April Snow, Tulips and Ordination

Transcription

1 S U M M E R T H E N E W S L E T T E R O F B L O O R S T R E E T U N I T E D C H U R C H AN INCLUSIVE C O N G R E G A T I O N MINISTERING TO M U L T I C U L T U R A L T O R O N T O I NSI DE Truth & Reconciliation with Bob Rae page 3 Path to Peace page 5 Silvester s Star Student page 6 Summer Reading & Movies insert April Snow, Tulips and Ordination High Anxiety Boat & Celtic Cross over Chancel Courtyard in April Show Tulips Martha ter Kuile & Emily Gordon prior to Emily's June ordination Photo by Don Payne

2 BLOOR PEOPLE Congratulations to Emily Gordon who was ordained by Toronto Conference on June 7. Emily has a Supply Ministry appointment at Trinity-St. Paul's Church, which runs from June 1 to December 31. Emily received a stole from the Bloor St. Quilters The front is white with leaves on the top and earth tones at the bottom, and the trunk is a brown strip coming together to form a trunk. The reverse features a white dove outlined in gold thread and red flames with orange and yellow streaks. Emily has attended Bloor St. Church since her birth. She grew up in our Sunday school, began singing with the senior choir at 15, went away to university, returned, studied for the ministry at Emmanuel College, worked for eight months part-time as Coordinator for Children, Families & Outreach Ministries at our church and she started the NABS group for young adults. As well, she has written articles for Good News and contributed reading suggestions for several years. She interned at Kincardine United Church this past year, completing her ministerial requirements in April. Emily now moves on to a new role within the United Church. We know how lucky your new congregation will be, Emily. Bloor St. will miss you. Congratulations to Emily and Nikhil Joshi who were married at Bloor St. on June 13. Congratulations to Jennifer Gordon and Peter Coady who will be married at Bloor St. on July 31. All are welcome to the ceremony at 3:00 pm. Emily Gordon & Nikhil Joshi at Emily s Ordination. Emily is wearing her new stole. Photo by Bill Mowat Kevin Taylor, our Ministry Intern since last September, completed his internship on Sunday April 26. He received good wishes from the congregation and a handsome ministerial stole made by Amanda McFarlan. The stole is green with motifs on one side and red on the reverse. Kevin and his wife Lauren will spend a month walking the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route to northern Spain before he settles into his own church. Best wishes on the road ahead, Kevin. Dan Benson said Au Revoir to Bloor St. Church on April 26. Dan was ordained last spring but continued in his job as Executive Minister of Communications at the General Council Offices. Dan has attended our church since 1977 when he arrived as a young student. He has accepted a call to St. Paul s United Church in southern Scarborough where he will be the full-time minister. He was profiled in the June 3 issue of the Bluffs Monitor newspaper. The article is posted on our bulletin board. Dan has been an active member of the congregation filling many roles including chair of Worship and chief organizer of several big rummage sales. Dan welcomes visitors from Bloor Street to his church and hopes we arrive by the busload! We wish you well, Dan, as you journey on. Dorothy Bremner at BSUC on June 7 Photo by Don Payne Congratulations to Dorothy Bremner on her 92nd birthday on June 6. Dorothy has been attending Bloor St. Church since 1941 when her family moved to Toronto from New Brunswick to join her father who was working here. Eighteen year old Dorothy attended Normal School (forerunner of teachers college) After graduating, she decided that she really wanted to study nursing. She graduated on VE Day on May 8, So rather than becoming a war nurse, she became a nurse at Women s College Hospital. Kevin and Don cutting their farewell cake Photo by Don Payne 2 Bloor People continues on page 4

