A Message from Fr. Andrew MacDonald and the Wardens (July 23)
“Make your house fair as you are able, trim the hearth and set the table.”
— from the carol “People Look East,” verse 1.
Dear Friends,
In the middle of a July heat wave, it may feel strange to contemplate a carol from Advent. But then again, considering how this year has gone so far, who’s to say what’s normal and what’s strange?
This is, after all, what one colleague of mine has joked, the 21st Week of Lent; or as my brother has said, March 143rd.
No matter how you’ve been counting the days and the weeks, 2020 has been a strange season in our lives, as we’ve been separated from our common gatherings of worship, and been required to refrain from our usual ministries. One typically gives something up in Lent – but I doubt anyone had “giving up church” on their Lenten bingo card.
But seasons come and seasons go, and now we find ourselves on the threshold of a new season: a season of preparation and joyful expectation. Yes, my friends, it’s Advent-in-August.
In these weeks ahead, the Cathedral’s Reopening Working Group will continue to work to put the diocesan protocols into place so we can return safely. The property team will make our house fair, the Ministry Council will trim and equip their teams with everything needed to make things safe, and the clergy will set the table of services for our return. In the weeks ahead, the Cathedral team will work to make ready everything that needs to be prepared.
And all of us, we’ll prayerfully wait for the day when we’re back in the Cathedral. We’ll pray for the teams that are working to make the Cathedral safe; we’ll pray for the parishes across the diocese doing the same work; we’ll pray for those longing to come back to church, and for those who may wait a little longer still before coming back. And we’ll pray that people across the city, province and world stay safe, and continue to act so that this pandemic continues to ebb, even as the province reopens.
The psalmist says, “I wait for the Lord; my soul waits, and in his word is my hope.” (Psalm 130, v.5).
These weeks have been a long time of waiting, and there are still a few more weeks to go. And so in the meantime, with joyful hope, let us wait, let us prepare, and let us pray.
In faith,
Fr. Andrew
THE DEAN’S RETURN FROM VACATION
We look forward to welcoming Dean Stephen Vail back from vacation. He will be officiating at the online service this Sunday, July 26 and will be back in the office this Monday, July 27. If you have any questions or concerns until then, please contact Fr. Andrew MacDonald, Associate Priest, for pastoral matters (amacdonald@stjamescathedral.ca) and Warden Jayne Hobbs for other matters (wardens@stjamescathedral.ca).
REOPENING PROTOCOLS FROM THE DIOCESE
On June 17, the Ecclesiastical Province of Ontario released a template for the safe reopening of our church buildings in September entitled “Loving Our Neighbour“. On June 30, in Bishop Asbil’s letter to the Diocese, the Diocese issued the specific protocols for reopening in the Diocese of Toronto.
In Bishop Asbil’s letter to the Diocese on July 10, he indicates that The College of Bishops has determined that we will enter our Amber Stage, and our church buildings may re-open for corporate worship, on Sunday, September 13. We are so pleased to have a firm date to work towards for resuming Sunday services in-person! The Diocese will be issuing a finalized, up-to-date version of the Amber Stage guidelines on Wednesday, August 19 as well as a video which will be released the week of August 24.
The reopening protocols will be reviewed and discussed for implementation at next week’s meeting of the Reopening Working Group, a committee that the Dean has formed to prepare for the resumption of worship services in September. Members of this working group are: The Dean, Joyce Badley, Jim Kotsifas, Emile Rhinelander, Jayne Hobbs, Paul Seddon, Bob Simpson, Yosola Adeoye, Fr. James Liu, Fr. Andrew MacDonald, David Simon, Roger Pearce, David Grant, and Rob Haines.
In the meantime, we hope that you will continue to tune into our livestream Sunday services here and to our Tuesday and Thursday Morning Prayer services on the Cathedral’s YouTube channel or Facebook page.
COVID-19 MASK PROJECT
Further to our project to provide non-medical masks or face coverings to the vulnerable members of the Cathedral and wider community, we offer many thanks to all who have participated in the mask project to date. We are grateful for the following:
- Dr. Martin Sterling, dentist, who donated 20 face shields (see photo here)
- A parishioner for donating 12 handmade face masks (see photo here)
- A parishioner for donating 48 non-medical face masks
- Fabric donations
- Monetary donations towards the mask project/postage
We still need your help to make this project a success. If you would like to sew, donate materials or postage, please contact David Grant at davidgrant7@icloud.com.
