E-Connections – April 22, 2021

Dear Friends,

It may have felt strange to you, as it did to me, to combine the joy of Easter with the grief of another lockdown and stay-at-home order, to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus while watching case counts rise, hospitals overwhelmed. It’s a sorrowful and difficult time.

So I have been thinking about what it means to be Easter people, people who live with the conviction that Jesus’ resurrection means that death is ultimately doomed to die. About what it means, in Julian of Norwich’s words, to live in trust that though we do not understand how or when, “all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.”

Julian writes of the sin and suffering of the world, in keeping with centuries of Christian thought, not as a thing in itself, but as a lack, a privation, a crack, which God in great mercy will one day restore. And it is our Christian hope that somehow the restoration will be more beautiful, more good, more peaceable, than if there had never been anything to restore.

There’s an image that I have been returning to, when I think about how to be people who practice this resurrection that we proclaim. One of my seminary teachers, the historical theologian Lauren Winner, writes often about kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing cracks in pottery with pure gold. She says that the world is full of pockmarks—holes, blemishes, empty spaces. And it is what Christ does, and so it is what we Christians are called to do, to see those pockmarks for what they are, and to fill them with gold.

In this time when the blemishes and cracks of the world—and perhaps even of our own selves—are especially evident, I pray that we will know and make known the love of God in Christ, that fills every broken thing, so that it is even more beautiful than before.

In Christ,
Claire

Please note: Claire Latimer-Dennis will be on holiday and ordination retreat April 19 – May 10, 2021. Please send prayer requests to Canon Beth Benson while Claire is away at bbenson@stjamescathedral.ca.

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.

SUNDAY COFFEE HOUR

Join us for Virtual Coffee Hour on Zoom each Sunday at 12:30pm. 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: Live-stream liturgy at 11:00am on the Diocesan Facebook page
• Virtual Coffee Hour: Sundays at 12:30pm; email the office to receive the link
• 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 session takes place on Tuesday, April 27 at 7:30pm

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 next recital takes place on Tuesday, May 4 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

May 4: Hanné Becker (PhD candidate in organ performance University of Toronto)

June 1: Rashaan Allwood (St. Ansgar Lutheran Church)

ORDINATION OF CLAIRE LATIMER-DENNIS

Since September 2020, Claire has served as Lay Pastoral Associate at the Cathedral. She is an integral member of our pastoral team and much-loved in our community, with many gifts for ministry. Over the past two years, Claire has been a Postulant for Ordination in the Diocese of Toronto, discerning a vocational calling to ordained ministry. The Dean is delighted to announce that, God willing, Claire will be ordained to the Holy Office of Deacon on May 2, 2021 at 4:30pm in a virtual service from the Cathedral. The service will be live-streamed on the Diocesan Facebook page. Her husband, Micah Latimer-Dennis, will be presented for Ordination as well!

This Sunday, April 25 at the 11:00am liturgy, the Dean will read the required Si Quis wherein Claire makes a public declaration of her intention to offer herself as a candidate for the Holy Office of Deacon. This is a tradition of the Church that affords an opportunity for any impediments to be brought to the attention of the Bishop. We don’t expect any!

Following her ordination, Claire will begin her Curacy at the Cathedral on May 10. God willing, she will be ordained to the priesthood in the months ahead while still serving as the Curate. Please pray for Claire and Micah as they prepare for this important step in their lives as Servants of the Gospel. May 2 will be a day of joyful, hopeful celebration!

2021 LAMBETH AWARD RECIPIENT – THE MOST REVEREND COLIN JOHNSON

The Archbishop of Canterbury recently announced the recipients of the 2021 Lambeth Awards. The awards recognise outstanding contributions to the Church and wider society and the recipients span the globe and the breadth of Church life, and beyond. We would like to congratulate our Honorary Assistant, The Most Reverend Colin Johnson, on being a 2021 Lambeth Award recipient. Archbishop Johnson has been recognized with “The Cross of St. Augustine for Services to the Anglican Communion: for extraordinary efforts and leadership in sustaining communion through initiating ongoing dialogue amongst Bishops across the Anglican Communion – especially Canada, Africa, the UK and the USA – following Lambeth 2008 through to 2020.” Congratulations Archbishop Colin! More information can be viewed here.

AN UPDATE FROM THE WARDENS 

Retort Replacement Project:

We are exceedingly grateful to the Toronto Diocese for approving a grant of $500,000 and a loan of two million dollars to replace the retorts at St. James Cemetery.  As a result, the Environmental Compliance Application package has been submitted, and early demolition work and the removal of mechanical and electrical systems will begin shortly.  The south retort will remain in operation for the time being in order to provide income.

