The E-postle November 22, 2020

Last Sunday after Pentecost: The Reign of Christ
E-Postle
November 22, 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
• Worship & Prayer: Next Children’s Sunday – Nov. 29
• Stewardship: Stewardship Reflection, Stewardship Package, Community “Phone a Friend”
• Formation: Community Reading of the Gospel of Mark, Parish Advent Program – “Those Who Dream”, Diocesan Advent Email Devotions – “Tell Out My Soul”
• Parish Matters: Rector Away, Partial Reopening of Parish Buildings as of Oct. 20, Drainage Repair Project, Call for New Leaders – Treasurer and Council Members, Financial Status for August & September 2020, Parish Giving, Ongoing Updates Pages, E-Postle Submissions
• Parish Ministries: Food Bank Update
• Community News: Next Spring Street Community Kitchen on Nov. 24 – “Soup and Beer Bread”, Sacred Teachings Podcast – Season 4
• 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, November 22               8:30am & 10:00am – Sunday Morning Prayer

https://zoom.us/j/542312325?pwd=R3FKTnZ4WUU1YUFveCtzOUljM2FLZz09
Meeting ID: 542 312 325
Password: 010729

Sunday, November 22           following 8:30am and 10:00am worship – Informal Virtual “Coffee Hour”
Tuesday, November 24          10:15am – 12:00pm – Bible Study – 2^nd gathering for Community Reading of Gospel of Mark
Tuesday, November 24          6:00pm – 7:00pm – Spring Street Community Kitchen – “Soup & Beer Bread”
Tuesday, November 24          7:00pm – 8:00pm – Prayer Group
Thursday, November 26        7:00pm – 9:00pm – Parish Council meeting
Sunday, November 29           at 10:00am worship – Children’s Sunday Program

 

WORSHIP & PRAYER

Next Children’s Sunday – Nov. 29

We will continue with the program that teaches the children about The Beatitudes.

As Advent is quickly upon us, we look to some involvement by the children in our traditional Advent Wreath lighting.

If you know a child who would like to join in on the learning of The Beatitudes or be involved in the Advent Wreath lighting, please contact either children@stja.ca or deacon@stja.ca.

STEWARDSHIP

Stewardship Reflection

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

Matthew 25:31-46
Stewardship can be defined very simply as “taking care.” In today’s gospel passage Jesus talks about people who take care of other people, namely those who are hungry or thirsty, those who are foreigners, those who lack clothing, as well as those who are sick or imprisoned. Thinking about that list, you might want to ask yourself: what kind of a steward am I?

Community “Phone a Friend”

Your St. John’s Stewardship Team have 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 email or call Kristin (bobandkristinkuhn@gmail.com or 778-957-8987) or Natasha (freefromfear101@gmail.com or 604-961-6630) if you are not receiving a call and would like to, or if you are interested in helping to make these phone calls, 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

 

FORMATION

Community Reading of the Gospel of Mark

A new liturgical year is just around the corner, and this upcoming year features the Gospel of Mark. Mark is the shortest, and often considered the most action-packed, of the Gospels.

To ready ourselves for the reading of this Gospel over the next year at Sunday worship, our Tuesday morning Bible Study group (10:15am-12 noon on Zoom) has begun to read the whole Gospel of Mark out loud over two Tuesdays beginning last week – the second session will be this Tuesday Nov. 24. This has given us a chance to read and hear the Gospel in its entirety and to steep ourselves in Scripture in a different way – all within the context of community. Everyone is invited to join in!

We will be doing this as an evening Zoom group soon too. Please be in touch with Vivian at rector@stja.ca if you are interested in this group, and as soon as she returns from retreat we will finalize a mutually-convenient time for all.

Parish Advent Program – “Those Who Dream”

Psalm 126 begins: “When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream.” This Advent at St. John’s, we’ll explore together, ‘What does it look like to live as those who dream?’ The prophets, the psalmists, John the Baptist, Mary, Elizabeth, Joseph, Simeon, Anna, the shepherds and the Magi—they were all dreamers. They received, discovered, and responded to God’s dreams for the world. This Advent, we will join them in stepping into the mystery and awe of God’s dreams and pray they shape our reality.

We will be using a daily devotional guide that offers Biblical commentary, poetry, visual art, written reflections, colouring pages, and journaling and Sabbath prompts. An emailed electronic version will be available, with printed copies mailed to those who request it (donations are welcome to offset printing and mailing costs). Please connect with Vivian at rector@stja.ca if you are interested in an emailed or print copy of the devotional guide.

Our Sunday liturgies will also weave together the “dreaming theme” with our scriptures for the day. There will be opportunities for sharing and discussion at Sunday coffee hours. Stay tuned for more information!

