Journaling a week @ Sanctuary by Alan Beattie

S A N C T U A R Y M I N I S T R I E S O F T O R O N T O
City of Refuge
A Voice from the Street
Spring 2010 • Vol. 9- Issue 1
Journaling a week @ Sanctuary by Alan Beattie
Recognizing that we have an ever-expanding circle of friends who receive our newsletter,
we felt that it might be appropriate to go back to the basics and offer a glimpse – through a
based-in-reality fictional journal – into what might be a typical week at 25 Charles Street
East. We hope this helps!
Sunday
Wow! What better way to start the week than with a Sanctuary ‘church service’. It has always
felt a little funny to me to think of the Sunday service at Sanctuary as ‘church’ – it really feels
like everything we do all week is just as much ‘church’. But there’s still something particularly
sweet about a bunch of us praying together, singing some great ol’ songs, sharing communion,
reflecting on Scripture. That’s a gift!
Monday
It sure was a cold one today on Outreach. This year’s winter has been pretty easy on us but
it was crisp today. It seemed, this afternoon, that most of our friends must have found somewhere
indoors to stay warm – there certainly weren’t many on the streets. I guess that’s a
good thing. But tonight’s shift was quite busy. We saw a bunch of the regulars – always good
to check in with them. And it was especially good to run into Lisa! I don’t know how long it
has been since we last saw her. She wasn’t looking great but it’s always so much fun chatting
with her!
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
A View from Here...................... 2
Staff Updates.............................. 3
Vaudeville - Spring Play.......... 4
Calendar of Events.................... 5
Red Rain 25th Anniversary.... 6
Faces of our Community........ 7
Tuesday
We covered a lot of ground on Outreach today. We went down through Allan Gardens, down
to Queen, over to the grates…a great workout! It was nice to have a few minutes to drop in to
visit Jim in his place. He had ‘company’ so we weren’t able to stay long but it still feels good to
keep in touch that way. I was glad too to see Barry – we’ve had so many great talks there on
the corner…I wish he would find his way to Sanctuary every now and again!
Our Women’s Drop-In has been getting busier and busier over these last few months – but it
still has such a sweet vibe to it! It’s a privilege to be able to offer our space as a place of safety
and welcome for these women who feel so much more relaxed without men present. I love
the sound of warm and happy chatter as these women share their lives together.
Wednesday
Our Wednesday drop-in feels like the ‘little cousin’ of the Thursday version. Usually the crowds
are smaller, less likely to be on edge…the daylight probably helps. Today was uneventful. Donald
and his crew put on a great spread for us: Pork chops, potatoes, salad. Mmmmm… Lots of
the regulars were around: Keith, Brad, Terry, Charlotte. I had a nice chat with a new guy today
too – think his name was Roger. Sounds like he’s been on the streets before, fresh out of jail,
looking to get settled. Seems like a good guy. I hope he becomes a regular.
....continued on Page 5

