ORDER OF WORSHIP FOR BUSINESS
The Annual Parish Meeting
of
The Church of St. Stephen
Sunday, February 19, 2006
10:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
THE GATHERING OF THE COMMUNITY
10:00 a.m. Introit Hymn: They’ll Know We Are Christians
Greeting
The Collect for Purity
Approval of The Agenda
The Minutes
Hymn of Praise: 3 – Holy, Holy, Holy
THE LITURGY OF THE WORD
10:15 a.m. Old Testament: Isaiah 43:18-25
Financial Statements
Election of the Auditor
10:35 a.m. Gradual Hymn: 268 (RB) – Lead Us Heavenly Father
The Holy Gospel: St. Mark 2:1-12
Reception/Discussion of All Reports
Election of Officers
10:50 a.m. The Nicene Creed
The Main Item: Becoming A More Welcoming Community
(Deo Moreno)
11:50 a.m. The Prayers of The People
The Confession, Absolution & Peace
THE LITURGY OF THE SACRAMENT
12:00 a.m. Offertory Hymn: 65 – Stand Up And Bless The Lord
The Budget
12:15 p.m. Prayer over The Gifts
Eucharistic Prayer & The Lord's Prayer
The Fraction & Communion
LUNCH
THE DISMISSAL RITE
1:00 p.m. Post Communion Prayer
Other Business
Election Results
Motion of Thanks
1:20 p.m. The Blessing
Recessional Hymn: 682 – Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah
1:30 p.m. Dismissal
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Wardens' Report
Jesus said, ‘On this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not
prevail against it.’
In the year 2005, we as members of The Church of St. Stephen had more than our fair share of ‘hell prevailing against us.’ The demographics of our church tell it all; if we were to construct a graph depicting the area of the various crime scenes each year, it would prove we are physically located in the midst of the ‘gates of hell’.
As gun violence rocked the city of Toronto last year, the effects were felt in our church community as we were deeply shaken on two occasions. The first time was when Shaquan Cadougan , the four-year old grandson of one of our parishioners became a victim, as did Dillan Anderson, a past member of our HomeWork Club, who unfortunately is on record as the first person to die from our community as a result of gun violence on January 1st 2006. We also reflect with much sadness as we lost two of our stalwart members as a result of on-going sickness leading to death – Alberta Allen and Jean Philip – may their souls rest in peace.
The problems we face as a congregation are universal, some of us are under great financial strain, some are struggling with serious health issues, among us are parishioners dealing with very serious domestic issues causing total discord in families, unemployment continues to be a problem, and I could go on and on. At times we wonder - if we are children of God trying to do his will and walk in his way, why are we so overwhelmed with these burdens? Why isn’t every thing running smoothly?
The answer is quite obvious; we are pressured because we are ‘walking in his way’. The path of a Christian is never an easy road; trials and tribulations always seem to be a part of this package. We should expect to experience some of the things that happened to Jesus to befall us. But in all of this, thanks be to God, there is one thing that makes us different from the unbelievers – we have hope.
In the midst of all of these trials, we give thanks that as a church family we never lost our focus on the true and living God. We thank God for his grace and his mercy towards us, we thank God that the doors of our church are still open for worship, as is no longer the case of many parishes in this city. We have a place that we can gather to worship him freely and we thank God that this Church is very much alive.
We rejoice that we are blessed with a brilliant group of young people who have remained active in the church in spite of all that they have to deal with in their daily lives. We thank him for our lives that were spared in a year that was riddled with natural disasters and crime, we thank God that his word is dwelling richly in and among us as we are continually blessed with an abundance of spiritual wealth that literally infuses from our priests Canon Stephen, Fr. Collis, and our theological students Greg and most recently Vernal. Glory to God!
PROPERTY – The Church
The concerns of the previous year rolled into this year and, as wardens, we were faced with challenges that seemed insurmountable. The winter of 2004 brought a very startling revelation – the heat was escaping through the frames of the old windows in the church and that necessitated the replacement of those fifty year-old windows. We had even more reason to be concerned as we realized that this had to be completed during the short summer months. With the help of God, we found favors and ended up receiving a loan of $40,000 from the bank and an additional grant from the Diocese of $9,000. We were able to replace all the windows except for three.
