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On Oct. 16, despite a forecast of rain for the day, about 50 people gathered for the St. James Cathedral and Community Refugee Committee’s walkathon in response to the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. Participants included committee members, St. James Cathedral parishioners, Bishop Andrew Asbil, Dean Stephen Vail, friends and family, including Fragomen Canada and Talent Beyond Boundaries staff and newcomer families who were previously supported through the committee’s past refugee sponsorships. They met at the Toronto Botanical Gardens. While the group came prepared to walk, rain or shine, with umbrellas in hand, they were blessed with clear skies and no rain for the two-hour, 6km walk along the serene edge of the Don River. Funds raised will go towards the sponsorship of one or two Afghan families to be resettled in Canada with the support of the committee.

Submitted by the St. James Cathedral and Community Refugee Committee.

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The sunny fall day, a Sunday, was ideal as 60 parishioners lined up, either on foot or in their cars, to pass on their heartfelt thanks to the Bennetts and Joy Packham. Prior to proceeding with the drive by, the Bennetts were presented with
a watercolour portrait of Trinity Church, with a silver plaque inscribed: “To Reverend Terry Bennett, with appreciation and gratitude, from the Parish of Trinity, 2018-2021.” After Bob Garrett sang “Irish Eyes are Smiling,” the parishioners had the opportunity to talk with each of them about the moments that moved them while they were with us. While waiting their turn, the parishioners signed communal farewell cards that were presented after the last vehicle had driven past. The parishioners were given a traditional blessing on a scroll, tied with a cross, by the Bennetts as a keepsake to remember them by.

A special thank-you goes to all who made the day special and possible, especially Bill and Monika Sergeant, Joan Hill, Ray Martinelli, Bob Garrett and Sue Taylor.

Submitted by Trinity Church, Barrie.

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“At the heart of every community are those volunteers who make the impossible possible – those who recognize the needs of others and selflessly give their time to meet those needs,” wrote Cobourg Mayor John Henderson in the Northumberland News.

St. Peter’s is not just a church but a significant part of Cobourg’s thriving community. Even during the pandemic, church members, with the assistance of others, have been working to ensure that the vulnerable are fed and kids have warm coats for the winter.

Ann Stokes received a Distinguished Community Service Award for individuals for her work with The Blue Box. The workers for Thursday Night Lite, the dinner program that feeds on average 130 people each week, won in the group category.

In the major awards category, Barbara Tait was honoured as Outstanding Senior for her work with many volunteer organizations, including the Vision Working Group at St. Peter’s, and Rod Baker won the prestigious Mayor’s Award for his long-standing work with Coats for Kids, as well as his many charitable works at St. Peter’s.

Submitted by St. Peter, Cobourg

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The church of San Lorenzo, Dufferin, in co-ordination with the City of Toronto Health Department, ran a vaccination clinic for Toronto’s Latin American community on Oct. 23. The afternoon clinic delivered 34 vaccines. The church also partnered with Unison to run a free food market with the clinic that provided fresh fruit and vegetables to more than 200 families. Bishop Andrew Asbil and his wife Mary attended and spoke with the nurses and community members.

​It was the latest in a series of seven clinics run by the church, which has been active in promoting public health measures since the COVID-19 pandemic was declared last March. The Rev. Canon Hernan Astudillo, incumbent, was inspired to act not only by his faith, but also by the fact that the Latin American community was disproportionately affected by the virus. Data released by Toronto Public Health showed that 83 per cent of people with a reported COVID-19 infection identified with a racialized group.

​In April of this year, Canon Astudillo was contacted by Rosemary Bell, a community development officer at the City of Toronto who has been rolling out the community coordination plan and COVID-19 pandemic support in North York. She asked Canon Astudillo if he would like to be a community ambassador, given his leadership role and wide reach within the Latin American community, not just with Anglicans but also those of other denominations. He was keen to be involved and when he told Ms. Bell he would like to run vaccine clinics, she was able to connect him with the right people.  

​San Lorenzo is uniquely placed to reach the Latin American community, as the church runs Voces Latinas CHHA 1610 AM, a CRTC licensed Spanish-language community radio station, which the church uses to broadcast public health messages. Canon Astudillo estimates that through the radio station, the church was able to inspire around 50,000 people to get vaccinated. He also spread the message through social media, posting photos of himself receiving the vaccine.

​Canon Astudillo has been at the frontline of supporting the Latin American community and has seen first-hand the impact COVID-19 has had, including close to home. Last May, one of the early victims of COVID 19 was Arturo, a prominent radio personality in the Latin American community and a long-time radio announcer on CHHA 1610 AM. Canon Astudillo has also received many calls from funeral homes across the city. “One experience that shocked me was a funeral for two seniors who were a married couple, 76 and 79 years old, who died of COVID-19 on the same day, 12 hours apart. Only 10 people were allowed to attend the funeral.”

