NEWS
Volunteering at Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities
December 10 & 17, 2011
Several teams volunteered at Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities on December 10th and 17th and assembled 540 Christmas hampers ready for distribution to needy individuals and families in the community. This is our fourth year to volunteer in this community initiative and to bring joy to needy families during the Christmas season. May our Lord bless everyone who is in need and to reward the volunteers for their love and dedication.
Christmas and Fourth Anniversary Celebration Dinner
December 11, 2011
Over four hundred members and guests celebrated the annual Christmas and anniversary dinner which was held at St. George Antiochian Banquet Hall on Sunday, December 11th. The joyful evening included presentations by our children, praise and worship led by our worship team, a reflection by Fr. Daniel from the year 2011, a witness by Dr. Mohamed Rahouma concerning his faith in the Lord Jesus, and a meditation by Fr. Pishoy entitled “Keeping Christ in Christmas” and a wrap up of the growth of the ministry in 2011. We are extremely thankful to the Lord for a year filled with blessings, spiritual growth, and an expansion to the mission. We thank all the servants who volunteered in preparing the hall, cooking the food, ushering, MCing, presenting, serving tables, welcoming, and cleaning. May the Lord bless our church for many more generations to come through the prayers and blessings of St. Mary, St. Maurice, St. Verena, and our beloved father H.H. Pope Shenouda III.
Congratulations to Augustine Arthur for his blessed baptism on December 10, 2011. God bless his life and confirm him in the faith.
Men's Fellowship Meeting
December 10, 2011
The Men's Fellowship met for breakfast at Delta Hotel in Markham on Saturday, December 10th. The focus of the ministry is to build and encourage generational leadership of men to lead the next generation in the knowledge of God. The focus of this meeting was on the life, ministry, and leadership of Moses the Prophet. We pray for our men and fathers to continue building and inspiring young men and youth in their relationship with the Lord.
Congregation Visit to H.H. Pope Shenouda III in Cleveland
November 29, 2011
Many congregation members travelled to Cleveland on Tuesday, November 29th to recei
ve the blessing of our beloved father H.H. Pope Shenouda III. His Holiness was so gracious that he greeted each member of the trip, prayed for them, and signed commemorative souvenirs and cards. His Holiness also encouraged the church clergy and the congregationby saying that SMSV has become a symbol for other mission churches and that it is truly a multicultural church where its congregation come from all nations, tribes, tongues, and languages. With a very modest and humble spirit, His Holiness asked the visiting congregation to pray for his health that Sayedna would be able to visit us in our church. We are all very blessed by the support and prayers of our beloved shepherd and we pray that the Lord would keep him for the Church many more years to come.
Marriage Enrichment
"Fragile: Handle with Care"
On Sunday November 20, more than 60 people attended SMSV's six-pa
rt seriesof itsMarriage Enrichment seminar, entitled "Fragile: Handle with Care." Continuing this Sunday, the remaining 2 sessions will cover "Expressing Your Anger the Right Way"; "Dealing withDepression Together"; "The Wonderful World of Finances"and "The Five Love Languages". Lord willing session 5 of 6will be held this Sunday at St. Luke's from 5:30pm - 7:30pm. Babysitting is provided and all married and engaged individuals are welcome, even if you were not able to attend previous sessions! For more information please email Nardine and Walid Awadalla or Ash & Chrissy Amin, at couples@smsv.ca.
Operation Christmas Child
November 20, 2011
We are thankfull for the collection of 204 boxes for the "Operation Christmas Child" campaign this year. Our generous congregation donated toys and gifts which will be distributed to under privileged children. We appreciate also the participation of the congregation of St. Moses & St. Katherine Church, downtown. God bless every ministry for the glory of His Holy Name.
Youth Outing to World Bowl
November 18, 2011
An outing for SMSV Youth Group (Grades 7 - 12) was held on November 18, 2011 at world Bowl in Richmond Hill. About 60 youth and their servants participated in this joyful event. They enjoyed the fellowship of each other and of their counsellors. God bless our youth and confirm them in the church.
