After leaving Troas, Paul had a vision (from the Holy Spirit) of a man from Macedonia calling him to come over and help the people there. The team travelled across the Aegean Sea to Neapolis. From there they went to Philippi, a major centre in Macedonia. Here the Gospel was preached for the first time in Europe. We date this event to about 52 CE.

There was no synagogue in Philippi, so the Jews met at a riverbank. Paul preached to them about the coming of their Messiah, Jesus, who was crucified and rose from the dead. A number were converted, including Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth, a sign of the wealthy class. Paul and his team stayed with Lydia for a time in Philippi.

Next we meet a slave girl who followed Paul, shouting out that he was a servant of the most high God. This became rather distracting and Paul cast out the demons within her. However, these demons enabled her to tell fortunes, and with this power gone, her owner complained to the authorities and soon Paul and Silas were in jail.

In jail, Paul and Silas were singing hymns and praying, when around about midnight a violent earthquake shook open the jailhouse doors. The jailor was about to commit suicide when Paul called out to him, “No one has left the prison.” The jailor realized that these men were special and he took them home, where Paul preached the Gospel. The jailor and his whole household were baptized. This is one of the few passages where a whole household is baptized, suggesting the possible inclusion of children. Thus, the three sections of society were included in Paul’s mission: the wealthy class represented by Lydia, the lower-class slave girl, and the solid middle class represented by the jailor and his family. The Gospel of Jesus reached out to all levels of society.

Paul and Silas were released by the magistrate in Philippi and, after a short visit with Lydia, they moved on to Thessalonica. Luke seems to have stayed in Philippi, for the “we” passages end here and begin again in Acts 20:5, when Paul came back to Philippi during his third missionary journey.

Thessalonica was the capital of Macedonia. Here Paul, as was his custom, preached at the synagogue, with some success. A number of Jews, God-fearers and some prominent women were converted.

From Thessalonica, the team moved to Berea, and again Paul preached in the local synagogue with some success, until some Jews from Thessalonica came to Berea and stirred up the people. Paul fled, leaving behind Timothy and Silas to build up the church there.

Paul travelled to Athens, the centre of Greek culture. Most of the Athenians took great delight in discussing and debating the latest religious and philosophical thoughts. Paul would get a good hearing here.

Again, Paul went to the local synagogue and preached with some success. But it was in the marketplace that he impressed the local philosophers of the day. They even invited him to the Areopagus, which was the meeting place for the philosophers. It was here that they decided all religious and moral issues, and it was somewhat of an honour to be invited to address the philosophers in Athens.

Paul began by complimenting them on their religious nature, especially pointing out the altar to the “unknown god.” He said, “It is this God I wish to proclaim unto you.” This is the God who created the heavens and the earth, he continued. He is the Lord of all and does not dwell in temples made by human hands. He gave us life and breath. He made from one man all nations so that humans may inhabit the whole earth. This God is very close to us and wants us to reach out to Him. “In Him we live and move and have our being.” This last sentence was a direct quote from one of their ancient poets, Epimenides, who lived about 600 BCE.

Paul went on to talk about Jesus, the man God raised from the dead. At this point he lost his audience. The Greek mind could not accept the resurrection of a body. They believed in the eternal soul, but not the body. But some believed! Paul soon left Athens and moved to Corinth, his longest stay during his second journey and the beginning of his written work. Next month we will examine this mission and his two letters to the Thessalonians, his first written letters. Enjoy the dialogue.

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Canon Kinghan, the incumbent of St. George on Yonge in north Toronto, handed out cups of water outside St. James Cathedral and the Rogers Centre during the opening and closing ceremonies of the Pan Am Games.

“It’s amazing how much a cup of water means to people when they’re really thirsty,” he says, adding that there was a spiritual element to the moment. “People needed water to quench their thirst, but there was also this Biblical image of quenching the spiritual thirst. We may not have had a conversation about it, but something happened in that moment. It was also a chance for them to see that the church isn’t just a building.”

Canon Kinghan was part of a small army of Anglicans across the diocese who volunteered to help out during the Pan Am and Parapan Am Games, either at churches, community events or the sporting venues themselves.

For many, it was a chance to be the church at the games. “The church needs to be out in the community,” says Canon Kinghan, who wore his clerical collar while volunteering. “The whole idea of missional ministry isn’t a theory – it’s something we’ve got to put into practice.”

