44 TheAnglican TheAnglican
COMMENT COMMENT
Turning point came listening Our Faith-Our Hopethrough is changing lives N I icodemus went under came across a pastoral letcover of darkness. The ter from the Bishop of Samaritan woman left Toronto to the clergy and her jar at the well to go laity proposing a signifiback and tell the others. With cant fundraising effort. In it he mud in his eyes, the man born proposed a graduated schedblind went to the pool of Siloam ule of offerings to achieve a to wash. And Lazarus came substantial goal and an indiback to life. vidual appeal to each church family in the In Year A of our liturgical rhythm, these are diocese by a member of their parish “to the characters accompany us through the knock at everythat one’s door and rouse the inseason of Lent. Their encounters with Jesus habitants to devote a small portion of what are foretaste of what is them to come Easterso Godahas bestowed upon to on promote Day. And these encounters would surely chalgreat a work.” lenge their understanding of life, of themselves That letter came from John Strachan, the and God. Questions like, who am I1854! now, firstof Bishop of Toronto, in January where going, what is myRe-imagine purpose, must The am OurI Faith-Our Hope: have bubbled to thebegan surface in these moments Church campaign with an idea I first of change. We too ask these questions proposed to Synod a decade ago. As itwhen gradustriving understand our place,that our call, our ally tooktoshape, we determined it would vocation in this life. be a cooperative program shared between the We have children inresponded university and one diocese andfour parishes that to the in Grade 10.of The number occupants our generosity God’s manyofgifts to us toinenhome expands and contracts throughout the of gage God’s mission. We identified the goals year. At Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easterthe and Strengthening Local Parishes, Building during vacation, the numberOur of pairs Churchsummer for Tomorrow, Revitalizing Inof shoes atand the Giving front door grows, as does the heritance to Others. grocery bill. During the school term, it’s nice The Canadian North has many clergy and and quiet. We enjoy bothof times of plenty lay catechists in charge parishes whoand work times of calm. Our children are not only without a stipend. Many are isolated in attendcoming to scholastics, horizons, munities that faceexpanding traumatictheir pastoral issues learning to live away from home – they are also including, unfortunately, the accumulated striving to discover own place, purpose pain of dealing withtheir multiple suicides. The and vocations. Diocese of Toronto made a grant of $500,000 When was their age, I didn’t have cleara from OurI Faith-Our Hope (OFOH) toafund request from the Council of the North and Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples to hold regional circles where clergy and lay leaders could come together for mutual learning, support and refreshment. So far, 276 have participated from half a dozen dioceses. Grants ranged from $500 to $100,000. The Diocese of the Arctic, for instance, brought peo“The report of my death was an exaggeration.” Mark Twain, ending a letter written in 1897 to a newspaper journalist, in response to reports that he had died.
BISHOP’S DIARY ARCHBISHOP’S DIARY Bishop ACndrew Asbil BY B AyRCHBISHOP OLIN JOHNSON
ple from 48 communities together. The feedidea of what I wanted to do when I grew up. back has been astounding. It makes a differI had an inkling in about Grade 7 that priestence in peoples’ lives. hood might be for me, but that’s not something The Anglican Chaplaincy for the Canadian you talk about with your friends at that age. I Forces elected its first full-time bishop to prokept it close. In Grade 12, we filled out a career vide episcopal care for regular and reserve aptitude test that would makeand recommendachaplains and their families, to military tions for occupations to pursue. classmates personnel across the country. ItMy only became received because recommendations to endowment be lawyers, docpossible of an initial of tors, nuclear $500,000 fromphysicists, OFOH. politicians and teachers. Me, I was told togrant consider being a brickAnother $500,000 from OFOH to the layer or a tugboat captain. What? That didn’t Primate’s World Relief and Development make much sense to me. Not to say that there Fund (PWRDF) supports new work in materis something being a bricklayer nal and child wrong healthwith in the developing worldor a tugboat captain – thesein are worthy occupaand midwifery services remote northern tions. It’s just that to that Ours point is in the my largest life I had communities in Canada. spent no construction andgiven barely single gifttime anyindiocese has ever to a moment in a boat. PWRDF in its 50+ year history. Because of I went off to university to study biology matching federal government grants, that because it was my highest mark in high school. gift created a value of over $2.5 million. Safe I loved the and sciences and imagined by doing deliveries proper health carethat are now more in-depth education, available because of yoursomething generosity.would stick. By third year, I knew that biology and Parishes around the diocese have been chemistry, while interesting me, were made physically accessible, to youth work not is bemy passions. All myare friends were fallingpioin love ing