The E-postle October 18, 2020

Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost
E-Postle
October 18, 2020

“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
• Stewardship: Stewardship Reflection, Community “Phone a Friend”
• Worship: Next Children’s Sunday – Oct. 25
• Parish Matters: Volunteers Needed to Prepare the Buildings for Reopening – this Sat. Oct. 17, Drainage Repair Project Informational Meeting – Oct. 18, Order of the Diocese of New Westminster Investiture,  Application Approved – Partial Reopening of Parish Buildings on Oct. 20, Call for New Leaders – Treasurer and Council Members, Financial Status for July & August 2020, Parish Giving, Ongoing Updates Pages, E-Postle Submissions
• Parish Ministries: Virtual Bazaar, Anglican Church Women (A.C.W.) News, Food Bank Update
• Community News: Spring Street Community Kitchen, Sacred Teachings Podcast – Season 4
• 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, October 18               8:30am & 10:00am – Sunday Morning Prayer + 2nd Stewardship Presentation

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

Sunday, October 18               following 8:30am worship – Informal Virtual “Coffee Hour”
Sunday, October 18               following 10:00am worship – Drainage Repair Project Info Meeting
Tuesday, October 20              10:15am – 12:00pm – Bible Study
Tuesday, October 20              7:00pm – 8:00pm – Prayer Group
Sunday, October 25               at 10:00am worship – Children’s Sunday Program
Tuesday, October 27              7:00pm – 9:00pm – Parish Council meeting
Sunday, November 1             All Saints’ Sunday + ODNW Investiture of Sylvia Bradley (at the 10am service)

 

STEWARDSHIP

Stewardship Reflection

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

Matthew 22:15-22
Imagine, trying to entrap Jesus with a riddle. How laughable, we might think to ourselves. And yet, don’t we often do the same kinds of things? A faithful steward knows only too well that absolutely everything belongs to God, and that the steward’s task is to take care of those things God has given to their charge.

 

Community “Phone a Friend”

Your St. John’s Stewardship Team have set up a “phone a friend” service for us all to keep from feeling a bit disconnected during these days of physical distancing. We have set up phone teams to call each week to “check in” and help relieve some of the loneliness that is inevitable in the current circumstances.

We would like to make sure no one out there is left out, so email or call Kristin (bobandkristinkuhn@gmail.com or 778-957-8987) or Natasha (freefromfear101@gmail.com or 604-961-6630) if you are not receiving a call and would like to, or if you are interested in helping to make these phone calls, and we will make sure you get hooked into the service.

We know that the caring community that is St. John’s will not leave any of its people feeling more separated than is absolutely necessary. “Distance means so little when people mean so much.”

-Your Stewardship Team

 

WORSHIP

Next Children’s Sunday – Oct. 25

We have met with those who have been involved in teaching our children, and have brainstormed ways to keep our children engaged during worship this fall.

On the last Sunday of every month, we will have a small program open to children of all ages.  During this program, we will be looking at and talking about the Beatitudes. The curriculum we will be using is from Illustrated Ministries, the source of our Vacation Bible School.

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.

 

PARISH MATTERS

Volunteers Needed to Prepare the Buildings for Reopening – this Sat. Oct. 17

We have engaged a professional cleaning company to carry out an initial deep cleaning of the church building and the PMC, in preparation for our partial reopening. This deep-clean will be on Sunday 18th October.

A few of us (5 to be exact) will be at the church hall on Saturday, 17th October at 10am to pack up and store all movable items to allow the company to do a thorough job.

We welcome more help, so please let Ruby know at peopleswarden@stja.ca if you are able to lend a hand. If you have storage boxes that you do not need, please bring them along.

In line with health guidelines, please ensure that you follow all safety protocols on the day, particularly:

• wearing a mask at all times
• staying home if feeling sick or if you have had any potential exposure to COVID
• physical distancing of 2m/6ft
• washing hands regularly with soap and water
• disinfecting any touched surfaces as directed

 

Drainage Repair Project Informational Meeting – Oct. 18

Parish Council invites everyone to an informational meeting about the drainage repair project directly following the 10am Zoom service this Sunday, October 18.

In response to persistent pooling water around the church buildings following rain, Parish Council retained a company to perform exploratory work to determine the extent of the problem. They have determined the drainage around the church building is in immediate need of replacement and confirmed that we are not currently connected to the City of Port Moody storm sewer system. They have also indicated there is no structural reason the drainage system cannot be connected to the storm sewer system once it is fully operational.

Parish Council has a quote for the repair. We hope to obtain two more quotes with timelines attached for the consideration of the parish.

If anyone has a company to recommend or to consider, please forward the contact information to rectorswarden@stja.ca. If you are interested in helping out with this project, please reach out to Geri.

 

Order of the Diocese of New Westminster Investiture

We will be investing Sylvia Bradley with the 2020 Order of the Diocese of New Westminster (ODNW) at our November 1, All Saints’ Sunday 10am service.

The purpose of the ODNW is to honour and give special recognition to lay members of the Diocese who have given outstanding service over a significant period of time in their volunteer ministry.

To see this year’s nominees from across the diocese, please visit: https://www.vancouver.anglican.ca/news/updated-odnw-nominees-for-2020, and for more information on the ODNW, please see: https://www.vancouver.anglican.ca/programs/the-odnw

 

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.

 

Call for New Leaders – Treasurer and Council Members

While waiting to replace the role of Treasurer, Amalia McGlashan has graciously offered to hold the role remotely until we find a replacement.

With the departure of the McGlashans, Council is now down to a smaller group of 2 clergy and 5 lay members. We really need those of you who have the interest and/or skillset to come forward to assist in the management of your church, St. John’s.

