Orders of Service
Photographer: Austin Zhao, FRSA
SECOND SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
June 7, 2026
St. Andrew by-the-Lake
Toronto Islands
www.sabtl.ca
Priest-in-Charge: Alison Hari Singh (416-203-0873 or [email protected])
Wardens: Bella Beazer and Loretta Ryan
Treasurer & Bookings: Jane Davidson-Neville ([email protected])
Deputy Warden: David Ulbrych
Synod Rep: Billy J. Choi-Gekas
Musicians: Susanne Maziarz, Jennifer Wakefield, and Jane Davidson-Neville
Musical Selections: Jennifer Wakefield and Alison Hari Singh
NOTE: Services are being recorded. Out of respect for our musicians and other congregation members, please limit conversations when the prelude begins and until the postlude is finished. Thank you.
Prelude Breaths (by Ysaye Barnwell)
THE GATHERING OF THE PEOPLE
We give thanks to our Creator for the earth we share with all creatures, and we acknowledge that we are here on the traditional lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat. We also recognize the enduring presence of all First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples, and we seek to live respectfully with each other and with the earth. We pray for healing between our cultures and healing from the legacy of settler colonialism. We believe that Black Lives Matter and that Every Child Matters. We know that love is love, and we welcome everyone who desires to join us in worship. You are a beloved creation of God, and you are most welcome in this place.
Please stand, as you are able.
Opening Hymn All Praise to Thee (Common Praise #387)
Celebrant: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
People: And also with you.
Celebrant: Almighty God,
All: to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hidden. Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Collect
Celebrant: God of grace, you invite the despised, you touch the unclean, you lift up those who are brought low: give us that hope for a world transformed through Jesus Christ, the mercy of God. Amen.
Please be seated.
First Reading
Reader: A reading from the book of Genesis.
The Lord said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. Abram took his wife Sarai and his brother's son Lot, and all the possessions that they had gathered, and the persons whom they had acquired in Haran; and they set forth to go to the land of Canaan. When they had come to the land of Canaan, Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. Then the Lord appeared to Abram, and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. From there he moved on to the hill country on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the Lord and invoked the name of the Lord. And Abram journeyed on by stages toward the Negeb. [GENESIS 12:1-9]
Reader: The word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
Psalm 33: 1-12 Responsorial Psalm (Voices United p. 760)
REFRAIN A new song to our God proclaim, from age to age rejoice!
Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous;
it is good for the just to sing praises.
Praise the Lord with the harp;
play to him upon the psaltery and lyre.
Sing for him a new song;
sound a fanfare with all your skill upon the trumpet. REFRAIN
For the word of the Lord is right,
and all God’s works are sure.
The Lord loves righteousness and justice;
the loving kindness of the Lord fills the whole earth. REFRAIN
By the word of the Lord were the heavens made,
by the breath of his mouth all the heavenly hosts.
He gathers up the waters of the ocean as in a water-skin
and stores up the depths of the sea.
Let all the earth fear the Lord;
let all who dwell in the world stand in awe.
For God spoke, and it came to pass;
The Lord commanded, and it stood fast. REFRAIN
The Lord brings the will of the nations to naught;
God thwarts the designs of the peoples.
But the Lord's will stands fast for ever,
and the designs of his heart from age to age.
Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord!
Happy the people he has chosen to be his own! REFRAIN
THE PROCLAMATION OF THE GOSPEL
As you are able, please stand.
Gospel Acclamation Halle, Halle, Halle (Voices United #958)
REFRAIN Halle, halle, hallelujah!
Halle, halle, hallelujah!
Halle, halle, hallelujah!
Hallelujah! hallelujah! (repeat)
Gospeler: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Gospeler: The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
People: Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, "Follow me." And he got up and followed him. And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" But when he heard this, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners." While he was saying these things to them, suddenly a leader of the synagogue came in and knelt before him, saying, "My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live." And Jesus got up and followed him, with his disciples. Then suddenly a woman who had been suffering from haemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak, for she said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be made well." Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, "Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well." And instantly the woman was made well. When Jesus came to the leader's house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, he said, "Go away; for the girl is not dead but sleeping." And they laughed at him. But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. And the report of this spread throughout that district.
[MATTHEW 9:9-13, 18-26]
Gospeler: This is the Gospel of Christ.
People: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
REFRAIN Halle, halle, hallelujah!
Halle, halle, hallelujah!
Halle, halle, hallelujah!
Hallelujah! hallelujah!
Homily Rev. Alison Hari Singh
May only the truth be spoken and only the truth heard. In the name of God: eternal Source, incarnate Word, and life-giving Spirit. Amen.
This past Wednesday, I met a woman here at the church who was visiting from the UK. She was in the chancel looking at the stain-glass windows when she told me about all the questions her granddaughter has about the Bible. Questions like: did Jesus really walk on water? We talked about how important it is to read with a critical lens and that reading the Bible literally can lead to a whole slew of theological and experiential problems.
But if we’re not meant to read the Bible literally, what is the purpose of this holy book and how, then, are we supposed to read it? These are both important questions to keep in mind as we embark on unpacking today’s reading from Genesis 12. This text is probably one of the most distressing and misunderstood texts in all of Scripture. The way the line “to your offspring, I will give this land” has been interpreted has led to a lot of harm historically and to this very day.
