Last Sunday after the Epiphany

E-Postle

February 19, 2023

 

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/2023/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.

 

There will be Coffee & Refreshments after the 10 am service.

 

CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS:

 

Tues Feb 21                             10:15am Zoom Bible Study  … link above / 7:00pm Zoom Prayer Group … link above

Wed – Feb 22                          10:00am and 7:00pm – Ash Wednesday services

Sun – Feb 26                            Annual Vestry Meeting

Thurs – Mar 9                          Spring Street Community Kitchen (at Inlet United Church)

 

NEW THIS WEEK:

Stewardship Reflection

Reflections on Stewardship prepared by the Ven. Dr. Michael Pollesel – Matthew 17: 1-9

“Three disciples have a ‘mountain top’ experience with Jesus. However, that’s not where they remain. They head back down the mountain, to where they live out their daily lives. A faithful steward knows that life is not lived as a series of mountain top experiences, but rather somewhere below. Sometimes life down below gets pretty rough. How’s it going for you?” 

Lenten Program…“Invited”

This Lent we’ll be learning together through a program called “Invited”, exploring what it means to engage in genuine, Christian invitation. The program begins with the conviction that invitation is at the very heart of the Gospel—that Jesus invites each one of us to come and follow him, and being an invitational people is at the very core of our identity as Christians.

We’ll be sharing our ideas, hopes, and dreams about how to live our lives of faith—as individuals and as a parish community—in ways that are relevant to the world around us, and we will brainstorm how to more naturally and confidently invite others to join us on this journey.

Every session will have a video viewing, followed by sharing and discussion. There will be 2 opportunities each week to gather – online on Tuesday mornings at our 10:15am Zoom Bible studies, and in-person on Sundays after the 10am service. Each week’s sessions will cover the same topic.

We begin with Week 1 on Tuesday Feb. 28 / Sunday Mar. 5. The program will run for 5 weeks. All are welcome to join us!    

New Temporary Office Hours

Beginning this week and going through April, the Parish Office will have temporary new hours: Tuesday through Friday, 8am-11am.

All-Ages Chat next Sunday

Our 10am service next Sunday, Feb. 26 will feature an “All-Ages Chat”. Of course, everyone of all ages is always welcome at worship each week, but every month (often, but not always, the last Sunday), we have something devoted to nurturing the faith of our younger members.

Look forward to seeing you here, whether in-person or on Zoom!

 

INFORMATION:

Syria/Turkey Earthquake Response

All of us have been touched in some way by the news of the earthquakes this week in Syria and Turkey. You can make a donation to the Syria/Turkey Earthquake Response through the Primates World Relief and Development Fund by going to https://pwrdf.org/give-today/ for details as to how to give.

Please continue to hold the people who are in mourning, who are recovering, and who remain homeless in prayer at this time.

Ash Wednesday – Feb. 22

Everyone is invited to begin the season of Lent together as a community on Wednesday, Feb. 22. There will be two opportunities to observe Ash Wednesday with your St. John’s family: a morning service (spoken) at 10am and an evening service (with music) at 7pm. All ages are welcome. We are still determining if Zoom is possible for the evening service – if so, it will be the same Zoom link for Sunday worship, found on our website.

Annual Vestry Meeting – Feb. 26

Annual Vestry will be a hybrid meeting (in-person and on Zoom) on Sunday, Feb. 26, upstairs in the sanctuary beginning at 11:30am. The official notice has just been sent out via email (and postal mail for those without email addresses on file), and the Annual Vestry Reports and Financial Reports will be sent as soon as they are ready.

Note that only tea and coffee will be served downstairs in the Hall that day. You may bring a bagged lunch but it is preferred that you do not eat in the sanctuary.

Rector Away

Vivian is away on vacation and will return on Tuesday, Feb. 21. Please connect with Joanne at administrator@stja.ca, Ruby at peopleswarden@stja.ca, or Rich at rectorswarden@stja.ca for time-sensitive parish matters during this time.

For pastoral emergencies, to be connected to the on-call priest, please call Ruby on her cell phone.

We are grateful to the Rev. Georgina Harris who will serve as supply clergy next Sunday Feb. 19.

 

HOW YOU CAN SERVE THOSE IN NEED

Next Community Kitchen

Please join us for our next Spring Street Community Kitchen on Thursday, Mar. 9, 6-8pm at Inlet United Church.

We will be making a breakfast casserole and lunch sandwiches to be served to guests of the Cold Wet Weather Mat program, hosted by Coquitlam Alliance Church in March. All ingredients and equipment will be provided; we are inviting kitchen participants to bring items to add to packed lunches. There will also be some social time after we are done cooking to visit with old and new friends!

Pre-registration for this free kitchen is required – please email your name, email address, and any questions to SpringStreetCommunityKitchen@gmail.com.

(The Spring Street Community Kitchen is a partnership between St. John’s and Inlet United Church – like and follow us at our Facebook page.)

Refugee Family

A Giving Tree is set up in the Church Hall for people to sign up. Please consider donating a welcoming gift for our arriving family. Choose a tag labeled with suggested school supplies from the baggie beside the Giving Tree or donate some money to help with the cost of a school supply order.

Put your name on the tag and attach it to the tree. Please give your gift to a member of the ReSponse Team – Mary Kyle, Karlis Kesans, Sheila De Vaal, Richard Owen or Laurie Fox. There are also a number of household items that have not been purchased yet. We will post a list of those items beside the tree.

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.

 

HOW YOU CAN SERVE IN THE PARISH COMMUNITY 

Wednesday Morning Prayer Space

We will begin experimenting soon with opening the church for personal prayers and meditation on Wednesday mornings from 8:30 am to 1 pm. It is intended that we will have a “pair” of volunteers to sit in the sanctuary and welcome anyone who would like to come in to pray. If you feel called to this ministry, please connect with Ruby at peopleswarden@stja.ca or Vivian at rector@stja.ca.

Intercessors, Lay Assistants and Technical Support Assistants

We are looking for more people to sign up for the above. Please connect with Anne at deacon@stja.ca or Ruby at peopleswarden@stja.ca

Sunday Coffee & Refreshments

A Roster/Sign-up sheet is on the notice board in the kitchen. Please consider signing up if you are able, or if you would like to contribute treats.

 

HOW YOU CAN HELP SUPPORT ST. JOHN’S 

Flower Chart for 2023

is up at the Narthex (back of the church, by the chapel).  Should you wish to commemorate a birthday, anniversary or give in memory of a loved one, please consider signing up for flowers for the altar.

Parish Giving

Donations 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. You may also give via PayPal/credit card via our website.

 

OPPORTUNITIES FOR FORMATION AND SPIRITUAL GROWTH

Forward Day by Day Booklets

A few more large print copies of the Feb-Apr 2023 “Forward Day by Day” booklets are in the back of the church. (Each day’s devotional is also online here.) These booklets are published by Forward Movement, a ministry of the U.S. Episcopal Church; they contain a daily devotional with scripture excerpts and short meditations, with each month featuring a different author.

 

Readings for February 19, 2023, Last Sunday after the Epiphany

Exodus 24:12-18; Psalm 99; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Matthew 17:1-9

Readings  for February 22, 2023, Ash Wednesday

Joel 2:1-2, 12-17; Psalm 103:8-18; 2 Corinthians 5:20B-6:10; Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 

Readings for February 26, 2023, First Sunday in Lent

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7; Psalm 32; Romans 5:12-19; Matthew 4:1-11

 

 

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