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2016

Volume XXXV, Issue 3

BLOORBEAT The Newsletter of

Minister’s Message Pentecost is the last festival of the Christian year we know we’re supposed to celebrate, but don’t. We observe it each year, but it’s hard to say we celebrate it, as about the only thing we anticipate when it rolls around in the calendar is the beginning of summer to follow, rather than the shaking of the foundations of our lives by the Spirit at the end of the Easter season. We’re quite subdued, really, as mainstream liberal Protestants, not wanting to be lumped in with our overly exuberant Pentecostal sisters and brothers. We’re almost embarrassed by Pentecost, really, privileging reason over emotion and presuming ourselves the more faithful for it. Read the story in Acts 2, however, and the imagery leaps beyond the page: rush of wind, tongues of fire, breath of the Spirit. But there are also accusations of drunkenness, and the story reads almost like an episode of mass hysteria. So what is Pentecost, anyway? Both the United Church as a whole, and Bloordale locally, are thinking about where we’ve been and where we’re headed. We stand on the brink of massive change, though it remains to be seen if the changes contemplated will be transformative. The biblical account shares the story of what is commonly considered the birthday of the church. We all have a day of beginning, of course, but I’m sure you’ve noticed that birthdays aren’t once and for all, as we generally have a fair number of them. The trouble is that we don’t treat them like “birth” days. We turn them into anniversaries that mark our “birth” day. We don’t assume that at 15, or 23, or 56, or 92, we’re going to be “born anew” on our birthday, but maybe we should. That’s what I sometimes think we’ve done to Pentecost. We’ve turned it into an historic memorial to mark that occasion of the church’s birth, focusing on “that” event and “that” place at the expense of the power of Pentecost now. As the church, writ both large and local, wrestles with the questions and challenges that face us, perhaps we need to ask, even more than where we’ve been, where we’re headed, just as the important question isn’t so much what happened with the Pentecost Spirit then, but rather what is happening with the Pentecost Spirit now? Pentecost, remember, was the explosion of God’s Spirit into the midst of a confused and discouraged people, encouraging and empowering them to be a community of amazing faith and trust in what God would yet accomplish through them. This scattered and scared, shattered and shrinking group – sound a little familiar?! – couldn’t even speak of their fears and concerns together. They couldn’t understand

Continued on page 4

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IN THIS ISSUE

Title Page

Minister’s Message 1 Worship in the Weeks Ahead 2 Stewardship Spot 3 In Memorium Frances McGowan 3 The Group 4 Summer Picnic 4 Au Revoir Pat McDermott 5 Tea n’ Art 5 Lot’s Wife 6 Brain Health Seminar 7 Upcoming Choral Concerts 7 Muslim-Christian Exchange 8 UCW news 9 BUC at Sheridan Nurseries 9 St James Food Basket 9 Esprit Chamber Choir 9 Bi-church “Phoenix” Update 10 Digital Technology Ideas 11 Bulletins and Music Dedications 11 Snug Harbour Summer Outing 11 Consider a Planned Gift 11 Property Committee News 12 Hats off to Clean-up Crew 12 Kairos Blanket Exercise 13 Family Trivia Night Nov12 13 Youth Group News 13 Gov’t Drug Plan Changes 14 Calling All Guitar Players 14 Upcoming Events Summary 14 Get Emergency Ready 15 Tri-Church Worship at a Glance 15 Bloorbeat Submission Guide 15 Bloorbeat Publication Schedule 15 Invitation for Blbt Submissions 15 Tapestry Ad 15 Premier Homecare Ad 16 Anne Karda Realtor Ad 16 Advertise in Bloorbeat 16

WORSHIP SERVICES IN THE WEEKS AHEAD

May 15 Pentecost Sunday / COMMUNION 10:30 am

22 Trinity Sunday (switch to 10:00 am) / Brian on Holiday

29 2nd Sunday after Pentecost - Followed by Congregational Meeting

June 5 3rd Sunday after Pentecost

12 4th Sunday after Pentecost / Picnic Sunday

19 5th Sunday after Pentecost

26 6th Sunday after Pentecost

July 3, 10, 17 tri-church service at Richview United

July 24, 31, Aug 7 tri-church service at St. James United

Aug 14, 21, 28 tri-church service at Bloordale United

Sept 4 Season of Creation 1 / 16th after Pentecost / Labour Day Sunday (last at 10:00 am)

11 Season of Creation 2 / 17th after Pentecost / Covenanting (switch to 10:30 am)

18 Season of Creation 3 / Welcoming BBQ 10:30 am

Bloordale United Church 4258 Bloor Street West

Etobicoke, ON M9C 1Z7

(416) 621-1710 www.bloordale.ca

Minister Rev. Brian W. McIntosh

Pastoral Care Minister Rev. Nelsona Dundas

Christian Development Co-ordinator Lisa Mazzariol

Youth Leader Jo Dullard

Administrative Assistant Halyna Parypa

Organist & Choir Director Mervin Fick

Custodian Victor Nguyen

Church Council

Chair Roy Harvey

Church Council Secretary Dana Bach

Congregational Meeting Secretary Pat Nelson

Board of Trustees Jack Lovatt

Ministry and Personnel Susan Prentice

Nominations Pat Nelson

Treasurer Norman Dundas

Presbytery Representatives Norman Dundas

Paul Rose

Minister Rev. Brian W. McIntosh

Committee Chairs

Congregational Life (co-chairs) Helen Hitchcock

Pat Conway-Willis

Communications Julia Stavreff

Christian Development Diane Mulholland

Finance & Stewardship Jack Lovatt

Outreach Roy Harvey

Pastoral Care Vacant

Planned Gift & Memorial Funds Bob Hitchcock

Property Bruce Jackson

Social and Fund Raising Vanessa Mitchell

United Church Women Joan Hollowell

Worship Sharron Le Blanc

Members-at-Large Jim Bell

Frank Sword

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Stewardship Spot “Stewardship is everything I do after I say ‘I believe’.”

