Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:7-8)

The ministry of this parish has been entrusted to me. My charge has been to provide pastoral care and leadership, enabling you, the other stewards of God’s many gifts, to fulfil your ministry. The following is my attempt to give an account of my stewardship.

NEW MEMBERS OF THE ADVISORY BOARD & DEPUTY WARDEN

I was pleased to welcome Victoria Mills and Kiara Morrissey (Youth Representatives) and our new Deputy Warden, Leon Wilkes, to the Board. You need to know that they did not just join the team and looked on. They played an active role in our discussions and decision making. I thank them and the other members of Team-St. Stephen for their counsel and faithful service.

PARISH LIFE

Revival & Concert

“Revival 2007" was held on the weekend of May 25 - 26. The theme was Glimpses of Heaven” and the preacher was Pastor Michael Morris of The First Baptist Church of Toronto. As always, those who made the time to attend were blessed.

We ended the weekend with the concert “Tenor @ Twilight”. It lived up to my expectations. I am thankful to all who were a part of the weekend and to those who assisted with the sale of tickets, supervised the parking lot and the door, operated the sound system and videoed the performances. Words fail when we try to comment on the performances of the artistes: featured performer, Colin Norville and his wife, Annette, from Barbados, Greg Carpenter, Joy Lapps, Courtney Bolden, Julian Asiedu and Marc Fields. Referring to the concert, one person wrote “... this brother's voice deserves the world as its stage. Undoubtedly one of the best male voices I have heard in my little lifetime!” Another agreeing added, “…. and the best concert ever held in our church…” It was a wonderful occasion.

The Rector’s Award

The following youth members were nominated for the Rector’s Award. Victoria Mills, Luke Fields, Simone Bartley-Grant, Dike Clarke, and Kiara Morrissey. The proposers articulated the wonderful contributions these fine, young people are making in our parish. The written testimonials were shared with Wardens, Deputy Wardens, and four non-members. They were invited to identify their preferred choice for the award. Luke Fields was chosen as the winner of the 2007 Award.

Fellowship Day (Open Air Eucharist)

Our annual fellowship day was held on Sunday, July 15. As always, the service was followed by a Barbeque. This was another day of community building for our family.

Chalice Bearers

On the advice of the Wardens and the Advisory Board, I sought and received the permission of our Area Bishop for Allan Austin, Nicole DaCosta, Reshawn Jeffers-Hunter, Emmerson Jordan, Martin de Leeuw, Kojo Mensah, Andrew Mills, Andrew Ravindran, Bosun Williams & Leon Wilkes to serve as Chalice Bearers in the Administration of the Eucharist. We thank them for this ministry.

Bishop’s Visit & Confirmation

Our Area Bishop, Bishop Philip Poole, visited us on Sunday, November 4. He administered the Sacrament of Holy Confirmation to Kojo Mensah and baptised four infants. Following the reception in the parish hall, he met with the Wardens, Deputy Wardens and me for a conversation and lunch.

Rainbow Sunday

There are times when we ask members to give over and above their usual efforts. Our financial situation required such an effort during the past year. On Sunday, November 25th, the Feast of the Reign of Christ, which was also the 51st anniversary of the Dedication of our Church, members made their “rainbow offering”. This gift totalled $2,452.

Talents

This year, just nine (9) members/families accepted the challenge of our annual Talent Project ($20). Eight (8) of these with an investment of $160, realised $1,975, an increase of over 1,100% in eight months. (This outstrips Bay Street & Wall Street!!). Indeed, this is a parable of the possible. Thanks to Sonia Bartley, Kameel Budhwa, Lucy Fields, Angila Gonsalves, Fitzgerald & Cameo Grant, Nellie Greenidge, Rita John and Leroy Paterson for this act of witness.

New Servers

Following a time of preparation by Kari Marcelle, we admitted Jerron & Lachelle Cox, Kanier Hodge, Petrona Hucthinson, George Quarcoo and Alyia Whyte as the newest members of our Servers’ Guild. They join, Julian Asiedu, Philip Cadogan, Hyacinth Edghill, Luke Fields, Courtney & Nicolas Gonsalves, Margaret Hurdle, Marcus Hutchinson, Fenton (JR) & Matthew Jagdeo, Lauren Linton and Jason Ramessar in ministry at the Altar. I am grateful for the interest which these eighteen members demonstrate by their commitment to this very important ministry.

