Trent Durham Anglicans
207-965 Dundas Street West L1P 1G8 Whitby, ON, Canada

Today marks the beginning of our observance of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. #WPCU Fr. Paul Couturier was instrumental in the establishment of WPCU, ...also penning this popular Prayer for the Unity of Christians: Lord Jesus, who prayed that we might all be one, we pray to You for the unity of Christians, according to Your will, according to Your means. May Your Spirit enable us to experience the suffering caused by division, to see our sin, and to hope beyond all hope. Amen. See more

Thanksgiving, 2020 ~ To the Clergy & People of Trent-Durham Area Grace and peace to you, sisters, brothers, siblings in Christ! I thank God for you, as fellow... Jesus-followers, accompanying me on my path of life. At this time of gathering in, we enjoy the fruitfulness of our gardens, and we pause to appreciate the harmony and interconnectedness of the whole garden of our life, which is part of the garden of the universe, the Creator's garden. * * Gardening the Soul: A spiritual daybook through the seasons by Sister Stanislaus Kennedy. We have received a precious reminder that we dwell in our Creator's garden, a place of spiritual refreshment and eternal life, offered to each and all of us. Since I have recently been on a journey of vocational discernment, invited to and responding to the call to see if I was to move to a different Diocese, I have spent much time in reflection these past months. What has been revealed is that I am called to be here, in this place. As a result, I find myself in a space of grace, where I can say with deep gratitude that it was both an honour and a privilege to seriously consider going, and it is an honour, a privilege and a generous gift to be staying. At the end of the day, it is well with my soul. Thank you so very much for your prayers for me and my family in this time, and I ask you to continue to pray faithfully for our health and well-being; it is a rich blessing to know the power of such prayers as we journey onwards. A blessed Thanksgiving to you ~ in this strange way of being, during a global pandemic. Be certain of my prayers for you, as you find creative ways to communicate, celebrate and ruminate on this traditional time of harvest plenty, abundance and feasting. With your spare time, I invite you to consider in fresh ways, a 'gathering in' of our identities ~ it is a time to deliberate what perishes not. Who is Christ to you? Who are we in our faith? What does hope look like? What does it mean to be a Christ-proclaimer in this day and age, when we are living in a global village, living amongst a variety of cultures and religions (not so different from New Testament times), and yet for our health and the safety of others, we are so separated from our communities of care and concern? Is it possible to separate our faith from our world-views? How does our faith inform every angle of every decision we make and refuse to make, every thought and prayer and question we ask and refuse to ask, every task we undertake and refuse to undertake? How do we make room in our hearts for our siblings who suffer, who are sick, who continue to live under oppression ~ how do we make room in our churches & Christian communities for the widow and the orphan, the hungry and the poor? Jesus teaches some hard lessons about who our neighbours are, and how loving them might look in the Reign of God. From the perspective of our ancestors in faith, it seems we are to do what it takes to gather and worship together (in this day, it is often a virtual gathering, which is an amazing gift of technology) ~ for it is in community that we see the face of God. We are to do with our money what it takes to make the world a more hospitable place for those children of God who have not ~ for we cannot take our money with us when we go, and we cannot serve two masters. We are invited to open our hearts to God and therefore to each-other to the extent that we cross all boundaries of self and other to recognize God in all of us identifying each and all of us as creatures in the Creator's garden. Be well ~ be in touch ~ be assured that I am holding you in prayer with great thanksgiving, Bishop Riscylla

