The E-postle April 25, 2021

Fourth Sunday of Easter
E-Postle
April 25, 2021

“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: Pastoral Message – Evelyn Kwee, Children’s Talk – this Sunday April 25, Sermons Online, Ongoing Pastoral Care & Support
• Stewardship: Stewardship Reflection, Call for Stewardship Volunteers
• Parish Matters: Limited Reopening of Parish Office & Buildings, Financial Status for January and February 2021, Parish Giving, Ongoing Updates Pages, E-Postle Submissions
• Parish Ministries: ReSponse Refugee Update, Anglican Church Women (“A.C.W”) News
• Community News: Diocesan Synod Elections – Nominations Sought, Next Spring Street Community Kitchen, April 28 – “Mother’s Day Brunch”, Online Series on “Justice, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion”
• 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/2021/program-updates/ for connection information)

Sunday, April 25                     8:30am & 10:00am –Sunday Morning Prayer + (at 10am) Children’s Talk

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

Sunday, April 25                     following 8:30am and 10:00am worship –  Informal Virtual “Coffee Hour”
Sunday, April 25                     11:45am – Parish Visiting Ministry meeting
Tuesday, April 27                   10:15am – 12:00pm – Bible Study
Tuesday, April 27                   7:00pm – 8:00pm – Prayer Group
Wednesday, April 28              6:00 – 7:00pm – Spring Street Community Kitchen, “Mother’s Day Brunch”
Saturday, May 1                     Deadline for donations for the A.C.W. Spring Tea

WORSHIP & PRAYER

Pastoral Message – Evelyn Kwee

Please join us in offering our deepest condolences and prayers to parishioners Yee-Nga Kwee and Kai Liang Kwee, as they grieve the recent death of Kai’s mother and Yee-Nga’s mother-in-law, Evelyn Kwee. May Evelyn rest in God’s peace.

Children’s Talk – this Sunday April 25

On the last Sundays of the month, we will be offering a Children’s Talk at the 10am service. Of course, young people will continue to be welcomed in regular Sunday worship each week, and we hope to find ways in which the children can be more actively involved in the service from time to time.

Sermons Online

We have begun to post past sermons online on our parish YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtYEbMPaN__K4WLhbR6ZP4Q/playlists. We hope that this will be helpful if you wish to meditate further on a sermon, or share with friends and family.

Ongoing Pastoral Care & Support

A note from Vivian:
Please know that St. John’s is here for you as we continue to move through this pandemic. Now that I don’t see many of you as regularly, and with the limitations of virtual interactions, it is more challenging to know what everyone’s state of wellbeing and ongoing pastoral needs are. I invite and encourage you to reach out to me or to any of the other parish resources below, if and as you need.

Rector – Please contact me via rector@stja.ca or cell.  I am happy to connect via phone, email, text, Facetime or Zoom, and, during this pandemic, in-person in urgent situations. I am here for support in crisis times (i.e. emergencies, hospital stays) and if you would like prayer for an upcoming medical procedure or other major circumstance. I am also available for general spiritual support and encouragement, and can offer a listening ear and prayer in the moment.

Community “Phone a Friend” – our Stewardship Team has set up phone teams to call folks each week to “check in” and help lessen isolation and foster connection. Connect with Kristin (bobandkristinkuhn@gmail.com or 778-957-8987) or Natasha (freefromfear101@gmail.com or 604-961-6630) if you’d like to receive or help make these calls.

Sunday Prayers of the People – If you would like to be prayed for in our Sunday intercessions, please email Anne at deacon@stja.ca. You will be prayed for by first name, for whatever time period you indicate. If you are adding someone else, please be sure you have their OK to do so.

Prayer Circle – Please email Sue E. at prayer@stja.ca. This is a group of parishioners who commit to pray for prayer needs of parishioners and friends/families. All requests are kept confidential within the group, and you can let the group know as much or as little detail of the situation they’re praying for, as you wish. If you are requesting prayer for someone else, please be sure you have their OK to do so.

Parish Visiting Ministry – Members of this team focus on our parishioners who are homebound or living in care homes. During this pandemic time, they are praying for and connecting with these parishioners via phone, email, and mail. Please connect with Joanne W. or Alma at pastoralvisits@stja.ca with needs in this area.

 

STEWARDSHIP

Stewardship Reflection

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

John 10:11-18
Jesus is, as he tells us here, “the good shepherd.” His sheep recognize his voice, he goes on to say. Heard Jesus speaking to you lately?

Call for Stewardship Volunteers

The Stewardship Team is looking for some willing volunteers to join our team as we ramp up to prepare this year’s fall campaign. No experience necessary, just a desire to help keep our church healthy, strong, and vital. If you think you might be interested in helping our team, please call Kristin Kuhn at 778-957-8987 or the church office.

