Worship Ministries
Altar Guild
- We wait upon the table of God.
Come and join our group of happy volunteers, to serve on the Altar
Guild in ancient tradition celebrated for a thousand years in the
Christian Church. We require volunteers to serve one Sunday per month to carry a candle
at the 9 am and 11 am services (in particular more volunteers are needed
at the 9am Service.) The volunteers are also asked to assist in set-up and
clean-up after service. This usually takes about half hour at the most.
We also are looking for interested volunteers to learn to carry the
cross at the beginning of the procession. We especially welcome interested
women to become in this very rewarding volunteer opportunity.
Training is provided.
Find out more
about the Altar Guild by downloading the Info Sheet:
We Wait Upon the Table of God - Unlocking the Mysteries of the Altar Guild
Contact TEAM LEADER:
AltarGuild@MCCToronto.com
American Sign Language Signers
[Description coming soon]
Contact
TEAM LEADER: ASL@MCCToronto.com
Anointers and Communion Server Ministry
Communion Servers and Anointers are an integral part of
every Worship Service at all Metropolitan Community Churches. They are
especially so at MCC
Toronto. What is Anointing? In the letter of James,
Chapter 5, beginning at verse 14, Christians are told to send for the
elders of the church if they are ill and the leaders will anoint them with
oil and pray for healing. Here at MCC Toronto we do just that.
Who are Communion Servers? These are the people
who have been trained in how to serve at the Lord's Table. We are not
standing behind the altar but we have elements (bread and wine) in the
vessels we are holding and we share of this food with all who come
forward. At the same time we share a brief prayer of blessing with the
recipients. What special skills do fold need who wish to share in
these areas of service? None really - except that they will have such
gifts of the Spirit as healing and discernment. Above all, each will be
aware that s/he is a vessel for God's spirit only and is but one of the
means by which God is touching God's children. If you feel led to serve in this capacity, please
contact the Volunteer Office.
Contact
TEAM LEADER:
AnointerServer@MCCToronto.com
Deacons
At MCC Toronto, the office of Deacon is a
volunteer role. The most visible
part of our role is assisting at Sunday Worship - they're the ones wearing
a sash on top of the robes and sitting in the red chairs to Brent's left.
The most important part of their role is Pastoral Care. Pastoral Care
includes: being available to talk and pray with after Sunday service,
making home and hospital and prison visits. If
you are experiencing a spiritual concern and would like to contact a
Deacon, or just have some questions about the church, you can:
- approach us after the service
- email us at care@mcctoronto.com
- phone us at 416-406-6228 ext 114.
Ushers and Ushers
[Description coming
soon]
Contact
TEAM LEADER:
UshersandGreeters@MCCToronto.com
Lectors (Click
here for Position Description)
Activity
-
To read the first bible reading
at either the 9 or 11am service.
Commitment
-
One
year, one service a month at either the 9 or 11am service. Less often if
selected for the 5th Sunday of the month service. Must be willing to
attend two out of three workshops held at the beginning of the year.
Getting involved
-
Auditions are held once a year
and are
announced in Sunday News.
Support -
The
Lector Ministry Leader
is available by phone or in person to help with preparing assignment. All
lectors are available to give feedback and support to each other.
Reading -
The
reading is available mid week
before the Sunday and is sent by e-mail or fax.
Why be a lector?
-
To give of your public
speaking skills
-
To improve your public
speaking skills
-
To have a better
understanding of the word of God
-
To be an active part of the
regular Sunday service and other special services during the year
-
To improve self confidence
-
To be a role model
The selection
-
Lectors must be
representative of the whole church community. We strive for balance and
diversity. Since there are only 10 positions, many will not be picked.
However it is not unusual for replacements to be needed during the year.
Contact
TEAM LEADER:
Lectors@MCCToronto.com
Music
Ministry |
Welcome
to the MCC Toronto Choir!!! A
community comprised of a number of really great people who share
a love of God, a love for one another and a LOVE OF MUSIC! "As
a choir member I've learned such an incredible amount musically,
in a loving, nurturing and joyful environment. It has been a
privilege learning from such gifted and accomplished Musicians,
the likes of Diane Leah and Jeannie Wyse who have a wealth of
knowledge and wisdom they freely share."