​But running the vaccine clinics has given him a sense of hope. “I, as a priest, we, as a Church, have to be out in front at critical moments. Jesus was there at critical moments in history, he was the voice of hope, solidarity and love. That must be my role as a priest. This is a hard moment, but we are here with open hearts and open hands.”

​San Lorenzo and the Toronto Health Department have evaluated the success of the clinics, and there were plans to run another vaccine clinic in November as part of Voces Latino’s 17th anniversary celebrations.

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A workshop at the Outreach and Advocacy Conference on “Re-making Settler/Indigenous Relations” heard first-hand what the treatment of First Nations in Canada has meant in human terms, as well as strategies for action.

The Rev. Maggie Dieter, who led the workshop, is a United Church minister and a member of the Peepeekisis First Nation in Saskatchewan. She recounted how, without the Indian Agent’s approval, her grandparents couldn’t leave their reserve without a pass, or sell a cow. Her father’s brother was neglected in a residential school and never returned home.

Intergenerational trauma remains strong among Indigenous communities. Ms. Dieter mentioned the discovery of Indigenous children’s unmarked graves at residential school sites, which has triggered painful memories. Equally upsetting, she explained, has been seeing how these discoveries surprised so many Canadians, when they’ve had many opportunities to learn about residential schools. “It was shocking to see Canadians’ shocked responses. That wrongdoing is part of our DNA. It affects all of us,” said Ms. Dieter. “We have to acknowledge our feelings, our heartbreak and anger. Let’s also allow our feelings to move us. What is that anger calling you to do?”

She recalled the words of Justice Murray Sinclair, chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC): “Achieving reconciliation is like climbing a mountain – we must proceed a step at a time. … We cannot allow ourselves to be daunted by the task, because our goal is just and it is also necessary.”

Ms. Dieter noted that faith communities like the Anglican Church have issued powerful words of apology. They also have a “pathway to the mountain” in the form of the TRC’s calls to action and opportunities to engage with local leaders. Cheryl Marek, a participant from Oshawa, encouraged fellow participants to take advantage of resources from the national church, such as the reconciliation toolkit, the Sacred Teachings podcast series by the late Ginny Doctor, and PWRDF’s interactive “Mapping the Ground We Stand On” workshop.

“Indigenous people are not looking for a handout,” said Ms. Dieter. “What they are seeking is nation building. How might what you heard today affect future dialogues? How might you act differently? Are we up for the challenge?”

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In his welcome and opening prayer, Bishop Andrew Asbil said he has been “deeply moved by how social justice and advocacy has continued to sow peace and joy” throughout the diocese, despite the pandemic.

The Rev. Claudette Taylor recounted the well-known story from Ezekiel about God breathing new life into old bones (Ezekiel 37:1-14). The Rev. Gerlyn Henry, assistant curate at St. Timothy, North Toronto, picked up on that theme in a powerful, wide-ranging keynote address. In an opening prayer she implored God to “make us a people who behold, cherish and embody your promise as our dry bones shake us in uncertain times. We fall asleep to the sound of bones rattling; would you wake us with your breath? Give us the strength and courage to re-member and re-make community.”

Ms. Henry noted that Ezekiel knew what it was like to grow up in a community detached from its people and sense of identity. We’ve also experienced a sense of exile through the pandemic — but one that has heightened the inequalities of our society. For example, migrant farm workers were at least 10 times more likely to contract COVID-19 than the overall population. Homeless people have been more than 20 times as likely as the general population to be hospitalized with the virus.

“If Ezekiel were a prophet today and the spirit of God took him to a valley of bones, I think the bones would represent those we have omitted or forgotten. Tired bones of migrant workers far from their families. Symptomatic bones carrying the virus to work because Ontario didn’t approve sick days. They are bones of Indigenous children hidden six feet under, and bones crushed by empires that make billions of dollars while a billion people make less than a dollar a day,” said Ms. Henry.

“The first step to meaningful outreach and advocacy is bearing witness and truth-telling. Ezekiel stands in the midst of these dry bones and he bears witness. How do we bear witness to the things we are seeing in our communities? How do we share stories and encourage the naming of truth?”

Ms. Henry noted that God says in this passage, “I will cause breath to enter you and you shall live.” She then wondered about the people being re-made from these bones. Were they all the same? Very likely, there were a range of people in the crowd in terms of age, gender, diversity and ability. “The language that we hear is communal. I don’t think the point was for these individuals to stand strong and confident on their own two feet. No, the invitation by God is for the bodies to support one another in standing tall, and to uphold one another in reclaiming who we are.”

This teaching has strong implications for us as the pandemic winds down, said Ms. Henry. “God’s invitation has never been to return to business as usual. We begin to re-make meaningful community in and after this pandemic by using this experience as a resource. Trusting the work of those who have been calling for justice,” she said.

She urged participants to remember that they possess a tremendous amount of knowledge that can be used, with the spirit of God, to imagine different realities. “In this pandemic many of us felt as if our bones dried up and our hope was lost. But we belong to God, and it’s through the Spirit of the God who lays sinew on bone that we stand leaning on one another, alive in a vast multitude. Trust the collective knowledge that has risen out of this pandemic,” she said.

