Dear People, Neighbours, and Friends of St. Thomas’s,
I am very pleased to announce the appointment of Carroll Guen Hart as Deputy Rector's Warden, effective January 1st. I asked Carroll to send along a photo and a brief introduction of herself to those of you who may not already know her, and she replied:
I grew up in southeastern Utah, attending a tiny community church. I moved to Toronto in 1980 to attend the Institute for Christian Studies. While I was there, I met Willem, who immediately said, “You’re coming to church with me!” So I came to St. Thomas’s, and was bewildered, delighted, amazed. For the first time in my life, I experienced the ancient liturgy, the work of the people of God through the ages and in many different countries around the world. I felt like a part of the communion of saints on so many different levels. Though my main service is the 9:30, I have great respect and love for all of our services. I currently sit on the Stewardship Committee and have recently joined the Social Justice Committee. I am greatly honoured to take on this new position, and I hope that we can all work together to make sure that St. Thomas’s continues to flourish and grow into whatever future God has in mind for us.
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Dr. Andrew Smith for his faithfulness in discharging the duties of the Deputy Rector’s Warden since my arrival. He had every right to decline an extension to his term, but his assistance in this transition has been invaluable. Andrew will continue in his ministry on the Social Justice Committee and as an acolyte, and I hope he enjoys the relative quiet that a former warden deserves.
The coming year will bring many challenges and opportunities as your lay and ordained leadership discerns where God is calling us as we continue to live in and through this current pandemic with an eye to a better future for all. I am grateful to Carroll for joining us in all our endeavours, and ask that you would constantly keep her as well as the other members and ex officio advisers to Corporation in your prayers. These others include Lorne Swan, Rector's Warden, Bob Kennedy, People's Warden, Jess Nee, Deputy People's Warden, Tim Wright, Treasurer, Rob Kennedy, Property Committee Chair, and your clergy. Please keep their loved ones in your prayers as well since their support makes possible the many hours that our dedicated lay volunteer leaders give to the parish.
If you are interested in the work we are undertaking in any area, such as long-range planning for mission and ministry, stewardship and financial sustainability, capital improvements, congregational growth, and the like, feel free to speak with one of the above-named people to get a sense of the joys and demands of the ministry of parish governance, or speak with one of the clergy. Together, we are headed into a future that, God willing, is brighter than the past, and we need you, your prayers, and your gifts at all times and in every season of our common life.
PROTOCOLS FOR IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE
Since the Bishop has left Christmas observances to the discretion of the clergy in charge of each parish, after consultation with the staff and wardens, I have decided to proceed with our planned in-person services, including choral music and limited congregational singing, but with the specific provisos outlined below. If you choose to attend one of our services, we expect that your presence with us will entail your full cooperation, whether these provisos are to your liking or not. These provisos are certainly not to my liking in the sense that I wish they were unnecessary, but the recent surge in the spread of the Omicron variant indicates otherwise.
Masking: At all times, except for children and others who have a reasonable medical claim to exemption, everyone in the church must wear an N95, KN95, or an acceptable equivalent mask. If you do not have one of these qualifying masks, the minimum acceptable coverage is two disposable medical face masks properly fitted, and for choristers with properly fitted singing masks, one disposable medical face mask worn over that. Given recent research, cloth masks on their own, unless worn with two disposable masks, provide insufficient protection. If you do not have an acceptable mask, two disposable masks will be issued to you at the door. Masks should be worn covering both one’s nose and mouth at all times. No cheating!
Congregational singing is still allowed, but we strongly recommend that you do so softly, if at all. Tuneful humming, such as when we are enjoying a piece of music on the radio, is fine; we want you to enjoy the music and to participate in it, but with this new variant that is several times more contagious than others, we can’t encourage anything more than gentle singing behind your mask(s).
The clergy and wardens understand that exemptions must be made for those with a reasonable claim for accommodations. The sidespeople will be consulted on standard operating procedures in the coming weeks. In the meantime, any contested exemption will be adjudicated, if absolutely necessary, by the clergy and wardens, operating on the assumption that we are all acting in good faith and doing the best we can, with God’s help.
Services Continue to Be Livestreamed
Our services will be livestreamed for those who are not comfortable being with us in person, or who for any reason are unable to join us. You will find the YouTube links on our home page.
Yours in Christ’s service,
N.J.A. Humphrey+
VIII Rector