At this point we would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the incredible effort of the committee - Norman DaCosta, Foster Odlum, Fitzgerald Grant, Leroy Patterson and ‘Ravi’ Ravindran. These men worked tirelessly to make sure we employed the right company to do this job in what little time we had. The results of their commitment is a testament to remind us that God calls us to work together, it confirms that each of us has different talents to offer and in the end everything comes together for the glory of God.
Thanks to the dedication of these men, what seemed impossible at the beginning of last year is now a spectacle to behold. Our church has had a distinct ’face lift’ thanks to those tall white windows, which so beautifully adorn the walls. With the multi-coloured glasses displaying such dazzling lustre, there is a noticeable improvement to the overall appearance of our church.
PROPERTY – The Rectory
The rectory continues to concern us with the need for on-going repairs. Last year we were called upon to rectify leaking and clogged pipes, replace doors, repair the furnace, replace the bath etc. The situation is this: the rectory is presently not occupied by the Incumbent. The cost of maintenance, the upkeep and the parochial responsibility related thereto, continues to rise each year.
The parish is a landlord and does not have the resources to discharge the responsibility of a landlord effectively. In addition, the building is fifty (50) years old and is in need of a capital investment to effect significant and necessary upgrades and repairs. The alternatives to be addressed by the wardens must include, but are not limited to the three are listed below:
- Keep the rectory as it is and continue to rent it
- Keep the rectory and make the necessary capital investment to upgrade it and continue to make it available for rental (at a higher rent)
- Sell the rectory and allow the Diocese to invest the proceeds of the sale to earn income for the parish. These funds will be used to purchase a new rectory any time in the future.
The Advisory Board supports a motion asking Vestry to authorize the Wardens to explore all the issues involved in the repairing or replacing the current rectory.
INTO THE FUTURE
With all this in mind, we look to the future. We encourage each and everyone to do some self-examination asking ourselves, am I being all that God wants me to be? Am I being a blessing to the people around me? Am I doing all that I can for my church? Does my life exemplify the life of Christ?
As we go forward, let us be mindful of the theme for this vestry meeting. How do we remain welcoming? There is room in this church for more souls, we need to reach out and evangelize by living in such a way that others will look at us and want what we have. We have to be both inviting and welcoming to those that come through these doors, we need to encourage those who do not understand how to effectively exercise their faith.
As a congregation we are bound together by our common belief in God, and by our act of worship in this church. Let us strive to live as Christ expects us to, loving and respecting each other so that we can all work together until that day of harvest. Jesus set an example for us as we have read over and over in the four gospels, care and compassion for his fellow men was demonstrated in the life he lived.
This year is the year we can make a difference. Let us open up our hearts and our church to those who have not yet seen that great light. This is a new beginning and we are more than conquerors. Let us live each day as if it were our last being mindful of the fact that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.
God will make a way where there is no way because greater is he that is in us, than he that is in the world. Let us continue to uphold each other in prayer as we work together in Jesus’ name.
We pray God’s richest blessing on each and every one of you.
Bev Brown & Ericka Martin (Wardens)
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Advisory Board Report
The members of the Advisory Board serving during 2005 were:
- Iris Linton (Chair & Alternate Synod Representative)
- Allan Austin, Ericka Martin(Peoples’ Warden)
- Norman DaCosta, Beverley Brown (Rector’s Warden)
- Fanella Hodge, Ravi Veerasingham (Deputy Peoples’ Warden)
- Reshawn Jeffers-Hunter, Jenifer Fowler(Deputy Rector’s Warden)
- Foster Odlum, Maraval Odlum (Synod Representative)
- Ricardo Walters, Fanella Hodge (Synod Representative)
- Patricia McIntosh-Keyi (Treasurer)
- Kathy Lippoczy-Chalmers (Secretary)
Staff
- Canon Stephen Fields (Rector)
- Marie Green (Youth Minister)
- Fr. Collis Machoko (Honorary Assistant)
Iris Linton served as Chair of the Board, and Kathy Lippoczy-Chalmers as Secretary.