Visit of H.G. Bishop Youssef
November 6, 2011
We were blessed by the visit of H.G. Bishop Youssef of the Southern United States Diocese on Sunday, November 6th. His Grace delivered two sermons which ignited the hearts of the attending congregation to serve the Lord and live a righteous life. The first meditation was entitled “The Place of God in the Ministry” which was directed to the servants and stressed that God is the one who calls, equips, and is the ultimate goal of the ministry. The second meditation entitled “Diabolic Warfare” exposed the schemes of the evil one in enticing and tempting God’s children to fall in sin. His grace also offered practical advice on how to resist temptation and to remain rooted in Christ. The attending congregation also had a chance to ask many spiritual, dogmatic, and ministry related questions. We are all extremely thankful for the pastoral visit of our beloved father H.G. Bishop Youssef and pray that the Lord may keep him safe for many more years to come.
Deacons’ Ministry Excursion
October 29, 2011
A deacon's excursion and meeting was held on Saturday October 29 at Rinx Entertainment Complex. The day began with deacons forming teams and playing the interactive game of Balladium. This was followed by a pizza lunch. During the meeting that followed deacons shared their thoughts on the importance of serving as deacons and how to be faithful in their ministry. Practical tips were provided on leading, reading and projecting one's voice during the liturgy. The day brought fun, fellowship and learning for all who attended. We thank all the deacons who were able to attend.
Congratulations to Sylvia and Robert Martignani for the baptism of their daughter Julia Demiana on October 22, 2011.
Youth Meeting with Fr. Anthony Messeh
Monday, October 10, 2011
A youth meeting was held on Monday, October 10th following the Thanksgiving Retreat. Fr. Anthony meditated with the youth on the parable of the Ten Virgins and the problem of procrastination and delaying important decisions in life. He also encouraged the youth to be passionate about serving God in the church and witnessing to their friends at school. There was also time for Q & A as well as fellowship after the meeting. We thank Fr. Anthony for all his effort and faithful ministry which has encouraged many members of our congregation and beyond.
“Happily Ever After” Annual Thanksgiving Retreat
October 9 & 10, 2011
The Annual Thanksgiving Retreat was held at the beautiful White Oaks Resort in Niagara-on-the-Lake on October 9 & 10, 2011. Our beloved guest Fr. Anthony Messeh led the sessions which were entitled “Happily Ever After”. The theme focused on building strong relationships, fidelity in marriage, and faithful households. During the retreat, the participants were made aware of the martyrdom of Copts which occurred on the October 9th. A prayer meeting was held to remember the martyrs who lost their lives, to pray for their families, to pray for our mother Church in Egypt, and for our beloved father H.H. Pope Shenouda III. We pray for the continuous protection of all Christians throughout the world.
“Seeing Clearly” Annual Outreach Nights
October 7 & 8, 2011
We were blessed this year with the presence of Fr. Anthony Messeh who led the Outreach Nights at the Armenian Youth Centre on October 7 & 8, 2011. The theme this year was “Seeing Clearly”. The nights were filled with praise, worship, testimonies, ice breakers, and an overall sense of joy. All our first time guests received a copy of the New Testament and all the participants filled out a survey to receive their feedback and if any one requests follow up information. We thank the Lord for this great opportunity to share with our many guests the Orthodox faith and church fellowship. May the Lord bless every ministry for the glory of His holy name.
The Holy Synod Statement Concerning the Massacre of Coptic Christians
Monday, October 10, 2011
The Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church under the leadership of H.H. Pope Shenouda III met with seventy bishops in attendance on Monday October 10, 2011 in the Papal residence in Cairo, Egypt to discuss the events of the prior day in front of Maspiro where at least 24 of our beloved children have been killed and at least 200 have been injured. We confirm that our Christian faith doesn't allow us to use violence of any kind. But we also know that strangers implanted themselves among our children and committed acts that are more suited to their morals. Coptic Christians feel that these attacks are always being repeated without accountability and without the due justice of the law. The Holy Synod invites all Coptic Christians to fast and pray for three days beginning Tuesday October 11, 2011 that God may bring His peace to our beloved country of Egypt.
