Church of St. Nicholas, Birch Cliff Parish Profile

1512 Kingston Rd. , ON M1N 1R7 www.stnicholasbirchcliff.com

St. Nicholas, Birch Cliff acknowledges that this land, on which we gather, is situated upon traditional territories. The territories include the Wendat, Anishinabek Nation, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, the Mississaugas of Scugog, Hiawatha, Alderville First Nation and the Métis Nation. The treaty that was signed for this particular parcel of land is collectively referred to as the Williams Treaties of 1923 and applies to lands east of Woodbine Avenue. We also recognize the enduring presence of Aboriginal peoples on this land.

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Welcome to St. Nicholas!

Some of the congregation 2018

Over the past 100 plus years our parish has grown and flourished due to God’s favour, the parishioners and clergy, and the community who have been with us on our journey of faith. We are a parish full of life, with a number of families attending for several generations, and friends who have met and bonded through the ministry and spiritual fulfillment St. Nicholas offers and provides.

As a parishioner responded when asked why they continued to come to St. Nicholas, “It’s my home.”

We are a family-oriented Anglican parish located in the Birch Cliff community of southwest Scarborough. Worship at St. Nicholas follows a fairly traditional pattern with emphasis on sermons that connect us to our daily Christian life. There are two services held each Sunday morning, as well as Eucharist on Wednesday. Our average Sunday attendance is 80 parishioners.

Music is a very important part of our worship. There is a choir of talented singers that lead the 10:30 Eucharist. We are currently looking for a new organist/music director who will be a welcome addition to our church family.

Faith-deepening activities are offered to every age group at St. Nicholas. Our Sunday School program runs throughout the year, while bible study sessions and opportunities for guest speakers occur periodically.

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Pastoral care is a highly valued ministry in our parish. A dedicated pastoral team offers everything from communion to companionship to our parishioners who cannot attend services. The increasing age of our congregation suggests that there will be an on-going demand for such ministry.

The Church of St. Nicholas is seeking an incumbent who will tap into the energy of our parishioners and in full partnership with the people move this parish to its next level of development and growth.

This Parish Profile has been prayerfully created in the hope that it reflects the current state of our parish as well as the aspirations of our community for the future.

A Brief History

Like our Lord Jesus, the parish of St. Nicholas began its life in a stable. The stable, located off Haig Avenue, was donated by George Davis, a resident of the small village of Birch Cliff. The Bishop of Toronto granted permission to The Rev’d Charles E. Luce to form a mission church, the first service was held June 25th, 1912. Our church was given its name because Rev’d Luce’s father was the rector of a St. Nicholas Church in England.

Summer services were held in a tent while the remodelling of the stable was completed. The converted stable was soon inadequate, and was enlarged at the end of 1914. In January 1916, fire broke out and the building was destroyed along with most of the furnishings. Although the building was gone, the spirit of the people flourished. Property was acquired at the present location on and work began on original part of our current building.

The first service on our present church property was the laying of the corner stone on July 22, 1916. Then on May 29, 1917, Bishop Sweeney officiated at the dedication of the completed Church of St. Nicholas, Birch Cliff. The spirit of the people prevailed with help from far and near. The oak pulpit was a gift from St. Nicholas Church in Gloucester, England. The matching altar was a gift from St. Paul’s Bloor Street. Our baptismal font was about the only furnishing to survive the fire.

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In 1953, under the leadership of the Rev’d Lewis S.Garnsworthy, who would later become Bishop of Toronto, the church building was expanded to its present size. During the expansion, services were held in the Birch Cliff Theatre across the street on Kingston Road.

St Nicholas continued to prosper through the second half of the 20th century. Starting in 1956, the windows in the main part of the church were gradually replaced with the stained glass memorial windows which are such a beautiful part of the church today.

Of the many people, both clergy and laity, whose work and commitment have benefited St Nicholas over the years, one of the most beloved was Edward “Robbie” Robinson, an integral part of the life of the parish from his year as Priest-in-Charge in 1953-54 until his retirement in 1970 and beyond. In recognition of his years of service and to commemorate his 90th birthday on January 20, 1978, the large basement hall was officially dedicated as “Robinson Hall” in a ceremony officiated by former rector and then Archbishop, Lewis Garnsworthy.

In 1995, following severe water damage to the organ loft, the Rev. Canon Prue Chambers initiated the organ room’s transformation into the Memorial Room. Nine stained glass memorial windows were donated by parishioners and dedicated by Bishop Michael Bedford-Jones. More recently, the memorial donation of the Stations of the Cross has further enhanced worship at St Nicholas.

