Dates & Updates 1

Dates & UpdatesRosedale Presbyterian Church, Spring 2010

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Spring Rebirth... and a look back at fall and winter

Snowdrops in the Grace Wevers Memorial Garden.

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NoteworthyBaptism Olympics

Our sincere sympathy to

On Nov. 29, Rev. Bill MacLellan baptized Taylor Caitlyn, sister to Jeremy, daughter of Martha and Rocco DeSimone and grand-daughter of John and Joyce Morden.

2010 Olympic Torch RelayThe Olympic Torch Relay across Canada brought

hundreds of communities in touch with the 2010 Winter Olympics. The Torch reached Toronto on December 17, 2009 for a ceremony in Nathan Philips Square. Waiting in the cold to receive it were 100 students from Toronto schools, 50 from the Toronto District School Board and 50 from the Toronto Catholic District School Board. Each was waving a flag from a different country.

Pictured is Patricien, a Grade Seven student in Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School, and a member of the homework club. He was one of the students chosen to par-ticipate, and was delighted with the Olympic toque, scarf, gloves and sweater he received. He says it is an evening he will always remember.

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Robert and Mona Bandeen, on the death of their son, Mark Everett, in La Jolla California. A memorial service was held in Rosedale Church on December 12.

Nancy Moffat, on the death of her brother, Ian Danby, in Rome Italy.

Rev. Courtney Morris, our former education coordi-nator, on the recent death of her grandmother. Courtney is now serving as minister of the Presbyterian congregation in Coldwater, Ontario.

RPC’s link to a gold medalBarbara Ann Scott, the gold medal winner at the 1948

Olympic Games, was the first North American to win a gold medal in women’s figure skating. She was featured several times in the recent Winter Olympics. Although she was raised in Ottawa, she chose Rosedale Presbyterian Church for her wedding. Her marriage to Thomas King took place in the church on September 17, 1955, performed by then minister, Dr. James D. Smart.

Dates & Updatesis available online at www.rpcc.ca.

Printed copies are available at the church

Dates & Updates 3

Lest we forget ...

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Top: Brigadier-General Kettle uses a banana during his children’s story. Bottom-left: Nancy Moffat and Jill Sword look at some of the books and pictures on Remembrance Sunday while, bottom right, Anne Laidlaw and Jim Spence look at a display of medals.

On Nov. 1, RPC was honoured to have Padre Dave Kettle, Chaplain Gen-eral of the Canadian Armed Forces. He is the first Presbyterian to hold the post since the unification of the armed forces in 1968.

A graduate of Knox College, Brigadier-General Kettle served first in a three point charge near Mount Forest. He joined the Canadian Forces in 1981 and has served across Canada and on UN and NATO tours of duty in Bosnia, Croatia, and Rwanda. He had lead responsibility for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier project, in which the remains of the Unknown Soldier were brought from the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France to the National War Memorial in Ottawa. He was designated Principal Protestant Chaplain to the Canadian Forces in 2004, and was promoted to Brigadier-General and became Chaplain-General in July 2008.

On May 13, 2009, the Chaplain-General received the degree of Doctor of Divinity (honoris causa) from Knox College.

Preaching on All Saints Day, Padre Kettle’s sermon was entitled “For All the Saints”.

On Remembrance Sunday, RPC members were invited to bring pictures, medals and other items which helped tell the story of their connection to the armed forces and the wars they have served in.

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Fall Festival

On the weekend of Oct 23-25, RPC hosted its sev-enth annual Fall Festival of the Arts. Once again

the festival featured work of 30 local artists, highlighting the work of RPC member Michelle Nidenoff. Saturday eve-ning included a performance of works of the Scottish com-poser Lady Nairne. On Sunday morning the choir, soloists and guest musicians explored the festival theme through a rock jazz presentation of Creation.

Clockwise from top: Lawrence Cotton and Jeanne Isley stand by some of Jeanne’s work; Sarah Roberts as part of the choir sign-ing Creation and a collage on the theme of creation.

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Dates & Updates 5

Genesis Now!

Clockwise from top: Melody McShane conducts the choir; Sean McShane, on bass, Nathaniel Rose on electric guitar and Mark Daprato on drums; Mike Burns acts as cashier for Michael Shier’s purchase; Ijeoma Ross, Mark Daprato and Marjorie Ross after the Sunday service; Brooke Dufton, Lawrence Cotton and Melody McShane after Saturday night’s performance of The Music of Lady Nairne.