We pray for the souls of our departed brethren and for their families. We ask our Lord to protect us during this difficult time. There will be no demonstration on Saturday, October 15th in downtown Toronto. Instead, all churches will gather on Sunday, October 16th from 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm to pray for the rest of the souls of the departed. More details will follow.
Visit of H.G. Bishop Tadros
October 4, 2011
We were blessed by the visit of H.G. Bishop Tadros of Port Said to celebrate the Feast of St. Maurice on Tuesday, October 4th. His grace gave a beautiful lecture on “Courage in the Life of Christians” and shared the story of the miraculous oil that is dripping from the icon of Virgin Mary. We thank His Grace for his love and pastoral care towards our church.
Congratulations to the Doss family for the baptism of their daughter Elijanna Gabrielle on October 15, 2011.
Youth Group Outing-Apple Picking and Buffet Lunch
Saturday Oct. 1, 2011
A wonderful day began with the youth group visiting Chudleigh's Apple Farm located in Milton. There the youth and their counsellors tasted many varieties of apples and then picked their favourite kinds to take home. Then it was off to a buffet lunch at Dragon Pearl Restaurant where Fr. Daniel gave a meditation on the following days bible reading - Zacchaeus climbing the sycamore tree. From start to finish the youth and their counsellors enjoyed a beautiful day together strengthening existing bonds and forming new friendships.
Sunday School Outing to Pizza Hut and Lion King
Sunday Sept. 25, 2011
Over 50 sunday school children, youth helpers and counsellors spent a fun and joyous day together following the Liturgy on Sunday Sept. 25. The adventure began with having lunch at Pizza Hut where the youth impressed the counsellors as they showed how responsible they are in helping children as young as four years old. Lunch was followed by a beautiful meditation by Photini Brown on how parts of the movie Lion King resembles parts of the bible. Finally all enjoyed The Lion King with their 3D glasses on and keeping in mind Photini's meditation.
“Consider now from this day forward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day that the foundation of the LORD’s temple was laid—consider it … from this day I will bless you.” (Haggai 2:18-19)
Blessing of the Foundation Stone and Breaking Ground Ceremony
September 24, 2011
This was a historical day indeed which will be remembered in our church for generations. God sent us a clear message of blessing from scriptures remembering the laying of the foundation of the temple of the Lord on the twenty fourth day of the ninth month which is the same day that our foundation stone was laid. The comforting message from Haggai 2:18-19 was a clear indication that God is overlooking our church, hearing our prayers, clearly speaking to us, and blessing every step of the way. H.G. Bishop David celebrated the blessing of the foundation stone at the church land along with many clergy members from South Western Ontario Churches. We were also blessed by the presence of Mayor Frank Scarpitti, Minister Michael Chan, Councillor Alan Ho and many church members who rejoiced together in this occasion. All our guests participated in the ceremonial ground breaking marking the beginning of construction. God willing, we are set to begin preparing the land for construction this fall which will then be followed by construction in spring 2012. We thank God for His abundant love and support that He always bestows upon us and we pray for the prosperous completion of our church building.
Congratulations to Fr. Pishoy and Tasoni Sandra for the baptism of their son Andrew Cyril by the blessed hands of H.G. Bishop David on September 24, 2011.
Feast of St. Verena & Jesus’ Heart Choir Presentation
September 13-14, 2011
The church celebrated the feast of St. Verena by praying vespers raising of incense on Tuesday, September 13th and a Divine Liturgy on September 14th. Following the vespers prayers, we were blessed by a presentation by Jesus’ Heart Choir. The girls’ choir presented beautiful songs that touched everyone in attendance and expressed their deep love for the Lord. The choir was joined by Fr. Boules Samaan and many servants from St. Mary and St. Abraam Church in Giza. May the Lord bless every ministry for the glory of His holy name.
Visiting H.H. Pope Shenouda III in Cleveland
September 6, 2011
Fr. Pishoy travelled to Cleveland, Ohio on Tuesday, September 6th to visit our honoured father H.H. Pope Shenouda III at the Cleveland Clinic. Fr. Pishoy conveyed to His Holiness the greetings of the entire SMSV congregation and updated Sayedna concerning the latest developments in the ministry, the blessing of the foundation stone, and breaking ground ceremony which will take place on September 24th, God willing. His Holiness was pleased with all the joyful news about the church and prayed for our continued success and prosperity. We pray for the life and health of our beloved shepherd and may our Lord keep him for us for many more years to come.
