Evangelism Conference
April 2-3, 2011

The church organized an evangelism conference on April 2 & 3 entitled “A Time to Awake”. Our guest speakers Dr. Mohamed and Mrs. Yvonne Rahouma spoke about “Evangelism and the Evangelist”, “Islam”, “Outreach to Muslims”, and concluded with a practical workshop on evangelism. The central message that our speakers stressed upon was to avoid confrontation, to show respect and love, to preach by example, and to allow the Lord to reach everyone and change people in His own way. We are thankful for our guest speakers and pray for the success of their ministry.

St. Mark & St. Monica Coptic
Orthodox Mission Church in Ottawa
March 26, 2011

H.G. Bishop David celebrated the inaugural Divine Liturgy for the new mission Church in Ottawa on Saturday, March 26th, 2011. It was a joyful day indeed which gathered members of all mission churches from across Canada to celebrate this momentous event. We congratulate the congregation of our sister church in Ottawa and we look forward on networking together to expand the mission field across Canada and beyond. We pray that this new ministry would bring joy to so many people in Ottawa and become a source of blessing and salvation to all those who seek it.

Youth Retreat To Muskoka Bible Centre
March 16- 18, 2011

The Church youth spent three wonderful and memorable days together at The Muskoka Bible Centre during their March Break.  The retreat was full of praise and worship, and included numerous discussions ranging from panel discussions on "Why I should hold off on having a boyfriend/girlfriend" to a court case on "Why Christianity is the only real religion" where Fr. Daniel took on the role of the judge.  Terez Elias gave a wonderful talk on "Friends that Lift You Up" and Fr. Daniel gave a talk on "Honesty and the Desire of Your Heart" which was followed by the movie "Fly Wheel" on honesty.  Another talk by Fr. Daniel included a presentation called "SMSV's Got Talent" that concluded by getting all the youth to recite individually by memory the New Testament books of the Holy Bible.  The youth and their counsellors also participated in many activities such as making fasting s'mores over a bonfire, playing volleyball and  floor hockey as well as going tubing.  The atmosphere of love and fellowship was always evident during the retreat.  God willing, the next youth trip will take place this summer to Los Angeles from June 29 – July 6 and will include a trip to St. Anthony's Monastery and major theme parks.
Photos

New Orleans Mission Trip
March 14-21, 2011

5 Years after the devistation of Hurricane Katrina hit the southern United States, these 8 Missionaries were called to serve the people of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the name of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ during their Spring break from March 14-21, 2011.  Katrina, one of the 5 deadliest hurricanes in the history of the U.S., was also the costliest natural disaster of 2005.  Thousands are still without homes or hope.  The missionaries joined in on building projects, served the homeless, and revitalized a garden at a home for the mentally and physically disabled, all while building relationships with the people of New Orleans and sharing their faith with whomever the Lord put in their paths.  New Orleans is a very special place.  Please continue to keep the people of this great city in your prayers.

Visiting H.H. Pope Shenouda III in Cleveland
March 10, 2011

Representatives of the church board, building committee, and Fr. Pishoy took the blessing of visiting H.H. Pope Shenouda III in Cleveland on Thursday, March 10th. The delegation first  inquired about the health of our beloved father and also about our brothers and sisters in Egypt going through hardships. His Holiness comforted the group that God is in full control of the situation and that the Church has passed through many hard ages in the past and the Lord always took care of His people. Fr. Pishoy conveyed the love and prayers of the church congregation to His Holiness and Sayedna sent back his apostolic blessings to all his children in the church. Architect Medhat Abdou then made a detailed presentation to His Holiness about the building project with all its components. His Holiness was extremely impressed with the progress of the project and prayed that we would begin construction in the near future, God willing. We are really thankful for the paternal care and love of our beloved Pope to our congregation and pray for his holiness’ continued health and speedy recovery.

Marriage Preparation Course
March 6 – April 10, 2011

The church started its annual Marriage Preparation Course on Sunday, March 6th which will continue weekly until April 10th, God willing. The purpose of these meetings is to prepare engaged couples for marriage in a group setting. Couples have the opportunity to share experiences build friendships, and grow close to God, the Church, and one another. Some of the topics discussed include Orthodox Understanding of Marriage, Conflict Resolution, Meeting with Married Couples, Intercultural Marriages, Finances, Relationships, Nutrition, Going Through the Marriage ceremony, and many others. We pray that God would prepare a generation of strong Christian families who share prosperous marriages that would build a strong Church Community and all of society.

