st nicholas birch cliff parish profile

PARISH PROFILESt. Nicholas, Birch Cliff

Diocese of Toronto • Anglican Church of Canada

1512 Kingston Road, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M1N 1R7Phone: 416-691-0449 • stnicholasbirchcliff.com

S T N I C H O L A S , B I R C H C L I F F • 1 9 1 2 - 2 0 1 2 • F r o m t h e Pa s t i n t o t h e Fu t u r e • w w w. s t n i c h o l a s b i r c h c l i f f . c o m 1

Parish Profile • St Nicholas, Birch Cliff • Toronto • 2012

Incumbent’s Profile

Our new incumbent will be...

• a spiritual leader committed to both the spiritual and numerical growth of the parish through the setting and maintaining of a high standard for liturgy, preaching and music.

• tolerant, flexible and open to positive change and the exploration of non-traditional styles of worship.

• someone who demonstrates concern for and commitment to pastoral care within the parish community, to outreach, and to social justice initiatives and actions within the wider community.

• an open, friendly, visible, and supportive leader and participant in the life of the St. Nicholas parish family.

Pastoral care is a highly valued ministry in our parish. A dedicated pastoral team offers everything from communion to companionship to our parishioners who can not attend services. The increasing age of our congregation suggests that there will be an on-going demand for such ministry.

Natural Church Development has been a recent initiative at St. Nicholas. We completed our first survey last year and several steps have been taken to develop the areas in which it indicated that growth was needed.

Executive Summary

St. Nicholas Church is a family-oriented Anglican parish located in the Birch Cliff community of southwest Scarborough. This year we are celebrating our centennial, and events are planned throughout the year for both the parish and the wider community.

Worship at St. Nicholas follows a fairly traditional pattern with emphasis on sermons that connect us to our daily Christian life. There are two services held each Sunday morning, as well as Eucharist on Wednesday, and Morning Prayer every Tuesday and Thursday morning. Our average Sunday attendance is 150 parishioners.

Music is a very important part of our worship. There is a choir of talented singers that lead the 10:30 Eucharist. We have a new organist who has been a welcome addition to our church family.

Faith-deepening activities are offered to every age group at St. Nicholas. Our Sunday School program runs throughout the year, while bible study sessions and opportunities for guest speakers occur regularly.



Table of Contents

• Executive Summary / Incumbent’s Profile ............................................................................................... 1

• Welcome to St. Nicholas, Birch Cliff .............................................................................................................. 3

• A Brief History ............................................................................................................................................................... 4

• The Physical Side ........................................................................................................................................................ 5

• The Staff ........................................................................................................................................................................... 7

• Demographics and Survey Results .............................................................................................................. 8

• Natural Church Development ......................................................................................................................... 10

• Liturgical Life ................................................................................................................................................................. 11

• Musical Life ..................................................................................................................................................................... 12

• Outreach and the Community ....................................................................................................................... 12

• Faith-Deepening Activities ................................................................................................................................. 14

• Communications and Financial Overview ............................................................................................ 15

• Our Strengths .............................................................................................................................................................. 16

• Looking Towards The Future ............................................................................................................................. 17

• 2012 Operating, Capital and Memorial Fund Budget ..................................................................... 18

• Parish Survey .................................................................................................................................................................. 19



Over the past 100 years our parish has grown and flourished due to God’s favour, the clergy, parishioners and the community who have been with us on our journey of faith. We are a parish full of life, with a number of families attending for several generations, and friends who have met and bonded through the spiritual fulfillment St. Nicholas offers.

As one participant in our recent survey responded when asked why he/she continued to come to St. Nicholas, ”It is my home.”

The Church of St. Nicholas is seeking an incumbent who will tap into the energy of our parishioners and in full partnership with the people move this parish to its next level of development and growth.

This Parish Profile is the culmination of a broad consultative process between the Parish Selection Committee and parishioners. It is the hope of the committee that it reflects the current state of our parish as well as the aspirations of our community for the future.

Welcome to St. Nicholas!

Some of the congregation 2011



WHAT WE DO continued from previous page

A Brief History

Like our Lord Jesus, the parish of St. Nicholas began its life in a stable. The stable, located just off Haig Avenue, was donated by George Davis, a resident of the small village of Birch Cliff. The meeting to discuss the founding of a new church took place on June 12, 1912 and, the Bishop of Toronto having granted permission to The Rev. Charles E. Luce to form a mission church, the first service was held June 25th. Our church was given its name because Rev. Luce’s father was the rector of a St. Nicholas Church in England.

Summer services were held in a tent while the remodelling of the stable was completed. However the converted stable on Haig Avenue was soon inadequate, and was enlarged at the end of 1914. In January 1916, fire broke out and the building was destroyed along with most of the furnishings. Although the building was gone, the spirit of the people flourished. Property was acquired at the present location on Kingston Road and temporary quarters for the church services were provided at Oakridge Public School on Danforth Avenue.

The first service on our present church property was the laying of the corner stone on July 22,

1916. Then on May 29, 1917, Bishop Sweeney officiated in the dedication of the completed Church of St. Nicholas at Birch Cliff. The spirit of the people prevailed with help from far and near. The oak pulpit was a gift from St. Nicholas Church in Gloucester, England. The matching altar was a gift from St. Paul’s Bloor Street. Our baptismal font was about the only furnishing to survive the fire.