A View From Here...
Page 2
Greg Paul
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Andy Burgess - Chairman
Merv Mercer - President
Bruce Gooding - Treasurer
Ted Smith - Director
Cindy Gladstone - Director
John Anderson - Director
Every now and then, someone who is trying to figure out just what it is, exactly, that I do, will
ask me, “So, what does a typical week look like for you”
A typical week I’m not sure there is such a thing. Like most people who lead organizations,
I’m often not sure if I’m running it, or it’s running me. Recent weeks have included such a
wide range of activities: working on branding issues for our fledgling social purpose business
(studioSanctuary); hosting a press conference about a member of our community who was
beaten unconscious by security guards; working on a new book project; delivering seven
intensive sessions at a conference out west and returning to speak, as usual, at our Sunday evening
worship time; playing with Red Rain at our fabulous 25th anniversary concert; helping
to plan another major event featuring music and stories from our community for the benefit
of a local church that hosts Out of the Cold; connecting with a federal Member of Parliament;
helping create a research plan for the purpose of, one day, establishing a long-term residential
rehab program. Of course, those activities fit around the truly important stuff – hanging out
with our community members; providing some kind of pastoral care and direction for our
staff.
Just as Alan’s attempt to capture a typical week at Sanctuary barely skims the surface of what
really goes on around here, so it is with the list of activities above. It’s the connection with
people in the midst of all the busyness that really tells the tale. And that, at times, is the hardest
part to keep in perspective. The major challenge for me is not usually time pressure per
se: having realized long ago that God has me doing this stuff not because he needs me (he’d
actually get ‘er done much more efficiently if I wasn’t around messing things up) but because
he loves me, I don’t work insane hours or torture myself with the idea that a person or project
will perish unless I act the saviour. The tricky thing is juggling radically different activities,
mindsets, and even cultures. Speaking to a roomful of respectful, earnest young Christians at
a four star hotel requires a whole different approach than waking up a couple of friends who
have passed out on the concrete floor at the bottom of our Sanctuary entrance stairwell, and
need to be persuaded that it’s time to get up and leave, despite the bitter cold night.
One of those friends rounded on me, his fist cocked and his eyes bugging out, when I woke
him up. He’s a good guy, and cheerful most of the time even though he’s homeless, alcoholic
and chronically ill. But he’s been violent and threatening lately, and that has me wondering.
What’s a typical week like for him What old horror interrupts the relative peace of a mouthwash-induced
unconsciousness when a hand lands on his shoulder and shakes him gently
awake How does he release himself from its hold, so that he can unclench his fist, take my
hand, and allow me to pull him to his feet When sprawling on a concrete floor seems like a
good option, how does he mount the stairs and, facing ten hours of freezing, empty darkness
before the gray light of dawn tells him he’s survived one more night, offer a joke as he steps
through the door My friend juggles competing desires, too: how much alcohol will quiet the
horrors And how much will mean he freezes to death in the night Does it matter His life
is more routine than mine – an endless round of church basements, parks and street corners
– but his challenges are, I think, greater than any I will ever know.
What about the many women in our community whose weeks are comprised of walking an
impossible tightrope, balancing aggression in some circumstances against abject compliance
in others; the necessary security of having a male partner who will protect them from other
men against the certain knowledge that those same partners will abuse them and use them
for personal gain
And how about those of my friends who wake up each morning feeling pretty decent, but with
the knowledge that their psychiatric illness will weigh on them with increasing heaviness as
the day wears on, that as night falls they will face again the almost daily internal argument for
and against suicide Many of these friends know there is no cure for their illness. They know
from experience that the medications which keep the worst of their living nightmares at bay
....continued on Page 8

Dana's Group
A huge THANK YOU to Dana Jones and
a group of 15 of his students from St.
Benedict Catholic Secondary School in
Cambridge for investing a week of their
semester into doing a bunch of building
touch-ups around Sanctuary. They tackled
our kitchen cabinets, our clothing room,
several paint jobs and some other oddsand-ends.
And they took the time
to introduce themselves and get
to know a number
of our core friends
here. Thanks to
all of you for the
great gift you have
given to our Sanctuary
family!
186 St. Helens Ave
416-778-0694
www.mustardtree.ca
(changing soon!)
We’re shifting product directions at Sanctuary’s wood studio.
To make room for new product development, we are clearing out some beautiful
handiwork at 40% off our regular selling prices!
Visit
www.mustardtree.ca
or drop by and visit our
studioSanctuary
showroom to see what is available.
Page 3

UNRELATED ACTS
ON A COMMON BILL
b
Sanctuary
25 CHARLES
STREET EAST
Toronto
Page 4