The
commitment required is a 7:00 pm choir rehearsal every Thursday
till 9:00 pm. A Saturday morning rehearsal likely every 4 - 6
weeks from 10:00 am -1:00 pm. Our morning begins on Sundays
at 8:00 am to prepare for
the 9:00 am service and should you only sing at the 11:00
am service, you are required to be present for 10:20 am. There is the
opportunity on a volunteer basis to take part in special events like
the Roy Thomson Hall Christmas Eve or Pride Day Celebrations when there
are additional rehearsals required.
Are you
are thinking of joining the choir? We look forward to welcoming
you! For more information please contact the
church office or check The Choir's website for answers
to frequently asked questions. |
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"The
Choir: Connected. Songs for the Heart " is
NOW AVAILABLE!
In March 2006 The Choir, along with very special guest artists Alana
Bridgewater, Julie Michels and Thom Allison performed in a fabulous concert
series, which was recorded. That recording is masterfully captured on
this 15 track cd. This sophomore cd offering from The Choir will uplift,
inspire and move you with tracks that are rich and full and empowering.
If you haven't yet
purchased your copy, now's
your chance!
You can
listen to soundbites and order your copy online from;
MCC
Toronto Choir's Website.
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"House
of Love" is also Available for Purchase Online!
Release in 2003, this debut album showcases the outstanding MCC Toronto
Choir and guest vocalists Alana Bridgewater,
Mark Cassius, Mary McCandless, Julie Michels, Maria Piazza, Louise Pitre.
You can listen to soundbites and order your copy online from:
MCC
Toronto Choir's Website. |
|
Contact TEAM LEADER:
TheChoir@MCCToronto.com
Welcoming Ministry
Every one of us has experienced that special day when we first came up the
steps of Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto. We all came with many
diverse feelings, expectations and most likely fears, but we all felt or
hoped deep inside that maybe this would be the end of our spiritual
isolation. Maybe this would be the beginning or the coming home to a new
relationship with God, and a spiritual community that God is establishing
not only in Toronto, but the world.
The purpose of individuals involved in the
Welcoming Ministry
is to position themselves at the doors of our church to specifically
encounter new people as God sends them to us. The individuals involved in
welcoming will be separate from the Greeters handing out the Order of
Service and separate from the Ushers. Those involved in the Welcoming
Ministry will be trained as to how to approach new people, put them at
ease and let them participate with us at whatever level they choose.
The Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes has said that the impression new people make of
a church is within the first twelve minutes, before the choir has sung or
a sermon has been said.
If
you feel you would like to be involved in the Welcoming Ministry and make
the first twelve minutes for a new person at Metropolitan Community Church
of Toronto the turning point of their lives, then please contact
the Office of Congregational Life: (416) 406-6228 ext. 114 or email
CongregationalLife@mcctoronto.com.
Contact
TEAM LEADER:
Welcome@MCCToronto.com
Mission Ministries
Archives
[Description coming soon]
Contact
TEAM LEADER:
Archives@MCCToronto.com
CASA
(latin speaking support group)
[Description coming soon]
Contact
TEAM LEADER: CASA@MCCToronto.com
Children's Ministry
[Description coming soon]
Contact
TEAM LEADER:
ChildrensMinistry@MCCToronto.com
Coffee Hour Ministry
...providing coffee, tea and refreshments after every Sunday Service
If you want to have fund, meet some wonderful people,
and be part of a diverse and friendly team, this is the ministry for you!
The spiritual gifts
needed for this team are Hospitality and Service; and the time commitment
is preparation hosting and clean-up for either the 9am or 11am service,
once a month.
Contact TEAM LEADER:
CoffeeHour@MCCToronto.com
Community Visiting Team
[Description coming
soon]
Contact
TEAM LEADER:
CommunityVisiting@MCCToronto.com
Dances of Universal Peace
[Description coming
soon]
From the beginning
of time, sacred movement, song, and story have brought people together.
