The E-postle December 1, 2019

The E-postle December 1, 2019

 

First Sunday of Advent

E-postle

December 1, 2019

 

“The Parish of St. John the Apostle is called to be

*             A Spirited Community at the heart of Port Moody

*             transformed through the experience of the presence of Christ

*             and sent out to share God’s Love”

 

 

Upcoming Dates

Sunday, December 1               8:30am – regular Eucharist; 10am – Advent Lessons & Carols service;

                                                following 10am service – Annual Advent Wreath Workshop

Tuesday, December 3             10:15am–12noon – Bible Study (in the Parish Hall);

                                               1pm – Stewardship Team Meeting (in the PMC)

Wednesday, December 4       9:30am-12noon – Coffee & Crafts

Sunday, December 8              following both services – “What Can’t Wait” Advent art discussion group;

                                               following both services – Mini “Bazaar Revisited” display

Thursday, December 12         12noon – ACW Christmas lunch

Tuesday, December 24           Christmas Eve services

                                                7pm – Family Service with Eucharist; 10pm – Choral Eucharist

Wednesday, December 25     10am – Christmas Day Eucharist

 

Rector’s Note

Can you believe that December is here once again?! Before we know it, Christmas will be upon us. But first, Advent. This is a season that often seems to go against the grain of all that is going on around us at this time of year. If we’re not careful, the hectic-ness, the shopping, the social commitments, the busy, busy, busy can overwhelm us… Advent invites us, instead, to slow down, take a breath, and keep focus on what matters. As followers of Jesus, this waiting in Advent for God to come at Christmas has a particularly special resonance, as we prepare for both the coming of our Saviour in the form of a helpless, humble little baby, but also as a triumphant, powerful being meeting us at the end-of-time. They each are bookends of this “God with us,” a God who loves us beyond measure. They each are different aspects of our God, who is a multitude of things, more than we can ever imagine. This is our God of creativity, of diversity, and of surprise after surprise after surprise. Oftentimes we can only see this clearly if we embrace the spirit of Advent and pay close, watchful attention.

And this is what I consider the gift of Advent. It gives us this encouragement to slow down a little and prepare for God to surprise us in whatever form God may choose to surprise us in – more often than not something unexpected and opposite to what we would be anticipating! Advent is a season of waiting patiently, prayerfully, and with expectation for the coming of our Saviour, who may not always look like the Saviour we expect. It is a time of preparation, of making ourselves ready to receive our God in whatever form God-with-us may take. May our efforts to get ready for God, here at St. John’s, be richly blessed.

Peace,
Vivian

 

Stewardship Reflection

From Sunday by Sunday: Reflections on Stewardship:

Advent 1. Matthew 24:36-44

Today’s gospel, marking the beginning of the new church year, sounds pretty scary! Jesus reminds us that things can change very quickly and that there is a need to stay alert. As one who wants to live as a faithful steward how does my life show that I am alert and participating in bringing God’s dream for creation to reality?

 

Stewardship Team Meetings

The Stewardship Team will be meeting the first Tuesday of every month at 1 pm in the PMC; the next meeting is Tuesday, December 3. We are actively looking for people to join our team. If you are interested in joining us but cannot because we are meeting in the afternoon, please let us know, as we will find a way for you to participate too! Please contact the office or speak to Kristin Kuhn, Natasha MacDonald, Rosa Weisensel, or Tony Pellett if you are interested in joining us.

 

Advent Lessons & Carols

Join us this Sunday, Dec. 1, as we begin the season of Advent with a special 10am Lessons & Carols service. This will be a wonderful service filled with nine scripture readings interwoven with the singing of lovely hymns, which will then be followed by Eucharist. Together, these pieces tell the amazing story of God and God’s people all the way from creation to the fulfillment of God’s love in the birth of Jesus. (The 8:30am service will be our regular spoken Eucharist.)

 

Annual Advent Wreath Workshop

A reminder that the advent wreath workshop will be held following the 10am service this Sunday, December 1st. A base, oasis and greenery will be provided for those who have RSVPd with Ann Adair-Austin (604 936 7256) or Amalia McGlashan (778 984 8418). Please bring snips or strong scissors to trim the greenery and also 5 candles and any other embellishments you wish to use.

 

Parish Advent Program – “What Can’t Wait?”

You are invited to join “What Can’t Wait?”, a journey through art that we will be taking together as a St. John’s family this Advent. Throughout Advent, we will be meditating on contemporary art from several artists, that was inspired by our weekly Advent scripture readings. There will be several ways to engage with this program; we hope that you’ll take part in whatever will feed you spiritually:

 

  • Art Booklet – pick up a booklet on Sunday, or contact administrator@stja.ca to have it emailed to you to print yourself. Take a little time each day of Advent to pause in your busy-ness, reflect on the artwork, and jot down where you see God (or where you hope to see God) in the midst of this art and in your life. There are a few pieces that you can colour on your own too, to aid in your meditation.

