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A Blessed Journey during the Holy Pascha Week and the Feast of Resurrection
“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live” (John 11:25)
The Church enjoyed a time of spiritual revival throughout the Holy Great Lent which reached its climax during the Holy Pascha Week and the celebration of the Feast of Resurrection. The deep spiritual hymns and festivities during this season left their lasting impression upon all the parishioners. We thank our beloved Rev. Fr. Maximos Rizkalla for blessing us on the Eve of Wednesday and delivering the meditation. We are thankful to our Lord for the involvement of our multicultural congregation members during this week in delivering spiritual meditations, leading and chanting the hymnology, and serving as deacons and Sunday School teachers. Also, of special notice this year was the involvement of our children, youth, and young adults in chanting the Paschal hymnology and leading the congregation. We pray that our Lord Jesus would continue to nourish and confirm this vine which His hand has planted.
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Congratulations to Shawn Job Da Silveira for his blessed baptism on Wednesday, April 8, 2009. Shawn, who is from a Brazilian background, was introduced to the Coptic Church by a group of his friends and has been a faithful member of SMSV for the past year. He has shown enthusiasm and love for God and for the Coptic Church through his regular attendance in the Divine Liturgies and Young Adult meetings. He desired to be a full member of the Church through his baptism. May our Lord Jesus continue to enrich his life and enlighten his path.
Marriage Preparation Classes
The marriage preparation sessions concluded on Sunday, April 5th with a celebration and an agape meal. Throughout the course, the couples enjoyed discussions on relevant topics pertaining to the events leading up to the wedding and beyond. In the last session, our couples received a graduation certificate, an icon of St. Maurice & St. Verena, and a copy of Fireproof movie. We pray that our Lord would protect our couples and our Christian homes.
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Children's breakfast Club
March 28, 2009
A delegation of the church congregation helped out the Yonge St. Mission on March 28, 2009 in the Children's Breakfast Club program that serves children in the Regent Park community. The volunteers helped prepare a hearthy breakfast of chocolate and blueberry pancakes, sausages, cereal and fruit salad. After serving the children breakfast, the delegation had an enjoyable and eriching exprience monitoring and providing fellowship for the children in the YSM community. The Yonge St. Mission again thanks the volunteers and congregation of St. Maurice and St. Verena for the time and efforts they've given to the mission. More photos
Visit of H.G. Bishop Youssef
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
We were blessed by the presence of H.G. Bishop Youssef to celebrate the Divine Liturgy on Tuesday, March 10 at the Church of St. Luke. During the Liturgy, His Grace ordained Dr. Bassem Iskander to the rank of Epsaltos (Singer). We were also blessed by the presence of our beloved Rev. Fr. Abraam Kamal from St. Mary & St. Joseph Church in Richmond Hill. We thank H.G. Bishop Youssef for his love, kindness, and paternal care. More photos
Small Group Leadership Training Course
March 1 – May 3, 2009
Small Group Ministry has become a landmark of our Church. It is our vision that our Church does not only become a church with Small Groups but a church of Small Groups. Our first Leaders training course last year resulted in the formation of seven groups that meet either weekly of biweekly. This year, through God’s grace, we have 27 participants who are attending the training course. We are praying that this initiative will result in the birth of more leaders who will be able to minister the Word of God in truth. We are pleased this year to receive many guests from sister churches who will be taking this initiative into their parishes. We thank all the leaders who are sparing no effort for the success of this valuable ministry. May the Word of the Lord continue to grow and multiply in this church and in every church. More photos
Servants Spiritual Day
March 7, 2009
The Church organized a Spiritual Day for servants and leaders at St. John’s Convent on Cummer Rd. The day began with prayer and worship followed by some community building activities. The main theme of the day was Orthodox Leadership: It’s Characteristics and Challenges. The servants shared together in group discussion where many valuable suggestions where made to continue improving and refining our ministry. A great emphasis was made on our continued focus on the Lord Jesus in our ministry and the elimination of all distractions. It is only through the spiritual focus of the servants and leaders does a church become missional, accepting, and loving to all. There was an overall sense of fellowship and unity in this gathering and a request for its frequent repetition. We all pray for the continued growth of our church and efficiency of its mission. More photos
Marriage Preparation Class
Sundays, March 1 – April 5, 2009
The Marriage preparation class started on March 1st and will continue until April 5th, God willing. This is an essential ministry of our Church which is to prepare, care, and welcome the next generation of Coptic families. In this enriched program, the church invites many professional speakers in various areas which contribute to the overall well being of the couples. We thank God for the diversity that is present in this group as the Church welcomes many members who are of a variety of cultural and racial backgrounds. It is our mission that we as a Church, being many tongues and nations, are united in the one passion for the Lord and our beloved Coptic Orthodox Church.