Through more than100 years of ministry, from the Rev’d. Charles Luce to our most recent incumbent, the Rev’d. Canon Janet Read-Hockin, St. Nicholas has been and remains a vibrant and active part of the life of the Birch Cliff community.

The Community

Birch Cliff continues to evolve. Small bungalows are remodeled or rebuilt into larger homes. The community is populated with both folk who grew up here and stayed to raise their own families, and folk who are new to the area. Local elementary schools are supported by alumni participation, and new neighbours. Old infrastructure is being replaced with new, multi-purposed buildings, including low and medium rise condo developments. New small businesses are welcome additions to the ‘village’ feel of the neighbourhood. There are ever evolving opportunities to model Christian life, and witness to the wonders of faith in Christ, at St. Nicholas.

The Physical Side

St. Nicholas, Birch Cliff is located in the southwest area of Scarborough known as Birch Cliff. Our parish boundaries are from to Birchmount Road and from Danforth Ave to Lake . Page 5

Kingston Road is a main thoroughfare, with TTC stops directly in front of the building. The parish owns a large parking lot on Manderly, close beside the church.

St. Nicholas Church is a classic cruciform building, with exposed wood and a traditional decor and layout. It seats approximately 300 people. The main level contains the incumbent’s office, as well as two more offices - one for our Parish Administrator, and one for our Parish Nurse . We use current office equipment including a colour photocopier and utilize wireless internet throughout the building. The main level also contains the Memorial Room, which seats up to 15 people and is used for meetings, bible study and the monthly, fellowship time after our 8:30 a.m. service.

In the basement there are 2 halls. Robinson Hall, the larger, with a stage, washrooms, and kitchen, holds about 140 people for a sit-down function. The stage is at the front of the hall, and the well- equipped kitchen has a pass through to both halls. There are washroom facilities for men and women. There is a second smaller hall used for our Church School.

The church and basement areas are all wheelchair accessible, thanks to our lift which descends from the worship space. A wheelchair accessible washroom is directly off Robinson Hall.

Fellowship Time in Robinson Hall

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The church owns a rectory at 1 Woodland Park Road, less than a 10-minute walk from thechurch. This family home is situated in the neighbourhood known as The Hunt Club and was built in the 1950s. We are the original purchasers of the two-storey, four-bedroom house, which is in a good state of repair. There is a four-piece bath on the second floor as well as a two-piece powder room on the main floor. A modern kitchen and finished basement, along with a good-sized backyard, make this a very attractive home.

The church and rectory are close to the Beach area of Toronto and Kingston Road Village. This area features over 3 km of beautiful beaches along with a large number of independent shops, boutiques and restaurants. We are close to bus routes, and less than a 10-minute bus ride from either Victoria Park or Warden Ave subway stations. The public library is within walking distance and a recreation centre with pool and skating arena are within a 5-minute drive. There are English and French Immersion elementary and secondary schools within a 10-minute drive of the rectory. is 20 minutes away by car with its large selection of live theatre, restaurants, cinemas, museums and all other amenities.

Pastoral Staff

Honorary Assistant: The Rev. Canon Ian Noseworthy took early retirement from St. Jude’s, Wexford in 2009 and shortly afterwards became honorary assistant at St.Nicholas.

Other Staff

Parish Administrator: Janet Baron recently celebrated the 31st anniversary of her employment as parish secretary. In addition to her work in the office, Janet is also a leading member of the St. Nicholas choir.

Director of Music: This position is currently being held by a retired organist and choir member, Joy Horswill, until such time as a new person joins us.

Parish Nurse: The ministry of Cheryle Pollock, our volunteer Parish Nurse, is a blessing not only to our congregation, but to the wider community. She is a presence at most services, and outreach initiatives.

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Our Worship The following is a summary of our services prior to COVID-19.

Worship at St. Nicholas follows a fairly traditional pattern. The Eucharist is celebrated twice each Sunday, said at 8:30 and with choir and organ at 10:30. We also have a said midweek service on Wednesday mornings at 10:00. The 8:30 Sunday and Wednesday morning services use the BAS, page 230 while Sunday at 10:30 uses the page 185 version. In addition, the Rite of Healing is offered on the second Sunday of each month. The celebrant typically wears a stole and chasuble, and at the 10:30 service there is a Gospel procession and a Sanctus gong is struck during the Sanctus and at the consecration.

In addition to the regular Sunday and weekday services, there are numerous other services held at St. Nicholas during the church year. At Christmas, parishioners have enjoyed a candlelight service of Lessons and Carols, the Sunday before Christmas. We also have had a quiet service for those who find Christmas a difficult time.