Being Stewards of the Easter Spirit in Community Our culture’s ever-increasing individualism continues to gain momentum, and the “spiritual but not religious,” the SBNR’s among us, are a part of it. I’ll write more about that in a moment, but first let me take you to the grocery store. There is every reason to believe that any day now self-checkout lanes will outnumber those that lead shoppers to a human cashier. When that day arrives, what used to be the very social act of “going to the market” will become a solitary enterprise. When we walk into a grocery store these days, we enter an environment designed to encourage me to do my shopping quickly and without bothering those who stock the shelves. Shopping carts await me at the front door, both the rolling and the smaller hand-held varieties. Signs above the aisles announce the main products to be found there, and the employees seem scarce. There are usually at least a few check-out stations where I can scan my own groceries, place them into plastic bags, process my coupons and feed my money or my plastic card into a slot, all by myself. If I do it right, I can successfully purchase a week’s worth of groceries without ever interacting with another human being. Now at least some of us, I’m sure, initially recoiled at the idea, thinking that the world of commerce has become cold and impersonal. But many of us caved in to the trend rather early because the self-checkout option is usually faster. One doesn’t usually have to wait in line, and can get out the door more quickly. But perhaps this hasn’t really worked to enhance our shopping experience, as we realize we’re rather impatient when this “faster” way of checking out isn’t as fast as usual. When the self-checkout machine has a hiccup and we have to call over a real, flesh-and-blood human being to help, we become irritated. Speed is the essence of our lives these days, isn’t it? As we celebrate Pentecost, it’s worth remembering that when Jesus appeared to his disciples in the weeks following the resurrection, he didn’t speak to them in the disembodied voice of a self-checkout machine, and he didn’t beam himself into living rooms where isolated individuals were watching satellite television. He didn’t send out a mass e-mail, and he didn’t offer a sermon downloadable on iTunes, or instagram pictures of his healings. Yes, of course, we say, since those technologies didn’t exist. But it’s still an open question what he would think of those technologies today, and how he would communicate God’s good news to us. What Jesus did do post-resurrection is appear to one or two people at a time, such as to Mary Magdalene or the other Mary near the tomb, or to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, always making the point to go tell others. These appearances were not for their solitary benefit, so they could bask in a

personal “experience” of Jesus. The other way he appeared was to groups of his followers, and in each case he shared a teaching that increased their understanding and empowered their witness. In all his resurrection appearances, Jesus seeks to create the community that will become the church. In every instance, he offers himself either for community or in community. The individualism of our age seems to leave people with the impression that they can know God without others, that their outdoor Sunday morning experience of walking the dog is the “spiritual” equivalent to church. But at least one of the key elements that’s missing in that spiritual equation is community. Pentecost marks the end of the Easter season, and is the festival that speaks the loudest about how the Spirit brings people from all tribes and races together, to be empowered to know the way of Jesus in community in the midst of endless diversity. SBNR folks like to think that they can have a Pentecost of one, that there’s no need to compare their divine discourse with God against scripture, or tradition, or in a religious community of faith. The trouble with this view is that tyrants and terrorists have also received individualized revelations, with no community to temper their interpretive terms of reference, presuming that the Spirit, in a Pentecost of one, has given them a divine mandate to do anything they feel called to do. But of course there’s no such thing as a Pentecost of one, for just as the post-Easter appearances of Jesus were meant to create Christian community, so the Spirit descended on the disciples and drew in a new community from all nations, expanding the circle called church to more resemble the circle called creation. There is no private, individualistic revelation of the Spirit, and Pentecost reminds us that God’s liberating and enlivening work happens in the context of a company called the church. Even when I felt a call to ministry long ago, that mysterious and inarticulate feeling was tested by the Spirit through the community of the church, and my particular call confirmed by the larger body of believers. This is a lesson for us all, together, as we seek to discern the Spirit about our collective future. The stewardship of the Spirit’s post-Easter community-building work, a Spirit which inspires the whole church to live the way of the risen Christ, is our opportunity to be faithful moving forward, as we navigate our way in an isolating world full of self-checkout lanes and self-proclaimed prophets. So we make our stewardship prayer “Come, Holy Spirit, come!” Brian

In Memorium

Frances Eleanor McGowan

Jan 27, 1937—April 5, 2016

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Minister’s Message cont’d from p.1 each other, and when difference overwhelmed them, the Spirit we’ve always called Holy came upon them and young and old, male and female, cautious and quick, of all tongues and races, could not only understand, but hear, and then act. The crucifixion had made them realists, as they realized that faith in God was worth dying for. Then Easter had made them idealists, as it dawned on them that nothing, even life itself, is over until God says it’s over, and hope reigned supreme. But then time passed, persecutions continued, Rome still ruled, and they began to consider the possibility that maybe there was nothing more to be done but grieve and remember the beloved days that were behind them, when they walked beside Jesus in the flesh. Pentecost, friends, made them relationists, or as the Great Spirit taught the Indigenous people of the land, right relationists. From realism, to idealism, to relationship; from death to hope to community; from sacrifice to triumph to connection; this journey is the real gift of Pentecost, since this “birth” day made them understand, together, that it is no longer what one man did with his body then, at the fulcrum of history, but what the Spirit calls us to do as his body now, at the fulcrum of our future. Have you ever had the experience of being in the midst of a particularly difficult time, and suddenly realizing that you were walking around and literally starting to hold your breath from the anxiety? You had begun to have a heavy feeling in your chest, and had become aware of how tense you were. I suspect at such a time the therapeutic word you offered yourself was: breathe, just breathe, deeply, and let go of what makes you tense, so that you can move again. Perhaps as a church we need to offer our body the same therapy. Pentecost calls us to breathe in the Spirit and feel it move us. When we’re afraid we freeze ourselves into the traditions we’ve trusted for so long in the past; we close our eyes to what’s changing around us and hold our breath, resisting the call of the Spirit. Our church is in the face of imminent change, and decisions that will determine our future are approaching fast. We can come to those decisions like crucifixion realists, letting lament and limitation determine all our choices until there are no choices. Or we can come to those decisions filled with the hope of Easter idealism – and the end of Easter is Pentecost, which tells us we can come to those decisions seeking to listen for the Spirit’s lead and not only be changed, which is inevitable, but transformed, which is not. We can come to these decisions about our future as relationists, as a community in relationship seeking the experience of the Spirit’s connections to others.

