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FAITHLINES
5 March 2025
Ash Wednesday
Wishing you a blessed Lenten journey
In this issue:
There are angels in south Etobicoke!
Welcome to St. Margaret, New Toronto -Outreach Prog.
Visit faithworks.ca for more information
and to view our video library
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Donate today at faithworks.ca
or scan this QR code
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WELCOME
The following article from our new ministry partner
St. Margaret, New Toronto - outreach program
in Toronto is an example of the work
that your donation to FaithWorks supports.
The article is a collaborative effort by our community: written by Rev. Jacqueline Daley and Edward McManus with photos courtesy of Esme Chevrier (international student). Edited by Peter Mentis.
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There are angels in south Etobicoke!
On Sunday 16 February a major snowstorm blanketed the city and closed down nearly everything. But the doors of Saint Margaret’s New Toronto swung open wide, as they always do. As drifts of snow piled high outside, 20 people gathered inside for worship and fellowship. Included among them were Yvette and Esme, both recently baptized at SMNT. They had travelled two hours to attend our 10:30 service. By noon, our numbers had grown to more than 50, all there to enjoy our Black History potluck lunch. But with the snow, would we have the food and volunteers to feed the crowd that had gathered?
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Then, our angelic neighbours appeared with food.
One brought jerk chicken with rice and peas, enough for 80 hungry souls.
The John Howard Society, our newest tenant, donated vegetables, which were cooked to perfection by Rob, one of our many volunteers.
Another neighbour brought roasted turkey, juicy and delicious.
Along with the food, there was music and dancing.
By 1:30 the food was all gone and the bellies were all full.
Praise God!
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This is a typical Sunday at the parish.
We serve the un-housed, precariously housed, and newcomers to Canada who seek a more abundant life.
We take on the challenge in the midst of a housing crisis that has spawned far too many encampments. Some spend up to $700 a month to rent space on a sofa to escape the cold, trying to hold on as they linger on a 10-year waiting list for affordable housing.
Each Sunday, Reverend Nkanyiso begins with a prayer and a blessing for all those with the courage to enter into this space. We eat together and share stories of pain, trauma, exclusion, and joy – a new job, a week of sobriety, renewed faith, and perhaps even a new love.
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During the pandemic, SMNT was supported by the City of Toronto, United Way and local agencies as a community support center for the homeless and precariously housed in south Etobicoke, providing meals, referral, harm reduction and personal care support throughout the pandemic.
SMNT was the only building that remained open to the most vulnerable in south Etobicoke during the pandemic.
As a result, SMNT continues to be used as a central support hub and gathering space for the unhoused.
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Our mission is to serve, pray and grow the radical/revolutionary love of Jesus in words and actions with a focus on the increasing number of unhoused and precariously housed community members.
The vision for the St. Margaret, New Toronto (SMNT) Community Hub is to offer a welcoming, inclusive center that offers stability, support, and connection for the unhoused, precariously housed, and marginalized individuals in south Etobicoke. Building upon our commitment to serve as a sanctuary, the hub provides essential resources such as food security, hygiene care, and spiritual guidance, extending our mission beyond traditional church services. This hub addresses both immediate needs and long-term empowerment by fostering an environment where our community members feel valued and supported. By offering a dedicated space for weekend and after-hours programs, we complement existing services from our partner agencies including LAMP Community Health Center and fill critical gaps in availability.
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FaithWorks Sermon or Presentation
To assist and inspire, you can arrange for a sermon, presentation or visit by representatives of our ministry partners, the Director of Stewardship Development, Peter Misiaszek, or me, by contacting the FaithWorks Speakers Bureau at
fwspeakersbureau@toronto.anglican.ca
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If you wish to highlight your parish's events in support of FaithWorks, please forward the details to faithworks@toronto.anglican.ca
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FaithWorks Videos
The FaithWorks website, faithworks.ca has been updated with new videos to promote FaithWorks and our ministry partners. There are short, medium and long videos to include in your parish's online presence or in-person gatherings. They can be downloaded directly from the website.
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Followers of Jesus, inspired by the Holy Spirit, serve the world God loves!
I acknowledge that my office resides on the territory of sovereign Indigenous Nations, the Anishinaabe, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat. I acknowledge especially the Mississaugas of the Credit and the Toronto Treaties.
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