ST. JUDE’S ANGLICAN CHURCH Vestry Reports for the year 2019 CLERGY AND STAFF The Rev. Mark Andrews, Rector (2020) The Venerable Dr. Jim Sutton, Interim Pastor The Rev. Lou Hays, Priest in Charge The Rev. Deanne Keatings, Priest Associate The Venerable Harry Dawson, Pastoral Assistant Simon Walker, Director of Music Andrei Streliaev, Associate Organist Elinor Farrell, Director of Family Programs Julie Hudak, Business Manager Cindy McCuaig, Administrative Secretary

CHURCH WARDENS Peter Rughi, Rector’s Warden Brian Toogood, People’s Warden Ann Mulvale, Deputy Warden Tony Denning, Treasurer

Dear Friends,

It had been my expectation to remain as Interim Pastor until the new Rector was about to be in place. However, my personal life agenda had to take precedence and I needed to return to retired life. I know as my time was winding down in July/August there was a significant amount of angst in the parish.

During the first 8 months of 2019, while I was Interim Pastor, we had interesting times, lots of fun, education, personal growth, as well a faithful service to our Lord and Saviour. St. Jude’s continued to be active in caring for the community of Oakville in many ways. One of which was the regular delivery of food on Wednesday, many Social Justice Initiatives, including our first ever Souper-Bowl January when we collected 482 cans and delivered them to the FareShare food bank.

As I said in last year’s report, St. Jude’s’ is a community of communities, often not knowing each other or even encountering one another. That is to be expected with such a large group, worship times and expectancies. The part of 2019 Parish life that I was involved in was an important time of development and self-examination. I trust the Fr. Mark will find the parish on the cusp of future growth. I know that there are a number of capital projects that need attention, that were obviously not the role of the interim.

Both Kathleen and I felt welcomed and loved. I am particularly thankful for the assistance of the wardens: Peter, Terri, Brian and Ann, the office staff: Julie and Cindy and Elinor in Family Programs. The musicians: organ, piano and jazz, choirs, servers, altar guild members, readers, intercessors and communion assistants.

I will especially value those who stepped up after Easter when Deanne took sick leave. We were suddenly in need regarding food ministry, pastoral care, home communions and worship leadership. I will forever be thankful for Archdeacon Harry, in bridging the gap, and allowing the transition to Lou occur seamlessly.

You continue to be in my prayers, and I trust this next chapter of parish life will be fulfilling.

Faithfully, Jim Sutton+

It was my great privilege to serve as Priest-in-Charge of St. Jude’s Anglican Church from September 1 through December 31, 2019. Walking with the people of St. Jude’s and assisting with the healing process following the tragic and untimely death of the Rev. Canon Rob Fead was richly rewarding. Thankfully, my tenure saw the successful call of your new Rector, the Rev. Mark Andrews. As my time in the parish drew to a close, I became more and more confident that the people of St. Jude’s had made a successful transition and were ready to begin the next chapter of their proud history with their new Rector. Highlights of my four months with the parish include the following: Developing pastoral relationships with many parishioners Preaching and celebrating at the three Sunday morning services and the Wednesday morning service My collaborative relationship with Simon Walker and his outstanding music program Working with Peter Rughi, Brian Toogood and Tony Denning Serving alongside the Venerable Harry Dawson Presiding at three baptisms, three funerals and two weddings Officiating at Evensong and Jazz Vespers Leading the five-part Wednesday evening adult program “How Firm a Foundation” attended by over 30 parishioners Working with the Chair of the Stewardship Committee to develop the fall Stewardship program The wonderful support of the office professionals, Julie Hudak and Cindy McCuaig I wish the people, clergy and staff of St. Jude’s all the best in the coming years; you remain in my prayers. Thank you all for your support and enthusiasm during my time with you. Respectfully submitted, The Rev. Lou Hays

Message From The Wardens

Moving into a new year and decade, we have much to be thankful for. As a parish family we owe much gratitude to the Ven. Dr. Jim Sutton, the Rev. Lou Hays and our own Ven. Harry Dawson for their steady, supportive, caring and insightful ministry during the interim period. We can also thank the tireless efforts of the Parochial Committee for their enthusiasm and work alongside Diocesan Advisors and the ongoing support of parishioners to complete the joyous task of selecting our new Rector. We have been blessed through God’s guidance to welcome the Reverend Mark Andrews as the twentieth Rector of St. Jude’s in January of this year. Under Rev. Mark’s gifted leadership, we together will seek and follow the direction of the Holy Spirit in this coming year. Again, we are blessed with the support, energy and efforts of our stellar office staff. On behalf of the Corporation and Parish, we are most grateful to Julie and Cindy who have held St. Jude’s together during the changes in this past year. Our outstanding musicians Simon and Andrei continue to bring beautiful music to our liturgy, which is so important in our Anglican tradition. The Wardens were filled with pride as “earwitnesses” to the voices of the St. Jude’s Choir singing in the majestic Winchester Cathedral this past July. Tony Denning continues to share his significant accounting talents as treasurer. He works quietly, but, oh so effectively, ensuring that the finances of St. Jude’s are in excellent working order. Thank you, Tony, and thanks to each of you via your giving that contributes to the financial “wellness” of this physical building and the Ministry we all treasure. We felt pride in hosting the successful Vacation Bible School this past summer under the co-lead of Elinor Farrell, who also went on to lead a beautiful and well received Christmas Pageant this past December. Kudos to all the volunteers involved in the various Guilds, Committees and Groups within the parish that bring Liturgy, Christian Education, community fund raising, life, fun and fellowship. YOU are integral in carrying on the work within our parish, out in the community and within our Diocese. Our congratulations go to Peter Chambers on receiving the Order of Niagara this past fall at Christ’s Church Cathedral. As St. Jude’s embraces a new future, we look forward with confidence and that we be joined together “In Unity of Spirit” and be made a holy temple acceptable to God.

