The E-postle April 5, 2020

The E-postle April 5, 2020
April 04, 2020

The Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday

E-postle

April 5, 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, Volunteering in the Wider Community
  • Worship: Palm Sunday Worship, Holy Week & Easter at St. John’s, Online Worship & Prayer, Learning to Zoom Better
  • Parish Matters: From the Wardens – Parish Giving, Order of the Diocese Nominations Open, Ongoing Updates Pages, Epostle – Writing/Editing/Design Volunteers Needed
  • Parish Ministries: Food Bank Temporary Suspension & Ongoing Support Needed
  • Community News: Free to a Good Home – Reclining Chair

 

Upcoming Dates

Note: All gatherings below take place online via Zoom unless otherwise indicated.

Sunday, April 5                        8:30am & 10am – Palm Sunday Morning Prayer

Sunday, April 5                        following 8:30 and 10am worship – Dive Deeper: Loving Neighbour – (final recap)

Thursday, April 9                    7:30pm – Maundy Thursday worship (via the Cathedral website)

Friday, April 10                       12noon – Good Friday worship service

Sunday, April 12                     8:30am & 10am – Easter Sunday Morning Prayer

 

Rector’s Note

I hope that you all are keeping well, and staying safe and healthy in this time. I am heartened to hear of all the ways we are caring for ourselves and each other right now, and commend to you the work of Kristin, Natasha and our Stewardship Team as they spearhead 2 new projects for community connection and care at St. John’s – Phone-a-Friend and an Easter Art Project. Keep scrolling down to see how to get involved.

This Lent has been like no other Lent before it, and we stand now at the threshold of Holy Week. We will be doing things a little bit differently this year (see schedule below), but as always, we will still journey together through it with each other, and with God. As we walk this week in the footsteps of Jesus from Palm Sunday in Jerusalem to Good Friday at the cross, I pray that we would hold ourselves with tenderness as we remember that our Lord knows what it is to suffer and feel so many things of our world as we know it coming to an end. Remember this though: no matter what, even as we arrive at Good Friday, there is always Easter resurrection just around the corner. This is the core of the faith we hold on to.

I shared the following poem earlier this week with Parish Council, and share now with all of you in the wider parish community as well. The author is a Lutheran pastor in Washington State and I think she has such a great way of speaking to a certain ache felt for the way things used to be before Covid-19, and the ache that we feel as we shift and move toward the new things that God is calling us to in this time.

Beloved St. John’s community, I pray that God’s peace would continue to be with you as we move through Holy Week together. Like you, I am so looking forward to Easter which is just on the other side.

Peace, Vivian

 

(A poem by Kacey Hahn)

I used to say

peace be with you

on Sunday mornings

like clockwork

after communal prayers

before passing the plate

it was nice

predictable

a simple, liturgical act

nudging me out of self isolation

to practice

God to human to human to God reconciliation

in a controlled environment

 

it has taken a nasty virus

and a dose of physical distancing

to free the peace

not my peace, mind you

but the peace that surpasses

all understanding

 

peace be with you

is now spreading, uncontrollably

she has left the sanctuary

doors unlocked

and I do not think

she has any desire to go back

 

peace be with you

seems to be

the most courageous

thing to share when

staring death in the face

or

listening to heartache

or

empathizing with worry

or

banishing loneliness

or

just trying to survive

like every one else

 

peace be with you

is transforming

right before my eyes

a practice and a prayer

a blessing and a bidding

a proclamation and a proposal

a gift that keeps

unwrapping grace

 

so do not be alarmed if

you hear

peace be with you

slip out in casual conversation,

of course, I am being religious,

but also extremely practical

 

you need to hear a promise of peace

just as much as

all of the essential folx

peace be with you…nurses, doctors, therapists, grocery workers, delivery drivers, parents, police officers, metro workers, firefighters, chaplains, social service providers and teachers (and countless others)

 

you need to hear this

i need to hear it and speak it too

 

let’s soak it up together

peace be with you

really, peace be with you

the peace of God, who remains, be with you.

 

Stewardship Reflection

From Sunday by Sunday: Reflections on Stewardship, prepared by the Ven. Dr. Michael Pollesel:

Sunday of the Passion, with the Liturgy of the Psalms. Matthew 2: 1-11, Matthew 26: 14 – 27: 66

Both of these passages (one quite short and the other very long) describe some of the very intense situations in the life of Jesus and some of his followers. Many churchgoers seem to opt for attending services this day and then again on Easter Day, skipping the in between “stuff”. A faithful steward accepts the reality that at least some of life is lived out in the intense situations and doesn’t avoid them.

 

Community “Phone a Friend”

Your St. John’s Stewardship Team are setting up a “phone a friend” service to those in our community who are feeling a bit disconnected during these days of physical distancing. We are organizing small teams willing to call a few people each week to “check in” and help relieve some of the loneliness that is inevitable in the current circumstances. At the moment, we have half a dozen people that have come forward wanting to receive a call or make calls for us. We would also like to hear from you if you are already calling people everyday and encourage you to participate formally in our efforts to stay connected. We would like to make sure no one out there is left out.

