Glossary of Terms

Common terms and acronyms used at St. Paul’s:

BCP – Book of Common Prayer. The Book of Common Prayer outlines the liturgy used at a number of our Sunday worship services.

BAS – Book of Alternative Service. The Book of Alternative Service provides alternative forms of liturgy used at some of our Sunday worship services.

Church – the church is not a building but is a gathering of Christian people.

Communications - This is the working group who coordinates and undertakes oversight for the general communications in the parish, especially the website, signage and all printed materia`ls. This group works closely with Support Ministries to ensure that we have the most effective communications possible.

Corporation of the Church - This is the legal entity called St. Paul’s Anglican Church and includes the Rector and People’s Warden and Rector’s Warden. The Canons or Church laws states that “The Rector of a parish shall have charge of and be responsible for the ordering of the services including the musical part thereof, the use of the organ, the fixing of the hours of service, the ringing of the bell, and such like matters…The Rector and the Churchwardens shall act jointly in matters concerning the use of the church buildings and grounds and neither shall act without the approval of the other.”

Discipleship Covenant - at St. Paul’s we seek to further amplify our Church membership to signify belonging to this specific community. As a baptized disciple of Jesus Christ at St. Paul’s, I will strive to participate through my commitment to…
Active Involvement … support St. Paul’s Vision and Mission through my active involvement in the life of its ministries.
Worship … be regular in my attendance at worship.
Financial Contribution … give a portion of my income to the life and work of the Church at St. Paul’s and abroad.
Prayer & Study … spend time in prayer, Bible reading and study in order to be nurtured and equipped to live the Christian life.
Evangelism … bring the teachings and example of Jesus Christ into my everyday life, and share my faith with others.

Executive Committee (EC) This is the Senior Leadership group in the congregation and is comprised of the People’s Warden, the Rector’s Warden, the Deputy People’s and Rector’s Wardens, the Treasurer and Rector. It is supported by the Parish Administrator and the Executive Pastor.

Investment Committee - this committee oversees the investment funds held by St. Paul’s. Utilizing appropriate resources such as investment advisors, they seek to undertake godly stewardship of our financial legacies.

Leadership Council (LC) - this is the group of Leaders who meet monthly on behalf of the parish to discuss and communicate with respect to all the various ministries and activities at St. Paul’s. This group includes the Ministry Team, the Executive Committee, Chairs of Ministry Groups and Synod Delegates.

Member of the Anglican Church of Canada - a person who has been admitted into the Christian Covenant by Holy Baptism as our Lord commanded “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost”, and who is a self-declared member of and who has accepted the authority of the Anglican Church of Canada. To be a voting member of Vestry, individuals also must be a member of this congregation for at least 3 months, having attended regularly scheduled services of worship, be 16 years of age or older and must not have voted as a member of any other vestry in the past 3 months.

Ministry – the activities carried out within the church in fulfillment of the church’s mission.

Ministry Team - this group is comprised of the Children’s Minister, Youth and Young Adult Minister, Associate for Evangelism, Mission and Outreach, the Associate for Spiritual Care & Connections, the Executive Pastor and the Rector.

Mission and Outreach - this group is responsible for the oversight of the major “extroverted” thrusts of ministries. The Chair coordinates the various ministries involved and ensures a focused and consistent application of our resources of people and finances.

Parish Counsel Emeritus - a honourary title that acknowledges the long serving legal counsel that supports and advises the leadership of St. Paul’s.

Parish Life Ministries - this committee focuses on the internal life of St. Paul’s. It encompasses Spiritual Care and Connection, as well as all pastoral ministries and community building ministries. This group is transitioning to seek the most effective way to serve and support our various communities.

Parochial Tribunal - there is a Parochial Tribunal of each vestry which shall be composed of the Rector, the Churchwardens and two other members of the vestry, who have been elected by such vestry at its annual meeting. This tribunal will adjudicate any disputes over membership lists and voting.

Property Committee - this committee, working closely with St. Paul’s property and maintenance staff has oversight of all the physical facilities at St. Paul’s including the rectories. The Chair is responsible to work with staff and a committee to oversee planning, maintenance, budgets, Health and Safety regulations and the overall vision of “property” stewardship.

Rector (Incumbent or Senior Pastor) - the Cleric (ordained) who, for the time being, has the oversight and responsibility for the cure of souls in a Church, Parish, Mission or area, and who has been licensed or appointed by the Bishop to perform such ecclesiastical duties therein. At St. Paul’s the Rector leads in the context of the Ministry Team and the Executive Committee to ensure the most effective stewardship of our ministry resources.

Sidespersons/Greeters - this is the group that ensures that worshippers are genuinely welcomed to all of our worship services as well as taking up the offering and undertaking the marshalling during Communion. This leader also coordinates for special services and ensures the smooth operation of “people movement” during worship.

Stewardship - this group coordinates all of the stewardship activities of St. Paul’s in three primary areas: capital giving, planned giving and annual giving through offerings. Working with the Rector and support staff, the stewardship committee plans and assists in the implementation of a long term financial stewardship strategy.

Synod - Synod is the bi-annual gathering of the representatives of the Diocese of Toronto. The bishop presides over the synod which consists of all clergy of the diocese and elected non-ordained representative of each parish, depending on size. The Synod delegate role, much like our elected provincial and federal representatives, is to take the concerns of the St. Paul’s community to the wider church and vice versa.

Treasurer - the appointed financial person who is responsible, on behalf of the Wardens, for seeing that all aspects of our financial recording, communication, audit and governance are conducted with integrity and according to Canons (Diocesan laws).

Vestry - a meeting attended by all the parishioners or by a committee of parishioners during which the official business of the church is discussed.

Vestry Clerk - the person responsible for recording the ministry and business of the Church at the Annual Vestry Meeting and the monthly Leadership Council Meetings.

Wardens - are lay (non-ordained) people designated each year at the Annual Vestry meeting of the parish to be responsible for the finances and property of the parish. One is appointed by the Rector and is called the Rector’s Warden and the other is elected by the people of the parish and is called the People’s Warden. At St. Paul’s due to the size and complexity of our ministries we have two deputy Wardens as well.

If you have suggestions for terms we should add please contact us.