|
Mother’s Day
At Sunday services this weekend we give thanks for all our mothers, grandmothers, godmothers and aunties with the gift of a carnation as a token of our love. *Sunday Service Recording - New Time for Zoom Replay at 11.00 a.m.. As all three services have resumed, the Sunday recording has been scaled back as the time devoted to it has now been shifted back to the three services. (The recordings with music could take 8-12 hours of preparation and involved a team of over 35 people.) That said, after a little experimentation, we can provide a simple but high-quality Youtube recording from the 8 a.m. service and have it ready for viewing and playback on Zoom by 11.00 a.m.. The playback on Zoom is offered especially for those whose contact is by telephone. Kindly note the new time for the replay. Each Youtube recording will be available on the website for several weeks. A word - at St. Paul’s we continue to uphold and support the Christian standard of gathering together on the Lord’s Day. The Youtube recordings are not an attempt to provide an electronic alternative but rather a meaningful representation of the Sunday lessons, prayers and sermon for those unable to attend. Since the invention of television, the electronic church has been with us, but it involves a significant investment of money and people and it cannot answer the duty or replace the joy of gathering and praying together. *Sunday School We thank God that the children have returned to St. Paul’s for Sunday School at 9.15 a.m.. *A Single "Church Service" Zoom link for all church services This new link applies to all English church services which are streamed on Zoom, for the replay of the Sunday recording, and including Evening Prayer on Sundays at 6.00 p.m. and Morning Prayer, Monday through Saturday: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86566347435?pwd=WnhpMDJQRkxjMEV3d2pMU0FCa0JuUT09 By Phone: Meeting ID: 865 6634 7435 Passcode: 501805 647-374-4685 647-558-0588 Green Stage at St. Paul’s On March 23, the Bishops began moving the Diocese into the Green Stage. This will apply in all the Diocese, effective May 22. The Bishops gave permission to St. Paul’s to begin on Easter. There are three considerations. The first and largest is that, as was the case before Covid, individuals and families are now responsible for their own health, safety and protection. Outside of exceptional times like Covid, this is as it should be. Parishes are asked to do their best to keep things clean and to support those who mask and distance. As of Easter Sunday, we will return to the three English services on Sundays, advising those who wish to distance to attend at 8.00 am and 11.15 am. Secondly, several things remain in place. The vaccination mandate for clergy, staff and church volunteers remains. For the time being, the practice of serving the sacrament in one kind (the consecrated bread only) will continue. But thirdly, unmuffled the simple praise of God in song can be heard again at St. Paul’s. We thank God for the oversight and direction of our bishops and the three levels of government. We thank God for the relative safety of this time. We thank God for the blessed memory of all those died these last two years - all of whom we were not able to "bid adieu" as we would have wanted. And we thank God for what, by all signs, is the "beginning of the end" of Covid. Maytime Melodies The 17th annual Maytime Melodies takes place next Saturday evening (May 14) at 6.30 p.m.. The Covid cloud still lingers so the evening will be leaner than usual but still a wonderful night featuring the St. Paul’s Steel band, the Community Youth String Ensemble and a great array of choral and solo performers. Admission is by donation which can be made at any time over the next couple of weeks, helping us support the good and ambitious outreach projects of our Outreach program. We urge everyone to give and to give generously. A Youtube recording will be available in the following week. Changes! More Notes from Fr. Dean This year, Easter Season at St. Paul’s looks a whole lot different and better than it did a year ago, with several changes now taking effect. *Back to the Pre-Covid Schedule As of Easter Sunday, Sunday morning services in English will return to the ordinary schedule of 8.00, 9.15 and 11.15 a.m., with Sunday School resuming at 9.15 a.m.. *Safety guidelines St. Paul’s was given permission by the Bishops to enter the Green Stage of safety guidelines which makes distancing and masking optional. However, the decision to apply this across the Diocese has been postponed until May 22. At St. Paul’s, we will proceed unhurriedly. No one is discouraged from either masking or distancing at any time and at the 8.00 a.m. and 11.15 a.m., distancing will remain in effect. Wonderful News - Prayers Answered for Sanaz and Alireza This past week we were delighted to learn that the refugee couple St. Paul’s is co-sponsoring have had their application and relevant documents approved. We learned this week that their arrival may be still be a while, but we thank God for this wonderful development, for the guidance and wise counsel of AURA, for the members of the co-sponsorship committee at St. Paul’s, and for the faithfulness of the family’s sister in Toronto. War in Ukraine For those wishing to contribute to refugee relief, The Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund is now accepting donations to support those displaced by the war in Ukraine, here: www.toronto.anglican.ca/news/pwrdf-accepts-donations-for-ukrainian-refugees/. This past week, our Outreach Committee donated $2000 to refugee relief program. Indigenous Spiritual Centre at St. Paul’s On Saturday, March 12, a public meeting was held to consider the development of a spiritual centre at St. Paul’s for the indigenous community in Scarborough, serving