Two new members joined the Board, Reshawn Jeffers-Hunter and Ricardo Walters.
After the February 2005 Vestry meeting, meetings of the Advisory Board were held in the months of
March, July, September, and November and January (2006). Meetings were held on Sundays and commenced
at 12:30 p.m. with a Bible Reading and/or reflection, led by Canon Stephen or the Chair, and ended
at approximately 2:30 p.m. During the year, we received the following reports:
- Treasurer: The financial statements for the period ending the month prior to the meeting date.
- Rector: This report provides the members with an update of Fr. Stephen’s activities and any
information that may be relevant to our ministry. Notwithstanding the other reports that are submitted,
it is meant to serve as the basis for the discussion and planning.
- Wardens: A Report on issues relating to the Administration and Property.
- Youth Minister: A Report on The Downsview Youth Covenant Program, 2005/06
- Fundraising: Report from the Co-Chairs of the Fundraising Committee.
- Parish Visioning Updates.
Theological Student
At our September meeting a welcome was extended to Greg Carpenter, a Divinity student at Trinity
College. Greg will serve at St. Stephen’s during this academic year as part of his on-going
preparation for ordination.
Our Work
During 2005, the Advisory Board discussed and made recommendations on a number of issues. Our work
included the following:
a) Continued support for the work of the Downsview Youth Covenant
b) Members of the Board and other parishioners attended Credit Valley Area Ministry Day on Saturday
April 29, 2005. The year’s Theme was “There is a Place for You”. Workshops included “Finding the
Voice of Your Congregation”, “Gospel Music”, “From Visitor to Disciple: How to Welcome and Integrate
Newcomers”, “Breathing New Life Into Outreach”, and much more.
c) Support of the Sunday School program and other Christian Education initiatives
d) Support for the Women’s Group and their work
Motions From The Board
The Advisory Board supports the following motion regarding the rectory:
That this Vestry supports The Wardens in their exercise of Christian Stewardship and fulfilment of
their responsibility as outlined in the Canons of our Diocese and authorises them to explore all the
issues involved in the repairing or replacing the current rectory.
The Advisory Boards reminds Vestry that this is not a motion to dispose of the Rectory but to
explore all that is available for the benefit of our parish.
Prepared by
Kathy Lippoczy-Chalmers
Secretary, Advisory Board (2005)
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Men of St. Stephen's
Introduction:
This report will outline the works and efforts of The Men of St. Stephen for the Year 2005.
We were founded on the premise, to support and strengthen our community inside and outside of the church. With this in mind 2005 was the year to establish our aim and plans, re-focus, consider future goals and visions as we move ahead
The word of God says in Habakkuk 2:2: “Write down the vision, and make it plain upon tablets, that he may run that readeth it.”
This verse communicated the importance of goal setting. It is important to “plan your work and work your plan.”
A core group of men with a deep sense of commitment persevered. Since inception, the numbers have increased with regular attendees to the meetings totalling approximately 10. This translates to a future upward growth as our works become more successful and known in our community.
In the 2005 “The Men of St. Stephen’s began to run with the vision.”
Officers:
After several tries, the men finally formed a governing body. Elections were held in the fall of 2005. The following members were elected to serve on our board:
President: Foster Odlum
Vice-president: Norman Dacosta
Secretary: Ricardo Walters
Treasurer: Fitzgerald Grant
Mission Statement:
A mission statement was developed as a team and agreed upon by all of our members, which state: A united brotherhood of strong Christian men whose purpose is to support and strengthen the St. Stephen's church community through positive works and leadership.
Meetings:
The men meet every 4th Friday of the month. Meetings were held regularly in 2005. Meetings are followed by games & fellowship time in the Parish Hall as away to bond and get to know more about each other. This social aspect is important as we will be working closely with each other into the future.