Servants’ Spiritual Day
March 5, 2011

The church held a Servants’ Spiritual Day on Saturday, March 5th for all servants involved in all ministries. It was a beautiful day of growing, networking, praying, and connecting with one another.  The day started with prayer and icebreaker for all servants to have fellowship. The first session was entitled “Discipleship and Leadership” where servants were encouraged to remain as disciples and also to spiritually disciple others. The session was followed by small group discussions and presentations on how to communicate and network between different ministries in the church. The second session focused on practical ways to apply our current theme, being Rooted in Prayer, in all ministries. All servants spent a considerable time praying for the growth and spiritual nourishment of the church ministry. A suggestion came out as a result of the discussions which was to form a ministry that could connect and network between all ministries and to care for servants’ spiritual needs. Another idea was to form a recruiting ministry which is able to discern members’ spiritual gifts and direct them to applicable ministries in the church to use their talents for God’s glory. The next Servants’ Spiritual Day has been set for June 11, 2011, God willing. May the Lord bless every ministry for the glory of His Holy name.

Crew Meeting Outing
Tuesday, March 1, 2011

The CREW Young Adults and Grads attended the Raptors vs. Hornets game. Many friends and youth also attended enjoyed the game. After the game, the young adults went for a post game fellowship at a local restaurant.

 

"Jabez" Theatrical Presentation
Sunday, February 27, 2011

The Church drama team presented a beautiful play entitled "Jabez" on Sunday, February 27th at the Brebeuf auditorium. The story and prayer of Jabez which are mentioned in 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 were presented in a spiritual manner which was both humourous and practical. What made this play even more special is the fact that it was written, presented, sung, and conducted exclusively by multicultural members of our congregation. We are thankful for the many guests who attended the performance which made the evening an outreach event. Our children also presented a song entitled "The Twelve Sons of Jacob". We thank every one who worked hard to make this evening a success including those who helped back stage and many non-visible tasks. We also thank God for all the talents which are present in our congregation and may He reward everyone in heaven for their labour of love and faithful ministry.

The Crew Meeting with Fr. Paul Girguis
Tuesday, February 22, 2011

The CREW young adult meeting was blessed with the presence of Fr. Paul Girguis, from our sister Parish St. Mark in Washington DC. Fr Paul led a sermon on the importance and application of Intercessory Prayer. A short discussion followed and a practical application of intercessory prayer was witnessed as the young adults, guests and visitors all prayed fervently with Fr Paul and Fr Daniel at the end of the meeting. Young adults then had an opportunity during the post meeting fellowship to spend some time with Fr Paul

 

“The Fragrance of Prayer”
Family Day Long Weekend Spiritual Retreat
February 20 – 21, 2011

The Church family joined together in a beautiful retreat during the Family Day Long Weekend on February 20 – 21, 2011 in Niagara Falls. The theme of the retreat was “The Fragrance of Prayer” in accordance with our theme this year which is “Rooted in Prayer”. We were blessed by the presence of Fr. Paul Girguis from St. Mark Church, DC and Fr. Peter Saad from St. Peter and St. Paul Mission Church in Montreal. There was an overall feeling of love and fellowship among everyone who attended from many parishes in the GTA and Buffalo, NY. God bless every ministry for the glory of His holy name.

Meeting with Students from Masters Pentecostal Seminary
Saturday, February 12, 2011

A group of students from Master's Pentecostal Seminary in Peterborough, Ontario met with Fr. Pishoy on Saturday, February 12 at St. Mary & St. Joseph Church in Richmond Hill to learn about the Coptic Orthodox Church. The Masters degree Church history class was making several stops in the Toronto area to learn about different Christian traditions. The discussion included many topics about the Coptic Church including mention in Scriptures, history, heroes of faith, role in the ecumenical councils, martyrdom, monasticism, and expansion in the diaspora. The group also asked many questions following the presentation which include the use of iconography, music, the Divine Liturgy, role of women in the Church, mission, and Church view on speaking with tongues. We are very happy with the group's willingness to learn about the Orthodox Church and the essential role that the Church played in the formation of world Christianity. Also, we are glad of their willingness to hear and discuss the Orthodox perspective on matters that relate to theology, doctrine, tradition, and spirituality.

Meeting With Minister Michael Chan, MPP
January 28, 2011

Fr. Pishoy met with Hon. Michael Chan, MPP for Markham-Unionville and Minister of Tourism and Culture on Friday, January 28th at his constituency office in Markham. The main purpose of the meeting was to thank Minister Chan for gracing us with his presence during the Nativity Feast Liturgy and to present the latest architectural design of the Church. The minister warmly received Fr. Pishoy in his office and suggested some government programs which could be of assistance in funding phase two of our project which is the community centre. As minister of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Chan was happy that the first multicultural Coptic Orthodox Church will be built in his electorate jurisdiction. He also expressed gratitude for the warm welcome he received from our congregation while attending the Nativity Liturgy.