funded, leaders being trained, with their courses and finding their way, I neering ministries in new contexts haveand been was losing I tried environmental studies, planed andmine. an amazing array of creative projeconomics, political science locally and even Frenchof ects have been undertaken because history. Our Faith-Our Hope – not just because of the The turning pointnow cameavailable, through listening. financial resources but also I listenedoftoafriends and family who knew me because reinvigoration of imagination and commitment. We have succeeded in remarkable ways. While not every parish participated, the vast majority did – and achieved more than many had thought possible. Some of the parishes did not formally join the OFOH project because they were already in the midst of substantial funding efforts. Others added to their
well. I listened to my heart, my hunger, and I goals to meet parish capital needs and did listened for God. By third year of my underspectacularly well. Taking that into account, grad, I was praying again, a practice that I had at least $50 million in new funds has been left behind when I had left home. On a very contributed to ministry in the diocese and becold winter night, I looked out my bedroom yond in the last seven years, over our regular window upon the snowy and windswept offerings and FaithWorks contributions. field that reflected the state of my soul, and I We are a different diocese because of that. prayed… Loving God, I have no idea what I am Yes, the money has helped us fund new minsupposed to do, please, please, please…help istries, adapt old buildings, engage in new me. That was a turning point for me. Through mission, support vulnerable people in a series of serendipitous moments, I found myChrist’s name. More than that, though, it has self going back to the idea of ordained ministry. helped build relationships between people, alThis ispeople the calling that personal makes mystories, heart sing. lowed to share idenWhen think about now, that high tified andI trained newitleaders, built upschool confiaptitude test did get people it right.to I spend much of dence, and assisted articulate and my ministry tugging, pulling and guiding the share their faith. Church I serve to find secure passage, I I havethat been changed by the experience. open water and safeinharbour, like a tugboat am more confident speaking clearly about captain. visions and dreams, my faith Laying and mydown commitment to it. I have mixdising the mortar with prayer and generously. faith to bind,Ito covered a new capacity to give strengthen and build the Kingdom of God day have met the most amazing Anglicans, heard after day after day, like a bricklayer, fills me their stories and been moved by their faithwith hope. fulness. I have rejoiced in the creativity and Jesus chose fishers and taxand collectors, boldness of vision of people parishescarpenters tentmakers. He moved Nicode(and yes,and to be honest, occasionally disapmus, theby woman Samaria, the man born pointed a few).from I think our church is in a blind and Lazarus to a deeper life of faith. different place because of Our Faith-Our And Jesus calls you and meto through our baptism Hope. We have begun re-imagine church. toIuse gifts thatgrateful God hasto given tothe make amthe profoundly you us and more than a living. Wewho are have calledmade to bring many people like you andlife are to others, no matter our vocation. making a difference in our world because of Youfaith mayinbeJesus one like many others your Christ. And I amwrestling especialwith the idea of ordained ministry. Listen.inLisly grateful to the lay leaders and clergy ten to your heart, listen toinitiative your hunger. our diocese who took the and Listen rose to it those who know you well. Listen for God. to so graciously. The campaign is now officially concluded, but the allocations continue and the mission God invites us to share is still on our doorsteps. As my first paragraph noted, this was not the first financial campaign, nor will it be the last – the work of the Church is not over. Let us continue onwards in faith and in hope. longer chooses to use the Anglican Church of Canada for God’s glory and purposes, but until and unless there are no more ordinations, that time is not upon us. We must be intentional in encouraging a diverse range of people in our parishes to consider such a vocation. And finally, there are gifts hidden in the decline, if we have eyes to see As reand engaging with persons on them. the street corsources become scarcer, wewas arewith being pushed ner or drop-in centre as he persons serving inand public office.ecumenical collaborainto local national One of dialogue the challenges he faced thethis tion and in a fresh way. was Surely Church’s position onown human sexuality. While delights God. If our numerical decline in officethat he upheld the doctrine and discipline means we decide to get serious about of the Church. leavingcalling office, he officiated reclaiming ourOn apostolic to be misin a same-gender marriage, which hechurch had sionaries to our culture andfor encourage to be disciplined by his diocesan bishop,and who planting, fresh expressions of church, was once his archdeacon, executive reshaping our parishes for mission,assistant then it’s and suffragan bishop. In receiving admoniabout time. If these statistics lightthe a fire under tion, toldre-imagining his successorministry in