In 1953, under the leadership of the Rev. Lewis S. Garnsworthy, who was later to become the Bishop of Toronto, the church building was expanded to its present size. During the expansion, services were held in the Birch Cliff Theatre across the street on Kingston Road. Again the community helped us.

St Nicholas continued to prosper through the second half of the 20th century. Starting in 1956, the windows in the main part of the church were gradually replaced with the stained glass memorial windows which are such a beautiful part of the church today.



WHAT WE DO continued from previous page

Of the many people, both clergy and laity, whose work and commitment have benefited St Nicholas over the years, one of the most beloved was Edward “Robbie” Robinson, an integral part of the life of the parish from his year as Priest-in-Charge in 1953-54 until his retirement in 1970 and beyond. In recognition of his years of service and to commemorate his 90th birthday on January 20, 1978, the large basement hall was officially dedicated as “Robinson Hall” in a ceremony officiated by former rector and then archbishop, Lewis Garnsworthy.

In 1995, following severe water damage to the organ loft, the Rev. Canon Prue Chambers initiated the organ room’s transformation into the Memorial Room. Nine stained glass memorial windows were donated by parishioners and dedicated by Bishop Michael Bedford-Jones. More recently, the memorial donation of the Stations of the Cross has further enhanced worship at St Nicholas.

Through 100 years of ministry, from the Rev. Charles Luce to our most recent incumbent, the Rev. Kevin Robertson, St. Nicholas has been and remains a vibrant and active part of the life of the Birch Cliff community.

The Physical Side

St. Nicholas, Birch cliff is located in the southwest area of Scarborough known as Birch Cliff. Our parish boundaries are from Victoria Park Avenue to Birchmount Road and from Danforth Ave to Lake Ontario. Kingston Road is a main thoroughfare, with TTC stops directly in front of the building. The parish owns a large parking lot on Manderly, close beside the church.

St. Nicholas Church is a classic cruciform building, with exposed wood and a traditional decor and layout. It seats approximately 300 people.

The main level contains the incumbent’s office, as well as two more offices - one for additional clergy (currently used by our Assistant Curate) and one for our parish secretary - both of which have been renovated within the past 12 months. We use current office equipment including a colour laser printer, photocopier and utilize wireless internet throughout the building.

The main level also contains the Memorial Room, which seats up to 15 people and is used for meetings as well as fellowship time after some services. The east transept is in the process of being converted into a flexible worship space with a moveable altar and chairs.

In the basement there are 2 halls. Robinson Hall, the larger, with a stage, washrooms, and kitchen, holds about 140 people for a sit-down function. The stage is at the front of the hall, and the well-equipped kitchen has a pass through to both halls. There are washroom facilities for men and women. The hall was repaired and the walls painted approximately 7 years ago. At the same time new floor tile was installed with new light fixtures and ceiling tile.

The church and basement areas are all wheelchair accessible. A wheelchair accessible washroom is directly off Robinson Hall.



On the lower level, there are also change rooms for the choir, servers and sacristans, a pastoral counselling area and the office for the Director of Music.

Off the small hall is an office where a used book room is established as well as a separate area for servers to store their robes and to change before services.

Preliminary planning is underway to renovate the kitchen within the coming year.

We have recently replaced the gas boiler furnace, and had the entire heating system revamped. There has been air conditioning added to the main body of the church in the past 5 years, and there are air conditioning units in the incumbent’s and parish offices located on the main floor.

Two flat roofs have been replaced in the last year. We have recently finished waterproofing the outside foundation walls on the south and west side of the church. As a result of the excavation, we have also landscaped the pathways and gardens surrounding the building. In the basement, some repairs to walls are still required from water damage sustained before the foundation was waterproofed.

The church owns a rectory at 1 Woodland Park Road, less than a 10-minute walk from the church. This family home is situated in the neighbourhood known as The Hunt Club and was built in the 1950s. We are the original purchasers of the two-storey, four-bedroom house, which is in a very good state of repair. There is a four-piece bath on the second floor as well as a two-piece powder room on the main floor. A modern kitchen and finished basement, along with a good-sized backyard, make this a very attractive home.

The small hall is used for Church School, and contains an altar as well as “kid-sized” furniture and accessories. This hall was repaired and repainted and the hardwood floors sanded and varnished at the same time as Robinson Hall. The two halls in the basement are used on a regular basis during the week, as well as on Sunday.

RectoryRobinson Hall



The church and rectory are close to the popular Beaches area of Toronto and Kingston Road Village. This area features over 3 km of beautiful beaches along with a large number of independent shops, boutiques and restaurants. We are close to bus routes, and less than a 10-minute bus ride from the subway station. The public library is within walking distance and a recreation centre with pool and skating arena is within a 5-minute drive. There are English and French Immersion elementary and secondary schools within a 10-minute drive of the rectory. Downtown Toronto is 20 minutes away by car with its large selection of live theatre, restaurants, cinemas, museums and all other amenities.

