The E-postle February 21, 2021

First Sunday in Lent
E-Postle
February 21, 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: Children’s Sundays in Lent, Pastoral Note–Cards for Joyce and Mel, New Noonday Psalms & Prayer Volunteers, Ongoing Pastoral Care & Support
• Stewardship: Stewardship Reflection, Community “Phone a Friend”
• Formation: Lenten Book Study – “The Book of Forgiving”, Diocesan Lenten Resources
• Parish Matters: Annual Vestry Meeting (this Sunday, Feb. 21) + Adjusted Financial Statements, Limited Reopening of Parish Office & Buildings, Financial Status for November & December 2020, Parish Giving, Ongoing Updates Pages, E-Postle Submissions
• Parish Ministries: Food Bank Update
• Community News: Installation and Seating of the 10th Diocesan Bishop, Next Spring Street Community Kitchen Feb. 25 – “One Pot Meals”
• 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, February 21              8:30am & 10:00am – Sunday Morning Prayer + (at 10:00am service) Children’s Talk

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

Sunday, February 21              after 10:00am service – Annual Vestry meeting
Tuesday, February 23             10:15am – 12:00pm – 1^st Tuesday Lenten study – “The Book of Forgiving”
Tuesday, February 23            7:00pm – 8:00pm – Prayer Group
Thursday, February 25           6:00pm – 7:00pm – Spring Street Community Kitchen – “One Pot Meals”
Sunday, February 28              at the 10:00am service – Commissioning of new Parish Council + ACW officers
Sunday, February 28              11:00am – 12:30pm – 1^st Sunday Lenten study – “The Book of Forgiving”
Sunday, February 28              (livestreamed from the Cathedral)
                                               3:30-5:30pm – Installation of the Rt. Rev. John Stephens as the 10^th Bishop of our Diocese

WORSHIP & PRAYER

Children’s Sundays in Lent

We hope that our younger members will join us on each of the 5 Sundays of Lent at the 10am service (beginning this Sunday, Feb. 21)! Each week a video of the Godly Play theme “The Mysteries of Easter” will be offered at the Children’s Talk.

Pastoral Note – Cards for Joyce and Mel

For those who would like to send sympathy cards to the families of Joyce Rexin or Mel Shannon, you may direct them to the Parish Office – we will forward these cards to their families as we receive them.

You may view Joyce’s obituary at  https://vancouversunandprovince.remembering.ca/obituary/joyce-rexin-1081581391 and Mel’s obituary at https://vancouversunandprovince.remembering.ca/obituary/melvin-shannon-1081583341. Both notices allow for people to share condolences and memories with the family online.

New Noonday Psalms & Prayer Volunteers

We’re looking for a few new people (of any age) to help lead our Noonday Psalms & Prayers on Facebook! You would read (out loud) a pre-selected psalm, and share a personal prayer focusing on something or someone in the world around us. You can sign up to lead these prayers as frequently as you’d like, and instructions and training will be provided. Please contact Vivian at rector@stja.ca if you’re interested.

For the past several months, we have been holding some sacred space in this way for scripture and prayer each day – we see it as a small spiritual gift for our wider community during this pandemic time. Check out our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/StJohnAnglican to see past videos.

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:

Mark 1:9-15
“Change your ways, and put your trust in the good news”, Jesus tells us. What things might need to be changed around in your life so that you can become a better steward?

Community “Phone a Friend”

The Stewardship Team is looking for volunteers to keep the phone a friend program going. If you have time to make a few calls once a week to help keep our community connected, please call Kristin (778-957-8987) or email bobandkristinkuhn@gmail.com. Thanks to all the volunteers who have been so kind as to offer their assistance with this project so far. You have been appreciated greatly!

-Your Stewardship Team

 

FORMATION

Lenten Book Study – “The Book of Forgiving”

This Lent, we are excited to be reading together Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s book, “The Book of Forgiving: the Fourfold Path for Healing Ourselves and Our World.”

From the publisher: “Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Prize winner, Chair of The Elders, and Chair of South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, along with his daughter, the Reverend Mpho Tutu, offer a manual on the art of forgiveness—helping us to realize that we are all capable of healing and transformation.”

As we explore this book together, we will pray and ponder about how forgiveness connects to our own lives and to the many issues that we and our wider communities grapple with, in the world around us. We will also practice living out more fully what we pray each week in the Lord’s Prayer – “forgive us our sins, as we forgive others who sin against us”.