Coffee Hour:
The men continued to meet their mandate of hosting coffee hour/fellowship time following the10:30 am service every 1st Sunday of the month. The men contribute food and beverage items of their choice and prepare for this coffee hour prior to the completion of service on 1st Sundays.
Outdoor Service & Social Barbeque:
With joint efforts by the Women, The Men and other members of St. Stephen’s, we all contributed to make this a successful event. The weather was not cooperative but that did not stop the people of St. Stephen’s. When the rain fell we stayed positive and simply took our service indoors. Despite the rain that continued to fall, we were able to “pull off” an excellent barbeque. Special thanks for all those who contributed. Job well done!
Mothers’ Day Dinner:
This event continues to be the highlight of the Men’s annual activities. Last year, the men hosted approximately 100 mothers & family members. The event was fully catered. The caterer was Mr. Headley, to whom we are grateful. The cost was borne by those men who made their membership dues. Our guests were not only treated to a delicious meal but other members of our parish provided entertainment for the ladies by the way of skits, dance, music and general assistance in making the event successful.
Community Outreach:
Allan Austin, Ricardo Walters & Foster Odlum attended a Police Community meeting held at 31 Division on October 3rd, 2005. The intent was to gain an understanding for the work & challenges the Police continue to face. Also, to establish a link with the Police and to explore the possibility of how we may be able to yield mutual benefits. To date, contact has been established with the office of Keith Forde, Deputy Chief of Police for Toronto. We hope to have Mr. Forde come to our community as a special guest in the near future.
Efforts are on the way to secure other guests speakers on a variety of topics ranging from finances to health.
Men’s Choir:
The men received rave review following their performance during the Christmas season. Under the direction of Arlene August & Lucy Fields, 16 to 20 men rehearsed and turned in some strong performances. The work continues in 2006 as we are currently back rehearsing for the Easter celebrations.
Christmas Basket:
Continuing with a tradition, the men once again sponsored a family whom they saw fitting of the requirements. The recipient was Rita John. She expressed deep appreciation for the kindness & thoughtfulness extended to her.
Conclusion:
In conclusion the men are working on a number of new and progressive ideas for 2006. We have already outlined key initiatives to work on and continue to seek more opportunities. We are confident that we will create a positive impact as a result of efforts and opportunities in 2006. Stay tuned for the good works to come!
Submitted by
Ricardo Walters (Secretary)
Foster Odlum (President)
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Music Director's Report
The adult choir returned from Christmas holidays in January 2005 and settled into a busy and productive year. Some of our choristers formed part of the Mass Choir for the annual Black History Service.
The choir led the singing of hymns and psalms, and at times presented short anthems at communion. We expanded our musical repertoire to perform excerpts for The Messiah, and some simpler works by Mozart. During the month of August the Music Director was on her annual vacation.
The organ midi was used exclusively for the first time this year to provide accompaniment for the 9 0o’clock service and during the month of August. We are extremely grateful to Mr. Steve Clarke for operating the midi.
It is with sadness that I record the loss of one of the choir’s most stalwart members, Ms. Jean Phillip. The fully augmented choir was in attendance to pay tribute to Jean at her funeral service. May her soul rest in peace.
On a happier note, we welcomed three new persons to our musical family: Mrs. Cameo Grant (alto), a new Parishioner, Mr. Courtney Bolden (Saxophone), and a friend of the parish, Mr. Reginald Cornelius (tenor).
WORSHIP
Lent/Easter Program
The choir led the worship for Ash Wednesday and Maundy Thursday night services. On Palm Sunday, the choir performed the anthem “Hosanna!” On Good Friday, we performed a variety of music. Soloists were Godfrey Anyim (Bass), Lucy Fields (Soprano) and Arlene August (alto). The choir sang “ Since by Man came Death.” On Easter Sunday, a duet “Alleluia” was sung by Lucy Fields and Arlene August, while the choir performed “Joyful Celebration”.
Mother’s Day & Father’s Day
Mother’s Day was celebrated on May 8, 2005. Soprano, Bev Brown led the service with a musical call to worship. Father’s Day was celebrated on June 19, 2005. Mr. Lee Leander (Bass) sang the solo “I Walked with God.” There were special hymns sung by the men of the church.