3 Truth and Reconciliation Four members of Bloor St. travelled to Ottawa for a momentous occasion the presentation of the report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to the Government of Canada. George Bartlett, Rose Francis, Sarah McFarlan and Jean Albuerne participated in events to honour the work of the TRC. On May 31 a joint service with Trinity-St.Paul s and Bathurst Churches was held at our church to mark this important step to reconciliation with indigenous peoples. The Hon. Bob Rae spoke at the service drawing from his extensive experience as a politician and lawyer representing First Nations. The Hon. Bob Rae with Rev. Ralph Wushke, Bathurst Church & Rev. Dr. Martha ter Kuile With Bob Rae on the Path to Reconciliation a Theological Reflection by Donald Nicol With the gospel reminder that we must be born in a different way and Nicodemus question, How can this be? Bob Rae reminded us of the challenges ahead as we dare to implement the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report. There certainly is a lot we have to figure out in order to handle our ignorance and change our attitudes. A lot of what we know is distorted or wrong. Rae challenged us to see from a wider perspective as each of us tries to find an activist role to play in a larger story of reconciliation with justice. I m too much of a Calvinist to ignore Immanuel Kant s insight that out of the crooked timber of humanity no straight thing was ever made. We all have flaws and corners around which we cannot see. So, we need one another. We have to build together with effort and respect. We have to change government policy. When we have deep friendships, we copy and absorb some positive traits. We want to earn their respect and energize our common energies. We all need help from outside from family, friends, ancestors, rules, traditions, institutions, and, for believers, God. We need people to tell us when we re wrong, to advise us about how to do right, and to support, admonish, inspire, and cooperate with us all along the way. Most importantly we must be willing to be engaged on the path to reconciliation with compassion, joy, and justice. From my experience of living with others of different cultures, languages and religious awareness, we may find ourselves helped by people we did not expect would help us, understood and cared for in ways we had never imagined, and held up and loved in ways we do not deserve. We can make new friends and cultivate new loves. We can learn to see ourselves differently and find a spark that gives life purpose. We can find coherence and solidarity in learning together how to be better at something than we used to be. We can learn to reach out, welcome difference, and take steps together toward change. We may adopt a different view of human nature, a different attitude about what is important, and a different way to live together. We may even move toward understanding how the past is always with us. The Healing Fund A total of $1, was raised for and is being forwarded to The Healing Fund at The United Church of Canada through the May 31 joint worship service on Truth and Reconciliation. The Healing Fund was originally established by General Council in 1994 as a fund-raising and educational campaign to address the impacts of residential schools on Aboriginal people. It now continues as one facet of the United Church s ongoing reconciliation work. 3

4 BLOOR ST. CHURCH COUNCIL George Bartlett Mary Louise Work Chuck Baker Bridget Hough Liz Tinker Andrew Spears Jennifer Gordon Sandra Cruickshanks Laurie Gordon Bill Mowat Mary Sanderson Pat McPhee Ellen Schwartzel Susannah Peace Garnet Ward George Bartlett Luba Rascheff Doug Welwood FUNDRAISING TASK GROUP INVESTMENT COMMITTEE TRUSTEES Chair of Council Past Chair of Council Secretary of Council Chair of Congregational Care Chair of Worship Chair of Social Justice Chair of Finance & Administration Chair of Christian Development & Community Life Chair of Communications Chair of Ministry & Personnel Chair of Stewardship Chair of Property Volunteer Coordinators Members at Large Presbytery Representatives OTHER COMMITTEES & TASK GROUPS REDEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Laurie Gordon, coordinator, Fund Raising Task Group Jim Hunter, Don Cooper, Heather Young, Tom McCauley, Michael Hilliard Don Cooper, Bill Davis, Bob Hilliard, Sue Kaiser, Mary Louise Work, the Rev. Dr. Martha ter Kuile Michael Hilliard, Chair George Bartlett BLOOR PEOPLE continued Congratulations to Velma and Bill Davis who will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary in July. Minister Emeritus Don Gillies presided, as a minister and friend, at the funeral/committal service for Lawson Leggett at a Scarborough church this spring. Don says that Lawson, a former longtime custodian at our church, was very knowledgeable and knew the building like the back of his hand. He kept the cantankerous boiler operational past its best before date! Stories about his role at the church are legion and legendary, and he is fondly remembered by many. Robert Thoen met King Willem Alexander of the Netherlands in front of the Ontario Legislature on May 29. The King and Queen Maxima were in Canada to celebrate the liberating of Holland by Can. troops in May1945. Congratulations to Donald King Willem Alexander Nicol who celebrated 48 years (facing us) with Robert Thoen of ordination in May. Congratulations to Stephen Milton who was accepted as a candidate for the ministry by Toronto Conference of the United Church. Garnet Ward drove a support vehicle for the Pan Am Games Torch Relay. The relay began in Thunder Bay on May 31 and will end in Toronto on July 10. Over 5000 kilometres were covered by land, through northeastern Ontario, southeastern Ontario and eastern Ontario. 15,000 kilometres were covered by air. Garnet flew to Halifax with part of the relay team. Welcome to Amelia Polly Arbuthnott-Müller, daughter of Roxana Müller and James Arbuthnott, who was baptized at our church on May 24. Big sister Matilda is happy to have a sister. 4