Please speak to Ruby at peopleswarden@stja.ca or Geri at rectorswarden@stja.ca if you are interested or have any questions.

 

Financial Status for July & August 2020

We append below the Parish financial status for your information.

Statement of Income and Expenses ending 31^st August 2020

	July Actual	August Actual	August Budget	August YTD Actual	August YTD Budget
Income	$15,060	$10,299.70	$19,083.33	$111,933.58	$152,666.64
Expenses	$12,384	$12,660.72	$19,089.80	$104,280.19	$152.641.90
Surplus (-) Loss	$2,076	-$2,361.02	-$5,81	$7,653.39	$24.74

 

	July Actual	August Actual	August Budget	August YTD Actual	August YTD Budget
Offering for General Funds	$10,016	$8,338	$15,408.33	$81,329.53	$123,266.64
Offering for Property	$1,494	$1,056.70	0	$10,202.60	0

Notes: Deficit in August is due mostly to lower donations and purchase of an online version of our membership and accounting database.

 

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

Virtual Bazaar

The ACW is going to have a Virtual Bazaar this year in mid-November. As everyone knows, we are unable to gather for such an event as our usual Fall Bazaar encompasses, but we still have all our crafters and producers that have worked hard to prepare their yearly offerings. As such, we are going to attempt a virtual bazaar.

This means that you may still be able to buy that favourite item that you always look forward to purchasing at our yearly event. Our offering this year will be much less than usual, but we hope that you will still consider purchasing some of our most well-known items. At the end of October/beginning of November, there will be an online order form posted on our church website. Here you will be able to order your items and then come and pick them up (with a drive-through, limited contact method). Please feel free also to make a donation on the online order form, as our selection of purchases is limited due to circumstances of the pandemic. This year, we have to seek out new and unique ways of fundraising…and this is just a tiny sample of that effort.

We hope that this event will let us work together in community, albeit in a new and different way, as we learn to survive and adapt in these uncertain times.

 

Anglican Church Women (A.C.W.) News

Mission to Seafarers
The A.C.W. are also collecting items to send to the Mission to Seafarers for their Christmas-at-Sea event. If you would like to contribute to this outreach some of the suggested items to donate are: toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss, soap, razors, small shower gel and shampoo, socks, gloves, toques (home made or bought), chocolate. (No scarfs as they are dangerous onboard). More information on this outreach can be found on the Mission to Seafarer’s website: https://www.flyingangel.ca/. There is also an option to make a financial contribution to this outreach through their website, if that is more preferable. Please contact Ann Adair-Austin (ACW@stja.ca) for collection details. Items will need to be collected by October 24th.

Calendars:
The 2021 Anglican Church Calendars will be available at the end of October. Cost: $7 each. If you would like to reserve a copy, please contact Antoinette at: toni.woodman@shaw.ca.

 

Food Bank Update

At our last meeting, the members of the Food Bank decided to not resume the Food Bank until it can operate in a way similar to how it had in the past. We will be looking for a new coordinator and discussing ways in which we can divide and/or share the duties. If anyone is interested in joining the group of Foodbank and/or Lunch volunteers your help would be very much appreciated. Please connect with us at foodbank@stja.ca.

-Mary Kyle

 

COMMUNITY NEWS

Spring Street Community Kitchen

Thanks to all who joined us on Zoom this past Thursday for the Spring Street Community Kitchen “Making the Most of Your Thanksgiving Leftovers”. The video of the cooking portion of the gathering will be available soon at our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCsFzSngOU2KYqM7GhLUjV

Donations raised in support of our Community Kitchen are being re-gifted to the communities we serve. Funds from this recent event will go to the Port Moody Firefighters Charitable Society. You may give at any time via the ways outlined at https://www.stja.ca/supporting-st-johns/ – make sure to let us know that your donation is for “Community Kitchen”.

We would love your participation and feedback, and continue to welcome volunteers for future kitchens – planning, hosting, moderating, and tech support are just some of the roles available. Please connect with Geri at rectorswarden@stja.ca or SpringStreetCommunityKitchen@gmail.com to learn more.

Stay tuned for info on our next kitchen!

 

Sacred Teachings Podcast – Season 4

Season 4 of The Sacred Teachings podcast, entitled “Stolen”, takes us on a series of investigations with guest host Peter Downie. So much has been stolen from Indigenous people for so many years – land, water, language, culture, and much more. This series looks at what has been taken, who took it, and how can justice be served.

In Episode 5 of the season, “Stolen Gifts”, Bishop Carol Gallagher shares sacred teachings about the “gift of one another” in this special Thanksgiving episode. This and other episodes can be found at https://www.anglican.ca/im/podcasts/.

The teachings, languages, traditions and stories of the Ancestors are shared in this podcast, which is sponsored by the Anglican Church of Canada. Highly respected Indigenous speakers are featured in this series, with a different theme for each season, including the sacredness of Creation and finding meaning in a global crisis.

 

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 Rev. John Stephens, Bishop Coadjutor-Elect.

And this week:

• The Vancouver School of Theology – The Reverend Richard Topping, The Reverend Grant Rodgers, The Reverend Liz Ruder-Celiz and all faculty, staff and students;
• 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 October 18, 2020 – Twentieth Sunday After Pentecost

Exodus 33:12-23; Psalm 99; 1 Thessalonians 1:10-10; Matthew 22:15-22

 

Readings for October 25, 2020 – Twenty-First Sunday After Pentecost

Deuteronomy 34:1-12; Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17; 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8; Matthew 22:34-46.

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		administrator@stja.ca	604-936-7762
(Office is closed at this time, but email and voice messages will be checked Tuesday – Friday)
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