Christmas Day

E-Postle

December 25, 2022

8:30am (in-person only) & 10:00am (in-person + Zoom) – Holy Eucharist

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

Meeting ID: 542 312 325

Password: 010729

 

This Week’s Worship & Programs – https://www.stja.ca/2022/program-updates/ – current information on what’s going on at St. John’s, including Zoom links and the bulletin and scripture readings for Sunday worship.

 

CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS:

Sat – Dec 24                                        7pm – Christmas Eve Family Service, 10pm – Christmas Eve Formal Service

Sun – Dec 25                                       10am – Christmas Day – one service only

Tues – Dec 27                                      10:15am – 12noon – Advent Discussion #4 at Zoom Bible Study

 

Thurs – Jan 5                                       1pm – Kathy Renehan funeral

Jan 1 – 31                                            Cold Wet Weather Mat month at St. Laurence Coquitlam

 

 

NEW THIS WEEK:

WEATHER ALERT!!!

After considering the current weather forecast, we intend to move ahead as planned with all Christmas services this weekend. We encourage you to consider your own unique circumstances, and either drive safely, or stay home and join us on Zoom if needed.

We will continue to monitor the situation via sources such as https://news.gov.bc.ca/ (which has government advisories for weather and travel) and if there are any changes to the above plan for Christmas services, we will update our Facebook page, Web site, and send out an email to the parish list. We plan to make the final call by mid-afternoon Saturday. 

Kathy Renehan Funeral

For those that missed the announcement at worship last week, we are sad to notify you that parishioner Kathy Renehan has died from complications from a recent illness. A funeral service will be held at St. John’s on Thursday, January 5 at 1pm, with a reception following in the Parish Hall. There are plans to Zoom the service, with connection info to be circulated closer to the date.

We pray that Kathy will rest in God’s peace. As we grieve this loss together, please also keep her children Lara and Matt and their wider family in your prayers in this time.

Sympathy cards may be sent to the family via the parish office. 

Stewardship Reflection:

What can we learn from Luke 2:1-20? – from Ministry Matters:

“We can no longer delude ourselves into thinking that we are lords over our own lives, for the God-anointed one, the Saviour and Lord, has arrived among us.”

Cold Wet Weather Mat Update

We have 3 dates available to make sandwiches for the Cold Wet Weather Mat month at St. Laurence, Coquitlam: Monday, Jan. 2; Tuesday Jan. 10; and Thursday Jan. 26.

A sign-up sheet for sandwich makers has been posted downstairs in the hall.

The number needed, ranging anywhere from 10 – 20, will be given to you a day or two before the date for which you have signed. Please note that the date you sign up for is the date you deliver to St. Laurence during  daytime office hours.

Please let Anne Anchor know which date you would like through deacon@stja.ca

The boxes for donations are now in the Narthex (back) of the church.

One is for supplies for daily bagged lunches such as juice boxes, (soft) granola bars, home-baked cookies or bars, pudding or fruit cups, chip bags, and a fruit or veggie snack.

The other is for personal toiletries & small clothing items such as shampoo, small soaps, toothbrushes/paste, floss, deodorant, shaving products, chap sticks (small sizes). If you wish to donate socks, or underwear, they must be new.

Epiphany Book Study

In Epiphany season we will be doing a book study together on Learning to Walk in the Dark, by Barbara Brown Taylor. The book explores how God can be (sometimes unexpectedly) found in “darkness”.

“Taylor has become increasingly uncomfortable with our tendency to associate all that is good with lightness and all that is evil and dangerous with darkness. Doesn’t God work in the nighttime as well?… Through darkness we find courage, we understand the world in new ways, and we feel God’s presence around us, guiding us through things seen and unseen. Often, it is while we are in the dark that we grow the most.” (From the publisher.)

Books will be available soon through the office at the subsidized price of $10, and audiobooks and e-books can also be purchased directly from your favourite retailer.

Discussion at our Tuesday morning (10:15am-12noon) Zoom Bible studies begins on Tuesday, Jan. 10.  If you would be interested in an evening/weekend Zoom discussion group, please let Vivian know at rector@stja.ca. 

Seeking Epiphany Written Reflections

In Epiphany we will also be exploring the flip side of darkness, and reflecting on how God can be found in the more obvious “light”. We invite you to consider writing a very brief reflection on “Where in your ordinary, everyday life does God shine clearly?” that will be shared on our Facebook page. We are looking for 30 people to participate, and hoping for a wide diversity of people of all ages and abilities and interests! Please let Vivian know at rector@stja.ca if you can help out with this project, and she will assign you a day in Epiphany season (Jan. 6 through Feb. 21) to offer your reflection.