Our Music

Music continues to be an integral part of our life at St. Stephen’s. Complementing our two assisting organists is a trio of enthusiastic musicians, Courtney Bolden, Marc Fields and Julian Asiedu. These three bring an exciting dimension to our worship experience. I know I speak for the entire congregation and visitors when I say we are blessed by their music ministry. Other parishes would be happy to have them as part of their family. We are glad they are a part of ours!!

Members’ Collects

In the Fall, I preached a two-part series on “Prayer”. One aspect of that series was the provision of the basic structure of a “Collect”. This was done with the intention of encouraging members to write their “collect” to be used on Sundays during the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, in addition to “The Collect for The Day”. Members have accepted the challenge and have done quite well. I thank them for this wonderful experience of being allowed a glimpse into their prayer life. The response from members, on hearing these prayers, has been encouraging.

Second Fridays

Recognising that we are called not only to pray but to play, to build community, we have started “Second Fridays. This is a time for us to come together and to get to know each other in a relaxed atmosphere for fun and games and other activities. Members are enjoying this monthly experience playing dominoes, table-tennis, card games and, generally, just having fun.

Day Away

On Saturday, December 1st (10 a.m. - 4 p.m.), members of the Advisory Board, youth and other interested parishioners attended a day of reflection entiled “God Delights in You” at the convent of the Sisters of St. John the Divine. Our day was led by Sister Anitra. We were quite satisfied with the day and hope to have a similar experience this year. Following is a list of those who attended.

Ellen Asiedu	Marie Green	Kari Marcelle
Frances Asiedu	Nellie Greenidge	Ericka Martin
Courtney Bolden	Elizabeth Hardcastle	Patricia McIntosh-Keyi
Bev Brown	Fanella Hodge	Kiara Morrissey
Lucy Fields	Emmerson Jordan	Foster Odlum
Stephen Fields	Christopher Kelly	Maraval Odlum
Cameo Grant	Dophnia Lindsay	Doreen Russell
Fitzgerald Grant	Collis Machoko	Jean Stewart

THE WIDER CHURCH AND COMMUNITY

STUDENTS IN TRAINING FOR THE ORDAINED MINISTRY

Kari Marcelle: In September, Kari Marcelle, organist, and theological student at Wycliffe College, began his internship program with us.The general intention of his time is four-fold: to

• Develop his preaching skills
• Acquire practice in planning liturgical celebrations
• Train members to assist in the liturgy
• To interact with youth around issues relating to liturgy

His Parish Teaching Committee is lead by Fenton Jagdeo and includes Allan Austin, Christopher Kelly, Fr. Collis Machoko and Maraval Odlum. I thank them for their support in this very important piece of work.

Christopher Kelly: We also welcomed Chris to our parish. He has completed his training in seminary and is now a postulant for the Diocese. Our parish provides another context for his training as he continues to engage in his priestly formation.

ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON POSTULANTS FOR ORDINATION (APRIL 9-22)

I was again invited to serve as an assessor for the Spring session of the Advisory Committee on Postulants for Ordination (ACPO) of the Ecclesiastical Province of Ontario. I deem it a privilege and honor to share with other clergy from across the province in assisting individuals with the discernment of their call to priestly ministry.

CANADIAN-CARIBBEAN LITERARY EXPO (JUNE 1)

We were pleased to be one of the partners of this year’s Canadian-Caribbean Literary Expo, an event organized by the Caribbean Consular Corps here in Toronto, and to host one of the events on June 1. Constance Kendall, one of our members, was one of the presenters in the program, “Slave Testimonies”.

PREACHING ENGAGEMENT – ST. MICHAEL’S 100TH ANNIVERSARY

I was happy to be the preacher in June at St. Michael and All Angels as they celebrated their 100th anniversary. It was at “St. Mike’s” where I spent three years learning more about the Canadian church.