To learn more about this wonderful community, please visit the links listed below:

Map of Church/Rectory, and surrounding area

Bluffs Monitor Newspaper

Beaches Neighbourhood information

Pastoral Staff

Interim Priest-in-charge: The Venerable Dr. Michael Pollesel, before coming to St. Nicholas as interim, was General Secretary of the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada from 2006 to 2011. Michael was elected bishop of the Diocese of Uruguay at the synod in Montevideo in February 2012.

Honorary Assistant: The Rev. Joan Waters-Garner is a retired priest of the Diocese of Toronto, having enjoyed earlier careers in the fields of Teaching and Church Music. Joan has been an honorary assistant since December 1995 and from 2006 until September 2011 was also our music director.

Honorary Assistant: The Rev. Canon Ian Noseworthy took early retirement from St. Jude’s, Wexford in 2009 and shortly afterwards became honorary assistant. Currently, Ian is Interim Priest-in-charge at St. Theodore of Canterbury.

Assistant Curate: The Rev. Dr. Alison Falby has been half-time Assistant Curate since May, 2011. Holding a B.A. in History and Philosophy from McGill and a D.Phil from Oxford, Alison taught history at the University of Nipissing and then at Trent University before enrolling in Theology at Trinity College, Toronto. Alison will be ordained priest at St. Nicholas on March 24, 2012.

Pastoral Associate / Outreach Co-ordinator: Deb Chapman first joined the pastoral team as a theological student from Trinity College, and has remained with us for the last 5 years in her role as pastoral associate and counsellor. In addition, Deb runs Vacation Bible Camp and heads up and organizes our outreach activities.

Other Staff

Church Secretary: Janet Baron recently celebrated the 24th anniversary of her employment as parish secretary. In addition to her work in the office, Janet is also a leading member of the St. Nicholas choir.

Director of Music: Carmine Lappano completed his Bachelor of Music in Music Education at the University of Toronto in 2000. He became music director at St. Nicholas in September 2011.

Rectory

http://maps.google.ca/maps?saddr=1+Woodland+Park+Road,+Toronto,+ON&daddr=1512+Kingston+Road,+Scarborough,+ON+M1N+1R7+%28St+Nicholas+Birch+Cliff+Anglican+Church%29&hl=en&ll=43.687255,-79.271421&spn=0.007138,0.016394&sll=43.689039,-79.269071&sspn=0.028549,0.065575&geocode=FcaTmgIdr1pG-ylVnoGjvc7UiTGxWa7xzM1pHg%3BFU-kmgIdMXNG-yG4aL5cmyDuGA&oq=1+Woodlan&vpsrc=6&mra=ls&t=h&z=16

http://www.bluffsmonitor.com/

http://beachestoronto.com/



• 87% usually attend the 10:30 service on Sunday. 65% of the respondents attend church weekly, and 19% attend more than one service per week.

• 70% of the respondents live outside of the formal parish boundaries. However, 60% of the parish lives within a 15-minute drive of the church.

• 55% have been members of St. Nicholas for 11 years or longer.

In looking at the reasons why people first came to St. Nicholas, those most often cited were:

• music, • clergy, • a welcoming community, and • referral by family and friends.

When asked the reasons for continuing to attend St. Nicholas, those identified as significant factors were:

• spiritual growth, • music, • clergy, and • a welcoming community .

Demographics

A recent survey conducted among parishioners garnered 113 responses and has supplied information which, combined with data from the incumbent’s reports and the Diocese, provide a fairly clear picture of St. Nicholas as a church community.

Highlights of the results include the following:

Age Distribution

The Birch Cliff area in which St. Nicholas is situated has in recent years become more ethnically diverse. Originally an area inhabited by people of British or Canadian Anglo-Saxon background, the percentage of people claiming such a background dropped from 65% in the 1981 census to 31% in the 2001 census, a trend that has certainly continued over the past 10 years. However, this trend has, by and large, not been reflected in the St. Nicholas congregation. The fact that such a significant percentage of the population do not live within the parish boundaries is, perhaps, a reflection of this reality.

Within the St. Nicholas census tract area, 13% listed “Anglican” as their religion in 2001.

While the age demographic of the parish is predominantly over 50, the community’s largest age group is 30-55.

More detailed census data is available from the City of Toronto website. (# 120-123 at http://www.toronto.ca/demographics/profiles_map_and_index.htm).

The weekly attendance at St. Nicholas has increased slightly over the past six years, with an overall average weekly attendance exceeding 200 and an average Sunday attendance of approximately 150.

35-49 (10%)

20-34 (7%)

12-14 (1%)

50-64 (35%)

75+ (21%)

65-74 (27%)

http://www.toronto.ca/demographics/profiles_map_and_index.htm



WHO WE ARE continued from previous page

How many groups/committees do you participate In

There are many opportunities for parishioners to get involved with the church. We have numerous groups and committees that are active throughout the year. In our recent parish survey, 94% of the parish indicated they were involved in at least one group or committee at the church.

Just to name some of the regular groups:

• Servers • Greeters • Sunday School • Lay Reader, anointer, and visitor • Outreach Committee • Sides People • Prayer Chain • Parish Council • Social Committee • Coffee Hour • Funeral receptions • Bazaar Committee • Choir • St. Nick’s Knights Softball • Parish Breakfast • Lenten Lunch • Altar Guild • Bible Study • Worship Committee

In addition to these groups, parishioners are involved in volunteering at the various events, and community clean-up days throughout the year.

