What’s Happening at Church of the Holy Trinity, Guildwood

BUILDING OUR OWN IN-HOUSE STREAMING TEAM FOR ONLINE WORSHIP

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Church of the Holy Trinity, Guildwood continues to innovate and find new ways to reach out and connect. Prior to the pandemic, Facebook was the only social media tool the parish used.  So that we could stay connected as a faith community, even when in lockdown, the church has moved to livestreaming and Zoom gatherings for social time, as well as Bible discussion.   Our church YouTube channel currently has 142 subscribers, and our Facebook page has 198 followers.  All this has required a substantial investment of time, energy, skills and money in new technology.  Thank you to all the saints who have made this possible.

 

WONDERFUL NEWS!

THE DIOCESE HAS AWARDED HOLY TRINITY, GUILDWOOD A $200,000 GRANT

TO RESOURCE THE CONTINUING DEVELOPMENT 

OF OUR MISSIONAL OUTREACH & DISCIPLESHIP MINISTRY

UNDER THE CARE OF DENISE BYARD

 

We are both thrilled and thankful that the Diocese has awarded Holy Trinity, Guildwood a Ministry Allocations Fund (MAF) Grant for the continuing development of our Missional Outreach and Discipleship Ministry at Holy Trinity, Guildwood under the leadership of Denise Byard in her new capacity of Lay Pastoral Associate (effective 2021).

 

This $200,000 Ministry Allocation Fund Grant will be spread over five years (2021-2025) and provide the necessary resources for Holy Trinity, Guildwood to build upon the successful financial foundation created by Our Faith Our Hope (OFOH) Campaign in which we raised over 163% of our target and with the assistance of an OFOH Multi-Staffed Grant created a ministry position of Child, Youth and Family Outreach Coordinator from 2016 to 2019.

 

The grant will enable us to grow the ministry to the next level and create a cohesive cradle to grave intergenerational, contemporary program that provides support, leadership, religious and social education to parishioners as well as the broader Guildwood community. It will allow us to further maximize the foundational work the parish has done and the rich web of community relationships we enjoy, working effectively with East Scarborough Boys and Girls Club, Sir Wilfrid Laurier Collegiate Institute, Chartwell Retirement as well as Extendicare. Our goal is to advance this vision to the next level through some new platforms – a media lab; an integrated values, science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics; vacation Bible school; missional community events; Christian education and discipleship; drama; leadership and mentoring.

 

Our objective is to build a fully vibrant, diverse, multicultural and multi-generational self-sustaining parish with the young people and seniors of south east Scarborough. We have an opportunity for the church to extend into the community and provide services that are not currently available to young people or seniors through shared in person and/or virtual activities and ministries.

 

Thank you to Denise, Janet and Leslie for their dedication in shepherding the grant process through to a successful conclusion.  Thank you to those who helped along the way, especially Michael C, Mary Beth, Dave H and Patricia.  Thank you to all for your prayers and encouragement throughout this lengthy process.

Denise will now begin preparing to transition to her new role as Missional Outreach and Discipleship Lay Pastoral Associate, as we seek to hire a new part time parish administrator.

Finally and most importantly thank you to the Most Blessed Trinity in whose name as a Caring, Open-Hearted Community, we Dream, Pray and Work with Jesus for a Loving, Equitable and Peaceful World.

 

IT TAKES A VILLAGE…

 

A big thank you to the Diocese of Toronto whose support and encouragement have blessed my ministry at Holy Trinity Guildwood.  My ministry at Holy Trinity began with an Our Faith and Hope Grant when I was hired as Church School Coordinator in 2012 which had grown into a Child, Youth, and Family Outreach (CYFO) ministry by 2016.  I am very excited to be able to continue and develop this ministry thanks to the most recent MAF grant of $200,000 from the Diocese of Toronto to Holy Trinity Guildwood to resource a Missional Outreach and Discipleship Lay Pastoral Associate.

 

Here is a chart of our growth in the last 7 years…

	2012 – Church School Coordinator 5 hrs/week	2016 – Child, Youth & Family Outreach Coordinator 20 hrs/week	2019 – Child, Youth & Family Outreach Coordinator 20 hrs/week
Average Sunday Attendance of Children and Youth.	0.5 (1/2)	3	7
Baptism	2	1	4
Confirmation	0	0	3
Family Day Event	55 = 30 children, 25 adults (2014)	70 = 25 children, 45 adults	67 = 23 children, 14 youth, 30 adults
Good Friday, Easter Sunday Eggstravaganza & Egg Hunt	10 children & families[1]	17 children & families	35 children & families
Average Weekly Sunday Attendance (including adults & children/youth)	67	70	71
Easter Church Service Attendance (including adults & children/youth)	126 (3 children)	123 (21 children and youth)	150 (25 children and youth)

 

This expanded ministry of Missional Outreach and Discipleship will allow Holy Trinity Guildwood to deepen our relationships within the community; create experiences to augment our worship; and strengthen our digital communications, as well as further our vision of building a fully vibrant, diverse, multicultural and multi-generational self-sustaining parish with the young people and seniors of south east Scarborough. Thanks to the grant we will have an opportunity for the church to extend into the community and provide services that are not currently available to young people or seniors through shared in person and/or virtual activities and ministries.

 

We will be enhancing our ministry particularly to youth and seniors with seven new platforms to be introduced incrementally over a five-year period: 1) a media lab; 2) an integrated Values, Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (V-STEAM) program; 2) camps; 3) Vacation Bible School; 4) Missional Events; 5) Christian Education and Discipleship; 6) Drama and 7) Leadership and Mentoring

 

It takes a village . . . I am so deeply grateful to my Holy Trinity Guildwood family for appreciating my gifts and encouraging me to grow as we look to the future growth of this amazing parish.

 

Holy Trinity & Rotary Club of Scarborough partnered up and reached out to Extendicare Guildwood bringing some Valentine Love & Cheer to Essential Front-Line Workers and Staff.

Thank you to Ruth Mattinson who made 150 gorgeous handmade cards, Port Union Bakery who supplied the Valentine Cookies and Sheridan Nurseries who furnished the plants.  There were smiles all around, as Joan Barret from Rotary and Karen Price of our Parish Nurse Team presented these Valentine gifts for all Extendicare Guildwood staff to Deslyn Willock, the home’s administrator.

Working Together with like- minded partners (Missional Ministry) Holy Trinity Guildwood reaches out to make a positive difference in the lives of our community and neighbours.

 

 

Spring Break STEAM Camp 2021

“Two Thumbs Up” – Parent and Child Approved

 

Francis Jeffers (Coordinator), Reme Ibazebo and Leah Williams (Facilitators) and I hosted our inaugural event last week with 4 of our parish families (7 students) registered. The coordinator and two facilitators engaged the students on science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.

They started the week off with the fan favourite – slime and kinetic sand. Then they learned about germs, COVID, handwashing and made their own hand sanitizer. The next day was about DNA – ours and fruit. Then the students made their own robot and had a showcase of their artwork. The week ended with a small volcano and elephant toothpaste. Students learned that it is possible to have fun learning.

“Thank you so much. The instructors were amazing. My kids were talking about it after the camera was off. You were generous with the materials. It’s an obscene amount of work you guys put in. It was really great. You did a great job and [we were especially impressed with] your attention to detail.”