" title="L'Arche Daybreak"> L'Arche Daybreak

THANK YOU to everyone who helped to make the Walk for Hope a great success. We were blessed with beautiful weather which inspired many to come out and join us – family and friends, high school students and teachers, political dignitaries and local business leaders. The energy was high and the spirit was strong which made for a fun filled event!!

In particular we would like to thank Jean Vanier Catholic High School and the Running Room for their partnership which helped to make this event so much bigger and better!! It was great to see so many young people out enjoying the walk and being fully engaged.

In the spirit of gratitude, we are pleased to announce that the Walk for Hope raised $25,000 which will make a significant impact for our homes and programs. We greatly appreciate your support and participation which truly makes a difference in the lives of our core members. This event not only raised funds but also raised the profile of people with developmental disabilities in the wider community of York Region.

This ensemble performance on May 8 2012 beautifully weaved together film, music, drama and dance in a very inspiring and imaginative way. Presenting a positive platform for artists with disabilities, this poetic tapestry celebrated the creative life of L’Arche Daybreak. With Our Own Hands featured the Spirit Movers, L’Arche Daybreak’s dance and movement troupe, and the Movers and Shakers, L’Arche Daybreak’s new theatre group. The performance also showcased some of L’Arche Daybreak’s many talented musicians.

You can see the slideshow of the members of our community here:

Gala 2012 Slideshow from L'Arche Daybreak on Vimeo.

posted November 9, 2011
“Making All Things New” is the theme for our year at Daybreak. Our annual tradition is to get together for a weekend of sharing, communion, and fun! A highlight is also the slideshow that brings together many of the images of the past few years. Enjoy this piece put together by an assistant at Centre Street, Paul Ababio.

L’Arche Daybreak Community Weekend 2011 from L'Arche Daybreak on Vimeo.

I learn a lot from Kim, whom I live with at L’Arche Daybreak. When Kim was wished a Happy 41st Birthday she responded, nonchalantly, saying, “Thanks. I don’t look it.” In that moment she ministered to me, teaching me what it means to be free, to be young in spirit, to tell your own story, to resist society’s expectations of what it means to be a certain age or fit in a certain category. I was also touched when Kim announced her first home was here at L’Arche in Richmond Hill, her second home was in Markham (her family home) and, quite proudly, “My third home is in heaven.” Although we couldn’t help laughing about the mortgage on that third home, I realized a deeper theological truth–that she wasn’t seeing past, present and future, but was truly living out God’s vision, seeing beyond set time lines and seeing the bigger picture. When Kim was cutting tomatoes for dinner, rolling her eyes she exclaimed, “Ha! And, they thought I was handicapped!” She then went on to say how she’s been proving people wrong and learning new things all along. In that moment, I realized that I too had bought into a hierarchy of people, that I had been competing and that I had been buying into “us and them” boundaries–none of which are part of true community.

Janna Payne, L’Arche Daybreak

Dayspring Chapel Schedule, Friday nights at 7:30 p.m.
All are invited to our weekly community worship service at 11339 Yonge Street in Richmond Hill.
The Dayspring is located just South of Devonsleigh Blvd. on the East side of Yonge Street. In the Winter, entrance to our property is recommended from Devonsleigh Blvd. Click here for a map of our property.

WINTER/SPRING 2013

March 2013

• 1 – RC Eucharist
• 8 – United Church
• 15 – Taize Prayer / Open House
• 22 – RC Eucharist – Liturgy of the Palms

Holy Week

• Monday March 25 8:30 AM Anglican Eucharist
• Tuesday March 26 8:30 AM, Taize-style Prayer
• Wednesday March 27 8:30 AM,RC Communion
• Thursday March 28
  7:30 PM, Roman Catholic Eucharist
  9:00 PM, Silent Prayer Vigil
• Friday, March 29
  12 Noon Good Friday Walk (begins at Dayspring)
  7:30 PM Taize Prayer around the Cross
• Saturday March 30 8:00 PM Easter Vigil – Anglican Eucharist(Reception following)

April 2013

• 5 – Anglican Eucharist
• 12 – United Church
• 19 – Taize Prayer / Open House
• 26 – Roman Catholic Eucharist

May 2013

• 3 – Roman Catholic Eucharist
• 10 – United Church Communion
• 17 – Taize Prayer / Open House
• 24 – Anglican Eucharist
• 31 – Roman Catholic Eucharist

Fall is the time of year when we welcome many new assistants to L’Arche. This year we held our Orientation Week during the last week of August. As a multi-cultural community, our new assistants come from many different backgrounds, cultures, countries, and faith traditions. This year, our new assistants hail from Canada, South Korea, Dominican Republic, Hong Kong, Ukraine, France, and Germany. We look forward to getting to know them better, and are very grateful for their “yes” to join our community!

To learn more about becomming an assistant at L’Arche Daybreak, please visit out “Assistants” page to learn more. We accept applications throughout the year, although our most intense transition time is in August.

Will Grassby, an assistant at Daybreak blogs about his experience volunteering in the L’Arche Trosly community in France. – August 11, 2011
Hello again, this time from Malmedy, Belgium where we are “en vacances” until August 26th. In reality we are staying outside the town, near the monastery of Wavreumont. It is very beautiful here, although as we were informed by a kindly passerby on a cloudy afternoon this is “la region de pluie.” It wasn’t half an hour later that it started to pour, but in reality; I’ve seen much more sun here than I did the first few weeks in France, so I’m not complaining. In fact, because of the fair warnings of the locals, anytime we spot the sun breaking through the clouds, we are quick to put on our shoes and get outside. In our first two weeks here we have had outings to the nearby villages of Stavelot, Spa, Francorchamps (home of a world-class formula one circuit), a beach at Bütgenbach and have enjoyed a barbeque as well as several meals outdoors. Not bad for “La region de pluie.” As they say in French, ‘Il faut en profiter!” (You have to take advantage of it!”)

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Will Grassby, an assistant at L’Arche Daybreak blogs about his experience living in the founding community of L’Arche in Trosly France. – July 29, 2011

“Jean (Vanier) explained quite simply that is was the undeniable faith in what he was doing and what L’Arche was accomplishing in giving home to people with disabilities, … the closeness he felt to the life of Jesus in living with the poor and outcast of society and, ultimately, realizing how much fun they had together and that he needed their friendship and support to continue on, that compelled him to find a way to “plug the holes” in the ark.

In my first two weeks here I have definitely realized how much I need the support of those around me.”

Click here to read Will’s first post from France.

A short reflection on the life of Linda Slinger, by her friend and fellow L’Arche Daybreak community member, Trish Glennon

When I first met Linda Slinger, I was a student at Marquette university in Milwaukee. Linda was visiting our university along with many other buddy pairs from L’Arche communities all over North America. During a staff meeting of the residence hall where I was working, the door suddenly opened and into the center of the room walked a petite young woman wearing a huge smile. “HI, I’m Linda–who are you??” she said rather enthusiastically. She then proceeded to walk around the room, shaking all of our hands, asking our names and re-introducing herself with as much enthusiasm as she did the first time. For the young men in the room, Linda gave a bonus kiss on the cheek. Linda had lit up the room–those in the room had visibly changed. Everyone was smiling and sharing in Linda’s exuberance.

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UPDATE: Thank you to all our walkers who joined us for a wonderful morning together…See you next year!

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