5 Nonviolent Path to Peace in Palestine by George Bartlett On my late fall trip to Israel-Palestine we met many individuals Jewish Israeli, Palestinian and Internationals working for peace based on justice for all. Elias Chacour, recently retired Archbishop of Akko, Harfa and Allo of Galilee in the Greek Catholic Melkite Church, welcomed us in Ibillin at the impressive educational facility he built to bring together Christians, Muslims, Jews and Druze to study. The facility now has education programs from kindergarten to university, but faced significant challenges right from the start. When threatened with demolition for being built without a permit, because permits are rarely issued to Palestinians, Elias Chacour flew to Washington and arrived unannounced at the home of James Baker, then U.S. Secretary of State. He must have made quite an impression, because the Secretary of State on his next visit persuaded Israel to issue the necessary permit. Jewish Israeli peace activist, Amos Gvirtz, grew up on a kibbutz, was among the first to refuse to serve in the Israeli army, was a founder of ICAHD which opposes the Israeli demolition of Palestinian homes, and now actively seeks justice for the Bedouin. He was our guide to the Negev and the Bedouin village of Al Araqib which has now been destroyed 83 times by the Israeli military. Near At Tawani we joined Jewish peace activists from the group Tayyoush and members of international groups including Operation Dove from Italy, Christian Peacemaker Teams, and the World Council of Churches Ecumenical Accompaniment Program which included a United Church member assisting local Palestinians repairing a road intentionally damaged by the Israeli military. In Deir Istyia we met members of International Women s Peace Service, including two Canadians, who work with Palestinian Elias Chacour women s groups and with Palestinians suffering land confiscations for 23 constantly expanding Israeli colonies in the area. There we also met Issa, wheelchair bound for the past 10 years after an Israeli soldier shot him with an exploding bullet. Rather than giving into anger, he promotes nonviolence and peace. Palestinian civil society, including Christian churches, is also promoting nonviolence and urging the international community to adopt Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions ( BDS ) as a non-violent response to the violence of the Occupation. In a recent open letter, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu similarly urged support for BDS, countering any suggestions that BDS is anti-semitism. org/2015/05/12/open-letter-from-archbishop-emeritusdesmond-tutu/ Our United Church supports a limited form of boycott, only of products from illegal settlements. Full sanctuary, looking towards chancel, on Craddock Sunday, April 19. Dr. Stephen Toope was the Craddock lecturer. 5

6 Silvester s Star Student by Stefani Bedin Frederick Silvester in his forties Frederick C. Silvester, the Music Director of BSUC between 1938 and 1966, was also a composer and distinguished teacher at the Toronto Conservatory of Music (now the RCM). Silvester taught a number of organ students, one of which became a very famous musician. This particular student received First Class Honours (89%) on his grade six organ examination, which was adjudicated by the esteemed Healey Willan (who was also Silvester s own theory/composition teacher and friend), and a silver medal for his grade eight organ exam in Only a year later, at the age of thirteen, he made his public concert debut playing the organ at the Eaton Auditorium. Hmm... A famous organist from Toronto? You must be wondering who this could be. Well, actually, you probably know him as a pianist. This notable student of Frederick Silvester was Glenn Gould, who took organ lessons between 1942 and Silvester was Gould s only organ teacher and made quite an impression on Gould. In the height of his fame, Gould indicated that the organ was a great, great influence and that studying it was invaluable training something a lot of people could profit by (quoted from the CBC s 1959 interview "At Home with Glenn Gould" which can be heard at watch?v=kzabl1srxmu). Silvester s legacy as a teacher and musician continues today in the church s organ scholarship, which bears his name (and that of Kelly Kirby, another notable pedagogue). As the Silvester-Kirby organ scholar, I agree that studying the organ is indeed invaluable and am grateful for the opportunity this scholarship provides. Nurse s Corner by Nancy Gordon I just want to wish you all a happy healthy summer and leave you with a blessing. I believe that one thing that contributes to good health is a smile! With that in mind, I remembered something that I heard recently. I don t know who said it originally, so my apologies for not referencing it properly. Neither the blessing nor the verse are original to me. Smiling is infectious, you catch it like the flu; When someone smiled at me today, I started smiling too. I went around a corner and someone saw me grin, When he smiled, I realized I d passed it on to him. I thought about that smile, then realized its worth, A single smile, just like mine, could travel round the earth; So, if you feel a smile begin, don t leave it undetected, Let s start an epidemic quick, and get the world infected! A BLESSING May there always be work for your hand to do, May your purse always hold a coin or two. May the sun always shine on your windowpane, May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain. May the hand of a friend always be near you, and May God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you. 6

