Click on link below to read February 19 Weekly Bulletin

To read the 2011 Annual Report, please click on link below.

Click on the link below to read February 12 Weekly Bulletin

Click on the link below to read George's Sermon from Sunday February 5, 2012

Click on link below to open February 5th Bulletin

Click on link below to open January 29 2012 Bulletin

Eastminster welcomes George Randolph as guest speaker for Black History Month on February 5, 2012.

George Randolph has over 25 years of international dance performance and education experience in Canada, Europe, and the U.S. His expertise has been leveraged as an adjudicator for many dance festivals across Canada and he was recently appointed to Dance Ontario’s board of directors. In 2010, George was selected to appear on the Ontario Black History Society’s poster commemorating Black History Month.

Currently, George is President of the Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts, which he founded in 1992 and through which he continues to nurture Canada’s performing arts talent. In early 2011, George co‐founded Show Choir Canada, which produces Canada’s only national show choir competition. Also in 2011, George was instrumental in establishing a recreational performing arts program for youth at the Stardust Academy in Amman, Jordan.

George first came to Canada in 1980 as a principal dancer with Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal. He performed with the company for two years, touring four continents. There he worked with one of Canada’s most respected contemporary choreographers, Brian Macdonald.

From 1977 to 1980, George was a principal dancer with the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble, performing at New York’s Carnegie Hall and City Center. He had the privilege of being coached by Alvin Ailey on the ballet Hard Times Blues, which Ailey also choreographed. George also worked with choreographer Talley Beatty, a protégé of modern dance innovator Katherine Dunham.

Born and raised in Red Bank, NJ, the home of Count Basie, George received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Hampton University, Hampton, VA, where he was a member of the Military Honor Society.

Click on the link below to read our January 22 Bulletin

Virgo Music is proud to announce that we will be holding a CD release concert for our new CD, A Tapestry of Love. We have been honoured to have our song, A Tapestry of Love selected as the theme song for the 50th anniversary of the UCW which is being celebrated this year, 2012. We are releasing a CD that will include several versions of the song as well as a collection of 14 other tracks of liturgical and choral music, all of which can be found on our website.

The concert will be held the evening of February 18th at Faith United in Courtice (1778 Nash Rd) for those of you close enough to attend. The CD will also be available by mail order through our website.

During the day on February 18th, we will be hosting a choral workshop that will feature new works by several Canadian composers, including Jacqueline Sadler of Eastminster (Toronto) as well as our own music. Lucas Tensen (www.cello-chanting.com) will present a session on cello chanting meditation and Brian and I will be hosting a write-your-own-song workshop.

The cost for the day (including lunch, music and concert ticket) is $40. For the concert alone, tickets are $15. All concert tickets include a complimentary CD. You can register through our Contact page or by calling us at 905-447-7983. As our gift to the UCW we are offering the solo version of A Tapestry of Love to anyone who visits our website, www.virgomusic.ca. You will find the link on the home page to the song, which you can print as many times as you'd like. Please feel free to share it as widely as you like. Choral versions can be purchased through the Contact Us page for $1/copy if you download and print it yourself or $3/copy if we print and ship it to you.

The Danforth Jewish Circle has invited Eastminster to the multi-faith events below. No RSVP is required and there is a suggested donation of $10.00 for each event.

Jewish Study with Rabbi Miriam Margles - Wednesday February 1, 2012 7:30-9:30pm

Eglington St. George's South Studio - 35 Lytton Blvd (Duplex & Layton) www.esgunited.org

Miriam will teach us about the traditional Jewish cannon of scripture, called the Tanakh, which consists of 24 books. The Tanakh is arranged into three main sets of books including the Torah (laws), the Nevi'im (book of the Prophets) and the Kethuvim (writings). We will also learn about the Jewish holidays including the Shabbat. She will explain the importance of the 8-day festival of Hanukkah.

"Bethminster Shabbat" with the Danforth Jewish Circle - Friday February 3, 2012 at 7pm

Auditorium of Eastminster United Church, use Hurndale Entrance

Visit the Jerrahi Sufi Order Mosque - Saturday January 28, 2012 7:30pm

270 Birmingham Street, Toronto

Talk by the Sufi Shaykh (teacher) who will speak about mysticism in Islam and the program will also include: dinner, Nasheeds (hymns) and music, Zikhr (chanting and remembrance of God) and whirling Dervishes.

Buddhism Study - Wednesday February 8, 2012 7:30-9:30pm

With Rev. Michael Hayashi of the Toronto Buddhist Church at Jodo Shinshu Temple

Eglington St. George's South Studio - 35 Lytton Blvd (Duplex & Layton) www.esgunited.org

Michael will talk about fundamental essentials of the teaching of Jodo Shinshu, which include the two aspects that are brought about by the working of Amida Buddha's Primal Vow - oso, the aspect of our going forth to the Pure Land and genso, the aspet of our returning to this world. He will teach us about four pillars of teaching, practice, shinjin, and realization, which are the cause and result of oso.

Visit to the BAPS "Shri Swaminarayan Mandir" - Thursday February 16 at 10:30am

61 Claireville Drive, Toronto

We will visit this temple and participate in the "Abhishek" ritual (prayer service). Things to discover, experience and enjoy the complex of: the Stone Mandir, the Wooden Haveli and Understanding the Hindu Dharma Exhibition. The Mandir is a place of worship or prayer for Hindus. The Murtis and rituals of worship in the mandir form a very important aspect in elevating the soul to the pinnacle of God-realization. Come and enjoy hours of peace.

Hinduism Study - Friday February 17, 2012 7:30-9:30pm

With Murli (Ned) Nedungadi in the Eglington St. George's South Studio - 35 Lytton Blvd (Duplex & Layton) www.esgunited.org

Hinduism is the world's oldest recorded religion with roots over 10,000 years old. Through austerities, prayers, intuition and introspection, ancient seers and sages gained the ultimate experience of God. These collective experiences formed the foundation of Hindu Dharma (that which sustains). Hindu people honor the whole of creation and see God in everything.