The E-Postle February 17, 2019

The Sixth Sunday after Epiphany

E-postle

February 17, 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, Feb 17                  after the 10:00am service – Annual Vestry Meeting

Tuesday, Feb 19                10:15am-noon – Bible Study in the Parish Hall

Thursday, Feb 21              1:30pm – A.C.W. meeting

Sunday, Feb 24                  12 noon – Chinese New Year celebration lunch

Monday, Feb 25                1:00pm – Senior’s Tea – Birthday Party

 

 

Stewardship Reflection

From God Has a Dream: A Vision of Hope for Our Time by Desmond Tutu:

“’I have a dream,’ God says. ‘Please help Me to realize it. It is a dream of a world whose ugliness and squalor and poverty, its war and hostility, its greed and harsh competitiveness, its alienation and disharmony are changed into their glorious counterparts, when there will be more laughter, joy, and peace, where there will be justice and goodness and compassion and love and caring and sharing. I have a dream that swords will be beaten into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks, that My children will know that they are members of one family, the human family, God’s family, My family.’”

 

Question: What can you do this day, this week, to help God realize his dream?

 

 

Annual Vestry

A reminder that Annual Vestry is this Sunday, Feb. 17 following the 10am worship service. Everyone is invited to bring finger foods to share during our meeting, which will help give us the energy to do the important work of reviewing and celebrating the year and looking ahead toward ministry in 2019!

 

 

New Members for the Altar Guild

St John’s Altar Guild are looking for some new members. We work in groups on a 4 week rotating schedule usually on a Saturday morning, arranging flowers, cleaning brass, setting up for the Eucharist and laundering linens. Please speak to a member of the Altar Guild if you are interested in joining us.

 

 

Birthday Party

The Senior’s Tea group is hosting a birthday party for parish members who have reached the marvelous age of 80 or over, with birthdays occurring January to March, 2019.

We will be meeting Monday, February 25th at 1:00pm for lunch and cake with time for visiting with friends.

If you have not received an invitation and you are part of this select group please let Ferne Malcolm know. If you are a senior and wish to join us for lunch and to help your friends celebrate also let her know. You are most welcome but we do need to know numbers so that no one will go hungry.

RSVP to Ferne Malcolm by email at kmalcolm@telus.net or by phone 604-939-2807 by February 18th.

 

 

A.C.W. News

The next A.C.W. meeting will be held this Thursday, February 21st at 1.30 pm.  Please remember to bring in your United Thank Offering for our annual donation to the Diocesan A.C.W. outreach program.

We continue to collect clean and gently used clothing, bedding and towels to donate to the Bales To The North outreach through A.C.W. Place. If you have any items to donate please label them “For A.C.W.” and leave them outside of the corner storage cupboard in the Sunday School area. We also collect used stamps and eyeglasses, aluminum pull tabs, and sample size toiletries. The collection baskets for these items are located on the small shelving unit near the A.C.W. cabinet in the church hall.

 

 

Food Bank Bread Help Needed

Help is needed! We are in need of more people to help to collect the bread for the Food Bank from Cobs Bakery on alternate Tuesday evenings at 8 pm and deliver it to the church. This takes approximately ½ to ¾ of an hour to complete depending on how much bread is to be collected. Ability to lift the bins, which are a moderate weight, is required. If you are interested in helping out, please talk to Teri Hazelton or Ann Adair-Austin.

 

 

First Nations 101 Event

An opportunity to meet the author, Lynda Gray, of the book First Nations 101 that was the book study of last year.

From the Port Moody Library Facebook page…

“Gain insight into the diverse and complex lives of First Nations people with this talk from author Lynda Gray. Lynda Gray, member of the Ts’msyen Nation (Gisbutwada/Killerwhale Clan), will present from her book First Nations 101: tons of stuff you need to know about First Nations people. You’ll learn about language to treaties to Two-spirit (LGBTQ). Thursday, February 28, 7:00-8:00pm in the Inlet Theatre. Registration required. Phone (604) 469-4575”

 

 

Cold Wet Weather Mat Program volunteers needed

The Cold Wet Weather Mat Program (CWWMP) is being held again in the Tri-Cities. Even with people being housed at 3030 Gordon there is a need for extra shelter at this time of year.