officein that exus tohe keep ourhe neighpected nothing lessand from him and thatbeyond he was borhoods in fresh creative ways exercising his episcopal ministry the traditional parish model, thenresponsibly. excellent. I believe that Archbishop Terence leadAnd if the decline means that we arewas more ing theto diocese in the direction being more ready acknowledge our own of sinfulness welcoming those who were vulnerable, (personallyto and institutionally) and come to marginalized, voiceless andrepentance, in the minority. God in great humility and asking He made a very significant difference in the to be led forward by the Holy Spirit, then life of the Diocese of Toronto. bring on the bracing statistics!It is not surprising, therefore, to hearwill andpresumably read the very While our diocese (notcomplimentary thatof many shared discountingreflections the possibility God have bringing reabout their experiences of him. He exercised vival) be smaller in the coming years, if we area servant his“faith ordained life, smaller ministry but betterthroughout formed in the which and that we give thanks Godwe forcan hisstill exwas for once delivered” (Jude 3)tothen ample. wasGod’s privileged and honoured to have be usedI for transforming purposes for had the opportunity know him as my bishmany generations toto come. Small, diverse and op, mentor andcongregations friend. The Church haslead been well-discipled may well the blessed had him Church as a faithful bishop. renewalto ofhave the Anglican that my grandHe will beGod missed andcould leavesbea alegacy of exchildren, willing, part of. emplary leadership, humility, compassion and While the reports of our death may be preprofound faith. We are grateful to hisremains family mature and exaggerated, our calling for having him with the Church and of exactly theshared same: to proclaim the good news assure them of our prayerful support. We give Easter in season and out, to the glory of God. Archbishop Terence Finlay back to his Creator God with same graciousness we exAdapted from the an article by Bishop Andison perienced May heChurch rest in in peace and published of in him. The Living December rise with Christ in glory. 2019.
Despite statistics, our calling remains the same BISHOP’S OPINION
Serving Archbishop Finlay was a privilege
T A
he latest set of demographic statistics broad inviting smile, handshake and for the Anglican firm Church of Canada the word including “welcome” has recently been issued, arethe thelast memories we the projection that Canadian have when Angelainand I first Anglican will turn out the lights 2040. With Terence Finlay, Bishop that projection,met some feel it is now time to of Toronto, the summer of of turn down the sheets andinplump the pillows the deathbed. 1997. I was beginning my ministry asnot thegoing incumbent of St. Joseph I am to spend time here of unpackNazareth, Bramalea. ing these statistics in detail, nor argue that we entered his should office, there was aseritheWhen numbers presented not cause warmth and or genuineness experienced by the both ous concern grief. I firmly believe that of us in our first meeting with Bishoprobust Finlay. Anglican tradition is a theologically He was very interested in vehicle getting to us and personally life-giving forknow historic and our young family. We shared the stories Christianity and that its death would repreof our andBody family It sent a Christian significantjourneys loss for the oflife. Christ was its a pleasure engage with him andseason have a and witness to here in Canada. In this sense ofIthe care and support he ofof Lent, ampastoral neither optimistic nor pessifered clergy and their families.have I had no idea mistic, as I believe Christians a sacred that six years later Iawould beofworking closely obligation to adopt posture hope towards withfuture; him asand hisin executive assistant andof hope, the light of that posture of York. IArchdeacon offer some observations. IWhat got toconcerns know Terry, as heurgently, was affectionateme most as a ly called, I became a member of the Posbishop, iswhen spiritual growth, or what we used tulancy Committee and a people regional dean. He to call sanctification. Are growing in gave wisetocounsel good insight indevotion Jesus? and Are offered their lives increasingly to challenging matters facing thesacrifice? Church. His marked by holiness, prayer and wascourse, a calming and a non-anxious Of suchvoice things cannot be plottedpreson ence. He yet offered strong episcopal leadership a graph, we must acknowledge that if in the diocese, both pastorally and morally. He someone is maturing in their Christian faith, was a model of deep faith and prayerful it will naturally lead to loving, culturally thoughtfulness, and was genuinely In concerned sensitive and effective evangelism. my own about the well-being of the clergy and laity experience of parish ministry, when the piety under his episcopal leadership. of a congregation was being intentionally In the spring 2003 I received a callgrowth from challenged and of nourished, numerical the Archbishop’s office inviting me to meet usually followed. with him. Ithe thought I wasChurch going to bealways invited Second, Christian has to sit on another committee of the diocese. been one generation away from extinction, He
By Bishop Jenny Andison