In the 14th and 15th centuries, as Europe began looking outward and initiating naval “explorations,” the Church in Rome released two Papal bulls in relatively close succession to the other. The first was called Dum Diversas (1452) which contained in it the “Doctrine of Discovery.” This religious and legal concept advanced the idea that if a “discovered” people group were not Christian, they were “perpetual enemies,” “heathen,” “savages” and could, potentially, be enslaved. The consequence of this colonial logic was the rise of the trans-Atlantic slave trade and the belief that Europeans and their expressions of Christian culture were superior to all other cultures encountered. The second bull was entitled Romanus Pontifex (1455). This document espoused the concept of “terra nullius.” In Latin, terra nullius means land belonging to no one or vacant land. But when these explorers landed on the shores of Africa and the Americas, the land wasn’t empty, but full of people. The people encountered were not Christians and based on Dum Diversas, their enslavement could be justified, but Dum Diversas didn’t address land acquisition. A new justification had to be made. From the concept of terra nullius, it was argued that since the “pagans” were not cultivating the land in such a way to demonstrate territorial sovereignty, the land was, therefore, vacant, ready to be acquired and used for new, more industrious, purposes. Together, these two concepts were used for centuries to justify colonial conquest. It’s important to note that, today, the Doctrine of Discovery and terra nullius have been rejected by courts and international bodies. These acknowledge that the two concepts were legal fictions used to dispossess Indigenous peoples all over the world, including in Canada.
As students of history, we have to realize that the Doctrine of Discovery and terra nullius did not appear out of thin air. They were rooted in a specific kind of interpretation of Scripture. Fr. David Neuhaus, a Jewish convert to Christianity and prominent Jesuit scripture scholar speaking about the Bible says that the Bible, when wielded in the wrong way, is poison. It’s hard to hear, isn’t it? But we have to face the fact that Scripture – this Holy Word – has been and continues to be used to harm others, even when that is not the explicit intention.
I try not to turn on my tv these days, but when I do, I seem to see someone from the current US administration quoting Genesis 12 and telling us that if the US (and other western nations) “bless Israel,” we will be blessed. But the lesson from this text offers us a much more nuanced reading than this incorrectly quoted and politically motivated reading. Let’s look closer: Abram is called from another nation (modern day Iraq) to travel – to explore – and move to a new land where he will settle: Canaan. When he arrives there, the text tells us, the land was not vacant. “The Canaanites were in the land.” What I find most interesting about this promise given to Abram, not Israel (Jacob) and not a nation-state, as Rabbi David Mivasair points out, is that the promise of the land is not one of exclusivity. What I mean by this is that there is no indication in this text (or anywhere in the Hebrew Bible) that the land was not meant to be shared. As we read further, we realize that Abram understood that. Abram moved through the land from Shechem to Bethel, all the way to the Negev, recognizing that there were people already living there and that the land wasn’t his alone. Never once at any point of Abram’s story does he ever wage war on the people already living there. Such acts of conquest do come later and they are brutal stories which we don’t like to read. These stories, however, tell us exactly what it takes to conquer a land and a people. It is never pretty and almost always violent.
Another thing I think is so important to understand when we consider the promise of shared land given to Abram is to remember that it is conditional. When you read the books of conquest and the establishment of the monarchy in ancient Israel, it’s clear, that the promise of “occupying the land” required a specific way of living: that is, IF you live righteously, THEN, you will dwell safely in the land. I believe we see the fulfillment of this IF-THEN binary in this morning’s gospel text. What is Jesus doing as he goes about moving through the regions of Judea and Samaria in ancient Palestine? He calls outcasts (hated tax collectors) to follow him. He eats and drinks with sinners. He attends to and heals women and girls. He breaks every boundary and in his very person, demonstrates the righteousness, peace and joy required by God to live faithfully in the promised land. Jesus fulfilled the expectations of the Law and, in so doing, showed us how we are to do the same in lands we occupy. If we want to be fruitful in this land, then we must live in a way that demonstrates our love for God by loving our neighbour as ourselves.
This month is both National Indigenous History Month and Pride Month. Recently, there seems to be a growing discomfort in our society of having to live with and experience difference. A student of mine who is trans was physically assaulted recently in the Canadian city she lives. Daily, Indigenous women and girls go missing across this country and the only place left to search for them are landfills. All too often self-confessed Christians are at the centre of division and harm, using the Bible as a cudgel to ensure our society remains steeped in 15th century colonial logics. This morning, God is calling us to actively recognize that the Bible has been and is being used to justify all kinds of trauma and harm and to say, no, it ends with us.
No doubt, the Bible is difficult to read and Good News is hard to live, but the call to be open to our neighbours and to share the bounty of the land with them remains. Amen.
Silence is kept.
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Intercessor: In order to redress the legacy of residential schools and advance the process of genuine reconciliation in Canada, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) makes the following calls to action. Concerning Church Apologies and Reconciliation:
58. We call upon the Pope to issue an apology to Survivors, their families, and communities for the Roman Catholic Church’s role in the spiritual, cultural, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis children in Catholic-run residential schools. We call for that apology to be similar to the 2010 apology issued to Irish victims of abuse and to occur within one year of the issuing of this Report and to be delivered by the Pope in Canada.
Intercessor: June is both National Indigenous History Month and Pride Month. We pray that all the TRC’s 94 Calls to Action be implemented in this land and that the inclusive, diverse and generous nature of the Divine Life be experienced among us.
Intercessor: For all people in their daily life, work, and play. In this spring season, we pray for all those visiting Toronto Island – may they reconnect with the earth and be refreshed and renewed;
People: For our families, friends, and neighbours, and for all those who are alone.
Intercessor: We pray for all who are in political leadership. We ask that they seek just policies that prioritize people’s needs: good food, safe and affordable housing, clean water, and stable employment. For this community, our country, and the world;
People: For all who work for justice, freedom, and peace.
Intercessor: We continue to pray for a genuine and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and southern Lebanon, as well as a cessation to the senseless violence in Ukraine and Sudan. We pray for Congo during this Ebola virus outbreak and Cuba as their fuel supplies diminish daily with no reprieve. We call those in authority to choose the way of diplomacy and peace. May there be peace in the Holy Land, peace in our world and the just and proper use of your creation;
People: For the victims of war, hunger, fear, injustice, and oppression.