Women’s Breakfast in Robinson Hall

There are also many social events during the year that allow our parish to come together in fellowship. Our Valentines Dance, and our Patronal Christmas Dinner and Dance are attended by over 100 people. We have a monthly Card Party. The parish also runs bus trips to the Stratford Festival, Shaw Festival, among other Ontario theaters. We also hold a Family Snow Tubing Day every winter, and a Golf Tournament and BBQ at the end of June.

St. Nick’s Knights Softball Team

0 (5%)

10+ (5%)

1-3 (59%)

7-9(7%)

4-6 (24%)



Natural Church Development

30 parishioners were asked to participate in the NCD survey, designed to show how strong a parish is, taking into account a number of characteristics such as passionate spirituality, inspiring worship, empowering leadership, loving relationships, and needs-oriented evangelism. The key word in each case is the adjective – how it measures the strength of our connection to God and how well that relationship informs how we live our faith.

The first parishioner survey was completed last winter and several steps have been taken to develop the areas where it indicated growth was needed. For example, all parish meetings and committees now include, at the beginning of their meetings, a short bible reading or reflection. St. Nicholas is committed to continuing with NCD and will administer the second parishioner survey later this year.

Complete NDC results are available on request.

90

67.5

45

22.5

0

Lowest Five

I pray for my friends, colleagues and relatives who do not yet know Jesus Christ, that they will come to faith

The bible is a powerful guide for me in the decisions of everyday life

I enjoy reading the Bible on my own

I often tell other Christians when I have experienced something from God

I try to deepen my relationship with people who do not yet know Jesus Christ

Highest Five

I know what value my work has in the overall work of our church

I experience the benefits of working on a team in our church

I clearly understand what is expected from me when fulfilling my task in our church

I enjoy the tasks I do in our church

Our leaders regularly praise and acknowledge volunteers

NCD Highest and Lowest Five Results (out of 100)

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�4�5

�6�7�.�5

�9�0

�L�o�w�e�s �t � �F �i �v�e �H �i �g�h�e �s �t � �F �i �v�e

�8�7�8�7�8�6�8�5�8�0

�2�9�2�7�2�5�2�3�1�9

19 80

2385

2586

27 87

2987



Altar and choir pews

There are three services Christmas Eve; an informal Eucharist at 4:00, a family Eucharist with children’s pageant at 7:00 and a traditional candlelight Eucharist with choir at 11:00 as well as a 10:30 a.m. Eucharist Christmas morning.

During Lent, there are weekly Stations of the Cross followed by a reflection, and an interdenominational noontime service organized by and held at St. Nicholas every Wednesday. In Holy Week, services are held every evening, Monday through Thursday and include sung Tenebrae and the Maundy Thursday stripping of the altar. Friday morning the Stations of the Cross are followed by the Good Friday service.

Liturgical Life

Worship at St. Nicholas follows a fairly traditional pattern. The Eucharist is celebrated twice each Sunday, said at 8:30 and with choir and organ at 10:30, and on Wednesday mornings at 10:00.

The 8:30 Sunday and Wednesday morning services use the BAS, page 230 while Sunday at 10:30 uses the page 185 version. On the third Sunday of each month at 10:30, a combination Morning Prayer and Eucharist is held using the Book of Common Prayer. In addition, the Rite of Healing is offered on the second Sunday of each month. Morning Prayer is held every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 8:45.

The celebrant typically wears a stole and chasuble, and at the 10:30 service there is a Gospel procession and a Sanctus gong is struck during the Sanctus and at the consecration. The singing of the psalm is led by a cantor with the choir and congregation singing the refrain.

In addition to the regular Sunday and weekday services, there are numerous other services held at St. Nicholas during the church year. At Christmas, parishioners have enjoyed a 7:00 p.m. service of Lessons and Carols with candles the Sunday before Christmas.

Easter services include the Easter Vigil at 8:00 p.m. Saturday evening followed by a Resurrection Party as well as the traditional Easter Sunday services at 8:30 and 10:30 a.m.

Special services are held for the Feast of the Ascension and Pentecost. A Blessing of Animals (St Francis of Assisi) takes place in October on the church lawn.

Regular monthly services are performed at Retirement Suites by the Lake and Chester Village long-term care facility. Lay outreach /pastoral visiting is provided to parishioners at the Houses of Providence and Midland Gardens nursing homes and residences.

Blessing of Animals



WHERE WE ARE continued from previous page

While not all changes in the liturgy or patterns of worship have met with immediate approval, in general the congregation has accepted the changes. Some people still prefer the BCP and/or would like Morning Prayer more frequently, others do not like the BCP Morning Prayer/Eucharist hybrid, while still others prefer page 230 of the BAS to page 185. For the most part however, such differences of opinion have not posed a major issue or source of conflict. Initially, some people had reservations regarding the introduction of the Sanctus gong.

