The E-postle April 26, 2020

Third Sunday of Easter
E-postle
April 26, 2020
“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”
THIS ISSUE AT A GLANCE
- Upcoming Dates
- Rector’s Note
- Stewardship: Stewardship Reflection, Community “Phone a Friend”, Easter Season Art Project
- Pastoral: Passing of Addie Favelle, Thank-you from Jennifer Green’s Family
- Parish Matters: Extension of Churches’ Reopening Timeline, E-postle Volunteer Thanks, From the Wardens – Parish Giving, Order of the Diocese of New Westminster – Nominations Open, Ongoing Updates Pages
- Parish Ministries: Food Bank Temporary Suspension & Ongoing Support Needed
- Community News: Archbishop Retirement, Welcome Post Project 2020 – XAPAYAY – Tree of Life, Sacred Teachings Podcast
- Weekly Devotions: Prayer Cycle, Scripture Readings
- Important Contact Information
UPCOMING DATES
Note: All gatherings below take place online via Zoom unless otherwise indicated.
(Visit https://www.stja.ca/2020/program-updates/ for connection information)
Sunday, April 26 8:30am & 10am – Sunday Morning Prayer
Meeting ID: 542 312 325
Password: 010729
Sunday, April 26 following 8:30 and 10am worship – Informal Virtual “Coffee Hour”
Tuesday, April 28 10:15am–12noon – Bible Study
Tuesday, April 28 7 – 8pm – Prayer Group
Tuesday, April 28 7 – 9pm – Parish Council
RECTOR’S NOTE
We have arrived now at the 3rd Sunday of Easter – about a third of the way through this season already! Isn’t it strange how our sense of time has been changed during this pandemic? Sometimes time seems to move faster than it did; other times it seems to move slower. This is a natural response to when our world gets overturned. I would imagine the disciples felt similarly in those days and weeks following when they saw Jesus on the cross, and then heard the amazing, unbelievable news that he was somehow alive again. So disorienting! So confusing! No wonder so many had trouble recognizing Jesus, even as in this week’s gospel, when he was walking right alongside them on the road to Emmaus.
Beloved St. John’s friends, how have you been taking care of yourself in the midst of the disorientation of these times that we’re in? Are you finding ways to centre yourself, to connect with others as needed, working out a new rhythm for yourself? I pray that God would continue to steady us, give us some grounding and stability, and help us continue to adjust as best we can in these extraordinary times that we are in.
Peace, Vivian
STEWARDSHIP
Stewardship Reflection
From Sunday by Sunday: Reflections on Stewardship, prepared by the Ven. Dr. Michael Pollesel:
Isn’t it interesting how these two disciples of Jesus don’t recognize him at first? They come to recognize him after he has “interpreted every passage of scripture” and then took bread, blessed and broke it, and “started passing it to them.” Jesus makes himself known to us in many ways, but a faithful steward will always look for their clues by referring to scripture and taking part in the Eucharist.
3rd Sunday of Easter. Luke 24:13-35
Community “Phone a Friend”
Your St. John’s Stewardship Team has set up a “phone a friend” service for us all to keep from feeling a bit disconnected during these days of physical distancing. We have set up phone teams to call each week to “check in” and help relieve some of the loneliness that is inevitable in the current circumstances.
We would like to make sure no one out there is left out, so if you are not receiving a call and would like to, or if you are interested in helping to make these phone calls, email or call Kristin (bobandkristinkuhn@gmail.com or 778-957-8987) or Natasha (freefromfear101@gmail.com or 604-961-6630) and we will make sure you get hooked into the service.
We know that the caring community that is St. John’s will not leave any of its people feeling more separated than is absolutely necessary. “Distance means so little when people mean so much.”
-Your Stewardship Team
Easter Season Art Project
Your stewardship team has been working hard to come up with some meaningful projects to engage the whole parish, including our children. We are collecting pictures from anyone and everyone in the parish, children, adults, or just anyone out there who would like to be creative. We will then display these online for all of our parishioners. Amanda Mungal had the wonderful idea that once the pictures have been created and submitted online, they could then be put up in the windows of our homes so they would be visible for our neighbours and friends to see.
Any parishioner can submit a picture, so if there are any children or adults out there that would like to participate, we would welcome your pictures. The theme for this week’s pictures is “family” and next week’s theme is “thanks”. Themes will continue to be announced so that you all can keep creating! Take a look at the pictures from first week’s theme “Easter” on our Facebook page. If you want to participate, it is easy…draw a picture, colour a picture, or paint a picture and send it in to help brighten everyone’s day!!!