Intercessor: As violence rages on, we pray for all peacekeepers, peacemakers, paramedics, humanitarian aid workers, medical staff, front-line journalists, and international jurists. For all who are in danger, sorrow, or any kind of trouble;
People: For those who minister to the sick, the friendless, and the needy.
Intercessor: For the peace and unity of the Church of God. In our Anglican Communion Cycle of prayer, we pray for The Scottish Episcopal Church. In our diocesan cycle, we pray for the Compass Rose Society (this society fosters unity within the Anglican Communion through fundraising and mission);
People: For all who proclaim the gospel, and all who seek the truth.
Intercessor: For Andrew our Diocesan Bishop, as well as Kevin and Riscylla, our Suffragan Bishops; for all Bishops and other ministers;
People: For all who serve God in his Church.
Intercessor: We pray for those who have asked for our prayers including Susan and Dave in their grief, for Nan, Gaye, Sharon, Charlotte, Liz, Gretchen, Alec, Jennifer, Douglas, Alison, Graham, Billy, Margaret, Peter, Raj, Donna, Enid, Freda and I invite your prayers for your own needs and those of others either silently or out loud… [pause]…hear us, Lord.
People: For your mercy is great.
Intercessor: We thank you, Lord, for all the blessings of this life; I invite your own thanksgivings either silently or out loud...[pause]...We will exalt you, O God our King;
People: And praise your name for ever and ever.
Intercessor: We pray for all those who have died in the peace of Christ, and for those whose faith is known to you alone, that they may have a place in your eternal kingdom. We remember Mickey, Peter, Mary, Jacqueline, Christer, David, Tony, Francais, Angie, Ron, Christopher, Lynne, Ann, Muriel, Stephen and I invite your prayers for any others on your heart either silently or out loud...[pause]...Lord, let your loving kindness be upon them;
People: Who put their trust in you.
Intercessor: We pray to you also for the forgiveness of our sins.
People: Have mercy upon us, most merciful God; in your compassion, forgive us our sins, known and unknown, things done and left undone; and so uphold us by your Spirit that we may live and serve you in newness of life, to the honour and glory of your name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Celebrant: Gracious God, you have heard the prayers of your faithful people; you know our needs before we ask, and our ignorance in asking. Grant our requests as may be best for us. This we ask in the name of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Peace
As you are able, please stand.
Celebrant: The peace of the Lord be always with you.
People: And also with you.
Offertory Come As You Are (by Sr. Deidre Brown)
Cantor: Come as you are, that's how I want you.
Come as you are, feel quite at home.
Close to my heart, loved and forgiven;
come as you are, why stand alone?
No need to fear, love sets no limits.
No need to fear, love never ends.
Don't run away shamed and disheartened.
Rest in my love, trust me again.
Come as you are, that's how I love you.
Come as you are, trust me again.
Nothing can change the love that I bear you.
All will be well, just come as you are.
THE GREAT THANKSGIVING
Please stand, as you are able.
Prayer over the Gifts
Celebrant: Blessed are you, O God, maker of all things. Through your goodness you have blessed us with these gifts: ourselves, our time and our possessions. Use us, and what we have gathered, to feed the world, through the one who gave himself for us, Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord. Amen.
Celebrant: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Celebrant: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them to the Lord.
Celebrant: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Celebrant: It is indeed right that we should praise you, gracious God, for you created all things. You created us and formed us in your own image. When we turned away from you in sin, you did not cease to care for us, but opened a path of salvation for all people. You made a covenant with ancient Israel, and through your servants Abraham and Sarah gave the promise of a blessing to all nations. Through Moses you led your people from bondage into freedom; through the prophets you renewed your promise of salvation. Therefore, with them, and with all your saints who have served you in every age, we give thanks and raise our voices to proclaim the glory of your name.
Sanctus Holy, Holy, Holy Lord (St. Bride’s Setting, Iona Community)
Cantor: Holy, Holy, Holy Lord (echo)
God of power and might (echo)
Heaven and earth are full (echo)
Are full of your glory (echo)
Blessed is the one who comes (echo)
In the name of the Lord (echo)
Hosanna in the highest (echo)
Hosanna in the highest (echo)
Hosanna in the highest (echo)
Hosanna in the highest (echo)
Celebrant: Holy God, source of life and goodness, all creation rightly gives you praise. In the fullness of time, you sent your Son Jesus Christ, to share our human nature, to live and die as one of us, to reconcile us to you, the God and Creator of all. He healed the sick and ate and drank with outcasts and sinners; he opened the eyes of the blind and proclaimed the good news of your kingdom to the poor and to those in need. In all things he fulfilled your gracious will. On the night he freely gave himself to death, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread, and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take, eat: this is my body which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.” After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, “Drink this, all of you: this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.” Gracious God, his perfect sacrifice destroys the power of sin and death; by raising him to life you give us life for evermore.
Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith.
All: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
Celebrant: Recalling his death, proclaiming his resurrection, and looking for his coming again in glory, we offer you, this bread and this cup. Send your Holy Spirit upon us and upon these gifts, that all who eat and drink at this table may be one body and one holy people, a living sacrifice in Jesus Christ, our Lord. Through Christ, with Christ, and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory is yours, almighty God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Celebrant: As our Saviour taught us, let us pray,
All: Our Father in heaven, hallowed by your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.
Silence is kept.
Celebrant: “I am the bread of life,” says the Lord. “Whoever comes to me will never be hungry; whoever believes in me will never thirst.”
All: Taste and see that the Lord is god; happy are they who trust in God!
Celebrant: These are the gifts of God, for the people of God.
All: Thanks be to God.
Agnus Dei Lamb of God (St. Bride’s Setting, Iona Community)
Cantor: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: have mercy on us; (echo)
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: have mercy on us; (echo)
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world:
grant us your peace (echo)
grant us your peace (echo)
grant us your peace (echo).