The Dances of Universal Peace are part of this timeless tradition of
Sacred Dance. The Dances use simple music, lyrics, and movements to touch
the spiritual essence within. No musical or dance experience is required
and everyone is welcomed to join in. Held the first Tuesday of every
month, 7:30 to 9:00 PM.
Contact
TEAM LEADER:
DUP@MCCToronto.com
Decorating Team
[Description coming
soon]
Contact
TEAM LEADER:
Decor@MCCToronto.com
Drag 'N Angels (Women's Dragon Boat
Team)
Contact
TEAM LEADER:
DragNAngels@MCCToronto.com
Food for Friends
[Description
coming soon]
Contact
TEAM LEADER:
FoodForFriends@MCCToronto.com
Garden Faeries
...making
the outside of our church home as welcoming and beautiful as it is on the
inside.
the Garden Faeries are
responsible for creating and maintaining our church gardens. Our
tasks include planting, watering, weeding, grass cutting, raking and
tidying up. No previous gardening experience is required to join our
team.
What is required is a
commitment to be available Saturday mornings (May through September -
weather permitting) from 10:00am to noon. As week, we ask that you
be available during the week once or twice a month (for about an hour) to
water the gardens
Contact
TEAM LEADER:
Faeries@MCCToronto.com
Information Centre
The Information Centre at
Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto provides all congregants with a
place to discover what is happening at the church. It is a resource centre
for publications and materials, and a purchase point for concert tickets
and merchandise; a resource where information, directions and answers to
questions may also be found.
It is one of the busiest areas of the church,
especially following each of the Sunday morning worship services, when
people stop by to request information, get directions to meetings,
purchase worship service audio tapes or leave messages and enquiries for
church staff.
Team Members of the Information Centre usually volunteer for one or two
2-1/4 hour shifts per month. Their responsibilities include checking for
recorded messages, answering the telephone, giving directions to various
areas of the church, confirming meeting and event locations and answering
general enquiries about the life of the church. The Information Centre provides
printed information, accepts program registrations, sells merchandise and
operates a worship service audio tape ordering system. Volunteers at the
Information Centre are at the hub of what is happening at MCC Toronto,
and enjoy sharing this important information on church activities with
others.
Contact
TEAM LEADER: InfoCentre@MCCToronto.com
Interview
Team
After prospective volunteers fill out their Spiritual
Gifts Book, we arrange for an interview. This allows us to decipher
what ministry would best suit their gifts.
We need interviewers.
If you have a few hours a week and like to
meet people on a one to one basis, please
consider this team.
Contact TEAM LEADER:
InterviewTeam@MCCToronto.com
Men's Retreat Team [Description
coming soon]
Contact TEAM LEADER:
MensRetreat@MCCToronto.com
Pride and Joy [Description
coming soon]
Contact
TEAM LEADER:
PrideandJoy@MCCToronto.com
Pride Parade Team
[Description
coming soon]
Contact
TEAM LEADER:
PrideParadeTeam@MCCToronto.com
Regent Park Peace Garden
...a memorial
to the violence of the past and as a sign of peace for the future.
Regent
Park is a neighbourhood close to MCC Toronto that provides affordable
rental housing for 7500 people, mostly families and seniors. It is richly
diverse with many of its residents having arrived in Canada within the
last 5 years. We work with the community through a local agency, the
Christian Resource Centre (CRC),
which brings together people from many different faiths, in this case
interested in gardening.
We
need people and plans, and you needn’t make a big time commitment (a few
hours is great). This is a challenging and rewarding project, with
opportunities for us to work alongside our neighbours in creating and
nurturing a beautiful community space. We are most active in the Spring
and Fall.
Contact TEAM LEADER:
RegentPark@MCCToronto.com
Sanctuary Saints
It's our task
to keep the
sanctuary tidy for Sunday services. This requires one special person (with
or without partner) to commit once every month in the sanctuary.
Scheduled times are
flexible but on paper they read every Thursday at 7:00 pm.
Saints receive a key for
access, and all supplies needed are in the sanctuary. Training, schedule
and the list of tasks involved are all given on
the start day as a package.