We are here for any questions, comments, or suggestions, so start creating today and submit your creations to Kristin at bobandkristinkuhn@gmail.com.
-Your Stewardship Team
PASTORAL
Passing of Addie Favelle
We are sad to announce the death this week of parishioner Addie Favelle (ODNW), and offer our deepest condolences and prayers to her son Bob and the rest of her family. Arrangements for a memorial service at St. John’s will be made at a future date.
Thank-you from Jennifer Green’s Family
The family of Jennifer Green, our former Office Administrator, wanted to share the following letter:
April 23, 2020
To the congregation of St. Catherine’s Anglican Church and St. John the Apostle Anglican Church,
Jennifer Green’s family – Michael, Geoff, Jeanette and Brody, would like to express our deepest appreciation to the congregations of St. Catherine’s Anglican Church and St. John the Apostle Anglican Church for their truly heart-warming care and friendship given to Jennifer during her battle with cancer. Your countless visits, meals, drives to appointments, and financial help, lifted her spirits and comforted her throughout her trying days. Additionally, your financial generosity relieved her of many burdens and she was very appreciative.
Jennifer was very touched and very humbled at all the attention she received and afterwards said to us that she was able to move forward each day because of all of the friends who showed their love, concern, care and friendship for her.
Jennifer also said many times that when she recovered from her cancer battle, she wanted to have a party for everyone to say thank you. She will not be able to have that party but we can say thank you on her behalf and express our deepest and most sincere gratitude to everyone.
Yours truly,
Michael, Geoff, Jeanette and Brody Green
PARISH MATTERS
Extension of Churches’ Reopening Timeline
Archbishop Melissa has announced that suspension of in-person worship and other gatherings in all churches in our diocese has been extended (for now) until June 14. Please see her letter at: https://www.vancouver.anglican.ca/news/reopening-continuing-anew-from-archbishop-skelton
E-postle Volunteer Thanks
Many thanks to Kathy De Vaal who has begun to help Vivian with putting together the E-postle each week. If you have submissions for the E-postle, please email them to Kathy at news@stja.ca.
From the Wardens – Parish Giving
We are pleased to let you know that in addition to PADs and cheques, we have now set up e-transfers directly to the church account. Should you be interested in this method of contribution, please contact Amalia treasurer@stja.ca or Ruby at peopleswarden@stja.ca for more details.
Order of the Diocese of New Westminster – Nominations Open
If there is someone in the parish that you would like to nominate, please let Vivian know at rector@stja.ca. It would be helpful if you could write up a short biography (bullet points are fine) about why you are nominating the person. Applications to the Diocese will be closed by 29th May and we would appreciate receiving nominations by 15th May.
For more information, you may log on to: https://www.vancouver.anglican.ca/programs/the-odnw
Ongoing Updates Pages
There are 2 important pages on our parish website which will be updated regularly as we have new information (links to both pages can also be found at the top of our homepage www.stja.ca):
- Program & Worship Updates/Links – https://www.stja.ca/2020/program-updates/ – current information on programs, including Zoom meeting information for Sunday worship.
- Updates on Covid-19 at St. John’s – https://www.stja.ca/2020/updates-re-coronavirus/ – a collection of all special correspondence from Archbishop Melissa and from our parish re: actions that St. John’s and our greater diocese are taking with the Covid-19 virus.
PARISH MINISTRIES
Food Bank Temporary Suspension & Ongoing Support Needed
The St. John’s Food Bank is not able to operate until further notice due to the COVID19 virus and the many restrictions that are in place for the safety of all our community and beyond. The Food Bank will resume when safe to do so and will continue to rely on the generosity of our parishioners. Please speak to Lynne Milner at foodbank@stja.ca with any questions about the Food Bank ministry in general.
Since this ministry to our community is a priority for St. John’s, Parish Council has decided at our March 31 meeting to use funds that would normally have gone into purchasing food for our own Food Bank to support others who are able to continue to serve our community in this time. We will be giving $1000/month for April-June to SHARE Food Bank. Please continue to give generously to our Food Bank ministry so that in this time of great need we can continue to support this important work for the most vulnerable among us.
In the meantime, we have been informed about 2 local food programs that are currently still operating if you are interested in inquiring about other ways to help.
