E-Connections (March 17)

RE-OPENING FOR WORSHIP!

Even though Toronto remains in the provincial grey zone for COVID management, the Ontario Government has increased the number permitted to gather for in-person worship. This has been done in conjunction with a repeated message to exercise extreme caution and care.  We will continue to offer live-streamed worship with Spiritual Communion at 11:00am on Sunday mornings, as well Holy Days such as Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday.  Since registration is limited, you may need to consider attending a different service on Sunday morning if your usual one is full.

What does this mean for us at St. James Cathedral?  On Sunday, March 21, we will re-open for in-person worship at 8:00am, 9:00am, 11:00am and 1:30pm (Mandarin language). Each service will offer the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist with some restrictions.  Please note that while the Cantor will sing hymns, there will be no congregational singing or anointing for healing. Choral and congregational singing is not permitted at this time, so Evensong is postponed until further notice.

In order to attend a service, you must register. Registration for the 8:00am service is limited to 15 persons and the 9:00am and 11:00am to 50 persons.  You can register for services on our website here. Out of courtesy to others, we ask you to register ONLY if you are certain you will be attending.

It is imperative that people experiencing any symptoms or suspect they have been exposed to COVID-19 not attend in-person worship. The 11:00am service will continue to be live-streamed here from now on.

Please see the key information below, provided by our Health Council. You can also read the correspondence issued by the Diocese on March 15, 2021 here; see a full outline of the Diocesan protocols for re-opening here; and view the Diocesan’s re-opening video here.

Attendance Information

• Anyone with symptom(s) of COVID-19, even if they are mild, should stay home. You can take the COVID-19 self-assessment test available on the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 website.
• Space will be limited, so please register each week through the Eventbrite portal at www.stjamescathedral.ca. Registration will be available on the Monday prior to the Sunday services. If you have no access to the Internet, please call Jayne Hobbs to register at 416-200-0070. Inquiries can also be directed to the Wardens as wardens@stjamescathedral.ca.
• Persons who should consider virtual services include those with symptom(s) of COVID-19, even if they are mild, clinically vulnerable worshippers, higher risk age groups, or those who are immuno-compromised.
• There will be no in-person coffee hour; bring your own bottled water as drinking fountains will be turned off.
• Always follow floor/furniture markings, maintaining the two-metre distance with persons not in the same household.
• Please do not gather with others near the entrance, exit or anywhere inside or just outside of the Cathedral.

Arriving at the Cathedral: Please review weekly prior to arriving

• Wear a non-medical face mask or face covering. Exemptions include children under the age of 2 or anyone who has trouble breathing or difficulty in managing face coverings without assistance. Disposable non-medical masks will be available at the welcome table.
• Enter through the Southwest Door and use the hand sanitizer (70-90% alcohol concentration).
• You will be asked to provide information for potential contact tracing.
• Only the main floor washroom near the pulpit will be available for use.
• Please note, you will be denied entry at the screening station if:
  • You have any symptom(s) of COVID-19;
  • You have travelled outside Canada in the past 14 days;
  • You have come in close contact with a person with symptoms of COVID-19 or with a confirmed case of COVID-19 within the past 14 days.

Worship

• There is to be no physical contact with others from different households. Greet each other with a smile, bow or wave, e.g., during exchange of the Peace.
• Offering boxes will be placed in the Cathedral for use instead of offering plates. Consider Pre-Authorized Giving or use the QR code provided in the bulletin for donations.
• Do not share your order of service leaflet with anyone.
• Practice good respiratory etiquette by coughing or sneezing into the elbow or use a tissue then discard the tissue in waste bin. Wash or sanitize your hands afterwards.

Eucharist: Individuals choosing to take communion should proceed as follows:

• Approach the communion station at the invitation of the sidesperson and use the hand sanitizer near the communion station prior to receiving the sacrament.
• Follow the floor markings and stop 2 metres from the communion minister to hear the words, ‘The body of Christ.’ Respond with ‘Amen.’
• Move forward and cup your hands to receive the wafer into your palm, then move to the marked location (small table).
• Only once you have reached the small table, remove the elastic loop from around one of your ears or untie the strings from behind your head.
• Consume the wafer. Use the hand sanitizer prior to replacing your face mask immediately. Then, return to your pew.

Leaving the Cathedral

• Leave the Cathedral promptly through the West Door. Take the service bulletin with you or discard it in the bin provided.  Those with mobility concerns may wait until others have left and exit through the Southwest Door.

If you have any questions, please contact us at info@stjamescathedral.ca.  We look forward to seeing you and take comfort in knowing many of you will still be joining us on-line.

Even though the Cathedral will re-open on Sundays only for worship, the Cathedral Centre will remain closed until further notice.

 

SUNDAY COFFEE HOUR

In-person Coffee Hour is cancelled but join us for Virtual Coffee Hour on Zoom each Sunday at 12:30pm (please note new meeting time)! If you have not already registered to attend, send an email to the office by Friday at noon and you will receive the link each Sunday to join Coffee Hour. Bring along your favourite coffee, tea, or other refreshment!

