Second Sunday after Easter

E-Postle

April 7, 2024

 

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 – http://www.stja.ca/program-updates/ – current information on what’s going on at St. John’s, including Zoom links and bulletin and scripture readings for Sunday worship.

Click here for contact info for parish ministries

Coffee/Tea will be served after the 10am service.

 

CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS

 

Tuesdays                     10:30 am: Bible Study (see link above)

7:00 pm: Prayer Group (see link above)

Fridays                        11 am: Choir Practice

Mon – Apr 8                2 pm: Funeral Mass of The Ven Philippa Pride

Sat – Apr 13                 9 am: Parish Council retreat

Wed – May 1               10 am: Coffee Plus

Sat – May 11                2 – 4 pm: Spring Tea

Sat – May 11                9.30 am: Mission Conference – Toward a Theology of Land

Sat – May 25                11am: Ron Barnes’ interment @ St Clements, North Van

Sun – May 26               Trinity Sunday – Bishop’s Visit

 

NEW THIS WEEK

Stewardship Reflection              

Prepared by Ven. Dr. M Pollesel John 20:19-31
“You are witnesses to this”, says Jesus. A faithful steward is one who has experienced the story of Jesus in their own life, and is able to share it with others.

 

A Heartfelt Appreciation by Rev Miranda Sutherland

Holy Week & The Easter Triduum – April 1, 2024

From the vibrant procession on Palm Sunday to the sacred culmination of the Easter Triduum—from Maundy Thursday to Easter Sunday—the week has been a journey of profound significance and joy.

We extend our deepest gratitude to all who joined us for the solemn Services on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. A special acknowledgment goes to Ann, Fern, Ruby, and Eddy, whose participation, alongside the clergy, enriched the Good Friday Service with well-prepared reflections on the Seven Last Words of Jesus spoken from the Cross. May God continue to bless them abundantly as they walk their Christian journey among us.

We are also immensely thankful to Gail and the Choir for uplifting our spirits with their melodic offerings, and to LaRee, our relief musician, who contributed to the reverence of Maundy Thursday.

Easter Sunday’s celebration overflowed with Easter joy, a witness to the glory of God. A heartfelt thank you is extended to Rev. Deacon Anne, Wardens Rich and Ruby, and the Altar Guild for their usual support in guiding us through yet another awe-inspiring liturgical season.

To all who served in various capacities—from the youth Easter Story to Easter Egg Hunt, from counting offerings to managing envelopes, from welcoming guests to arranging refreshments, from adorning our space to countless other tasks—we express our gratitude. May God’s blessings continue to shower upon you as we journey through the 50 days of Easter, anticipating the unexpected ways in which Jesus reveals himself to his disciples before giving the command to make disciples, his promise to send the Comforter, and his Ascension to the Father. Blessings to you all.

 

Interim Priest out-of-office

Rev Miranda will be away from 7 to 12 April, 2024.

For pastoral emergencies, please contact Ruby at peopleswarden@stja.ca

 

Guest Priest this Sunday

Sunday April 7, 2024.

We are grateful to Rev. Dr. Angus Stuart as guest presider and preacher at both services.

 

Support for Kinsight family

Dear St John’s family, it is with a grateful heart that I share with you the appreciation of the Kinsight staff. Once again, your compassionate and generous hearts have made a difference. The card of thanks is on the notice board in the fellowship hall. Christine Kesans

 

ACW

The next meeting will be held on Thursday, April 18th at 1pm in the church hall. We will be collecting items for our annual layette donation that goes towards this Diocesan outreach for needy families who have new babies. The request for baby items to this outreach is open to all the members of the parish. Please see Ann Adair-Austin at cannadairaustin@gmail.com for more information. Items needed are: receiving blankets, clothing up to size 2, diapers (size newborn), bibs, hats, socks, small toiletries (shampoo, soap etc.), and small toys.

 

National Indigenous Peoples Day June 21st 2024

We have been asked again by Tasha Faye Evans the coordinator of NIPD in Port Moody to supply some knitted blankets for the ceremony in the evening at Rocky Point.

More details to follow about the ceremony but for now I am calling upon all knitters to offer their talent in this ministry towards Reconciliation. We have been asked to provide 10 blankets. We will be making them more in the dimension of prayer shawls this year, so, a bit smaller than past years. We should have them completed by June 2nd for blessing before we pass them on. Please contact Anne Anchor at deacon@stja.ca for more details.