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Advent

In December, RPC celebrated the season by lighting Advent candles, enjoying a festive meal, the children’s pageant and two Christmas Eve services. Clockwise from bottom left: the Christmas lunch was laid out in the hall; Dorothy and Earle Roberts, Ken Craigie and Rose-Marjan Hartog share some Christmas cake; John Waldie and Ann Katrusiak are joined by Ian and his bear as they light an advent candle; and the pageant opened with angels, including Isabella, not wanting to practice signing for Christmas night Ij

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Dates & Updates 7

Christmas

Clockwise from above left:Michael and Evan are attentive sheperds; Alexandra playing Gabriel visits the manager to see Mary (Mi-chelle), Joseph (Rocco De Simone), Jesus and a few animals; and Rev. Bill MacLellan reads a story to the children during the family service on Christmas eve.

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8 Rosedale Presbyterian Church

In November, it was the session’s turn to host the annual dinner and auction. Left, auctioneer George Molyneux takes bids on a child’s chair and, above, the cooks, Heather Roberts, Annemiek Miller and Tom Starkey receive well-earned applause.a

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The Annual Meeting of the congregation took place on February 28 following the church service.

Brock Winterton, convener of the Board of Managers, reported the very good news that in 2009 RPC posted its first operating surplus in decades. “The congregation has risen to the task, and congratulations are in order!”

This was truly a red letter achievement, because for the first time in the memory of nearly all present the con-gregation had not transferred money from its endowment funds to cover the shortfall in its operating budget, but in-stead ended the year with a small surplus. This was in line with the new financial structure adopted in 2008.

While there was an increase in general givings, the goal was largely achieved through the over and above efforts of many people who mounted fundraising events. Aware that we may not be able to sustain this extra effort, and that the budget for 2010 shows a projected deficit of $20,000, the congregation’s leadership proposed that a “Congregational Forward Planning Group” be set up to “consider options for bringing revenues and expenditures into balance”. This Planning Group will consider a wide range of options, largely to determine ways to increase the congregation’s revenues. Their proposals will be brought back to the Session, Board of managers and future congre-gational meetings. This was agreed.

Annual Meeting

Chris Spence studies the Annual Report before the meeting.

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Session Dinner and Auction

Dates & Updates 9

Mission

Members of the RPC Knitting Guild produced over 1000 articles of clothing last year – mitts,

hats, scarves, shawls etc. They are offered for sale at coffee hour with the proceeds going to buy yarn for the following year. Most of the articles go to agencies here in Toronto, and some of the infant clothes are sent to mission hospitals in India and Malawi. Each year a box of children’s hats and mitts are sent to the Winnipeg Inner City Missions sup-ported by The Presbyterian Church in Canada

Located in Winnipeg in what is described as “one of the toughest neighbourhoods in Canada” this mission has a decades’ long history of reaching out to impoverished families and street people, most of them of aboriginal or Metis background. Rev. Margaret Mullin, herself part Metis, is director of the mission. She responded to our gift in a recent letter:

To the Rosedale Knitting Guild:Thank you so much for your generosity. Your recent

donation of knitted articles is appreciated beyond what the word “thank-you” can convey. We provide a church service each Sunday in the big room at Place of Hope and offer the knitted mitts, scarves, slippers and sweaters to the families with children who live in poverty and seek our help, particularly in the cold months. We also add some of the knitted items to the Christmas hampers.

The people we serve on your behalf are always appre-ciative of the services that we are able to provide.

She enclosed their current newsletter which describes another aspect of their program.

Recently the mission expanded by building a shelter called Anishinabe Place of Hope (APOH) to assist people struggling to turn their lives around. There are nineteen transitional apartments. This first person story is wriitten by a young Metis man called Dave who lived in one of those apartments.