Men’s Fellowship Ministry Meeting
January 22, 2011

The Men’s Fellowship met at Markham  Delta Hotel for breakfast and spiritual discussion on Saturday, January 22nd. The meeting offered a combination of presentations by various members who portrayed the different gifts present within the fellowship. Youssef Tadros spoke about nutrition and healthy eating, followed by a discussion on “The Leadership of King David despite his Faults” led by George Shenouda, and finally a presentation by Pierre Girgis of the beautiful photographs he took of Nature scenery. The men also enjoyed some time of fellowship after the meeting. The next gathering has been set for Saturday, February 26th God willing where all men are joyfully welcomed. God bless every ministry for the glory of His holy name.

General Congregation Meeting
January 16, 2011

At the beginning of each year, the church family meets in an informal gathering to review and evaluate late year’s ministry as well as set goals for the upcoming year. On Sunday, January 16th, church members had the opportunity to express their thoughts in an open forum with Fr. Daniel and Fr. Pishoy concerning the continuous enrichment of our ministry.  Many wonderful suggestions and ideas came as a result of this meeting which include enhancing our sense of community, strengthening our sense of multiculturalism, promoting our vision for this year being “Rooted in Prayer”, new ministry ideas, caring for the persecuted and less fortunate, and questions about the construction of our church building. We are very thankful to everyone who participated and contributed in this forum and to the lovely spirit of unity which overshadowed the meeting. For the complete minutes of the meeting, please press here.

H. H. Pope Shenouda III Approves Church Design
January 14, 2011

On Friday, January 14th, Fr. Daniel and Fr. Pishoy travelled to Cleveland to present to His Holiness the updated architectural design of the church. His Holiness carefully reviewed the design and was extremely impressed with the progress of the plans. Sayedna was alsoexceptionally happy with the development made regarding the rezoning and the eminent presentation of the site plan application. Sayedna encouraged the congregation to continuemoving forwardwith the building plans as His Holiness would like to see this project completed soon. The church priests were so glad that his holiness personally signed his name on one of the portraits and wrote “With Blessing”. The church family is forever indebted to our beloved father H.H. Pope Shenouda III for his continued encouragement and support to our church. To view the updated architectural design, please click here.

 

Habitat for Humanity
January15, 2011

Servants and Volunteers from the Parish helped out at Habitat for Humanity on Saturday, January 15, 2011. Volunteers helped with various construction tasks and also shared with the staff of H4H in a Pizza Lunch. May God continue to bless the service of the volunteers and of the Habitat for Humanity.

Meeting H.H. Pope Shenouda III at the Cleveland Clinic
January 9, 2011

Fr. Pishoy had the blessing of meeting with our beloved father H.H. Pope Shenouda III upon His Holiness’ arrival from Egypt at the Cleveland Clinic on Sunday, January 9, 2011. The main purposes of the meeting were to ask about His Holiness’ health, to inquire about our beloved brothers and sisters in Egypt especially those affected by the events of Alexandria, to thank His Holiness for his leadership and heavenly wisdom in dealing with the situation, and to convey the prayers and support of all His Holiness’ children at St. Maurice & St. Verena Church. Despite His Holiness’ many responsibilities and concerns, Sayedna, in his paternal love, took the time to inquire about the safe arrival of Fr. Daniel, the progress of the ministry, and the upcoming plans to begin construction, God willing. His Holiness encouraged the Church congregation to work diligently in starting the building of the first missionary church in North America and expressed his desire to see the church completed. His holiness sent his greetings and apostolic blessings to the church congregation and prayed that we should continue growing and witnessing to our faith.Due to health and security reasons, Sayedna will not be able to meet with large groups during this trip. We all thank our beloved father H. H. Pope Shenouda III for always caring for our church community and supporting our mission. We pray for his health and safety and may he continue to lead the Holy Church of God for many more years to come.

Official Church Welcoming of Fr. Daniel Hanna
January 8, 2011

TheRites for Welcoming the New Priest were held on Saturday, January 8th with the blessing and presence of many of our beloved clergy in South Western Ontario as well as hundreds of church members and guests. We are thankful for the presence of Heg. Fr. Angelos Saad, Heg. Fr. Rueiss Awad, Heg. Fr. Bishoy Attalla, Fr. Misael Attalla, Fr. Abraam Kamal, Fr. Luke Mitry, and Fr. Youssef Iskander. We were also blessed by the presence of Pastor Derek Mathers, Pastor Lumembo Tshiswaka, Rev. Ibrahim Wahbi and Rev. Dr. Wafik Wahba.  There were several speeches and presentations welcoming our beloved priest Fr. Daniel and his family to the church. The evening was concluded by an agape meal in the fellowship hall. We are thankful to God for Fr. Daniel and his family and we pray that they would have a fruitful ministry at SMSV.