If you feel that this is something you would like to be a part of, please contact Kristin (bobandkristinkuhn@gmail.com or cell: 778-957-8987) or Natasha (freefromfear101@gmail.com or cell: 604-961-6630) and we will get you set up.

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.”

Thanks in advance from 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 have developed a project we would like to introduce that relates to the Eastertide period. We are looking to develop a series of weekly themes, starting on Easter Sunday, with the first theme of “Easter”. We are going to collect pictures from children, or from anyone out there who would like to be creative, to display online for all of our parishioners. Amanda Mungal actually 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 Easter pictures to be submitted for this first theme. The rest of the themes will be announced ASAP so that you all can keep creating! These pictures will probably be posted on Facebook and website and/or the Epostle… to be announced as plans roll out.

Let us know if you are willing to help with this project and how we can support you best. We are here for any questions, comments, or suggestions. We want to get this project started straight away friends, so start creating today and submit your creations to Kristin at bobandkristinkuhn@gmail.com.

  • Your Stewardship Team

 

Volunteering in the Wider Community

For anyone who is interested, there are several community programs outside of our church that are looking for volunteers to help people in our communities.

  • If anyone is interested in joining a Facebook group, “CareMongering-GVRD- Greater Vancouver Community Response to COVID19” is a group trying to organize people in their areas to help others. Here is a link to the group if anyone is interested in joining: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2516483731925883/
  • Keep an eye/ear out where you live. For instance, we have a notice board in our building that people can use to sign up to ask for help… be it picking something up if someone is going out for supplies or prescriptions… making a phone call to someone who is feeling lonely… or anything people choose to share.

With virtual hugs, warm thoughts, and many prayers for you all…

  • Kristin Kuhn, on behalf of your Stewardship Team –

 

Palm Sunday Worship

Since we will not be able to physically gather as usual this year with palms on Palm Sunday (it’s this Sunday, April 5), we are inviting everyone to find a local plant from your garden or household (could be a branch, some leaves, or even a potted plant!) to lift in the air on that day. This will be in the spirit of the original Palm Sunday where people gathered palm branches (the local vegetation of the time) to welcome Jesus into Jerusalem!

You could also create a paper version of the palms – there are lots of ideas on the internet – here’s an easy one suitable for all ages: https://ministry-to-children.com/palm-sunday-leaf-craft/

 

Holy Week & Easter at St. John’s

Plans for a virtual Holy Week and Easter are underway, and we hope you’ll join your St. John’s family in these various ways! All Zoom connection and other information can be found at https://www.stja.ca/2020/program-updates/

  • Palm Sunday, April 5, 8:30am & 10am – Zoom Morning Prayer – don’t forget your “palms” for our virtual procession!
  • Maundy Thursday, April 9, 7:30pm (online at the Cathedral) – we encourage you to join our larger diocesan family for virtual worship at Christ Church Cathedral. A video will be posted at 7:30pm and will be available afterward also. Archbishop Melissa will preside at this service, and the Rev. Matthew Johnson, Street Outreach priest at St. James in the Downtown Eastside, will preach.

Links for the Cathedral Maundy Thursday service (as well as other Holy Week services) can be found at https://www.vancouver.anglican.ca/news/holy-week-and-easter-day-virtual-worship

  • Good Friday, April 10, 12noon – Zoom worship including a meditation on the Cross. We will also be creating a Stations of the Cross video meditation that will be made available sometime later this week.
  • Easter Sunday, April 12, 8:30am & 10am – Zoom Morning Prayer. We encourage you to dress in your Easter best (however you define that in these unusual times!), and bring something colourful to wave in the air each time we hear the word, “Alleluia!”.

 

Online Worship and Prayer

There are currently 2 ways to join in corporate prayer:

1. Sunday Morning Prayer on Zoom – 8:30am and 10am – To join us for Sunday worship, please download Zoom into your device and then at the gathering time, click on:

https://zoom.us/j/542312325?pwd=R3FKTnZ4WUU1YUFveCtzOUljM2FLZz09

Meeting ID: 542 312 325

Password: 010729

NOTE: You may also join us via telephone at 778-907-2071 (please have the above Meeting ID ready). You won’t be able to see everyone via video, but we will be able to at least hear each other’s voices.

A service leaflet and and scripture readings will be available by Friday evenings at https://www.stja.ca/2020/program-updates/

 

2. Noonday Psalms & Prayer on Facebook – 12noon Mon-Sat – Every day (but Sunday) at noon on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/StJohnAnglican, a brief video will be made available, featuring a reading of a psalm and some time for prayer for those in our lives and in the wider world.

We encourage you to stop for a few minutes of your day to view the video at noon (or view it later if you can’t make it at that time).  As with most things we’re trying out, this will be an experiment and feedback and ideas are welcome!

We’re looking for folks (of all ages) who would be interested in leading these psalms/prayers, so it’s not just Vivian all the time! Instructions will be provided. If you’re interested in being involved, please contact Vivian at rector@stja.ca.