THE JANE-FINCH CHURCH COALITION

With the support of the Wardens, our church joined in a covenant with The Jane-Finch Church Coalition. The Coalition, with partners that include Agape Ministries, Lisle Memorial Baptist Church, Friendship Community Church, Toronto City Mission and World Vision, seeks to provide

• Specific opportunities for members of the congregation to engage in ministry
• Resources to help assess community needs and develop church projects and/or volunteer networks
• Screening, training, and support for Church volunteers
• Regular communication through the Church Coalition Coordinator
• Accountability for financial and volunteer resources

We, for our part agreed to

• Be a part of joint-ministry programs that best meet the needs of at-risk youth and their families within the Jane-Finch community.
• Release a member of our church to sit on a governing leadership board that will meet regularly. This individual will also ensure representation within our church congregation.
• Provide volunteers to help deliver the programs being developed.
• Provide financial support for the ministry.
• Be a part of the communication network that will share program opportunities and best practices.

SAME GENDER BLESSINGS & GENERAL SYNOD

Letters were written to the Bishops and General Synod of the Anglican Church in Canada expressing our concerns about the process recommended by the Council of General Synod to resolve the issue of Same Gender Blessings. Members were invited to sign a petition which was sent to the Chancellor of The Anglican Church. The following was sent to The Ven. Michael Pollesel, General Secretary of The Anglican Church of Canada.

Dear Archdeacon Pollesel,
I write on behalf of the Wardens, Advisory Board and people of The Church of St. Stephen, Downsview, in the Diocese of Toronto.
We are concerned about the current situation that exists in our communion. The very thought of a schism that will destroy the expression of Anglicanism as we know it today is very painful for us, many of whom were reared and nurtured in this part of the mystical Body of Christ, or have over the years made it our spiritual home.
Blessing or not blessing same-gendering unions has nothing to do with our salvation. It is has a lot to do with our future as a church. It is for this reason that we ask you to circulate this letter to the House of Bishops and members of General Synod.
The Report from the recent meeting of the Council of General Synod (CoGS) indicated that a majority of CoGS members decided that a canonical change “set the bar too high,” and would create an impasse in a church already exhausted with the divisive issue that has dragged on for decades. We are concerned that CoGS has chosen to make this recommendation. Nor do we believe that the fear of an impasse should be the reason for such a decision. It is clear that CoGS recognises that the church is not ready to deal with this matter by way of a vote.
It has been said that there is precedence for this recommendation. We believe that where such an approach may have been taken in the past, the nature of the issue was not one that cuts, as this one does, to the heart of our unity. Even though, this is not a canonical change, the nature of the issue bears as much weight (if not more) as any canon which requires a two-thirds majority vote to become law in our Church.
It has been suggested that the reason for lowering the bar on this issue was in response to perception that it may be difficult to secure the two-thirds majority in all three houses. If this is so, it constitutes an effort to manage the vote in a manner that, as stated earlier, not only denies the view of the greater majority (the accepted two-thirds) but also raises serious questions regarding not only the integrity of General Synod, but also that of the church as a whole.
We ask General Synod to consider this question. How can we, as a church, challenge government, the private sector, or any other institution to honour their rules and regulations and bring justice to bear in all their dealings, when our governing body chooses to change the rules to determine a desired outcome?
As a parish, we have complied with the canons and constitution of our diocese. We encourage members to be faithful and honest in their dealings. We call on General Synod to do the same.

Yours in Christ,
The Rev’d. Canon Stephen Fields (Incumbent)
on behalf of the Wardens, Advisory Board and people of St. Stephen’s, Downsview
copy: The Toronto College of Bishops

The following reply was received from the Anglican Church of Canada

Dear Canon Fields: I acknowledge your letter of May 18 and accompanying petition which were sent on to me from Church House. I am asking the General Secretary to treat the petition as a memorial to General Synod and have suggested that he copy the four paragraphs of text for distribution to the members of Synod identified as a memorial from 149 members of your parish. (Ronald C. Stevenson)

OPERATION CONNECTION: Community Building

Our Diocesan Bishop during his charge to the regular session of Synod challenged us to “grow our church by 2 %” over the next year. He suggested that the kind of community we have would surely inspire such growth.
In response to this challenge, and in light of the development at the old Workers Compensation property and our general neighbourhood, I sought the expertise of a Public Relations consultant, Mr. Bruce Ramsay, and asked Fenton Jagdeo and Marie Green (Youth Minister) to work with us to develop our outreach project, Operation Connection.
Our initial budget for the project was at $6,000. We applied to the episcopal area office for funding support in the amount of $5,000. We were allocated $2,000. Since we did not receive the full amount of what we requested, we have adjusted the budget and will pursue the project on a reduced scale. It is our hope to begin the project prior to Easter.

