Worship Begins, Ends Congress
Diocesan Press Service. September 3, 1963 [XIII-5]
TORONTO - Some 17, 000, the largest crowd ever assembled in Toronto's Maple Leaf Gardens, participated in the opening service of Choral Evensong Aug. 13. For 40 minutes, the almost 1, 000 delegates processed into the arena with a thrilling display of color from the native dress of the laity, the vestments of the priests and bishops and the cope and mitred Primates of All England and All Canada.
Toronto's St. James' Cathedral was jammed for the final Evensong, Aug. 23, when the Archbishop of Capetown, the Most Rev. Joost de Blank, was the preacher.
At the opening service, the Most Rev. Howard Clark, Canadian primate, surveyed the reasons for holding a Congress, saying "We are here to take a hard and honest look at this strange new age in which we live."
The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev. Michael Ramsey, the second preacher, said that, in order to serve God in the heart of particular countries, cultures and languages, the church must be as Canadian as the Canadians, as African as the Africans, as Asian as the Asians. He also suggested that African and Asian missionaries might go to England to convert the post-Christian heathenism there and to convert the English church to a closer following of Christ.
Archbishop deBlank in the final sermon was full of optimism for the future of the Anglican Communion. He concluded with "In these last days we believe that God has spoken to us all: 'see that ye refuse not Him that speaketh."
On Sunday night, Aug. 18, the Mass Meeting of Missionary Witness again filled the Maple Leaf Gardens. The addresses were given by the Rt. Rev. K. D. W. Anand, Bishop of Amritsar, India; the Rt. Rev. Roland Koh, Bishop in Kuala Lumpur, Malaya; and the Rt. Rev. J. C. Vockler, Bishop in Polynesia, Fiji Islands.
Bishop Anand spoke of the problems facing the Church of India, Pakistan, Burma and Ceylon in the midst of unprecedented social and economic changes, revolutionary events and political tensions.
Bishop Koh suggested that in southeast Asia today the church's task is to show how Christ Himself is at work in social and political changes, and how the church, as a body, can respond to Christ's call in the new situation of the Asian people. Bishop Vockler said the churches should not insist on an episcopal style of life which costs more than an indigenous church could support. He spoke of the work of the church in the Communion's largest diocese.
During the Congress, daily Holy Eucharists, using the Prayer Books of various member churches, were celebrated at St. James' Cathedral and in three area parishes. Morning and Evening Prayer were also sung each day at the Cathedral.
A Festival Chorus of some 1, 000 performed at the two mass services in the Gardens. The Choir of the Royal School of Church Music sang at the daily Morning and Evening Prayer.