Pentecost is an experience with the Spirit of God now. It’s time for us to breathe and listen, time to catch a new wind of hope, time to believe that Pentecost as the Spirit’s connection to creation, to each other, to others, and to the faithful future God has in store for us, is possible now. Without Pentecost to close Easter, friends, we are no more than a Christian Memorial Society. But if we breathe, open our hearts, and let go of our fear to move, this body will be newly alive with the Spirit that moves us into relationship and connection and new communion. Now wouldn’t that be a wonderful birthing day?! Brian

The Group The Group’s mission is to have all the women of the congregation come together for great conversation with refreshments, in a wide variety of activities and outings. We’ve enjoyed dining out for an evening, for example, as well as making jewellery and enjoying guest speakers. We were meeting every second Wednesday of the month, then changed to every third Wednesday, but recently switched back to every second Wednesday. The reason for changing was to try and find a Wednesday that did not conflict with so many other meetings and events in a week. After talking to many women in our congregation about attending The Group being hard due to many meetings and events going on already, as well as busy personal schedules, Connie and I have agreed that we will cut back The Group’s gathering to every 4 months or so. We were hoping that The Group was going to be a great outlet for the women of our congregation to come together as friends and be there for one another, a night out from our busy schedules to relax and have fun. Carpooling is always available. There are no meetings planned at this time for The Group. Our hope is to continue with The Group, meeting less often, but only if there is an interest for us to do so. So please give Connie or myself your thoughts or ideas regarding The Group’s future and we will keep you updated either in a Sunday bulletin or the next Bloorbeat. Thanks!

Debbie Cauch-McIntosh

Summer Picnic

Sunday June 12th Mark your calendars for this year’s Summer Picnic. It promises to be a wonderful service followed by hamburgers and ice cream and games for the young and young at heart, (we always appreciate a good cheering squad as well). See you there! Lisa Mazzariol

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Tea N’ Art On Saturday April 23rd, 2016 Bloordale United Church celebrated its 3rd annual Tea N’ Art. This was a successful year as we had 83 attendees and 7 artists. It was a beautiful afternoon with light music in the background, the smell of fresh scones being made in the kitchen and the aroma of flavourful teas being served.

This year we included more than just artwork; we diversified by bringin in other artisans, which included Connie Drummond’s beautiful hand painted glassware and hand puppets /children’s books and hand-made jewellery by Helen Huget. We also had Kiri Martin with personalized original ladies purses and makeup bags and Anne O’Shea with calligraphy and cards. It was certainly a hit with more affordable and more diverse artifacts being offered. Our artists this year were Bev Morgan, Catharine de Montmorency, and Sharon Sanzo.

Gord Moore’s scones were the talk of the party as many people wanted to meet the “baker” and ask to spill the beans on his recipe.

We had many people who helped out behind the scenes in the kitchen and serving on the frontlines. A special shout out to Diane Mulholland who put in an extra helping hand. Other helpers in the kitchen and on the floor were Susan P., Arfo, Anne K., Jill D., Lila C., and Adrian M. A BIG thank you to those who offered to help make sandwiches outside the Social Committee; (Joan Hollowell, Diane Hercus and Grace Everett). We couldn’t have done this without all of you.

Thanks also to Del Manor Retirement Residence which supplied all the dessert. And also a special mention to Tetley Tea who provided most of the teas, as well as free samples which we used as giveaways.

In excess of $1,100 was raised for Bloordale programs.

Looking forward to next year’s Tea Party!

Roxanne Dryding Social and Fundraising Committee

Au Revoir Pat McDermott

As only they can, on Thursday, May 5th, the Bloordale ladies, under the direction of Joan Hollowell, put on a very impressive tea to wish Pat McDermott well, as she moves to Bracebridge.

The fancy tea cups were set out and on the coffee tables in room 15, there were plates of assorted sandwiches, fruits and sweets.

Joan welcomed the twenty-eight in attendance - including six men - and said how much we are going to miss Pat’s friendly presence and willingness to help wherever needed. Then Brian said that Pat had brought three things to Bloordale - an awareness of the need to think GREEN, a curious mind and an artist’s heart.

Pat replied very graciously and said that there were three factors that influenced her return to Bloordale after several years away. One was the persistent encouragement of her neighbour, Ed Voight, who regularly brought her copies of Bloorbeat and encouraged her to think of Bloordale. The second influence was the welcome Pat received from Jim Bell, who on Pat’s first Sunday back, came right over to greet her. And then there was Art Mosher, who regularly came down the bicycle path in his wheelchair, lowered himself to the grass and dug dandelions out of the Bloordale lawns. Each of these three individuals, in their own way, made a huge impression on Pat.

On Sunday, May 8th, the lovely flowers in the Sanctuary were given by Pat to the Bloordale Congregation, with the following message - “Thank you for your friendship. Thank you Brian for your spiritual guidance and the forever memorable music directed by Merv. Your warmth of friendship will be with me everyday.”

__________________________________

Though Pat has met some people in Bracebridge and is beginning to settle in, we still hope she will come back to see us from time to time.

Wishing you much happiness in your new home and town, Pat.

Your friends at Bloordale!

Patricia Nelson

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Lot’s Wife

Every year the Canada Council for the Arts and CBC Books commission five of our country's top writers to write something inspired from the latest CBC Massey Lectures. In 2015, the theme was 'heroes and anti-heroes.' The writ-ers were given free reign to interpret the theme however they saw fit.

The following piece was written by Jordan Tan-nahil who won the Governor General’s Award in 2014 for his drama, Age of Minority:Three Solo Plays. Jordan found heroism in one of the more seemingly weak characters in the Book of Gen-esis, and described his piece as follows: "I re-cast Edith in this feminist retelling of the story as a hero and a foil for all of us."

From CBC’s “Ideas”, hosted by Paul Kennedy.

This episode was originally aired on Monday,

November 16, 2015 and can be found at the

CBC website, http://www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas

Lot’s Wife

Edith, a woman of fifty, speaks

EDITH

I looked back

I did

I admit, I stopped running and I looked back

What an impertinent woman

Feeble minded

Meek of heart

Or perhaps it's meek of spirit or some crap like

that

I mean really, what do they know?