There will be 2 opportunities to meet on Zoom for this book study:

• 5 Tuesday mornings (Feb. 23 through Mar. 23), 10:15am-noon at our Bible Study
• 5 Sundays (Feb. 28 through Mar. 28) after the 10am service, with an extended coffee hour running from (roughly) 11am until 12:30pm – bring your lunch or a snack!

The book can be ordered via your favourite retailer in physical, electronic, or audio book format. Note: we have a limited number of books available for the subsidized cost of $10. (Help is available for those for whom this would be a financial hardship.) Please let Deanna know this week at administrator@stja.ca if you would like to purchase a copy through the church. Covid-safe pickup or delivery will be worked out.

Diocesan Lenten Resources

If you are looking for some additional spiritual meditation material for the Lenten season, the diocese has compiled a list of recommended resources at https://www.vancouver.anglican.ca/diocesan-resources/lent-2021-resources. For individual study, check out the “Lenten Daily Emails/Calendar” section toward the middle of the page.

 

PARISH MATTERS

Annual Vestry Meeting (this Sunday, Feb. 21) + Adjusted Financial Statements

Annual Vestry will be held virtually on Zoom on this Sunday, Feb. 21, directly following the 10am service. Vestry Reports and other meeting materials have been sent out by email, and by mail for those without emails on file.

Please note that the Diocese has notified us this past week that we have been belatedly approved for a wage subsidy from the government for 2020. This necessitates an adjustment of our 2020 Financial Statements that were recently distributed. Parish Council has approved these revised statements and they will be presented at Annual Vestry. If you would like a revised copy of the Financial Statements, please email Amalia at treasurer@stja.ca.

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 one 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 group is following strict safety protocols and is 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/2020/updates-re-coronavirus/.

Financial Status for November & December 2020

We append below the Parish financial status for your information.

Statement of Income and Expenses ending 31^st day of December 2020

	November Actual $	December Actual $	December Budget $	December YTD Actual $	December YTD Budget $
Income	15,913.20	25,963.70	19,083.37	183,578.82	229,000.00
Expenses	14,170.73	18,026.57	19,089.30	166,151.50	229,000.00
Surplus (-) Loss	1,742.47	7,937.13	(5.93)	17,427.32	0

 

	November Actual $	December Actual $	December Budget $	December YTD Actual $	December YTD Budget $
Offering for General Funds	10,063.00	18,045.00	15,408.37	132,082.47	184,900.00
Offering for Property	1,121.70	2,125.70	0	16,103.40	0

Notes:
We continue to be able to fulfill our obligations, thanks to your contributions in these difficult and trying times. With a large increase in donations in December, we have a surplus for the month of December and the year as a whole.

The above numbers were calculated prior to our 2020 government wage subsidy.

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 October 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

Installation and Seating of the 10th Diocesan Bishop

Bishop Coadjutor John Stephens will be installed as the 10th Bishop of our diocese next Sunday, Feb. 28, 3:30 – 5:30pm at Christ Church Cathedral.

The livestream will begin at 3:30pm with a video featuring music from around the diocese and images of diocesan parishes at worship, in ministry and in community. The liturgy from Christ Church Cathedral will begin at 4pm.

More details about the liturgy and links to the livestream will be posted at  https://www.vancouver.anglican.ca/events/installation-and-seating-of-the-10th-diocesan/2021-02-28 as they are available.

Next Spring Street Community Kitchen Feb. 25 – “One Pot Meals”

You’re invited to join us on Zoom this Thursday, Feb. 25, 6-7pm for our next Spring Street Community Kitchen. We will have a live demonstration featuring “One Pot Meals,” with 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 February 25th 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 are being re-gifted to the communities we serve, and for February, we will give to Crossroads Hospice Society, which provides compassionate care and support to people with life-limiting illnesses and their families. 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 one-pot 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.)

 

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 Rt. Rev. John Stephens, Bishop Coadjutor.

And this week:

• Sorrento Retreat and Conference Centre – The Reverend Michael Shapcott – Executive Director, Staff, and Board of Directors;
• Education for Ministry – The Reverend Paula Porter Leggett, Diocesan Coordinator;
• 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 February 21, 2021 – First Sunday in Lent

Genesis 9:8-17; Psalm 25:1-9; 1 Peter 3:18-22; Mark 1:9-15

Readings for February 28, 2021 – Second Sunday in Lent

Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16; Psalm 22:22-30; Romans 4:13-25; Mark 8:31-38

 

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	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