E-Connections – July 28, 2021

Welcome Back!

We are very pleased to welcome you back to in-person worship services at St. James Cathedral. All of us have experienced difficulties during the pandemic, including separation, isolation and anxiety, so it is wonderful to be able to reunite as a community of faith.

We want to express our sincere and deepest appreciation to all who have supported St. James financially through this unusual time. Thanks to you, our outreach services were able to continue, although in a more restricted form. Our Drop-In, for example, moved outside and served 9,380 meals during COVID. Similarly, our education service moved to Zoom, but it too carried on. None of this could have happened without your ongoing support – thank you!

Thanks to the Diocese of Toronto and its underwriting of the necessary technical support, we were able to present Sunday services on-line.

Coming Together Again

As we reopen, however, your continued gifts for our essential ministries will become even more essential. Our revenue streams, particularly those from St. James Cemetery, from building rentals and the usual gifts from our many visitors, remain compromised.

The wage subsidy the Cathedral received from the Federal Government during the pandemic concludes at the end of September, and we must find the funds to replace it.

Moreover, as you know, we do not receive any government funding or any outside support for maintenance or programming. Going forward, we need your generous gifts to maintain the Cathedral and continue our mission, outreach, and pastoral care. If you can increase your level of support, that would be most helpful, but any over and above gift you can make will be greatly appreciated.

We look forward to greeting you in person. A most sincere Welcome Back!

The Very Reverend Stephen Vail, Rector of St. James Cathedral & Dean of Toronto
Joan Peters – People’s Warden
Jayne Hobbs – Rector’s Warden

 

The Drop-In

It is unfortunate that the Drop-In was not able to have its annual Canada Day BBQ this year but that does not mean that St. James Cathedral Outreach wasn’t busy! We continue to try to support our guests and communities in different ways. First, on Monday, June 28, Kathy Biasi and Drop-In volunteer Elizabeth Bishenden picked up water donated by “The Water Project”. It is organized by “The Bargains Group” every summer so people who have limited to no means can stay hydrated throughout the hot summer months. This year the Outreach Program increased our request by 5 cases to 40 cases.

 

          

 

 

 

 

 

Also, St. James Cathedral’s Outreach Program, in collaboration with Sherbourne Health Bus, offered vaccination shots for a second time on Tuesday, June 29 from 1:00 to 3:00pm. Everyone who came by were welcomed to get a shot of Moderna whether it was their first or second. They vaccinated 33 people in total. This included Drop-In guests.

The Drop-In will continue to provide healthy nutritious meals in a take-out format twice a week until the emergency protocols have ended. Once the protocols have ended, the Drop-In will be returning to a weekly meal, on a new day, every Friday from 1:30 to 3:30pm. The opening of the Drop-In will be determined by the guidelines and protocols that are provided by Toronto Public Health and the Anglican Diocese of Toronto.

 

Organ Console Donation

Last month, Dean Stephen announced that a very special donation had come in to cover the cost of replacing our Organ Console. The donation was made in memory of and to honour Canon Shafeek A. Farah. Here is a little more about Canon Farah.

Canon Shafeek A. Farah was born on October 17,1923 in Shafa’Amr, a town in Galilee close to Nazareth, Palestine.  On June 24, 1924, he was baptized at St. Paul’s Anglican Church in his hometown, dedicated in 1873.

Canon Farah received his BA in Religion from the American University, his M. Divinity and Masters in Sacred Theology from the Near East School of Theology, both in Beirut, Lebanon. He was ordained a priest in the Diocese of Jerusalem in 1954 at St. George’s Cathedral. His first parish was St. Philip’s in Nablus, West Bank of Jordan (where Jesus encountered the woman at the well). He went on to serve parishes in Ramallah-Palestine, Beirut-Lebanon, and Amman-Jordan. He also served as the Secretary of Christian Education for the Near East Council of Churches prior to immigrating to Canada.

In 1963 Canon Farah represented the Diocese of Jerusalem at the Anglican World Congress in Toronto. Needless to say, he fell in love with the city and its people. In 1974 he and his family immigrated to Canada and he instantly became a proud Canadian.

He served the Diocese of Toronto as a supply priest.  In September of 1978, he became the incumbent of the Church of the Annunciation, North York, where he served until he retired.

Canon Farah had a rich life of service in the church both in the Middle East and Canada. He felt at home in any Christian community across the globe, a reflection of the joy and love that Jesus brought into his life. His son Peter, attributes his success to his father’s guidance, conduct and his love of life and giving.

Canon Farah appreciated the music in the liturgy. The first thing he did at the Annunciation was to start an organ fund in order to purchase a new instrument.  He also established a good choir to enhance the church’s services.