Several parishes kicked off the games with community festivals and viewing parties for the opening ceremonies on July 10. St. Bride, Clarkson hosted a PanAmazing Community Fiesta, which featured sports, games, crafts and a barbecue outside on the church grounds.

In downtown Toronto, Little Trinity hosted a picnic in the park, with screens set up in the sanctuary to watch the opening ceremonies. In the late afternoon and evenings, the parish offered quiet conversation and prayer in the sanctuary, as well as refreshments, Wi-Fi and conversation in the parish hall.

Further east, Nativity, Malvern welcomed neighbours to “Catch the Flame” featuring a barbecue, bouncy castle, face painting and games. For the first two weeks of the games, the in-house chef at St. Paul, Bloor Street prepared $10 Pan Am lunch specials three days a week.

On Fridays during the games, St. James Cathedral celebrated its midday Eucharist in both English and Spanish. The cathedral also showed the men’s gold medal soccer game.

The cathedral also raised social justice issues during the games. Inside was a special exhibit on the legacy of Indian residential schools, and outside was the GIFT Box, to raise awareness of human trafficking. A water stand hosted by the Salvation Army was set up outside the cathedral.

“I’m so glad we didn’t miss this opportunity,” says the Rev. Simon Davis, the assistant curate at the cathedral. “There are tons of visitors to our city, we’re right in the centre of it, so let’s use that to make a difference. It’s been great.”

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He contacted the Rev. Canon Ted McCollum, an Anglican priest who leads a ministry to migrant farm workers in Beaverton, Ont., and was put in touch with the Migrant Workers Network. The group provides support and advocacy for about 17,000 workers in Ontario each year, most of them from Mexico and the Caribbean. There are about 300 workers at the farms and greenhouses around Bowmanville.

Mr. Greaves joined the network as a representative of the Bowmanville Ministerial Association. He attended a number of meetings and learned that the same men often came back year after year, working from June to October on local farms.

The group was looking for a venue to hold a welcome event for the men in June. The event would not only welcome the men but would provide them with information about local health services. Mr. Greaves offered to host it at St. John’s.

Working with Mr. Greaves was the local Baptist pastor, Gordon Belyea, an avid cyclist. They learned that the workers needed transportation, and that having bicycles would be a great advantage for them. They asked their parishioners and handed out flyers at the town’s street festival, seeking donated bikes.

“In one month, we picked up about 30 bicycles from all over, including Oshawa, Courtice, Bowmanville, Newtownville and Newcastle, most of which have been repaired and given away,” he says.

The welcome event was held at St. John’s on June 6 and about 16 workers attended. At the event, Mr. Greaves met workers from Jamaica and Barbados and found that a number of them were practicing Christians. They expressed an interest in coming to church, so the next week they were given rides to an ecumenical service in Bowmanville. About 10 of the workers have continued to come to church each Sunday, getting rides from members of the congregation.

“We’ve really enjoyed the contact we’ve had with these fellows,” says Mr. Greaves. “They’ve asked for prayers and we’ve prayed for them. They’ve joined our church family in worship on Sunday. One man plays piano before and after church with great gusto. If there is some reason they can’t come, we understand and keep in contact with them throughout the week.”

The church has held lunches and barbecues for the men and even taken them to a softball game at the Pan Am Games. Some of the men are mechanically minded and help to repair the donated bikes after the Sunday worship service.

In the fall, the men will be working Sundays, so the church is thinking of holding a Caribbean-style service on Saturday evening. The church would also like to hold a harvest celebration in late September or early October to thank the men for all their work. The men invited the church to a party they are hosting at one of the farms.

Mr. Greaves says his congregation has been energized by the new relationships. “In the last 10 years we’ve led teams on mission trips overseas, but here is the world coming to us. It’s been good for our congregation to engage in local mission as Jesus’ disciples. We have been blessed to move beyond our normal boundaries and grow as a community of compassion, social justice and hope, and to deepen our understanding of the command to love God with all we’ve got and love your neighbour as yourself.”

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The first is the creation of an award that recognizes and supports innovative youth work in the fields of evangelism and discipleship. Up to $20,000 will be given to an individual or team that is involved in an “emerging initiative” with youth in those areas.