Respectfully submitted by, Peter Rughi, Rector’s Warden Brian Toogood, People’s Warden Ann Mulvale, Deputy Warden Report to Vestry : Elinor Farrell Sunday School We have continued to see a steady rise in Sunday School numbers since 2018. The class average has increased from around 5 in 2018 to around 7 for 2019. There have been classes as large as 19 in 2019 up from a maximum of 15 in 2018. Sunday School lessons are based around that week’s readings and aim to encourage the children to apply the teachings to their own lives. Sunday School would not be possible without volunteers who enrich the program. Thank you to Noreen Duross who has been invaluable in helping with signing children into Sunday School. Thank you to the volunteers who have helped with the running of Sunday School especially Kate Driver, Kevin Farrell and Dave Haslett. Youth Group The Youth demonstrated their commit and service to this community by cooking at both the Pancake Supper and the Mother’s Day Breakfast. The youth this year were invaluable in running Vacation Bible School and they demonstrated incredible leadership skills. The youth continued to demonstrate this leadership in the Christmas Pageant as well as in the children led family service. In this coming year, it is my hope that we will find more ways for the youth to participate in our St. Jude’s community, start to find more ways for them to participate in the broader Oakville community as well as increase opportunities for fellowship with other youth groups in Oakville. Family Programs

This year’s events were enjoyed by many. The Pancake Supper, Mother’s Day Breakfast, Summer Picnic, Corn Roast, and Carolling were all wonderful events and we hope to continue to build on them in the coming year. The Carolling was particularly successful with approximately 20 people of all ages attending as we went from door to door carolling. Thank you to all the volunteers who made these events possible in the past year. The Mysterious Animal The children and youth continue to impress me with their dedication as the Christmas Pageants seem to go from strength to strength. In 2019, the children put on a wonderful Christmas pageant which I have heard was much appreciated by the congregation! The pageant was written by Gwynne Watkins and adapted by myself for the Sunday School and Youth needs. We were very lucky to be accompanied by the beautiful playing of Simon Walker. Thank you to everyone who helped make the pageant a success especially Rob Warren, Dave Haslett, and Kate Driver and all the parents who brought the children to rehearsals, helped the children learn their lines and helped prepare the stage! Vacation Bible School - To Mars and Beyond! Last year’s Vacation Bible School was a huge success. St Jude’s partnered with Knox Presbyterian Church to bring “To Mars and Beyond” to life. We also joined with other Oakville churches to apply for government student grants for four students to help us run the program. The paid staff and volunteers were crucial to making Vacation Bible School run smoothly and without them we would have been lost. Knights of North Castle As last year’s Vacation Bible School was such a success, we are again partnering with Knox Presbyterian and joining with other Oakville churches to apply for the students’ funding. Vacation Bible School this year is from July 27th- 31st and it is a full day program. This year’s theme is Knights of North Castle. Keep your eyes open for more updates to come, we will be looking for both youth and adult volunteers! STEWARDSHIP REPORT - For Vestry 2020

Stewardship is defined in Christianity as the “management of what God has given us to his glory and the edification of others and ourselves”. At St. Jude’s, we steward in many ways: to each other, to the community and to the church. Maintenance of a building dating back to 1883 has its challenges; the needs of individuals in the community continue to grow and for generations we have been fortunate to respond to each of these needs. Our outreach is very strong which was reflected in the recent “Meet and Greet” with community partners. For many of our parishioners it was quite a revelation!

Some of our stewardship indicators are shown below:

Regular Support 2017 (Actual) $560,601 2018 (Actual) $547,886 2019 (Actual) $561,786 Parish Roll Contribution Range Report For Period: 01/01/2019 to 12/31/2019 Contribution # of Contrib- Average per Total Given Range utors Contributor

0.00 - 0 185 0.00 0.00 0.01 - 100 44 2,495.20 56.71 100.01 - 200 13 2,173.00 167.15 200.01 - 300 24 6,278.70 261.61 300.01 - 400 15 5,625.00 375.00 400.01 - 500 14 6,545.00 467.50 500.01 - 750 41 25,341.38 618.08 750.01 - 1,000 26 22,916.00 881.38 1,000.01 - 1,500 54 68,539.04 1,269.24 1,500.01 - 2,500 44 87,050.46 1,978.42 2,500.01 - 5,000 33 120,146.08 3,640.79 5,000.01 - 10,000 19 126,166.58 6,640.35 10,000.01 - 20,000 5 63,510.00 12,702.00 20,000.01 - 30,000 1 25,000.00 25,000.00

Total 518 $561,786.44 $1,084.53

The past twenty months of transition gave us an opportunity to speak with various individuals at the Cathedral and neighbouring churches to learn about their stewardship practices. We look forward to working with Reverend Mark Andrews to develop a plan for the coming years. It is wonderful to look back with gratitude for all the gifts given and the work that has been accomplished. We are also looking forward with anticipation for all we hope to undertake in the future. Your continued support and commitment will enable us to continue to live our Mission of being “A vital, vibrant and growing Christian community”.