Come up to the altar following the lead of those ahead of you. If you would like a blessing, as well as, or in place of the wafer, indicate this to the priest.
Communion Hymn Plowshare Prayer (by Spencer DeJoye)
Dear blessed creator, dear mother, dear savior
Dear father, dear brother, dear holy other
Dear sibling, dear baby, dear patiently waiting
Dear sad & confused, dear stuck & abused
Dear end of your rope, dear worn out & broke
Dear go it alone, dear running from home
Dear righteously angry, forsaken by family
Dear jaded & quiet, dear tough & defiant
I pray that I'm heard
And I pray that this works
I pray if a prayer has been used as a sword
Against you & your heart
Against you & your word
I pray that this prayer is a plowshare of sorts
That it might break you open
It might help you grow
I pray that your body gets all that it needs
And if you don't want healing
I just pray for peace
I pray that your burden gets lighter each day
I pray the mean voice in your head goes away
I pray that you honor the grief as it comes
I pray you can feel all the life in your lungs
I pray that if you go all day being brave
That you can go home, go to bed
Feeling safe
I pray you're forgiven. I pray you forgive
I pray you set boundaries & openly live
I pray that you feel you are worth never leaving
I pray that you know I will always believe you
I pray that you're heard
And I pray that this works
Amen on behalf of the last & the least
On behalf of the anxious, depressed & unseen
Amen for the workers, the hungry, the houseless
Amen for the lonely & recently spouseless
Amen for the queers & their closeted peers
Amen for the bullied who hold in their tears
Amen for the mothers of little Black sons
Amen for the kids who grow up scared of guns
Amen for the addicts, ashamed & hungover
Amen for the calloused, the wisened, the sober
Amen for ones who want life to be over
Amen for the leaders who lose their composure
And amen for the parents who just lost their baby
Amen for chronically ill & disabled
Amen for the children down at the border
Amen for the victims of our law & order
I pray that you're heard
And I pray that this works
I pray if a prayer has been used as a sword
Against you & your heart
Against you & your word
I pray that this prayer is a plowshare of sorts
Silence is kept.
Prayer after Communion
As you are able, please stand.
Celebrant: We give you thanks, O God, that you have refreshed us through the healing power of bread and wine: this gift of life. In your mercy, strengthen us through this gift, in faith toward you and in fervent love toward one another; for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Celebrant: Glory to God,
All: whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. Glory to God from generation to generation, in the Church and in Christ Jesus, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Blessing
Celebrant: May God bless you with discomfort: at easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may be true to what lies deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger: at injustice, oppression, and exploitation,
so that you may work for justice, freedom, and peace.
May God bless you with tears: to shed for those who suffer, so that you may reach out your hands to comfort them, to see their pain turn into joy.
And may God bless you with foolishness: to believe that you can make a difference in the world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.
This is the work God: eternal Source, incarnate Word, and life-giving Spirit. Amen.
Closing Hymn Will You Come and Follow Me (Common Praise #430)
Celebrant: Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
Postlude There’s a River Flowing in My Soul (by Rose Sanders)
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Liturgical Notes
The final blessing is crated after the four-fold Franciscan blessing and written by Sr. Ruth Marlene Fox, OSB in 1985.
Blessing of the Boats (and Bikes)
The Blessing of the Boats (and Bikes) will be held this summer of Sunday, June 28th. Details to follow. Save the date!
SABTL WIFI Password
Guest WIFI SSID: SABTL Guest Password: Welcome2SABTL!
Communications @ SABTL
We are in the process of consolidating our communications, IT and media management. Rev. Alison’s new email is [email protected]. For suggestions regarding music, please email Jennifer at [email protected]. Our website has been refreshed. Please visit www.sabtl.ca to see updates, including an easy to use “how to donate” form. To watch recorded services go to our new YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@SABTLToronto. If you have questions about these changes to communications at St. Andrew’s, please connect with Rev. Alison or [email protected].
Rev. Alison’s Weekly Schedule
This summer, Rev. Alison will take Mondays as her day off and Thursday reserved for academic commitments at Trinity College. She will not be available on either day.
Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action
We have come to our third reading of the 94 Calls to Action of the TRCC. These Calls to Action were published in 2015. There has been little movement by government and other institutions on most of these action points, thus, the status quo remains (see https://yellowheadinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/YI-TRC-C2A-2023-Special-Report-compressed.pdf). The Anglican Diocese of Toronto has put together a document called “Take Action: Animating the 94 Calls to Action in Your Community.” Action items can be found at https://www.toronto.anglican.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/2025-Take-Action-on-the-94.pdf. Please note: language has changed over the last ten years. Use of the term “Aboriginal” has been updated with the term “Indigenous” which is a term of self-identification for many First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples in Turtle Island and across the world.
Ministry of Healing and Reconciliation
The clergy at St. Andrew’s will be offering the sacrament of unction with the anointing of oil alongside the Eucharist on June 21, 2026. This sacrament will normally be offered on the fourth Sunday of the month.
Facebook Page for St. Andrew by-the-Lake
Come and visit and contribute to the St. Andrew by-the-Lake Facebook page. Search for: St. Andrews by-the-Lake Church (make sure you don’t get St. Andrews Golf Course). Look on the page for “Follow”. Click on that. You will then receive notices, pictures of your community, and a place for discussion. Any questions? Email Laura Cooper [email protected].
Respiratory Health (COVID19 and Flu) Guidelines
Ferry Schedule
The spring schedule is in effect. Boats are also running to Centre Island. Here’s a link to the City’s website: www.toronto.ca/ferry.
The church van continues to pick up passengers at 9:45 am on Sunday mornings at the Ward’s Island ferry dock.
