The 75th Anniversary of Canadian Council of Churches
The 75th Anniversary of Canadian Council of Churches
The Canadian Council of Churches was inaugurated 75 years ago in Yorkminster Church of Toronto. In her congratulatory message, Her Excellency the Right Hon. Julie Payette, Governor General of Canada mentioned the important role of Canadian Council of Churches in the last 75 years: “CCC has given religious institutions a platform to celebrate their faith and to enrich their neighborhoods through good deeds and acts of kindness. The Council has also worked to improve dialogue and understanding between denominations and between different faiths, ensuring that every voice is heard and respected.”
Prime Minister Trudeau also congratulated this imported milestone and praised CCC in his message: “Since its founding in 1944, the Canadian Council of Churches has been a consistent and reliable source of support for Christians and their parishes across Canada. Their message of peace and unity has also been an inspiration to many”.
On September 26, 2019, Rev. Archpriest Fr. Zareh Zargarian, Vicar of the Armenian Holy Apostolic Church Canadian Diocese and Parish Priest of the Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church accompanied by Rev. Fr. Hayari Tanashian, Pastor’s Assistant attended a worshiping and giving thanks service which took place at the same Church, Yorkminster Park Baptist Church in Toronto.
The 75th Anniversary public worship service was titled “CHRIST – COMMUNITY – COMPASSION”.
The Masters of the Ceremony were The Rev. Canon Philip Hobson OGS, Ecumenical Officer for the Anglican Diocese of Toronto and The Rev. Dr. J. Peter Holmes, Minister of the Congregation, Yorkminster Park Baptist Church. The Rev. Amanda Currie preached on “Growing Up Together”.
The evening service consisted of prayers offered by faith leaders in a variety of languages spoken in Canada. Rev. Archpriest Fr. Zareh Zargarian delivered the Final Prayer and Benediction of the service in French.
Special appreciation to Peter Noteboom, General Secretary of the Canadian Council of Churches, The Rev. Canon Dr. Alyson Barnett-Cowan, Past President, The Canadian Council of Churches; Anglican Church of Canada and to the members of the worship planning committee, in particular for their devotion and dedication.