“We’ve noticed that in many places, people have the creativity and innovation but they don’t have the resources to carry out their work, so we’re hoping this award will help them do that,” said the Rev. Robert Sihubwa, a priest and youth worker in Lusaka, Zambia, and a member of Anglican Witness, a group that supports evangelism and church growth in the Anglican Communion.

The award will also honour an individual or team that has achieved success with a youth program in evangelism or discipleship. The person or a representative of the team will be flown to the next meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council in Lusaka in 2016 to make a presentation about their work.

“We want them to share their story, and that can go out across the Communion so that others can learn from it,” said Mr. Sihubwa, who came up with the idea for the award.

He said the award will give youth work and youth in general a higher profile in the Communion. “I think it will give a lot of people encouragement that the church is recognizing young people and putting their work more and more on the agenda.”

An announcement about the award is expected to be made in fall.

The symposium, which was held at St. Paul, Bloor Street, also heard that Anglican Witness is proposing that the Anglican Communion adopt a 10-year period of “intentional discipleship.” The group is drafting a paper that will be sent to the Anglican Consultative Council, which is expected to vote on the proposal when it meets in Lusaka in 2016.

“Every season has its own needs, and this is the time that we need to revisit the whole idea of discipleship,” said Bishop Moon Hing Ng, bishop of West Malaysia and chair of Anglican Witness. He described discipleship as “basic Christian life. It’s not a course or a module or a certificate. It’s the life of a person. A disciple must be able to know the Gospel and articulate it; to know the scriptures and feed themselves from them; to know how to pray to the point that he or she can hear from God; to serve God with no expectation of return; and to see the needs of others that will spur us into social concern.”

The symposium was held after three days of meetings by Anglican Witness in Niagara Falls. Anglican Witness, which is made up of clergy and lay people from around the Communion, was formed in 2010 at the request of the Anglican Consultative Council and has met in different parts of the globe. Since its inception until recently, the group was chaired by Bishop Patrick Yu, the area bishop of York-Scarborough in the Diocese of Toronto.

Bishop Ng praised Bishop Yu’s leadership, saying that under his direction the group has accomplished a number of things, including the creation of a webpage and Facebook page to share information and resources throughout the Communion.

During the symposium, Bishop Ng spoke about the challenges of evangelism and church growth in the Communion and the work of the discipleship in West Malaysia. Mr. Sihubwa spoke about youth work in Zambia. Mark Oxbrow spoke about the work of Faith2Share, which fosters discipleship around the world, and Archbishop Johnson spoke about missional direction and initiatives in the Diocese of Toronto. After all four talks, those in attendance broke into small groups to learn more from the speakers.

The symposium was attended by members of Anglican Witness from the United Kingdom, Canada, Malaysia, Kenya, South Africa, Pakistan, Nigeria, Zambia and Peru. Bishops and clergy from the Diocese of Toronto also attended.

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We provide unique, hands-on services to a distinct, at-risk, high-needs segment of society – prisoners. For 40 years we have facilitated a weekly spiritual support group within the Ontario Correctional Institute in Brampton. The group is one of the best attended and most popular institutional gatherings. Its weekly attendance averages 70 prisoners and 12 volunteers. Most importantly, we provide hands-on reintegration assistance to men returning to the community.

Our biggest accomplishment has been the opening of our community centre in downtown Brampton and the development of “Bridge to Work,” an employment readiness program for prisoners returning to Peel Region. Through our support and our community partners, 65 per cent of the men we have worked with this year are out of the shelter system and living in suitable housing. They are off welfare, relatively drug- and alcohol-free, and working within two to three months. It’s a powerful story of lives restored. We have also been active in a number of community projects, including creating murals for the United Way, Moore’s Suit Drive, World Homelessness Day and the Scotiabank Marathon.

The best part of my job is seeing men who had previously been written off as the “least of us” discover their own humanity and worth and becoming both the men they had hoped they could be and that God had intended them to be. The worst part is visiting men I had worked with who are in penitentiaries or, sadly, going to their funerals.

The one thing I’d like people to know about prisoners is that they are people too: they are our brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers and, but for the grace of God, we are not in jail with them. It’s important to understand that most people in jail are getting out at some point and they deserve the chance to work hard and to prove themselves.

