E-postle Ongoing Announcements
Tech & Hospitality Volunteers Needed for Worship We are continuing to look for help with technical support aspects of both Zoom services and (future) in-person services, as well as people who could help online with hospitality and welcome for our Zoom participants. Training will be provided. If you or someone you know is interested, please connect with John Warren at jhewarren@gmail.com to chat. Zoom Hospitality includes: Welcoming everyone as they arrive in the Zoom meeting room. Greeting visitors and inviting them to provide contact information so we can follow up with them. (if available after the service) Serving as “host” for virtual coffee hour Zoom Tech Support includes: Screen-sharing the bulletin and other documents during the service Muting and unmuting Zoom participants Conveying feedback to the In-Person Tech Support about any adjustments needed to sound or video Adding onscreen names for people who telephone in Recording a count of participants Following protocols for removing any Zoom bombers (hasn’t been needed to date!) In-Person Tech Support includes: Setting up and taking down equipment, opening/closing software programs on main laptop Doing a sound-check of microphones pre-service Receiving feedback from the Zoom Tech Support before and during the service about any adjustments needed to sound or video for Zoom congregation Adjusting the sound levels as needed during the service Switching camera views during the service Ongoing Pastoral Care & Support Please know that St. John’s is here for you as we continue to move through this pandemic. Since we don’t see each other 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. We invite and encourage you to reach out to any of the parish resources below, if and as you need. Interim Priest-in-Charge (while Rector is on...
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Welcoming the Rev. Dr. Angus Stuart
We look forward to welcoming Angus Stuart to St. John’s during Vivian’s medical leave. His first Sunday with us will be April 24, and he will be here through June 30. The Rev. Dr. Angus Stuart was until recently at St. Francis-in-the-Wood in West Vancouver, where he had been Rector since 2005. Prior to that he was Senior Anglican Chaplain at the University of Bristol in England coordinating an ecumenical team of chaplains ministering among students and staff. He trained for ordained ministry at Cranmer Hall, part of St. John College at the University of Durham, where he gained a degree in Theology and a Diploma of Ministerial Studies. In an earlier life, Angus was a researcher at the Social Statistics Research Unit at City University in London, England, having studied Geography for his first degree and then a Ph.D. in Social Geography. As well as an Anglican priest, Angus is also an actor and has performed the Gospel of Mark (“Testament of a Naked Man”) more than sixty times in Canada, the US and the UK; he has also performed the Gospel of John (“Word of Light: John’s Gospel in the Flesh”) nine times. More recently, he has begun to branch into film and TV work, and has a number of onscreen appearances. Angus is married to Christine, and they have two adult children. His recreational pastimes include hiking, skiing, and record collecting (“all rocking, rhythm, and jazz!”).
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Notification of potential COVID exposure at 3/8/22 event
(Email sent to parish on 3/12/22) Dear St. John’s parishioners, We are emailing to let you know that we were notified this evening (Saturday) that 3 persons at the de Sa funeral on the evening of Tuesday 3/8/22 have, since the event, tested positive for COVID. As per provincial health guidelines at http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/self-isolation/close-contacts, at this stage in the pandemic, those who may have been in close contact with someone testing positive are not required to self-isolate or take any special measures. It is recommended that they simply watch for symptoms and isolate if they develop symptoms. A close contact is “someone who has been near a person with COVID-19 for at least 15 minutes when health and safety measures were not in place or were insufficient.” We recommend therefore that all who attended the funeral in-person monitor themselves for symptoms and stay home and isolate should you develop any symptoms. You may also look at the page http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/testing/when-to-get-a-covid-19-test for guidance on when additional COVID testing may be needed. Note that our parish will also take the extra precaution tomorrow Sunday 3/13/22 of incorporating social distancing of all those who attend the in-person service, given that some funeral attendees may be present. Other safety protocols in place are at https://www.stja.ca/2022/current-worship-safety-protocols/. Please do not hesitate to reach out to myself, Deacon Anne Anchor, or Wardens Rich Thompson or Ruby Ng with any questions. Peace, Vivian (on behalf of the Clergy-Wardens team)
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Parish Survey Results
From St. John’s Parish Council to Parishioners: Thank you to everyone who filled out our recent online survey re: reopening the buildings for worship. Attached please find an Executive Summary of the results. Thank you again for participating in our parish’s ongoing discernment on reopening our buildings. Please continue to keep this process in your prayers.
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Reopening for In-Person Worship Planned for Sept. 19
As of our July 27 meeting, Parish Council has decided to plan for a reopening of our buildings for in-person worship on Sunday, Sept. 19. There are still many details to be worked out in order to ensure a safe environment for all, and to allow for ways to connect online to worship. We will communicate these details to the parish in the next several weeks as they are decided. In the meantime, our current safety protocols for parish small groups, outside user groups, and the Parish Office will continue. Results from our recent Parish Survey are being compiled into an Executive Summary, and will be distributed by the end of this coming week – please keep an eye out for this email. Thanks again to all who participated and provided this important information for Council decision-making.
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Application Approved – Partial Reopening of Parish Buildings on Oct. 20
After prayerfully considering how best to balance our parish survey results and our ongoing ministry needs, Parish Council applied to the Diocese to partially reopen the buildings at the diocesan Phase 3 level. This application has been approved, and our target date is to reopen beginning Tuesday, October 20; this date will be dependent on completion of cleaning and preparation of the building for reopening. Note that our reopening does not include use of our buildings for worship at this time, but 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. Any and all activity would abide by necessary social distancing, cleaning, contact tracing, and other protocols, offering clear guidance to all. Details will be made available shortly. If you are interested in helping with any of the upcoming tasks to prepare for reopening, please connect with Ruby at peopleswarden@stja.ca.
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8/4/20 – Parish Council Message – Results of Survey re: Reopening Buildings & Future Worship
From St. John’s Parish Council to Parishioners: Thank you to everyone who filled out our recent online survey re: virtual worship and reopening the buildings for worship. Attached please find an Executive Summary of the results. For those who are interested in reviewing the raw data, it can be found via a separate link.* Thank you again for participating in our parish’s ongoing discernment on this topic. Please continue to keep this process in your prayers. *Please contact us at administrator@stja.ca to request this information.
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