There are three services Christmas Eve; all with carols, Eucharist at 5:00, a family Eucharist with children’s pageant at 7:00 and a traditional candlelight Eucharist with choir at 11:00, as well as a 10:30 a.m. Choral Eucharist Christmas morning.

In Holy Week, services are held every evening, Monday through Thursday and include sung Tenebrae and the Maundy Thursday washing of feet, and stripping of the Altar. Friday morning the Stations of the Cross are followed by the Good Friday service.

Easter services include the Easter Vigil at 8:00 p.m. Saturday evening followed by a Resurrection Party as well as the traditional Easter Sunday services, both Choral Eucharist at 8:30 and 10:30 a.m.

A Blessing of Animals service to celebrate St. Francis of Assisi, takes place in October on the church lawn. (sometimes inside if the weather is bad)

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Regular monthly services are celebrated at Retirement Suites by the Lake and Chester Village long- term care facility. Lay outreach / pastoral visiting is provided to parishioners at the Houses of Providence and Midland Gardens nursing homes and residences.

While not all changes in the liturgy or patterns of worship have met with immediate approval, in general the congregation has accepted changes. A few people still prefer the BCP and/or would like Morning Prayer, while others prefer page 230 of the BAS to page 185. For the most part however, such differences of opinion have not posed a major issue or source of conflict.

Liturgical changes and decisions are often first discussed at the parish Worship Committee, then introduced on an interim basis, with reaction from the congregation being monitored before a permanent change is made.

Musical Life

Music is a very important part of our worship at St. Nicholas. We have made an effort in recent years to strike a balance between traditional and comtemporary music, as well as piano and organ accompaniment There is a very dedicated choir of talented singers that lead the 10:30 Eucharist. The choir also offers a choral anthem at each service. We are currently thankful that a member of the choir who is a retired Organist has been able to fill in as Interim Music Director, until such time as we can begin a search for a new Music Director.

Service of Lessons and Carols 2015

The wonderful 3-manual, 60-stop classic organ, as well as a Baldwin baby grand piano, creates an atmosphere of praise which deepens the worship experience of the congregation. The organist also begins the service with a prelude, as well as concluding with a postlude.

The choir takes part in extra services throughout the church year, specifically during Advent and Lent, and they are especially willing to offer their ministry of music at funeral services.

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Outreach and the Community

There are areas and people within the local community who have significant needs. Within our own parish community, we can identify issues relating to aging and loneliness. Furthermore, the hardships faced by single parent families, the under-housed, the unemployed and the marginalized are very real for many living within our local area. To address some of these problems, for many years St. Nicholas has been actively involved in local outreach projects.

We are a founding member of the Bluffs Food Bank which we continue to support both monetarily and with the work of several parishioners who volunteer their time on a weekly basis. The Bluffs Food Bank began its operations in 2003 and since then it has grown from serving 24 families, to as many as 300.

Community Lunch

In addition, from October until May, every second Tuesday a group of 10 to 12 volunteers cook and serve a free lunch as part of the Beach Interfaith Lunch Program. Most recently, due to COVID restrictions, this became a weekly event with a take away lunch.

The week before Christmas, with donations from Community partners, St. Nicholas sponsors the ‘Amazing Christmas Party’, attended by over 300 people. As well as offering a buffet with fruit, veggies, and all the home made “Christmas Goodies” anyone could want, there is also ‘free’ shopping for basic items, toiletries, hats, mitts, and other essentials. There is face painting, pictures with Santa, and Christmas carols to help make a festive party atmosphere. Of course, there is also a visit with Santa and presents for all the children. All of this is donated by the people of the parish, more than 60 of whom, as well as friends and family, are there to help and join in the fellowship of the afternoon.

The Amazing Christmas Party

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Our Young People and Families

Vacation Bible Camp has become an important ministry at St. Nicholas.

When it began fourteen years ago, 8 children attended and last summer there were 20 children ranging in age from 4-12. As well, over the years the volunteer base has grown to as many as 12 volunteers. The youth of the church help out as youth leaders and are able to use this time for community hours at their respective schools. Volunteers, all screened to work with children, help out in a variety of ways. This program includes lunch which is prepared by some of the volunteers, while others help with the various workshops offered. The camp runs from Monday to Friday, 9am-12:30pm in the third week of August.

We also offer a Family Friendly Fellowship time on the fourth Saturday of each month from September through June from 5- 7p.m.

This very relaxed and very lively ‘service’ is held in Robinson Hall and includes music that the children sing along with, (or dance to), a bible story from The Jesus Storybook Bible, a discussion about the story, prayers, a craft on the theme of the day, and a simple kid friendly meal.

