Dear Friends,
I attended my first Bishop’s Company Dinner in 2005. At the time, I was the incumbent of Church of the Redemer, Bloor St. As is typical with many churches in the Diocese, we filled our table with other clergy and lay leaders in the parish. Archbishop Colin Johnson was the keynote speaker. As it was his first dinner as Bishop of Toronto, he wanted to share his vision of the Church and where he felt it was headed. I had a similar opportunity in 2019.
In the 20 years since my first dinner, a who’s who of prominent Anglicans have entertained and enlightened us with their stories and descriptions of how their faith intersected or impacted their work. In 2013, Dr. Roberta Bondar spoke of the vastness of the cosmos and how faith gave meaning to her research. Two years later, V. Prem Watsa, president of Fairfax Financial and a member of St. Paul, Bloor Street, spoke about how being a follower of Jesus Christ shaped every aspect of his life, including how to build and run his business. During the pandemic, when we shifted to an online cabaret format in 2020, Archbishop Linda Nicholls offered signs of hope when many were trying to come to grips with the isolation brought on by the pandemic. There have been many more powerful witnesses of faith over the years.
Perhaps the most engaging (and lengthy) presentation was when a former bishop of mine, Bishop Ralph Spence of the Diocese of Niagara, spoke on his passion for heraldry and flags at the 2007 dinner. As a Fellow of the Royal Heraldry Society of Canada and one of its leading authorities, Bishop Ralph was a delight as he passed out flags to those in attendance and explained what the bars, colours and coats of arms represented. It was great fun.
In all our speakers, we looked to their wisdom in industry, Church life, sports and academia to paint a picture of how faith inspired their journey. This year when we gather on Oct. 18, we will welcome the youngest speaker in the history of the Bishop’s Company. Anthony Morgan is an award-winning science communicator and current co-host of The Nature of Things on CBC television. He’s obsessed with changing how people see, think and talk about science in their everyday lives. As is typical with most millennials, the use of technology is second nature to him, and he brings this experience to his work. This will be a proud moment indeed for St. James Cathedral, where Anthony and his parents worship.
This year’s dinner marks a change in venue as we gather at the Sheraton Parkway Toronto North Hotel. The location will be familiar to many, as it’s the same place where we hold Synod. Hopefully the location and ample free parking will encourage those from more distant points in the Diocese to attend. Tickets are available for our annual fundraiser in support of clergy emergencies and innovative ministry at www.bishopscompanytoronto.ca.
I invite you to attend this year’s dinner where we, as a family of faith, will acknowledge the important and vital talents of our clergy and engage in warm fellowship with one another. Please join me!
Yours in Christ,
The Rt. Rev. Andrew Asbil
Bishop of Toronto