Respectfully submitted: Barbara Caine, Stewardship Chair Committee Members: Marion Davis, Dave Pearson, Clifford Thompson

NEWCOMERS COMMITTEE – 2019 VESTRY REPORT “I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” Matthew 25:35

We welcomed 14 new households to St. Jude’s in 2019. Our newcomers represented the full range of our membership from young adults to retired seniors. Once registered in the office, a member of the Committee visited or met with the newcomers. In most cases the visitor took a small gift (flowers, St. Jude’s coffee, or a church calendar) along with a package of information on St. Jude’s Church and nametags for household members. A follow-up call is made one year after the initial contact to obtain the newcomers’ impressions of St. Jude’s and to offer assistance, if requested, for integrating into parish life. At the end of the year this feedback is collated and sent to the clergy and wardens. Most newcomers mention that they find St. Jude’s very warm and welcoming. Thanks to all who greet people they don’t know, both in church and at Coffee Hour where visitors and newcomers are encouraged to use a “Blue Mug”. Please continue to ensure that St. Jude’s is a warm, welcoming community. Jean Ross, Newcomers Committee

2019 Annual Report to Vestry By Justice and Servant Ministries Introduction Following a recommendation of the Rector and supported by Parish Council, Justice and Servant Ministries adopted a mandate focusing on food ministry in 2010: “To mobilize the resources and engage the members of the Parish, focusing these on the problem of hunger/ malnutrition amongst families and individuals in Oakville and in Itabo, Cuba, (where we have a partner church, St. Mary the Virgin), and working in partnership with a few selected community agencies.” The J&SM Team has developed and implemented a number of programs, working in collaboration with several community agencies and with the Regional Municipality of Halton. The Team’s recommendations for grants to food partners have been approved by the Corporation on an annual basis. The Team’s continuing role includes recruiting volunteers, designating leadership, problem-solving and working closely with food partners. The J&SM Team communicates regular updates to the congregation. The scope of programs and the volume of activity are described further in the report. Development of a Social Justice Mandate Although the J&SM name implies a mandate with two components, the current programs fall into the servant ministry category. In 2019, J&SM decided to explore a range of social justice issues, as a starting point for defining a social justice mandate for St. Jude’s. Deirdre Pike, Social Justice and Outreach Program Consultant for the Diocese of Niagara, assisted us. In a June survey, parishioners were asked to list issues of importance to them. The four top issues mentioned were: 1) the climate crisis, 2) income inequality/poverty, 3) peace and 4) truth and reconciliation/ indigenous issues. 20 respondents (out of 30) stated that it would be helpful for St. Jude’s to choose a social justice issue to work on. Four respondents demurred. The survey was followed by a workshop on social justice in October, and 15 interested parishioners participated. A special guest, Rev. Mervyn Russell, addressed the question, why should Christians be advocates for justice? He stated in part,

“Christian individuals and Christian communities have been created by God to be witnesses to God’s loving righteousness, that is God’s committed, creative, liberating, uniting purpose about the well-being of the world. Jesus lived, died and was raised again to witness to the everlasting truth and endurance of that divine, righteous love. To follow him, we are required to be just and to promote justice for others and ourselves.”

Three top priorities emerged: 1) climate crisis, 2) housing/homelessness and 3) income inequality/poverty. For the climate crisis, workshop participants suggested that we develop a plan to reduce the carbon footprint of the church and of the congregation. Tony Houghton and Chris Punnett agreed to work on a plan, beginning with contacting two environmental agencies in Halton Region.

Monday Night "Family" Dinners at Kerr Street Mission Coordinators: Carol Lowes, along with Ann Mulvale

Monday nights are family night at KSM, and St. Jude’s provided a family dinner each month, excepting July and August. The number of people attending each month ranged between 65 and 80 guests. A team of approximately 20 volunteers rotates monthly to cook and serve. The Monday night team prepares enough food to serve 90 guests. If we have fewer guests, then we will give a second helping or provide food in containers to take home. We provide a nutritious meal: meatloaf and chicken casseroles, salad, roasted vegetables, plain rice and strawberries and ice cream for dessert. We continue to buy halal beef and chicken, which has been greatly appreciated by many of our guests. The upgraded kitchen facilities at KSM have worked well and our volunteers have enjoyed the camaraderie while working together.

Thursday Night "Adult" Dinners at Kerr Street Mission Coordinator: Catherine Farrell

There was a hiatus between February and September, while a new coordinator, Catherine Farrell, was recruited and oriented to her new duties. This meant that only four of nine scheduled dinners were provided in 2019. Nevertheless, St. Jude’s Thursday Adult night dinners at Kerr Street remained very popular, with six to eight volunteers preparing and cooking a full three-course dinner, plus appetizer, from scratch, using fresh ingredients. Dessert, which usually consists of ice cream with a topping, is also provided. A second team of about 12-15 volunteers arrives around 5:30 pm and looks after setting up the hall, serving the dinner and clearing up after the guests have departed. Guest numbers range between 70-85, largely as a result of the improving employment situation over the past two years. We are continuing to recruit volunteers, both from the congregation and externally, for the prep and serving teams. Kerr Street Mission is not a “Soup Kitchen” and our primary aim at the Adult Dinners is not only to supply the meal, but to bring to the evening a sense of self-worth and dignity for the guests. We do this by presenting the meal in a “Restaurant” setting, (called The Eagle’s Flight Café). Initial greeting in the assembly area, coloured table cloths, flowers, individual menus and chatting to customers are all part of this experience. We serve a three-course meal designed with a focus on good nutrition. The menus vary, depending on grocery store specials, and while food costs have risen this year, we have still been able to provide the dinners at a cost of approximately $4.00 per guest.

Wednesday Food For Life Outreach Program Interim Coordinator: George Duross

From a roster of about 30 volunteers, a monthly schedule is drawn up. Each Wednesday, between 15 and 20 volunteers meet in Victoria Hall to sort, bag and deliver food to 30-35 families living in the Margaret/Maurice Drive housing complex and to clients in our Neighbour Care Network Program. The Wednesday morning Men’s Group sets up the tables beforehand. Most of the food comes from Food for Life, which delivered 32,200 pounds in the 12 months ending September, 2019. 88% of this total was in the fresh, nutritious and perishable category (dairy, produce and meat). Other sources include Halton Fresh Food Boxes, delivered monthly, as well as our own Garden plot in the Summer and Fall.