Yonge Street Mission
February 28, 2009
Members from the CREW volunteered at the Young Street Mission on Saturday, February 28th, 2009 as part of an ongoing relationship with the mission. The participants setup, served and participated in a Breakfast Club for Chrildren in the YSM community. After breakfast, the Young Adults helped lead and provide mentorship roles for the children in a variety of activity rooms including arts and craft, computers, gym/sports, and a chill/games room. Volunteers also had an opportunity to pray as a group and with the YSM staff before departing for the day. The mission had a last minute opening for the event so extra thanks to the volunteers for filling the slots at such short notice. As always, many thanks going to the volutneers for their time, ministry and enthusiasm.
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Habitat For Humanity
February 21, 2009
SMSV congregation members attended Habitat for Humanity's Peddicord build site on Feb 21st, 2009. The delegation assisted the project put up walls, apply exterior weather proofing, and clean an area filled with a mound of dirt. Volunteers were very helpful and enthusiastic to return for another Build day.
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Meeting H.H. Pope Shenouda III
Friday, February 13, 2009
Cedar Grove, NJ
Fr. Pishoy met with H.H. Pope Shenouda III at the papal residence in Cedar Grove, NJ on Friday, February 13, 2009. His Holiness had arrived earlier that evening from Cleveland and greeted thousands of people individually then proceeded to the Egyptian Consulate in Manhattan. Upon his return around midnight, His Holiness received Fr. Pishoy who presented to him a detailed report and photos pertaining to the ministry of St. Maurice & St. Verena and all its activities. His Holiness carefully reviewed the report and offered much advice and guidance. H.G. Bishop David also attended part of the meeting and updated His Holiness about the church ministry. We thank our Lord for the paternal love of our beloved father H.H. Pope Shenouda III who spares no effort to lead the Church in righteousness and is always generous towards us with his time and support. May God preserve for us his life for many more years to come.
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THIRSTY FOR GOD
Family Day Long Weekend
February 15 – 16, 2009
Niagara Falls, Ontario
The theme of the retreat was very appropriate for the Church season that we are about to begin. The Great Lent is a time to seek God with all our hearts, minds and souls. We had three sessions focusing on how we can be thirsty for God in this modern age. The topics covered discussions on our personal, professional, and family lives and how to be more intimate in our love and dedication for God and maintain our joy while resisting life’s hindrances and temptations. We also spent a wonderful time at night in fellowship, games, and laughter. Overall, there was a sense of community, love, and belonging to the one church family. God willing, we look forward for our next congregation retreat during the Victoria Day long weekend in May.
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Breakfast with St. Luke Lutheran Men's Fellowship
Saturday, February 7th
A delegation of SMSV men joined Pastor Derek and St. Luke Men's fellowship for breakfast at the Howard Johnson Hotel on Saturday, February 7th. Our group was invited to share about the Coptic Orthodox Church, the ministry of
SMSV, and to have fellowship with members of St. Luke's congregation. We thank Pastor Derek and the entire group for taking this initiative and we hope that more events could be coordinated in the future.
Yonge St. Mission - Friday Youth Drop-In Dinner 6:30pm- 9pm
Friday, January 23rd, 2009
Delegates from SMSV took part in the Yonge St. Mission's Friday Youth Drop-In Dinner, preparing and serving food for Teens and Young Adults in the YSM community. Representatives from the Youth Group and the Small Groups Ministry helped create a warm atmosphere of fellowship and leadership for the dining guests. The mission once extends a sincere thanks and asks that the SMSV please continue the ministry of outreach, acceptance and love.