Revival 2005
The annual St. Stephen’s Revival 2005 came with a BANG with both Adult and Youth choirs practicing their various presentation items.
On Sunday, May 29, the annual Revival Concert was held, and featured the following Artistes: REECH, Tiffany Campbell Daley, Donovan Drummond, Erica Bryan, Triumphant Praise, Greg Benoit and Daughters, as well as the St. Stephen’s Adult and Youth Choirs. Special mention goes to our own musicians: Marc Fields (piano), Julian Asiedu (Drums), as well as Randy (drums), and Mr. Courtney Bolden (saxophone).
Afro-Anglican Conference
The Tenth Conference of Afro-Anglicans was held in July 2005. The Music Director was the conductor of the ecumenical choir and Canon Fields was the chairperson of the conference committee. Some of our choristers were again part of the Diocesan Choir that led the opening and closing services at St James Cathedral. Almost 50 delegates, including several bishops, archdeacons, clergy and laity from all over the world, worshipped with us. Special music was sung to welcome our visitors.
Christmas
The choirs returned to regular rehearsals in September 2005. The annual St. Stephen’s pageant, held on December 18, 2005, took the form of readings, acting and music from a Christmas play entitled “The Reason for the Season: Jesus, the Son of God, is Born,” based on the gospels of St. Matthew and St. Luke. Soloists were Mr. Dennis Chalmers, Mr. Courtney Bolden (saxophonist), Mr. Anthony Holder and Mr. Greg Carpenter (theological student). The Adult choir performed the anthem “Shepherds Farewell”, as well as leading the singing during the pageant.
The Men’s Group of our church invited Mrs Lucy Fields and me to assist them in their efforts to restart their choir. The commitment of these men inspired us to continue working with them. It was a blessing to have the sixteen voice Male Chorus of St. Stephen’s perform during the pageant and on Christmas Eve Night. I applaud them for their willingness to continue singing.
APPRECIATION
I would like to thank all who have been so generous in their assistance during the year, especially in filing music, making copies, helping to take rehearsals, and for all your fine ideas and suggestions relating to music and worship in the church. My thanks to Marc Fields, who has shown a willingness to assist in playing the hymns during services, and to Courtney Bolden for adding to the rich musical expression of the church. Thanks to Canon Fields and the wardens for their ongoing encouragement and support, their willingness to receive/discuss any ideas and/or suggestions brought to their attention. A very special thanks is also extended to the choristers. Their commitment to leading the worship services, and their hard work during the year has contributed to a productive year.
INTO 2006
We hope to launch our church’s first CD by Easter this year. As we continue planning the music program for this New Year, I would like to make a special request for more choristers in the choir. We can only perform a much wider variety of music if we have all parts fully represented. We need persons who can commit to learning their music. The ability to read music, while an asset, is NOT required. We need 3 sopranos, 2 altos, 2 tenors, and 3 basses. I look forward to welcoming more of you to our musical family.
Submitted by:
Arlene August
Music Director/Organist
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St. Stephen's Sunday School Report
This year’s program got off to a great start with many able and willing volunteers. Special thanks
to Cornell Messam, Alan Austin, Alwyn and Nadine Murray, Fanella Hodge, Reshawn Jeffers, Julia
Hutchinson, Ruth Allder, Iris Linton, Tellece Woodbine-James, Novlette Hart, Angela Whyte and Janet
Morrissey.
Having met prior to the start of the Sunday School year, the teachers discussed the need to select
an appropriate curriculum for each of our three classes; Beginners (pre-kindergarten to age 6),
Juniors (age 7 to 9) and Seniors (ages 10-12). It was decided that internet resources can meet the
spiritual development needs of both the Beginner and Junior classes with a greater variety of
practical and age appropriate materials. The Seniors are benefiting from a curriculum that will
help them prepare for confirmation classes and their faith journey by building their knowledge of
the bible, the church and themselves. Please check the bulletin board at the back of the parish
hall from time to time to see samples of all of our children’s work.