More recently, not everyone liked the decision to have the psalm sung by a cantor while the choir and congregation sing only the refrain. In these situations, parishioners have gradually become accustomed to and accepted the changes. All such decisions are first discussed at the parish Worship Committee, then introduced on an interim basis, with reaction from the congregation being monitored before a permanent change is made.

Musical Life

Music is a very important part of our worship at St. Nicholas. There is a choir of talented singers that lead the 10:30 Eucharist. The choir also performs traditional choral anthems at each service, under the direction of the organist/music director.

Advent Service

The wonderful 3-manual, 60-stop classic organ, which accompanies most anthems and all hymns, creates an atmosphere of praise which deepens the worship experience of the congregation. The organist also begins the service with a prelude, as well as concluding with a postlude.

The choir also takes part in extra services throughout the church year, specifically during Advent and Lent. We are pleased to have welcomed Carmine Lappano as our new Director of Music and organist. Carmine has been with us since the beginning of September. Since his arrival the congregation has enjoyed not only his wonderful organ playing, but also his fresh approach.

Outreach and the Community

There are areas and people within the local community who have significant needs and problems. Within our own parish community, we can identify issues relating to aging and loneliness. Furthermore, the hardships faced by single parent families, the under-housed, the unemployed and the marginalized are very real for many living within our local area. To address some of these problems, for many years St. Nicholas has been actively involved in local outreach projects.

Under our former incumbent the Rev. Kevin Robertson, we began the discernment process required to raise a deacon at St. Nicholas. An initial meeting was held to discuss both the role of a deacon and the process needed to raise one from our church. We believe that a deacon at St. Nicholas would help us to make a greater contribution to the life of the local community and to wider outreach activities.

We are a founding member of the Churches by the Bluffs Food Bank which we continue to support both monetarily and with the work of several parishioners who volunteer their time on a weekly basis. The Bluffs food bank began its operations in 2003 and since then it has grown from serving 24 families, to as many as 300.



WHERE WE ARE continued from previous page

Amazing Christmas Feast 2011

Caring about issues of social justice is evident by our outreach activities. Recently, many in the congregation gave their support to a petition opposing the shutting down of the Birchmount Men’s Residence across the road from the church, a facility where clergy and parishioners have been involved for many years.

St. Nicholas is involved with a number of ecumenical and interdenominational events and activities. The Lenten lunch program is held each year every Wednesday during Lent at St. Nicholas. It consists of a short service conducted each week by a priest or minister from each of the churches in the West Scarborough Ministerial in which, through the years, St. Nicholas clergy have always played an important role. The service is followed by a luncheon where the visiting churches in turn provide the soup and St. Nicholas the remainder of the meal.

We participate in the World Day of Prayer which was held at St. Nicholas last year.

In addition, from October until May, two Tuesdays out of four a group of 10 to 12 volunteers, led by our Pastoral Associate, cook and serve a free lunch as part of the Beach Interfaith Lunch Program.

The week before Christmas, St. Nicholas in partnership with Wimpy’s Diner across the road and the Birchmount Bluffs Neighbourhood Centre sponsors for nearly 700 people the ‘Amazing Christmas Feast’ at which anyone needing it can enjoy a free turkey dinner. This year the Scarborough Mirror featured a story about the event. Wimpy’s serves the dinner which is followed by a dessert buffet at St. Nicholas, visits with Santa, presents for the children and ‘free’ shopping for basic items donated by the people of the parish, more than 60 of whom are there to help and join in the fellowship of the evening.

The problems of aging and loneliness within our community are addressed as far as possible by our Pastoral Visiting Team which makes regular visits to our sick and shut-in parishioners as well as to retirement residences and long-term care facilities. This Team has also made possible the extension of pastoral care to our shut-ins and elderly parishioners as well as providing support to the clergy in a number of other ways.

Vacation Bible Camp has become an important ministry at St. Nicholas. When it began four years ago, 8 children attended and last summer there were 30 children ranging in age from 4-12. As well, over the years the volunteer base has grown to 12 volunteers. The youth of the church help out as youth leaders and are able to use this time for community hours at their respective schools. Volunteers, all screened to work with children, help out in a variety of ways. This program includes lunch which is prepared by some of the volunteers, while others help with the various workshops offered. The camp runs from Monday to Friday, 9am-12:30pm in the third week of August.

The camp is based on a direct learning model where a main theme is re-enforced through a variety of activities. The camp focuses on real issues kids face such as bullying or self-image problems, and it always concentrates on God’s unconditional love for them and the ways they can offer love and service to others. Over the four years, more children from St. Nicholas have joined in the fun, but 65-70% of the children still come from the wider community.

Vacation Bible Camp Game



Socializing at Coffee Hour

During the month of March, the children come together for Outreach Month, where the children work on various outreach projects (example of past projects: making Easter cards for parishioners who are unable to come to church during the Easter season; collecting donations for the Free the Children organization, collecting food for The Children’s Breakfast Clubs).

July to September (Labour Day weekend):

The growing number of young children in the church has led to the development of a year- round Sunday School program, which is an encouraging sign of hope for the future.

The summer program is available for all ages using the “Seasons of the Spirit” lectionary- based curriculum.