 

CONNECTING WITH ST. JAMES

• Sunday: Join us for in-person worship; registration is required on our website; you can also live-stream liturgy at 11:00am on the Diocesan Facebook page
• Sermon Discussion Group on Zoom with The Reverend David Danner, one of our Honorary Assistants: Mondays at 10:00am; email the office to receive the link
• Morning Prayer: Tuesday and Thursday mornings on the Cathedral Facebook page; you can also find them posted on the Cathedral’s YouTube channel
• Virtual Hymn Sing on Zoom: Email irenecourage105@gmail.com to receive information, dates, and the link; the next sessions take place on Wednesday, March 24 at 4:00pm; and Tuesday, March 30 at 7:30pm

 

PASTORAL CARE

Lockdown can be a lonely experience for many members of the Cathedral. Not only does it take away the opportunity for in-person worship, it adds the burdens of isolation and disconnectedness to so many who live alone. If you know anyone who would benefit from a call from our pastoral care team, please be in touch with Canon Beth Benson at bbenson@stjamescathedral.ca.

 

VESTRY MEETING – RESULTS

Congratulations to those elected and appointed at Sunday’s Vestry Meeting:

Elected

• People’s Warden: Joan Peters
• Deputy People’s Warden: Gerald Courage
• Cathedral Council: Jenny Formanek, Edwin Hawken, Ric Hillyer, Jackie Jagoda, Yosola Sholagbade-Adeoye
• Diocesan Synod Delegates: Jenny Formanek, Christian Kingsmill, Carol Kysela, Sheila Snelgrove, Sybil Wilkinson
• Alternative Synod Delegates: Rob Haines, Peter J. Dawes, Yosola Sholagbade-Adeoye, Deborah McGinnis
• Parochial Tribunal 2022: Bob Hart, Don Solomon

Appointed by the Dean:

• Rector’s Warden: Jayne Hobbs
• Deputy Rector’s Warden: Kate Uchendu
• Cathedral Council: Peter Gardiner-Harding, David Gates, Sarah McDonald, Daisy Pittis, Sybil Wilkinson

EASTER MEMORIAL FLOWERS 

A beautiful way to remember a loved one at Easter is through the memorial flowers that will be placed in the Cathedral for the season. All names submitted will be noted on the general Easter memorial flowers list, as we did at Christmas. Names can be emailed to info@stjamescathedral.ca or called in. We are asking for donations of $40 (minimum) per name or per couple. Donations will be designated to the Cathedral Flower Fund and are tax-receiptable. Please indicate whether you will be making your payment for your memorial by credit card online or by cheque in the mail. The deadline for submitting memorial names will be Friday, March 19. A ‘virtual flower memorial’ incorporating all of the names received will also be posted on the Cathedral website. 

 

Season of Lent 

COMPLINE DURING LENT

The Cathedral will be offering a brief, live-streamed Service of Compline on Wednesday evenings at 7:30pm during Lent. The next service takes place today, March 17. You can access the service on the Cathedral’s Facebook page.

LENTEN SERIES: PRAYER IN AN ANXIOUS TIME

Join Archbishop Colin Johnson, Bishop Michael Bedford Jones, and Suzette Cayless, for a series of panel discussions on the topic of prayer in a time of heightened anxiety. The final conversation will take place on Zoom on March 25 at 7:00pm. If you’re interested in joining, please email Claire at clatimerdennis@stjamescathedral.ca for the link. Interested participants are also invited to share questions they have about prayer ahead of time, which you can do by filling out this survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/G9PTKCZ

LENT, PRETZELS, AND HOLY WEEK: A WORKSHOP FOR YOUTH

On Palm Sunday, March 28 at 2:00pm, youth (ages around 9-15) are invited to join a pretzel-making workshop over Zoom! We’ll make up a batch of pretzels, talk about their (possible) Christian origins, and do a little Church history about Lent and Holy Week. You can register by sending Claire an email at clatimerdennis@stjamescathedral.ca. She will send out a list of materials to have on hand ahead of time when you do.

FAMILY CALENDAR FOR LENT

Looking for ways to practice Lent as a family with young children? The Cathedral is offering access to an illustrated Lenten Calendar, with ideas for activities, projects and ways to pray through the Lenten season. Send Claire an email at clatimerdennis@stjamescathedral.ca for access.

VIRTUAL MIDDAY EUCHARIST

A service of Holy Eucharist for the Annunciation of the Lord will be live-streamed on Thursday, March 25 at 12:30pm on our Facebook page.

HOLY WEEK & EASTER AT ST. JAMES CATHEDRAL 

For a full listing of our Holy Week & Easter service listings, please visit our website at here.

ORGAN RECITALS 

St. James Cathedral has presented lunchtime organ recitals on Tuesdays for many years. We are delighted that these concerts have resumed virtually and will take place on the first Tuesday of each month at 1:00pm. The concerts will be presented via Facebook live, allowing everyone to have an excellent view of the instrument and performer.

The organ is a fine four manual instrument dating from 1863, composed of four manuals and 5,100 pipes. Further details are available on the Cathedral website.