 

  • Advent Calendar – Visit our Facebook page (facebook.com/StJohnAnglican) beginning Dec. 1 to see the art up close, and written reflections from our community. Volunteer (on the sign-up sheet in the Parish Hall, or via rector@stja.ca) to offer a reflection of your own, and comment and share your insights on others’ reflections. We’ll post these reflections daily on Facebook and in the parish hall.

 

  • Coffee Hour Gatherings – Join us for 3 Sundays (Dec. 8, 15, 22) at coffee hour after both 8:30am and 10am services. We will gather to meditate together on and share about what God is saying to each of us and to our community through this art.

 

  • Group Colouring – Each Sunday one of the week’s art will be displayed – help to colour in this poster-size version each week, and treat it as another way to meditate on the art.

 

Diocesan Advent Meditations

Sign-up for a daily email in Advent with meditations from Archbishop Melissa and spiritual directors in the diocese. Each day will include a selected image, hymn, or poem that evokes the actions of Advent: waiting, longing, anticipating, expecting, and preparing. The art is a means for awakening our imaginations to renew our journey through Advent once more. Advent is usually the season to once again celebrate the coming birth of Jesus. Yet the scriptures and hymns also point us to the central event we are expecting in Advent: the future coming of Jesus Christ.

Sign-up for the free daily email by filling out the short form at https://www.vancouver.anglican.ca/diocesan-resources/2019-advent-calendar. Emails will begin December 1.

 

Parish Council Message Re: Marriage at St. John’s

Thank you to all who answered our Parish Survey and participated in our Nov. 10 Parish Forum on marriage at St. John’s – we are grateful for a healthy and prayerful response from our parish family on this issue.

At our November 25 meeting, Parish Council passed a motion that the Rev. Vivian Lam be authorized to write a letter to Archbishop Melissa Skelton advising of the consensus of the people of St. John’s and that we be recognized in the Diocese as a parish that is authorized to provide Same-Sex Marriages.

During our January 27 meeting, we will continue discussion on how we will share this information as a parish, and other practical details.

As always, if you have any questions, please see any Parish Council member (The Rev. Vivian Lam, The Rev. Anne Anchor, Geri Grigg, Ruby Ng, Cedric Miller, Mary Lou Kyle, Adelaine Miller, Tony Pellett, Sheila De Vaal, Rosa Wiesensel, or Brian McGlashan).

 

Financial Status

Statement of Income and Expenses as of YTD for September and October 2019

Sept. 2019 ACTUAL Sept. 2019 BUDGETED Oct. 2019 ACTUAL Oct. 2019 BUDGETED
INCOME $ 156,619 $ 160,200 $ 173,715 $ 178,033
EXPENSES $ 163,611 $ 160,200 $ 180,775 $ 178,033
Surplus (-) Loss -$ 6,992 $0 -$ 7,060 $0

 

 

Anglican Church Women (A.C.W.) Hot Socks Collection

The A.C.W. are collecting ‘Hot Socks’ (wool blend please) for the Mission to Seafarers. There is a basket at the back of the church to leave the ‘Hot Socks’ if anyone would like to contribute to this outreach. These will be delivered to A.C.W Place at the annual Christmas Open House on December 3rd.

 

Food Bank Christmas Cookie Gift

During the first three Sundays in Advent we are inviting parishioners of St. John’s to donate $20 toward the Food Bank Christmas Cookie gift. The donation goes towards the cookie gift and towards the grocery items for each Food Bank household.

There will be a table in the Narthex on Dec. 1, Dec. 8 and Dec. 15. We will be happy to accept donations before and after the service.

 

Bazaar Revisited

The bazaar is over for this year…but the planning has just begun for next year. Come and check out the Bazaar Revisited on Sunday, December 8 after both services. We will have a display of bazaar items for you to peruse and purchase in case you missed the bazaar…and we hope that you will make suggestions or bring your ideas to us for what we can do at next year’s bazaar. If you are interested in participating in next year’s bazaar and would like more information, please contact the office or ask at the Bazaar Revisited coming up soon!

 

care+share Advent 2019 Campaign – Urban Aboriginal Ministry

care + share has been helping to fund a wide variety of ministries in our diocese since 2011. The ministries are supported for a two-year period to help them to expand and strengthen their work.  Every two years Synod selects and affirms from one to three recipients of the care + share donations for the next two-year cycle.

The Urban Aboriginal Ministry (UAM) was chosen as the sole beneficiary of care + share for this 2020 – 2021 cycle to help UAM expand to meet the needs of more First Nations brothers and sisters. Towards that end the Mission and Ministry Development team of the diocese are launching a “mini-campaign” during the season of Advent 2019 to encourage the members of our diocese to support the care + share program. Although UAM will be the recipient during the next two-year funding cycle they hope that your participation now will contribute to a pattern of generosity that will enable future ministries from around the diocese to also flourish through care+share.

