'A Man of Great Joy, Deep Faith'
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PAGE 2 PAGE 6 PAGE 8 Workshop explores Helping refugees Create an outdoor land redevelopment brings joy worship space TheTHE NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF TORONTO AnglicanA SECTION OF THE ANGLICAN JOURNAL www.toronto.anglican.ca JUNE 2021 ‘A man of great joy, deep faith’ Bishop was friend, mentor to many BY STUART MANN IN late March, Bishop Michael Bedford-Jones took part in a panel discussion called “Prayer in Anxious Times,” hosted by St. James Cathedral. During the gathering, which was held on Zoom, he was notified that he had tested positive for COVID-19. Instead of leaving the call, he calmly carried on, taking part in the discussion and leading a meditation on breathing. Just over three weeks later, on April 18, he died at Oshawa hospital from COVID-19. He was 78. “He died with his boots on,” says Arch- bishop Colin Johnson, one of the panelists at the discussion and a longtime friend and colleague. “He was passionate about Bishop Michael Bedford-Jones at the blessing of St. Monica’s Place in Toronto in 2002. Top right: Bishop prayer and he loved the Church. He was a Bedford-Jones and his wife Bonnie. At right, the bishop at the Trent-Durham Bishop’s Company Dinner in real ambassador for Christ.” Peterborough in 2007. PHOTOS BY MICHAEL HUDSON In the days after his death, former parish- ioners, clergy and bishops posted messages a history of the parish he would be visiting direction from the Toronto School of Theol- Johnson. “He drew people to him and had on websites and social media, express- on a Sunday morning. ogy/Shalom Institute and became a spiritual real humility.” ing their love and appreciation for Bishop From 1991 to 1994, Bishop Bedford-Jones director and mentor to many clergy. He He had deep roots in Ontario. His father, Bedford-Jones and his wife Bonnie, who was served as the incumbent of St. George Cathe- received an honorary Doctor of Divinity grandfather and great-grandfather were also battling COVID-19 and is expected to dral in Kingston, Dean of Ontario and rector degree from Trinity College in 1991. clergymen, and Laura Secord was a distant recover. “Bishop Bedford-Jones was a won- of Kingston. St. George’s Cathedral had been Another of his passions was music. He relative. His great-great grandfather, the Ven. derful man,” wrote Beverly Jeeves. “When devastated by the sexual abuse of several was an accomplished pianist and organist. Dr. Thomas Bedford-Jones, was the rector of I was a member of St. George’s Church in choristers by choirmaster John Gallienne, At the diocese’s Synod and other church St. Alban’s in Ottawa and was a friend of Sir Newcastle, Ontario, he would often preach. and Bishop Bedford-Jones sought to bring functions, he would sometimes play the John A. Macdonald, who became an Anglican His infectious smile and kind words will healing to the congregation. “He found ways piano, lightening the mood with a selection at a private ceremony at the church, where remain in my heart.” to let us express our pain without increasing of compositions. Recently, he was scheduled his wife was already a member. Bishop Andrew Asbil, the Bishop of To- our divisions,” says John Spragge, who was to play the organ for St. John, Bowmanville’s While in the Diocese of Toronto, Bishop ronto, described him as “a raconteur like a parishioner of St. George’s at the time and online worship services on Palm Sunday, Bedford-Jones was the link bishop to the no other. He had the ability to hold the now attends St. John, West Toronto. “He was Good Friday and Easter. He played for the Community Ministries Board, the Planning attention of an entire room when he told a profoundly gentle, perceptive and tolerant. Good Friday service, which was videotaped and Development Board and the Miriam Do- story. He loved the Church and the Diocese He was exactly what we needed at the time. in early March, but had to withdraw from bell Healing Centre. He was on several com- in particular, knowing something about the No one could have done better.” videotaping the Palm Sunday and Easter mittees and task forces, providing guidance history of every parish. A man of great joy, Bishop Bedford-Jones was elected suf- services due to his illness. “When we thanked for such things as diocesan communications, delight and of deep faith.” fragan bishop in the Diocese of Toronto in him for the gift of his music, he said that it the diocese’s clergy conference, professional Born in Toronto, Bishop Bedford-Jones 1994, serving first as the area bishop of York- was a gift to himself, and that he felt close development for clergy, the candidates for attended Trinity College at the University of Scarborough and then as the area