In 1994, I had a secure and well-paying city job but was in the early stages of sobriety and felt unfulfilled. Because of my personal connections to Daisy Dunlop, the founder of The Bridge, I began as a volunteer but eventually became employed as the community worker here. I accepted the position for half the money I had been earning. I gave up a pension plan and health benefits for the chance to be challenged, possibly fulfilled, hopefully to make a difference, to honour my own sobriety and, frankly, to make amends for all the damage and hurt my previous life caused.

I was born on Dec. 24 in Toronto to Ukrainian parents. Because of my age, I entered public school early – at age 4 – and later skipped Grade 5, so I was young and immature when I entered high school at 12. I was always awkward and suffered from ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), so I was always in trouble. I think that continues today. When I finally got somewhat grounded, I was married, had a beautiful daughter, acquired a horticulture diploma and was a very good landscaper for many years.

My faith journey began at a young age and was confusing and frightening from the beginning. My Mom used to take me to the local Ukrainian Catholic Church, where I attended catechism and Ukrainian classes. I eventually served as an altar boy, but because I didn’t speak Ukrainian very well I didn’t really understand the Mass. While my Mom dragged me to church, my father always asked me what lies the priests had told me when I returned home. Hence my initial confusion. I was also very afraid because my Dad was violently abusive to both my Mom and I. I learned to lie and cheat in order to survive my home life, although I felt I was sinning.

At 12 I entered an all-boys Ukrainian Catholic high school. Because of the abuse at home, my immaturity and my lack of focus, school life was troubled. I acted out and received the strap so many times that eventually I felt God being beat out of me and that I was not worth saving or protecting. My Dad threw me out of the house at 15 and I became a frightened, confused and angry young street kid, which in the 1960s was a dangerous place for a young kid. Although my mother’s priest tried to reach out to me, I felt so alone, angry and in a dark place that I was very hard to reach.

At 16, I found drugs. Heroin became my solution to all my emotional, mental and spiritual troubles; I had a new god. As my addiction and drug lifestyle slowly took over my life, my spirit and soul darkened. I couldn’t see any way out and I couldn’t even pray. I had been married to a wonderful woman who didn’t understand the depth of my sickness; she suffered greatly trying to stand by me in the hell of my addiction. My life was that of a typical drug addict – lying, cheating, stealing, cursing a God who I couldn’t believe in for my miserable life and the years spent in and out of mental institutions, re-hab centres and prisons.

Finally at 41 years of age, scarred and wounded from years of abuse and hardcore drug and alcohol use, and not wanting to live like that anymore, I fell to my knees and begged a God I was ashamed to be in front of to please help me. I have not used drugs or alcohol since shortly after that weeping, slobbering and humiliating ask.

My faith in God had taken many painful, confusing and angry paths to get to the strong, devoted and faithful place I am in now. I have no doubt that God saved my life, nor do I doubt that it is now my calling to walk with men like me as they struggle through their own hells and fight with their spiritual demons.

While my body is battered and bruised for many reasons, the pain is less, the dark memories have faded and now I have a life that is blessed with amazing people, pictures on all my walls from my many travels and an interesting but sometime draining job. More importantly, although I’ll never be rich, I can honestly say that I’m a good man, a good father and son, and that I will be a great grandfather. I have all I need and I’m able to pass my blessings on to those in need through prayer but mainly through well intentioned good works.

What would I like to be doing five years from now? I’ll be retired by then, and I’d like to be proud that I left The Bridge in a good place. I’d like to be doing something worthwhile and still contributing to the world, possibly in another country. Most importantly, I want to be the best darned grandfather ever!

Matthew is my favourite Gospel, as I believe he preaches valuing an internal spiritual transformation. The passage that most speaks to me is Matthew 25: 31- 46, as it speaks directly to meeting the needs of the hungry, sick, and imprisoned. I have been all of those and know the depth and pain of those simple needs. I also know that the passage requires simple, caring and non-judgmental actions that usually get my hands dirty and that sometimes break but strengthen my heart.

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Joining the throngs of people congregating for the Walk for Reconciliation in Ottawa were residential school survivors and their families, our National Indigenous Bishop Mark MacDonald, our Primate Fred Hiltz, many Anglicans and ecumenical partners from across the country, elders, infants, ordinary citizens and justice workers. Together we became a vibrant and turbulent river of hope streaming towards and engulfing our nation’s capital.