Thanksgiving, 2020 ~ To the Clergy & People of Trent-Durham Area Grace and peace to you, sisters, brothers, siblings in Christ! I thank God for you, as fellow... Jesus-followers, accompanying me on my path of life. At this time of gathering in, we enjoy the fruitfulness of our gardens, and we pause to appreciate the harmony and interconnectedness of the whole garden of our life, which is part of the garden of the universe, the Creator's garden. * * Gardening the Soul: A spiritual daybook through the seasons by Sister Stanislaus Kennedy. We have received a precious reminder that we dwell in our Creator's garden, a place of spiritual refreshment and eternal life, offered to each and all of us. Since I have recently been on a journey of vocational discernment, invited to and responding to the call to see if I was to move to a different Diocese, I have spent much time in reflection these past months. What has been revealed is that I am called to be here, in this place. As a result, I find myself in a space of grace, where I can say with deep gratitude that it was both an honour and a privilege to seriously consider going, and it is an honour, a privilege and a generous gift to be staying. At the end of the day, it is well with my soul. Thank you so very much for your prayers for me and my family in this time, and I ask you to continue to pray faithfully for our health and well-being; it is a rich blessing to know the power of such prayers as we journey onwards. A blessed Thanksgiving to you ~ in this strange way of being, during a global pandemic. Be certain of my prayers for you, as you find creative ways to communicate, celebrate and ruminate on this traditional time of harvest plenty, abundance and feasting. With your spare time, I invite you to consider in fresh ways, a 'gathering in' of our identities ~ it is a time to deliberate what perishes not. Who is Christ to you? Who are we in our faith? What does hope look like? What does it mean to be a Christ-proclaimer in this day and age, when we are living in a global village, living amongst a variety of cultures and religions (not so different from New Testament times), and yet for our health and the safety of others, we are so separated from our communities of care and concern? Is it possible to separate our faith from our world-views? How does our faith inform every angle of every decision we make and refuse to make, every thought and prayer and question we ask and refuse to ask, every task we undertake and refuse to undertake? How do we make room in our hearts for our siblings who suffer, who are sick, who continue to live under oppression ~ how do we make room in our churches & Christian communities for the widow and the orphan, the hungry and the poor? Jesus teaches some hard lessons about who our neighbours are, and how loving them might look in the Reign of God. From the perspective of our ancestors in faith, it seems we are to do what it takes to gather and worship together (in this day, it is often a virtual gathering, which is an amazing gift of technology) ~ for it is in community that we see the face of God. We are to do with our money what it takes to make the world a more hospitable place for those children of God who have not ~ for we cannot take our money with us when we go, and we cannot serve two masters. We are invited to open our hearts to God and therefore to each-other to the extent that we cross all boundaries of self and other to recognize God in all of us identifying each and all of us as creatures in the Creator's garden. Be well ~ be in touch ~ be assured that I am holding you in prayer with great thanksgiving, Bishop Riscylla

Today members of the Anglican Diocese of Toronto sent in their Orange Shirt Day selfies, remembering the violence against Indigenous children and families that our Church has been complicit in and committing to a future where #EveryChildMatters

Get your Orange on!

October 16, 2020 8pm - 9:30 -- come as you are!

Join us for our joint series with BlackAnglicans Canada Anti Black and Anti Indigenous Racism Shared Pathways Series Three Wednesday nights over zoom in Septem...ber. Register and join us! September 9th: Decolonizing the Church, join the cochairs of the Black Anglicans in dialogue with Archbishop Mark MacDonald and Reverend Evan Noodin Smith

We are raising education funds for Sheilagh Ashworth's daughters, Madeleine and Sarah. If you would like to help please either donate to Grace Church Markham v...ia Canada Helps and send a message to say that your donation is for the Ashworth Fund https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/47389 (Please remember that your tax receipt will come from Canada Helps) or mail a cheque to Grace Church Markham, 19 Parkway Ave, Markham, L3P 2E9. Grace Church will issue your receipt. Thank you! See more

Join us for our joint series with BlackAnglicans Canada Anti Black and Anti Indigenous Racism Shared Pathways Series Three Wednesday nights over zoom in Septem...ber. Register and join us! September 9th: Decolonizing the Church, join the cochairs of the Black Anglicans in dialogue with Archbishop Mark MacDonald and Reverend Evan Noodin Smith

sermon for National Indigenous Day 2020

We are raising education funds for Sheilagh Ashworth's daughters, Madeleine and Sarah. If you would like to help please either donate to Grace Church Markham v...ia Canada Helps and send a message to say that your donation is for the Ashworth Fund https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/47389 (Please remember that your tax receipt will come from Canada Helps) or mail a cheque to Grace Church Markham, 19 Parkway Ave, Markham, L3P 2E9. Grace Church will issue your receipt. Thank you! See more

The Rev. Leigh Kern, Indigenous Ministries Coordinator and Reconciliation Animator for the Diocese, has prepared helpful resources for parishes seeking to celeb...rate National Indigenous Day of Prayer this coming Sunday as well as to celebrate Indigenous Peoples this month and every month. You can find them on our Diocesan website here: https://www.toronto.anglican.ca//indigenous-justice-and-r/ See more

Here are some great resources for NIDP. There are also resources at Anglican.ca, search for National Indigenous Day of Prayer. We will also be presenting an on line service at 2 pm on June 21. More information will be posted, be watching!