From the March 2019 Hungercount, an annual survey conducted by Food For Life, 155 individuals were served – 77 adults, 44 children and 34 youth. 35% are single parents, 32% are employed, 32% receive income from a disability-related benefit and 12% are seniors.

Now in its ninth year, this program continues to support our ministry of feeding the less fortunate in our community. Summer Weekly Barbecue at Margaret/Maurice Drive Coordinator: Blair Richardson

For the seventh summer in a row, volunteers from St. Jude’s provided a weekly BBQ in July and August to the families residing in the Margaret/Maurice Drive complex. The purpose of the program is to

Promote socialization and community engagement amongst all residents at the HCHC housing complex; Promote socialization between residents and church volunteers; Provide different crafts, arts and other activities for kids and teens; and Provide fresh-grilled hot dogs and hamburgers, beverages and other food items to residents

Each week, a team of 10 from a roster of 40 volunteers buys, prepares and cooks the hot dogs, chicken, veggie and beef hamburgers with all the trimmings, about 300 servings, under the leadership of a Team Captain. Our partner, Frontline Outreach, provides the BBQ‘s, tables and equipment and delivers the refrigerated meat portion of the BBQ. This year, no BBQ’s were cancelled due to thunderstorms!

The gazebo near the BBQ location, which has lots of shaded picnic table seating, enabled residents to sit comfortably and converse as they ate their hot dogs and hamburgers. This year, Elinor Farrell, Director of Family Programs, kindly took responsibility for both activities for children and youth and for teen volunteer recruiting from among resident families to help with the BBQ’s. This worked very successfully. The kids who volunteered earned 40 hours towards their high school requirements. On average, 25 children and youth attended the BBQ’s and participated in activities. These activities were provided by the Oakville YMCA, Oakville Galleries, ArtHouse, Halton Food, Nando’s restaurant, and Rolling Horse Bike Clinic (Forestview Church). The clinic featured free repairs and tune-ups for bicycles. This was popular! Elinor also arranged for music, a great asset to the BBQ’s, since it made the atmosphere more convivial.

Lyon’s Lane Vegetable Garden Plot Program Coordinator: Michael Nightingale

The vegetable garden, now affectionately known as “The Veggie Patch”, started in 2012 with a single plot in the Lyon’s Lane municipal garden. The aim was to produce fresh vegetables for the weekly Food For Life outreach program in which St. Jude’s already participated. It soon became clear that it was not possible to produce enough vegetables to make a significant contribution to the weekly program. Our first plot location was a remote corner with tall trees on two sides – pleasant shade for sweating gardeners, but a real handicap for plant growth! The answer was to take produce as it was harvested to Kerr Street Mission; they were pleased to take any amounts, given the need for healthy fresh produce! In 2013, the Town of Oakville gave us a new plot in full sunlight, which became really productive, and then they gave us a second plot, too. Three volunteers, Mike Lanning, Austin Hazlett and Michael Nightingale, work the two plots together, one morning a week. In spite of a long waiting list at the Town, we have been given a third plot for 2020. The three of us will be very busy; new volunteers will be most welcome and no experience is needed! Five years ago, the total harvest was 150 lbs., including leeks, chard, beets, beans, carrots, lettuce, onions, and tomatoes. With each year, we learn which varieties produce well. For example, we no longer grow beets, because once they reach a certain size, the voles eat them. However, by 2018, we harvested 571 lbs., and with the generous contributions from fellow gardeners at Lyon’s Lane, 132 more pounds were collected. In 2019, the total harvest was 651 lbs. These amounts fluctuate from year to year due to weather, wildlife – deer, voles, rabbits and squirrels – and variety selection. We are not heavy users of soil and plant additives, although we do fertilize with discarded organic material from the mushroom farms and some sheep manure. We do listen and compare notes with other gardeners and then we pass on encouragement to the plants themselves. Finally, there is a pleasant social side, not only between we three, but also with the other gardeners. We would really appreciate some extra help, so here is an opportunity for anyone who has an interest in gardening – no experience needed! – likes a bit of exercise, and likes to see things grow. Neighbour Care Network, formerly Restore Method of Care Program Coordinator: Blair Richardson

NCN was designed by Kerr Street Mission as a new program to replace Restore, by building on its strengths and making some improvements to better fit the Halton environment. NCN is a shared initiative of local church compassion ministries, which is organized, managed and supported by staff at KSM. The goal of NCN is to come alongside individuals and families in distress; to help them identify and access appropriate community support agencies; and to help them get to a more independent, healthy and sustainable situation. KSM staff do client intake, then ask a partner church to assign a care support volunteer to the new client, as part of the plan of action developed with the client. In 2019, St. Jude’s did not take on any new clients. However, we reviewed NCN policies and asked for some changes that we felt were necessary. As a result, J&SM recommended that the Corporation at St. Jude’s sign the Letter of Agreement with KSM and formally become a church partner. St. Simon’s and St. Jude’s Pantry Program Coordinator: Sharon Richardson