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SOCYAL (Southwestern Ontario Coptic Young Adult League) Spiritual Day
January 31, 2009
It was a fun filled day from beginning till end where young adults from all over Southwestern Ontario churches gathered with us at St. Luke’s for spiritual growth and fellowship. The day started by celebrating the Divine Liturgy, followed by an agape meal, and then a series of lectures, discussions, quiet time, worship, and games. The main theme was “Unity in Christ” and we heard lectures from Fr. John Ramzy and Fr. Botrous Philopos. Also, we heard a special lecture which was recorded by Fr. Anthony Messeh from Washington D.C specifically for the spiritual day. We were also blessed by the presence of Fr. Abraam Kamal and Fr. Joseph Louca who participated in the discussions. It was agreed that the next SOCYAL gathering will be hosted by the Good Shepherd fellowship at St. Mark’s on April 25th. We thank God for the spirit of love and unity that was present among all the young adults in attendance.
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Volunteering at Habitat for Humanity
January 10, 2009
Church volunteers participated in the first of two build days scheduled with the Habitat for Humanity Peddicord Build Site located just west of Victoria Park Avenue, on Danforth Road. The Peddicord project began on July 22nd, 2008 and requires volunteers to help build 8 units in total (6 townhouse units and 2 semi-detached units). Volunteers helped with a variety of projects ranging from dry-walling to painting in three of the townhouse units. The team worked diligently with the professional team leaders on site while celebrating fellowship in the Spirit of Service, Patience and Joy.
New Year’s Eve Celebration 2009
The theme for the evening was “New Beginnings” being inspired from 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new”. The evening started with raising of incense and was then followed by presentations from our Sunday School children, a skit by our youth, and meditations on the 7 C’s which are Creation, Change, Challenge, Choices, Commitment, Celebration, and Christ. Throughout the night we viewed several video clips and engaged in discussions on the topics. Fr. Pishoy shared a meditation on “New Year’s Resolutions” and we received the New Year in prayer where each member of the congregation wrote a prayer on a leaflet, was read out loud, and then posted on the “Rooted in Love” tree. After having a few minutes to congratulate one another for the New Year, we concluded the evening with celebrating the Divine Liturgy. We pray for a blessed beginning to the New Year to our entire beloved congregation and may this year bring forth joy and good tidings.
Congregation Trip to Washington D.C., New York & New Jersey
December 26 – 30, 2008
The trip departed from Toronto on Friday, December 26 on its way to Washington D.C. and arrived later on the same evening. The group was blessed to have a series of meetings with Fr. Bishoy Andraous and Fr. Anthony Messeh on Saturday and Sunday as well as have a tour of the downtown monuments and main attractions. We also celebrated the Kiahk praised on Saturday evening and the Divine Liturgy on Sunday morning. We thank Fr. Anthony for spending some time with us in the hotel on Sunday night where we had a chance for Q&A. on Monday morning; the group was on its way to Manhattan where we saw some of its main attractions and the Statue of Liberty. On the same evening, we attended the weekly meeting with H.G. Bishop David at the Papal residence in Cedar Grove, NJ. Afterwards, His grace met with the group privately and answered many questions. We were more joyful when His grace blessed us at the hotel and stayed with the group until after 3am answering many theological and spiritual questions. We thank His grace for his abundant love and paternal care which he always encompasses us with. On Tuesday morning, we made our way back to Toronto where we arrived around midnight. The bus ride was filled with joyous moments and bursts of laughter and also chances for open discussions. Overall, it was a spiritually edifying and fun trip where many participants got to know each other on a more personal level and developed a sense of community and intimacy. We thank all the organizers, leaders, and participants of the trip and look forward for similar journeys in the future.
