I am pleased to be presenting this report at the beginning of the 50th year of our ministry in this community. We stand in a long line of witnesses who, since the 1950’s, have made this place their spiritual home. It was in 1953 that parents, concerned for the spiritual nurture of their children and hearing the call of God to raise up walls of faith, gathered in the home of Percy and Celia Watts to draw up plans for a Sunday School. We are still blessed with the presence of some those founding members. Their passion and love for this community has not been diminished by the passage of time. To them and all who laid these foundations and built these walls, we owe a great depth of gratitude. The pages of this report bear testimony to the fact that we, the beneficiaries of their “testament of love”, are committed to ensuring that these doors remain opened and these walls remain standing for the many years to come.
Last year, we benefited from the mutual evaluation of our ministry through the Together In Ministry survey. In that exercise, you reviewed my ministry among you through six categories: Sacramental and Worship Ministry, Prophet and Evangelist, Pastor, Teacher, Ministry Leader and Personal and Professional Life. In this report, I have attempted to review my ministry during 2002 using these categories.
Services Survey: In my Report to Vestry in 2002, I indicated that
there would have been some changes in the nature and form of worship each Sunday. The two
significant changes were the Service of Mattins on the second Sunday and a Service
of Praise and Worship on fourth Sundays. In introducing these services, I said "by
using the Office of Morning Prayer, we will engage in an act of worship which is unique to
Anglicans. The variation on the traditional order of the Eucharist will allow us to be
more creative in this service. The Order for Praise and Worship will provide for a greater
spontaneity of the Spirit and greater involvement". My report also stated that
this decision would have been reviewed following a survey of the membership at the end of
June. The results of the survey showed overwhelming support for both services. Of the 58
responses (100 distributed), 43 recommended that Mattins be continued and 54
recommended that we continue the Service of Praise and Worship. Following a
suggestion in the Advisory Board, it was decided that the service of Mattins will
be combined with The Sacrament of Holy Communion on the second Sunday. I want to thank all
who took the time to respond to the survey.
Music at 9:00 a.m. Service: In response to suggestions received
during the Together In Ministry evaluation, the organist gladly agreed to accompany
the music of the 9:00 a.m. congregation once a month. This was started in September.
Children’s Sunday: During the month of April, the members
of the Sunday School took leading roles in the service. On that day, we dedicated their
new bibles which were given by members, following an appeal. A major donation was made in
memory of the late Rev’d. Dr. Romney Moseley, a Caribbean priest who was a former
Associate Professor at Trinity College, University of Toronto. These were presented by Mr.
Dan Bancroft, one of our former auditors.
Revival 2002:
Our third Parish Revival was another wonderful
experience of the Holy Spirit. We were again treated to a season of good preaching, music
and fellowship. The Reverend Denise Gillard spoke to us on the theme "My House
Must Be Filled". We concluded our weekend with a well attended concert. The
artistes were Voix Antillaises, REECH, The Toronto Children Concert Choir and the Phil
Farrell Jazz Trio. My sincere thanks are tendered to The Organist (Arlene), members of
the choir, Steve Clarke and all who played a part in ensuring a successful weekend.
Seniors’ Sunday
: once again we observed Seniors’
Sunday on May 5.
Healing Service:
Sunday, October 20th was the day
of our Healing Service. Fr. Von Watson, a priest visiting from the Diocese of Barbados,
was our guest preacher.
Bishop’s Visit:
Our Area Bishop, The Rt. Rev’d. Ann
Tottenham made her pastoral visit to our parish on Sunday, November 2. She administered
the sacrament of Holy Baptism to four children.
Remembrance Sunday:
On Remembrance Sunday, we remembered the
sacrifices of the war dead and our departed loved ones. During this service, the speaker
was Commander Hugh McEwen, a parishioner and member of our Advisory Board. Members were
very positive in their comments about the celebration, in general, and the address, in
particular.
Readers’ Workshop:
Members and prospective members of the
Readers’ Guild were invited to a Readers’ Workshop during the month of May.
This workshop was lead by Ann Saxton a resource person in the Diocese. 45 persons attended
the workshop which was coordinated by Connie Kendall.
Chalice Bearers: Permission was sought and received from the
Bishop for the following persons to administer the Chalice during Holy Communion.
Sonia Bartley
Steve Clarke
Collette Clarke
Jacqueline Daley
Hyacinth Edghill
Jennifer Fowler
Courtney Gonsalves
Nellie Greenidge
Valan Hunte
Beverley Hunte
Iris Linton
Kwame Mensah
Sonja Odlum
Leroy Patterson
Margaret Quarcoo
Cerlene Walker
Unie Williams
New Vestments:
When I came to the parish in 1996. I discovered
that the parish owned one red chasuble and one white cope. In addition to them, I used my
personal vestments. Desiring to provide the parish with its own set of Eucharistic
vestments, I appealed to members to contribute to the cost. Several members responded
generously. We acquired three new chasubles, white, green and purple. Once again, the
church owns a set of vestments (excluding the blue).