As Canadians, we cannot stay the same after this. As a country, we have to grow in recognizing and respecting our First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. They are us.

Above the heads of hundreds of people amassed in Ottawa, the eagles arrived to accompany us on this mission for truth and reconciliation, bringing the message that we have work to do and are blessed by our Creator in this work. Strength, resiliency, respect and courage permeated the gathering-places: hotels, city hall, parks, restaurants and churches. People from more than 15 countries listened to the findings of the Commission. It was an irrefutable victory in the eyes of some; for others, another water-drop on the stone. For me, it was calling us into a new way of being Church together in Canada.

When considering where we go from here, I turn a listening ear and heart to some of my elders. From Commissioner Murray Sinclair: “We cannot permit discomfort to prevent us from doing the work of reconciliation. Reconciliation will not be easy. We share a future; we are bound together. The first important step to making it happen is to believe that reconciliation should happen. The beauty of it will ultimately fall upon our children’s children.”

Commissioner Marie Wilson challenges us to take inspiration from any of the stellar TRC Honorary Witnesses, people of prominence in our nation’s culture and politics. She says, “Be provoked to consider, if they think it is important, I should too.” Her deep conviction and commitment to reconciliation, which is an example of courage to us all, comes from her spiritual director’s words early on in this TRC process. He reminded her that the root of the word “witness” comes from “martyr” – to face the risk of discomfort, fatigue, rejection, danger and outrage, and bear witness anyway. She says that in reconciliation, “we have to go far beyond our reach. A start is not a finish.”

Chief Robert Joseph, one of the wise and courageous truth-tellers who initiated the TRC in Canada, moved the hearts of the gathered crowd with his kindness, his deep solidarity with the hurting, and his fierce commitment to social change and cultural respect in our country. He is a prophet for our times.

“We’ve never been to this moment before,” he said. “In the last 17 years, there has been a narrative in this land that we’ve never heard before this publicly. What I’m hoping, as we develop this deeper understanding between ourselves, is that we will shift: we will elevate the conversations of reconciliation to engage more and more Canadians, as we speak our truth. Don’t leave this gathering angry, broken, or indifferent. Commit to reconciliation with your family, your community, other families and other communities. For those of you who put your hands together, pray that Creator will have his hand on your heart and the hearts of others, and help us. We can never go back to the way things have been. There is a new promise in this land. All of us can be free, all of us can have hope, all children will have the opportunities to dream dreams. We don’t have to change the world. We have to change ourselves. Find peace within. We need to embrace each other, then we can walk together. Create optimism in yourself so together we can lift each other up.”

Archbishop Fred Hiltz, speaking on behalf of the churches who were partners in the residential schools, shared words of apology, humility and gratitude. He spoke of wounds so deep that healing could not happen; of children, vulnerable and far from home, terribly abused and neglected; of the grace and generosity of teachers and others whose kindness offered respite from pain and humiliation. Then, in a move both courageous and spiritfilled, and in response to the recommendations of the TRC, he called all of us to recognize indigenous spiritual traditions in their own right.

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The topic of money or financial stewardship in the church has long been one that raises a sense of fear and trepidation in leaders. How can we raise a thorny issue without appearing to be money-grubbing or, even worse, turning them off going to church altogether? My sense is that we need to approach the issue head-on. I don’t believe we can neglect conversations about money in the church; if we are truly interested in the well-being of congregants, we must connect with their whole being – and that includes their relationship with money. Of course, this reflects my own bias, as I speak about giving and generosity all the time. But if we neglect to discuss the importance of being givingpeople, we fundamentally avoid a significant part of the Gospel message.

Once we have broached the issue of generosity with newcomers, we need to invite their participation. So how can people give their money?

Traditionally, this has been done by passing the plate: congregants make gifts using envelopes or cash, and the offering is brought to the front of the altar and a blessing is said. I’d like to move away from this practice with newcomers and strongly encourage using pre-authorized giving (PAG). As I have said many times before, PAG is good theology. It ensures that we give of our first fruits, that we be thoughtful and intentional about giving, and that it is done on a consistent basis. It acknowledges that the ministry of the church and God’s very blessing continues, even when we are not physically present.