This program is for the dreamers in all of us—those who dream of a deeper connection with God and those who dream of a better world. Those who dream of comfort and those who have given up on their dreams. Those whose dreams have been crushed and those who show us that dreams take time. Join us this Advent at St. John’s as we dream alongside prophets and angels, Mary and the Magi. Join us as we seek and sow God’s dreams for our world.

Diocesan Advent Email Devotions – “Tell Out My Soul”

What do a comedian, a school founder, and a youth leader have in common? They are all parishioners in the Diocese offering personal stories for the diocesan daily Advent email calendar this year. People of all ages from the Sunshine Coast to Coquitlam are writing short stories about times when they discovered more about the character of God. Our very own Derek De Sa is one of this year’s contributors!

Visit https://www.vancouver.anglican.ca/diocesan-resources/2020-advent to register to receive these emails, which will begin Nov. 29.

 

PARISH MATTERS

Rector Away

Vivian is on (virtual) spiritual retreat and then taking some vacation time from Monday, Nov. 16 through Monday, Nov. 23. Please connect with Ruby at peopleswarden@stja.ca or Geri at rectorswarden@stja.ca for routine parish matters during this time.

For pastoral emergencies, to be connected to the on-call priest, please call Geri.

We are grateful to the Rev. Michael Chin and the Rev. Anne Anchor who will be officiant and preacher, respectively, at Zoom worship services on Nov. 22.

Partial Reopening of Parish Buildings as of Oct. 20

As of Oct. 20, our buildings have been partially reopened at the diocesan Phase 3 level.

While our reopening does not include use of our buildings for worship at this time, it does include the ability to welcome back community user groups, partial usage of our buildings for smaller group activities, as well as a limited reopening of our Parish Office. These activities are being gradually phased in over the next several weeks.

You may view the full reopening plan, the most recent guide for outside user groups, as well as diocesan updates at https://www.stja.ca/2020/updates-re-coronavirus/. In summary, any parish or outside group wishing to meet will need to abide by protocols including:

• obtaining prior approval to meet via the church office
• keeping a contact tracing list of people attending
• wearing a mask
• physical distancing of 2m/6ft
• keeping hands clean with soap and water or hand sanitizer
• disinfecting any touched surfaces as directed
• no sharing of food or drink
• using washrooms on an emergency-use-only basis
• staying home if feeling sick or having had any potential exposure to COVID

Drainage Repair Project

Thank you to all who attended our recent informational meeting. Parish Council is continuing to seek out further quotes and information based on the feedback and questions received at this meeting.

Your participation in this project is integral. Thank you to those who have shared their wisdom and expertise so far! In addition to general feedback, we continue to seek volunteers for this project (could be as simple as vetting the proposals or meeting contractors on site), input into the decision-making process, and fundraising to build up the Capital Improvement Fund.

If anyone has a company to recommend or to consider, please forward the contact information to rectorswarden@stja.ca. If you are interested in helping out with this project, please reach out to Geri.

Call for New Leaders – Treasurer and Council Members

While waiting to replace the role of Treasurer, Amalia McGlashan has graciously offered to hold the role remotely until we find a replacement.

With the departure of the McGlashans, Council is now down to a smaller group of 2 clergy and 5 lay members. We really need those of you who have the interest and/or skillset to come forward to assist in the management of your church, St. John’s.

Please speak to Ruby at peopleswarden@stja.ca or Geri at rectorswarden@stja.ca if you are interested or have any questions.

Financial Status for August & September 2020

We append below the Parish financial status for your information.

Statement of Income and Expenses ending 30^th September 2020

	August Actual $	September Actual $	September Budget $	September YTD Actual $	September YTD Budget $
Income	10,299.70	14,089	19,083	126,022	171,750
Expenses	12,660.72	15,197	19,090	119,477	171,732
Surplus (-) Loss	– 2,361.02	-1,108	-6	6546	18

 

	August Actual $	September Actual $	September Budget $	September YTD Actual $	September YTD Budget $
Offering for General Funds	8,338	10,742	15,408	92,071	138,675
Offering for Property	1,056.70	1,392	0	11,594	0

Notes: Thanks to slightly higher donations in September, the deficit is less than in August. If donations continue to increase (27% increase needed for September YTD Budget), we can meet our budgeted amount for the year.

Parish Giving

Thank you to all who have continued with your offerings via PADs and cheques. If you wish to e-transfer your contributions directly to the church account, please contact Ruby at peopleswarden@stja.ca or Amalia at treasurer@stja.ca for more details. There are also links on our website at https://www.stja.ca/supporting-st-johns/ if you would prefer to donate by PayPal or Credit Card.