The Pantry Program Team of volunteers produced approximately 120 meals (usually in 60 two-serving meal containers) on each of nine occasions in 2019. These meals are intended for persons who are homeless, or homebound or unable to cook for themselves. The meals were made at St. Simon’s Church, taken to Boffo’s Butchery and Delicatessen for freezing and temporary storage and then delivered to community agencies and churches, including St. Matthew’s House Seniors Centre in Hamilton, St. Luke’s (Palermo) Church and to the Links2Care Seniors Enhancement Centre in Oakville. Meals produced were Shepherd’s Pie, chili, sausage and lentil soup and roast pork with sweet potatoes and corn, all of which were well-received. Volunteer cooks and delivery persons include Sharon Richardson, Carol Lowes, Sheila Moss, Bonnie Lovelace, Sally Bettinson, Lorie Marrett, Susan Bowen, Pauline Kolbuc, Blair Richardson and Mike Say. A special mention is due to Boffo’s for their discount on the price of meat used in the meals. Support for New Affordable Housing in Oakville In the past, St. Jude’s supported a proposal for “Margaret Garden Community”, which was to build four separate six- unit suite clusters (24 affordable housing suites in total) on land owned by Halton Region on Margaret Drive and zoned for this type of housing. In 2018, several Oakville Community Foundation fundholders provided a $170,000 grant to DQI, Home Suite Hope and Kerr Street Mission, to get the construction project to a “shovel ready” stage. Subsequently, Habitat for Humanity Halton-Mississauga (HFH) became the lead agency for this project, which fitted well with the HFH strategic plan to build more multi-unit accommodations in Halton Region. Unfortunately, in 2019, the HFH proposal was not accepted by the Regional Municipality of Halton. In 2019, Indwell staff gave a presentation to J&SM. This organization, based in Hamilton, is a Christian charity that has built over $70 million worth of accommodations in SW Ontario for about 600 people with mental health disabilities. At each location, there is nursing staff 24/7. One of their current building projects is on Lakeshore Road in Mississauga. With encouragement from J&SM, Indwell will be exploring opportunities in Halton Region. Other Activities In October, J&SM arranged a showing of the documentary film entitled “Doctrine of Discovery: Stolen Lands, Strong Hearts”, which was made with support from the Anglican Foundation and General Synod. It depicts the continuing damage to indigenous peoples arising from the papal declaration in 1494 that the lands in North America belonged to no one, and could therefore be colonized. There was a lively discussion after the film, with special guests Wendy Rinella, representing the Oakville Partnership for Truth and Reconciliation and Elijah Williams, Manager of the Centre for Indigenous Learning and Support at Sheridan College and a past recipient of a scholarship from St. Jude’s. J&SM organized a discussion group of parishioners at the request of the Oakville Community Foundation, which launched “25 Conversations”, an event held with various groups to encourage community connection and build a greater sense of belonging in our community. Many suggestions emerged, including the need to build more rental housing for low-income families. A volunteer recognition evening was held at the home of Ann Mulvale, to acknowledge and thank those who volunteer in various capacities at St. Jude’s. Annual Expenditures and Grants to Community Partners Accountant: Roger Beach

In 2019, a new $5,000 grant was made to Home Suite Hope (HSH), as year one in a commitment to five years of financial support. HSH is an Oakville-based agency providing transitional housing and vital support services, including support for a college education, to single-mother-led families. The grant was intended to assist the younger children in HSH programs to attain elementary and secondary school credentials and to support older children in their transition to post-secondary education. Of the approved budget for 2019 of $26,000 a total of $21,864.36 (or 84.09% of budget) was utilized to cover grants to partners and direct expenses of programs, as shown in the table below:

J&SM - SUMMARY OF EXPENSES vs BUDGET - 2019 (Final) Full Year % under / over (-) Budget Partner Program Approved Budget Expenses Kerr Street Ministries ("KSM") KSM Dinner Program $ 8,000.00 $ 4,844.68 39.4%

Food-For-Life ("FFL") Grocery Program $ 4,000.00 $ 4,062.34 -1.6%

Halton Fresh Food Box ("HFFB") Grocery Program $ 3,500.00 $ 2,000.00 42.9%

Summer BBQ Program Summer BBQ $ 3,500.00 $ 4,766.46 -36.2%

Pantry Program Pantry Program $ 2,000.00 $ 1,918.43 95.9%

Indigenous Scholarship Indigenous Scholarships $ - $ - n/a

Home Suite Hope ("HSH") Single Family Support $ 5,000.00 $ 5,000.00 100.0%

Other $ - $ (727.55) n/a

TOTAL BUDGET vs ACTUAL - 2019: $ 26,000.00 $ 21,864.36 15.9%

Notable variances include:  KSM Dinner Program: As a result of availability of “lead cooks” only 4 of the 9 planned Thursday Night Adult Dinners were hosted. This gave rise to the positive variance to budget reported. All 9 of the planned Monday Night Family Dinners were hosted.  Halton Fresh Food Box (HFFB): Reduction in number of families receiving support under the Wednesday Food Outreach Program resulted in the need for fewer boxes of fresh fruit and vegetables from HFFB. A monthly delivery of HFFB food bags to Kerr Street Mission was also discontinued during this year.  Summer BBQ: Unlike prior years, there were no cancellations of BBQ events this year. The 2019 budget reflected actual expenses of prior years, each of which had experienced an average of 3 cancellations. As a result, we experienced a cost over-run which was covered by surpluses under other programs. Conclusion A special thank you to everyone who volunteered and to our community partners. Overall, it was another very successful year, only made possible through the support and engagement of our committed and enthusiastic volunteers, our partners, our congregation and its leaders. The investment of time, talent and treasure by St. Jude’s plays a significant dividend in the lives of many fellow Children of God who face the daily challenge of food insecurity. Respectfully submitted by the Justice and Servant Ministries Team: Roger Beach, Drew Bucknall, George Duross, Noreen Duross, Blair Richardson, Peter Stamp, Catherine Farrell, Cheryl Wessel

ALTAR GUILD VESTRY REPORT 2019

St Jude’s Altar Guild has reached its 71st year! We are currently a group of 30 women. Our role is to set up and prepare for weekly services held on Sundays and Wednesdays. In addition, we organize for events such as baptisms, funerals, memorials, weddings and special services such as those during Easter and Christmas.

Every Saturday morning, 4 women meet in the Sacristy to prepare for the weekly services. This includes arranging memorial flowers, changing altar hangings when necessary, filling candles, and setting up for the 3 communion services on Sundays and one on Wednesdays. On Sunday mornings 1 or 2 members on duty that week arrive between services to wash and dry the vessels and to set up for the next service.