I had a decent upbringing and in my twenties had my own house, wife, family and a good job. But I was a “weekend alcoholic”, and had bouts of depression. I “traded addictions” to crystal meth and began a downward spiral. Within sixteen months of starting to use this drug I had lost everything, including my family. I found myself on the streets and before long in jail. In jail I had a lot of time to reflect and reconnect with God. I decided I did not want to go on like this, and after jail, six months of rehab helped

me to quit the substance abuse thing. It was time for real life again, but I was still facing a

lot of debt and legal issues. I was lucky enough to find a job, but I needed a clean peaceful place to call home, and I couldn’t afford much. I was good friends with someone who lived in APOH. He introduced me to Reverend Mar-garet Mullin and other staff. I told them my story and explained my situation and they listened and did not judge me. They set me up with suite 307. I felt like I got more than I had hoped for – not only a clean place, but also a super nice new place (which was great for my morale).

The APOH was a great place for me. It allowed me to get comfortably back on my feet. I have the utmost re-spect for the staff there. It really is amazing what they are doing. I am still working fulltime, and have reunited with my wife and two daughters. If there is ever any doubt that APOH is an effective program, I am living proof that it is. Thanks for reading my story.*

We support the Winnipeg Inner City Mission through our gifts to Presbyterians Sharing.

*Edited for length from account in the Winnipeg Inner City Mission newsletter, November 2009

The Knitting Guild

Some of the 1000 articles of clothing knitted by the RPC Knitting Guild last year.

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Outreach

Members of the Ecumenical Coalition at the signing of their memo of understanding. From left to right: Kevin Moore (614 St James Town Mennonite Brethren), Clayton Rowe (City Hope), Mark McElwain (Rosedale Presbyter-ian), Rev. Karen Bach (Yonge Street.Mission), Gene Lara (St James Town Safety Committee), Elizabeth Mowat (St Andrew’s United), and Rev. Canon Dr. David Barker (St Simon’s Anglican).

BY MIKE BURNSSt James Town is the densest census district in Can-

ada and one of the densest neighbourhoods in the world. There are 18 high rise apartment buildings contained in a 32.1 acre area and an official population of 15,000, but unofficial estimates range between 25-30,000 people. The area is bounded by Bloor St. to the north, Parliament St. on the east, Wellesley St. to the south and Sherbourne St. on the west. It is sometimes referred to as the “world in a block” with 64% of the population considered as new im-migrants. Only 2% of the residents own their own home with 98% renting. It is one of the lower income neighbour-hoods in Toronto and yet it also has one of the highest rates of post-secondary education. Most immigrants to Canada have achieved a high level of education, but their degrees are often not recognized.

Over the past four years a small group of lay people from a number of churches in the area have been meet-ing and working in St James Town. This group includes 5 churches representing 5 denominations as well as 3 non-profit organizations. They are currently running, have run, or are supporting initiatives like a daily afterschool pro-gram for grades 1-8, a twice-weekly homework program and basketball camp for high school students, a community kitchen, a youth choir, the local food bank and much more. The group operates through consensus and has no budget of its own. Instead, all funding is channelled through its

members and raised internally and externally.After working together on an ad hoc basis the St

James Town Ecumenical Coalition decided it needed to formalize its structure. The first reason was that it real-ized the individuals who had been the founders are slowly beginning to pull back from their involvement and we want the Coalition to outlive their initial enthusiasm and vi-sion. Programs demand that we move on to larger funders which which require something more formal in terms of structure. As a result, on Tuesday, January 19, 2010 four of the original founding churches and the 3 non-profits came together to sign a memo of understanding that lays out who we are, what we do and how we do it. The fifth congrega-tion was unable to get approval to sign the memo, but they continue to be involved and we are committed to have them sign the document in the future.

The memo was signed during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity as a symbol of our unity and partnership in St James Town. Quoting Rick Warren, Rev. Bill MacLellan of Rosedale Presbyterian said the church of the future “will be known for its deeds not its creeds.” Our memo sums it up by saying, “The Coalition strives to cross all barriers and embrace all who call St James Town home. Its efforts are an expression of our Christian faith and we warmly welcome people of other religious traditions to join the Co-alition in its work. Our goal is to offer whatever resources the community needs based on our ability to provide.”

