F A M I L Y D O I N G S

From the Pastor Summertime, and the livin is easy. Fish are jumpin and the cotton is high The Rev. Brian Wilker-Frey 1498 Avenue Road, Toronto M5N 2J1 pastor@stansgar.ca Phone: 416-783-3570 So begins George Gershwin s 1935 opera Porgy and Bess. The lullaby, Summertime is sung in the opening scene to give comfort to a child, innocent and pure; untouched by the troubles that plague its family s community of Catfish Row, the waterfront district of Charleston, South Carolina. Gambling, drugs, racism, and murder would soon be revealed as the reality of the people of Catfish Row, and yet the music and words of Gershwin s Summertime would come to express for us everything we hope for our own summertime experiences: rest, relaxation, beauty, wealth, and freedom. Your daddy s rich, and your momma s good lookin So hush, little baby, don t you cry Of course, daddy s not at all rich, and momma, though very good looking, wears an old dress, threadbare and faded. But the illusion must be maintained (as it would again when Summertime is reprised later in the opera even at the height of the community s despair and trouble) that the child might have hope and may be the first to break the cycle of brokenness that plagues Catfish Row. After gaining huge popularity on stage, in film, and on the radio, Porgy and Bess would come to be criticized for racism inherent in its stereotypical portrayal of African American life in Charleston, South Carolina at that time. Still, given the confluence of the arrival of summer this past Sunday along with the actual racially-inspired murders that took place in Charleston this past week, it is clear that Porgy and Bess has something to teach us about the illusions many of us live our daily lives under and the actual living conditions of much of the rest of the world conditions of poverty, disease, and racial, ethnic, and religious violence. Many of our summertime experiences are escapes from our everyday lives: going to the cottage or to the movies; reading an enthralling novel; going on vacation; hiking; camping, and so on. There are a lot of life-enhancing and re-energizing benefits to all of these kinds of activities. They are healthy and good. But while many of us are privileged to find time to escape, most throughout the world do not. As children of God, we are not called to escape the world, but to engage with it. While it s fine to be distracted by the occasional illusion, we are not called to live by them indeed, even more, we are called to break down the illusions that fill our lives. Our lives are not defined solely by the activities that entertain us, the work that employs us, or the fields of study that interest us, but much more by the quality our relationships with family, neighbour, and community (even within ourselves), and with God and God s creation. This is all to remind us that, while it may seem as though the world is coming to a stop for awhile in order to visit our fair city and take in the great PanAm games this summer, indeed the same attention to our neighbour s plight is needed in July and August as much as it is the rest of the year. May you find rest for the journey in the coming weeks. See you Sunday! Pastor Brian F A M I L Y D O I N G S S U M M E R 2 0 1 5

P A G E 2 F A M I L Y D O I N G S S U M M E R 2 0 1 5 Church Council The last Church Council meeting was held on Tuesday, June 16. Next Council Meeting will be August 20, 2015 7:00 p.m. The deadline for the September issue of Family Doings is August 25, at 5:00 p.m. The new Church Council format is working very well. The meetings are certainly both more simplified and more efficient. Committee reports and minutes are much more concise and the goal of providing Council members the time and opportunity to be visionaries is working beyond out early expectations.. During the summer the Rota Schedule is difficult to complete as so many people are away on holidays. If you are scheduled for a date that you will be away please find a replacement for yourself and let the office know. There are so few people available to do Coffee House over the summer that we are again appealing for everyone to sign up for their one Coffee House of the year. Please see page 8 for more details and page 9 for the available dates. There are many thought provoking ideas to think about during the summer in preparation for fall. See the Slaying Sunday Morning article on the next page and Voices for a Just Society page 5. The summer is a time for reevaluating programs such as Young at Heart. We have a dedicated group of members that enjoy each other s company and participate in the program planning. We just need a few more interesting presentations a year. I would sincerely welcome your ideas and suggestions but an actual talk on your job, your hobbies, interests or collections would be just wonderful.. Have a safe and happy summer! Anna McRae Church Administrator Our Church Worship: Every Sunday, 10:30 a.m. 11:30 a.m. followed by coffee and refreshments. We have a wheelchair accessible building. Baptism & Marriage: Pastor Brian will be happy to meet with you to discuss weddings and baptism (for yourself or your child). To make an appointment, speak with Pastor Brian after service, or call the Church Office 416-783-3570. Hospital Visitation: If you or a family member end up in the hospital, please take a moment to inform the church office. We will be pleased to provide pastoral visitation/prayer support for you. Funeral Planning: We grieve the loss of your loved one with you. Please contact the Pastor at your earliest convenience for pastoral support and preparation of arrangements.