7 Quick Sketches Lent & Easter at Bloor St. Church. The Lenten season began with a very well-attended pancake supper on Shrove Tuesday, Feb. 17. On the first Sunday of Lent the 2015 Lenten Reflections booklet was distributed. Forty-eight reflections were contributed by current members and ministers, past and present, including, Kevin Taylor, Dan Benson, Don Nicol, Chris Ferguson and Bruce McLeod. Easter Sunday featured special music with trumpet and an inspiring sermon. Below left to right: Nancy Gordon super organizer at pancake supper; Lynda Moon at pancake supper; Conrad Hazen with Lenten Reflections booklet Photos by Harold Durnford News from Arthur Smith. With the magnolias and forsythias in bloom, Spring has arrived in Nova Scotia, erasing the memories of a tough snow-laden winter. There were still lots of traces of snow when I arrived here on April 26, and the ski slopes of Wentworth were still fully covered with the white stuff. My relocation back to Halifax has me feeling like a newbie on many fronts, as I relearn a city that has changed significantly in the 26 years I have been "away" in Toronto. From operating all new appliances to resuming daily driving with a new car, I feel as I if I am relearning the basics of daily life almost from scratch. Searching out a new church home has been a priority, and is one of the new challenges I face. I have experienced three different church communities so far, with at least one being a strong possibility. I am blessed to have had the support and assistance of my siblings, and am rekindling some old friendships. I will treasure the friends I left in Toronto, especially those at BSUC, who nurtured me in many ways over the past 26 years. Thank-you for the lovely card many of you signed. Made me a little BSUC-sick! 7 I hope Dianne and Kent will keep my balcony pew warm for return visits. In the meantime it would be nice to see many of you come East for a visit. Over the next weeks we will begin in earnest to work with our contractor on building our family cottage in New Brunswick. With blessings from Halifax, Arthur. Craddock Sunday. The 2015 Craddock lecture was given on April 19. Dr. Stephen Toope. Director of the Munk School of Global Affairs at U of T, spoke on Religion in Global Affairs. The sanctuary was nearly full with visitors and the combined congregations of Bloor St., Trinity-St. Paul s and Bathurst Churches. Book Club. The Book Club meets at 1:30 PM in the Board Room on the first Tuesday of each month. Anyone who has read the book we are discussing is welcome to join us. Although we do not meet during the summer months, we have chosen the following books for discussion for September to January. September 1 The Comeback by John Ralston Saul October 6 The Bear by Claire Cameron November 3 They Left Us Everything by Plum Johnson December 1 Good to a Fault by Marina Endicott January 5, 2016 The Road to Character by David Brooks Welcoming Cities. Cities all around the world are growing and changing, sometimes very quickly! Part of what makes for effective change and a welcoming city are chances for struggling newcomers such as refugees to enjoy iconic Canadian activities like camping. BSUC s Refugee Outreach Program sends families and kids to Lake Scugog Camp each summer, and your financial contributions are welcome anytime. Cheques can be made out to BSUC, with Camping in the memo field. For more information: kaisersue@hotmail.com (Sue Kaiser) Dr. Stephen Toope with Iain McCauley