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Christian Education

Living out our Baptismal Covenant is fostered by intentional continuing Christian Education of all. This takes place in many forms. Opportunities to enrich our faith in order to better “proclaim the Good News of God in Christ” provide us with continued motivation to better serve; in our parish, in the wider church, and most importantaly beyond our walls.

Church School

We have a small group of church school children, and on any given week there are 5-7 childlren in attendance. Because the numbers are small, there is one class, led by our very capable Christian Ed. volunteer. The children have a bible story, most often the Gospel for the day, and do a small craft.

During the month of March, the children come together for Outreach Month, where they work on various outreach projects (example of past projects: making Easter cards for parishioners who are unable to come to church during the Easter season; collecting donations for the Free the Children organization, collecting food for The Children’s Breakfast Clubs).

Children’s Time

For Adults

There are a number of opportunities available for adult members of the parish to reflect on and deepen their faith. Bible studies are held periodically during the year and always during Lent.

A Parish Breakfast is held on the first Saturday of each month. Following the breakfast, a speaker recounts her or his faith journey followed by small group discussions of a question arising from the talk. Such discussion creates opportunities for reflection and spiritual growth.

The weekly Wednesday morning Eucharist, rather than including a traditional homily, presents a question or concept arising from the gospel and then invites those in attendance (normally 20-25 people) to share their ideas, beliefs and opinions relating to that question.

Wednesday Morning Eucharist

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For many years, two Women’s Quiet Days were held each year, usually at the convent of the Sisters of St. John the Divine, and then in its final year at the church. Approximately 25 women attend. While it did not happen in 2019, it was a very popular event, and could perhaps be reinstated.

Whenever a family is considering Baptism or Confirmaton, the incumbent has met with parents and potential candidates to prepare them for these important steps in their journey of faith. On an ongoing basis, the people’s sense of connection between faith and daily life has been nurtured by excellent sermons which relate the bible readings to modern life and make their message relevant.

Guest speakers from areas such as Faithworks and outreach illustrate the meaning of acting out one’s faith among those less fortunate within the larger community. Glimpses of God

With a view to empowering each other, we have been encouraging, and inviting parishioners to speak about their faith in Christ, and where they see God at work in their lives. Remembrance Day has been a time where we have asked each other to speak about faith and the cost of war. Recently, many of us have shared ways we have seen the Spirit at work in our lives. This has been done as part of our liturgy, and shared on our webside

Communication

Nicks News is included with the order of service and contains notices and announcements for upcoming events, meetings and services, as well as weekly World, Diocesan, and Local prayer requests.

Email is used extensively to communicate with parishioners. Special announcements regarding deaths in the parish, a call for volunteers for events, and reminders about upcoming dates are sent out routinely. We have approximately 150 email addresses that we connect with in this way.

Our church website, www.stnicholasbirchcliff.com over the years has grown into the extensive site that it is today. We are active on Social Media with both a Facebook page and a Twitter feed.

Finances Our financial statements and budget are available in our vestry report which can be found on our Parish Web Site. The Diocesan Jubilee has been welcome in offsetting some change in what we had forcast. Our parochial givings have remained healthy. We have lost income from other sources, most noteably, our Bazaar. However, we are blessed with a healthy memorial fund, and thoughtful stewardship.

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Incumbent’s Profile

Our new incumbent will be...

• someone who demonstrates concern for and commitment to pastoral care within the parish community, to outreach, and to social justice initiatives and actions within the wider community.

• someone who will guide our active lay participation in worship and parish life.

• a spiritual leader committed to both the spiritual and numerical growth of the parish through the setting and maintaining of a high standard for liturgy, preaching and music, and connecting scripture to life.

• welcoming and affirming, flexible and open to change and the exploration of non- traditional styles of worship.

• an open, friendly, visible, and supportive leader and participant in the life of the St. Nicholas parish family.

• someone who will help to guide and walk with us in our growing relationship with Jesus.

The pandemic is challenging us to rethink, and to reimagine what God is calling us to do and how we are to do it.

Our Baptismal Covenant grounds us in our purpose through faith in Christ Jesus. Striving for justice and peace, and respecting the dignity of all people, while living with pandemic restrictions, encourages us to ensure that our outreach efforts continue. Seeking and serving Christ, being good stewards of the many blessings with which we have been entrusted, sharing the light of Christ, these are the things that are magnified now in pandemic.

We are looking for someone to join us as we discern where The Spirit leads us from here, living our Christian witness.

We look forward to welcoming, supporting, and ministering with our next Priest.

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