Some of the program highlights this year included the annual Children’s Sunday service, performing
for Bishop Poole’s visit, the lighting of the Advent wreath and a delightful musical presentation
during the Christmas Pageant, featuring solos by Dominique, Terrica and Kanier. Future highlights
include the journey through Lent and the annual Children’s Sunday Service.
As fellow members of our church, we appeal to you to continue praying for this vital area of
ministry as you consider how you too can become involved in the sharing of your gifts, talents
and time. We are in need of a Sunday School Coordinator with a strong faith base, good
organizational skills and the ability to understand children’s learning and social needs at
various life stages. Let us ensure that the work begun by our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ,
can continue to bear fruit in the lives of our children and our church. May your lives be richly
blessed.
On behalf of our teachers and volunteers, I remain your humble servant in Christ.
Submitted by
Frances Asiedu,
Interim Co-coordinator
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St. Stephen's Women's Ministry
2005 was a very successful year for the Women of St. Stephen. All the events were well attended
by the congregation and community at large.
Highlights of the year:
- Eric Campbell Award- The Annual Award was expanded to include the children of two age groups
(10-12 and 13-14). Each age group was given a different topic the choice of presentation style,
either (a) Oral-Visual (Speech, Power-point Presentation, Presentation display board). Or (b)
Written (Essay format)
- Ellen Asiedu (10-12 yrs) was awarded for her essay on the topic: "What activities do you
participate in as a young person at St. Stephen's and what other activities would you like to
see for children of your age?" Luke Fields (13-14 yrs) was awarded for his power-point presentation
on the topic "Should religion be taught in our schools?".
- Father's Day Lunch was hosted for the men of our church in the Parish Hall
- Women's Day Retreat was facilitated by Ms Shernett Martin was held on September 10th at St.
Bernard's Retreat House. The Theme was “The Impossible made Possible Through Christ”.
- A farewell lunch for Bishop Ann Tottenham.
- The Women Hosted A Christmas Luncheon for Our Seniors in December. Approximately 60/70 seniors
from the church and the community were in attendance.
- The Year 2005 committee comprised of Ericka Martin, Iris Linton, Pauline Blunt and Rachel
Ravindran and were assisted by other women during various activities held throughout the year.
Our mandate continues to be:
To realize the goals of fellowship and outreach through social gatherings, trips, spiritual retreats, emergency support fund, support for the youth of our parish through guidance, involvement in Sunday School and outreach activity to the wider community.
We continue to face a challenge in harnessing the fellowship with all women, especially those of the younger generation. Participation of the younger women would make this group more vibrant.
PLANS FOR YEAR 2006:
Plans are being made for up-coming events such as:
- Eric Campbell Award
- Walkathon (Partnering with Sickle Cell Association of Ontario & Camp Jamoke)
- Health Awareness Seminar
- Day Retreat
- Family Discussion
We thank all the women who assisted in various ways during the year and look for your continued support in the ensuing years
Submitted by
Rachel Ravindran & Ericka Martin
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Youth Minister's Report
As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children
of the youth.
--Psalm 127:4--
Our program saves lives.
It sounds like a seatbelt commercial but as we have proven over 2005, it is so entirely true. It became all to clear to us over the last year, that there is an important need in our community for programming that aggressively challenged the things that threaten the core of our community – the family unit. At times, an all too familiar sound echoed through the streets and often far too close to home. The sound of a mother crying, another young man dying, the many questions why. The community, having exhausted the social services provided in a secular environment (where talk of Jesus is not considered politically correct) turned to the church for answers. But we are beginning to realize that simple social service will not do. Jesus preached to the five thousand before he fed them. We are being called to action – back to the mission field – but we cannot go without the Bible.