F A M I L Y D O I N G S S U M M E R 2 0 1 5 P A G E 3 Slaying Sunday Morning At the worship committee meeting in May it was decided to have a separate group meet in June under the theme of Slaying Sunday Morning. It was envisioned that this group of people would meet a few times to discuss our current worship practices at St. Ansgar, what our personal views and history are of worship, and a chance to learn why we do things in certain ways in our congregation. A group of five people met for this discussion on June 18th and also received comments via email from another member. We all shared some of our childhood worship memories, discussed our thoughts about current worship practices at St. Ansgar, and what we see as options going forward for Sunday mornings. A few goals that came out of our discussion were: 1. Ensure our worship services have a shape from beginning to end. How can we connect the different pieces of the liturgy to show their links? 2. Focussing on a liturgy that everyone in the congregation can learn well and feel like it is known by heart. Since the ELW hymn book came out we have been trying different liturgical settings in order to experience them all. Maybe it is time to choose one that we can stick with for the long term. 3. Expanding adult education possibilities with lectures or group discussion. Our group developed a few proposals that we hope are discussed with the worship committee and church council when they next meet. 1. Develop a monthly worship style rotation that allows us to try different options. 1st Sunday - Holy Communion 2nd Sunday - Morning Prayer 3rd Sunday - Holy Communion 4th Sunday - Gathering worship followed by a lecture or discussion 5th Sunday (when they happen) - Worship Lab - try something different 2. The Holy Communion Sundays would be pretty much what we do now but with a renewed focus on the shape and feel of the service as a whole. 3. The Morning Prayer Sunday would follow the liturgy outlined in the ELW Hymnal. This service style would introduce the congregation to other liturgical forms and worship styles that are a traditional part of the Lutheran (and wider) church. 4. A possible vision for the 4th Sunday of the month has the congregation gathering with music and prayer for 15-20 minutes followed by a chance to get coffee and a snack before an adult education oriented lecture or group discussion. We could have different people presenting each month that would bring unique voices to our congregation. 5. The 5th Sunday is being referred to as Worship Lab, a kind of open option. Maybe we do normal Holy Communion, or a congregational retreat on this weekend, or a service with a different style of music. There are usually four months each year that have a fifth Sunday and there is potential for a different team to take on each of these Sundays and try something different. The Slaying Sunday Morning group is scheduled to meet again on September 22nd at 7pm. All are welcome. You can attend the meetings to share your thoughts and suggestions or if you prefer discuss in person, by email or by phone with Pastor Brian or other members that attended the first meeting Jordan Smith, Sandra Kaufman, Peter and Mary Lutek.

P A G E 4 F A M I L Y D O I N G S S U M M E R 2 0 1 5 Young At Heart Young at Heart meets once a month on the second Wednesday of the month at 1:00 p.m. unless otherwise noted. September 9 TED Talks 1:00 p.m. October 14 Trivial Pursuit 1:00 p.m. November 10 Remembering 1:00 p.m. December 9 Christmas Party 12 noon The Young at Heart group welcomes entertaining and energizing presentations, such as travelogues or talks on your work or hobbies. There are no doubt many skills and talents that exist in the congregation. Please consider sharing your gifts with us. Please contact Anna McRae in the church office to book your presentation. The Cosmos Astronomers like to tell us exactly how the universe began, countless eons ago. They say it started with a colossal bang, although this might not really be so. Their theory proclaims that all matter gathered into one tremendous orb, until its gravity reached the point it could no further absorb. And then, at some precise moment, an infinitesimal time frame that never will be known: it exploded spiraling away in every conceivable dimension like thistle down being blown. The rubble gradually formed into galaxies, each hurtling off to its place, and they will keep drifting forever, because there is no end to space. It s known as the Big Bang Theory that posits the very beginning of time and the start of the first light year.. But how could there possibly have been a big bang, when there was no one around to hear? Old Eric