Supporting St. Andrew’s
June 7, 2026
St. Andrew by-the-Lake
Toronto Islands
www.sabtl.ca
Priest-in-Charge: Alison Hari Singh (416-203-0873 or [email protected])
Wardens: Bella Beazer and Loretta Ryan
Treasurer & Bookings: Jane Davidson-Neville ([email protected])
Deputy Warden: David Ulbrych
Synod Rep: Billy J. Choi-Gekas
Musicians: Susanne Maziarz, Jennifer Wakefield, and Jane Davidson-Neville
Musical Selections: Jennifer Wakefield and Alison Hari Singh
NOTE: Services are being recorded. Out of respect for our musicians and other congregation members, please limit conversations when the prelude begins and until the postlude is finished. Thank you.
Prelude Breaths (by Ysaye Barnwell)
THE GATHERING OF THE PEOPLE
We give thanks to our Creator for the earth we share with all creatures, and we acknowledge that we are here on the traditional lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat. We also recognize the enduring presence of all First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples, and we seek to live respectfully with each other and with the earth. We pray for healing between our cultures and healing from the legacy of settler colonialism. We believe that Black Lives Matter and that Every Child Matters. We know that love is love, and we welcome everyone who desires to join us in worship. You are a beloved creation of God, and you are most welcome in this place.
Please stand, as you are able.
Opening Hymn All Praise to Thee (Common Praise #387)
Celebrant: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
People: And also with you.
Celebrant: Almighty God,
All: to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hidden. Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Collect
Celebrant: God of grace, you invite the despised, you touch the unclean, you lift up those who are brought low: give us that hope for a world transformed through Jesus Christ, the mercy of God. Amen.
Please be seated.
First Reading
Reader: A reading from the book of Genesis.
The Lord said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. Abram took his wife Sarai and his brother's son Lot, and all the possessions that they had gathered, and the persons whom they had acquired in Haran; and they set forth to go to the land of Canaan. When they had come to the land of Canaan, Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. Then the Lord appeared to Abram, and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. From there he moved on to the hill country on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the Lord and invoked the name of the Lord. And Abram journeyed on by stages toward the Negeb. [GENESIS 12:1-9]
Reader: The word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
Psalm 33: 1-12 Responsorial Psalm (Voices United p. 760)
REFRAIN A new song to our God proclaim, from age to age rejoice!
Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous;
it is good for the just to sing praises.
Praise the Lord with the harp;
play to him upon the psaltery and lyre.
Sing for him a new song;
sound a fanfare with all your skill upon the trumpet. REFRAIN
For the word of the Lord is right,
and all God’s works are sure.
The Lord loves righteousness and justice;
the loving kindness of the Lord fills the whole earth. REFRAIN
By the word of the Lord were the heavens made,
by the breath of his mouth all the heavenly hosts.
He gathers up the waters of the ocean as in a water-skin
and stores up the depths of the sea.
Let all the earth fear the Lord;
let all who dwell in the world stand in awe.
For God spoke, and it came to pass;
The Lord commanded, and it stood fast. REFRAIN
The Lord brings the will of the nations to naught;
God thwarts the designs of the peoples.
But the Lord's will stands fast for ever,
and the designs of his heart from age to age.
Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord!
Happy the people he has chosen to be his own! REFRAIN
THE PROCLAMATION OF THE GOSPEL
As you are able, please stand.
Gospel Acclamation Halle, Halle, Halle (Voices United #958)
REFRAIN Halle, halle, hallelujah!
Halle, halle, hallelujah!
Halle, halle, hallelujah!
Hallelujah! hallelujah! (repeat)
Gospeler: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Gospeler: The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
People: Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, "Follow me." And he got up and followed him. And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" But when he heard this, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners." While he was saying these things to them, suddenly a leader of the synagogue came in and knelt before him, saying, "My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live." And Jesus got up and followed him, with his disciples. Then suddenly a woman who had been suffering from haemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak, for she said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be made well." Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, "Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well." And instantly the woman was made well. When Jesus came to the leader's house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, he said, "Go away; for the girl is not dead but sleeping." And they laughed at him. But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. And the report of this spread throughout that district.
[MATTHEW 9:9-13, 18-26]
Gospeler: This is the Gospel of Christ.
People: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
REFRAIN Halle, halle, hallelujah!
Halle, halle, hallelujah!
Halle, halle, hallelujah!
Hallelujah! hallelujah!
Homily Rev. Alison Hari Singh
May only the truth be spoken and only the truth heard. In the name of God: eternal Source, incarnate Word, and life-giving Spirit. Amen.
This past Wednesday, I met a woman here at the church who was visiting from the UK. She was in the chancel looking at the stain-glass windows when she told me about all the questions her granddaughter has about the Bible. Questions like: did Jesus really walk on water? We talked about how important it is to read with a critical lens and that reading the Bible literally can lead to a whole slew of theological and experiential problems.
But if we’re not meant to read the Bible literally, what is the purpose of this holy book and how, then, are we supposed to read it? These are both important questions to keep in mind as we embark on unpacking today’s reading from Genesis 12. This text is probably one of the most distressing and misunderstood texts in all of Scripture. The way the line “to your offspring, I will give this land” has been interpreted has led to a lot of harm historically and to this very day.
In the 14th and 15th centuries, as Europe began looking outward and initiating naval “explorations,” the Church in Rome released two Papal bulls in relatively close succession to the other. The first was called Dum Diversas (1452) which contained in it the “Doctrine of Discovery.” This religious and legal concept advanced the idea that if a “discovered” people group were not Christian, they were “perpetual enemies,” “heathen,” “savages” and could, potentially, be enslaved. The consequence of this colonial logic was the rise of the trans-Atlantic slave trade and the belief that Europeans and their expressions of Christian culture were superior to all other cultures encountered. The second bull was entitled Romanus Pontifex (1455). This document espoused the concept of “terra nullius.” In Latin, terra nullius means land belonging to no one or vacant land. But when these explorers landed on the shores of Africa and the Americas, the land wasn’t empty, but full of people. The people encountered were not Christians and based on Dum Diversas, their enslavement could be justified, but Dum Diversas didn’t address land acquisition. A new justification had to be made. From the concept of terra nullius, it was argued that since the “pagans” were not cultivating the land in such a way to demonstrate territorial sovereignty, the land was, therefore, vacant, ready to be acquired and used for new, more industrious, purposes. Together, these two concepts were used for centuries to justify colonial conquest. It’s important to note that, today, the Doctrine of Discovery and terra nullius have been rejected by courts and international bodies. These acknowledge that the two concepts were legal fictions used to dispossess Indigenous peoples all over the world, including in Canada.