He attended many services at the Cathedral and officiated at some, one of which was Peter’s wedding.

Peter is thrilled to honour his father by donating funds to cover the full cost of building a new console for the Cathedral organ. It is a great way to honour his father, and to enrich and touch the lives of so many people who enter and worship at the Cathedral and beyond.

May this donation serve as a blessing from a humble priest from a small village in Palestine to the Anglican Cathedral in Toronto, Canada. We are all one in faith and hope.

 

CONNECTING WITH ST. JAMES 

WORSHIP WITH US

SUNDAYS

Join us for in-person services at 8:00am and 10:00am
Registration is required and is available on our website here.
Due to the Civic Holiday on Monday, August 2, registration for services on Sunday, August 8 will open on Tuesday, August 3.
The 10:00am service will continue to be live-streamed on the Diocesan YouTube channel.

SUNDAY COFFEE HOUR
Both in-person and virtual Coffee Hours are suspended for the time being, but please say hello on the West Lawn as you leave!

WEDNESDAYS
Mid-Week Eucharist: Wednesdays at 9:30am in Snell Hall.
No need to pre-register, but we’ll have a sign-in sheet when you arrive.

CONTINUING EACH WEEK

• Sermon Discussion Group on Zoom with The Reverend Dr. 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 sessions take place on Wednesday, July 28 at 4:00pm; Tuesday, August 3 at 7:30pm and Wednesday, August 11 at 4:00pm.

 

Silencing of the Bells 

On Wednesdays, the bells will remain silent all day to remember the children who were silenced or harmed by the residential school system. We are also providing a list of resources that provide opportunities to pray, learn and act. You can find that on our website at  https://stjamescathedral.ca/truthandreconciliation/. Opportunities that arise will also be shared on our Facebook page. We hope that you can set aside some time each Wednesday to use the resources we provide to learn more about truth and reconciliation, and to pray for all impacted by harms of the past.

 

CLERGY HOLIDAYS

Dean Stephen Vail is on holiday, returning September 3.

During his absence, The Reverend Canon Beth Benson will be looking after pastoral concerns. You can reach her at bbenson@stjamescathedral.ca.

Canon Beth will be away August 6-11.

During her absence, please contact The Reverend Claire Latimer-Dennis at clatimerdennis@stjamescathedral.ca for pastoral concerns.

If you know anyone who would benefit from a call from our pastoral care team, please be in touch.

 

CIVIC HOLIDAY

The Cathedral clergy and staff will be off for the Civic Holiday on Monday, August 2.

 

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 August 3 when we welcome back Nick Veltmeyer, the Cathedral’s past Wayne Vance Organ Scholar! The concerts will be presented via the Cathedral Choir Facebook page, 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.

Did you miss an Organ Recital? You can still access it on the Cathedral Choir’s Facebook page.

Organ Recital Schedule

Tuesdays at 1:00pm via the Cathedral Choir Facebook page
August 3: Nick Veltmeyer (past Wayne Vance Organ Scholar at St. James Cathedral)

*Please note: The September recital takes place on the second Tuesday of the month.
September 14: Gordon Mansell (Music Director and Organist at Our Lady of Sorrows Church)

 

Surprised by the Spirit

Anglicans across Canada have been invited to gather in small groups to reflect on what we have experienced and discovered in our churches and in our personal lives over the past year in the pandemic. We are organizing a series of conversations over the next several weeks around prayer, scripture reflection and shared stories. Our next session is today, July 28th from 10:00-11:00am, and we’ll be spending time reflecting on outreach and mission. Email clatimerdennis@stjamescathedral.ca  for the Zoom link.

 

Summer Reading Groups

Looking for some good fiction to read this summer? Join Reverend Claire in reading the second of two novels.

On August 22, we’ll discuss Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin, the story of a teenage boy living in Harlem in the 1930s, his family, and their church. This particular book is consistent with the Anti-Racism Vestry motion to read books together by authors of African descent, so we hope you’ll consider joining the discussion.

Please email clatimerdennis@stjamescathedral.ca if you’re interested in reading one or both of the books!

 

Talking about Music – A Series of Recorded Interviews

Music plays a vital part in our worship. Our Music Director, Thomas Bell, has begun a series where he will be speaking to individuals who have extensive experience of the musical life of our church.  His recorded interview with Marshall Pynkoski C.M. is now posted on the St. James Cathedral Choir Facebook page.  Marshall is Co-Artistic Director of Opera Atelier with his partner, Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg C.M. This wide-ranging discussion covered many interesting topics: liturgy, drama, and the recent Opera Atelier production of Handel’s The Resurrection.

 

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