We are also responsible for laundering and ironing all the large and small linens used in the Sanctuary. This is done by two committees. Small linens is run by Esmae Tennison and large ones by Sara Turner. Gloria Busse is in charge of the memorial flowers, arranging for, and ordering all the flowers that are placed in the Sanctuary for Sunday services. Kathy Punnett looks after our schedule. Julie Hudak is our treasurer and Mags Shorey is our Secretary.

In the spring the Bailey Chalice and paten, on advice from the clergy, was silver plated. In the fall the Advent Candle holder was repaired.

We meet three times a year, January, June and September. At these meetings we organize groups to look after decorating the church for upcoming festivals such as Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. A big thank you to Chris Punnett, Ross Reeves and Jeff Gumbrell who helped put up and take down Christmas trees, wreaths, garlands and pew candelabras. Also to Elinor Farrell and her mother Catherine who decorated the Christmas tree in the Narthex with decorations the Sunday school children made and looked after the Nativity scene. We really appreciate your help. We couldn’t do it without you!

The Altar Guild is responsible for the smooth operation of much of what goes on in the Sanctuary of St. Jude’s. We can always use an extra pair of helping hands and new members are always warmly welcomed. Please contact Esmae Tennison at 905-844- 2763, Linda Boire at 905-845-4617, the church office, or any member of the Altar Guild if you think you might be interested in our organization.

Respectfully submitted, Esmae Tennison Linda Boire Co-Chairs Director of Music—Vestry Report 2019 Despite being a period of transition, 2019 was a milestone year in the musical life of St Jude’s. Our second choir tour to England at the end of July was a truly amazing experience, singing for services in Romsey Abbey and Winchester Cathedral. A project like this is always a long term opportunity for a choir like ours to build as a team, further develop our technical skills and achieve the very best choral sound that we can achieve together. So I’m pleased to report that the choral programs at St Jude’s remain strong and secure. Membership of the 11 O’clock choir currently stands at 31, and we have recently welcomed new members Elizabeth Groskorth and Nicola Adair, and choral scholar Emily Wang. I am also grateful to Rohan D’Sousa who joins us occasionally on the alto line, and former choral scholars Michael Jackman and Russell Sweeney who sang with us for Christmas. The 9:15 choir membership is a little low at present, now standing at about 10 regular members who are very committed to singing each week, We recently welcomed Ruth Verlinden to the group, and I would be very pleased to hear from anyone wanting to join the 9:15 choir. In addition to the tour last year, the 11 O’clock choir gave a ‘Winchester Preview’ concert as part of the Celebration of the Arts series, and ran a number of fund raising events. We also sang a service of Tenebrae during Holy Week for the first time in my tenure at St Jude’s, and sang for an Evensong at St James’ Cathedral in Toronto. It is very exciting to enter 2020 under the new leadership of our Rector, Mark Andrews. When I lived in Toronto I attended evensong at St Thomas Huron St with some frequency, and in doing so got to know Mark, as well as being inspired hearing one of the finest traditional Anglican choirs around, so I have no doubt that there are exciting times ahead for our music. One of our first projects will be to get the 1927 Casavant pipe organ installed as part of our organ expansion project. This project was approved at Vestry in 2018 and will likely happen in stages, hopefully commencing in the middle of this year. Fund raising for the project will take place over the coming year, and we aim to raise $100,000 in addition to the funds we already have to complete the project. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who assists me in helping make St Jude’s music department everything that it is: our very talented assistant organist Andrei Streliaev, our leads Kyle Guglielmo and Carol Goodrow, our choir president Bev Armstrong, librarian Margo Chambers, and of course all of the choir members for their loyalty and devoted commitment to the Anglican musical tradition. Finally, my thanks go to Mark, Harry, Julie and Cindy whose continual support makes everything possible.

Respectfully submitted, Simon Walker

Christian Formation (Fellowship and Education) Report for 2020 Vestry by Chris Punnett

Currently several independent groups are supporting the following programs. Please join one or more of them this year, there is no sign-up required, we finish in a timely fashion and we come away refreshed and renewed. Monday morning Women’s Study Group A group of women meet at 10:30 am and follow Scriptural and Life Studies in the Library Hall every Monday. Wednesday morning Men’s Fellowship and Breakfast Team A group of men meet at 8:00 to 9:00 am in the Library Hall on Wednesday mornings, Ian Howard is their coordinator, the conversation is energizing, the friendship supportive. A subgroup of men co-ordinate Men’s breakfasts several times a year, with speakers and fellowship at a local hotel. In 2019 we heard from Jim Sutton on Feb 9th, he exhorted us to be good sons; to raise each other up, to care for one another and to listen and share deep thoughts. May 25th we were jolted from our chairs by Robin Woolard, with his visions and to get out of our comfortable pews. Sep 28th Peter Rughi shared his father’s remarkable journey from Northern Italy, through the UK during the war, to Canadian Anglicanism. On Nov 30th, Hamish Guthrie shared his journey through many places and congregations, starting in the Tait Gallery, to find music and home in St Jude’s. Our first Men’s Breakfast for 2020 is planned for April 25th, with Mark Andrews as our speaker. Living the Word A group of 10 to 20, 9:15 parishioners meet after coffee hour on Sundays in Victoria Hall to discuss the Gospel reading and the morning’s homily. We are supported by 6 facilitators for 2020, we talk about our faith and the Gospel and how it applies to our lives and our community. Tuesday or Wednesday night Bible Study For our 2019 Lenten study we followed ‘Chocolate for Lent’ under the direction of Jim Sutton, in 6 Tuesday evening sessions March 5 to April 9, cumulating in many interesting and both personal and community perspectives and concluding with a feast of spicy chocolate Molle skewers. In the Fall Lou Hays led growing group in ‘A Firm Foundation’ over five Tuesday evenings. Starting with: What do We Believe; are we a God, Jesus or Spirit centric community? We talked of being a Journey rather than an Answer church and discussed the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit and our three-legged Anglican perspective: Scripture, Tradition and Reason. We discussed: is the Bible Truth, Fact or Fiction? Scripture from the Greek to the Latin to literally “God Breathed’, we discussed some of the seeming contradictions in the Gospels. We asked ‘why do Bad Things happen to Good People’, and where is God in our world. And finally, we talked about how we want to spend the rest of our lives, do/can we live our Baptismal covenants, how we listen to God’s call, how we live it, and how ready we are for change and challenge. We plan to offer three programs in 2020. For a Lenten study we will follow one of the Gospels under the direction of Mark Andrews, in 3 or 4 Wednesday evening sessions March 4 to 25th from 7:45 pm to 9:15 – more details in the weekly pew bulletins.

