Dear Bishop Asbil,

“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34.18) 

I write on behalf of your siblings in Christ whose hearts, like yours, are broken by the devastating fire that engulfed the historic St. Anne’s Anglican Church in Toronto on Sunday, leaving it in ruins. What has been lost is irreplaceable - the magnificent murals by the Group of Seven as well as the holy space which has nurtured faith and offered a place of hospitality and welcome to so many over the years. We give thanks for the life and witness of St. Anne’s in Toronto’s west end for decades. 

Please accept our prayers of solidarity as you meet with Rev. Don Beyers, the clergy and people of St. Anne’s parish to lead them through these difficult days. We pray that those who feel this loss most keenly will now experience the comforting presence of God’s Holy Spirit as well the loving care of the wider church as we lift our hearts to God in prayer with you. 

As people of faith we know that God’s love and grace is never confined to a  church building. In the darkness of this moment we are a people of the resurrection who believe that something new will emerge from the ashes of this time. 

On Sunday June 16, I invite the people, parishes, missions, and dioceses of our province to light a candle for the people of St. Anne’s and the surrounding community during their worship service. The tiny light of a candle has the power to illuminate the darkness and will serve as a reminder that life always triumphs over death. 

The love of God is with you today and always, as are your friends in Christ,

+Anne