The Jane Finch Ministry is a community ministry of the Toronto West Presbytery with the United Church of Canada. It is situated in the Firgrove Community, of Toronto Community Housing Company (TCHC) and works quite closely with the Firgrove Tenant's Association. Although this public housing community of 382 households is the immediate catchment area of the ministry, it provides support and is also involved in initiatives taking place in the larger area of Jane and Finch. The role of the ministry is to provide community development and community organizing support, offer pastoral care and do advocacy through coalitions and networks. Many of the programs and initiatives are done in partnership with others.

In Toronto, 2005 was labeled as "The year of the gun". I went into the New Year somewhat exhausted but could see some light at the end of the tunnel with a three month sabbatical approved by the presbytery. In organizing a presbytery education event on Gun Violence, I became aware of a young man by the name of Kofi Hope. Kofi was the founder of the Black Youth Coalition Against Violence (BYCAV) and BLING (Bring Love In Not Guns). At the start of the year the Toronto Star had identified Kofi as one of ten significant people in Toronto to watch out for. At the presbytery event in addition to Kofi, three youth from Firgrove and Winston La Rose, from the Coalition of African Canadian Organizations spoke about why many black youth were killing themselves. Later in the year, with the support of an anonymous donation, the National United Church and Comart Foundation funds within the presbytery, Kofi was hired in the summer for a 13 month national youth animation project called Youth Connections where they are exploring issues of Black, Aboriginal and Asian/South Asian youth within society and the church. I have had the privilege of being the convener of Kofi's working group. Kofi has been doing some excellent support work in Jane and Finch co-facilitating the Young Leaders of Jane and Finch and supporting the development of a music studio in Firgrove. In addition to speaking engagements (local and national) he has been establishing an interfaith dialogue with Muslim and United Church youth in Brampton and providing support to a First Nations youth group in Parry Sound. He has been planning a Youth leadership training event for the spring of 2007. Kofi has been awarded a Rhodes scholarship that will take place in Oxford in the fall of 2007.

With strong community involvement, community ministry support and financial resources from the Comart Foundation, tutoring programs for about 40 children were established in the Firgrove community. Initial support was provided for a martial arts/tutoring program. This evolved into a program run by a York University professor and student volunteers. Due to unforeseen circumstances this summer, the program was canceled. However, this fall the Firgrove Public School was awarded enhanced funding to be an inner city model and has 19 volunteer teachers doing tutoring for 170 students.

In the spring, just before starting my sabbatical, I received an award at city hall for "Outstanding Achievement in the area of Social Justice". In my acceptance speech I stated that "I alone have not done outstanding things but it is only through the many partnerships with residents, agencies, coalitions and networks that we have been able to achieve great things in the name of social justice." The sabbatical was a good time for rest, renewal and reflection. In addition to reading, I attended a Faith in the City conference in Vancouver. In August, as one of the Presbytery reps, I attended General Council 39 in Thunderbay. What stands out most, from that experience, is the need to live in right relations with our First Nations brothers and sisters and coming up with an appropriate divestment policy for companies that are profiting from the illegal occupation of Palestinian lands. Upon returning from sabbatical I found that residents of the Firgrove Community had organized in convincing TCHC to do a complete makeover of the office. The place looks wonderful and it was truly a welcoming home gift.

Our monthly supplementary food day continues to help out about 20-30 families each month. Our free income tax clinic done in conjunction with the Chartered Accountants Assoc. assisted about 60 individuals in filling out their tax forms. Halima Abdela (the office Coordinator and bookkeeper) and I provide information and referral to people who drop by the office or phone in. A variety of issues are dealt with such as legal matters, immigration, housing concerns, employment, schooling, skills training, parental support, conflict mediation, access to food, translation, etc.
This summer the Firgrove Tenant Association was engaged in fund raising and coordinating a trip to Marineland. Three buses of children and their families from Firgrove went. The tenant association covered the cost of one bus, the housing company another and the community ministry the third. In partnership with the Tenant Association, and the local housing recreation program and TCHC, the Community Ministry hosted the winter festive season celebration. We celebrated Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. Small gifts were given out to over 90 children. The meal for the event was prepared by the residents and included curried goat, jerk chicken, stewed chicken, BBQ chicken, fried chicken, spanish rice, rice and peas, several salads and an assortment of baked goods. Earlier in the fall we provided about 90 gifts to some of the Islamic children of Firgrove in support of their Eid Celebration. Also the ministry handed out 120 Chum Xmas Wish gifts.

I continued to be an active member of the Network of Community Based Organizations. I have been one of the Network representatives on the Black Creek Community Capacity project, which is being done in conjunction with community organizations, City staff, York University, TDSB, TD Bank, local businesses, faith leaders and community residents. In addition to being on the coordinating committee I chaired the Economic Working Group and I'm part of the Media/Showcasing Committee. The two main projects for the Economic Working Group has been exploring the possibility of a Community Loan Fund for small business development and a creating a Youth Entrepreneurial Program where youth can market products in the Jane and Finch mall. The showcasing committee responded to a negative Fifth Estate program and is developing an archiving project with the Library and York University to reclaim positive stories in the community.

With Presbytery involvement, I have been on the Social Justice Committee of the Presbytery. In the winter the committee did an educational event to highlight water issues and in the fall had been exploring anti-oppression issues and how best to animate those to the presbytery and congregations. The Presbytery Executive was extremely receptive to this work and in the fall engaged a yearlong educational process for the Presbytery. It started with a national staff presentation on "Living Faithfully in the Midst of Empire" and in November Kofi Hope facilitated an introductive workshop on oppression. This last year I preached at 4 United Churches. Thanks to all the congregations who provided financial support through the Community Ministries Sunday and a special thanks goes out to Beverley Hills and Humber Valley for their continued support. Some of the proceeds from the sales of Thistletown and Century were used to support a local Eid celebration, street outreach and flowers for memorials, the BLING summit, an ecumenical youth program, childcare for a community Wrap-around training, child care assistance for a resident to attend a national steering committee meeting of Urban Rural Mission, the Jane and Finch's Finest basketball program, a girl's group in Firgrove, a peer run youth organization called Friends in Trouble and extra costs incurred to ensure proper supports were put in place while on sabbatical. A special thanks to the Comart Foundation for their support for BLING summit, covering honorarium costs for the Gun Violence presentation at Presbytery, the two tutoring programs and the Youth Connections project.

This year the Urban Core Support Network (UCSN), at the end of its life cycle, co-hosted a conference with Raising the Roof in St. John's, Newfoundland. It was the first National Youth Homelessness Conference with some great energy from 240 delegates from all over the country. Although UCSN will no longer be, in the spirit of UCSN there is energy and commitment to developing a national youth homelessness network. Other national commitments include being on the Justice, Global and Ecumenical Relations unit committee and chairing its sub committee Justice, Peace and Creation. I have also been part of a national reference group that has been developing administrative standards for United Church Community ministries. The standards and best practices document was approved this fall by the General Council Executive and I was part of a presentation urging the church to pay attention to the marginalized voices within the church that find themselves on the edge.

Thanks to all the individuals, organizations, congregations and funding bodies who have contributed to the ministry with either time or financial gifts. It is with your support that this ministry can take place.

Respectfully submitted by Barry Rieder