8 Spring BooK Sale This spring the book sale made over $2600 from the Giant Book Sale on May 30, two coffee hour sales, and sales to dealers. The Saturday sale attracted a record number of customers, many of whom come to our sales regularly. Twenty seven volunteers were involved in the preparation and on the day of the sale. The exact total is $ , with an outstanding sale to the Ryerson Univ. Library (through Val Lem) that will raise it to over $2700. The 2015 Church Budget estimated revenue from the book sale at $4000. We should make that easily. (Christine Mosser, Book Sale Coordinator) Volunteer Ron Kentner at the basement book sale Val Lem & Nora McKay helping with refreshments on Truth & Reconciliation Sunday COMING EVENTS Sunday, June 21 20th Anniversary of BSUC becoming an Affirming Congregation Rev. Rob. Oliphant, guest speaker Congregational Lunch Sunday, June 28 Speaker event hosted by Social Justice Committee After the service SUMMER SERVICES Services in the Month of July Joint with Trinity St.Paul s Church at TSP Services in the Month of August Joint with Trinity St.Paul s Church at Bloor Street Church August nd General Council Corner Brook, Nfld. Sunday, September 13 Congregational Lunch Sunday School resumes Sunday, September 27 Speaker event hosted by Social Justice Committee Sunday, October 4 Congregational Lunch is edited and published 4 times a year by the Communications Committee of Bloor St. United Church. All articles and photos are copyright and may not be used without permission of the author/photographer. 250 words is the standard length for unsolicited articles. Articles should be single spaced, in 12 point type, without paragraph indentations or special headings. All articles may be edited. Photos will only be used if space permits and if suitable for publication. Editor: Isabel Ward: booksleuth28@gmail.com Ministers and Staff may be reached by contacting the Church Office at (416) Deadline for the Summer Issue: Sunday, October 4 Layout: JANICEKRANGLE (416) Visit our website at:

9 Summer Reading DON NICOL RECOMMENDS: Some Great Idea, Good Neighbourhoods, Crazy Politics and the Invention of Toronto by Edward Keenan. The politics of Lastman, Miller and Ford. A Siege of Bitterns: a birder murder mystery by Steve Burrows. Taut, clever and fast moving, by a Canadian. Human Traces by Sebastian Faulks. Pioneering psychiatrists. Boundless: Tracing Land and Dream in a New Northwest Passage by Kathleen Winter. I couldn t put it down. Michelangelo: A Life in Six Masterpieces by Miles J. Unger. Fresh insights and appreciation of art and artist. Sense and Sensibility by Joanna Trollope. Some pleasant surprises and second looks. Mr. Selden s Map of China, Decoding the Secrets of a Vanished Cartographer ( ) by Timothy Brook. Across the Street (La Fenêtre des Rouet) by Georges Simeon. An Inspector Maigret mystery. IRENE HUNTER RECOMMENDS: Tell by Frances Itani. Set in the Deseronto area like her previous novel, Deafening, Itani writes of a young soldier returning from the Great War, damaged and disfigured, his young wife, Tess, and her aunt, Maggie and uncle Am. The theme of keeping secrets or revealing them to one special person is key to the story. The Night Stages by Jane Urquhart. Primarily set in county Kerry, Ireland and Gander, Newfoundland, where an Englishwoman, formerly an auxiliary pilot in World War II, is grounded for three days by fog. Kenneth Lochhead s Gander mural acts as a companion as she explores the separation from her Irish lover, Niall, his search for his younger brother, Kieran and the sorrow of broken families. The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy by Rachel Joyce. Wonderful scenes in a palliative care hospital. This is the sequel to The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry. The Shadow Girls by Hening Mankell A mildly successful poet teaches three undocumented immigrants to write their stories... Leyla from Iran, Tanya from Russia and Tea Bag from Nigeria. VAL LEM RECOMMENDS: The War Exchange Conservation Act of 1940 restricted the import of non-essential goods including American comics. This allowed a Canadian comics industry to briefly flourish. Super heroes like Johnny Canuck, Brok Windsor, Canada Jack, Dixon of the Mounted and, Nelvana of the Northern Lights found a ready audience in Canada. Recent initiatives to collect and reprint tales of these super heroes are being undertaken with innovative crowd-funding to finance the projects. This is the 21st century method of selling subscriptions before publishing. As products of their time, the comics may include anti-german and anti-japanese stereotypes and other non-politically correct images. Volumes now available include: Nelvana of the Northern Lights by Adrian Dingle, edited by Hope Nicholson and Rachel Richey, Brok Windsor by Jon Stables, edited by Hope Nicholson and Johnny Canuck by Leo Bachle and others, edited by Rachel Richey. The Nelvana book is available at the public library but the other titles are too new. You may be able to peruse copies at specialty comics stores or order directly from the publishers. DIANNE JOHNSON SUGGESTS: Ru by Kim Thuy (2015 English Edition translated by Sheila Fischman). This year s winner of Canada Reads, Ru, also won the Governor General s Award for Fiction in its original French version. Ru is the story of a family of wealth and status who flee Vietnam by boat after the Communist invasion. As refugees they survive a hazardous journey to arrive in Granby, Québec, a welcoming place but mystifying. Ru is a book of short vignettes, one with many poetic passages describing life in Vietnam. It also explores growing up in a completely foreign culture in Canada. Thuy is able to move back and forth between these worlds captivating the reader.