Visit of H.G. Bishop Antonious Markos
September 5, 2011
We were blessed by the visit of H.G. Bishop Antonious Markos on Labour Day Long Weekend, Monday, September 5th. His grace first celebrated the Divine liturgy followed by leading a spiritual meeting. The discussion was centered around the history of establishing the Coptic Church in Sub-Saharan Africa as well as practical teaching on mission and evangelism. The attending congregation got a chance to ask many questions and discuss subjects related to the expansion of the Coptic Church in Africa and throughout the world. We are so thankful for God’s hand which has blessed our beloved Coptic Church especially during the reign of our beloved father H.H. Pope Shenouda III who has also guided every step in the growth of our church. May the Lord keep for us the life of all our honoured fathers.
Congratulations to Nneka Clarke for the baptism of her daughter Sade Deborah Clarke on Saturday, September 3, 2011. May the Lord bless their lives.
Africa Mission Team Presentation
August 14, 2011
The Africa Mission Team returned safely to Toronto on Saturday, August 13th and led the JOY Meeting on Sunday, August 14th. All members of the team shared some memories from their mission trip and some unforgettable lessons that they learned. They also showed videos and photos of places they visited and people they met. The African songs inspired the group to sing joyfully to the Lord. The mission team was very enthusiastic to initiate new ministries in the church and to continue serving the Lord with the same passionate African spirit.
SMSK Sandwich Run and Picnic
August 13, 2011
St. Moses & St. Katherine Congregation was joined by visiting servants from Chicago on their service and activities day on Saturday, August 13th. Following the weekly Liturgy, the group served the downtown homeless community through their weekly sandwich and prayer run. Afterwards, everyone headed to Toronto Centre Island where they enjoyed an agape meal, activities, and a spiritual meditation. There was a general sense of fellowship, cooperation, and love which was very apparent among the group. May the Lord bless every ministry for the glory of His holy name.
Family Meeting
“The Church in Your House”
August 13, 2011
The church held a family meeting on Saturday, August 13th at St. Luke’s Church. The theme of the evening was “The Church in your House”. Dr. Atef Moawad from Chicago gave the first meditation on how God could be present in a household with individuals prior to their marriage commitment. Drs. Amir and Wedad Hanna discussed the friendship of the couple in their household and how to live as partners in all aspects of their lives. Finally, Fr. Daniel and Debbie shared some rules that must be present in a household to maintain its focus on the Lord and to develop greater communication skills. We were also blessed by the presence of a group of servants from Chicago who shared the evening. The night was filled with fellowship, activities, and a spiritual connection between those in attendance.
Africa Mission
July 29 – August 13, 2011
A group of 11 missionaries travelled to Kenya and Tanzania for two weeks and joined other groups from the US, UK and Egypt during their travels. The groups were truly united and experienced the meaning of one body and one Church in Christ. The team traveled extensively to several remote areas in Tanzania and were tasked with preaching the Gospel through visitations, market preaching, movie nights and medical campaigns. A large number of Swahili Bibles were purchased and distributed to the congregation of three Churches in Tanzania. The team saw the hunger to the living Word of God and were personally touched by how they were used as vessels for our Lord Christ. The trip was filled with Bible studies, quiet time, prayers, Liturgies, and manual labor to clean Chapels and organize storage rooms. The team witnessed the fruit of prayer through life changing events in every step of the trip. Prayers were instrumental in uniting and protecting the team.
Spiritual Day at the Valley
July 31, 2011
On Sunday, July 31st, the church held a Spiritual Day at the Valley of the Mother of God Retreat Center in Orangeville. Following the Sunday Liturgy, church members travelled together to the Valley to enjoy a day of spiritual meditations, share meals together, and spend time in praise and worship music. In the evening, the attendees were able to enjoy walks and recreation in the beautiful surroundings for a perfect end to a blessed day of rest and spiritual refreshment. God bless every ministry for the glory of His holy name.