 

PARISH MATTERS

Limited Reopening of Parish Office & Buildings

The Parish Office is now open 3 partial days a week – generally on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 10am-2pm – but please note that this schedule may shift from time to time. For now, the office will not be open to walk-in visitors – anyone coming by the office for a necessary purpose will need to make an appointment beforehand and follow Covid safety protocols as directed.

Anyone planning to come inside the church buildings at this time must also check in beforehand with Deanna in the office at administrator@stja.ca – even if you plan to be here just for a brief period of time. This is to enable necessary contact tracing, notification to anyone else in the building at the same time, and to review safety protocols as needed.

We have recently welcomed back two of our community 12-step groups; other outside user groups have opted to hold off on meeting in-person for the time being. The 12-step groups are following strict safety protocols and are permitted to meet under the current provincial health order.

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/2021/updates-re-coronavirus/.

Financial Status for January and February 2021

We append below the Parish financial status for your information.

Statement of Income and Expenses ending 28^th day of February 2021

	January 2021 Actual $	February 2021 Actual $	February 2021 Budget $	YTD February 2021 Actual $	YTD February 2021 Budget $
Income	13,907.70	13,355.70	18,620.82	27,263.40	37,241.64
Expenses	15,230.76	14,352.45	18,541.32	29,583.21	37.082.64
Surplus (-) Loss	(1,323.06)	(996.75)	79.50	(2,319.81)	159.00

 

	January 2021 Actual $	February 2021 Actual $	February 2021 Budget $	YTD February 2021 Actual $	YTD February 2021 Budget $
Offering for General Funds	9,663.00	9,801.00	15,333.33	19,464.00	30,666.66
Offering for Property	1,089.70	999.70	0	2089.40	0

Treasurer’s Notes:
With the new relief from the Diocese (no parish assessment payments for January to March 2021), we are still a little short for covering our expenses but luckily, we had a surplus from last year to help.

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/2021/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/2021/updates-re-coronavirus/ – a collection of all special correspondence from the Bishop 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

ReSponse Refugee Update

We ask for your prayers for the newcomers we have welcomed, and for the refugees that we are waiting to welcome. COVID has delayed processing of refugee files as travel into the countries to do interviews and background checks is impossible in most cases.

The M. family that we welcomed in October 2019 are doing well. Father is working typically 6 days/week. The kids are happily attending school (except for relaxing over spring break – there was not much for them to do).

Aunt worked extended hours during Covid to cover for those who chose not to work, but her hours have now been depleted since most employees have returned. She has decided to give her full attention to upgrading her English so she is able to find a better job.

The families we are waiting for are:

1. N. Family (Country of Origin: Afghanistan; Country of Residence: Turkey. Application submitted 04/2020)
   This month we checked on the N. family, including their 5 children, who have had to move. It is very difficult to find someone who will rent to refugees, but they found a new home. They live in a 1-bedroom crumbling apartment. Father works in construction. His wage is very low, but he is happy to have a job. The kids can go to school in Turkey and have learnt to speak Turkish. Across the street from their new apartment is a store that was looking for a janitor so Mother has started working there cleaning in the evenings. She will get a very low wage, but she is just hoping that she gets paid at the end of the month as sometimes refugees DO NOT get paid and if they complain they may be threatened that the employer will report them for working without being a citizen.There is an 8pm curfew in Turkey. They can shop for 2 hours on Friday but the stores are completely shut down on Saturdays and Sundays.
2. A. (Adult male. Country of Origin: Syria; Country of Residence: Turkey. Application submitted 02/2021). More information will be provided on A’s situation in future updates.
3. S. Family (Mother and 2 adult children. Country of Origin: Afghanistan; Country of Residence: Turkey. Applications submitted 02/2021). More information will be provided on the S. family in future updates.

 

Anglican Church Women (“A.C.W.”) News

Spring Tea

Due to the current situation with the Covid 19 Pandemic, it will not be possible to organize the Annual Spring Tea again this year. This event usually generates funds that the A.C.W. uses to donate to various outreach charities (Covenant House, the Refugee Fund, St. Jude’s Care Home, VST Annual Fund, L’Arche, Coming Home Society, Tri City Women’s Shelter, Union Gospel Mission, and Mission to Seafarers.) that we support on behalf of St. John’s Church.

Last year we put out a request for parishioners to make a donation in lieu of what they might have spent if they had attended the Spring Tea, and we were overwhelmed with the contributions given following that request.