Faith-Deepening Activities

For Children and Youth

September to June:

Toddler Class: A program for 2 ½- to 5-year-olds, offering age appropriate Christian books, puzzles, activities and crafts. This is a relatively new program that has grown 40% in the last 3 years.

Sunday School in Small Hall

Multi-Age Class: A program for 6- to 11-year-olds, using the “Seasons of the Spirit” lectionary-based curriculum.

Senior Class: A program for ages 12 years and older offering group discussions on lectionary readings and other relevant issues. Adolescents have the same learning opportunities, with the exception that the Sunday morning gatherings, while being lectionary-based, have no formal curriculum.

For Adults

There are a number of opportunities available for adult members of the parish to reflect on and deepen their faith. Bible studies are held periodically during the year and always during Lent.

Women’s Breakfast is held on the first Saturday of each month. Following the breakfast, a speaker recounts her or his faith journey followed by small group discussions of a question arising from the talk. Such discussion creates opportunities for reflection and spiritual growth. About four times a year, the men are invited to participate in a parish breakfast.

Women’s Breakfast



Two Women’s Quiet Days are held each year at the convent of the Sisters of St John the Divine. Approximately 25 women attend.

A prayer workshop led by Bishop Patrick Yu took place in the past year, with a second scheduled for this March.

The weekly Wednesday morning Eucharist, rather than including a traditional homily, presents a question or concept arising from the gospel and then invites those in attendance (normally 20-25 people) to share their ideas, beliefs and opinions relating to that question.

Depending on the specific activity, anywhere from 10% to 25% of the congregation take advantage of the opportunities provided to participate in such faith-deepening activities

Whenever required, the incumbent has met with parents and potential candidates to prepare them for baptism and confirmation. On an ongoing basis, the people’s sense of connection between faith and daily life has been nurtured by excellent sermons which relate the bible readings to modern life and make their message relevant.

Guest speakers from areas such as Faithworks and outreach illustrate the meaning of acting out one’s faith among those less fortunate within the larger community.

Communications

St. Nicks News [link »] a quarterly publication which reports on the life of the parish. It includes reports from the clergy, wardens, and committees. It gives parishioners a chance to learn about upcoming events, topics of interest and past activities. St. Nick’s News is distributed in paper form at the church, by mail to shut-ins, by email, and on the church website.

Nicks Notes [link »] is included into the order of service with notices and announcements for upcoming events, meetings and services.

Email is used extensively to communicate with parishioners. Special announcements regarding deaths in the parish, a call for volunteers for events, and reminders about upcoming dates are sent out routinely.

Our church website, www.stnicholasbirchcliff.com, over the years has grown into the extensive site that it is today. The website also includes links to our YouTube channel and Flickr pages.

Financial Overview

St. Nicholas is a financially stable parish which has been blessed with a loving, caring and giving congregation. We have maintained a balanced budget over the past number of years, while increasing staff and programs at the church.

The wardens regularly communicate our finances to the parish through bulletins, newsletters and updates throughout the year. This communication has been much appreciated by the congregation. Two years ago we embarked on a capital campaign to repair some areas in the church (primarily roofs and foundation work). We raised over $100,000. The “Our Faith – Our Hope” campaign met with an equally generous response.

Whenever there is a project or initiative that is launched, it generally enjoys great success with many willing donors. We are blessed with strong and capable lay leadership that manages this area of parish life well and allows the incumbent to focus his or her attention on more important areas of parish ministry.

The parish finances from last year and the proposed budget for this year are found as an addendum to this profile.

http://stnicholasbirchcliff.com/pages/08_resources.html

http://www.stnicholasbirchcliff.com/pages/01_leaflet-slideshare.html

www.stnicholasbirchcliff.com

www.stnicholasbirchcliff.com

http://www.youtube.com/user/stnicholaschurchtube

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stnicholasbirchcliff



POSITION SPECIFICATION continued from previous page

Over two years ago our church held an ambitious and very successful capital campaign to fund repairs desperately needed. Last year our parish took part in phase 1 of the “Our Faith – Our Hope’.” Since the Diocese of Toronto campaign was so close to our capital campaign, many parishioners volunteering with “Our Faith – Our Hope’” were concerned we might not reach our goal.

Through the sacrificial giving and strong faith of the parishioners, we were able to achieve 138% of our goal. The overwhelming success of the “Our Faith – Our Hope’” campaign is evidence of the faith which underlies our generosity.

Our Strengths

The strengths of St. Nicholas are evident in every event and important occasion we organize and come together to accomplish. As a parish, we support each other in good times and difficult times, and we always enjoy opening our church and hearts to each other and the community.

Bazaar 2011

Our annual bazaar always takes place the first Saturday of November. It is a success from a financial and fellowship perspective. It is a year-long process that involves the whole church in some way or another under the leadership of the Bazaar Committee. It brings together individuals that would not normally interact with each other on a day-to-day basis. It is anticipated not only by our parishioners but by the entire Scarborough community.

We have developed a reputation over the years for having one of the best bazaars in Scarborough.

Recently a very loved and devoted parish member passed away. The funeral and reception captured the character of St. Nicholas in a glorious way. The service was attended by a majority of parishioners who played an important part in making the reception a very loving, supportive environment for each other and for the family.