F A M I L Y D O I N G S S U M M E R 2 0 1 5 P A G E 5 Voices for a Just Society June 22, 2015 Voices for a Just Society consists of faith groups comprised of Anglican, First Unitarian, Lutheran, Presbyterian and United Churches; The group started in 2009; We work together to address social injustices; Our focus is on poverty reduction in Ontario (a couple of examples are affordable housing and income support); Example of our work includes arranging multi-denominational meetings with MPPs and candidates to discuss our concerns; In our website you will find handy links such as Daily Food Bank; Here is our website: http://voicesforajustsociety.ca/ Events that are coming up include: C2C Commitment to Community June 25 at 6:15 to 8:15 at Fairview Public Library. Review City Staff s recommendations for Poverty Reduction and Strategy and plan next steps. Another event is City Hall Executive Committee Meeting being held on June 30. 9:30 a.m. Committee Room 1, City Hall. The Executive Committee will be voting on poverty reduction strategy. For more information please visit our website at http://voicesforajustsociety.ca/?cat=14 I invite and encourage other members of our congregation, St. Ansgar, to work with us on social justice issues; By becoming a member you will receive periodic email notifications to inform you of events and other informative information that Voices is working on. All you need to do is let me know and I will add you to our members list. Email address is: info@voicesforajustsociety.ca Heather Turner Member of Church Council, Church & Society Coordinator and Webmaster for Voices for a Just Society

PAGE 6 FAMILY DOINGS SUMMER 2015 Confirmation Sunday & Day Care Appreciation

F A M I L Y D O I N G S S U M M E R 2 0 1 5 P A G E 7 Outreach & Evangelism Where s your Messiah now? On June 17 th, a senseless shooting happened in South Carolina. Nine people were killed while they were at their church enjoying fellowship together. This was just a horrific event. It made me feel such a great sadness that there is such hatred in this world. I was quite happy when the police announced that they had caught the shooter after a couple of days. Now there can be justice! Subsequently, this incident has started a lot of other debates and discussions. Should there be the death penalty on the table? Is the whole incident handled in an unbiased way? Should the Confederate flag be allowed to keep flying on the South Carolina State Capital grounds? I have my opinions about this. I feel that that what the shooter did is so completely wrong that there really does not need to be any trial. There is a confession made by him saying this so he is guilty. It is such a horrendous act of violence and he should be punished as such. And regarding the flag! Wow really? The symbolism is all there and yet people are up in arms to keep the historic image that stands for white supremacy there on the grounds of the State Capital. I had thought about possibly living in South Carolina upon retirement, but this really makes me think twice. Do I really want to be around such a place where there is such ignorance? I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. John 15:1-4 Did I really just think that way? Apparently I did. This incident did make me quite upset because such hatred exists in the world. Yet my reaction to all of it does not contain any love at all. It is itself, an act of hatred and biasedness. There is obviously no fruit being born from THIS branch. It was so easy for me to jump onto the hatred bandwagon and condemn this person. Don t get me wrong the shooting is completely wrong and cannot be condoned in any way. The negative feelings that I let out as a response to all of this is not based upon love and as such, I don t think Jesus was there at all since obviously no fruit was present. There is so much for me to change. Honestly, I do not want to be cut off and thrown away. I find that I can easily put myself into a Holier than thou attitude and say how others are wrong and how bad their actions are. But that is now me being a Goliath to someone else. I need to find the peace that God grants all of us. I need to find that peace and start listening and not pass judgement. Yeah, but it is still so easy to stand here and be right. The real BUT is that I cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven unless I am ready for a change a dramatic change. I better drop the BUTs and make this change. I am quite positive that in the end, when I make that change, Jesus will be right there waiting. Alexander Mak

P A G E 8 F A M I L Y D O I N G S S U M M E R 2 0 1 5 One Coffee House a Year. We have asked the everyone in the congregation take responsibility for a Coffee House one Sunday of the year. We are half way through 2015. If you have not yet taken responsibility for one coffee house this year please sign up now for the second half of the year. Join with other friends, individuals or families, in the congregation and work together to provide a simple Coffee House. The key word is simple. The multitude of cakes is just to get your attention, no one expects a selection of anything. Summer is a great time to sign up. The sign-up chart is in the narthex. Please note available dates on the Rota Schedule. Your help is greatly appreciated! BBQ & Welcome Back Sunday, September 13 Last year the Welcome Back BBQ was such a success that we want to start planning earlier this year. Last year we had a great turn out. Much larger than we expected and so we ran out of food early. This year we are encouraging you to let us know that you plan to attend and we will make sure that there is plenty of food. We will need BBQ s and people to BBQ. We will need donations of large salads and desserts to ensure enough food for everyone. You will have a choice of beef burgers, veggie burgers and hot dogs. It s a great day to get back in touch with your friends at St. Ansgar after a long summer. I m sure that Pastor Brian will again plan an exceptional service for all ages. The service last year was very memorable so you won t want to miss it this year. It will be time to get your school bags, briefcases, cell phones and other work and school paraphernalia blessed. Registration for Sunday School will also happen. If you would like to be part of the organizing team please call or email Anna in the office.