The men who wrote the accounts

Do they know my name was Edith?

Do they know it happened on a Tuesday?

I bet the day of the week didn't even occur to

them

They say I looked back and turned into a pillar

of salt

Our whole village was ground into salt

If that's what you prefer to call it

What do you call a body when it is no longer a

body?

A building when it is no longer a building?

Bones and rubble, ground into salt

That Tuesday, two American soldiers sought

shelter in our house

Their helicopter had been shot down, and we

took them in

My husband Lot called them angels

He really believed they were liberating us

Me? I wanted them gone - I knew they'd only

bring trouble

And it was cramped in our house as it was, with

Lot, our two daughters Nasra and Samra

and Samra's two girls, one still a baby, the other

just beginning to walk

It was just past four when men from the town

arrived

banging on our door and brandishing AK47s

They dragged the soldiers out of the house

and through the streets of the village

We hid in the bedroom during the firefight

At sundown, one of the soldiers returned

He appeared in our doorway, his face bloodied

He looked at Lot and then over at me

and started pointing out the door

shouting "run," he was shouting "go now"

We didn't speak the same language but I

understood

I shouted at the girls to pull on their sandals

Samra was holding her firstborn and she passed

her to Lot

She asked me to grab her little one

I asked where the baby was and she said I'd been

holding her

I shook my head - I didn't have her

She thought I'd had her

Samra started tearing through the house,

screaming for her baby

Where's my baby?!

Samra was -

Of course Samra was not screaming where's my

baby?

She was calling her baby by her name

She was of course calling her beautiful child by

her beautiful -

(faltering)

But for the purposes of this... recounting I will call

her baby because... I cannot

say her name I cannot say...

My daughter was calling for her daughter

but she was not there

I said Samra we have to go

She said I will not leave my baby

I said Samra there's no time

Lot was up the street with Nasra shouting and

Samra... she kept - no no no no

Under the couch

Under the bed

The backyard

Cupboards

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“Brain Health Seminar” a Resounding Success!

As registrations began coming in, it was obvious the Pastoral Care Committee's "Brain Health Seminar" was going to be popular. How popular became evident when a waiting list was created to fill cancellations! We had a full house!

Once again... for the third time!... Kari Quinn-Humphrey wowed us with her knowledge and ability to convey a complex topic in understandable terms. Accompanying her was colleague, Joanne Tandoc, both from the Alzheimer Society of Toronto. What a duo!

So, what can we do to maintain or improve our "Brain Health"? If you attended the Seminar, and even if you didn't, Joanne has given permission for her slide presentation to be distributed in PDF format. Please e-mail Nelsona for a copy: nelsona.dundas@sympatico.ca

Special thanks go to Jack Lovatt and Norman Dundas who were in the parking lot, IN THE RAIN, directing traffic and monitoring parking! And what would we do without John Pauksens to oversee the technical side of things; Gordon Moore to provide his usual friendly elevator service; and Victor Nguyen for being on hand to help with last minute needs!

With the dedication and hard work of Committee members, friends and others, this was a very successful Seminar! A most sincere "Thank you!" to all! It couldn't have been done without you! Now, let's keep our brains healthy! Nelsona

I will not leave her

Under the couch again

Samra throwing couch cushions

emptying the closet, the cabinets

dishes on the floor

That is how I left her

A storm inside the house

I said I love you

I said I love you

... and I closed the door

And then I ran

I ran past the houses of my neighbours

I ran through the market all boarded up for the

night

I tried to shout: (whispers) run!

But my heart was broken

I couldn't make a sound

I saw Nasra and Lot up ahead, with my

granddaughter in his arms, nearing the edge of

town

when suddenly I felt white -

white light from behind me

like sunrise or a photograph and then the blast

the crack of thunder and the earth shook and

knocked me to my knees but I staggered up

as the flames of the first drone strike licked the

night

and then more white light more thunder and the

sulphurous smell

of God's wrath raining down from the sky

The night was purple and it was the colour of

Samra's face

the moment she came out of me, the umbilical

cord around her neck

The midwife said she would not see morning

But I held her all night

I would not let her go

And at daybreak, as they tried to take her away

I placed the tippest tip of my finger into her whole

hand

And it slowly closed around

And she opened her eyes

I stopped running

The darkness ahead and the fire behind me

I stopped running because I had to know if she

was behind me

I had to know if she had made it out

Because what was I running towards if she

hadn't?

Yes, I stopped

And yes, I looked back

I looked back to see her face.

Poem suggested for Bloorbeat by Diane

Mulholland

__________________________________

Upcoming Choral Concerts

Artistic Director: Mervin William Fick

Esprit Chamber Choir

Sunday, May 29, at 3:30 pm

St. Paul’s Lutheran Church

210 Silvercreek Pkwy. N

Guelph, Ontario

Tickets - $ 25.

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Muslim- Christian Exchange : a Reflection

Participation in the recent Muslim – Christian exchange has demonstrated that we as a Christian congregation are deeply concerned and interested in learning more about Inter-Faith relations. There was a warm welcome extended on both sides as we attended the Sayeda Khadija Centre in Brampton and as members of the Centre subsequently attended a service at Bloordale. There was a certain degree of anxiety on both sides as we started to bridge the gap between our respective religions, and for many of us in both groups, this represented a new and different experience.

This endeavor began with Brian reaching out to Dr. Hamid Slimi, the Imam for the Sayeda Khadija Centre. Imam Slimi has been very involved locally, nationally, and internationally in Inter-Faith dialogue and peace work. In 2006, he was part of a committee that drafted a United Church of Canada Statement on United Church-Muslim Relations. Imam Slimi and Brian arranged that we would participate in an Inter-Faith exchange with members of Bloordale invited to a lunch followed by a prayer service on Friday, April 1st and on Sunday, April 3rd, members of Sayeda Khadija Centre invited to our service followed by a lunch in the gym gym.