As students of history, we have to realize that the Doctrine of Discovery and terra nullius did not appear out of thin air. They were rooted in a specific kind of interpretation of Scripture. Fr. David Neuhaus, a Jewish convert to Christianity and prominent Jesuit scripture scholar speaking about the Bible says that the Bible, when wielded in the wrong way, is poison. It’s hard to hear, isn’t it? But we have to face the fact that Scripture – this Holy Word – has been and continues to be used to harm others, even when that is not the explicit intention.
I try not to turn on my tv these days, but when I do, I seem to see someone from the current US administration quoting Genesis 12 and telling us that if the US (and other western nations) “bless Israel,” we will be blessed. But the lesson from this text offers us a much more nuanced reading than this incorrectly quoted and politically motivated reading. Let’s look closer: Abram is called from another nation (modern day Iraq) to travel – to explore – and move to a new land where he will settle: Canaan. When he arrives there, the text tells us, the land was not vacant. “The Canaanites were in the land.” What I find most interesting about this promise given to Abram, not Israel (Jacob) and not a nation-state, as Rabbi David Mivasair points out, is that the promise of the land is not one of exclusivity. What I mean by this is that there is no indication in this text (or anywhere in the Hebrew Bible) that the land was not meant to be shared. As we read further, we realize that Abram understood that. Abram moved through the land from Shechem to Bethel, all the way to the Negev, recognizing that there were people already living there and that the land wasn’t his alone. Never once at any point of Abram’s story does he ever wage war on the people already living there. Such acts of conquest do come later and they are brutal stories which we don’t like to read. These stories, however, tell us exactly what it takes to conquer a land and a people. It is never pretty and almost always violent.
Another thing I think is so important to understand when we consider the promise of shared land given to Abram is to remember that it is conditional. When you read the books of conquest and the establishment of the monarchy in ancient Israel, it’s clear, that the promise of “occupying the land” required a specific way of living: that is, IF you live righteously, THEN, you will dwell safely in the land. I believe we see the fulfillment of this IF-THEN binary in this morning’s gospel text. What is Jesus doing as he goes about moving through the regions of Judea and Samaria in ancient Palestine? He calls outcasts (hated tax collectors) to follow him. He eats and drinks with sinners. He attends to and heals women and girls. He breaks every boundary and in his very person, demonstrates the righteousness, peace and joy required by God to live faithfully in the promised land. Jesus fulfilled the expectations of the Law and, in so doing, showed us how we are to do the same in lands we occupy. If we want to be fruitful in this land, then we must live in a way that demonstrates our love for God by loving our neighbour as ourselves.
This month is both National Indigenous History Month and Pride Month. Recently, there seems to be a growing discomfort in our society of having to live with and experience difference. A student of mine who is trans was physically assaulted recently in the Canadian city she lives. Daily, Indigenous women and girls go missing across this country and the only place left to search for them are landfills. All too often self-confessed Christians are at the centre of division and harm, using the Bible as a cudgel to ensure our society remains steeped in 15th century colonial logics. This morning, God is calling us to actively recognize that the Bible has been and is being used to justify all kinds of trauma and harm and to say, no, it ends with us.
No doubt, the Bible is difficult to read and Good News is hard to live, but the call to be open to our neighbours and to share the bounty of the land with them remains. Amen.
Silence is kept.
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Intercessor: In order to redress the legacy of residential schools and advance the process of genuine reconciliation in Canada, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) makes the following calls to action. Concerning Church Apologies and Reconciliation:
58. We call upon the Pope to issue an apology to Survivors, their families, and communities for the Roman Catholic Church’s role in the spiritual, cultural, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis children in Catholic-run residential schools. We call for that apology to be similar to the 2010 apology issued to Irish victims of abuse and to occur within one year of the issuing of this Report and to be delivered by the Pope in Canada.
Intercessor: June is both National Indigenous History Month and Pride Month. We pray that all the TRC’s 94 Calls to Action be implemented in this land and that the inclusive, diverse and generous nature of the Divine Life be experienced among us.
Intercessor: For all people in their daily life, work, and play. In this spring season, we pray for all those visiting Toronto Island – may they reconnect with the earth and be refreshed and renewed;
People: For our families, friends, and neighbours, and for all those who are alone.
Intercessor: We pray for all who are in political leadership. We ask that they seek just policies that prioritize people’s needs: good food, safe and affordable housing, clean water, and stable employment. For this community, our country, and the world;
People: For all who work for justice, freedom, and peace.
Intercessor: We continue to pray for a genuine and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and southern Lebanon, as well as a cessation to the senseless violence in Ukraine and Sudan. We pray for Congo during this Ebola virus outbreak and Cuba as their fuel supplies diminish daily with no reprieve. We call those in authority to choose the way of diplomacy and peace. May there be peace in the Holy Land, peace in our world and the just and proper use of your creation;
People: For the victims of war, hunger, fear, injustice, and oppression.
Intercessor: As violence rages on, we pray for all peacekeepers, peacemakers, paramedics, humanitarian aid workers, medical staff, front-line journalists, and international jurists. For all who are in danger, sorrow, or any kind of trouble;
People: For those who minister to the sick, the friendless, and the needy.
