centre will host We Are All Saints, a virtual celebration of the All Saints community. This is a community appreciation event to applaud the commitment and work of the staff, volunteers, local partners and many others during the COVID-19 pandemic. All Saints is one of only six Toronto drop-in centres that have been able to remain open throughout COVID-19. The event will be held at All Saints Church-Community Centre and broadcast live on ZoomLearn more about the event.

External Events

Global Climate Strike to be held in Toronto
The youth of Fridays for Future Toronto are organizing a socially-distanced sit-in from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Sept. 25 at Bay and Wellesley streets in Toronto. Youth and youth groups are especially invited. Please bring/wear a mask. See the event page for more information.

Join Niagara Anglicans for an online event on plastics reduction
How can we press on toward our goal of reducing single-use plastics even in the time of COVID-19? The Diocese of Niagara welcomes Anglicans from the Diocese of Toronto to join Niagara In Action on Sept. 26 from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. for a session on this topic with speakers Ashley Wallis, (Plastics Program Manager for Environmental Defence), the Rev. Canon Dawn Davis, and Yohanna Harris.

Cleric ordained in Diocese of Toronto to be consecrated Bishop of Diocese of Hong Kong
The Very Rev. Matthias Der, Dean of Hong Kong Island, was ordained in the Diocese of Toronto in 1990 and served as Assistant Curate at St. John, York Mills, and Incumbent of St. Christopher, Richmond Hill until his move to St. John’s Cathedral in Hong Kong in 2012. All are welcome to watch his consecration as Bishop Co-Adjutor of the Diocese of Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui, which will be livestreamed on Oct. 3 at 3 a.m. (ET)/3 p.m. (HKT).

Resources

Reach More Grants fund innovative post-COVID initiatives
Reach Grants up to $5,000 to fund celebrations or to develop programs that build on what parishes have been learning during the lockdown are now available through a streamlined and accelerated process. The Reach Grant Panel will hear pitches twice a month and get back to you regarding the status of your proposal by the next day. Funds for successful proposals will be released in the next week. Congregations may apply for one Reach Grant in any calendar year. For help navigating the Reach Grant process, download this checklist. Reach Grants may be submitted to reach@toronto.anglican.ca at any time. Email Elizabeth McCaffrey for more information.

Advocacy campaign calls on Peel Regional Council to prevent evictions
Recent changes to provincial legislation, combined with ongoing income insecurity, mean that many low-income tenants are at greater risk of eviction, creating a potential spike in homelessness as the winter approaches and cases of COVID-19 continue to rise. Toronto and Peel Region have some of the highest rents as well as the greatest rates of COVID-19 infections in Ontario. Advocates in Peel Region are calling on Regional Council to take action to prevent a flood of evictions, by joining the City of Toronto in their legal challenge to the province as well as taking other measures. If you live in Peel Region, consider e-mailing your Regional Councillor between now and Oct. 8. A template letter is available on the Diocese’s website.

Tech mentorship available to parishes
The Congregational Development department has launched a small team of remote tech mentors who are available to help parishes set up online worship and small group meetings using digital media tools. Mentoring takes place through phone calls, video calls or email. If you would like to be paired with a mentor, or if you’d like to offer your skills as a mentor, contact Elizabeth McCaffrey, Volunteer Resources Coordinator, at emccaffrey@toronto.anglican.ca.

York-Credit Valley Area grant fall deadline approaching
The fall deadline to apply for York-Credit Valley area grants is Nov. 1. Visit the York-Credit Valley Grants page to learn more and download an application form.

York-Simcoe Area grants available
It’s September and that means it’s Area Ministry Development Grant application time. If you are thinking about applying for a 2020-21 grant, please review the York-Simcoe Area Council Grant Guidelines and then send a brief synopsis of your ministry program or project to the office by Friday, Oct. 9. Applications will be sent out once your synopsis has been reviewed. If you have any questions, contact Jennipher Kean, 905-833-8327 or jkean@toronto.anglican.ca.

Job Postings

York-Simcoe seeks Area Youth Coordinator
Do you have a passion for youth ministry? The episcopal area of York-Simcoe is looking to hire a part-time (7.5 hours per week) Area Youth Coordinator to work north of Hwy 89 for a two-year, renewable contract. The successful candidate will work in conjunction with the current AYC, Amy de Sousa, report to the Area Bishop and be fully supported by the members of the York-Simcoe Area Council. Please see the full job description for more details. If you are interested, call Jennipher Kean, 905-833-8327 and submit your resume to ysimcoe@toronto.anglican.ca.

Staff Changes

Lilian Qian, Director of Finance, is on a short-term leave of absence. For any non-standard requests or questions while she is away, please contact Rob Saffrey.