 

 

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE PART OF ST JOHN’S

Vignettes from parishioners of the parish being offered throughout the year of the 125^th Anniversary celebrations. If you are asked to offer one week, please accept so that we may get to know a bit more about our friends in the pews. Please forward a written copy to news@stja.ca thereafter. These will be posted in the E-Postle as well as a compilation for print later in the year.

 

Ferne’s MEMORIES of Coming to St John – 18 Feb 2024

I came to Port Moody in 1972. We had transferred from Victoria. My son turned one while we’re waiting to move into our new home and I was pregnant, giving birth to our daughter in November of that year. As you can imagine I was somewhat housebound with two young children, and a husband who had been transferred over to open up a new facility for his company.

I had been a lifelong Anglican, and in the previous five or six years I had not attended church regularly but spasmodically but decided this was probably a good time to get back. I needed to get out of the house and meet people but also, I needed just to come back into a house of worship and be quiet!

The Port Moody area was considerably different, that many years ago than it is now. We did our grocery shopping, probably at Burquitlam Plaza and the only local place for clothes shopping would have been Lougheed Mall. I had seen Saint Stephens Church, across from Lougheed mall and decided it would be time to get back again. For some reason, I was not driving at the time, and I enlisted my husband to look after the two very young children and to drive me to church, which he certainly agreed to do. Come Sunday morning I got ready for church, and instead of turning in the direction of St. Stephen’s, he turned down the Port Moody Hill. I asked him where he was going and he said to take me to church and the next thing I knew we were at St. John’s. I suppose I was being led to this place at this time and I have been here ever since. (I guess it was also helpful that every church service at that time started at 11:00) That being 50 years ago I don’t remember everything clearly but I don’t imagine I was in regular attendance for a year or two until the kids were just a little bit older, and then I was immediately enlisted to help with the Sunday school.

One very clear memory was of being in church, either pre or post Sunday School with my probably a 3 & 4 year or 4 & 5 year old children who were acting their age and wiggling around a bit and although not being noisy, just restless, were often given the eagle eye by Lucy Page.  I am just delighted that children are now welcomed completely into the congregation!

Following that I was asked to join the choir, and in the meantime, I was regularly attending the WA meetings.  I am not sure which executive position I held first but I believe I’ve held every executive position possible at one time or another.

I think I found my community at St. John’s and like my friend Sylvia, I immediately felt needed.

As in all walks of life, over 50 years, there were up and downs, ins and outs, twists and turns, but through all this, St. John’s has remained my spiritual community and my community of friends. We have worked together, laughed together and probably even cried together and hopefully that will continue for years to come.

 

Ruby’s MEMORIES of Coming to St John – 31 March 2024

I cannot talk about my memories of coming to St John without mentioning St Margaret. It was at Vestry 11 years ago when we were given notice that we have to either close or merge with another church, within 6 months.

Three churches we targeted within the Burnaby deanery were not able to entertain us, for various reasons. As I live in the Glenayre area, I decided to visit the church nearest to me. And that led me to St John.

I came to St John in March 2013. I was trying to find the entrance to the church from the parking lot and looking very lost. I was warmly greeted by Fay McDonald who walked me to the back entrance of the church. And I thought “What am I coming to?” This does not look like a church! Once upstairs, May Fung came up to me and asked if I would like to sit with her.  I remembered how welcoming everybody was.

I went back to St Margaret and asked the “Committee” if our next home has to be in the same deanery. The answer is of course not.

We started talking with, I believe it’s the Parish Council members of St John. Some came to suss us out at the garage sale, led by the Rector; Rev Grant Rodgers; sometime in May 2013. After several rounds of discussions, we were invited to worship at St John, starting in October 2013.

I was on a planned holiday and therefore not present at Vestry 2014. I was told that St Margaret held their meeting at the nave, and the St John folks held theirs downstairs in the hall. It was a unanimous decision from both sides to merge. The rest is history, I guess.

As I was on holiday before Vestry 2014, I was nominated for a member-at-large position for parish council. My consent was obtained via email! By and by, I was elected People’s Warden, on the eleventh hour of Vestry 2018, I might add. With “much thanks” to then Rector’s Warden Terry Walton and Interim Priest Rev Stephanie Shepard, I reluctantly accepted.

One of my most cherished memories is taking up EfM (Education for Ministry) and Lenten book studies. The 4 years in EfM that I shared with my fellow course mates from different churches in the deanery and mentors Rev Anne Anchor and Deborah Akiyama-Jones are spiritually rewarding and an experience of a lifetime.