Intercessor: For the peace and unity of the Church of God. In our Anglican Communion Cycle of prayer, we pray for The Scottish Episcopal Church. In our diocesan cycle, we pray for the Compass Rose Society (this society fosters unity within the Anglican Communion through fundraising and mission);
People: For all who proclaim the gospel, and all who seek the truth.
Intercessor: For Andrew our Diocesan Bishop, as well as Kevin and Riscylla, our Suffragan Bishops; for all Bishops and other ministers;
People: For all who serve God in his Church.
Intercessor: We pray for those who have asked for our prayers including Susan and Dave in their grief, for Nan, Gaye, Sharon, Charlotte, Liz, Gretchen, Alec, Jennifer, Douglas, Alison, Graham, Billy, Margaret, Peter, Raj, Donna, Enid, Freda and I invite your prayers for your own needs and those of others either silently or out loud… [pause]…hear us, Lord.
People: For your mercy is great.
Intercessor: We thank you, Lord, for all the blessings of this life; I invite your own thanksgivings either silently or out loud...[pause]...We will exalt you, O God our King;
People: And praise your name for ever and ever.
Intercessor: We pray for all those who have died in the peace of Christ, and for those whose faith is known to you alone, that they may have a place in your eternal kingdom. We remember Mickey, Peter, Mary, Jacqueline, Christer, David, Tony, Francais, Angie, Ron, Christopher, Lynne, Ann, Muriel, Stephen and I invite your prayers for any others on your heart either silently or out loud...[pause]...Lord, let your loving kindness be upon them;
People: Who put their trust in you.
Intercessor: We pray to you also for the forgiveness of our sins.
People: Have mercy upon us, most merciful God; in your compassion, forgive us our sins, known and unknown, things done and left undone; and so uphold us by your Spirit that we may live and serve you in newness of life, to the honour and glory of your name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Celebrant: Gracious God, you have heard the prayers of your faithful people; you know our needs before we ask, and our ignorance in asking. Grant our requests as may be best for us. This we ask in the name of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Peace
As you are able, please stand.
Celebrant: The peace of the Lord be always with you.
People: And also with you.
Offertory Come As You Are (by Sr. Deidre Brown)
Cantor: Come as you are, that's how I want you.
Come as you are, feel quite at home.
Close to my heart, loved and forgiven;
come as you are, why stand alone?
No need to fear, love sets no limits.
No need to fear, love never ends.
Don't run away shamed and disheartened.
Rest in my love, trust me again.
Come as you are, that's how I love you.
Come as you are, trust me again.
Nothing can change the love that I bear you.
All will be well, just come as you are.
THE GREAT THANKSGIVING
Please stand, as you are able.
Prayer over the Gifts
Celebrant: Blessed are you, O God, maker of all things. Through your goodness you have blessed us with these gifts: ourselves, our time and our possessions. Use us, and what we have gathered, to feed the world, through the one who gave himself for us, Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord. Amen.
Celebrant: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Celebrant: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them to the Lord.
Celebrant: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Celebrant: It is indeed right that we should praise you, gracious God, for you created all things. You created us and formed us in your own image. When we turned away from you in sin, you did not cease to care for us, but opened a path of salvation for all people. You made a covenant with ancient Israel, and through your servants Abraham and Sarah gave the promise of a blessing to all nations. Through Moses you led your people from bondage into freedom; through the prophets you renewed your promise of salvation. Therefore, with them, and with all your saints who have served you in every age, we give thanks and raise our voices to proclaim the glory of your name.
Sanctus Holy, Holy, Holy Lord (St. Bride’s Setting, Iona Community)
Cantor: Holy, Holy, Holy Lord (echo)
God of power and might (echo)
Heaven and earth are full (echo)
Are full of your glory (echo)
Blessed is the one who comes (echo)
In the name of the Lord (echo)
Hosanna in the highest (echo)
Hosanna in the highest (echo)
Hosanna in the highest (echo)
Hosanna in the highest (echo)
Celebrant: Holy God, source of life and goodness, all creation rightly gives you praise. In the fullness of time, you sent your Son Jesus Christ, to share our human nature, to live and die as one of us, to reconcile us to you, the God and Creator of all. He healed the sick and ate and drank with outcasts and sinners; he opened the eyes of the blind and proclaimed the good news of your kingdom to the poor and to those in need. In all things he fulfilled your gracious will. On the night he freely gave himself to death, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread, and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take, eat: this is my body which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.” After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, “Drink this, all of you: this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.” Gracious God, his perfect sacrifice destroys the power of sin and death; by raising him to life you give us life for evermore.
Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith.
All: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
Celebrant: Recalling his death, proclaiming his resurrection, and looking for his coming again in glory, we offer you, this bread and this cup. Send your Holy Spirit upon us and upon these gifts, that all who eat and drink at this table may be one body and one holy people, a living sacrifice in Jesus Christ, our Lord. Through Christ, with Christ, and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory is yours, almighty God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Celebrant: As our Saviour taught us, let us pray,
All: Our Father in heaven, hallowed by your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.
Silence is kept.
Celebrant: “I am the bread of life,” says the Lord. “Whoever comes to me will never be hungry; whoever believes in me will never thirst.”
All: Taste and see that the Lord is god; happy are they who trust in God!
Celebrant: These are the gifts of God, for the people of God.
All: Thanks be to God.
Agnus Dei Lamb of God (St. Bride’s Setting, Iona Community)
Cantor: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: have mercy on us; (echo)
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: have mercy on us; (echo)
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world:
grant us your peace (echo)
grant us your peace (echo)
grant us your peace (echo).
Come up to the altar following the lead of those ahead of you. If you would like a blessing, as well as, or in place of the wafer, indicate this to the priest.