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St. James Town Ecumenical Coalition

Dates & Updates 11

RPC Overseas

Members of one RPC family are making a difference in two widely separated African countries. In January, An-nemiek Miller returned to Rwanda to work with VSO in the primary school system. She spent three years there doing similar work from 2005 - 2008. She is monitoring the in-ternship (practice teaching) of the first crop of graduates in primary schools throughout the area. She has been posting news on her blog since her arrival

Her blog can be read at http://annemiekrwanda.blog-spot.com/

Michelle Miller-Guillot and Thomas Guillot have been in Mali since October. They are on a one-year projects working with women who produce shea butter. They are also keeping friends up-to-date on their work and travels in Mali on a blog. There is a description of their Christmas holiday in the dramatic landscapes of the Pays Dogon and of the value of shea butter to African women.

Their blog is at http://www.michelle-thomas-itchyfeet.blogspot.com/

Great Prayers of the Old TestamentWalter Brueggemann

This is an interesting and accessible small book, and the introduction alone is worth the price of admission. In it Brueggemann outlines the history of prayer in the world of ancient Israel. He notes that “The most characteristic prayers of ancient Israel operate in a juridical (legal) frame of reference. In that frame of reference God is known to be committed to justice and wellbeing; “Israel at prayer pleads for the justice and wellbeing of YHWH that have not yet been enacted”, noting that the prayers of the faithful in the contemporary world are offered in an environment rife with violence, brutality and injustice. These ancient prayers are thus still relevant for us today.

He then discusses twelve prayers, and puts them into context, although I must note that, perhaps for reasons of cost and space, he does not print the prayers, which for me at least means working with the Biblical text at hand. I found it fascinating to listen to him discussing the passages: Abraham’s negotiation with God over God’s proposed

destruction of Sodom comes to life on the page. He tells us that an ancient text has YHWH actually standing before Abraham, not the other way around. In the same manner he shows us Moses’ frustration with the people of Israel and with God. Both YHWH and these ancient figures become almost human as they dialogue in prayer.

Brueggemann goes on to discuss the prayers of Han-nah, Moses, David, and other, primarily male, giant figures of Hebrew Scripture. He relates these prayers to their con-text, to the New Testament, and to life in the 21st Century.

I must note that much of the time Brueggemann refers

to YHWH. In the Hebrew Bible “Yahweh” is the personal name of God. I sought help to decipher how Brueggemann uses each term. It seems that he is using “God” when he wants to refer (in his own role as writer) to the God of Israel generally and using “Yahweh/YHWH” when he is putting words in the mouth, or thoughts in the head, of the people of Israel or of a specific Biblical character.

This is not a text book, but a book to be read at lei-sure. I have read Brueggemann’s work for some time, heard him speak, and he has an amazing capacity for language. I recommend this book for all of us.

Liz Campbell

Book review

Annemiek and some children. Thomas at a pump.

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Around RPC

Above: Retired associate chief justice John Morden questions the message on RPC’s sign and, right, Ian gets a supporting hand during the children’s story.

dates & uPdates: Ijeoma Ross: Ijeoma@RogeRs.com, 416-778-8876; maRjoRIe Ross: mj.Ross@RogeRs.com, 416-920-3778; sue RobeRton: 416-486-5379

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CalendarMarch

March 25 Bridge and Scrabble group.

March 28 Palm Sunday

AprilApril 1 Maundy Thursday Communion, 7 p.m.

April 2 Good Friday Ecumenical Walk, St. James Town 8:00 a.m. Good Friday Service St. Andrew’s United Church 11:00 a.m.

April 4 Easter Sunday Service

April 9 Movie Night - Gran Torino 6:30 p.m.

April 11 100th anniversary of our church building

April 17 - 18 Famine Weekend for Youth

MayMay 1 Choir fundraising concert

May 15 Annual Yard Sale

May 18 Book Club, 7:30 p.m. Three Cups of Tea

On Good Friday, the Choir will be joining the Choir of St. Andrew’s United Church, on Bloor Street to sing El-eanor Daley’s Requiem. This is the first time our choir will be singing with St. Andrew’s choir.

Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday, we will be providing festive music to celebrate the Easter Season.

Also in April, we are planning to invite former cho-risters to join us to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the

From the choir loftcompletion of our church building.

Finally, mark your calendars for Saturday, May 1, 2010, when the choir will present “Never on Sunday”. This will be an evening of music and laughter from the great musicals. It will feature the talents of our soloists, and the rest of the choir members. Please be sure to come and bring the whole family that night, not only to be thoroughly entertained, but this effort will also be a fundraiser.

Lindsay Empringham