Mark Your
Calendars
Upcoming Events at Sanctuary
March 5th
arts eXtravaganza
April 15th to May 8th
Friday and Saturday evenings:
Vaudeville (Voice of the City):
Unrelated Acts On A Common
Bill
June 4th
A Night at Grace’s
July 17th
5K Walk for Poverty + Justice!
September 12th
Corn Roast & Concert in the
Park.
October 15th
A Night at Grace’s
November 12th and 13th
arts eXtravaganza
Thursday
Phew! We had a full house tonight – probably served 200 folks over the course of the evening.
There were a couple of pockets of tension but nothing got out of hand. I’m grateful for the
many ‘suburbanites’ who join us for evenings like this. It’s really cool to look around and see
how they have become such a part of the fabric of our community – eating with us, laughing
with us, crying with us, giving care, receiving care, finding joy and beauty in unexpected
places. So very good!
Friday
Games and Art Drop-In this afternoon – there’s almost always a great vibe in the room: a few
groups of game-players, a few friends passed out on the couches, some wonderfully gifted artists
painting away. It feels like a nice let-down after Thursday night’s busyness. I’m fascinated
by the various ways in which we draw together as a community and the connecting points
that we find. Thank you, God, for diversity!
Saturday
A day to recuperate and recharge – badly needed!
....continued from Page 1
There you have it! I hope that does the trick for you. At least, it’s a rudimentary introduction
to what we do. Of course, we couldn’t fit in a mention of studioSanctuary where we are busy
now making electric guitars, wave boxes, pens and more. We didn’t mention our two houses
and the gift that the guys living there are to us. We couldn’t squeeze in the many conversations
that happen in the office everyday when our friends drop in unannounced. It feels like
a busy place and we’re glad to be a part of it all!
December 3rd
A Christmas Night at Grace’s
Give a gift
of Culture
Help us make our Spring production of
Vaudeville accessible for many of our
friends who couldn't afford otherwise
to attend. A donation of $100 allows us
$25 For Theatre Supplies to offer complementary admission to
10 of our friends.
$100
Reserves 10 Seats @
Spring Theatre Show
Donations in excess of our budgeted
amount will go where most needed.
Page 5

25th Anniversary fun!
On February 5th of this year,
we celebrated the 25th anniversary
of the band that really
was the catalyst () for what
has grown into the Sanctuary
we now know. Thanks to the
current line-up of Dan, Les,
Doug, Phil, Greg and to previous
bandmates John Palmer,
Sean O’Leary, Glen Kukkula
and more for sharing your music
with us through the years.
Fo r m o r e i n formation, please
c o n t a c t N a d a T h o m s o n :
nadat@sanctuarytoronto.ca
OR
call 416-922-0628 x.225
July 17th, 2010
Page 6

Faces of Our Community
– Alexa Oundjian –
Alexa grew up in the UK and moved to Canada three years ago. After a year of unemployment,
God’s guiding hand led her to the Community Worker program at George Brown College.
Alexa started her placement at Sanctuary in September of 2009 and we are so grateful for her
exuberance, lovely smile and steady pressence!
She has been involved with the Street Outreach and the Women’s Drop-In during the week
and has been attending our church service on Sundays. For Alexa, Sanctuary has been an
amazing answer to prayer - not only does she feel connected through her hands-on involvement
in this community, but it has also become a spiritual home, in her new country.
“It is such a privilege to be here at Sanctuary, to be making friends and connecting more
deeply with Toronto.”
– Ann Stewart –
Ann has been a regular at Sanctuary for about 3 years now, along with her husband, Howard
and daughter Lori-Ann. Her reliability, compassion and strong work ethic have blessed the
whole community in lasting ways.
This year is shaping up to be one full of exciting new ventures for Ann – not only will she
continue to devote many hours weekly to volunteering in our kitchen, but soon she will be
diving into a Hospitality Training program! And in the midst of all this, she will fit in a much
deserved vacation to see her son, Cory, in London. When she isn’t here, Ann enjoys listening
to country music and doting on her Jack Russell puppy, Precious.
Thank you for loving this community so well, Ann!
Alexa
Ann
Staff Updates
Emily's Skoutarou
Congratulations to Emily, one of our beloved nurses, who started 2010 off right by marrying
Andrei Skoutarou on January 2nd! Weddings are delightful celebrations for our community
and Emily and Andrei’s was no exception. Congratulations and God’s blessing on your marriage!
Erin Landsee
A hearty “Welcome on Board” to Erin Landsee who joined our staff team in November. Erin
and her husband, Ben, moved from Iowa in the Fall (so that Ben could pursue doctoral studies
at U of T ) and found themselves about a block away from us!. Erin just ‘happened’ to find
Sanctuary nearby and we are delighted that she did. A school teacher by training (but unable
to teach in Canada), she is making her home in the office doing a hundred invisible things that
make us look good. Welcome, Erin!
Financial Update
We are deeply grateful to our many friends who continue to support us financially even
through challenging economic times. Because of your generosity, we are happy to report that
2009 was a positive year for us – ultimately, we find ourselves definitely in better shape than
we were at this time last year. And we look to God again to provide for our material needs
in 2010 through our extended community of friends and donors. Thank you, in advance, for
prayerfully continuing to support our work here.
Page 7