F A M I L Y D O I N G S S U M M E R 2 0 1 5 P A G E 9 July - September Rota Schedule Greeter Worship Assistant Reader Communion Assistant Ushers Altar Guild Coffee House Counters July 5 Elsie Ma David Alexander Mak Marsha Bailey & Barbara J. Ruth Wiens & July 12 Ann Manno Peter Lutek Connie Weldon Mary Lutek Doreen M. & Ruth Wiens Connie Weldon Lisa Myers & Michael Grupp Barbara J. & Louise Clunas. July 19 Heidi Fiebig David David Veights Karl Hauer & Ernie Nielsen Leslie Louise Clunas June Weind July 26 Elsie Ma Jim MacDonald Peter Lutek Leslie David & Marsha Bailey Doreen Mary Lutek & Christel M Aug 2 Barbara Leslie Marsha Bailey Jim MacDonald Elsie Ma & Alexander Mak Sandra Kaufman Ruth Wiens & Aug 9 Doreen Elsie Ma Carol Lau & Karl Hauer Barbara Mary Lutek & Louise Clunas Aug 16 David David Veights Elisabeth Lunder Doreen Ruth Wiens & Ernie Nielsen. Mary Lutek Leah-Ann L.& Donna Valaitis Barbara J. & Ruth Wiens Aug 23 Elsie Ma Alexander Mak Ann Manno Jim MacDonald Barbara & Doreen M. Catherine Friesen June Weind Aug 30 Heidi Fiebig Mary Lutek Doreen Peter Lutek Alex Mak & Elsie Ma Leslie Louise Clunas & Mary Lutek Sept 6 Louise Hiltunen Jim MacDonald David Veights Leslie Barbara & Carol Lau Connie Weldon Lisa Myers & Michael Grupp Phyllis Epp & Jan Woelfle Sept 13 Ann Manno Leslie Ruth Wiens David & Doreen Doreen Ruth Wiens & Louise Hiltunen Sept 20 Barbara Marsha Bailey Doreen Ernie Nielsen & Karl Hauer Sandra Kaufman June Weind You will note there are many dates available to sign up for a Coffee House. If you are unable to serve on your assigned Sunday, please trade with another person on the list and inform the office so that the correct person is listed in the bulletin. Job descriptions are in the narthex. Thanks for your help!

P A G E 10 F A M I L Y D O I N G S S U M M E R 2 0 1 5 July Birthdates Alan Partington July 1 Chase Friedrich July 2 Roger Partington July 3 Richard Helsop July 5 Erin July 10 Emma Pastia July 10 Connie Weldon July 11 Barbel Hauer July 14 Dennis Propp July 16 Andrew Fuerst July 17 Gisela Gingras July 18 Felicia Narain July 18 Doreen July 20 Padraig Darby July 25 Lisa DaSilva July 26 Madeleine Weldon-White July 27 Helmut Fuerst July 28 Nicholas Lowe July 30 Robert McFarland July 31 August Birthdates Jacques Soutendam Aug 2 Miranda Morton Aug 3 Christel Manraj Aug 6 Theo Rothe Aug 7 Olivia Weldon-White Aug 8 Elsie Duval Aug 11 Ellla Rothe Aug 13 Barbara Black Aug 14 Joshua DaSilva Aug 18 Sabine Friedrich Aug 21 Scott McFarland Aug 21 Lisa Weldon Aug 25 Christina Weldon Aug 25 Christel Sperling Aug 26 Donna Valaitis Aug 26 Doris Budhoo Aug 27 Gregory Misir Aug 28 Francois Paroyan Aug 28 Justin Paroyan Aug 29 Karl Hauer Aug 30 Baptismal Anniversaries Padraig Darby July 1 Marilyn Partington July 3 Jordan Smith July 5 James Matemba July 6 Juergen Friedrich July 11 Barbel Hauer July 15 Anthony D Amore July 16 Tiffany Misir July 25 Dennis Propp Aug 8 Evan Hatanaka Aug 10 Zachary Hatanaka Aug 12 Amanda Propp Aug 14 Barbara Aug 19 Connie Weldon Aug 19 David Clunas Aug 25 Nicholas Wilker Aug 25