Sermons

Cake & Babies!

Cake and babies are definitely a few of our favourite things at Leaside United Church!

This Sunday we were thrilled to celebrate Rev. Emily Gordon’s return to Leaside United Church after her maternity leave.  Emily’s husband and four month old son joined us for this joyful celebration.

We enjoyed a delicious cake to honour and thank our wonderful supply minister Rev. Warren McDougall and wished him continued adventures in his retirement.

#thankful #celebration #family #cake #babies #eastyork #leaside

A House for Whose Prayers? – Guest Preacher Rev. Evan Smith

Rev. Evan Smith joined us on Sunday March 4th, 2018 as our Guest Preacher, preaching on the scripture of John 2:13-22 where Jesus clears the Temple Courts while people were making preparations for Passover.


LISTEN to audio recording here:

March 4, 2018: runtime 19:27- Guest Preacher Rev. Evan Smith – A House for Whose Prayers?


VIDEO watch here:

 



Rev. Evan Smith is ordained in the United Church of Canada and is the minister at Toronto Urban Native Ministry in Regent Park.  Rev. Evan is Two-Spirit, Anishinaabe, and turtle clan. Evan works on the front lines doing pastoral care and harm reduction with sex workers, Indigenous LGBTQ2A youth, families, people who are incarcerated and street-involved folks.  Passionate about encouraging peoples spiritual health, Evan serves Indigenous people living on the margins through the practice of both Traditional Spirituality and Christianity as part of her ministerial work at Toronto Urban Native Ministry.


 

The Opening – Guest Speaker El-Farouk Khaki

Rev. Warren McDougall & El-Farouk Khaki – Sunday February 25, 2018

We were deeply enriched by our time with Guest Speaker El-Farouk Khaki last Sunday.


VIDEO: El-Farouk Khaki reciting Al-Fatiha – The Opening of the Quran:


AUDIO: If you were absent, or would like to hear the message again, you can listen to it here:


February 25, 2018 – Guest Speaker – El-Farouk Khaki


 


El-Farouk Khaki joined us on Sunday, February 25th, 2018.  El-Farouk is a spirituality activist, human rights &  justice advocate, and refugee lawyer, a public and media speaker on issues including Islam, LGBTIQ/human rights, refugees, politics and HIV.  El-Farouk is founder of Salaam: Queer Muslim Community (1991); and co-founder & imam of el-Tawhid Juma Circle (2009).  El-Farouk  is co-owner of the Glad Day Bookshop, and recipient of numerous Awards including: 2006 “Excellence in Spirituality” Award – Pride Toronto; 2007 Hero Award, Canadian Bar Association; and 2016 CCVT Trevor Batram Award.  He is currently working on his first book exploring issues of sexuality, social justice and spirituality.