Thursday, January 28, 2010

Fundraiser Helps Shelter


From The Anglican (The Newspaper of the Anglican Diocese of Toronto), February 2010 edition.

(Staff)


Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Thornhill hosted an ecumenical "Service of Remembrance and Hope," on Dec. 6, the 20th anniversary of the Montreal massacre. The event was organized by Athena Graves, wife of the associate priest, the Rev. Daniel Graves. Members of Baptist, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian and United Church congregations participated, and a Roman Catholic lay woman gave the homily. Money raised at the event was donated to the Yellow Brick House Building Campaign, for a new women's shelter in the Markham region.


Ms. Graves who organized another fundraiser for the shelter in the spring, said that besides raising money, she also wanted to raise awareneness in the community about the need for action against violence. "The event gave voice to a need in our community for a group that is often silenced by fear and intimidation," she said. "As people of God, we must speak against violence, and abuse, and hatred in all its forms. As women, we must speak for those who have been silenced, stand with those who have been isolated, weep with those who mourn, name violence and abuse, and move toward eradicating the conditions that make women vulnerable."

-- from The Anglican, Feb, 2010.