HUMBER RIVER REGIONAL HOSPITAL UPDATE

Last year, I reported about my work with the Humber River Hospital Coalition concerning the relocation of the hospital at Finch Avenue and Highway 400. We went to Queen’s Park and, with the support of the NDP, presented government with our signed petitions requesting community consultations on the proposal. During the summer, it was announced that the new hospital will be built on the lands at Keele and Wilson. The Coalition continues to meet to monitor health and social concerns on our neighbourhood.

SERVING THE DIOCESE

I continue to serve the diocese as a member of the Agenda Committee (for Synod), The Canon Advisory Committee to the Diocesan Bishop (on issues relating clergy discipline) and Diocesan Council. More recently, I was invited by the Diocesan Bishop to serve on the newly established Executive Board of the Council.

PERSONAL CARE AND DEVELOPMENT

SPIRITUAL DIRECTION

During the year, I decided to set aside one day every month (every second Tuesday) when I can be intentional about my spiritual life. I have made arrangements with the Sisters of St. John the Divine to spend the day in their community and to receive Spiritual Direction.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Emmaus: During the year I was afforded three opportunities for professional development. In the first instance, the Area Bishop, Bishop Poole, invited all Incumbents and Priests-in-Charge to Kempenfelt Centre for a time away. I attended the first of two sessions in October. Our theme was “Emmaus”.
Preaching: The second opportunity was The St. Clement’s College for Excellence in Preaching, from November 5 to 8 at The Queen of the Apostles, Mississauga. This was a very intense session, having to prepare three sermons in the four days.
World Vision Training Workshops: A useful bonus came by way of the Downsview Youth Covenant. As we prepared to establish the partnership with World Vision Canada (see Youth Minister’s Report), I was engaged in three useful workshops relating to program development, implementation and fundraising.

THE MAIN AGENDA ITEM

The theme of our Vestry meeting this year is Stewardship: Our Way of Life. Stewardship, put simply, is the response of one who is given the responsibility for the care of another’s property. Perhaps the confidence demonstrated by the property owner would have been based on years of a deep trust. Interestingly enough, God did not wait to develop any deep trust in God’s creatures. From the very beginning, God entrusted the care of the created world to humankind. We have responded in ways that have not impressed God. Yet there are times we have exceeded all expectations. (excerpt from my Lenten Letter for 2008)
One of the joys in preparing this report, and reading the reports of others, is the fact that there are times when we do exceed expectations. I know that the heart of God is pleased. I am also pleased to share a bit about my work since last Vestry and to encourage you who have been sharing the load, “not to be weary in well-doing” and to invite those who choose to sit on the sidelines to join in this divinely lead and inspired work. Frankly, if it is your desire to be faithful to your call to be Christian, “sitting on the sidelines” is NOT AN OPTION.
Let us use the time allotted for the examination of our theme in this Vestry to take a hard look at our selves. Let us identify the gifts with which we are endowed, hear what the Bible tells us about the responsibilities which come with these gifts and determine, with the help of the Holy Spirit, how we will respond as we look to the future.

THANKS

As I prepared this report, I discovered, again, how blessed I am to be afforded the opportunity to serve among such a faithful community. I recognise the many persons who enable me to fulfil my ministry and the many more who uphold me in their prayers.
A special word of “thanks” and congratulations to our secretary, Gina Carter, who is now in her twenty-fifth year with us. Gina has contributed immensely to this ministry and we give God thanks for her work. We were pleased to celebrate with her and her family at the Evening of Elegance.
To everyone, please accept my thanks for your ministry to me.

Your friend and priest,
Canon Stephen  +

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