On a happier note, we recently celebrated the retirement of our music directors with a wonderful reception that again displayed the heart of our church. The majority of our parishioners took an active part in both of these events in some way, whether it was making sandwiches, desserts, setting up or doing dishes.

All of these examples illustrate that we are a warm, welcoming community that supports each other in both good times and times of difficulty.

the music directorsretirement reception



In our recent parish survey, 59% of the respondents identified themselves as being open to the development of non-traditional forms of worship to supplement our current liturgy. This raises the possibility of yet another area of potential growth through the creation of a church environment designed to attract new, younger and non-church going individuals to our parish community.

As we celebrate our centennial year at St. Nicholas, highlighted by the visit of the Primate for our Homecoming Service on June 10, we take seriously not only the words of our motto but also the words of our Bishop, Patrick Yu, who at our centennial launch, charged us to be a church which looked to the future by being willing to share our beliefs with outsiders and invite them into our faith community. We look to our new incumbent to lead us towards the achievement of that goal.

Looking Towards The Future

We believe in a strong future for St. Nicholas and already a number of initiatives are in place or in the planning stages designed to make that future a reality.

The lack of any ongoing youth programs at St. Nicholas in recent years is an area of concern we are committed to rectifying. To address this concern, our Assistant Curate has been given the responsibility of developing a youth ministry program aimed at attracting and helping to keep our young people within the church.

We look forward to further developing our outreach and social justice initiatives such as expanding our involvement in the free interfaith lunch program to include one day a week at St. Nicholas. We also intend to investigate the possibility of offering cooking classes to the widowed and to single parents. It is our hope that having a deacon at St. Nicholas will help and further enable us to reach these goals.

Where the congregation would like to see growth

Spiritual Growth

Action for Social Justice

How We Minister to Each Other

Full survey results can be found as an addendum to this profile beginning on page 19.

50

37.5

25

12.5

0 A

C

B

A

B C



BALANCE SHEET SUMMARY

Memorial Fund $303,307.83

Altar Guild $2,209.64

Outreach $4,515.81

Sidespersons $0.00

Choir $354.84

Total $310,388.12

RECEIPTS 2011 2012 Total Budget

Open Offering $4,440 $4,500

Parochial Offering 172,156 175,000

Donations & Rentals 31,093 21,500

Fund Raising 24,483 23,000

Rectory Rental 27,600 27,600

Investment Income 12,822 10,000

Capital Donations 15,103 5,000

Other 41,661 35,000

Total Receipts 329,358 301,600

EXPENDITURES 2011 2012 Total Budget

Personnel Costs 161,811 166,000 (Incumbent, Assistant Curate, Organist, Caretaker and Secretary)

Synod Assessment 26,461 28,660

Rectory Taxes, Utilities & Repairs 7,039 4,100

Utilities 14,771 16,200

Insurance 8,133 8,400

Office Supplies & Postage 12,895 12,000

Repairs, Cleaning & Maintenance 8,958 10,000

Choir, Organ & Altar 8,466 2,600

Christian Education / Outreach 12,871 2,000

Provision for Rectory -338 13,300

Other 5,837 2,760

Capital Expenditures 86,592 35,000

Total Expenditures 353,496 301,020

Inter Fund Transfer 25,000

SURPLUS (DEFICIT) $862.00 $580.00

Church of St. Nicholas, Birch Cliff • Operating, Capital and Memorial Fund Budget


Parish Survey • St Nicholas, Birch Cliff • Toronto • 2012 St. Nicholas Parish Survey St. Nicholas Parish Survey

1 What age category do you fit in? 12 to 14 1 1%15 to 19 0 0%20 to 34 8 7%35 to 49 11 10%50 to 64 39 35%65 to 74 30 27%Over 75 23 21%

Total 112

2 What gender are you? Male 31 28%Female 79 72%

Total 110

3 How did you find out about Family/friends 68 65% the parish of St. Nicholas? Social/community events 14 13%

Outdoor sign 22 21%Website 1 1%

Total 105

4 How many years have you Less than 1 6 5% been a member of St. Nicholas? 1 to 2 9 8%

3 to 5 15 14%6 to 10 19 17%11 to 19 21 19%More then 20 40 36%

Total 110

5 Before I joined St. Nicholas’ I… did not attend church 17 15%always attended St. Nicholas 12 11%was a member of another Anglican parish 67 61%was a member of another denomination 14 13%

Total 110

6 Do you live within the parish boundary? Yes 33 30%No 78 70%

Total 111

7 How far do you live from the church? Walking distance 20 18%Less than 5 minutes by car 11 10%5 to 15 minutes by car 57 50%More than 15 minutes by car 25 22%

Total 113

8 How often do you attend worship More than once a week 22 19% services at St. Nicholas? Weekly 73 65%

Every other week 6 5%Monthly 5 4%Occasionally 7 6%Christmas and Easter 0 0%

Total 113

9 What service do you normally attend? 8:30 Sunday 17 12%10:30 Sunday 98 68% 92 610:00 Wednesday 21 15% 3 14 4Morning Prayer 8 6% 3 3 2