What amount should people give? For some, the ultimate example of giving is the tithe, and this gift amount is entirely reasonable. For the vast majority of us, however, it is unattainable in our present circumstances (and it has proven to be a conversation nonstarter in my line of work). I have found that suggesting that newcomers – and all givers, for that matter – give the equivalent of an hour’s pay to be very helpful. It is a proportional gift that is meaningful and real and often increases as we move through our working lives. The idea of giving 2.5 per cent is equally helpful to retirees.

Who should be invited to give? Just as all members of the congregation are invited to come to Christ’s table, so too should everyone be invited to give. While each of us has a different capacity to give, all should be given the opportunity; this includes children as well. If they see the example set by their parents, they might feel inclined to give. Let’s not neglect our kids – someday they’ll be the generation that sustains ministry.

Should I give of my net or gross income? Pray and ask God what to do. If God prompts you to give from the gross amount, go ahead and do it, trusting God with the results. If you are uneasy about this, begin giving from your net amount for a few months and see what happens. After a few months, if you experience God’s creative care in your life, then begin to give from your gross income.

Talking about giving has its place. It doesn’t need to preoccupy us, but it needs to be presented in its proper context. The Sunday Gospel reading lends itself on numerous occasions to the opportunity to discuss those things that are false idols. Lay-witnessing can be a powerful tool to help pew-mates understand that others are facing the same challenges in their lives. Newcomers want to hear that message too. They have come to our churches for a reason; something is missing in their lives. They are seeking spiritual balance and they want to learn more about what it is to be a Christian disciple. We have a wonderful opportunity to be examples of Christ’s abounding generosity. Let’s make an effort to share that same generosity with others.

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Jesus was clear that the kingdom of God was not synonymous with earthly kingdoms. When asked about paying taxes, he declared, “Pay unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and unto God what is God’s.” Yet, we do participate in the nations of this world even as we are preparing ourselves for God’s kingdom. When in exile, the people of Israel were instructed by Jeremiah to “seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.” We are to seek the welfare of the places where we live, to pray for them and to participate in seeking what will be good for all its citizens, for our own well-being is integrally tied to that of our communities’. We are to love our neighbour as ourselves – and remember that our neighbour is not just those who are like us. The story of the Good Samaritan subverts our assumptions about that neighbour and calls us out of our comfort zones!

We are invited to discern which candidates will govern our country in ways that nurture and support all her citizens and that participate in justice and peace in the world. We do that by bringing our values and commitments, which are formed by our faith, to that discernment. Politics and faith cannot be separate, for we weigh our decisions in the light of our understanding of human nature, of the nature of God, of God’s call to us and of a vision of community to be lived in justice and peace. Our faith does and ought to inform our choices, made for the good of all people. We are called to participate by voting, to share our voice in the discussions and debates, and to look past partisan loyalties to the needs of our country and the commitments offered by those standing for election.

As we approach this election, take time to consider your choices in light of our baptismal vows to seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbour as yourself; to strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity of every human being; to strive to safeguard the integrity of God’s creation and respect, sustain and renew the life of the earth. We may well find ourselves supporting different candidates or leaders in this discernment as we adjudicate the balance needed in these challenging times. Healthy discussion and debate is critical. Which candidates will help our communities and country fulfill these commitments for the good of all God’s people?

Whichever party or people are elected, we are then called to pray for them. The responsibilities they carry are significant and need our support.

“LORD, keep this nation under your care. Bless the leaders of our land, that we may be a people at peace among ourselves and a blessing to other nations of the earth. Help us elect trustworthy leaders, contribute to wise decisions for the general welfare, and thus serve you faithfully in our generation to the honour of your holy name; through Jesus Christ our Lord” (BAS page 678).

“ALMIGHTY God, the fountain of all wisdom: Guide and direct, we humbly beseech thee, the minds of all those who are called at this time to elect fit persons to serve… Grant that in the exercise of their choice they may promote thy glory, and the welfare of this Dominion [or Province or Municipality]. And this we beg for the sake of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen” (BCP page 50).

Pray for the candidates, share in discussion and debate with an eye to our baptismal promises – and most importantly, vote on or before Oct. 19!

