A Message from the Dean & Wardens (August 27)

RE-OPENING FOR WORSHIP!

Grief is not something we experience only when someone dies; it is often part of any loss we feel. The loss of gathering as a worshipping community has caused a fair bit of grief for many of us. We are so pleased that there is an end in sight finally! On September 13, we will re-open for in-person worship at your Cathedral. For the first little while, we will only have the 8:00am, 9:00am and 11:00am services. The 1:30pm Mandarin service will also be starting on September 20. Each service will offer the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist with some restrictions and there will be no congregational singing or anointing for healing. Please see the key information below, provided by our Health Council. You can also read the correspondence issued by the Diocese on August 19 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 stjamescathedral.ca. Registration will open on September 8 and following that 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, especially those over 70, or those who are immuno-compromised.
• There will be no 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.
• Please note that the electric fans will not be used and handheld fans or fanning oneself with the bulletin is prohibited. Keep this in mind on hot days and consider online attendance if you mind the heat.

     Arriving at the Cathedral Church of St. James

• 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

• Avoid 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 (beginning in September) 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 wafer.
• 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 and move to the marked location.
• 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. Return to your seat.

     Leaving the Cathedral

• Leave the Cathedral promptly through the West Door. Those with mobility concerns should wait until others have left and exit through the Southwest Door.

On September 1, a dedicated email address (reopening@stjamescathedral.ca) will be launched to answer questions you might have about re-opening.

We are looking forward to seeing you!!

CLAIRE LATIMER-DENNIS

We are delighted that Claire Latimer-Dennis is joining the ministry staff on Sunday, September 6. Here’s a bit more about her:

Claire was born in Boston and raised in Montreal in a mixed Canadian-American family. She attended McGill University (B.A. Philosophy and International Development Studies) before moving to Washington State in 2014 to work for a Christian non-profit. It was there, working as a jail chaplain, that she first discerned a call to ordained ministry. She left the West Coast to attend seminary at Duke Divinity School, where she met her husband, Micah. While in seminary she began looking homeward to Canada, and she and Micah both became postulants for the priesthood in the Diocese of Toronto. In her leisure time, Claire is a particular fan of a good murder mystery, and enjoys cooking and crafting and walking in woods.

THE CATHEDRAL CENTRE 

Even though the Cathedral will re-open on Sundays only for worship, the Cathedral Centre will remain closed until further notice. This is due to staffing limitations necessitated by our decreased revenues.  You will notice that the gardens around the Centre are looking much better! We are grateful to our Gardening Guild for volunteering to enhance our curb appeal.  Thank you!

VIRTUAL HYMN SING – September 1

Please join members of our 9:00am choir for their second virtual hymn sing on Tuesday, September 1. The program starts at 7:30pm and should last about one hour. This event is hosted on Zoom. To obtain access, please complete this form or send an email to irenecourage105@gmail.com.

During virtual hymn sing you will have a chance to sing along with the St. James organ and several choristers. There also is an opportunity to socialize with other singers. We also welcome singers who would like to contribute their voice to our tapes. We will coach you on how to prepare a vocal track.  Looking forward to singing together!

CANADA EMERGENCY WAGE SUBSIDY UPDATE

In response to the challenges many organizations have faced during the pandemic, the Federal Government launched the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS). The CEWS provides subsidies to employers whose revenues have seen a significant decline. Shortly after announcing the CEWS, the Diocese of Toronto informed parishes that they had made application to file on an affiliated basis. This meant that all parishes in the Diocese would report on a consolidated basis. Unfortunately, this has meant that while the Cathedral has met the threshold, the Diocese as a whole has not continued to meet the required threshold and as such we do not qualify for the CEWS beyond the initial 4 weeks of subsidy.

FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP

As we prepare to re-open the Cathedral’s doors in September, we are exceedingly grateful to those of you who continue to support us financially. Donations have become our main source of income, as events have momentarily ceased, investment income is down, and the cemetery is slowly recovering from a period of brokenness. 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.
• 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).

STAYING CONNECTED

Our next E-Connections will be published the week of September 6. 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
Don Solomon & Jayne Hobbs, Wardens
svail@stjamescathedral.ca
wardens@stjamescathedral.ca