....continued from Page 2
for the moment will eventually lose their effectiveness, that they will descend then into
a horrifying world of destructive voices and demonic visions. When their madness is
deep enough that they become a clear, immediate threat to themselves or others, they
will be hospitalized, restrained and drugged to the gills until another course of medication
proves effective. Then the whole cycle will begin again, with, perhaps, another scar
or two, and the fear that next time the crisis may arrive so quickly and powerfully that it
will prove lethal. How do you live that every day
I’m amazed at the resilience and good humour (mostly) of such friends. Their lives are
far, far more complex and demanding than mine. I’m also amazed at how many of them
are people of faith – if ever there were people whose logical reaction to the concept
of a loving, just and all-powerful God should be bitter laughter, it’s those of my friends
who struggle with these kinds of issues. Yet they believe, and as they do, a slow healing
begins.
Dealing with the disappointments, logistical and theological problems, and the blows to
my heart and ego that are the inevitable fallout of living life among my people is a challenge.
But when I stop to wonder, “What does a typical week look like for you”, I find
my friends inspiring, their courage, faith and resilience humbling. They remind me then
of the people Jesus called ‘blessed’:
Blessed are the spiritually bankrupt, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
Blessed are those whose lives are litanies of crippling loss, for together they will
be made strong. Blessed are the ones who continually get shoved aside, until
they dwell in the shadows where no one notices them, for their inheritance will
be a world without boundaries...*
CANADIAN TIRE MONEY
Help Sanctuary purchase building
maintenance supplies and
tools for the shop by collecting
your Canadian Tire Money.
Collect them through your
church, study group, workplace,
or as an individual.
Mail them to:
SANCTUARY MINISTRIES
25 Charles St. E., Toronto, Ont.
M4Y 1R9
Any questions please call :
Erin at 416-922-0628 ext.210
info@sanctuarytoronto.ca
*Matthew 5:1-3, Greg’s paraphrase.
Yes, I want to partner with you…
q I want to financially support
your ministry:
q Arts & Drama
q Employment Training
q General Fund
q Housing
q Drop-In Meals
q Staff Name________________
q Street Outreach
q Where most needed
q
q
q
q
I would like to support Sanctuary on a
monthly basis.
My church/workplace should hear
about Sanctuary.
I would like to learn more about
volunteering.
I commit to pray for the Sanctuary
community.
DONATE BY CREDIT CARD
at www.canadahelps.org
25 Charles Street East
Toronto, Ontario
M4Y 1R9
Tel.: 416-922-0628
Fax: 416-922-4961
Sanctuary West
186 St. Helens Avenue
Toronto, Ontario
M6H 4A1
Tel.: 416-778-0694
Fax: 416-778-7432
Name____________________________________________________________________
Address___________________________________________________________________
City__________________ Province____________ Postal Code_ _____________________
Tel.__________________________ Email________________________________________
Please make donations payable to: Sanctuary Ministries of Toronto. Tax receipts will be issued at year end. Designated
funds will be applied as directed by the donor. Funds given in excess of an approved or discontinued program will be
applied at the discretion of the Board.
Charitable #89037 9340 RR 0001 03-10
www.sanctuarytoronto.ca
info@sanctuarytoronto.ca
Sanctuary Ministries of Toronto
is committed to protecting the privacy
of our friends and supporters.
We do not share or sell any of
the information that we collect
but rather use it solely for the purpose
of communicating with you regarding
the work in which we are engaged.