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With an old building and a dwindling congregation, the parish had to act, said Ms. Lewis, who is the people’s warden at her church. “Instead of pumping more money into our building, we’d rather put it into the mission of the church – to continue to spread the Gospel and win souls for Christ.”

At a special vestry meeting in the spring, the church voted unanimously to merge with the other churches – Church of the Advent, Church of the Good Shepherd and St. John, Weston. All of them have agreed to amalgamate.

“This decision is a God-send,” said Kuinivia Seiloa, the people’s warden at the Church of the Good Shepherd, which also voted unanimously to merge. “We’ll accomplish way more stuff if we have more hands. We can take on new initiatives that serve the public and our parishioners. For me, that’s exciting.”

Dianne Izzard, the rector’s warden at the Church of the Advent, echoed her comments. “I’m excited because the focus is going to turn from survival to ministry,” she said. “In a small congregation, you’re always concentrating on survival. But now we’ll have more people and resources to do other things.”

Bishop Philip Poole, the area bishop of York-Credit Valley, said he was proud of the churches’ decision to join forces. “These four congregations have all had a storied history in this part of Toronto but they have concluded that they will be much stronger together than they will be apart. I think it speaks to their courage, vision and faith as they seek to respond as church in a challenging time in society.”

A transition team comprised of Bishop Poole and representatives of the four churches will determine the new church’s location. A decision was expected by the end of August. The plan is to build a state-of-the-art church on one of the existing properties, to be paid for by the sale of the other three being facilitated by Heather Mc- Gregor, a member of the diocese’s Reconfiguration Team.

Bishop Poole said historical elements from all four churches will be incorporated into the new building. Worship and outreach from the four churches will also be incorporated as much as possible into the life of the new parish. “We’ll do our very best to provide an Anglican presence in that whole area.”

He said the amalgamation has the potential to create a large, vibrant Anglican church. “What we’ve learned is that you don’t program your way into critical mass, you critical mass your way into programming. If you’ve got enough people, enough hands on deck, you can do an awful lot of things. Bigger is not better but it’s different and it gives you the capacity to accomplish more. If it all comes together, it will become one of the larger churches in the diocese.”

Cynthia Rouse, a churchwarden at St. John, Weston, said she is looking forward to the day when all the congregations will be together in their new church. “The way I see it, our church is closing but it is magically turning into a butterfly. We’ll be at a new location with a new name. I’m looking forward to that.”

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Ms. Doucet Campbell is the Anglican Diocese of Toronto Foundation’s new major and legacy giving officer, a position shared with the Anglican Church of Canada. She started on June 8 and will split her time evenly between the foundation and the national church.

“A legacy giving officer enables people to express their passion for a cause through their finances,” says Ms. Doucet Campbell. This can include encouraging and helping donors with bequests in their wills, gifts of stock or securities, major cash gifts or endowments.

The Anglican Diocese of Toronto Foundation provides financial support for the diocese and its parishes. “Basically, we’re developing the hope of the future, that the ministries of the diocese will remain vibrant and active,” she says.

“Gillian comes on board as the first staff position for the Anglican Diocese of Toronto Foundation,” says Peter Misiaszek, director of Stewardship Development for the diocese. “It’s our hope that with her addition, we will be able to increase the profile of the foundation, actively and energetically promote legacy giving and encourage donors across the diocese to support their parishes with legacy giving.”

Ms. Doucet Campbell began her career as a therapist, but she soon realized her skills were pulling her in a different direction. “I have always been strong administratively and enjoy connecting with people and hearing their story. All these skills translated very well into fundraising,” she says.

In addition to a Master’s degree in counselling psychology, Ms. Doucet Campbell has completed a graduate certificate in fundraising and resource development. She has worked in fundraising “intentionally” for five years, and as part of other positions for several years before.

While fundraising comes with many joys and challenges, Ms. Doucet Campbell says she is most looking forward to “meeting people and learning how I can help them realize their financial giving goals.”

Meanwhile, Ms. Doucet Campbell continues to enjoy the opportunity to unite her skill for fundraising with her passion for the church. “Being Anglican, I simply want to be of service where my head and heart are,” she says. “I also want to be an example for my own children by supporting the important work of the church, using the skills and talents I have been given and enjoy using.”

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