VISIONING EXERCISE UPDATE: Zoom groups
Thank you to those who signed up for the first set of parishioner meetings in the visioning process. Seven zoom groups met to discuss the following questions:
- What is your personal best experience of ministry during Covid-19?
- What have you been doing to feed your spirit? What’s new, what are you learning that you want to continue?
- What might you have taken for granted or undervalued before about St. James that you hold greater value for now? What feels superfluous?
- Given what we might have been through as the Cathedral community over the last few months, what is the greatest thing St. James has to offer people? What is our greatest asset?
Once the Dean returns next week, the Visioning Steering Group will meet to review the responses and determine the next steps forward in the process.
EDUCATION FOR MINISTRY
Education for Ministry, the program for all who are interested in knowing more about Christian history, Scriptures, theology, and interfaith dialogue, has space left for this year’s seminar group. The group continues to meet by Zoom until it is safe to resume face to face sessions in the Cathedral Centre Board Room. To learn more, see the EFM page on the St. James Cathedral website here, EFM Canada’s website here, or contact Carol at mckysel@gmail.com. You can also register with Carol. EFM is a great way, especially during our time of separation, to deepen your faith and keep in touch with others.
CATHEDRAL LIGHTING PROJECT: LET THERE BE LIGHT
Recently, we shared with you some photographs of the Cathedral illuminated by the new lights. Those photographs were taken during aiming of the lights by our consultant. Currently, the lights are being programmed in accordance with a schedule developed by our consultant together with clergy and staff. Programming will see various lights switched on and off and dimmed according to a pre-set schedule that reflects natural and liturgical seasons. Lighting will take into account sunrise and sunset as well as Christmas, Holy Week and Easter. Only essential lighting will be operated during the small hours of the morning.
Programming takes place from dusk to early morning. Once that is complete, we intend to operate the system to enhance security and beautify our surroundings, rather than wait for the official inauguration in the fall. We will let you know when the system is in operation so that you can drop by and see it. The lighting has received favourable reviews from neighbours.
ST. JAMES CEMETERY UPDATE
Cemetery: Cremations continue at the cemetery with our refurbished south retort. In June, we cremated 80 bodies and so far in July we have cremated 56. It bears repeating here that our government-mandated and recently submitted Emission Summary and Dispersion Modelling Report indicates that we fall within regulatory limits and will be permitted to operate our current retort until new equipment is installed.
With respect to the replacement project, we have had four suppliers of cremation equipment attend the site to prepare proposals. Additional discussions have been held with two of the suppliers. Accommodating new equipment in the heritage-designated Chapel of St. James-the-Less presents challenges, both during installation and operation. Accordingly, we have engaged our heritage architect to prepare accurate, three-dimensional drawings of the crematorium. We will continue to keep you abreast of developments with respect to installing new crematorium equipment.
Hillside H: Given the high cost of this slope stabilization project as well as the need to address the crematorium, we have sought a second opinion from a geotechnical engineer. His advice, provided during a site meeting and to be confirmed in writing, is that we do indeed need to proceed with the project along the lines of that designed by our consultant team. Given the time needed to put this work out to tender, as well as for construction, this project is now scheduled to take place in 2021. It is intended that crematorium replacement will take place in advance of Hillside H. Financing the two projects in close succession is of course an important consideration.
Other Sales: Now that the cemetery is open, sales of cremation plots, niches, markers and plaques, inscriptions and pre-need sales have resumed.
FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP: Summer is here, and we need your help!
Summer generally marks a lower attendance and donation season at St. James, due to vacations and the warmer weather. This summer, we are dealing with the additional challenges of the pandemic.
As we prepare to reopen the Cathedral’s doors in September, we need your help to meet the financial challenges ahead. Donations are now 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. 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 website. 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 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.
STAYING CONNECTED
Our next E-Connections will be published on Thursday, July 30. 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 Reverend Andrew MacDonald, Associate Priest
Wardens Don Solomon & Jayne Hobbs
amacdonald@stjamescathedral.ca
wardens@stjamescathedral.ca