Annual Graduation Celebration
July 24, 2011
The church rejoiced on Sunday, July 24th in the graduation ceremony of many of her children who completed junior high, high school, college, university, graduate, and post graduate studies. The graduates were encouraged to pursue strong spiritual lives and a personal relationship with the Lord to accompany their academic prosperity. Everyone received symbolic gifts and shared in a cake to mark the joyful occasion. We thank the Lord for all our graduates who are the bright and shining stars of the present and future of the church.
SMSV Sports & Bible Camp
July 4 – 15, 2011
The children’s summer camp this year was filled with studying God’s Word, sports, songs, crafts, and fun presentations. The main theme was “God’s Truth” where children explored discerning true versus false teaching and how to apply it to their daily lives. In addition to the children’s program, there was a leadership training course for high school youth. The program included discovering one’s character and personality, qualities of a good leader, personal strengths, and knowing the persons we are leading. Overall, it was a time of fellowship, spiritual growth, and great fun. We thank all the servants and youth who volunteered this year to make this an exceptional summer camp.
Visit of H.G. Bishop Angaelos
July 17, 2011
We were blessed by the visit of H.G. Bishop Angaelos to celebrate the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, July 17, 2011. His grace delivered a message of love, hope, and acceptance to every individual as true children of God. During the Liturgy, Sayedna consecrated the altar vessels and also blessed all those who were in attendance. We rejoiced at Sayedna’s words of wisdom delivered at the JOY Outreach meeting encouraging everyone to witness to the Lord in every opportunity we have. We are all very grateful for this momentous pastoral visit and we hope to welcome his grace very soon again in our midst.
SMSV Team – Soccer Tournament Champions
July 16, 2011
SMSV soccer team were crowned as champions in the annual soccer tournament organized by St. Mark’s Church, Scarborough held on Saturday, July 16, 2011. Sixteen teams gathered from various Coptic Churches as well as Christian denominations to compete for the cup. Our multi-national, multi-talented team won every game throughout the competition which ultimately led us to win the cup. We praise God for this group of talented players who showed exemplary Christian behavior throughout the tournament and gave the glory to God. We look forward for more tournaments this summer God willing where we can have fellowship with other members in the body of Christ and enjoy friendly competition
C.R.E.W. BBQ and Softball Tournament
July 16, 2011
C.R.E.W organized a BBQ and Softball Tournament on Saturday, July 16th to support the Kenya Mission team. It was a joyful day filled with excellent food, activities, and fellowship. Everyone remained active by either playing softball, kicking the soccer ball, or throwing the football around. We pray for the safety of our missionaries who will be travelling to Kenya on July 31, 2011, God willing for two weeks.
Town of Markham Endorsement to Site Plan Application
June 28, 2011
We praise the Lord for His amazing work in our midst and the progress of our steps towards starting our building project. In a miraculous move which took place on June 28, 2011, the Council of the Town of Markham took a unanimous decision to endorse our site plan application only five weeks following our submission. In their last meeting prior to their summer break, the decision was made due to God’s blessing, our congregation’s fervent prayers, and the eagerness of the Town of Markham staff to see the project begin soon, God willing. There were a few minor conditions that were set in place before we can receive the full approval and the site plan is registered. We pray to have these conditions met by the end of the summer to facilitate the final approval. The endorsement of the site plan means that we can now apply for the services permit for work to begin this fall God willing. Our next task is to complete and submit the detailed drawings for approval which will prepare us for the building permit.
May the Lord bless every step for the glory of His holy name.
Youth Trip to Los Angeles
June 29 – July 6, 2011
Forty seven youth and their counselors spent one week in the diocese of Los Angeles and visiting St. Anthony’s Monastery in California from June 29 – July 6, 2011. The trip was filled with spiritual meetings and fun excursions. The group had a special meeting with H.G. Bishop Serapion and the diocese youth. The visit to the monastery included praying the Divine liturgy, meeting with H.G. Bishop Apollo and several reverend monks who gave the youth many spiritual lessons. The visit to the monastery coincided with the feast of the Strong saint Abba Moses who appeared in the monastery for several years. Other stops included a bus tour in Hollywood and Beverly Hills, as well as visits to Santa Monica, shopping, and Disney Land. The youth and their counselors spent a great time together in fellowship and building friendships. May the Lord bless our youth and keep them in the Lord’s love forever while being nourished in His holy Church.
