Reverend Dr. Kenneth B. Bice

All Seasons Church of Canada – Outreach Ministry, Uxbridge, Ontario

Pastoral Care Annual Report

January 1, 2007 to December 31^st, 2007

Chaplaincy Ministry

• District Chaplain Toronto West (A.F. & A.M.)
• Guest Chaplain Toronto Don Valley District (A.F. & A.M.) I prepare the service and lead the Liturgy assisting the District Chaplain Rev. Ian Nichols who is a blind Anglican Minister with the Dioceses of Toronto, who offers the Sermon for the service. Rev. Nichols and I have been associated for many years.
• Guest Chaplain Toronto Humber Valley District (A.F. & A.M.) to prepare the liturgy and lead their worship service as their District Chaplain in not a member of the clergy.
• District Chaplain District 5 (R.A.M. of Canada)
• District Chaplain District 8 (R.A.M. of Canada)
• Member of the International Chaplains Association
• Member of The Emergency Medical Chaplains Association

Worship Services

Substitute Minister

Worship services were held at Christ the King, Graceland; Independent Anglican Church of Canada, March 2007, August 2007, September 2007 and October 2007.

Divine Services

Divine Worship services as a District Chaplain for several organizations were held at Christ the King, Graceland, Independent Anglican Church of Canada, January 2007, St. Andrew’s Memorial Presbyterian Church, Port Credit, April 2007, Thornhill United Church, Thornhill, April 2007, Graceview Presbyterian Church, Etobicoke, Ontario May 2007, Thornhill United Church, Thornhill, October 2007, St. Andrew’s Memorial Presbyterian Church, Port Credit, October 2007, St. Andrew’s Memorial Presbyterian Church, December 2007.

Other Pastoral Support

Volunteer The Flying Angels Club, Anglican Mission for Seafarers, Toronto for various pub luncheons and communion services on an as required basis through the year. Generally these luncheons and communion services occurred once a month. Also, I lend my musical talents to the Bishop’s Company Dinner of the Anglican Dioceses of Toronto during the year.

I often attend various charitable events and offer grace through out the year. Such events are for underprivileged children, School Graduation Dinners / Proms for slow learners or other situation which are considered charitable causes. I offer payers or offer blessings for runs/walk a thons was runners or walkers prepare to get underway for various charitable drives, including the Canadian Cancer Society and I have been involved with the Children’s Aid Foundation for some of their charitable fundraising events. I am involved with World Vision as well as Tuska, which is a fund to assist educating and sponsoring children in Kenya, South Africa, through the Christ the King, Graceland, Independent Anglican Church of Canada. I generally offer my services in any way I can to help various charities of either a civil or religious nature through pastoral assistance or a musical ministry or both in many cases.

Funerals

Requested by two couples who I had officiated their wedding to conduct a funeral service for a parent that had passed away and one parent who’s renewal of vows I did a few months before the funeral. Also conducted four other funerals when contacted by funeral directors within the Greater Toronto area to provide ministerial services to their clients.

Baptisms and Christenings

Some assigned through All Seasons Church of Canada and two through couples who had a child I had officiated their wedding. Also, through couples who attended a wedding or baptism that I had officiated, as referrals.

Hospitals / Seniors Homes Visitations

On a monthly basis, I visit various Hospitals and Senior’s Homes in an unofficial capacity either to do pastoral care for patients that I know or know through others or as a Musical Ministry to entertain the patients as a group on special occasions and then visit with them and offer up prayers with them. Sunnybrook Veterans Hospital, South Lake Hospital, Newmarket and Hillsdale’s Seniors Convalescing Home to name a few.

Communion Services and Congregation Building

I was approached by a friend to hold communion services for some of his friends. This has been somewhat successful. We hold the services in various locations (kind of like a Nomad Church) at the present time on a monthly basis. There are no costs to the Church, all communion supplies, bulletins and the use of a facility are provided by the somewhat transient congregation as they vary from meeting to meeting.

We hope to establish a more stable congregation and at some point, provide weekly worship services with communion services on a monthly basis. At this time I am administering to a pastoral group rather than a regular congregation which would be a more formal set up. We may set up a bible study group later this year or next.

I had one wedding ceremony where the couple requested that I do a communion service as part of their wedding ceremony, which I incorporated into the ceremony for them.

Bible Study

Periodically, I lead a bible study at the Christ the King, Graceland, Independent Anglican Church of Canada, with focus on a specific topic and its relationship to the holy bible, rather than the standard method of reviewing the bible one book at a time. I am requested from time to time to do this to substitute for the regular leader of the Bible study. It varies throughout the year.

Renewal of Vows

For the most part, these are referrals from couples who I have performed their weddings or from friends of couples who have attended wedding or renewal ceremonies I have officiated. Three of the four were interesting:

One couple had been married 60 years and were from Scotland. I was asked by the daughters if I could both Pipe for the event as well as surprise the couple by officiating a renewal of vows ceremony. I was a surprise Piper and surprise officiate. The bride was 89 and the groom 91. It was a great surprise for them both.

Another couple contacted me about Piping for them when they entered a reception for their friends here in Canada, as they went to Scotland to get married a month before. I suggested, why not repeat the ceremony here. They agreed. Then I found out they had two twin boys they wanted to carry in. So, as we discussed the event, I would up piping them in, renewing their vows and baptising the two twin boys. Unique event.

The third renewal of vows was for a couple who were married for 30 years. The daughter wanted them to celebrate their 30^th as both parents had several heart attacks. The groom had six and the mother two. The daughter felt that the father and possibly her mother might not be around for the 31^st. I officiated the father’s funeral about three months later. The mother fortunately to my knowledge is still with us.

Statistics

Weddings 49

Renewal of Vows 8

Baptisms 6

Christenings 2

Funerals 7

Hospital/Seniors Visits 30 (Pastoral and Musical Ministry)

Worship Services 7 (as chaplain for several organizations)

Worship Services – Substitute Minister 4

Communion Services / Church Planting 8

Bible Study 2

Other Pastoral / Musical Ministry Support 11 (various charity drives and fund raising)

Weddings

Of the 49 weddings, three were couples from Scotland that booked my services as both a Piper and Minster to pipe for and officiate their weddings here in Ontario. So these stand out in my mind to some degree. Other weddings I officiated were generally fairly standard and nothing stood out, except possibly the venue.

Most of the weddings were standard and some denominational specific, including one wedding where I administered communion to the guests at the request of the couple.

Continuing Education

I am presently studying various chaplaincy courses through the chaplains associations which I am a members to better prepare me for various situations which may arise in this area in the future.

Summary of Pastoral Extent

To summarize, my pastoral care in the community extends far beyond the Pastoral Charge of Uxbridge, Ontario. In 2007 I travelled up to Nottawasga North of Barrie, as far East as Newcastle, West through Hamilton, Stoney Creek to Jordan, Ontario. I have done extensive work in the Greater Toronto Area, Regions of York, Peel and Durham and counties of Dufferin and Simcoe. I look forward to serving Uxbridge and other communities were my services are required.

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