Fr. Daniel Celebrates the Nativity Feast
January 6, 2011

Fr. Daniel celebrated his first Divine Liturgy at the church on Thursday, January 6th which was the Nativity Feast. His reverence also delivered a festal sermon entitled “Mighty to Save” highlighting the purpose for the Lord’s incarnation which was mainly to save souls and to return us back to His image. Abouna also reminded the congregation that this year we are all rooted in prayer and will continue to spread the name of the Lord through mission. May our Lord bless the new ministry of our beloved Fr. Daniel.

 

The Arrival of Fr. Daniel Hanna to Toronto
January 5, 2011

Many members of the congregation joyfully awaited the arrival of Fr. Daniel and his family at Toronto Pearson International Airport on Wednesday, January 5th. Some people carried welcoming posters while others presented flowers. Cheers broke at Terminal 3 as soon as everyone saw Abouna, Tasoni Debbie, Marina, Nathan, and Addie exiting the gates. Abouna was also welcomed at the airport by Fr. Ammonius Guirguis, Fr. Abraam Kamal, Fr. John Sarkis, Fr. Joseph Luka, and Fr. Youssef Iskander. Fr. Daniel greeted everyone present at the airport and took a commemorative photo. We thank all our beloved clergy and congregation who made this a very special and warm reception and a joyful occasion.

Celebrating Chinese New Year
Sunday, February 6, 2011

The church family will joyfully celebrate the Chinese New Year on Sunday, February 6th immediately following the Divine Liturgy. The Chinese members of our church will gladly share with the congregation the meaning and symbolism of the "Year of the Rabbit". This will be followed by sharing of many traditional Chinese delicacies. Happy New Year.

“And it will be for a sign and for a witness to the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt; for they will cry to the LORD because of the oppressors, and He will send them a Savior and a Mighty One, and He will deliver them. Then the LORD will be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know the LORD in that day” (Isaiah 19:20, 21)

Prayer Meeting for Egypt
Sunday, January 30, 2011 from 12:00 noon – 1:00 pm

Let us join together in a fervent prayer meeting on Sunday, January 30th immediately following the Divine Liturgy from 12:00 noon – 1:00 pm for the sake of Egypt and the safety of all its people. Due to the political unrest in Egypt, we need to assemble together in one accord like the Apostolic Church to pray for our mother Church, our beloved father H.H. Pope Shenouda III, our Church hierarchs, the entire Coptic community, wisdom to the political leaders in Egypt, and much more. We are confident that the Lord will hear our prayers which are lifted with the prayers of so many other faithful believers in the whole world to bring calmness and rest to the entire region.

Public Funeral Prayer for the Martyrs of Alexandria
Sunday, January 2, 2011

The Coptic clergy and congregations of South Western Ontario gathered at Nathan Phillips Square on Sunday, January 2nd to pray the general funeral service for the souls of the martyrs who were massacred in Alexandria on New Year’s eve. The service was attended by thousands of parishioners, the media, and several dignitaries. Everyone in attendance was grieving for the heartless and cowardly terror attack on innocent Christians exiting a church service following the New Year’s eve vigil. The Canadian government along with the opposition party condemned the attack and vowed to take action to ensure that such assaults are not repeated in the future. The funeral prayer was glorious as everyone participated in the hymnology and asked God for mercy. As a church community, we send our deepest and heartfelt condolences to our brothers and sisters who were injured and those who lost loved ones. We also pray for our beloved father H.H. Pope Shenouda III who has always led his people with wisdom and the guidance of the Holy Spirit during these crises. May the Lord preserve for us his life for many more years and protect the Church and the entire Coptic faithful under his holiness’ leadership.

 

Congratulations to Mariam and Rymon Tawadrous for the baptism of their son Daniel Abanoub on Saturday, December 25th, 2010. May the Lord bless the entire family.

 

 

Caroling Sandwich Run
Friday, December 24, 2010

Many church members were out on the streets of downtown Toronto on western Christmas eve bringing good tidings to persons on the streets, distributing winter clothes, sandwiches and hot chocolate while caroling beautiful Christmas songs. Our brothers and sisters the homeless were extremely appreciative that they were remembered on such a blessed evening especially that the climate was extremely cold. The streets of downtow Toronto were filled with prayer, cheer, singing, and giving glory to God. Many of the by passers stood with the group to sing Christmas carols and thanked the church team for their ministry. It was observed that so many people were hungry to hear God's word on the streets. We pray that God reward the weekly sandwich run servants who arranged this event and we look forward for more opportunities to witness to God on the streets of Toronto.

Youth Group Activities Day
December 23, 2010

The Youth Group Counsellors organized a special day of activities for the youth during the Christmas holiday.  This day involved having lunch together at Spring Rolls followed by watching The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader in 3D.  Following the movie, the youth headed to St. Luke's Church where they listened to beautiful hymns while they prepared sandwiches and cookies to be handed out during the Carolling Sandwich Run the following evening.  This was a very special day for all involved as the spirit of one family in fellowship was always very evident.