 

Learning to Zoom Better

Some of us have not used Zoom before – never fear, we are all learning together!

A few tips we have learned over the past couple of weeks:

  • Remember that everyone else in the Zoom meeting can hear (and see) everything around you! Please mute yourself (press the little picture of a microphone or hit your spacebar) if you are talking to a family member, receiving another call, or there is a lot of noise around you.
  • Use only one device to connect with Zoom (or take 2nd device to another room). If someone else in your household is connecting to Zoom worship with a 2nd device and is sitting close to you, there is a lot of loud feedback noise for the rest of us.
  • Relax, be patient, and laugh together! Worshipping with Zoom is not perfect – the sound will not be completely in sync, someone will invariably forget to mute themselves, some of us may get disconnected occasionally, and yet it is such a blessing to be able to connect to pray together in this time.

 

FYI the 2 main steps to connect via Zoom are:

  • Download the Zoom app onto your device. You can use your smartphone, iPad, laptop, desktop computer, etc. Visit your device’s app store or download the app via https://zoom.us/. If you have an older machine (and especially with desktop computers) you may also need to attach a microphone or earphones/headset to fully participate.
  • At the time of the gathering, click on the unique link for that gathering. Each event (e.g. worship, prayer workshop, etc.) has a different Meeting ID/password. See https://www.stja.ca/2020/program-updates/ for the Zoom links.

 

From the Wardens – Parish Giving

Thank you to all who have responded to our letter of 25th March with regards to continuance of offerings. To those who are already on PAD, we thank you too! (Letter can be found at https://www.stja.ca/2020/3-25-20-letter-from-wardens-re-parish-giving/)

We are looking at ways for those who prefer alternative methods of paying, and will communicate this to you individually until we have a process in place.

Since our communication to you, Diocesan Council has approved financial assistance to Parishes. The basic details of the financial assistance package are as follows:

  • the suspension of assessment payments for 5 months–from April 1 to August 31, 2020 for all parishes
  • diocesan payment of the salaries of all stipendiary clergy through the end of May 2020 with the exception of those parishes in our diocese that have $750,000 or more in the Diocesan Consolidated Trust Fund or in other investment funds.
  • the ability of parishes to draw up to 20% of their capital in the Diocesan Consolidated Trust Fund to use for parish operational expenses.

We will work with the Finance Office of the Diocese to apply for assistance if applicable.

Please do not hesitate to let the wardens know if you have any questions at peopleswarden@stja.ca or rectorswarden@stja.ca.

 

Order of the Diocese of New Westminster – Nominations Open

The purpose of the Order of the Diocese of New Westminster is to honour and give special recognition to lay members of the Diocese who have given outstanding service over a significant period of time in their volunteer ministry. The Investiture Service is scheduled for 7th November 2020.

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.

Eligibility Criteria are as follows:

  1. Member of the laity.
  2. Service in a volunteer capacity in the parish, and/or a number of parishes (on committees, parish councils, in special outreach, parish activities), and/or at the Diocesan level.
  3. Service over a significant period of time.
  4. Nominees must accept their nomination, be willing to have their names recorded in the Register of the Order, and consent to publicity of their investiture including publication of their photograph.

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):

  1. Program Updates – https://www.stja.ca/2020/program-updates/ – current information on programs, including Zoom meeting information for Sunday worship.
  1. 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.

 

Epostle – Writing/Editing/Design Volunteers Needed

We are looking for volunteers to help with putting together the e-postle each week, as well as work on improving layout and design and other aspects of our newsletter. Please connect with Vivian at rector@stja.ca if you are interested.

 

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 other local food programs that are currently still operating if you are interested in inquiring about other ways to help.

  1. SHARE Food Bank – https://sharesociety.ca/news/share-covid-19-update
  2. 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)

 

Free to a Good Home – Reclining Chair

A notice from parishioner Lori Matthes. Please contact her at matthes@telus.net or 604-464-2913 if you or someone you know are interested:

“I have a large motorized reclining chair (like a lazyboy recliner) – it is ideal for someone with mobility issues. I was hoping to let people know in the St. John’s community, in case someone is in need. It is in good shape, but we are downsizing and it is free. We unfortunately have no way to deliver it so they would have to pick it up. We would keep our social distance!!”

 

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 Street Outreach Initiative – The Reverend Matthew Johnson;

*       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 5, 2020 – The Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday

Liturgy of the Palms: Matthew 21:1-11; Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29.

Liturgy of the Passion: Isaiah 50:4-9a; Psalm 31:9-16; Philippians 2:5-11; Matthew 27:11-54.

 

Readings for April 12, 2020 – Easter Sunday

Jeremiah 31:1-6; Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24; Acts 10:34-43; Matthew 28:1-10

 

Important Contact Information

Rector – The Rev. Vivian Lam – rector@stja.ca or 604-936-7762 (church voicemail) or 604-723-5029 (cell)

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

Parish Office – administrator@stja.ca or 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 Church Women (ACW) – Alma Oldenburg – 604-788-2562 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

Building Repairs/Maintenance – Brian McGlashan, Building Coordinator – property@stja.ca

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