10 Movie Reviews by Bill Davis was a rich year for films. A number of interesting ones have already been reviewed on the Bloor Street web site scroll to groups and click on film. You will find demanding and discussable films: 1000 Times Good Night, Force Majeur and Ida (best foreign film for 2014). Lighter and entertaining films 100 foot journey Pride. The above films are reviewed on the website. Here are six other excellent films. Citizen Four. Here is a gripping documentary. The audience lives day by day with Edward Snowden during the time he and the Guardian newspaper leaked information about secret files. We are in the room as the drama unfolds. This is one of the most critical film events of this decade - relevant, timely, historic. Even though we know a lot about the material as it reveals the international security apparatus, it becomes more gripping when we see intimate discussion about keeping ahead of authority seeking to stifle and arrest. The price of principle the risk of capture. This is a riveting piece of film making. The Theory of Everything. This is a movie made from a book about Stephen Hawking, written by his first wife, with superb acting in demanding roles. You cannot help but admire the geek who becomes a genius and the woman who enables his courageous life. At its core the film is a love story. The film, like Hawking himself, does challenge many assumptions. To some extent the quality of the acting tends to overpower the actual reality of a remarkable life. The Imitation Game. Another true story reconstructed with a solid cast. Like Hawking the leading character Alan Turing pays a heavy price for being different. Yet he plays a key role in breaking the German enigma code and possibly enabling the success of allied forces in ending WWII much earlier. Though we know a lot about the wartime efforts to break the code, it is gripping to watch a small group of experts focused so intently on the task and so close to being shut down. Turing s life becomes a real tragedy despite his amazing contribution to his country. Still Alice. A realistic study of a competent woman and mother as she learns she must face a form of early onset Alzheimers. Not a pleasant topic. The mature way she adapts, the diverse reactions of her family a tough movie with life affirming moments. My Old Lady. Most of these are not light films so for those who just want a fun time have a look at the French film about a man who inherits a property in Paris. It is his entire inheritance from his wealthy father, but to his surprise the title is encumbered by a life tenant who cannot be evicted. Perhaps the plot twists are predictable but the acting keeps the film moving along with pace and humour. Boyhood. Boyhood is an unusual film in that it took more than 12 years to complete. There are rare other examples and a few of them are more documentaries. Richard Linklater, the film s director, directed the trilogy of Before movies, focusing on two people who meet in Paris and spend 24 hours together over the course of each film. Boyhood first played here mid-2014, a time where films tend to be blockbuster summer fare, while Academy Awards hopefuls wait until November/December to release their films. The initial reaction to Boyhood was mixed. Much attention was directed to the 12 year time period and the aging of the cast. An interrupted exercise of unprecedented dimensions. Some critics found it overly philosophical. Then in January the lists of 2014 s top films appeared. Boyhood was included in many of the critics top 5 or top 10. As the award s ceremony drew near polls indicated a close race between Birdman and Boyhood. Boyhood did win awards for its cast and for the film itself but not the Oscar for best film. For our film group it provided much discussion. It was not as much a coming of age film as a film about families and parenting. It touched us all in some way as we could see familiar challenges and errors. The laughter was frequent but often a little too close to home. The film is admittedly long. It does deserve the high praise heaped upon in 2014 s award season. It is worth watching for its unique accomplishment and its thought provoking nature.