A Message from the Dean & Wardens (September 24)
A Message from Claire Latimer-Dennis, Lay Pastoral Associate
There is a prayer in the order for Compline to which I often turn these days.
Be present, O merciful God, and protect us through the silent hours of this night, so that we who are wearied by the changes and chances of this fleeting world, may repose upon thy eternal changelessness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
There is nothing like the changes and chances of a global pandemic to weary a person! Changing guidelines, number of cases rising and falling, hopes for a return to some semblance of normalcy surging and receding. And as we come back to church, we are confronted with those changes in a context that used to feel so familiar. My experience of the Cathedral is new, so I’m sure I feel the strangeness of it all even less than many of you do. But I am so sad not to be able to see your faces as we meet for the first time, sad not to be able to sing a rousing hymn with you, sad that there’s no telling when we’ll be able to share a common cup at the Eucharist together.
I am reminded, though, by this Compline prayer and by our beginning to gather as a church, of God’s continued presence with us. September 13 was the first time in over six months that I was nourished by Christ’s body—I know that’s the case for many of you too. And as I received the bread in my hands, I thought of one thing that has remained constant in all of this: Christ is still offering himself to us. It was true when we weren’t able to gather together, and it’s true now, as we gather in our limited capacity, and share in Communion together again, that visible sign of an invisible reality. The celebration doesn’t look like what we’re used to, certainly. It’s much more sombre, with masks and sanitizer stations. But I am overjoyed that we can gather at all, and join again in the work that Christ gave his disciples to do—to gratefully receive his offering of himself to us, and to offer ourselves and all that we have back to God. That work continues, and we are knit together into one body, even though we’re two metres apart.
It’s a strange way to gather. But I hope that when you come to church, those of you who do, or when you watch online and participate spiritually but not physically, you will find some rest if you are weary. I hope that even though it’s not all that we want it to be, you will find yourself fed by Word and Sacrament, bolstered and charged. I hope that it will carry over into the fleeting week, so that every day, and in all hours, you would know the presence of God, whose mercies never change, and whose love is offered to us again and again, night after night, world without end.
In peace,
Claire
SUNDAY SERVICE NOTES
St. James Cathedral resumed in-person services as of Sunday, September 13.
Services take place at 8:00am, 9:00am and 11:00am.
The Mandarin Ministry service takes place at 1:30pm.
Seats are limited and registration is required.
Registration will be available on the Monday prior to the Sunday services each week.
Registration will close each week at 11:59pm Saturday.
Register for a Sunday service each week here.
Watch the live-stream of the 11:00am service here.
See a full outline of the Diocesan protocols for re-opening here;
and view the Diocesan’s re-opening video here.
On September 1, a dedicated email address was launched to answer questions you might have about re-opening. Send your questions to reopening@stjamescathedral.ca.
We are looking forward to seeing you!!
THE CATHEDRAL CENTRE
Even though the Cathedral is 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.
CLERGY UPDATE
Fr. Andrew MacDonald will return from his parental leave on September 29. We look forward to welcoming him back!
Although she is not yet clergy, Claire Latimer-Dennis has joined our ministry team. Claire is a delight and we are so blessed to have her join us. Once she is ordained in May, God willing, Claire will become our Assistant Curate. If you would like to say hello to Claire, her email address is clatimerdennis@stjamescathedral.ca. Please note, Claire is handling pastoral care issues until Fr. Andrew returns, at which time they will share that ministry.
GROWING HEALTHY STEWARDS
St. James has been a vital presence in the heart of Toronto for nearly two hundred years. The pandemic has affected – and is still affecting – how we worship and how we provide aid to the community that depends on us. It has also affected the financial support necessary for the day-to-day life of this Cathedral, which, in addition to the interruption of our rental income and a much-needed investment in operations at the Cemetery, means together we must take steps to ensure the future of St. James.
On Sunday, September 27, with the support of the Diocese of Toronto, we will launch Growing Healthy Stewards. This is a year-round stewardship education program designed to stabilize and build our annual giving revenue. This program, involving activities and education, has been adopted with great success by many parishes in the Diocese over the past several years. We look forward to sharing more about this new venture in the weeks and months to come.
Your support has been and continues to be essential to the life of St. James. Thank you.
If you would like to make a donation to St. James, 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).
- Many have been asking how to donate electronically when attending worship. We are delighted to have a QR code for that purpose, which you will find in all future bulletins. Here it is! Simply scan with your phone camera and donate!
You can also donate here.
SERMON DISCUSSION GROUP
All are invited to join in a one hour discussion of Sunday’s sermon and its related themes every Monday at 10:00am via Zoom. If you would like to be added to the invitation list, please email the office. A weekly invitation is sent to all who register.
VIRTUAL HYMN SING
Are you missing singing the hymns during our church services? If so, please join us for a virtual hymn sing. Session four is scheduled for Tuesday, September 29 at 7:30pm. If you would like to receive a link to our Zoom meetings, please email Irene at irenecourage105@gmail.com. We send links to all who registered for earlier sessions as well. We will repeat our September 29 session on Wednesday, October 7 at 3:30pm. Looking forward to singing together!
CATHEDRAL LIGHTING PROJECT
Photo credit: Sharon Comstock
Although the lighting project is still in the process of completion, we are currently operating the lights overnight for enhanced security. It appears as though our dedicated funding may permit us to install additional lighting at the main entrance. Accordingly, we have asked the contractor and consultants to put together a proposal to add back in some lights that were originally removed from the design to ensure we stayed within budget. Because of supply chain slow downs caused by COVID-19, the additional work is not expected to take place much before the end of 2020.
After all the lights have been installed, the consultant will attend to adjust the lights in a process known as “scene setting”. In the meantime, we will continue to operate the lights overnight for enhanced security. Even without scene setting, the new lights enhance the beauty of St. James Cathedral in the recently renovated St. James Park.
We currently plan to have an inauguration ceremony for the new lights once all the work has been completed. This will be an opportunity to thank our generous donors. Details will be provided in a future edition of E-Connections.
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
Don Solomon & Jayne Hobbs, Wardens
svail@stjamescathedral.ca
wardens@stjamescathedral.ca