RUMMAGE AND BAZAAR REPORT TO VESTRY Our two rummage sales and Christmas Bazaar were extremely well attended again this year and we were fortunate to welcome many new faces to our rank of volunteers. Everyone is welcome, you don’t need any experience, just a willingness to pitch in and have fun…there is a job for everyone.

The results of the years’ sales were as follows: Spring Rummage Sale $5,439 Fall Rummage Sale $6,509 Christmas Bazaar $11,652 Total 2019 $23,600

With respect to this year’s activities, we have requested that the funds be distributed as follows: Fare share Food bank $8,000 Ian Anderson House $5,000 Tomato Ladies $1,500 St Mathews House Hamilton $4,200 St Jude’s Crisis Relief Fund $2,000 Meals on Wheels Oakville $1,500 Purchase of two electric stoves $1,400 Total $23,600

Most of us are familiar with the Fareshare Food bank here in Oakville, a facility which is run entirely by volunteers and receives no government funding. The Tomato Ladies are a group of volunteers, many of whom are from our parish, who host a number of special dinners at the Lighthouse shelter here in Oakville. St Mathews House in Hamilton is an outreach project of the Diocese of Niagara .It serves people living in and around some of the most impoverished areas in Hamilton. Their services include emergency food, crisis intervention and outreach to seniors and vulnerable persons to support their independent living. The St Jude’s Crisis Relief fund is administered by the Rector and Business Manager. Its purpose is to provide financial help to people in immediate need on a one-time basis. Aid may take the form of grocery gift certificates for those struggling to make ends meet, transportation to help someone get to and from appointments, providing a meal to someone in need, help pay a month’s rent for someone who is strapped, or whatever. It is a fund totally financed by personally directed donations. Meals on Wheels Oakville is a new initiative this year. This organization provides a much needed service to a large number of individuals in our community, often the elderly and or infirm. People pay what they can and the balance of costs are funded from donations and grants. Delivery of these meals is done by volunteers. It is hoped that the purchase of two stoves for the St Jude’s kitchen will encourage other groups within the parish to use the facility for other types of Outreach activities. Other groups who have benefited from the rummage sales include those who receive the items from the Rummage Sale that we were unable to sell in the short window of time available to us. These include the Salvation Army store, Goodwill, Oakville Humane Society, and Cerebral Palsy who generously send a truck to pick up the leftovers. Again this year we were fortunate to hook up with St Albans Church in Beamsville. They came after each rummage sale and picked up a load of gently used clothing for their free store which migrant workers are able to use. Once again, thank you all who have donated come out to work or shopped at these events. If you haven’t already, please join us, we’d love to have you.

Martha Bingham, On behalf of co –convenors, Amber Foulkes, Brenda Beach and Roger Beach St Jude’s Scholarships for Indigenous Students Vestry Report for the Year 2019 Thanks to the continuing generosity of St Jude’s parishioners, 2019 was another excellent year for the St. Jude’s Scholarships for Indigenous Students.

The St Jude’s Scholarships for Indigenous students , known as the Loonie Toonie collections, date back to 2008 as a response to a series of addresses at St Jude’s by National Indigenous Anglican Archbishop Mark MacDonald . Initially the beautiful Loonie Toonie boxes that are used at our 3 annual Loonie Toonie Sundays were used to collect loonies, toonies and other small change and by Sept 2010 we had accumulated enough funds for our first scholarship of $1000. Since that time your generous support for the fund has steadily increased and our boxes now also hold bills and cheques. In this 2019-2020 school year we are supporting 6 students at Sheridan College with scholarships of $1000 each. 2019-20 Recipients of St. Jude’s Scholarships Name Program Name of Student Location Shawna Morris Year 1, Visual & Creative Arts Muskrat Dam First Nation Amelia Scott Year 2, Honours Bachelor of Illustration Wabaseemoong First Nation Elyse Martin Year 3, Honours Bachelor of Illustration Northern Ontario Community –Sudbury (Metis) Benjamin Ozog Year 3 ,Honours Bachelor of Photography Moosenee, Albany Road Mya Fiddler Year 2, Visual and Creative Arts Muskrat Dam First Nation Harmony Buswa Year 1 , Architectural Technician White Fish River

Scholarship recipients must be identified as being of Indigenous origin, including Métis, enrolled in a full time post secondary education program and demonstrate financial need. Provided the financial need still exists, it has been our practice to support a student through to their graduation. Shawna received her diploma in Art Fundamentals last spring and returned to Sheridan this fall to study Visual and Creative Arts so both she and Amelia are second year St Jude’s Scholarship recipients. Elyse is a third year St Jude’s Scholarship recipient and Benjamin, Mya and Harmony are first time St Jude’s Scholarship recipients. Since inception we have funded a total of 34 scholarships and 21 of those scholarships representing 13 different students have been at Sheridan College. Although in the past we have also supported students from U. of T. and Mohawk College, we are now solely partnered with Sheridan College which has a very large Indigenous student population. Students often travel great distances in order to attend Sheridan College and our scholarships give preference to students from northern communities. For students in honours degree programs, tuition, living expenses and supplies can top $80,000 over the course of the 4 years. Vestry Sunday, Feb 23, marks the final collection for the 2020-2021 academic year. To maintain our present level of scholarships we need to raise $6,000 a year. We are well on our way to meeting that target and starting to dream about the possibility of a 7th scholarship or increasing the value of each of the 6 scholarships sometime in the not too distant future.