We would like to make that same request again this year, so that we will be able to support the charities that rely on our annual donations.  If you wish to make a donation again, and to ensure that you will receive a tax receipt, please either send a cheque payable to St. John’s Church, to the church address, or if you prefer, you can send the funds via e-transfer, to the St. John’s Treasurer. It is important that you indicate on the memo line of your cheque, or in the comment box of your e-transfer, “Spring Tea donations”, so that the funds can be transferred to the A.C.W. account. The deadline for all donations is May 1st as we disburse the funds to our charities at our May 20th meeting.

Please call Antoinette at 604-942-4765 if you have any questions.  We thank you in advance for considering making a donation to our outreach missions fund.

 

COMMUNITY NEWS

Diocesan Synod Elections – Nominations Sought

Are you looking for a new way to use your gifts in ministry? Does serving God’s mission in the wider diocese, province, or national church sound interesting?

Diocesan Synod will be held on May 15, and there are several leadership positions that will be elected at this meeting. The Synod Nominations Committee’s hope is to have our diocese’s many forms of diversity reflected in its leadership, and to have a robust list of candidates from which to choose. Those who possess the necessary gifts but may not yet have had the chance to serve in a diocesan capacity are especially sought.

You do not need to be a Synod Delegate to run for a position, but you do need to be nominated by a Synod Delegate (from any parish). Nomination forms are strongly encouraged to be submitted by May 1, but will be accepted until the Close of Nominations at 2pm on May 14.

Positions to be filled at Synod 2021 are:

1. The Treasurer
2. Archdeaconry Representatives to Diocesan Council
3. Youth Representatives to Diocesan Council
4. The Court of the Diocese of New Westminster
5. The Bishop’s Advisory Committee on Appointments
6. Secretaries of Synod
7. The Anglican Initiatives Fund Administrators
8. Delegates to General Synod
9. Delegates to Provincial Synod

To view brief videos explaining what many of these roles entail, as well as to view the nomination materials, visit https://www.vancouver.anglican.ca/diocesan-ministries/synods/pages/2021-nominations-committee-videos-descriptions-and-forms.

For any questions about these roles or the nominations/elections process, please connect with Vivian at rector@stja.ca.

 

Next Spring Street Community Kitchen, April 28 – “Mother’s Day Brunch”

You’re invited to join us on Zoom this Wednesday, April 28, 6-7pm for the next online Spring Street Community Kitchen. We will have a live demonstration featuring recipes for a Mother’s Day Brunch, and 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.

Pre-registration for April 28 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.

Funds raised in support of our Spring Street Community Kitchen will be re-gifted to the communities we serve; the recipient for our upcoming event is the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society. Donations can be given via https://www.stja.ca/supporting-st-johns/ and be sure to designate your gift to our Community Kitchen project.

We welcome you to share your brunch 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.

(The Spring Street Community Kitchen is a partnership between St. John’s, Inlet United Church, and All Saints’ Catholic Parish – be sure to like and follow us at https://www.facebook.com/SpringStreetCommunityKitchen.)

Online Series on “Justice, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion”

The Tri-Cities Local Immigration Partnership (TCLIP), chaired by S.U.C.C.E.S.S. and SHARE Family and Community Services is sponsoring an online series in May called “Dismantling Barriers & Fostering Belonging: An Anti-Racism Initiative”.

From their website: “Join us for three weeks of engaging activities as we learn together to deepen our understanding of the importance of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion in our communities. From speakers, workshops and dialogues to exhibits and performances, these activities will provide opportunities for us to connect, empower and transform our communities to be stronger and more inclusive.”

More information and registration can be found at https://tricitieslip.ca/dismantling-barriers-fostering-belonging-an-anti-racism-initiative/

 

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 Province of BC and Yukon – The Most Rev. Lynne McNaughton, Metropolitan.

The Diocese of New Westminster – the Rt. Rev. John Stephens, Bishop.

And this week:

• St. Mark, Ocean Park – The Venerable Louie Engnan;
• St. Philip, Vancouver – The Reverend Philippa Segrave-Pride;
• St. The Archdeaconry of Capilano – The Venerable Stephen Muir, Regional Archdeacon;
• Our partner Diocese of Northern Philippines, especially the people of our twin church at St. John the Evangelist Mission, Balugan; and Brent Alawas, their current Bishop and Prime Bishop-elect of the Episcopal Church in the Philippines.
• 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 25, 2021 – Fourth Sunday of Easter

Acts 4:5-12; Psalm 23; 1 John 3:16-24; John 10:11-18

Readings for May 2, 2021 – Fifth Sunday of Easter

Acts 8:26-40; Psalm 22:24-30; 1 John 4:7-21; John 15:1-8

 

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	Deanna Lemke	administrator@stja.ca	604-936-7762
(No drop-in visitors at this time – please make an appointment to come in. General office hours are Tues/Thurs/Fri, 10am-2pm, but may occasionally change.)
Rector’s Warden	Rich Thompson	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	Geri Grigg,     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