The Rev. Martin Luther King, once delivered a brilliant sermon about what he described as a three dimensional life. One that is complete on all sides, in length, breadth and height. He compared this life to John’s vision of the holy city Jerusalem as described in the book of revelation. The city was complete on all sides. The length, Dr. King said, was our own personal pursuits and accomplishments here on earth. Breadth he said was how we touched the life of others – what we do for others. Height was how we reached up to God – our personal relationship with Christ. A life is incomplete if any of these elements are missing. I believe that the rash of gun violence and violence among youth is a manifestation that one or more of these elements is missing in both the church and the community we serve. I believe that if our young people can reach heights in God, if they can come to have a relationship with Christ, the other elements such as length and width, success in life and ability to give back to the world will fall into place.
Viewing the community that surrounds us as a mission field has its own challenges. We must first acknowledge that the church has been failing to do what Christ commanded us to do. Secondly, we must embrace a missionary worldview, one where we sacrifice of ourselves to the greater good of humanity and proceed to serve with a servant’s heart. The lack of volunteers for our outreach programs and the fact that the same 10% of the congregation does 80% of the work that needs to be done is significantly hindering to our ministry. Yet with that 10% we were able to accomplish much in 2005.
While we supported in principle those churches who took to the streets for prayer marches and special meetings, and those ministers who took to the airwaves, the DYC ministry agreed to simply keep our feet planted firmly on the ground at the grassroots level where the community resides. This ministry has always been preventative in nature and not cure based. We believe that if we simply continue to do what we do, we would continue to make a difference. We would continue to save the lives that we have been saving for the past seven years. In order to serve families better and answer the demand for quality nurturing extra-curricular activities for neighbourhood kids, we made the following adjustments to our program:
- Identified two other parishes where our program could be replicated
- Lowered the age of admission to the homework club while allowing for greater volunteer opportunities for older youth
- Examined the feasibility of lunchtime programs in middle and high schools
- Networked with community agencies and community members
Due to my limited hours per week, it is not possible to do as much networking in terms of
attending community meetings and organizational events, but wherever possible, we have
made connections and often brought the organizations or community members to us. Julia
Farquharson from UMOVE, a group of mothers who lost their children to violence who are now
working to stop violence, spoke at one of our youth services. Simbah Hanley a long time
resident and social worker in the community delivered a brilliant presentation to our youth
during one of our Friday night sessions. We had a representative, Sherry Turcotte, from
the North York Women’s Centre speak at our screening of Woman Thou Art Loosed, the T.D.
Jakes film about the long term effects of child sexual abuse on a young woman’s life.
Ms. Turcotte also facilitated a training workshop for our summer camp staff and volunteers.
Throughout the school year we set up booths at two parent night events, met with three
principals and made presentations to one parent council group.
PROGRAMS & SERVICES
PROGRAM YOUTH SERVED AGE RANGE VOLUNTEERS
Church Life 42 7 to 24 5
Homework Club 36 7 to 17 11
Summer Camp 20 5 to 12 4
Friday Night 32 7 to 24 3
Chalkfarm PS Snack Program 240 6 to12 1*
Film Club 10 7 to 17 1
Downsview Youth Covenant Choir 15 7 to 24 4
*One of our volunteers Sis. Jean Phillip was unable to maintain her daily pilgrimage to pack healthy snacks for the children at Chalkfarm P.S. due to illness. Later on in 2005, Sis. Jean passed away. Her dedication to serve the community will be sincerely missed and it is our hope that someone will honour her and take up her volunteer position at the school.
THE HOMEWORK CLUB
In 2005 we saw a significant rise in number of registrants. At years end we had 28 children registered in our after-school program. We have maximized our capacity and are only able to proceed because not all the students show up everyday. In order to accommodate the numerous requests by parents we lowered our participation age from 10 to 16 to 8 to 13. But we knew it was important to continue to provide a safe space for our older youth so we put them into the position of peer leaders and homework helpers. This set up is working brilliantly. Children get help with their homework and youth have a safe place to hang out after school while they develop valuable leadership skills. With this comes the challenge of space, because in addition to 28 children we have 11 volunteers. We are working on finding ways to create more space in our limited quarters.