bishop of to God playing the magnificent hymns on ordination stream, evangelism, the process Toronto, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts Trent-Durham. The Ven. Elizabeth Hardy, the organ,” recalls the Rev. Lucia Lloyd, of electing bishops and prayer. He was the in 1965 and a Bachelor of Sacred Theology in who served under him as the archdeacon of priest-in-charge of St. John’s. “He mentioned registrar of Provincial Synod and served 1968. He and Bonnie, who was also a student York-Scarborough, said he was always fair in an email to me that one of his favourite on its executive council and on several task at Trinity College, were married in 1967. and polite, no matter what the situation. “He hymn tunes was Lasst Uns Erfreuen, the forces. At the national level, he was chair of Bishop Bedford-Jones was ordained a was a lovely, lovely person,” she recalls. “He tune of ‘Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones’ and the Faith, Worship and Ministry Committee priest for the Diocese of Toronto in 1968 was wise and empathetic. He was someone ‘All Creatures of Our God and King’ with all of General Synod. and served as the assistant curate, director you wanted to be friends with. You knew those glorious alleluias. We were planning Bishop Bedford-Jones retired in 2008 but of Christian education and then vicar of you could trust him. You could not find two on his playing that at our Easter service. I remained active in the Church, serving as St. James Cathedral until 1975. He became more welcoming and hospitable people than picture him playing it and singing it along the interim priest-in-charge at St. Jude, the incumbent of Epiphany, Scarborough him and Bonnie.” with us from heaven, among the ‘bright Wexford in 2010 and interim priest-in-charge in 1976, serving there until 1983, when he One of Bishop Bedford-Jones’s passions seraphs, cherubim and thrones’ and the at St. Peter, Cobourg in 2015. Wherever he became the incumbent of St. Aidan, Toronto. was education. In 1979 he received a Mas- ‘archangels, angels’ choirs”. went in retirement, people recognized him In 1988, he became the executive assistant ter of Arts in educational theory from the He was an engaging storyteller and en- and wanted to chat. Even during his time at to Archbishop Terence Finlay, who was University of Toronto, and he served as the joyed talking with people at events such as the hospital, he inspired people. A nurse in the Bishop of Toronto at the time. He had chair of the Ontario Provincial Commission the Bishop’s Company Dinner and Synod. the intensive care unit where he was placed an encyclopedic knowledge of the Diocese on Theological Education several years. “He connected people, and connected the recognized him as the bishop who confirmed and often provided Archbishop Finlay with In 1991, he earned a certificate in spiritual past to the present,” recalls Archbishop her, and she took special care of him. FATHER TEACHES LESSONS IN GIVING – SEE PAGE 5 2 TheAnglican NEWS June 2021 Meetings explore redevelopment of church lands First gathering on June 12 BY ELIN GOULDEN cate parishes and encourage them to explore potential redevelopment HOW can parishes in the Diocese of options. The first event, “Common Toronto use their lands for creating Ground and the Common Good: affordable housing and building Church Redevelopment in the Dio- community? cese of Toronto,” will be held on the In 2019, Synod adopted a motion morning of Saturday, June 12. This to develop an affordable housing online workshop will include an ex- plan for the diocese, to “determine ploration of the theology of land use the feasibility of building affordable and examples of recent successful housing on diocesan-owned lands; housing developments on church prioritize strategic partnerships land. There will also be discussion with industry experts in the fields of what assistance the diocese of planning, development, and af- could offer parishes through the fordable housing provision; and to redevelopment process. This event establish specific achievable targets is designed especially for clergy (e.g. 250 units by 2024).” and lay leaders of parishes who The Diocesan Property Working are considering redevelopment, Group is working towards present- but also welcomes anyone in the ing an affordable housing plan to diocese with an interest in creating Synod in November of this year. affordable housing. While the group determined that The June event will be followed setting a target for a specific num- up by a series of summer seminars ber of housing units by a certain that will take interested parish SPECIAL DAY date, without consideration of the leaders deeper into specific aspects Newly ordained transitional deacons the Rev. Micah Latimer-Dennis and the Rev.