Visit of Fr. Anthony Messeh to SMSV
June 25 – 26, 2011
The church family rejoiced at the pastoral visit of our beloved Fr. Anthony Messeh of St. Mark’s Church, Washington DC who blessed us on June 25-26, 2011. Fr. Anthony spoke on Saturday evening, June 25th, about the Love of God, celebrated the Divine Liturgy on Sunday morning, and led the JOY meeting where he meditated on God’s justice and fairness. The church welcomed many new guests during this weekend while several friendships were initiated and strengthened. We thank Fr. Anthony for continuing to bless us and we look forward for his next visit during the Thanksgiving weekend, God willing, where we will have two outreach nights and an overnight retreat.
H.G. Bishop David Celebrates the Feast of St. Moses at SMSK
June 25, 2011
The congregation of St. Moses & St. Katherine Church in downtown Toronto was blessed by the visit of H.G. Bishop David on Saturday, June 25th to celebrate the feast of the Strong saint Abba Moses. On his first visit to the parish, his grace congratulated the congregation for the establishment of their new mission church and encouraged them to continue witnessing to God in their communities and outreach to others. We are thankful to H.G. Bishop David for facilitating the process of establishing this church with our beloved father H.H. Pope Shenouda III and always ministering and caring for our souls. May the Lord preserve for us their lives and confirm this new vine which His hand has planted.
Congratulations to Jeffery and Tessa for the baptism of their son Trey Mina Shiloh Singh on Saturday June 18, 2011. May the Lord bless their lives.
Feast of Pentecost
June 12, 2011
It was a joyful day where church members gathered to celebrate the Day of Pentecost which is also the birthday of the Church in the first century. Pentecost is a day that St. Maurice & St. Verena Church cherishes and rejoices in due to the fact that the diversity of the Apostolic Church was manifested on that day through the pouring of God’s Spirit, the gathering of all believers from many cultures, and the utterance of many languages. In the same manner, the diversity that is celebrated in our congregation reflects the spirit of Pentecost and declares God’s glory and reign throughout the whole world. We praise the Lord for the presence of over 40 different nationalities being represented in our congregation, having fellowship, and worshipping God in one accord. We pray for our continuous spiritual growth together as one body in Christ.
Congratulations to Basem and Marian for the baptism of their son Jonathan Mikhail on Saturday, June 11, 2011. May the Lord bless their lives.
Back to Church Sunday Celebration Dinner
June 5, 2011
It was a wonderful night filled with praises, songs, sharing, and fellowship. Many church members and their guests gathered at St. George Antiochian Orthodox Banquet Hall to celebrate our annual Back to Church Sunday. The evening started with prayer and worship followed by Fr. Daniel extending a warm welcome to everyone and a segment where guests named any letter from the alphabet and Addie Hanna (4 years) would recall a bible verse that started with that letter. The guests then participated in a bible trivia activity followed by a bingo game where each participant was able to meet other guests. Also, Amy Matta and Barsina Habib played two beautiful songs on the flute. Andrew and Kenny then shared their testimonials on their decision to Come Back to Church and the circumstances that led them to it which included being called back by God, finding genuine faith, belonging to a strong spiritual community, and fellowship. Fr. Pishoy shared a meditation on Psalm 37:4 “Delight yourself in the Lord” and how to be hungry for God in the midst of a busy lifestyle. Also, he encouraged the attending guests to seriously consider belonging to a church community where they could be nourished spiritually. We thank everyone who made an effort to make this a very memorable evening where the Lord’s presence was felt and lives were touched. The Lord bless every ministry for the glory of His holy name.
“Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, that glory may dwell in our land.”