Communion Hymn Plowshare Prayer (by Spencer DeJoye)
Dear blessed creator, dear mother, dear savior
Dear father, dear brother, dear holy other
Dear sibling, dear baby, dear patiently waiting
Dear sad & confused, dear stuck & abused
Dear end of your rope, dear worn out & broke
Dear go it alone, dear running from home
Dear righteously angry, forsaken by family
Dear jaded & quiet, dear tough & defiant
I pray that I'm heard
And I pray that this works
I pray if a prayer has been used as a sword
Against you & your heart
Against you & your word
I pray that this prayer is a plowshare of sorts
That it might break you open
It might help you grow
I pray that your body gets all that it needs
And if you don't want healing
I just pray for peace
I pray that your burden gets lighter each day
I pray the mean voice in your head goes away
I pray that you honor the grief as it comes
I pray you can feel all the life in your lungs
I pray that if you go all day being brave
That you can go home, go to bed
Feeling safe
I pray you're forgiven. I pray you forgive
I pray you set boundaries & openly live
I pray that you feel you are worth never leaving
I pray that you know I will always believe you
I pray that you're heard
And I pray that this works
Amen on behalf of the last & the least
On behalf of the anxious, depressed & unseen
Amen for the workers, the hungry, the houseless
Amen for the lonely & recently spouseless
Amen for the queers & their closeted peers
Amen for the bullied who hold in their tears
Amen for the mothers of little Black sons
Amen for the kids who grow up scared of guns
Amen for the addicts, ashamed & hungover
Amen for the calloused, the wisened, the sober
Amen for ones who want life to be over
Amen for the leaders who lose their composure
And amen for the parents who just lost their baby
Amen for chronically ill & disabled
Amen for the children down at the border
Amen for the victims of our law & order
I pray that you're heard
And I pray that this works
I pray if a prayer has been used as a sword
Against you & your heart
Against you & your word
I pray that this prayer is a plowshare of sorts
Silence is kept.
Prayer after Communion
As you are able, please stand.
Celebrant: We give you thanks, O God, that you have refreshed us through the healing power of bread and wine: this gift of life. In your mercy, strengthen us through this gift, in faith toward you and in fervent love toward one another; for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Celebrant: Glory to God,
All: whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. Glory to God from generation to generation, in the Church and in Christ Jesus, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Blessing
Celebrant: May God bless you with discomfort: at easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may be true to what lies deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger: at injustice, oppression, and exploitation,
so that you may work for justice, freedom, and peace.
May God bless you with tears: to shed for those who suffer, so that you may reach out your hands to comfort them, to see their pain turn into joy.
And may God bless you with foolishness: to believe that you can make a difference in the world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.
This is the work God: eternal Source, incarnate Word, and life-giving Spirit. Amen.
Closing Hymn Will You Come and Follow Me (Common Praise #430)
Celebrant: Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
Postlude There’s a River Flowing in My Soul (by Rose Sanders)
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Liturgical Notes
The final blessing is crated after the four-fold Franciscan blessing and written by Sr. Ruth Marlene Fox, OSB in 1985.
Blessing of the Boats (and Bikes)
The Blessing of the Boats (and Bikes) will be held this summer of Sunday, June 28th. Details to follow. Save the date!
SABTL WIFI Password
Guest WIFI SSID: SABTL Guest Password: Welcome2SABTL!
Communications @ SABTL
We are in the process of consolidating our communications, IT and media management. Rev. Alison’s new email is [email protected]. For suggestions regarding music, please email Jennifer at [email protected]. Our website has been refreshed. Please visit www.sabtl.ca to see updates, including an easy to use “how to donate” form. To watch recorded services go to our new YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@SABTLToronto. If you have questions about these changes to communications at St. Andrew’s, please connect with Rev. Alison or [email protected].
Rev. Alison’s Weekly Schedule
This summer, Rev. Alison will take Mondays as her day off and Thursday reserved for academic commitments at Trinity College. She will not be available on either day.
Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action
We have come to our third reading of the 94 Calls to Action of the TRCC. These Calls to Action were published in 2015. There has been little movement by government and other institutions on most of these action points, thus, the status quo remains (see https://yellowheadinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/YI-TRC-C2A-2023-Special-Report-compressed.pdf). The Anglican Diocese of Toronto has put together a document called “Take Action: Animating the 94 Calls to Action in Your Community.” Action items can be found at https://www.toronto.anglican.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/2025-Take-Action-on-the-94.pdf. Please note: language has changed over the last ten years. Use of the term “Aboriginal” has been updated with the term “Indigenous” which is a term of self-identification for many First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples in Turtle Island and across the world.
Ministry of Healing and Reconciliation
The clergy at St. Andrew’s will be offering the sacrament of unction with the anointing of oil alongside the Eucharist on June 21, 2026. This sacrament will normally be offered on the fourth Sunday of the month.
Facebook Page for St. Andrew by-the-Lake
Come and visit and contribute to the St. Andrew by-the-Lake Facebook page. Search for: St. Andrews by-the-Lake Church (make sure you don’t get St. Andrews Golf Course). Look on the page for “Follow”. Click on that. You will then receive notices, pictures of your community, and a place for discussion. Any questions? Email Laura Cooper [email protected].
Respiratory Health (COVID19 and Flu) Guidelines
- Masking is optional
- You may sit where you are comfortable – please allow space to those who desire it
- Use hand sanitizer before and after taking the Eucharist (note: intinction – dipping the bread in the wine – is not permitted by the Anglican Diocese of Toronto)
Ferry Schedule
The spring schedule is in effect. Boats are also running to Centre Island. Here’s a link to the City’s website: www.toronto.ca/ferry.
The church van continues to pick up passengers at 9:45 am on Sunday mornings at the Ward’s Island ferry dock.
Supporting St. Andrew’s
- The collection plate – located on the table at the back; envelops are available for one-time and regular offerings
- Canada Helps – Visit the church website www.sabtl.ca and click on the Donate button or click on the QR code below
- Bring a friend