as a bridge to youth and senior programs. The original impetus was a report to the SPLC Board (Senior Persons Living Connected) identifying a significant community of indigenous seniors in Scarborough. A planning committee has been formed and begun. If interested, and for more information, contact Fr. Dean. In Search of Egg Cartons Egg cartons are being collected for use at the nearby Salvation Army food bank. If you have cartons you could share, please contact Kathy Barnes. Sarah Mair - new Youth Coordinator for York Scarborough Area Congratulations to Sarah Mair who has been appointed Youth Co-Coordinator for the York-Scarborough Area. It is a position she will hold alongside serving as Youth Director for St. Paul’s. Congratulations, Sarah. They recruited one of the best. NOTE: A profile of Sarah appears in the April issue of the Diocesan Anglican. Community Youth Basketball Program Has Resumed - the long wait is over and we are up and running again! It has been a great and enthusiastic re-opening - Tuesday evenings at 6.30 p.m. at L’Amoreaux Collegiate Institute. For more information, contact Sarah Mair - splcyouthministry@gmail.com. St. Paul’s Youth Music Program Resumes with the Strings Our parish and community youth music program has re-started, with string practice at 4.30 pm. A great group. Our largest string group ever. Registration at practice. Steel Pans Have Returned Gemini Groove (Tuesday evenings) and The St. Paul’s Steel Pan band (Saturdays, 12.30 noon) have restarted. Hope is in the air. Morning Prayer on Zoom Morning Prayer is said Monday to Saturday at 7.30 a.m. on Zoom. Join us. Computer link - NEW: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86566347435?pwd=WnhpMDJQRkxjMEV3d2pMU0FCa0JuUT09 By Phone: Meeting ID: 865 6634 7435 Passcode: 501805 647-374-4685 647-558-0588 Schedule The full schedule of in-person and online services and programs can be found on the online church calendar - www.stpl.ca/calendar.html - or here: www.stpl.ca/services.html. This is the quickest and easiest way to get service and program information. Ontario COVID-19 Vaccine Booking - You can currently book an appointment at a mass vaccination clinic through the provincial online vaccine booking system (https://covid-19.ontario.ca/book-vaccine/) If you prefer to schedule an appointment by phone, call the Provincial Vaccine Booking Line at 1-833-943-3900 (TTY 1-866-797-0007). This line is available 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., 7 days a week. Information is available in more than 300 languages. If St. Paul’s can be of any help to you in this process, please let our office know. Mission Trip to Tanzania Rescheduled: July 2023. Fr. Kim Beard will be leading a work mission trip to Tanzania, now re-scheduled for July 4 - 22, 2023. The next information meeting at St. Paul’s - Thursday September 15th - 7:30 p.m. - to introduce interested people to the Tanzania mission. S.P.Y. - St. Paul’s Youth - Friday nights at 7 pm. Contact Sarah for more information: splcyouthministry@gmail.com. Friday Night Bible Study - join us at the church or online for study, following the Bible study guides of Bishop Tom Wright. The study guides are available online (www.amazon.ca or www.parasource.com or www.christianbook.com) or may be ordered through Fr. Dean for $13. We are now studying the Gospel of Luke. Next Friday, May 13: Luke 4. Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/830877703 Telephone: 647-374 4685, or 647-558 0588; Meeting ID: 830 877 703 Looking Ahead Maytime Melodies - the Roger Lillie Springtime Recital - Saturday, May 14, 6.30 p.m.. The Spring-Summer Steel Concert - Saturday, June 25 Grad Sunday - June 26 - beginning of summer Sunday service hours - 8 & 10 a.m., June 26 through and including September 4. Annual Walk-a-thon - Saturday, September 24 The Annual Stewardship Letter and 2022 Pledge Card is now available - from the church office or online: https://stpl.ca/give.html Vestry Report 2022 - The final edition of the 2022 Vestry Report is now available here: https://stpl.ca/applications-forms--reports.html The 2022 Offering Envelopes are Now Available for Pickup at the Church St. Paul’s 2021 Income Tax Receipts - by Mail & E-mail! Tax receipts for 2021 have been distributed. Contact the office for questions or information - (416) 499-1545; stpl@stpl.ca. Thank you for your Faithful Gifts and Offerings - St. Paul’s is a strong parish and remains strong due to everyone’s faithful support at a time when never has it been more important. Gifts can be dropped off at the church or sent by mail. Kindly ensure that your name and envelope number is included. Or, members may wish to sign up for the Pre-Authorized Giving Program (contact the office). Members who use online banking can now make E-transfers (instructions here: www.stpl.ca/give.html). Gifts can also be made at our website through CanadaHelps: www.stpl.ca/give.html. NOTE: Of the various means for online giving, we recommend The Pre-Authorized Giving Program. It is regular, matching the regular responsibilities of the parish, and once initiated all it takes is a phone call or quick e-mail note to increase, decrease, or cancel the donation. The monthly amount is withdrawn on the 20th of each month, and the cost to the church is 50 cents per transaction, irrespective of the amount of the gift. This makes the PAG the most economical of all methods of giving. Contact - The clergy of St. Paul’s are all in the vicinity and visiting in homes again, abiding by diocesan safety guidelines. Don’t hesitate to call or write. Website: [http://www.stpl.ca;/]www.stpl.ca; Church phone: 416-499-1545; Email: [mailto:stpl@stpl.ca;]stpl@stpl.ca; Fr. Dean Mercer: [mailto:deanmercer@hotmail.com;]deanmercer@hotmail.com; Rectory phone: 416-497-6352. Comments are closed.
|
Archives
December 2023
|