Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany

E-Postle

February 5, 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:

Sun – Feb 5                             Parish Visiting Ministry meeting

Tues – Feb 7                            10:15am – 12noon – Epiphany Book Study #5 at Zoom Bible Study

Sat – Feb 11                            1:00pm – Mickey Marshall memorial service

Sat – Feb 11                            Trivia Night, St. Stephen’s

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: 

Parish Visiting Ministry Meeting

A reminder to those on the Parish Visiting Ministry team that we will be meeting in the PMC this Sunday Feb. 5 after the 10am service.

Members of this team pray for and connect with our parishioners who are homebound or living in care homes. Please reach Joanne W. or Alma at pastoralvisits@stja.ca with needs in this area.

Next Community Kitchen Mar. 9

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

We will be making breakfast and lunch 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 will invite kitchen participants to bring items to add to the 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.) 

Thank You Note from John B.

A note from parishioner John B. who has been in hospital the past several weeks:

On behalf of Brenda and myself, I wish to thank you—and of course including our entire congregation—for your prayers and letters of encouragement over my lengthy recovery progress that you have passed on to us. Even though it’s only one month at this point, it seems so long since my operation at the end of December, and waking up with my initially insurmountable problem. But under reflection so many people are far worse off than me, and they do not necessarily have the wonderful congregation behind them that Brenda and I have.

I must apologize for my grammatical errors in this letter but using a tiny iPhone does stretch the eyesight!

Again, thank you all for all your prayers, including a huge thank you to Vivian.

In God we trust,

John B.

Stewardship Reflection

From Interrupting the Silence – Matthew 5:13-20

“Behold the salt that you already are. Behold the light that you already are. Become that for the life of the world.”

Trivia Night @ St. Stephen’s

We are looking for one or two more members to join our Trivia team as defending champions.

Saturday February 11 @ 7 pm via Zoom. Please connect with Ruby at peopleswarden@stja.ca if you are interested. 

ACW (Anglican Church Women) Meeting

Thursday, February 16th at 1pm in the church hall. We will be collecting the United Thank Offering at this meeting. The ACW continues to collect used clothing, household linens and blankets for the Bales to the North program. Most needed at the moment are: blankets and men’s clothing. If you have any items to donate, please contact Ann Adair-Austin.

Letter of Thanks from St. Laurence to the People of St. John’s

On behalf of the coordinating team, I would like to express our appreciation for your dedication and support of the Tri-Cities Winter Shelter Program. St. Laurence Anglican Church is one of four churches to host the shelter this winter. During the month January, we welcomed over 320 guests and served over 960 meals. Your support enabled us to offer food, clothing, shelter and other necessities to the homeless each night of the month. Our homeless guests and coordinators are grateful for your generosity.

Our deepest gratitude to you for supporting this meaningful ministry and for the hospitality extended to our guests. It was a pleasure working with you. Sincerely, Brenda Beck

 

INFORMATION:

Mickey Marshall Memorial Service (updated)

We will be celebrating Mickey Marshall’s life at a memorial service at St. John’s this Saturday, Feb. 11, 1pm, with a reception following in the Parish Hall.

The Zoom link and the service leaflet will be available here on our Web site as we draw closer to the day.

Please keep Mickey’s sons Rob and Paul and the wider family in your prayers as they prepare to hold this long-awaited service.

Annual Vestry Reports

Just a reminder to all ministry leaders that Annual Vestry reports need to be submitted soon. Please send them to Joanne at administrator@stja.ca by this Tuesday, Feb. 7.

 

HOW YOU CAN SERVE THOSE IN NEED

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 be posting 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

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

New Council Members

As we prepare for Vestry to be held on Sunday 26 February, following the 10am service, we are seeking 2 more council members to form the leadership team. If you have the interest to participate in and contribute to the ever-growing needs of our parish, please connect with Vivian, Anne, Rich or Ruby.

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

Epiphany Book Study

Join us at weekly discussion of the book Learning to Walk in the Dark, by Barbara Brown Taylor, exploring how God can be (sometimes unexpectedly) found in “darkness”. We are meeting Tuesday mornings (10:15am-12noon) at Zoom Bible studies – this Tuesday Feb. 7 will be our final session. 

Epiphany Reflections

In Epiphany we are also exploring the flip side of darkness, and reflecting on how God can be found in the more obvious “light”, considering the question “Where in your ordinary, everyday life does God shine clearly?” through written and photographic reflections.

Check out the reflections posted daily (Mon-Fri) on our Facebook page and also our diocesan parish webpage. Thanks to everyone who is contributing!

 

Readings for February 5, 2023, Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany

Isaiah 58:1-12; Psalm 112; 1 Corinthians 2:1-16; Matthew 5:13-20

Readings for February 12, 2023, Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany

Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Psalm 119:1-8; 1 Corinthians 3:1-9; Matthew 5:21-37

 

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