In March, Brian held an “Islam 101” information session during which he provided some background information about Islam and provided some guidance on how to prepare for the visit to the mosque. We were advised to dress conservatively with women wearing a head covering. Twenty members from Bloordale, including Brian, visited the mosque. We were welcomed and led to a meeting room where lunch was being provided and we were welcomed by Imam Slimi and introduced to a number of people from the Centre. It was clear that this was quite a special event. Members had taken time off work to prepare and provide the lunch and lots of photos were taken! We were provided with a delicious lunch of chicken, samosas, salad, and sweets.

Following the lunch we were led to the mosque itself which was a large open space with beautiful blue and white tiling that we learned came from Turkey. Before entering the mosque, we were shown where to leave our shoes and the men and women eparated to enter at different places. All of the women had worn some form of head covering but we had varying degrees of success with this. Pat N. shared that her scarf had been tied a bit too tight and she had to release it a little in order to breathe and to see! My own careful preparations went quite awry as I stepped out of my car and the wind caught hold of my scarf. The men sat in rows at the front while the women were lined up at the back. They offered chairs to us as guests,

and a few chairs were available for older members around the outside but the majority of regular ttendees sat or kneeled on the carpeted floor. One of the Muslim women joked that Islam encourages physical as well as spiritual health! It was quite a surprise to see the room fill to capacity as members filed in. I would estimate that over 400 people attended. We were told that the Friday afternoon service is smaller than some of the weekly services because people have to leave work to be there.

Brian was introduced and we were all welcomed again. Brian shared a brief message of thanks and appreciation and our strong desire to form a positive relationship between our faith groups. He also read the United Church Statement on United Church-Muslim Relations, and this was clearly meaningful to those in attendance.

On Sunday, Imam Slimi and twenty-eight congregants from the Sayeda Khadija Centre attended our service and the Imam shared his message during the sermon. In both the Friday and Sunday services, the Imam’s message spoke of the commonalities between our faiths and he encouraged us to focus not on our differences but on the things that are important to all of us such as addressing poverty and human rights. He also addressed some of the myths about Islam and shared that those who seek to justify their actions using religious references are abusing the message of Islam. One example that he shared is that suicide is considered a terrible sin in Islam and that something suicide bombers all have in common is a criminal background.

Following the service, a lunch was provided for the congregation and our guests and it was evident by how easily everyone mixed together that we had overcome any lingering anxiety. One particularly poignant moment took place when Sandra M. told

about leaving Karachi, Pakistan as a child. This was a difficult time for Christians in Pakistan, and Muslim-Christian tensions heavily influenced her parents’ outlook. In her words, she says, “now as an adult I am able to make my own choices and have opened my heart and mind to allow for not generalizing and making judgements without knowing the facts. I was so pleased to be a part of a healing process that Sunday.”

As we shared our lunch, Lisa Mazzariol presented the Imam with a collage that the children had prepared as an expression of things that we as Christians and Muslims have in common. It provided a touching, and tangible reminder of this shared experience.

Pat Nelson and Diane Mulholland

(With a special thanks to Sandra for permission to

share her story.)

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Esprit Chamber Choir Passports at the Ready

The Esprit Chamber Choir, which Mervin Fick founded in 2010, is again planning a fast-paced trip to Europe this summer for eight major concerts in seven days. Bloordale Esprit members, in addition to Mervin, are Michael Downie, Lynn Lawrence, Sharron Le Blanc, Sandy Maxwell, Brian McIntosh and Verena von Stritzky.

The focus of the choir is on an early music a capella repertoire. As part of its mission, the chorus seeks out performances in historical venues, which it certainly has done for this summer’s trip .

On July 17th the choir will perform at St. George’s Bloomsbury, London (Church of England) which is a baroque church designed as an auditory church, meaning that at the time of its construction in the 17th century, there was a movement towards one room churches, designed for preaching as well as for the celebration of the liturgy, i.e. both the altar and the pulpit were visible. On the 18th it’s on to another Church of England setting, St. Albans Cathedral, London, which has the longest nave of any cathedral in England; it is also the oldest site of continuous Christian worship in Britain - over 1700 years.

Then it’s on to Belgium to perform at the world famous Ghent Festival being held in the Roman Catholic St. Michael’s Church. Still in Belgium, all on the 21st, there will be a performance at the Church of our Lady, in Bruges, the church that has The Madonna and Child by Michelangelo, then to the rebuilt (after WWII) St. Martin’s Cathedral in Ypres and finally the choir will participate at the Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate in Ypres. That very emotional service has been held every evening at 8:00 p.m. since November 11, 1929.

The next three days the choir will sing in Breda, The Netherlands, the English Church in Amsterdam (a Protestant church affiliated with the Church of Scotland) and finally the Cathedral of St. Bavo - Grote Kerk, Haalem, the Netherlands, a former Catholic Cathedral and now a Protestant church. The church was dedicated to St. Bavo some time before 1500 and has one of the world’s most historically important organs, played by Mendelssohn, Handel and Mozart, when he was 10 years old in 1766.

The number of very famous and historic performance venues is certainly indicative of the reputation that Mervin and the choir have attained.

Happy travels to all Esprit members. Patricia Nelson with notes from Sharron Le Blanc

St. James Food Basket Needs Our Help

When you go shopping, please pick up one extra item for our food box, if you are able. Each week, we suggest a food item, to help feed the hungry.

Past weeks’ suggested items have been: peanut butter, cereal, canned tuna or salmon, toothpaste, pasta, beans or lentils, canned fruit, cookies and crackers.

Please put items in Bloordale’s food box, located in the sanctuary, and we shall take it to The St. James Food Basket.

__________________________________

UCW News Thanks to everyone who helped with the Rummage Day sale, held Saturday April 9th! In excess of $ 2,200. was raised.

Only 7 or 8 ladies are attending our meetings so, as we try to continue our fundraisers it means more work for fewer people. We are thankful for all who volunteer for projects.

Thursday May 19, 1:00-6:00 pm - Geranium orders pick-up and other plants for sale

Tuesday May 24, 1:00 pm - UCW monthly meeting in room 15. Every woman in the congregation is cordially invited to attend.

Tuesday June 7, 6:30 pm - UCW hosts the spring congregational potluck dinner at 6:30 pm. All are welcome. Bring your favourite food to share, Entertainment by the “After Dinner Mints”

Monday, June 13 - UCW caters lunch for the seniors club on June 13th and may be asking for help. Joan Hollowell

BUC at Sheridan Nurseries

At 7 p.m. on April 27/16 members and friends of BUC enjoyed a presentation by James, a certified organic gardener, specializing in vegetables and herbs, and very knowledgeable of gardening in general.