Donations to UAM through care + share may be made via your regular donation envelope or PAD. You may also visit https://www.vancouver.anglican.ca/news/care-share-advent-campaign-for-2019 to learn about other ways to give and more information about UAM.

 

Coquitlam Chorale Society

The Coquitlam Chorale presents carols and lullabies of Christmas at 2 performances this month, which will be held at Eagle Ridge Bible Fellowship Church, 1160 Lansdowne Drive, Coquitlam:

    • Friday, December 13, 7:30pm
    • Saturday, December 14, 2:00pm

For tickets and more information, please visit https://www.coquitlamchorale.com/performances

 

Call for Volunteers – Cold Wet Weather Mat Program

During the month of January 2020, St. Laurence Anglican Church—together with the Hope for Freedom Society—will offer hospitality of overnight shelter and meals to those in need. Help will be needed for staffing of morning and evening shifts and for providing food, clothing or a financial contribution.

An Orientation and sign-up meeting will be held this Saturday, December 7, 2019 from 10:00 – 11:00 am at St. Laurence (825 Saint Laurence Street, Coquitlam).

Anne Anchor will be attending this meeting and selecting certain dates for providing lunch sandwiches. If others wish to attend to sign for an evening meal or working a shift, you will be more than welcome. If you are unable to attend and would like Anne to sign-up on your behalf please contact her at deacon@stja.ca.

 

Proteins needed for St. John’s Food Bank

Protein-rich foods are often the most expensive items for families to purchase when grocery shopping. People on limited budgets often cannot afford them and make do with stodgy foods to fill stomachs. Please help those who need them by donating the following to St. John’s Food Bank.

  • tinned salmon, tuna, chicken, beef (not all can eat pork products)
  • shelf stable nut butters
  • dried or tinned beans and peas
  • powdered or shelf-stable milks
  • meaty stews or soups
  • cans of vegetables

Bring your offerings on Sunday, arrange with the office to drop off during the week, or give some money to this ministry towards the purchase of fresh products.

 

Prayer Cycle

The Anglican Church of Canada – the Most Rev. Linda Nicholls, Primate, and the Most Rev. Mark MacDonald, National Indigenous Anglican Archbishop.

The Diocese of New Westminster – the Most Rev. Melissa Skelton, Archbishop, and Metropolitan of the Ecclesiastical Province of BC and Yukon.

And this week:

*        The Deanery of Point Grey – The Reverend Christine Rowe, Regional Dean

*        Our partner Diocese of Northern Philippines, Bishop Brent Alawas, and especially the people of our twin church at St. John the Evangelist Mission, Balugan;

*        The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada – National Bishop Susan Johnson, BC Synod Bishop Greg Mohr;

*        The brothers and sisters who share our worship space: The Port Moody Korean Presbyterian Church

 

Readings for December 1, 2019 – 1st Sunday of Advent

Isaiah 2:1-5; Psalm 122; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:36-44

 

Readings for December 8, 2019 – 2nd Sunday of Advent

Isaiah 11:1-10; Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19; Romans 15:4-13; Matthew 3:1-12

 

Important Contact Information

Rector – The Rev. Vivian Lam – rector@stja.ca or 604-936-7762

Deacon – The Rev. Anne Anchor – deacon@stja.ca

Office Administrator – Jennifer Green (currently on leave)

Interim Office Administrator – Sarah Golding – administrator@stja.ca or 604-936-7762

(Office Hours during this interim time are Tues/Wed/Thurs, 9am-1:30pm & Fri, 9am-11:30am)

Rector’s Warden- Geri Grigg – rectorswarden@stja.ca

People’s Warden – Ruby Ng – peopleswarden@stja.ca

Treasurer – Cedric Miller – treasurer@stja.ca

Envelope Secretary – Sheila de Vaal – envelopesecretary@stja.ca

Parish Council – Adelaine Miller, Secretary – parishcouncilsecretary@stja.ca

Altar Guild – Brenda Binns – altarguild@stja.ca

St. John Prayer Circle – Sue Elliott – prayer@stja.ca

Pastoral Visiting Ministry – Joanne Walton/Alma Oldenburg – pastoralvisits@stja.ca

Anglican Church Women (ACW) – Sue Hall – 604-936-0176 or ACW@stja.ca

Children’s Ministry /Godly Play – Christina Anchor – children@stja.ca

Prayer Shawls – Rosa Weisensel – administrator@stja.ca

Bible Study – Lynne Milner – biblestudy@stja.ca

Food Bank – Lynne Milner – foodbank@stja.ca

 

[Art at top of page is “Love Surprises Us” by Sarah Are, © A Sanctified Art, and is used by permission.]

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