and so each generation (with ours being no different) needs to ask itself afresh, “How are BISHOP’S OPINION we going to share, with people who have never heard it B – Ystarting ourFENTY own children BISHOPwith PETER and grandchildren – the good news that we quickly got to to know the purpose ofChrist?” our meeting and have come in Jesus We have asked willing to be considered as a for been inif aI was catechetical crisis in our Church candidate for executive assistant several generations now, and the and chickens archdeacon. The position have come home to roost. had Andbecome so therevacant has when Johnson elected never Archdeacon been a moreColin critical time towas be equipsuffragan bishop. I was to surprised when he at ping Christian parents form living faith met with me justchildren, before the clergy conference home with their and for clergy to that and in offered me opportunities the position. for lay take year the lead creating It wastoabe privilege distinct honour to people deeply and discipled – either through serve as his executive anddisciplearchdeaready-made programs,assistant one-on-one con. got toofknow Terry even better and ship,Irules life, or small group ministry. learned from him. I witnessed the depth Third,much we need a revival in our prayer lives, of hispersonally faith and his concern for every Even parisha in both and in our parishes. the diocese. He showed particucursory glance throughcompassion, Church history will larly for the marginalized and minorities reveal the key role that prayer has playedinin the Church andrevival in the wider community. bringing about and renewal in differArchbishop Finlay wasisvery ent generations. Prayer not adisciplined program, itin his work. He worked long hours andand paid atcosts nothing in the parish budget, the tention to detail, thoroughly reading docunew believer and seasoned veteran alike may ments, letters or participate. any materialIfneeded for enthusiastically every ounce meetings. It was evident that hespend cared of energy that wealso (myself included) deeply the wider Churchdecline and appreciated frettingfor about institutional was spent the importance of ecumenical instead on our knees, I wonderrelationships. where we One find of the qualities I admired about Terry would ourselves. was his willingness to make time for people. Fourth, we must keep an eye on vocations to He himself available to clergy and laity themade religious life, the diaconate and the priestwho to meet with I wasofoften hood.needed Whenever I have thehim. privilege officiatasked to join him in Imeetings with others, ing at an ordination, remind the congregation and was evident that he always that it this ordination is a sign of hopelistened for the intently. Terry was a pastor, mentor, friend Church. For as long as our Heavenly Fatherand confidante. keeps raising up faithful women and men to Another I admired him was his for serve in thequality Church, then Godinstill has work humility. Heofengaged withChurch people to in accomall staour branch the catholic tions life. He was as comfortable plish.of There may come a time when talking God no
March 2020 June 2017
TheAnglican The Anglican is published under the authority of the Bishop of Toronto and the Incorporated Synod of the Diocese of Toronto. Opinions expressed in The Anglican are not necessarily those of the editor or the publisher. Canon Stuart Mann: Editor Address all editorial material to: The Anglican 135 Adelaide Street East Toronto, Ontario M5C 1L8 Tel: (416) 363-6021, ext. 247 Toll free: 1- 800 - 668 - 8932 Fax: (416) 363 -7678 E-mail: editor@toronto.anglican.ca Circulation: For all circulation inquiries, including address changes, new subscriptions and cancellations, call the Circulation Department at (416) 924-9199, ext. 259/245, or email circulation@national.anglican.ca. You can also make changes online: visit www.anglicanjournal.com and click Subscription Centre. Annie Fenn: Advertising Address all advertising material to: Fenn Company Inc. P.O. Box 1060 King City, Ontario L7B 1B1 Tel: 905-833-6200, ext. 22 Toll free: 1- 800 - 209- 4810 Fax: (905) 833- 2116 E-mail: anglican@churchadvertising.ca
The Anglican Church In the Anglican Communion: A global community of 70 million Anglicans in 64,000 congregations in 164 countries. Archbishop of Canterbury: The Most Rev. and Rt. Hon. Justin Welby, Lambeth Palace, London, England SE1 7JU. In Canada: A community of about 600,000 members in 30 dioceses, stretching from Vancouver Island to Newfoundland and north to the Arctic Ocean. Primate: The Most Rev. Linda Nicholls, Church House, 80 Hayden St. Toronto, ON M4Y 3G2 Tel: 416-924-9192 In the Diocese of Toronto: A community of 254 congregations in 210 parishes covering 26,000 square kilometers. Of the nearly 5 million people who live within the diocesan boundaries, 376,000 claim to be affiliated with the Anglican Church, with about 80,000 people identified on the parish rolls. The diocese is home to many ethnic and languagebased congregations, including African, Caribbean, Chinese, Filipino, French, Hispanic, Japanese, and Tamil. The City of Toronto has a large population of aboriginal peoples. Bishop of Toronto: The Rt. Rev. Andrew Asbil York-Credit Valley: The Rt. Rev. Jenny Andison Trent-Durham: The Rt. Rev. Riscylla Shaw York-Scarborough: The Rt. Rev. Kevin Robertson York-Simcoe: The Rt. Rev. Peter Fenty The Diocese of Toronto: 135 Adelaide St. E., Toronto, Ont., M5C 1L8 1-800-668-8932/416-363-6021 Web site: http://www.toronto.anglican.ca