James introduced many herbs, citing their uses, growing habits, maintenance. He explained and presented types of planting soil, fertilizers, pest control as well as essential tools and accessories.

We all enjoyed our evening enhanced by refreshments and discount shopping in such a magical venue.

We look forward to repeating this opportunity in 2017 and hope you will attend.

Nancy Harris

__________________________________

10

Update on Bi-Church “Phoenix” Discussions

The Bloordale/St. James Bi-church committee has been working hard over the last few months and has developed a draft vision statement for an amalgamated congregation. This draft vision was presented and discussed with the Bloordale congregation at a Wine and Cheese event on April 24th. The feedback from these discussions has been recorded and reviewed. Three themes and some questions were apparent from this review and will be discussed further with the congregation. The three themes are:

Do we all know and agree with the rationale for the Phoenix project?

The vision listed a number of ambitious objectives that seemed to some as “motherhood” practices that we actually do now. What in the congregation’s view, should be new and different in an amalgamated church?

The vision referred to community engagement and attracting youth and young families. How can we get “outside the walls” of our church to achieve this engagement? Are there things that only a church can do?

One way of developing answers to themes two and three is to look at what other churches that have been successful in revitalization have done. Your committee has purchased a number of books written by churches that have been successful in this regard and we encourage the members of the congregation to borrow and read them. The books are:

Fishing Tips: How Curiosity Transformed a Community of Faith by John Pentland A Real Good Church: How our Church came back from the Dead and Yours can too by Mollie Phinney Baskette The New Adapters: Shaping Ideas to Fit Your Congregation by Jacob Armstrong, and Bullseye: Aiming to Follow Jesus by Jamie Holton and Debbie Johnson.

Some of the questions we heard were:

What are the time lines for further consultation and voting and who is qualified to vote?

How will we proceed in addressing important operational and administrative matters, such as property, staffing, finances, committee structures and music in an amalgamated church?

The congregation will be giving feedback on the April 24th discussions and these themes and questions will be discussed during service time on May 8 and 15. Time has been reserved during the service on May 22 if further discussion is required. The congregation will be asked to indicate their support for continuing our discussions with St. James on May 29th by voting on a motion (TBA).

If both congregations support continuation of the Phoenix Project, the Bi-Church committee will work to achieve a number of milestones during the summer and fall of 2016. These milestones include holding joint services, committee meetings and social events. This will help the two congregations get to know each other better and develop a trusting relationship. The vision will be expanded and enhanced by identifying new opportunities for worship, outreach and mission. A proposal will be developed for discussion with the two congregations in 2017. This proposal would outline the steps that would be taken to possible amalgamation of the two congregations into one.

Susan Prentice has asked to be relieved of her responsibilities on the committee for personal reasons. We thank her for her contribution to the discussions over the last few months and hope she will be able to be involved again at a later date. Roxanne Dryding has agreed to join the committee and we look forward to her participation.

I will, personally, be taking a less active role over the next few months due to some long planned and unplanned travel and some medical leave. You can have full confidence in the team from Bloordale and St James. I have been impressed at how well we have worked together over the last few months and how similar our view is of the role and need for the church in our community.

Jim Donaghy,

Chair, Bloordale Bi-Church Committee

Don’t Forget to Vote

on the continuation of the Phoenix Project on May 29

11

Consider a Planned Gift to Bloordale United Church

Giving a gift to the Planned Gift Fund through your will is one way to continue faithful stewardship beyond your lifetime. When your estate plan is prepared please consider a gift to your church through the Bloordale Planned Gift Fund.

A message from your Memorial and Planned Gift Funds Administrative

Committee

Summer Outing

Social and Fundraising Committee is inviting everyone to a lovely dining

experience on the banks of the Credit River

At Snug Harbour Seafood Bar & Grill

snugharbourrestaurant.com

14 Stavebank Road South (Just West of Hurontario )

at Lakeshore Road East, Mississauga

Wednesday June 22, 2016, 6:30 pm

Varied menu and varied prices

Arrive earlier and walk the waterfront trail

Friends and Family Welcome

Carpooling available,

Call Julia, 416-622-6309 if interested

That is a quote from the Phoenix meeting held after church on May 8th. That’s a very interesting and challenging question, but it sure got a few of us thinking! What could we do? What possibilities might open up to us?

So, we thought, why not throw out that question to the congregation and see what ideas you may have? This is an invitation to dream big. Think outside the box. Talk about it with others, maybe your kids or grandchildren. I bet they could help you with some pretty exciting ideas. Don’t worry about having the answers – we’ll figure out what we need to know later.

Use the summer to explore your ideas,

gather information and then, in the fall we

can see what ideas might be possible to try.

If you want to chat or ask for more details,

you can call Linda Pennock 416-626-9582 or

email l.pennock@sympatico.ca.

“What do you see that

Bloordale could do that is

fresh and new using

digital technology and

social media?”

Bulletin and Music Dedications

Weekly Sunday bulletins can be dedicated, with a note about why, by any member for $15. This both helps defray our paper and printing costs and provides opportunity for special remembrances to be observed.

Music can also be dedicated in someone’s memory, or in honour of someone’s faithful living. A new anthem can be purchased for $75, so please speak to Sharron or Mervin about your wish to support the music program in this way.

To All:

Have a Great Summer!