First Anniversary Celebration Dinner
December 14, 2008
The church hosted a celebration dinner on December 14th marking our first anniversary since the inaugural Divine Liturgy held on December 15, 2007. We were blessed by the presence of H.G. Bishop David, Heg. Fr. Marcos Marcos, Heg. Fr. Angelos Saad, Heg. Fr. John Ramzy, Heg. Fr. Rueiss Awad, Fr. Metias Ibrahim, Fr. Maximus Rizkalla, Fr. Misael Attalla, Fr. Antonious Samaan, Fr. Mikhail Armanious, Fr. Youhanna Ghally, Fr. Jeremiah Attalla, Fr. John Sarkis and over 400 participants. It was a joyful evening indeed filled with memories, musical presentations, worship, congregation videos, games, and an overall sense of fellowship. The theme of the evening was “Rooted in Love” being inspired from Ephesians 3:17-19. The church would like to thank all the volunteers who contributed to the success of this evening including those who presented, organized, cooked, served, greeted, cleaned, prepared the program, and much more. We pray that the Lord would keep our beloved congregation and reward each one in heaven for their holy zeal and labor of love. We look forward for another year filled with the grace of God, Spiritual growth, and many more wonderful memories.
Congratulations to Sabry & Michele Samuel for the baptism of their son Matthew Alexander on Saturday, December 20th at St. Mary & St. Joseph Coptic Orthodox Church in Richmond Hill. Also appeared in the picture are their two daughters Daniela & Christina. We pray that the Lord would protect the whole family in his love and care.
Yonge St. Mission's Annual Christmas Market
December 20, 2008
SMSV continues to serve the community and make manifest the Word through service with the Yonge St. Mission during this Holy Month of Kiahk. The delegation attending one of the Mission's busiest days arrived in two shifts, first at 9am and the second at 12noon. The volunteer delegation comprised of representatives from the congregation and from several ministries helped with a multitude of tasks integral to the successful operation of the Annual Christmas Market. SMSV representatives provided cheer, fellowship and a friendly atmosphere as registered underprivileged families in the Regent Park community arrived to receive donated food items and toys for their family during the Christmas Season. More volunteer opportunities in the coming year will be available God willing. Shine bright and know that your passion to serve and volunteer is appreciated and does make a difference
First Anniversary Celebration Dinner
December 14, 2008
The church hosted a celebration dinner on December 14th marking our first anniversary since the inaugural Divine Liturgy held on December 15, 2007. We were blessed by the presence of H.G. Bishop David, Heg. Fr. Marcos Marcos, Heg. Fr. Angelos Saad, Heg. Fr. John Ramzy, Heg. Fr. Rueiss Awad, Fr. Metias Ibrahim, Fr. Maximus Rizkalla, Fr. Misael Attalla, Fr. Antonious Samaan, Fr. Mikhail Armanious, Fr. Youhanna Ghally, Fr. Jeremiah Attalla, Fr. John Sarkis and over 400 participants. It was a joyful evening indeed filled with memories, musical presentations, worship, congregation videos, games, and an overall sense of fellowship. The theme of the evening was “Rooted in Love” being inspired from Ephesians 3:17-19. The church would like to thank all the volunteers who contributed to the success of this evening including those who presented, organized, cooked, served, greeted, cleaned, prepared the program, and much more. We pray that the Lord would keep our beloved congregation and reward each one in heaven for their holy zeal and labor of love. We look forward for another year filled with the grace of God, Spiritual growth, and many more wonderful memories.
Christmas Hampers at West Hill Community Centre Initiative
December 6-7, 2008
Representatives from St Maurice & St Verena were actively involved in assisting the West Hill Community Centre, on Lawrence Road just West of Kingston Rd in Scarborough. SMSV was represented by various Ministries (including the Youth Group, CREW, Sunday School and Small Groups), congregation members and friends who generously gave their time, effort, skills and passion to serve during the six shifts scheduled with the community centre. The SMSV delegation was instrumental in sorting and organizing donated items into easy access groupings on shelves, which in turn sped up the creation of Christmas Hampers to an average of approximately 30 hampers per shift. To all the volunteers, West Hill Community Centre extends a heart filled "Thank You" for your efforts in setting the groundwork in this initiative, and looks forward to serving with the groups and individuals who will be volunteering for the remaining shifts and if God willing, again in the New Year.
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