October 31, 2024

All Saints’ Day: A Day of Two Anniversaries

November 1, All Saints’ Day, the Patronal Festival or Name Day of this parish  is  the  anniversary  of  a ministry  that  began  in  Whitby  in  1866.

November 1 is also the anniversary of another ministry that began in Whitby in 1949 and over the years extended across Canada.  This year is the seventy-fifth anniversary of full-time publicly-funded hospital chaplaincy in Canada.  This ministry began with the appointment of the Rev. Thomas Floyd as chaplain at what was then called  The  Ontario  Hospital – Whitby.

Prior to Chaplain Floyd’s appointment, pastoral care in hospitals was provided only by local churches like St. John’s and All Saints’.  In 1949, the responsibility of hospitals to provide for religious and spiritual care was recognized.  The Government of Ontario, in cooperation with the churches, decided to appoint civil service chaplains.  They began by appointing Chaplain Floyd, a priest of the Anglican Diocese of Toronto, as full time chaplain at what is now called the Whitby Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences.  Before long, additional chaplains were appointed at Whitby and other  Ontario facilities.  Over  time  the  movement  spread  across  Canada.

We in this parish hardly need to be reminded of our own beginning on November 1.  This year, the seventy-fifth year of Chaplain Floyd’s appointment, it is appropriate that we also give thanks for the concept of publicly-funded hospital chaplaincies that began in Whitby on the same day.

 Prayer:
 

 

A few weeks ago, All Saints posted for the one thousandth time on Instagram. Not a huge milestone on the grand landscape of social media, but still it’s a nice round number and an achievement. If you do the math, that’s close to an average of 3 posts a week for the last 387 weeks.  On X (Twitter) All Saints has averaged even more posts per week for over ten years now!  Frequency and duration aside, we can be proud that the bulk of these posts are original, aspirational, and encouraging. It’s not just about advertising the next Deacon’s Cupboard drop off or the Bazaar (although we do that a lot) or retweeting a cute church mouse meme (that never happened). It’s about reaching hearts and minds in places we may never physically go.

In today’s digital age, social media offers churches a powerful platform to extend the reach of the Gospel good news far beyond the walls of a building and into the hands of seekers and the church-curious. It also gets us into the feeds of people who maybe have never considered that church can be modern, relevant and responsive to everyday life. The goal is to provide food for consideration where faith is being neglected or nurtured.  By harnessing the tool of social media with purpose and intentionality, we step into the role of digital missionaries, spreading light in a world that so often feels disconnected and fractured and dark.

For All Saints, social media is not merely about posting events or announcements, but about creating spaces where people can encounter the presence of God. Through our prayer posts, #sermontweets, event photographs, and the spotlighting of stories of faith like these Thought & Prayer articles, we hopefully offer our followers moments of joy or stillness or spiritual reflection in the midst of their daily scrolling. In this way, our social media presence becomes a sanctuary or happy spot in a digital realm that can be angry and chaotic; it’s an invitation to both believers and seekers to glimpse the love and peace of Christ. It also models gracious, uninhibited Christian witness, showing the world what it means to live out the Gospel in word and deed.

Now, I trust you are following All Saints on X or IG or Facebook. Whether it’s an update on a Bible study, a food drive reminder, an appeal to represent All Saints at a social justice event, or a call for communal prayer, All Saints’ social media platforms serve as a link between the congregation and its mission, keeping followers informed and involved. This digital connection ensures that no one misses out on valuable opportunities to deepen their faith and participate in church life.

Social media also fosters a sense of community and connectedness, reminding everyone that they are part of a wider church family, united in their faith journey. Now, I have read articles about people who don’t follow their own church on socials because they are embarrassed, since others will see what they are following. People may feel this way because they are concerned that their friends might think negatively of them. This isn’t so unusual … but it usually happens when you’re following a rubbish sports team or controversial public figure or even an unpopular brand. Ideally it shouldn’t be your own church you’re reluctant to follow. So, if you love your church and you can trust your followers and friends to love and respect you, then why not start following us? It’s not like we’re requiring you to like, repost, or comment … though we’d love it if you did.

Actually, by liking or reposting (and a shout out here to all the faithful followers who do), you are contributing to the church’s outreach efforts with a single tap of a screen. When church members like, share, or comment on posts, it increases the visibility of the church’s message, allowing it to reach a broader audience. This can attract new visitors to the church, encourage participation in events, and inspire others to explore or deepen their relationship with God. Social media can be a powerful tool for evangelism, and by engaging with their own church’s content, members are playing an active role in spreading the Gospel to those who may not yet know Christ.

I hope you do follow or continue to follow. Our next milestone might be 5000 posts on X. Or might it be 500 followers on Instagram. Whichever comes first. Not huge numbers but Jesus did fine initially with just 12 followers and look where things stand now.

Prayer

Dear Lord, we ask You to bless All Saints’ social media platforms and website. Help the church to use these tools to share Your love, Your truth, and Your goodness. Give us wisdom to know what to share, how to engage, and when to speak up. Give us joy and grace and courage to like, repost and comment on those things that are to Your glory and the building of heaven on earth. Let our social platforms be a beacon of light, pointing others to You. Help us to remember that any influence gained should be used to serve You and others. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

(adapted from replies on a prayer request forum on social media)