12

Bob found that the heat exchanger in the unit has a large leak . Hence without substantial financial outlay it won't be practical to use that ventilator in very cold weather in the winter, since you would be blowing in very cold unheated outside air). However, it may be possible to use the ventilator in warmer spring/summer /fall weather, with a fan-only function. Bob is having a further look at the unit in order to see why the electric motor stalls out when you try to start it . (8)after a walk-through with Kashi and myself, Bob Bach did an analysis and prepared a report, including pricing, from a recommended contractror, for installing air conditioning in Room 25. Several options are described in Bob’s report. Air conditioning for Room 25 had been requested some time ago by the BUC choir. We still need to assess changes and costs of associated electrical wiring additions. After that , if the choir has raised sufficient designated funding for the air conditioning , they can go ahead with this addition. (9) On April 15 I spoke with Chris Pugh seeking clarification re the proposed correction of some deficiencies noted in the fire inspection that was done for us by Chris' firm "Direct Fire Protection" earlier this year. I subsequently did a walkthrough with Chris to clarify what was needed, and arrangements are in process to correct the deficiencies. (10)As agreed by the Property Committee and UCW, I purchased and set up a dehumidifier for room 15 to alleviate the problem of high humidity in that room in the summer months, (which had resulted in a musty odour and traces of mold growth in that room). Note: UCW graciously covered the cost of the Hot Water Heater, and the Door Opener for a total of $3,277, and also for the Room 15 Dehumidifier for $211.69. Thank you UCW! John Pauksens for the BUC Property Committee

Property Committee News There were a lot of property maintenance items needing urgent attention in March and April of 2016. (1) I obtained quotations and arranged for replacement of the electric hot water heater which services the BUC Kitchen and Ladies Washroom. The contractor selected for this was Danmac Plumbing and Drain. The old water heater was rusty and leaking onto the boiler room floor. (2) re CE building Rear Door opener: The door opener mechanism for the outer rear door failed and needed to be replaced. Quotes were obtained and the new opener was installed on April 30 by AQC Firedoors, who were the lowest bidders and had done work for BUC previously. Three new opener buttons, (which have been working erratically), are also to be replaced; arrangements are in process for that. (3) Kashi and I replaced the broken sink spray hose and nozzle in the BUC kitchen. It was bit of a chore because of the tight access under the sink, but we now have a working sprayer and nozzle with a slip-on and latch fitting, which will be easy to replace in future if needed. (4) On April 16 Kashi and I (mostly Kashi) fixed the failed fluorescent light fixture in the ante-room to the Terry Tan Kitchen. The ballast in the fixture was defective. Fortunately Kashi had a spare ballast that was compatible with that fixture. (5) On April 16 I checked and fixed the failed miniature light bulbs in the Elevator. These are special purpose 24 volt 20 watt miniature "G4" halogen bulbs. I located a vendor on Amazon.ca who was offering these bulbs at reasonable price and purchased a card of six. For future reference the remaining spare bulbs are in a small cardboard box marked "Elevator lights" in the upper left drawer of the Sanctuary A/V desk. (6) Kashi and I were up on the sanctuary roof on April 16, and cleared out the leaves from the 4 drain pipes on the East side of the sanctuary roof. This took a bit of doing (removing and then remounting replacing each of the 4 drain pipes) in order to get at the elbows where the leaves were lodged. They were pretty badly clogged. This should alleviate the risk of roof leaks in the East side of the sanctuary. Still need to keep an eye out for leaks in the centre of the sanctuary which were observed during the extremely heavy rainstorm that we had a couple of months ago. (7) On April 16 Bob Bach was in the church doing some work with assistance from Kashi and myself, on the ventilation unit located on the East wall of the gymnasium stage, (which has not been working for quite some years now) .

Hats Off!

To the 11 volunteers who took part in spring property cleanup on May 7th. These were:

Jo-Em Bettridge, Victor Chivers-Wilson, Grace

Everett, Bruce and Marjorie Jackson, Pat McDermott, Jim McLean, Alun Morgan, Pat Nelson, Victor Nguyen, and Shirley Scott.

13

Youth Group News Each month Bloordale and St. James youth groups hold a combined youth night and on average there has been 12-15 teens attending. On Friday May 6th we had a Minute To Win It competition and we had three groups that face off against each other in a variety of challenges, some with a time limit of one minute, others were a race against each other. One of the hardest challenge games was two people had to carry an empty pop can using a piece of uncooked spaghetti threaded through the tab and using only their mouth to hold the spaghetti. They carried the can about six feet to a table where they then had to stack three cans into a pyramid with Yvonne and Catherine narrowly beating out the competition to win this challenge.

The big project that our youth group started at the beginning of May was a Claymation video called Jesus Feeds the 5000. We have been making characters each week and we will hopefully be able to start filming a scene shortly. Our goal is to debut our little video at the picnic. Jo

Intergeneration Kairos Blanket Exercise This event occurred on Saturday, April 16th at Bloordale from 10 to 12:30.

The Kairos blanket exercise consisted of 30 participants to hear and embody the history of indigenous and non-indigenous peoples in Canada. Participants took on the roles of Indigenous peoples, standing on blankets that represent the land. They walked through pre-contact, treaty-making, colonization and resistance.

The facilitators were Debbie Cauch-McIntosh and Brian McIntosh along with our special guest Indigenous facilitator Liz Stone, who joined us from the Peterborough area.

The blanket exercise started with a prayer and smudging outside (burning of sage to clear our minds and bodies and promote positive well-being with our creator and the land).

We concluded with a talking circle which consisted of a grandfather stone being passed and held by each individual to debrief. Only the person holding the grandfather stone was allowed to speak as the rest of the circle listened with respect. A closing prayer along with drumming and a song was performed by Liz Stone. Hugs were shared by everyone in the circle, which was empowering as a reflection of what we experienced.

Light refreshments were served and we received very positive feedback from those who participated. Liz and I have been invited to facilitate another blanket exercise in Newmarket in June.

Debbie Cauch-McIntosh

Save the Date

The Social and fundraising Committee presents

Community Family Trivia Night

Saturday, November 12th, 2016

family oriented fun night

a fundraiser for Bloordale

Watch for more details and events

14

Government Reverses Planned Drug Plan Changes

The following is an invited article from Gary

Hepworth, who is the volunteer chair of CARP

Etobicoke. (Canadian Association of Retired

Persons)

CARP is pleased that the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care has listened to Seniors in Ontario and will not be increasing the $100 annual deductible nor the $6.11 co-payment in the Ontario Drug Benefit plan, following consultation with CARP and other stakeholders regarding the 2016 Provincial Budget and proposed increases to the Ontario Drug Benefit deductible and co-payments.

