Search This Blog

Tuesday, November 17, 2020

Dear Friends of BLCF Church and BLCF Cafe, 1307 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON.


Dear Friends of BLCF,

This has been a different time for our families and friends. For the safety of the vulnerable, the BLCF Church Board decided to keep BLCF closed at this time. Despite not meeting in person, we have kept up regular contact with our church family by phone, email and Facebook. We support one another by sharing our concerns, praying for one another and even singing on the phone! Our thoughts and prayers are with BLCF Café community dinner guests and volunteers. We have been in contact with some of them. Some guests have contacted the church and we have helped when possible. We have seen a few of our guests in the community and as of now, all seem to be well. Some do have health issues and again we pray and talk to them.

The house on St. Helen's Ave. needed a new roof and church roof repairs were completed. This involved hiring roofers for the job. More repairs are needed on the house. Pray that we will be able to do those as well. Our handyman special man took the initiative to replace the kitchen floor with tiles and he also plans to replace the tiles at the side door entrance.

Due to the pandemic, some businesses on Bloor St. have had to close. Restaurants had a brief reprieve in July when outdoor dining was permitted on the street. This was short-lived, with the installation of bike lanes in August. With the arrival of the bike lanes, there has been a marked difference in the feel of the street. The bike lanes have created gridlock, including reduced parking spots and it is no longer possible to park or stop in front to the church, which poses a problem to the elderly and disabled who have been dropped off and picked up at our front doors since 1938. But no more! Weddings and funerals will have a problem due to removal of street access to 1307 Bloor St West. Imagine having to carry a casket from a side street to the church doors because the hearse cannot access the front of a church, which has no parking lot.

Due to Metrolinx expansion of the railway to the west of the church, Value Village has also had to give up half of their parking lot. Pray for safety for everyone on the roads, as frustrated drivers deal with the gridlock.

God has been watching over us during the pandemic. We are all safe in His hands, for which we are grateful. We ask that you include our concerns and challenges in your prayers.

In HIS Service,

Your friends in Christ at BLCF Church