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 & Worship Updates/Links – https://www.stja.ca/2020/program-updates/ – current information on programs, including Zoom meeting information and the bulletin and scripture readings for Sunday worship.
2. 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.

E-Postle Submissions

If you have submissions for the E-Postle, please email them to Kathy by Wednesday at 9:00pm at news@stja.ca.

 

PARISH MINISTRIES

Food Bank Update

It looks like the St. John’s Food Bank will not be reopening in the near future, given the Covid-19 situation. However, our church continues to help needy people in our community through our support of the SHARE Food Bank. At our last Parish Council meeting, we carried a motion to donate $2000 to the SHARE Food Bank in November to help with their Christmas hampers. Thank you to all the parishioners at St. John’s who have made contributions to the Food Bank fund. We couldn’t do it without you!

We are still looking for a member of our congregation to take on the role of Food Bank coordinator. If you are interested, please send an email to foodbank@stja.ca.

 

COMMUNITY NEWS

Next Spring Street Community Kitchen on Nov. 24 – “Soup and Beer Bread”

You’re invited to join us on Zoom this Tuesday, Nov. 24, 6-7 pm for an online cooking demonstration offered by the Spring Street Community Kitchen, a partnership between St. John’s Anglican Church, Inlet United Church, and All Saints’ Catholic Parish.

We will have a live demonstration featuring homemade soup and beer bread. There will be opportunities to ask questions and share conversation with others. Our guest chefs are members of the Spring Street Community Kitchen planning team, including our very own Geri for an encore appearance!

Funds raised in support of our Spring Street Community Kitchen will be re-gifted to the communities we serve – this month we will give to SHARE Food Bank to support their food hamper programs. Donations can be given via https://www.stja.ca/supporting-st-johns/. Be sure to let us know that your donation is designated for our Community Kitchen project.

We would love your participation and feedback! We welcome you to share your soup and beer bread recipes with our wider community. Feel free to email your recipes to us at SpringStreetCommunityKitchen@gmail.com  and we will share them on our Facebook page. We are also looking for volunteers for future kitchens – planning, hosting, moderating, and tech support are just some of the roles available. Connect with Geri at rectorswarden@stja.ca if you’d like to take part!

Pre-registration for November 24th is required – please email your name and email address to SpringStreetCommunityKitchen@gmail.com to be included on the list to receive Zoom connection information or if you have any questions.

Sacred Teachings Podcast – Season 4

Season 4 of The Sacred Teachings podcast, entitled “Stolen” has just wrapped up. This season took us on a series of investigations with guest host Peter Downie. So much has been stolen from Indigenous people for so many years – land, water, language, culture, and much more. The series looked at what has been taken, who took it, and how can justice be served.

If you didn’t get a chance to listen to all of the episodes, they, as well as ones from previous seasons, can be found at https://www.anglican.ca/im/podcasts/.

The teachings, languages, traditions and stories of the Ancestors are shared in this podcast, 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 the Rev. John Stephens, Bishop Coadjutor-Elect.

And this week:

• St. Catherine of Alexandria, Port Coquitlam – The Reverend Patricia Ratcliffe;
• St. Andrew, Langley – The Reverend Andrew Halladay, The Reverend Helen Lingham;
• Christ Church, Hope – The Reverend Timothy Morgan;
• Christ Church Cathedral, Vancouver with St. Brigid’s Community: The Very Reverend Christopher Pappas, The Reverend Helen Dunn, The Reverend Marnie Peterson, The Reverend Jonathan Pinkney, The Reverend Alisdair Smith, The Reverend Jeffrey Preiss, The Reverend Dixie Black;
• 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 November 22, 2020 – Last Sunday after Pentecost: The Reign of Christ

Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24; Psalm 100; Ephesians 1:15-23; Matthew 25:31-46

Readings for November 29, 2020 – 1^st Sunday of Advent

Isaiah 64:1-9; Psalm 80:1-7, 16-18; 1 Corinthians 1:3-9; Mark 13:24-37

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
Anglican Church Women	Alma Oldenburg	ACW@stja.ca	604-788-2562
Bible Study	Lynne Milner	biblestudy@stja.ca
Building Repairs / Maintenance	Rich Thompson	property@stja.ca
Children’s Ministry/Godly Play	Christina Anchor	children@stja.ca
E-Postle	Kathy De Vaal	news@stja.ca
Food Bank		foodbank@stja.ca
Parish Visiting Ministry	Joanne Walton/Alma Oldenburg	pastoralvisits@stja.ca
Prayer Circle	Sue Elliott	prayer@stja.ca
Prayer Shawls	Rosa Weisensel	administrator@stja.ca