Organ Recital Schedule

Tuesdays at 1:00pm via Facebook

April 6: Aaron James: (Holy Family Roman Catholic Church and University of Toronto)
May 4: Hanné Becker: (PhD candidate in organ performance University of Toronto)
June 1: Rashaan Allwood: (St. Ansgar Lutheran Church)

 

JOYFUL GIVING

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Christian Stewardship?

The generous giving of our time and financial resources ensures that our Church has the resources to minister to its parishioners and its community, whatever the need. Our stewardship is a part of how we live out our discipleship as Christians and as part of our Cathedral community.  It is essentially our call to be fully committed followers of Jesus Christ. As stewards, we commit to a life of generosity in all aspects of our lives.

2. Why is it important to provide an estimate of my offerings?

The Cathedral continues to face financial challenges, so knowing the extent of our revenue stream is critical. The Giving Card is not a binding legal contract but a tool to help our leadership plan for the coming year. The past year has vividly demonstrated how financial circumstances can change rapidly; if your circumstances change, you can always contact the Cathedral Office to modify your intention.

3. Why is it important to be as generous as possible now?

This past year, our Cathedral Community has faced a convergence of serious challenges.  On-line worship has meant reduced income through weekly offerings.  A closed Cathedral has eliminated our income from rentals, weddings, and the like.  A major income stream from the Cathedral’s cemetery and crematorium has been reduced because of equipment breakdowns.  Government and Diocesan support has helped, and the Cathedral has reduced its overhead significantly, but our revenues have been seriously diminished.

4. What will my offering be used for?

From our recent Visioning exercise, it is clear how deeply our parishioners love St. James, its heritage and its ministry. The Cathedral offers worship, including music, online and in person; pastoral care; Christian education; outreach programs like the Drop-In; and a place of sanctuary, prayer and meditation each day. Your offerings will support all of this work, which costs approximately $5,000 a day.

5. Who can I talk to if I have questions?

Please contact David Gates, Chair of the Stewardship Committee, at dpgates@sympatico.ca or at 416-364-7865, ext. *225

Do not forget to do good and to help one another, because these are the sacrifices that please God.   Hebrews 13:16

 

EFM – EDUCATION FOR MINISTRY – OPEN SESSION, MARCH 27, 2021

 All of us seek to participate in our communities both in our church and in the world.  Life asks all of us the deep questions of existence and as Christians we seek answers that make sense in our own journeys.

Education for Ministry (EFM) is a program designed to help Christians understand their tradition and Scriptures and to develop skills to discern how they are called to know God and serve their neighbours.

St. James Cathedral has been host to an EFM seminar group since 2014 with the intention that all Christians by virtue of their baptism are continuously called to service/action/ministry and deep relationship with God. Our current seminar group includes a wide range of people from both in and outside St. James, candidates for the diaconate, retirees, folks from ages 28 to 83, but all engaged in finding out how their tradition speaks to them of service and relationship.

The St. James EFM seminar group invites you to an open session on March 27 between 9:30am and 1:15pm.  Please e-mail the EFM administrative mentor for the St. James group at mckysel@gmail.com if you are interested. We can send you all the information and the Zoom invite you will need to participate.  You can find lots more information on the EFM page on the St. James website, located under “Ministries”.

 

ORGAN MEDIATION SERIES AT ST. BART’S, REGENT PARK

Four Streamed Recitals and Lectures with Sebastian Moreno. Available online and being posted Fridays at 12:00 p.m.

Further details here: https://stbartstoronto.ca/lenten-organ-meditations-series-2021/

• Week 1: “What is an Organ Meditation?” 25 February
• Week 2: “The French Symphonic Meditation” 4 March
• Week 3: “Meditations as Large-Scale Works” 11 March
• Week 4: “Meditations in the Style of Langlais” 25 March

 

FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP

We are exceedingly grateful to those of you who continue to support us financially. If you would like to make a donation, here are the ways to do that:

• Mail a cheque to 65 Church Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5C 2E9.
• Use the ‘Donate’ button on our website.
• You can now hand-deliver your offerings to the Cathedral Centre: A secure mailbox has been mounted in the Church Street vestibule at the entrance of the doors at 65 Church Street. The doors are open from 9:00am – 4:00pm, Monday – Friday.
• Sign up for Pre-Authorized monthly giving, thus ensuring a vital stream of income for the Cathedral. Please note that at any time you can stop or change the PAG amount by emailing the office.
• Make a gift of securities (see details here).
• We are delighted to have a QR code for donating electronically which you will find in all bulletins. Simply scan with your phone camera and donate! You can also donate here.

 

STAYING CONNECTED

We invite you to continue to link to the Cathedral’s website or Facebook page for updates, Morning Prayer, service listings and inspirational messages. Thank you for your love and support during this period in the life of St. James. Please remember, you are not alone.

Blessings and peace to you all,
The Very Reverend Stephen Vail, Rector of St. James Cathedral & Dean of Toronto
Joan Peters & Jayne Hobbs, Wardens
svail@stjamescathedral.ca
wardens@stjamescathedral.ca