(Psalm 85:9)
Site Plan Application Submission
May 25, 2011
Praise be to God, the church has successfully submitted the Site Plan Application for the building project to the Town of Markham on Wednesday, May 25, 2011. This is considered a major step in the church’s efforts to begin construction as soon as possible, God willing. The Site Plan Application outlines the details of the entire project exterior including the building footprint, architectural design, allocating spaces, materials to be used, landscaping design, exterior lighting, a sketch of the interior, and much more. While the Site Plan Application is being processed in the Town of Markham, the church will be working on finalizing the detailed drawings of the building interior as well as seeking to receive a permit to begin servicing the land. We are praying that if all goes smoothly, we can lay the foundation stone and service the land towards the end of this summer, God willing. Much prayer is still needed to complete all these steps so that we may receive the building permit successfully. Your prayers and support are always appreciated. May our Lord Jesus receive all the glory throughout this building process and may we all focus first on building our souls and always be ready for the Kingdom of Heaven.
Please join us this Sunday, May 29th for a celebration following the Divine Liturgy to commemorate this momentous event.
Visiting H.H. Pope Shenouda III in Cleveland
May 25, 2011
SMSV church fathers received the blessing of visiting our beloved shepherd H.H. Pope Shenouda III in Cleveland on Wednesday, May 25th. In his known kindness, His Holiness spent quality time with the fathers inquiring about many details about the mission, the church activities, and the building project. The fathers presented a report to His Holiness concerning the growth of the ministry and the initiation of St. Moses & St. Katherine Mission Church in downtown Toronto. The fathers also congratulated His Holiness for celebrating the 40th anniversary of his enthronement on the sea of St. Mark which will be celebrated on November 14, 2011, God willing. At the conclusion of the meeting, His Holiness presented special gifts to the fathers and prayed for the continued success of the ministry. May our Lord Jesus Christ preserve for us the life of our beloved father to shepherd his flock with purity and righteousness.
Victoria Day Long Weekend Congregation Retreat
LIVING IN CHRSIT
May 21-23, 2011
Our annual Victoria Day Long Weekend Congregation retreat was held at Nottawasaga Inn Resort from May 21-23, 2011 with the presence and blessings of H.G. Bishop Angaelos. The retreat theme was “Living in Christ” based on Philippians 1:21 “For to me, to live is Christ”. The discussions focused on practical ways to live in today’s world while witnessing and reflecting our faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Dr. Yousry Armanios started with a presentation entitled “The Lord, my Healer”, followed by a discussion by Fr. Pishoy on “Adoring the Bride of Christ”, “Not ashamed of the Gospel” by Fr. Daniel, and “Rejecting Darkness” and “Living in the Light” by H.G. Bishop Angaelos. There were also special programs for youth, children, and angels. The families enjoyed the beautiful resort activities with all its outdoor and indoor facilities. We praise God for the success of this retreat through which many new friendships and fellowship were initiated. We also welcomed many new church members who joined this retreat for the first time.
Visit of H.G. Bishop Serapion
May 13 – 15, 2011
Our congregation was blessed by the pastoral visit of H.G. Bishop Serapion, bishop of Los Angeles, Hawaii, and affiliated regions from May 13 – 15, 2011. His grace started his visit by addressing the youth on Friday evening and challenged them to be a “Thermostat, not a Thermometer”. On Saturday morning, Sayedna celebrated the Divine Liturgy at St. Moses & St. Katherine Downtown Mission Church and spent some time in fellowship with the congregation. In the evening, a servants meeting was held at St. Luke’s Church where his grace spoke about “Stewardship”. Sunday morning was another joyful day where his grace celebrated the Divine Liturgy and ordained twelve deacons to the rank of psalters. Overall, it was a spiritually uplifting weekend filled with inspirations, sermons, discussions, prayers, and praises. We thank our beloved father H.G. Bishop Serapion for giving us an entire weekend to enrich and inspire us and we look forward for other pastoral visits by our beloved father.
