THE NETWORK Pentecost Edition – June 2016
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The Church of St. Andrew, Scarborough THE NETWORK Pentecost Edition – June 2016 A Word from Heather It’s commonly said that people don’t like change. God wanted them to be; like the new parents whose Actually, people don’t like loss, and every time child calls out the best of who they are; through the something changes, something is lost. past sixty years, the changes in our life together have been made to help us stay faithful to who we Think about the Hebrew people who had been slaves are, to who God wants us to be: “worshipping God in Egypt. Moses followed God’s call and led them out in one family in Jesus Christ, and extending that of slavery, liberated them, set them free. Yet as they love into Christian action in the community.” were in the wilderness, it wasn’t long before they began to yearn for the “fleshpots of Egypt,” where yes, they Thanks be to God for the changes that let us stay the same. had been slaves, but at least they knew where their next meal Thanks be to God for “sixty years of ministry and mission.” was coming from. ========== Think about a new parent. They have received the beautiful I made this announcement at services on May 22: gift of a child, often a child that has been planned-for and long-desired, and they love deeply cherish with every fibre of As many of you will know already, our area bishop, Bishop their being. Yet at the same time, they now miss nights of Patrick Yu, recently announced his retirement effective at the sleeping peacefully, and the freedom to going out without end of 2016. The bishop of York-Credit Valley, Bishop Phil having to worry about child care, and now have to give up Poole, will be retiring in September, and Bishop Linda some of their desires to pay for the things the child needs. Nicholls, formerly of Trent-Durham, has already moved to become a bishop in the Diocese of Huron in southwestern Thus, even the most positive change ever brings with it some Ontario. sense of loss. People don’t hate change; they hate loss. That has left three vacancies in the college of five bishops in This year St. Andrew’s celebrates our 60th anniversary, and the Diocese of Toronto. Representatives of churches from such an anniversary has prompted me to look back and reflect across the Diocese will be meeting in September to elect three on some of the changes we’ve been through together. Some new bishops to fill those vacancies. have angered some people; some have delighted some people. Some have confused people; some have attracted others. I wanted to let you know that I have been nominated to stand as a candidate in that election, and after a LOT of prayer and If we hadn’t changed at all in the 60 years, that would be a thought, I have agreed to let my name stand. problem. We have changed, to adapt to the needs of our changing members and community. How we do children’s I have no idea whether or not I will actually be elected to ministry has shifted and changed though the years. How we become a bishop. I have significantly mixed feelings about the worship today isn’t identical to how we worshipped fifty years idea. This is a process of discerning God’s call, and while I am ago. The ways we reach out to those in need has changed with open to what comes from it, I am very much looking forward their changing needs. The complexions and cultural identities to continued ministry here at St. Andrew’s. of our members are not what they were even forty years ago. So I do ask for your prayers, for myself, for all the others who Yet these changes have allowed us to stay the same. I know will be nominated, and for those members of synod who will that sounds paradoxical, but these are all changes that have let be electing bishops in September. us be the people, to be the church, God has created us to be. Like the Hebrew people, whose freedom let them become who Page 2 of 12 Page 3 of 12 An update from Vernon Wardens’ Report for ‘The Network’ Pentecost Edition, 2016 Help! Help! These words very often call us to attention. If we Our Giant Garage Sale was a resounding are willing and able, we are often success as usual and we thank the anxious to help as much as we organizers and all the parishioners who can and where we can. We would helped to attain this realization. even help strangers whom we’ve never met before especially if The Church’s operating expenses have they are in dire need. Why would exceeded our income in the first quarter you and I help anyone (especially people we might not in 2016. Our income has also decreased markedly, which was not expected. We even know). Scripture reminds us, it is the Lord who has encourage you all to continue to support helped us first. all endeavours and your prayers this summer in order to eradicate our deficit So in our entire life, even though we may not think and we are grateful for your contributions. about it, all the things that we do and say, we do because of the Lord’s help for us. When you and I hear The wardens extend our sincerest congratulations to Rev’d ‘Help! Help!’ We are anxious to come/go and help. I am Vernon Duporte on his ordination to the priesthood last th reminded of the text where the man from Macedonia March 19 and his appointment as Associate Priest at Our says: “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” A few Saviour. He will still be with us 40% of the week and we will weeks ago, Bishop Patrick asked me to minister 60% of miss his thoughtful sermons on Sundays. my time at the Church of Our Saviour while continuing On June 1st, we welcome our second full-time assistant curate at St. Andrew’s the remaining 40% of the time. Rev’d Monique Taylor to St. Andrew’s. We encourage you all to offer a warm welcome to Rev’d Monique into our parish This arrangement means that I will be at Our Saviour on family. With this new addition to the clergy we were assured Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays and at St. Andrew’s that with the increased grants there will be no additional cost on Mondays and Wednesdays; this takes effect on June to St. Andrew’s. 1, 2016. My day off is Friday. Although it may appear th that I am leaving, not being at St. Andrew’s on Sundays, Our annual Spring Concert, celebrating our 60 Anniversary, there will be the odd time when you will see me there. was an outstanding success featuring an Organ Recital by our The idea of ‘coming and going’ is tied into the Great own organist and choir director Edward Moroney. The pieces performed were uplifting and we all enjoyed the evening. Commission. We are sent and we are to go. And so, by Thank you to Mr. Moroney, who organized this event, and to God’s grace and with your prayers, I go. those who assisted. It is quite conceivable, once I settle into this new As you may be aware, we were unable to obtain a grant from arrangement and once things begin to work themselves Our Faith, Our Hope fund for our parish hall renovation work out, that both parishes will explore the possibility of and parking lot repaving. We were successful in securing engaging in joint ventures. In the interim, we go funds for our sound system improvement and the accessible forward with a spirit of confidence and optimism. chair lift. We were encouraged to consider applying through Ministry Allocation Funds (MAF), another Diocesan funding Reverend Vernon opportunity. The original committee was enlarged to include more parishioners. The MAF application process has different requirements than the previous Our Faith, Our Hope fund. More details will be shared with the congregation throughout our investigation. We are cautiously optimistic that we can succeed in gaining access to these Diocesan grants. We wish you all a safe and enjoyable summer and for our baseball team, ‘Go Anglers’. Respectfully submitted, Wilbur, Alex Page 4 of 12 Our Church Finances in 2016 The Budget for 2016 The budget for 2016 that was approved at the Annual Vestry Meeting in February projects an operating deficit of $21,821 for the year. The balance in the Church’s General Operating bank account was $16,485 at the beginning of January. Thus, if we simply meet the budget in 2016, this account will be overdrawn by $5,336 at the end of December. So Far this Year Between January 1 and April 30, 2016, the Church’s operating expenses exceeded the operating income by $28,305 (line 41). The deficit in the same four months of 2015 was $21,651. It has only been possible to pay all the bills on time in the last four months because the operating account has borrowed $20,000 from the Church’s Our Faith – Our Hope account. Without this loan, the General Operating bank account would have been overdrawn by $11,820 at the end of April. During the first four months of 2016, the operating income decreased by $5,314 compared with the same period in 2015, while the operating expenses increased by $1,340.