Bishop Andrew Asbil's letter to the Diocese on behalf of the College of Bishops Letter to the Diocese from Bishop Andrew Asbil Posted on June 5, 2020 Dear Frien...ds in Christ, Racism is a sin. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke about the three evils that plague society: racism, poverty and war. He went on to say, And we must face the hard fact that many Americans would like to have a nation which is a democracy for white Americans but simultaneously a dictatorship over black Americans. We must face the fact that we still have much to do in the area of race relations. What’s going on? Renaldo Obie Benson, a member of the Motown vocal group the Four Tops, was inspired to write a song after he witnessed the violent attack by police on protesters in the People’s Park in Berkeley, California on May 15, 1969. He tried to convince his bandmates to record it, but they rejected the idea because they thought it was a protest song. Benson said later, I said no, it’s a love song about love and understanding. I’m not protesting. I want to know what’s going on. What’s going on? Benson offered the song to Marvin Gaye, who re-worked the melody line and the lyrics to express his own bewilderment and grief of the social ills touching America. He was particularly perplexed by the war in Vietnam and the Watts Riot of 1965 that raged for five days. It was a revolt fueled by police brutality, poverty and systemic racism. The song was released in February of 1971. What’s Going On is No. 4 on Rolling Stones’ list of Best Songs of All Times. Mother, mother There’s too many of you crying Brother, brother, brother There’s far too many of you dying You know we’ve got to find a way To bring some lovin’ here today, eh eh What’s going on? In a week that has been fueled by upset, anger, bewilderment and pain, the song and the question it posed comes to mind for me. The blatant abuse of power and disregard for the sanctity of George Floyd’s life is appalling. How a police officer could hold him down with his knee for an interminable eight minutes and forty seconds while Mr. Floyd lay handcuffed and pleading, I can’t breathe. How can this be? What’s going on? It has been a week marked by protest. Most have been non-violent. We have witnessed moments of tender peace, vulnerability and pleadings from some elected officials, police chiefs and family members to try to find a way. There have been crowds chanting I can’t breathe. And there have been police officers dropping to take a knee in solidarity with protesters expressing dismay and anger. Protests have erupted in hundreds of cities across the United States, from Minneapolis to New York City, from Fresno to Norfolk and all points in between. And the protests have spilled over in countries around the world. What’s going on? Four police officers have been charged, one with second degree murder and three with aiding and abetting second degree murder. It is some consolation. Yet, we all know that this terrible moment exposes once again the racism and discrimination inherent in the attitudes of many, present in institutions and society at all levels, and its grip continues to separate, divide and diminish. This moment reminds us that the long arc of racial reconciliation and healing has a long way to go. But You know we’ve got to find a way. What’s going on? A border between Canada and the United States cannot separate us, nor keep us from the reality that racism and discrimination is part of the fabric of our society too, inherent in our institutions, and expressed by all of us to some degree or another. In Ontario, and in particular Toronto over the last three decades, there has been a history of racial controversies that have ignited protests and accusations of racism. The practice of carding was ended because of the public’s lack of trust in the police. An analysis done by the Toronto Star suggests that between 2003 and 2013, Black people with no history of criminal convictions were three times more likely to be arrested by Toronto police for possession of small amounts of marijuana than white people with similar backgrounds. In 2018, a report by the Ontario Human Rights Commission found that Black people were grossly overrepresented’ in cases in which police have used force, including in seven of ten fatal shootings by police between 2012 and 2017. And let’s be honest: racism and discrimination is in the Church, too. Sometimes we don’t see our bias. Sometimes we downplay how our systems and policies treat people differently based on the colour of skin, language and culture. We fail to see how brown and black are treated differently than white. How Indigenous peoples are treated differently. The National Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls’ final report reveals that persistent and deliberate human and Indigenous rights violations and abuses are the root cause behind Canada’s staggering rates of violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA people. We are only fooling ourselves if we can’t see it. Yet, when we do see, when our eyes are opened well, then change can start, reconciliation can begin, healing and peace can come. On Easter Day, Jesus stood among his disciples and said, Peace be with you, and he breathed on them. In that moment, their eyes were opened to the way they were being called to go toward reconciliation, toward peace, toward justice. They were being called to love neighbour and even enemy. They were being called to honour the breath in all humanity, a reality that was punctuated by the coming of the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. What’s going on? The College of Bishops is committed to walking in the same way. We pledge to continue to wear the mantle of racial reconciliation and healing, to be leaders in this important ministry. We have work to do. While the Anglican Church of Canada approved a Charter for Racial Justice in March 2004, a policy that supports the Charter has yet to be established. In keeping with the Charter, Our struggle for racial justice requires new attitudes, new understandings and new relationships, and these must be reflected in the policies, structures, and practices of the Church, as well as in the laws and institutions of society. One small step that our Diocese will take in the work of dismantling racism will be offering anti- racism and bias training for clergy beginning in the fall of this year. We hope and pray that our efforts might help break old patterns and old ways that keep us from being the love God intended in the first place. Yours in Christ The Rt. Rev. Andrew Asbil Bishop of Toronto