The people of St. John’s have been helping in many ways since the beginning of this program in 2010. The Hope for Freedom Society continues to provide this unique CWWMP (it is the only one of this sort running in North America) with the help of the area faith communities. The uniqueness of this program is that the guests are able to get a good quiet night’s sleep, which is unusual at other shelter programs with people coming and going all night. Another unique quality is that people are fed dinner and breakfast on site and provided with a bag lunch to nourish them throughout the day. The evening meal is served restaurant style, rather than the guests standing in a line up to receive food and they report that they feel loved, respected and welcomed.

Homelessness is on the increase as our BC economy makes it more difficult for those living on the edges of employment. It is now estimated that 80% of working age people have seen a decline in their living standards. With this also is an increase in addictions and the cycle that goes along with that.

St. John’s is a caring community and can continue to offer support to this program when it is being held at St. Laurence Anglican, Coquitlam, in the month of March.  If you are unable to help on a morning or evening shift you can be part of collecting food for the lunches provided.

There is always a need for juice boxes, soft granola bars or simple bag lunch snacks that are easily chewed. These can be dropped off on Sundays at St. John’s or taken directly to St. Laurence during the week from 10-2.

A sign-up sheet for making sandwiches is posted on the bulletin board by the door in the hall.

Contact Mary Lou Kyle or Anne Anchor if you would like more info or would like to work a shift in March.

 

 

General Synod Volunteers

The Diocese of New Westminster is very excited to host the 42nd General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada July 9 to 16, 2019, at the Sheraton Wall Centre in Vancouver, and are looking for people to join the General Synod volunteer team.

They are seeking people who are:

• outgoing and friendly,
• have experience in welcoming or greeting at church, or in other frequent capacities,
• and are interested in witnessing the wider Church in action.

Volunteers will be assigned in shifts to participate in areas such as meeting participants at the airport, on-site registration, providing local information and directions, etc.

Please see https://www.vancouver.anglican.ca/diocesan-ministries/general-synod-2019 for more information.

 

 

The VITA Retreat

You are invited to take part in VITA, a diocesan spiritual formation retreat, rooted in Anglican spirituality, where the Holy Spirit can move to personally transform participants to more actively engage in Christian prayer life and mission.

The next VITA retreat will be held from Friday, Mar. 22 – Sunday, Mar. 24 at Loon Lake Retreat Centre in Maple Ridge. This two-night retreat is open to 25 people who desire spiritual growth and who want to explore their prayer lives. The $175 registration fee (bursaries available) includes accommodation, all meals/snacks, and materials. The facilities are modern cabins that include a common lounge, private showers and rooms with two beds; two people per room.

Retreat goals are:

• To support participants as they broaden and deepen their experience of prayer in their everyday lives and activities.
• To inspire the energy, creativity and commitment of the next generation of Anglicans as they engage the communities where God has placed them.

For more information and to register, visit https://conta.cc/2TC8HAV – registration deadline is Feb. 28.

 

 

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 in February:

• 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, the Diocese of New Westminster, Archbishop Melissa Skelton;

 

This week:

*          The Administrators of the Anglican Initiatives Fund;

*          Our partner Diocese of Northern Philippines, Bishop Brent Alawas, and especially the people of our twin church at St. John’s Mission, Bila, Mountain Province;

*          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 and the Polish Evangelical Church.

 

 

Readings for February 17, 2019 – Sixth Sunday after Epiphany

Jeremiah 17:5–10; Psalm 1; 1 Corinthians 15:12–20 ; Luke 6:17–26

 

Readings for February 24, 2019 – Seventh Sunday after Epiphany

Genesis 45:3–11, 15; Psalm 37:1–12, 41–42; 1 Corinthians 15:35–38, 42–50; Luke 6:27–38

 

Important Contact Information

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

Parish Office – administrator@stja.ca or 604-936-7762

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 – shawls@stja.ca

Bible Study – Lynne Milner – biblestudy@stja.ca

Food Bank – Lynne Milner – foodbank@stja.ca