Dear Friends,
Cast and gather, raise and send.
These four words continually come to mind in my prayers for God’s future plans for our Diocese. They come from meditating on the 21st chapter of John, as we have all been doing since we started the Cast the Net visioning process. I imagine the nighttime scene: Jesus’ disciples sitting in their boat on the Sea of Tiberias, up all night, shivering with the cold, and no fish to show for it. They must have felt drained, depleted and alone. But they were not alone – someone was watching from the shore, someone who provides in all circumstances. Just as Jesus called his disciples to cast their nets wider that morning, we as a Diocese are now being called to do the same.
Over the past two years, more than 1,000 ordained and lay leaders voiced their needs and ideas for our beloved Church in the Cast the Net process. 20 Calls to action emerged, reflecting where we believe the Holy Spirit is leading us as a diocesan family. Responding to those 20 Calls will be different in every person and parish. And it will require resources and financial supports.
This is why we are taking the critical next step of a diocesan-wide Planning Feasibility Study. Through this process, we will prayerfully discern our collective readiness for a potential fundraising campaign that puts parishes first and reflects the unique needs and shared aspirations across our Diocese. It’s an opportunity to reflect on how we can live out Christ’s call to cast our nets wider and what resources we need to do so – today, in five years, in 10 years. It’s an opportunity to deepen our purpose and dream about the possibilities of ministry, locally and across our Diocese.
Our Planning Feasibility Study committee includes many talented members of our Church:
- The Rt. Rev. Jenny Andison – St. Paul, Bloor Street
- Susan Colacitti – St. Clement, Eglinton
- Susan Graham Walker, ODT – Church of the Redeemer, Bloor St.
- Finn Keesmaat-Walsh – Church of the Redeemer, Bloor St.
- Kennedy Marshall, ODT – Epiphany & St. Mark, Parkdale
- The Rev. Canon Robert Mitchell – St. Olave, Swansea
- Otto Peter, ODT – Christ Memorial Church, Oshawa
- The Rev. Shelly Pollard – St. Martin, Bay Ridges
- The Rev. Susan Snelling – St. Margaret, Barrie
- The Rev. Canon Kevin Wong – All Saints, Markham
This group envisions a potential campaign that truly puts Christ at its centre and prioritizes parish ministry first:
- A significant portion of total funds raised – a minimum of 60 cents on every dollar – will remain within the parish that raised them. A flexible sharing formula will enable parishes with extenuating needs to retain additional funds.
- Every parish is encouraged to craft a parish case for support, using the campaign as an opportunity to raise funds for its own ministry priorities and aspirations.
- A percentage of funds raised towards diocesan-wide priorities identified during Cast the Net is planned to be accessible to parishes via granting programs.
- Parishes will receive hands-on support to build a mission action plan, train volunteers, create communications and more, helping to build capacity and raise up leaders during and beyond the campaign.
Experience tells us that parishes often see a 2-3% increase in their regular givings as a result of undertaking a campaign, connecting personally with parishioners and communicating a vision for the parish’s future. We are excited to begin the conversation!
Whether you’re a member of the clergy, laity or church leadership, or you’re taking your first steps in your walk with Christ, your voice is important in discerning God’s future. All Anglicans in the Diocese of Toronto are invited to participate in the Planning Feasibility Study by sharing thoughts and wisdom on a Preliminary Case for Support. Interviews and open forums will be led by M&M International, both in person and virtually. You can read the Preliminary Case for Support and find the open forum schedule by visiting the Planning Feasibility Study page on the diocesan website.
As we embark on this study, let’s faithfully cast our nets into deep water (as we read in this Sunday’s gospel – Luke 5:4), and start to plan how to resource and raise up parishes, as followers of Christ serving the world God loves. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, let’s weave a net of support across our Diocese, ensuring that our parishes are spiritually and financially empowered to thrive and to remain vibrant centres of faith and community for generations to come.
Yours in Christ,
The Rt. Rev. Andrew Asbil
Bishop of Toronto