Dedication of Plaque (Sackville, Toronto): On May 29, 2002, I was
given the honour of saying the prayer of dedication of a plaque to mark the home of two
slaves, Thornton and Lucie Blackburn, who traveled on the Underground Railroad to Canada.
After escaping slavery, the Blackburns lived in Amherstburg until 1834, when they moved
further from the American border to the newly incorporated City of Toronto. They built
their home on what are now the grounds of the old Sackville Street School. Two years
later, with enough capital to start their own business, Thornton recognized a need for
short-distance transportation services. The Blackburns had a hackney cab built, painted it
red and yellow, and called it "The City." Drawn by a single horse, their cab not
only became a well-known sight on the streets, but also provided a good living for the
couple. This was the first taxi cab company in Upper Canada. By the time Thornton
Blackburn retired in the 1860's, he had enough savings to comfortably support himself and
Lucie in their retirement.
The Caribbean Chorale of Toronto:
In my capacity as Chaplain
to The Caribbean Chorale of Toronto, I coordinated an overnight retreat for The Chorale
from June 7-8, 2002 at the Salvation Army Conference Centre, Jackson’s Point.
Who’s Who In Black Canada:
I have been given the honour
of being is featured in the first edition of Who’s Who In Black Canada, a
directory listing of 705 Black Canadian professionals from all sectors including business,
medicine, research, education, the arts, government, religion, science and technology. The
book was launched on November 28th at the Toronto Board of Trade.
University Research Project: I was invited by a
research team from York University, Ryerson University, Dalhousie University and the
University of Alberta to a member of the Reference Group for a research project entitled
"Racism, Violence and Health". The project will work with African Canadian
communities to study the impact of violence, including the violence of racism, on their
health and well-being. My role, as a member of the Reference Group, will be to assist the
research team with planning and facilitating community forums, advising on the
administration of the survey. I represent one of the many organizations and groups in the
community.
375 Years of Anglicanism:
I convened a committee which planned
a Service of Thanksgiving to celebrate 375 years of Anglicanism in the island of Barbados.
The service was held on Sunday, September 29th in St. James' Cathedral. The
preacher was The Rt. Rev'd. Dr. John Holder, Bishop of Barbados. Several members of our
parish attended.
Diocesan Council:
I continue to serve as a member of the
Diocesan Council as an appointee by the Archbishop.
Diocesan Chaplaincy Committee:
I represent the Area of The
Credit Valley as a member of the Chaplaincy Committee of the Diocese. This committee
supports the work of Chaplains in the hospitals and other institutions where they serve.
Trinity College
: I continue to assist the Dean and staff of
Trinity College in the planning of the annual Romney Moseley Memorial Lectures.
Conference on Afro-Anglicanism (2005)
: At the end of 2002, I
was invited to organize a Toronto Committee to assist in the organizing of the third
Conference on Afro-Anglicanism. This conference, a gathering of Afro-Anglicans from around
the world, is held every ten years. The first was held in 1985 in Barbados, while the
second was held in 1995 in Capetown, South Africa.
The Internet: Using the Internet, I communicate at least once a
week (at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/saintstephenstoronto) with 50 members. Using this
forum, I share reflections on scripture and other devotional material.
Rector’s Award: This award (a trophy and cash
prize of $200) is given to the student who demonstrates a deep commitment to the
service of God and the Church. The nominees for the 2002 award were Marc Fields,
Tristan Paul and Quincy McPhie. After consultation with the Wardens and Chair of the
Advisory Board, Quincy McPhie was announced as the winner of award at the Youth Day
celebration.
Student Assistant: Jacqueline Daley, our Christian
Education coordinator, has made the decision to enter the process that leads to
ordination. She is a student at Wycliffe College. She has chosen to do her required
"field placement" with us. I am supervising her work. Our role is that of a
"teaching parish". In this regard, a "Teaching Parish Committee",
comprising Collette Clarke (Convenor), Connie Kendall, Nellie Greenidge, Candice Laidlow,
Barnabas Emenogu and Fr. Oscar Agard has been appointed to "reflect with her on
the issues, questions and struggles of her ministry". A "commissioning
service" for Jacqueline and the committee was held on Sunday, October 6. Please
continue to support Jacqueline in your prayers.
Christian Education Coordinator: Jacqueline Daley has volunteered
to coordinate the various aspects of our Christian Education program. I am happy to note
that this offer came following her witnessing our 2002 Vestry meeting, as a new member,
and the fact that it was made very clear, through the Together In Ministry report and in
our response with the increased budgetary provision for Christian Education, that we
wanted to address the gaps in our Christian Education program.