We were asked why did we chose St John? My short answer is, and I speak for the former St Margaret’s folks, “We want to shape our own destiny rather than have our fate decided for us”. We came with these words ringing in our heads “The Will of God will not lead us Where the Grace of God cannot keep us”.

 

 

INFORMATION

 

The Venerable Archdeacon Philippa Louise Pride

After a long illness with cancer, Archdeacon Philippa died in hospital on March 18 with family and friends beside her. Her funeral Mass will be on Monday, April 8^th at 2pm at Christ Church Cathedral. Please hold the family of Philippa in prayer as they mourn.

 

Coffee Hour

We appreciate your contribution of treats for coffee hour after the 10 am service. The sign-up sheet is on the bulletin board in the kitchen.

 

 

Financial Status – January & February 2024

 

	Jan 2024 Actual $	Feb 2024 Actual $	YTD Feb 2024 Actual $	YTD 2024 Budget $	YTD 2024 Budget Difference
Income	13,816.30	15,542.50	29,358.80	40,082.86	(10,724.06)
Expenses	13,945.98	16,273.19	30,219.17	40,082.86	9,863.69
Surplus (-) Loss	(129.68)	(730.69)	(860.37)	0.00	(860.37)
Offering for General Funds	9,674.00	11,276.00	20,950.00	31,078.84	(10,128.84)

 

 Note: The deficit is less for the 2 months, only because we are paying for a half-time priest.

 

Sunday May 26th – 125th Anniversary Celebration

As part of our 125 years as a place of worship within the community of Port Moody, we would like to acknowledge those of you were either married or baptised, (or possibly both) at St John’s – at any time in its history. We would like to invite you to a special event to celebrate your connection to our church at special services at 8:30 am and 10am on Sunday May 26th 2024. We have invited Bishop John Stephens of the Diocese of New Westminster to join us and lead us in worship. These services will be a celebration of our anniversary, focusing on the sacraments of baptism and marriage in our community. Those who were baptised at St. John’s will be invited to re-affirm their baptismal vows during the services.

There will be a reception of light refreshments following the 10 am service. We hope that you can join us for this special celebration. For further information, please contact peopleswarden@stja.ca

 

Multifaith Symposium

Saturday April 27, 9:00am-4:30pm

This symposium offers the opportunity to gather together with speakers of different faith traditions.  Together we will explore – through teachings and shared spiritual practices, the spiritual formation within our faith traditions that serves to create a hospitable “inner” home that can welcome other faiths.  The creation of this hospitable inner home can then be expressed in real engagements, particularly in service to peace and justice, in the home of this world.

Location: The Parish of St. Dunstan’s, Aldergrove (This is an in-person event).

Cost: $95.00. Includes lunch, snacks, refreshments. Scholarships available.

The multifaith symposium is a collaborative event offered by The Centre for Spiritual Renewal at St. Dunstan’s and The Jim Forest Institute for Religion, Peace, and Justice, St. Stephen’s University (www.jfi.ssu.ca).

Register Here: https://www.ssu.ca/symposium

https://www.st-dunstans.ca/events/multifaith-symposium/2024-04-27

 

Mission Conference – Toward a Theology of Land

May 11: 9:30am-3:00pm @ St. Mark’s, Ocean Park

You are invited to one of the largest biannual gatherings of the diocese of New Westminster. The Mission Conference is the key social and learning event held every other year when Synod is not in session. It is open and free to all members of the parishes and not just clergy and synod delegates.

Following the 2023 Synod discussions about housing and homelessness, the Mission Conference planners chose as this year’s theme: Toward a Theology of Land. Presenters: Richard Leggett, Mari Joerstad, and Katherine Murray are all local, ordained, and lay leaders, with rich experience in teaching and reflecting a thoughtful, God-centred understanding of land, as well as walking with churches who are seeking to steward their lands and buildings for God’s mission in the world.

Registration is free and lunch will be provided.

 

 

 

HOW YOU CAN HELP SUPPORT ST. JOHN’S

 

Flower Chart for 2024

This is up in the Narthex (at the 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 to donate 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.

 

READINGS

7 April 2024 The Second Sunday of Easter

Acts 4:32-35; Psalm 133; 1 John 1:1-2:2; John 20:19-31

 

14 April 2024 The Third Sunday of Easter

ACTS 3:12-19; Psalm 4; 1 John 3:1-7; Luke 24:36B-48