- SHARE Food Bank – https://sharesociety.ca/news/share-covid-19-update
- Club Freedom, a meal program run by CityReach Care Society, Broadway Church, and Eagle Ridge Bible Fellowship – https://www.cityreach.org/clubfreedom. (To volunteer or donate food for Sun/Tues/Thurs contact Craig Savage at craigs@cityreach.org or 604-253-2700. To volunteer or donate food for Mon/Wed/Fri/Sat—contact Debbie Fell at debbiefell@shaw.ca or call 604-942-5622)
COMMUNITY NEWS
Archbishop Retirement
Archbishop Melissa has announced her pending retirement early next year, and the upcoming election in the fall for our new bishop. For more information, please visit: https://www.vancouver.anglican.ca/news/archbishop-skeltons-retirement-and-episcopal-election
Welcome Post Project 2020 – XAPAYAY – Tree of Life
This year, the weekly events are going on-line on Mondays at 7:30pm. They can be accessed through the Noons Creek Hatchery Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Noonscreek/ or by going to Port Moody Ecological Society on-line https://noonscreek.org/, where it will bring you to the list of events and links on how to participate. The posting of the events will be updated weekly in the Epostle.
- Monday, April 27, 7:30 – 8pm – Eddie Gardner – Spirit of Xa:payelhp – the man who was transformed into a cedar tree
- Monday, May 4, 7:30 – 8:30pm – Ronnie Dean Harris – Land Outward – a profile presentation focused on land, water, and start from the viewpoint of a descendant of the Xem-they-nem aka Coquitlam Willam
Once again I reflect on the similarities we have with Indigenous thinking. The theme for the project this year is “Tree of Life” and I am reminded of the song we sang at the beginning of Lent, “Tree of Life and awesome mystery”
-Anne Anchor
Sacred Teachings Podcast
The Sacred Teachings podcast is back for its second season, with a new theme: “Path to the Stronghold”. In the 2nd episode “Heart Learning”, Dr. Martin Brokenleg explains that against all odds, Indigenous peoples have survived catastrophic events throughout many generations, and reflects on the secret to finding the strength and courage to survive and carry on. Check it out at https://www.anglican.ca/im/podcasts/.
The teachings, languages, traditions and stories of the Ancestors are shared in this “Sacred Teachings” podcast series, which is sponsored by the Anglican Church of Canada. Highly respected Indigenous speakers are featured in this series, with a different theme for each season, including the sacredness of Creation and finding meaning in a global crisis.
WEEKLY DEVOTIONS
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:
* St. Catherine, Capilano – The Rev. Sharon Smith; St. James, Vancouver – The Ven. Kevin Hunt, The Rev. Matthew Johnson, The Rev. Joyce Locht; St. Philip, Vancouver – The Rev. Stuart Hallam;
* 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 April 26, 2020 – Third Sunday of Easter
Acts 2:14a, 36-41; Psalm 116:1-3, 10-17; 1 Peter 1:17-23; Luke 24:13-35
Readings for May 3, 2020 – Fourth Sunday of Easter
Acts 2:42-47; Psalm 23; 1 Peter 2:19-25; John 10:1-10
IMPORTANT CONTACT INFORMATION
Rector | The Rev. Vivian Lam | rector@stja.ca | 604-936-7762 (church voicemail) / 604-723-5029 (cell) |
Deacon | The Rev. Anne Anchor | deacon@stja.ca | |
Parish Office | administrator@stja.ca | 604-936-7762 | |
(Office is closed at this time, but email and voice messages will be checked Tuesday – Friday) | |||
Rector’s Warden | Geri Grigg | rectorswarden@stja.ca | |
People’s Warden | Ruby Ng | peopleswarden@stja.ca | |
Treasurer | Amalia McGlashan | treasurer@stja.ca | |
Envelope Secretary | Sheila De Vaal | envelopesecretary@stja.ca | |
Parish Council | Kristin Kuhn, Secretary | parishcouncilsecretary@stja.ca | |
Altar Guild | Brenda Binns | altarguild@stja.ca | |
Prayer Circle | Sue Elliott | prayer@stja.ca | |
Pastoral Visiting Ministry | Joanne Walton/Alma Oldenburg | pastoralvisits@stja.ca | |
Anglican Women’s Network | Alma Oldenburg | ACW@stja.ca | 604-788-2562 |
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 | |
Building Repairs/Maintenance | Brian McGlashan, Building Coordinator | property@stja.ca |
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