More Photos
Visit of H.G. Bishop Youssef of Bolivia
May 17, 2011
We were blessed by the visit of H.G. Bishop Youssef of Bolivia to lead the CREW meeting on Tuesday, May 17th. His grace first delivered a spiritual meditation entitled “The Resurrection and Change” followed by a beautiful presentation on the history and expansion of the mission in Bolivia. Everyone praised God for His work in Spanish speaking countries in South America and beyond. His grace also spend some time after the meeting in fellowship with CREW members discussing details about the mission. We are so thankful for this great blessing and look forward to learn more from the mission of the Coptic Church in South America.
Inaugural Divine Liturgy of
St. Moses & St. Katherine Coptic Orthodox Mission Church
April 30, 2011
With the blessing of our beloved father H.H. Pope Shenouda III, and the guidance of H.G. Bishop David, the inaugural Divine Liturgy of St. Moses & St. Katherine Coptic Orthodox Mission Church in Downtown Toronto was celebrated on April 30, 2011. Following the celebration o the Divine Liturgy, several members and guests delivered speeches of congratulations and welcome. We are thankful for the presence of our beloved Fr. Misael Attalla from St. Mark's Church, Scarborough and Fr. Anthony Messeh from St. Mark's Church, Washington DC. Fr. Anthony delivered a message entitled "Preparing for Mission" outlining the responsibilities of each Christian to witness to the faith. Twelve groups of missionaries then headed out to the downtown streets to invite people for the "Prayer in the Park". The group then held an outdoors service at the park which included worship, testimonials, and spiritual words. Everyone participated in a prayer meeting praising God for his mighty works. This was a historic day indeed that the church was able to go into the streets and minister spiritually to the downtown community which included persons from all walks of the earth. The love of God was really poured out on that day on everyone who participated and attended. We pray for the success of this new mission in the core of downtown Toronto to be a source of blessing to everyone who seeks shelter in it.
Audio
Photos
Visit of Fr. Morcos Farag and Winnipeg Youth to CREW
April 26, 2011
The CREW young adults were blessed with the presence of Fr. Morcos Farag and youth from St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church in Winnipeg. A fellowship meal was celebrated as part of the Holy fifty days and a short sermon was led by our beloved Fr. Daniel Hanna.
Praise God, the first edition of our online magazine is here. Please click on the link below to read all of the inspirational articles in SMSV's very own Eagle's Wings Magazine. This will be a quarterly magazine, with a new issue launched every 3 months. The magazine will contain inspirational messages from our beloved Abunas, testimonies from members of our congregation, updates on our brothers and sisters in other churches across the world, facts about Christianity, Orthodoxy, the Divine Liturgy and so much more.
Please click on this link to read our magazine now. www.eagleswingsmagazine.com
And if you would like to be a part of this growing ministry, please contact us at
info@eagleswingsmagazine.com
Congratulations to Tekle and Kidane Samuel for the baptism of their daughter Angel Meriam on Saturday, April 16th, 2011. May the Lord bless the entire family.
Conclusion of Marriage Preparation Sessions
April 10, 2010
The church concluded its annual marriage preparation sessions on Sunday, April 10th. The last session included a discussion on the marriage ceremony, the wedding reception, and an evaluation of the entire program. All couples were handed a graduation certificate and shared in a potluck agape meal. We pray for all our couples to have blessed marriages and prosperous futures.
Ministries Fair
April 10, 2011
The church held a Ministries Fair on Sunday April 10th. A total of 28 ministries participated in the event which gave members of the congregation an opportunity to explore the various ministries serving our church and our community. Members of the congregation were able to sign up to serve or participate in ministries in which they were interested in and which they could use their talents. We are very grateful to all the servants who participated in the event and to all the new members who were eager to get involved in a church service. We pray that each servant continue to receive God's blessings as they minister to the needs of the church and community.
Marriage Enrichment Evening
April 9, 2011
On Saturday, April 9th, the church organized a marriage enrichment evening at the church of St. Luke. Our guest speaker, Dr. Wafaa Wahba, held two sessions entitled “Parenting Teens” and “A Couple’s Journey”. The attending families had an opportunity to ask questions and be engaged in discussions. We are very thankful that many guests attended this event and shared their experiences. Everyone also shared in an agape meal and a time of fellowship. We look forward for more family themed evenings in the near future, God willing.