In its submission to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, CARP pointed out that the proposed changes in the 2016 budget; a dramatic 70% increase in the yearly deductible and a 17% increase in the per-prescription co-payment, would be a burden on lower income seniors who are above the new $19,300 single income threshold.

CARP members in Ontario will welcome the province’s increase in the deductible threshold from $16,018 to $19,300 for single seniors and from $24,175 to $32,300 for senior couples that will exempt an additional 173,000 seniors in Ontario, as well as the newly promised indexation of the threshold that will increase the number of low-income seniors who qualify by approximately 30,000 per year.

Any increase in the number of Ontario seniors who will not have to worry about their ability to cover the costs of their prescription medication is welcome news. Knowing that the government has listened to CARP and other groups and paused their proposed increase in the deductible is another win for seniors in Ontario.

CARP has long been advocating for a National Pharmacare Plan with provinces working together to create a robust, universal formulary that takes advantage of bulk buying to provide cost efficient access to all Canadians. CARP members welcomed Minister Hoskin’s reiteration of The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care’s commitment to work with other provinces and the federal government toward a national pharmacare plan. CARP looks forward to collaborating with Minister Hoskins and other Ministers of Health across Canada to expediently bring that national drug plan to fruition.

Gary Hepworth is Volunteer Chair, CARP Etobicoke etobicoke@carp.ca and is owner of Premier Homecare Services in Etobicoke 416-623-8229

Upcoming Events Summary Sunday May 15. Service at Wesburn Manor. Bloordale hosts the service at 2:30 pm. The Bloordale choir will sing

Thursday May 19. Delivery (pick up) of UCW geraniums. Some flowers available for ‘walk ins’

Sunday May 22. Brian away. Guest speaker Rev Lee McKenna, Partera International

Tuesday May 24 . UCW meets in the afternoon

Sunday May 29. After church service, congregational vote re Bi Church matters

Sunday June 5. . The Lunch Bunch lunch at The Montreal Deli on Dundas St, just west of H427, after the church service.

Tuesday June 7. UCW hosts Spring Pot Luck, 6:30 pm

Sunday June 12. Bloordale outdoor service(weather permitting), picnic and games

Wednesday June 22. Social committee outing to enjoy the outdoors in Port Credit, followed by dinner at Snug Harbour Restaurant at 6:30 pm

Sunday August 28. Lunch Bunch Lunch with Tri Church partners. Restaurant TBD, after church service

Sunday September 18. Welcoming BBQ after the church service

Sunday September 18. Service at Wesburn Manor. Bloordale hosts the Wesburn service at 2:30 pm. The Bloordale choir will sing.

Calling All Guitar Players! You are invited to attend a jam session on Monday May 30 from 7:30-9pm in the Lounge of St James United Church. The purpose of this event is to explore the possibility of playing in a church service in the fall. All ages and abilities are encouraged to attend. For more information, contact Anne Tipler:

anne.tipler@sympatico.ca or call 905-820-7120

This invitation is extended to Bloordale and St James guitar players. There is hope that this will be particularly appealing to some younger people in the congregations, and that this would be a great way for our congregations to get to know each other better.

Maybe this group could play part or an entire service at both Bloordale and St. James, or be part of a joint service? Lots of possibilities!

15

__________________________________

Get Emergency Ready!

On March 9th, Bloordale’s The Group presented guest speaker Gary Hepworth, chair of CARP Etobicoke, and owner of Premier Homecare Services in Etobicoke, who talked about ‘navigating the Health Care System in Etobicoke’.

One of the things that he suggested was that we get copies of ‘ Get Emergency Ready- Your Personal Preparedness Guide’ from the City of Toronto.

Inside the guide is an information sheet, which all should fill out and place on their fridges. It should list your contact info, relevant medical history, medications, allergies and other special considerations. EMS personnel look for this sheet, if suddenly called to your home.

Bloordale has obtained, free of charge, 250 pamphlets. Please pick up a copy for yourself, for family members and for friends and neighbours. They are located on the credenza outside the church office.

Alternatively, ask me for copies.

Julia Stavreff

416-622-6309

Invitation for Submissions to Bloorbeat Spiritual perspectives, committee news, community happenings, and ideas for changes and improvements to make Bloordale an even nicer place than it already is are all welcome.

Please submit or discuss your ideas with our Communications Committee chair Julia Stavreff, 416-622-6309, stavreffj@stavreff.com

From the Editor:

Bloorbeat Submission Guidelines When you email items to Julia and myself for Bloorbeat, please include words about the specific content in your e-mail header and in any file names, e.g. not just “Bloorbeat” but “Bloorbeat Upcoming Events”. This makes it much easier to locate the items in my rather busy e-mail inbox when putting the Bloorbeat together.

In general, for text-based submissions, please avoid use of fancy fonts, headers, spacings or tab settings because these create more work for me and make it more difficult to maintain a consistent style in the newsletter.

Straight text, in 10 point font, with bold (but not underlined) headings in 14 point font, is best.

BLOORBEAT PUBLICATION SCHEDULE

Following is the publication date and the deadline for submissions for the upcoming issue.

Publication Submission Date Deadline

2016

Sept 18 Sept 11

Nov 13 Nov 6

2017

Jan 15 Jan 8

March 19 March 12

May 16 May 9

Tri-Church Worship Services at a Glance July 3,10, 17 Richview United Church

July 24 & 31, Aug7 St James United Church

Aug 14, 21, 28 Bloordale United Church All services at 10:00 am

Services revert to the home churches on Labour Day week-end, Sunday, Sept 4 (10:00 am)

Times revert to 10:30, starting Sunday Sept 11

16

Bloorbeat Advertising

Would you like to advertise your business in Bloorbeat? Prices per issue of Bloorbeat are:

Business card size $ 20 ¼ page size $ 40 ½ page size $ 70

To advertise, please call John Pauksens, 416-622-6309

or email pauksenj@gmail.com

Bloorbeat is published 5 times a year by

the Communications Committee of

Bloordale United Church

4258 Bloor St. W.

Etobicoke ON M9C 1Z7

(416) 621-1710

Email: bloordale@bellnet.ca

Website: www.bloordale.ca

Committee Chair Julia Stavreff Editor John Pauksens

Distribution Coordinators Joan Hollowell

Shirley Scott