Office Christmas Break

Please note that the Parish Office will be closed between Christmas and New Year’s, reopening on Tuesday, Jan. 3. For any urgent parish matters, please contact Vivian (rector@stja.ca) or wardens Ruby (peopleswarden@stja.ca) or Rich (rectorswarden@stja.ca).

 

INFORMATION:

Christmas at St. John’s

We are looking forward to you and your loved ones joining us in-person or virtually at any of our 3 Christmas services this weekend. (Zoom connections found here)

• Saturday Dec. 24, 7pm – Christmas Eve Family service – geared toward our younger members (and the young at heart) and will include a telling of the story of Christmas through a spontaneous pageant (all are welcome to join in!), your favourite carols, and Christmas communion.

• Saturday Dec. 24, 10pm – Christmas Eve Formal service – a more formal Christmas Eve service including Christmas communion, the singing of beautiful carols, and lovely music offered by our choir. Art supplies will be available for younger worshippers.

• Sunday Dec. 25, 10am – Christmas Day service – a more relaxed service to continue our celebration of Christmas. Join us after you’ve opened your presents, and sing beautiful Christmas carols and take part in the joy of Christmas communion. Art supplies will be available for younger worshippers.

Note: See safety precautions for in-person worship here.

We will also be collecting food and toiletries donations at all Christmas services for the Tri-Cities Cold Wet Weather Mat Program. (See above for a list of needed items.)

Recyclables Donations

Thank you to those who have continually taken their recyclables to Return-It depots, and have designated proceeds to go to St. John’s.  Since just before the pandemic, we have accumulated a total of $367.41.

Please ensure that you have a pre-printed label on your bags to save you and the staff time in sorting. This can be obtained from the office. You may also scan your bags at the depot with the church’s phone number – 604-936-7762

Exciting News! We will be welcoming our Refugee Family in the New Year.

Please consider donating a welcoming gift for our arriving family as part of your Christmas giving.

Possible gifts include items to set up a home:
* bed and bathroom linens
* kitchen supplies
* first aid kit
* basic tool set
* cash donation

Please contact Mary Kyle for more information.  We will be keeping track of items that have been purchased, so please let Mary know what you will be giving, so we can avoid getting duplicates.

If you know of a 3-bedroom apartment or townhouse for rent at a reasonable price, please let Mary know. 

Parish Advent Program – “From Generation to Generation”

All are welcome to join us on Zoom Tuesday 10:15am – 12noon as we share and discuss our learnings from our Advent devotional guide – “From Generation to Generation” – 2 more sessions on Dec. 27 and Jan. 3.

Every morning, our Facebook page is also featuring bite-sized excerpts to reflect and comment on.

The daily devotional guide offers Biblical commentary, poetry, visual art, hymns, journaling, and recipes, and can be accessed from the links below.

There are 3 electronic versions of the devotional guide – a smaller-print one to view on a device and a smaller-print one to print. There is also a large-print version that can be viewed on a device or printed.

Please contact administrator@stja.ca for the links to the electronic versions or to ask the office to print you a copy (donations are welcome to offset printing and mailing costs).

 

Parish Giving

may be made by cheques, PADs or through e-transfer directly to the church account. Please contact Ruby at peopleswarden@stja.ca or Sheila at treasurer@stja.ca for more details.

 

Readings for Christmas Services, December 24 & 25, 2022

Isaiah 62:6-12; Psalm 97; Titus 3:4-7; Luke 2:1-20 

Readings for Epiphany (transferred), January 1, 2023

Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14; Ephesians 3:1-12; Matthew 2:1-12

 

IMPORTANT CONTACT INFORMATION

Rector	The Rev. Vivian Lam	rector@stja.ca	604-936-7762
Deacon	The Rev. Anne Anchor	deacon@stja.ca
Parish Office	Joanne Fong	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	Sheila De Vaal	treasurer@stja.ca
Envelope Secretary	Antoinette Woodman & (Asst. Env. Secretary) May Fung	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
Bible Study	Lynne Milner	biblestudy@stja.ca
Building Repairs / Maintenance	Rich Thompson	property@stja.ca
Children’s Ministry/Godly Play		children@stja.ca
E-Postle	Ruby Ng	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