After the keynote address, participants learned about a range of social justice issues at workshops. A “Justice for Workers” workshop zeroed in on the challenges faced by low-income workers, countering the view that higher minimum wages cause severe economic harm. After Ontario raised the minimum wage from $11.65 to $14 per hour in 2018, 130,000 new jobs were created. Workshop leader Pam Frache highlighted that people of colour working in offices, warehouses, manufacturing and food industries have been most at risk from COVID-19. Ontario’s failure to enact paid sick days has meant that many of them go to work sick because they can’t afford to lose a day’s pay. “When we don’t protect the workplace, we ourselves are not protected. We have to protect each other,” she said.

Fair treatment for migrant workers was the focus of a workshop led by the Rev. Augusto Nunez, who leads a ministry for migrant workers in Durham Region, as well as being priest-in-charge at St. Saviour, Orono. These workers often struggle with loneliness, mental health issues and language barriers. The Durham Region Migrant Worker Ministry helps these workers from Mexico and the Caribbean in practical ways, such as providing meals, social gatherings and bicycles so workers living on isolated farms can get around. They are also supported in their faith through worship services. “Jesus is our foundation,” said Mr. Nunez.

Participants in a workshop on affordable housing heard how people of faith, both Christian and non-Christian, countered local hostility to a housing project for refugees in Toronto’s Willowdale neighbourhood by speaking out in support of the project. “People of faith must talk about the moral imperative to deal with justice issues,” said Jesse James, workshop leader. “It makes those opposed think about the issue in a different way.”

Other workshops dealt with transgender ministry, refugee sponsorship, renewing church lands and watershed discipleship.

Murray MacAdam is a member of St. John the Evangelist, Peterborough.

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We’ve all heard the term “build back better.” The same phrase can apply to the Church as well. As we prepare for a time when the pandemic is reduced to flu-like status, we need to think about how to reacquaint people with regular worship, fellowship, community engagement and welcoming new members. Many of us feel out of step with what used to be familiar and is essential to who we are as Christians.

As I noted in my article last month, the experience of stewardship practice during the pandemic has revealed success stories and exposed profound vulnerabilities. As we return to increased public activity in our parishes, let’s be mindful of ways we can build back that encourage new ministry, growth and engagement. Here are seven ways each one of us can help our parish during the transition.

Sign up for Pre-Authorized Remittance or electronic funds transfer. Parishes in which at least 50 per cent of their givers use a first fruits method of giving fared the best during the most difficult period of the pandemic. Every parish should strive to achieve this figure.

Consider increasing your offertory giving. Many parishes have been reluctant to request increased giving, as the pandemic had a negative impact on employment, especially in the service sector. Most industries have bounced back, and employment levels are nearing pre-pandemic levels. Some people saw their savings increase as travel and discretionary spending decreased. Now would be a welcome time to increase your financial support to your parish and other diocesan ministries.

Draw up a will or update your current one. Remember your church or favourite diocesan ministry when planning your estate gifts. A gift of encouragement (see Acts 4:36) is a wonderful testimony to the values you profess now.

Say thank you. If you are in leadership, thank your donors. If you are not in leadership, thank those who are. The last two years forced many to carry burdens they were not prepared for.

Invite someone to church. There is a timeless bit of fundraising wisdom that says, “people give to people who give.” That same wisdom can apply to church growth: people will go to church with people who go to church. In our secular age, being a seeker can be intimidating. If you know of someone who is seeking, invite them to an Anglican church.

Encourage your parish to tithe to outreach. The tithe remains the measure of generosity that is most widely admired and yearned for, and it is a challenge for most of us. It is precisely because it is such a challenge that parishes should lead by example and endeavour to donate 10 per cent of their revenue to outreach, including 5 per cent to FaithWorks.

Preach and lay witness about stewardship and its benefits. While it might seem obvious that we need to talk about generosity, there is a general reluctance to preach on this topic. As newcomers begin to rediscover our churches, giving to ministry should be an important component of Christian discipleship.

A return to normal will not happen overnight, and there will be those who are reluctant to jump into the newness that life after COVID-19 will bring. I find it difficult to believe that it could be mere months a way – but I crave it. I long for public Bible study, parish potluck socials, men’s breakfasts, lessons and carols at the cathedral and the sound of our voices in common praise. I long to return to my office in downtown Toronto in the company of wonderful colleagues and dedicated volunteers. Zoom has helped us cope, but it’s not ideal (at least not for a fundraiser).

Hopefully, these suggestions offer achievable goals for Christians seeking to deepen their relationship with the Church and Jesus. Individually (and collectively), these suggestions have the potential to be transformative to both the giver and receiver. They can enrich ministry in our parish and our community while at the same time making us feel good that we are making a difference. And they can help our parishes build back anew as we adjust to post-pandemic life.

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