10 Do you set aside time for private prayer? Daily 62 55%Weekly 15 13%Monthly 4 4%Seldom 23 20%Never 9 8%

Total 113

11 How often do you read scripture or Daily 32 29% other devotional works? Weekly 17 15%

Monthly 12 11%Seldom 34 30%Never 17 15%

Total 112

12 Do you say grace at meals? Daily 46 41%Weekly 8 7%Monthly 6 5%Seldom 46 41%Never 5 5%

Total 111

13 Which statement describes Single 27 24%your family composition? Married without children 10 9%

Married with dependent children at home 10 9%Single with dependent children at home 9 8%Married with grown independent children 43 38%Other 13 12%

Total 112

15 I currently participate in None 5 5%or contribute to… 1 to 3 57 59%

4 to 6 23 24% 7 to 9 7 7%More than 9 5 5%

16 Why did you first begin Music 33 30%attending St. Nicholas? Liturgy 20 18% 5 15

Spiritual Growth 28 25% 12 8 8Preaching 22 20% 10 10 0 2Clergy 40 36% 7 13 13 7 0Welcoming Community 38 35% 9 9 10 8 2Interior of Building 15 14% 0 3 4 4 4Opportunities to Contribute 20 18% 0 3 8 8 1Children’s Programs 13 12% 3 1 4 3 2Proximity to Home of Work 22 20% 5 4 1 5 7Social Events 10 9% 0 1 3 3 3Referral by Family or Friends 34 31% 9 3 5 8 9Brought as a Young Child 22 20% 13 2 1 2 4Other 13 12% 6 1 2 1 3

17 Why do you continue to Music 48 33% attend St Nicholas? Liturgy 36 25% 13 23

Spiritual Growth 46 32% 17 19 10Preaching 34 24% 7 19 0 8Clergy 46 32% 7 7 15 11 6Welcoming Community 48 33% 8 17 11 7 5Interior of Building 12 8% 1 1 7 2 1Opportunities to Contribute 29 20% 0 4 12 9 4Children’s Programs 7 5% 2 1 0 2 2Proximity to Home of Work 17 12% 2 2 6 5 2Social Events 26 18% 0 2 9 11 4Presence of Family or Friends 41 28% 3 2 5 20 11It is my family church 37 26% 3 2 4 7 21Other 5 3% 2 0 0 1 2

18 Three years from now would The same size as now 3 3%you like the congregation to be? 10% larger 48 44%

50% larger 44 40%100% larger 14 13%

Total 109

19 Do you think it is most important, in the In spiritual depth 44 41%next five years, for the congregation to grow? In action for social justice 28 26%

In the way our members minister to one another 35 33%Total 107

20 Do you think we do a good job of welcoming Always 50 45% newcomers from all walks of life? Often 41 37%

Sometimes 14 13%Rarely 6 5%

Total 111

21 Do you think we do a good job of integrating Always 36 32% new members into our parish community? Often 50 45%


Total 112

22 To what extent can we accurately describe Always 40 36%ourselves as a community open and Often 48 43%accepting of all people? Sometimes 22 20%

Rarely 1 1%Total 111

23 Would you favour offering more worship Yes 39 35% services at times other than Sunday No 74 65%and Wednesday mornings? Total 113

24 If you said Yes to the previous question Saturday 11 31%which time would you prefer? Sunday afternoon 2 6%

Sunday evening 11 31%Weekday evening 11 31%

Total 35

25 Would you be open to the development of an Yes 65 59%alternative non-traditional worship? No 46 41%

Total 111

26 Would you attend an alternative Yes 63 57%non-traditional worship? No 48 43%

Total 111

How important is it that our new priest be committed to:How important is it that our new priest be committed to:

27 working with the Pastoral Team to Always 68 62%cover parish visits? Often 32 29%


Total 110

28 assisting victims of social neglect, injustice, Very Important 82 73%and prejudice within our parish and community? Somewhat Important 29 26%

Not Important 1 1%Total 112

29 being aware and proactive in meeting the needs Very Important 85 76%of those less fortunate in our community? Somewhat Important 27 24%


30 encouraging and supporting Parish outreach Very Important 89 79%activities such as the food bank and Somewhat Important 23 21% inter-faith lunches? Not Important 0 0%

Total 112

Christian Education: How important is it that our new priest:

31 encourage children’s spiritual development Very Important 98 88%through Sunday School participation and Somewhat Important 13 12%involvement in worship services Not Important 0 0%

Total 111

32 actively promote and aid in the development Very Important 91 82%of programmes for youth? Somewhat Important 20 18%


33 assist and encourage the further development of Very Important 52 47%religious education classes for adults. Somewhat Important 57 51%


Leadership: How important is it that our new priest:

34 participate in inter-denominational activities Very Important 43 39%and conferences? Somewhat Important 60 54%


35 participate in fellowship at church Very Important 83 75%gatherings? Somewhat Important 26 23%


36 encourage parishioners‘ involvement in Very Important 71 63%church groups and activities? Somewhat Important 37 33%


37 develop, train and assist effective Very Important 75 67% lay leadership? Somewhat Important 37 33%


http://www.stnicholasbirchcliff.com/


Parish Survey • St Nicholas, Birch Cliff • Toronto • 2012

St. Nicholas Parish Survey St. Nicholas Parish Survey


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