NOAH’S ARK SUMMER CAMP
Noah’s Ark Summer Camp set sail again in July of 2005, but with far less sailors on board. This year we averaged a weekly participation rate of about 15 children. This compared to over 20 last year. But we still proceeded with our overnight trip and the youth counselors produced a video about the camp, which was premiered at the open house. There are many factors which contributed to the decline in registration and they are highlighted in the chart below along with my recommendations.
Challenge Recommendation
Many of our campers from the past have grown up and parents feel more confident leaving them at home in the summer or putting them in other activities We must raise the profile of the camp to attract a new generation of campers. A marketing campaign which will be launched in March 2006 that will feature a new branding/image for the camp
Parents have long demanded a longer period for the camp, we can no longer ignore that appeal Plans are being put in place to run the camp for six weeks in 2006
Program & Activities There is always room for improvement in this area. More dynamic activities are needed to stimulate campers and set our camp apart. Activities are to be enriched with outside presenters and guests on topics from drumming to painting.
Staffing More attention should be paid to development and leadership opportunities for youth
We experienced challenges with our location at St. Davids, which may have compounded our overall situation. Discussions are underway with current incumbent to address those issues
SPECIAL EVENTS, ACTIVITIES AND TRIPS
- In January the first annual Martin Luther King Concert was held to rave reviews. We were so incredibly blessed with performances from UFT Mass Choir and Triumphant Praise
- During March Break, 15 youth members accompanied by myself and four other chaperones journeyed to the city of brotherly love, where we worshiped and visited with other parishes, had daily workshops on sex and dating and relationship with Christ. The best part of the trip was the fellowship that the youth got to experience amongst themselves.
- In June we celebrated graduates and handed out awards to members of our youth group during our annual “year-end service”.
- In July the parish was wowed with the Motown Show, a presentation directed, choreographed and performed by our youth. It was a demonstration of the talent and creativity that we have in our midst. It is further testament to what youth, when put in positions of ownership and leadership, can accomplish.
- The Downsview Youth Covenant Choir rocked the audience in July 2005 at the Afro-Anglican Conference youth night worship service. We also brought Christmas cheer to seniors at the Yorkview Life Centre in December.
CHURCH LIFE
Youth continued to participate in church life by being servers, ushers and readers. We also held three youth Sunday services in 2005 and organized the youth night during the revival weekend in May.
There is however, no doubt that when it comes to the things of the church, we could certainly use more youth participation. Ideally what needs to happen is for youth to become an integral part of the life of the church instead of being designated certain corners to which they are confined. While we do belong to a parish where youth participation is welcomed and embraced, youth will not participate fully until they have an understanding of what they are doing and the importance of what they are being called to do.
When I first arrived at St. Stephen, I noted what I have now concluded to be a serious lack of knowledge of the person of Christ among our youth. Many, if not most of the young people in our church lack a personal and intimate relationship with Christ. Many of them come to church every Sunday but don’t truly understand what they are taking part in, what it means to praise and worship God or even the importance of prayer. During a recent youth talk session only 50% of the group of 16 youth (aged 13 to 24) say that they pray on their own outside of church.
I believe that some of our youth lack the environment conducive to their participation in certain aspects of church life and even society on a whole. To complicate the problem, the youth simply have not been given the spiritual foundation upon which they can build the well-rounded life described by Dr. King. Many of them have academic achievement but no relationship with Christ. But often times lack of this spiritual base thwarts their relationships and careers. And, because their knowledge of the word of God has been limited, they know right from wrong but not necessarily why right is right and wrong is wrong. Interestingly enough this description not only matches our church youth, but the youth in our community as well.
Throughout 2005, my attempt has been to get youth to engage with the word of God and slowly build a relationship with their creator. But in order to sustain this kind of growth among this bright and able group of young people, their parents and guardians need to be able to provide an environment that nurtures it. Their parents also need the word of God and spiritual upliftment. A bible study that attracts adults as well as young people needs to be revived in this parish. The focus of the church and all the various ministries must return to focus on Christ and root itself in the word of God. After 2005 years, Jesus is still the answer for our community and the world today.
Respectfully Submitted
Marie Green
Youth Minister
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