The next steps will involve the architects and engineers completing the Building Permit Application package for submission in early May, followed by the completion of the Request for Tender package.  If all goes according to plan, we expect to schedule a second Special Vestry in mid-June to approve the construction contract and financing arrangements.

Hillside ‘H’ Repair Project:

The Building Permit Application package was submitted in July 2019, which resulted in the Building Permit being issued in March 2020, valid for two years.  Due to the pandemic, the project was put on hold.  We are now pursuing implementation of the project in order to complete it within the period of the Building Permit validity.  Currently we have issued a purchase order to authorize the landscape architect and engineers to complete the Request for Tender.

Lighting Project:

The work to implement the original lighting design has been completed and the lights have been functioning as intended since late 2020.  There is a balance remaining in the project account which the City of Toronto has authorized us to spend on additional lighting.  The architect is preparing specifications for the lighting and the original contractor will do the installation this summer.

Visioning Process:

In early 2020, the Cathedral embarked on a visioning process to evoke a deeper sense of our identity as a parish and cathedral.  Led by the diocesan Director of Congregational Development, Janet Marshall, the original process has been adapted online due to the pandemic.  The Visioning Steering Group, composed of parishioners who showed interest in participating at the original Town Hall meeting in 2020, and leaders from our current ministry, has been involved in the legwork needed to get the process up and running.  The group includes Dean Stephen Vail, Carol Kysela, Chun Lo, Nick Tunnacliffe, Kate Uchendu, Joan Peters, Don Solomon and Jayne Hobbs.

The Visioning Process consists of three steps:

Step 1: Hearing Our Values:

Starting in the Summer of 2020, all members of the congregation were invited to participate in groups by Zoom audio or conference call, to discuss exploratory questions regarding the Cathedral’s core values, visions, and goals.  Parishioners who were unable to attend were encouraged to send in their answers by mail or email.

Five core values emerged: Community and relationships; Authenticity – connections with the Divine; Anglican – identity and heritage; Inclusivity and diversity; Being of service – justice building.

Step 2: Defining the next generation of the Cathedral’s ministry and mission:

In late fall of 2020, three streams of learning were established, with a working group attached to each, with the intent to: Investigate the Cathedral’s relationship with the Diocese of Toronto; Learn about the other church centres of excellence and cathedrals and to seek advice to open our perspective and inspire; Develop a thorough picture of current and forecasted resources and capacity of the Cathedral.

The information from Step 2 will be gathered and synthesized before the end of Spring 2021.

Step 3: Defining the next generation of the Cathedral’s Ministry and Mission:

Once scenarios and options are developed from the information gathered in Step 2, the congregation will be involved in testing the options.

GRIEF SUPPORT INQUIRY

The weight of grief, the isolation of loss, remembering, forgetting, living in an altered reality…

This notice is to determine a sense from the congregation at St. James as to whether a series of small groups for men and women coping with loss and grief would be welcomed in either the near future or sometime later in the year.

The group sessions would be held as virtual or in-person meetings in accordance with applicable pandemic restrictions and would be facilitated by a trained Group Therapist under the auspices of St. James’ clergy.

It would be open to all, regardless of church affiliation, and all discussions would be kept confidential.

Please email your interest to info@stjamescathedral.ca  or leave a message on the clergy line at 416-364-7865, ext. *232.

The Health Council

JOYFUL GIVING

A most sincere Thank You to everyone who has responded to our Joyful Giving mailing. Your generosity and commitment are vital to the life of St. James Cathedral, its mission and outreach to the city.

If you have not yet returned your Giving Card, please take the time to reflect on the request. It is very important to the work of your church, and we are grateful for your consideration.

If you have questions, please click on the Growing Healthy Stewards button on the Cathedral website home page; it will take you to our Joyful Giving page. Thank you.

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.   Matthew 6: 19-21

EMERGENCY SUPPORT FOR ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES 

The Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF) is inviting donations to support the international volcano relief effort in St Vincent. If you are able to make a contribution, please go to pwrdf.org/give-today  and click on “Emergency Response”. You may also call Donor Relations Officer Mike Ziemerink at 416-822-9083 or send a cheque with a memo noting “Volcano relief in St. Vincent” to 80 Hayden Street, Toronto, ON, M4Y 3G2.  We continue to hold the people of St. Vincent and all of the emergency responders in our prayers. For more information, visit the PWRDF website here.

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