This is
simple, rewarding and
peaceful work. On average it takes 2 to 2.5 hours to complete tasks. No
heavy lifting is involved.
All Saints try and get
together every other month on an agreed date to dust, vacuum, eat pizza
and listen to classical music in a fun environment.
Contact TEAM LEADER:
SanctuarySaints@MCCToronto.com
Sermons on CD's
[Description coming soon]
Contact TEAM LEADER:
Sermons@MCCToronto.com
Socialites [Description
coming soon]
Contact TEAM LEADER:
Socialites@MCCToronto.com
Refugee Sponsor Team and Support Group [Description
coming soon]
Contact
TEAM LEADER:
RefugeeTeam@MCCToronto.com
Seder Potluck Supper Planning Team
[Description coming soon]
Contact
TEAM LEADER: SederSupper@MCCToronto.com
Star Box Delivery
[Description coming soon]
Contact
TEAM LEADER:
StarBox@MCCToronto.com
Technical Ministry - Audio, Video and Lighting
This is an expanding and
developing ministry as new technology becomes more readily available. The
Technical Team consists of a half-dozen skilled and semi-skilled people
who are interested in providing good sound to the congregation. We
currently use a 12-channel mixing console that can be expanded as
required. A complement of twelve professional loudspeakers, running on six
separate amplifiers delivers sound to all areas of the Sanctuary. Two
additional speakers handle any overflow in the Social Hall.
People interested in joining
this Ministry must have a good understanding of what
properly-mixed audio sounds like, and should have some knowledge of sound
reinforcement, although full training is provided. Technicians generally
mix one or two services each month and are often called upon to
provide sound for concerts and special events.
Contact
TEAM LEADER: Tech@MCCToronto.com
Thrift Store
[Description coming soon]
Contact
TEAM LEADER:
ThriftStore@MCCToronto.com
Women's Retreat Team
[Description coming soon]
Contact
TEAM LEADER:
WomensRetreat@MCCToronto.com
Our
House Team
[Description coming soon]
Contact
TEAM LEADER:
OurHouseTeam@MCCToronto.com
Support Ministries
Lesbian and Partners Cancer Support Group
MCC Toronto has a
support group for Lesbians and their partners,
living with a diagnosis of cancer. This program is
co-facilitated with
Wellspring and meets on the first Thursday of each month to
support, learn and share information about many aspects of living with
cancer. Some meetings are held specifically for sharing and caring, while
others include special topics of interest to the group of women.
This drop in program is offered at:
Wellspring Odette House and The Coach
House
81 Wellesley Street East, Toronto, Ontario M4Y
1H6 (just east of Church Street on Wellesley
St.)
Time: 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
For more information, contact call
Wellspring at 416-961-1928 or email
Jennifer Alexander.
Gay Men’s Cancer Information and Networking Group
A cancer diagnosis often brings about feelings of uncertainty, fear and
isolation, as patients and their loved ones journey through the unknown
territory of this illness.
Wellspring's cancer information and networking group addresses the unique
issues and challenges experienced by gay men living with cancer and their
partners who share their lives through a combination of informational,
networking & support meetings. All sessions are facilitated by a
professional leader.
The group meets every Monday
6:30pm - 8:00pm in Odette House, conveniently located at 81
Wellesley St. East (South East corner of Church & Wellesley)
For more information men can call Wellspring at (416) 961-1928.
CommunityCARE
ALLIANCE HOSPICE
(formerly Bayview Community Hospice)
Alliance
Hospice serves as a resource to the community for end-of-life care and
related issues.
In 2004 MCC Toronto merged our CommunityCARE Home Hospice with then
Bayview Community Hospice. Our continuing relationship with Alliance
offers those in our community the chance to die at home with dignity- and
with care and respect for our relationships and families. MCC Toronto
continues to supply client care volunteers to Alliance and trains
volunteers to understand the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual
needs of the clients. Alliance shares MCC Toronto's value of diversity,
and is committed to providing compassionate hospice and palliative care to
the GLBT community. For information e-mail
CongregationalLife@MCCToronto.com.
Soul
Survivors
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