A Message from the Dean & Wardens (April 22)
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom then shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom then shall I be afraid?
Psalm 27:1 (BCP, p. 360)
Dear Friends,
The opening words of Psalm 27 have brought comfort to the people of God for centuries. They remind us that, no matter what life throws our way, nothing can overcome the Almighty God who is for us and loves us. This truth is echoed in one of the classic definitions of God from the Church Fathers: “God is that than which nothing greater than is.” It is a bit of a tongue twister, but it is also a glorious truth. Nothing is greater than God and, regardless of how it feels sometimes, God’s goodness and plan for humanity will prevail.
This is good news for us these days. COVID-19 continues to threaten our well-being and livelihood. The deadliest mass killing in recent Canadian history took place on a quiet evening in a quiet Nova Scotian hamlet. Simple things like buying groceries and going to the bank have become an ordeal, and many feel the current isolation deeply. It is good news to know that God is with us and is for us.
Thank you for your ongoing prayers and financial support for your Cathedral at this time. Like every other community and organization, we are taking it day by day as we learn to cope with a changing reality. We know that nothing can break the spirit of our Cathedral community and we place ourselves in the sure hands of the Almighty and Risen One.
CATHEDRAL UPDATES:
A Book of Memories for Vicar Louise Peters: Friday is the last day to send in your contributions. If you have not yet sent a message or memory for Louise, please email it to wardens@stjamescathedral.ca as soon as possible.
St. James Cemetery: The minor repairs to the combustion equipment in the crematorium are now completed. Operational testing will be performed today, April 22nd, and we are optimistic that the north retort will be in revenue service shortly.
Volunteer Opportunities: Able to help serve others? Can you give three hours of your time? Volunteers are needed for St. James Cathedral’s Good Food Box program through FoodShare on the first and third Tuesdays from 1:00pm-4:00pm for the next several months (May 5, 19; June 2, 16; July 7, 21; August 4, 18). On the first Tuesday, two volunteers are needed to ensure physical distancing during sign up for the delivery. On the third Tuesday, six to seven volunteers are needed for the delivery of the boxes; two volunteers will ensure physical distancing; three to four volunteers are needed to help with handing out the boxes; organizing and sanitizing; and transferring boxes to recipients. Appropriate PPE and instructions will be provided. This program is subsidized by St. James and enables people to have a box of fresh fruit and vegetables that they might not otherwise be able to afford or have access to for the month. If you are interested or can help, please contact Outreach Manager Kathy Biasi (details below).*
Looking for a way to use your culinary skills and packing skills? Volunteers are needed for St James Cathedral’s Lunch-To-Go Program Tuesdays and Fridays from 9:00am – noon; 12:30pm-3:30pm; or all day. Food is prepared in a sanitary commercial kitchen and packed and delivered to approximately 100 people who come to the Cathedral. Appropriate PPE and training is provided. Physical distancing is practiced. Parking available.
*If you are interested or can help with either of these volunteer opportunities, please contact Outreach Manager Kathy Biasi at 416-364-7865 *222 or by email at kbiasi@stjamescathedral.ca.
COVID-19 Links: We pray that you and your loved ones are staying well and safe. It is understandable that you may feel anxious about the COVID-19 outbreak. During this time, it is important to get the facts from trusted information sources. Our Health Council has provided the following links for you to access.
Ontario 211 Services
- Visit the website: 211 Ontario which provides a gateway to community, social, non-clinical and related government services or call 2-1-1
- Mental Health / Addictions
Other Useful Resources
- COVID-19 Fact Sheet: Resources for Ontarians Experiencing Mental Health and Addictions Issues During the Pandemic
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) – Mental Health and the COVID-19 Pandemic.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, call 9-1-1.
If you need to speak to one of the clergy, please email one of the following and someone will be in touch: vicar@stjamescathedral.ca or amacdonald@stjamescathedral.ca
As we continue to care for our Cathedral community during the pandemic, we are appreciative of our team of Lay Pastoral Visitors who will be helping reach out to members of the parish in the coming weeks. The Lay Pastoral Visitors work with the clergy to support the pastoral ministry of our parish. If you are contacted by one of them, trust that your conversation will be held in confidence.
Visioning Steering Group: This group is made up of parishioners appointed by the Executive Committee who lead a wing of our ministry, showed an interest at the Town Hall meeting or approached us offering assistance after Vestry. They are not decision makers but are simply the group working with the diocesan Director of Congregational Development to do the legwork needed to get the parish consultations up and running (once we can meet again in person). The group includes: Dean Stephen Vail, David Grant, Jayne Hobbs, Carol Kysela, Chun Lo, Deborah McGinnis, Nick Tunnacliffe and Kate Uchendu. The group is meeting regularly and will be engaging with the membership directly next month.
Music Update: We are grateful to David Simon, our Organist, for helping with some different tasks in this interim period. By September, depending on the pandemic situation, we plan on having someone in place who can serve as both the Organist and Choir Director. We see no other option but to use this model, which has served the Cathedral in the past. Soloists during the pandemic will be various members of the Cathedral Choir.
FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP:
We are grateful that the Diocesan Easter Sunday service at St. James Cathedral received almost 6,000 views. However, it is only through your good stewardship that St. James can continue to meet its financial challenges ahead. Thank you to those who have continued to send their monthly donations. If you have yet to do so, please consider sending donations by cheque to 65 Church Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5C 2E9 or by using the “Donate” button on our web page. In 2019 we implemented a cyber-security program to maintain the security of your personal and financial data.
We also encourage you to sign up for pre-authorized monthly giving, thus insuring 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.
STAYING CONNECTED:
We invite you to continue to link to the Cathedral’s website and Facebook page for updates, Morning Prayer, service listings and inspirational messages. Please remember, you are not alone. If you hear of people not receiving E-Connections, please encourage them to sign up at the bottom of our website homepage.
Blessings and peace to you all,
Dean Stephen and Wardens Don & Jayne
svail@stjamescathedral.ca
wardens@stjamescathedral.ca