Lenten Study: Our Lenten Study was a series entitled
"Learning To Pray, Learning To Pray, Again". Sessions included Connie on
Prayer (Connie Kendall), The Prayers of the Psalmists (Fr. Oscar Agard) Prayer
in the Old Testament and The Prayer of Jesus (Jacqueline Daley), The Basics
of Christian Prayer (self) and Some Practical Issues in Prayer. These sessions
during Lent were, in my view, a tremendous success and wonderful experience of sharing and
learning. The series ended with an all night vigil on Maundy Thursday night. My thanks to
Connie, Jacqueline and Fr. Oscar who shared with me in presenting this series.
Circle Of Prayer And Study (COPAS): COPAS is a
gathering for all members who are interested in Prayer, Bible and other forms of
theological reflection. This new Christian Education opportunity which usually happens
every Tuesday was launched after Easter with a four week series entitled "Finding
Faith Beyond Hope" lead by Fr. Isaac Kawuki-Mukasa, a diocesan program consultant
and author of the book, "Sojourner". From Whitsunday until the end of the
year, we studied the book of The Acts of The Apostles. We were happy to welcome a
member of our neighbourhood (not a parishioner) to our circle. Unfortunately, not many
parishioners have availed themselves of this wonderful experience.
Confirmation Class: During the Fall, thirteen (13)
young people indicated an interest in being prepared to receive the Sacrament of Holy
Confirmation. They were formally admitted to the Catechumenate on Sunday, December 1. The
candidates are Julian Asiedu, Marlon Bobbsemple, Carolina & Claudia Castro, Luke
Fields, Lauren Linton, Ethel & Orphtee Quarcoo, Leland Rammesar, Alexandra &
Monique Richards, Frank & Rawle Stoute. Holy Confirmation will be administered on
Sunday, November 2, 2003. Please keep them in your prayers.
50th Anniversary: Following our last Vestry Meeting, I
invited Jenifer Fowler to chair the planning committee for this celebration. The other
members of the committee are: Hugh McEwen, Fanella Hodge, Constance Kendall, Jacqueline
Daley, Arlene August and I. The committee has been asked to organize an Awards Banquet, a
Youth Celebration, Concert, a Parish Fun Day, produce a Souvenir Journal, Photo Directory,
anniversary souvenirs, a Jubilee Vigil, a Memorial Mass and a Jubilee Mass.
Area Ministry Day: Members of the Advisory Board and general
congregation were encouraged to attend the annual Credit Valley Area Ministry Day in
April. This meeting is an opportunity for us to meet with other Anglicans in our area and
explore issues which relate to our work and ministry. This year’s theme was "Called
to be Ministers".
Personal Loss: My family received the sad news of the sudden
passing of my wife’s grandmother in Barbados at the beginning of May. We were touched
by the loving support we received from fellow members. For this, we remain full of
gratitude.
Visit to New York: During the month of October, I
was invited to share in 10th anniversary celebration of The St. Cecelia Chorale
of Brooklyn, New York. This choir presented a concert during our first revival.
Black History Month: We at St. Stephen’s continue to be very
involved in annual service celebrating The Black Heritage of Our Church with the
enthusiastic leadership of Nellie Greenidge. Once again, members were a part of the Mass
Choir, under the direction of our organist, Arlene August.. In addition, Lauren Linton
(acolyte), Ravindran Veerasingham (Chalice Bearer) and his daughter, Ashanthi (elements
bearer) had a role to play in the service.
Wedding: During the Spring, our secretary, Gina Carter and Stan
Boyd were married. On Sunday (June 16th) we gave them a gift in celebration of
the occasion. We wish them many more years of happiness together.
50th Anniversary Celebration: I invite every member to
share in the celebration of our 50th anniversary to the maximum. The planning
committee continues to work hard on this project. They will continue to keep us informed
as the year progresses. The Committee’s report may be found elsewhere in this Vestry
Report.
Christian Education: I look forward to the work of the Christian
Education Committee during the course of this year. It is vital for us to learn more about
our Church and our faith. Their report will outline this year’s plans. I also
encourage members to support the work of the Sunday School, where good Christian habits
shaped and where Christian growth is nurtured. Let us not neglect our own personal
Christian growth and development.
Diocesan Screening Policy: Our Diocese is developing a screening
policy to ensure the provision of a safe environment for all who benefit from our
ministrations. Please see the information with follows this report. I have provided a
brief excerpt from the draft.
THANKS
I would never be able to fulfil my ministry in our parish or beyond
without the support of the members of our community. To the Wardens, Advisory Board, Youth
Ministry and Christian Education Leaders, Parish Secretary and Volunteers, Organist and
Choir, Servers and other Eucharistic Ministers, ALL who support our ministry, my wife,
Lucy, and sons, Marc and Luke, I offer my heartfelt thanks and pray your continued prayers
and support as I continued to uphold you in my personal prayers.