Apart from the 3 annual Loonie Toonie Sundays, donations can be made anytime during the year through the church office and identified donations qualify for a tax receipt.

The Committee overseeing the Scholarships meets as needed to organize the fundraisers and share communications with Sheridan. If you would like to know more about the St. Jude’s Scholarships for Indigenous Students, or wish to become more involved, please speak to one of the Committee Members: Dave Pearson, Catherine Leckey, Dave Haslett, Donna Young, Marion Davis, Cliff Thompson or Ryan King. Property Committee Report for the 2020 Vestry on 2019 Activity

A number of very talented and dedicated parishioners have worked diligently over this past year to ensure the church facilities continue to meet the needs of the parish and I would like to thank these committee members: Rob Doyle, Peter Chambers (Secretary), Shirley Harrison, Tony Houghton, Bill Shank, and Michael Turner for a job well done. I would also like to thank Julie Hudak for her continued support of the Committee and all the volunteers who helped with routine maintenance activities throughout this past year. During this past year the committee, supported by Julie Hudak, have undertaken a number of important projects. Among these the highest priority has gone into ensuring the continued enhanced maintenance of the slate roof to ensure its continued functioning while sufficient funds are accumulated to replace it. Experts inspecting the slate roof have reaffirmed that it remains sound but that the end of its useful life (now well in excess of 100 years) continues to draw ever nearer. During 2019 the Committee worked though it's annual property preventative maintenance program (e.g. miscellaneous painting, re-lamping, etc…). In addition to these routine tasks however a number of special projects were also completed as follows: - replacement of space divider separating the Helen Poole Library Hall - replacement of the door to the office area - replacement of the shingled roof over Victoria Hall - restoration of several of the Church nave stained-glass windows - upgrade of the church telephone system - replacement of the boiler and pump in the Vicarage One particularly challenging issue facing the Property Committee during this past year is that relating to the frontal furniture in the choir area. This furniture must be periodically moved to permit such events as the Festival of the Arts and Christmas pageant. Continued displacement of this furniture however has resulted in the progressive weakening of the floor anchors such that the stability of the furniture is now threatened. Recognizing the importance of being able to continue to remove this furniture the Committee (particular credit going to Bill Shank and Tony Houghton) has now developed a permanent solution for a quick release system that promises to allow for continued displacement while at the same time ensuring the long term stability and safety of the furnishing while in place. This solution will be included in the Committee’s 2020 work program. Finally, the committee would like to extend special thanks to Julie Hudak for her untiring efforts to obtain grants to assist with off-setting the expense of certain of the committee projects and her work administering the various contracts associated with the above mentioned capital works. Lloyd McCoomb, Chair Garden Guild report to Vestry

The Garden Guild of St. Jude’s Church was established over 35 years ago by some dedicated gardeners who felt that more could be done around the church yard to enhance and improve the property for the enjoyment of the congregation, the neighbourhood and ultimately enrich the town. In 2019 the gardens were maintained by 26 volunteers who donated a few hours of their time each Thursday morning in the summer or afternoons in the cooler weather. We were fortunate to be joined by a new volunteer who was more than welcomed as we are always looking for gardeners or those who are keen to learn…..we would love you to join a group of dedicated gardeners.

The annual fund raiser on May 11th had close to 2000 plants for sale and over 85% were sold in 3 hours….100% of the monies acquired go back into the gardens for the upkeep, replacement and addition of plant materials throughout the year. We are always anxious for an early spring as many of the plants for sale come from our own gardens or from others who are willing to donate. Early September the Garden Guild hosted a luncheon to celebrate the glory of the gardens, to acknowledge past members of the guild as well as donors who have so generously made financial contributions for the gardens.

SYRIAN NEWCOMER FAMILY UPDATE

We can be proud of the progress of the Al Salkhadi family as they have adjusted to their lives in Canada. They continue to have a positive outlook, in spite of all the challenges of immigrating to a very different social culture and language. Some of St. Jude’s and St. Simon’s volunteers continue to help them as the parents learn English reading and writing and as the children progress in school. Although they no longer need financial support fromthe Churches, it takes much longer than one year to be completely self-sufficient.

The Dad continues to work at the job he has held since 2018. The older son hopes to graduate from high school this year; he is working towards earning the high school credits he needs for college, and he has a part-time job. The middle son is doing very well in Grade 9, whereas the little girl is in Grade 3 and she is delightful as she chatters away in perfect English – you may have seen her as the dove in the Christmas Pageant.

The family are striving to become Canadian citizens in April 2021. They are thankful for the opportunities that have been generously provided and they hope one day to give back to their community. St. Jude’s Parish Statistics

2019 2018 2017 2016

Number of member households on parish roll 513 527 567 589 Number of identified contributors* 538 489 390 410 *2018/2019 includes identified visitors Sacraments Baptisms 12 12 18 15 Confirmations 0 0 10 1 Marriages 6 13 14 17 Funerals 15 40 45 41

Sunday Worship (average attendance) 212 220 238 242 8:00 a.m. 23 24 25 28 9:15 a.m. 72 82 90 92 11:00 a.m. 104 106 106 113 10:00 a.m. (14 Combined Services in 2019) 117 125 128 128

10:30 a.m. Wednesday 18 20 18 19 Jazz Vespers 64 56 82 72 Evensong 55 56 74 76

Easter: Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday 715 829 759 831 Christmas Eve/Day 934 986 972 1098