St John's Newsletter 15 May 2022

THIS WEEK AT ST JOHN'S

Dear Friends,

This weekly e-newsletter comes with a few updates to our community life.

This coming Sunday we say farewell to our ministry intern, John Holgate. In addition to John’s reflection below, we look forward to a final sermon from John this coming Sunday at both services.

Join us this Saturday for the Trillium Hike. We will meet at the church at 10:00 a.m. to share rides, or meet in Gatineau Park at parking lot P11 at 10:30. I did an advance walk to check it out and it really is beautiful, hilly but with an easy path, and with an abundance of trilliums (both white and the rarer red) and the gorgeous scenic Carbide Ruins. This is a “There & Back Again” hike. That makes it appropriate for all abilities – if you’re tired, stop at a beautiful spot and relax. Rejoin us on our walk back. Some of our participants are bringing mini foldable chairs with every intention of just doing the portion of the hike that they can manage! We do have drivers and we would be grateful for a few more. Bring water, snack, your smile for pictures.

Our Study of the Book of Acts (Part 2) will focus on conflict in the early church and the question, “When is it necessary to walk apart?” There’s still time to read the complete Book of the Acts of the Apostles, but for this session, focus on Chapter 15. A short (20 minutes) advance study video will be available on our YouTube channel beginning tomorrow (Friday). Please join us on Zoom for Part 2 Discussion at 7:30 p.m. CONNECT HERE .

We will be announcing some changes to our worship this Sunday as we return to some practices that were paused for pandemic safety reasons. We will return to bringing the bread and wine forward at the offertory hymn – and also to passing the offering plate at that point in the service. Find out more this Sunday.

Advance notice that St John’s will be hosting Joy of Faith, interfaith celebration presented by the Capital Region Interfaith Council (CRIC). It will actually be online on Zoom and I will be the MC. See the poster included below, and plan to join us on Sunday, June 5, 3:00 p.m. CONNECT HERE.

Finally, don’t forget this Sunday is the final day of Art Credo! Hope to see you at 8:00 or 10:15 a.m.

Gary+

A farewell message from our intern John Holgate:

Welcome to St. John’s for worship, community, and learning!

One of this Sunday’s readings, Acts 11:1-18, describes a dispute in the early church community in which Simon Peter, one of the Apostles, takes a very strong stand. It’s about who is eligible to belong to the church and to call themselves Christians. Some of the Christians say that only certain people should be allowed in. More precisely, only people who are like the existing members of the community should be included.

And that is always tempting for any community of people: to welcome only those who are like themselves.

But Simon Peter says no! Everyone that God created can be in the church: no one is unwelcome, even people who don’t seem to be quite like us.

From last October, the beginning of my time as a ministry intern at St. John’s, to today, I have been made to feel welcome in this church. This Sunday, May 15, is my last day with you, although I suspect that it isn’t your last day with me, at least in my thoughts.

I have seen how St. John’s welcomes people who are members of the LGBTQ2S+ community. In this part of Canada, we sometimes take it for granted that members of that community are treated equally, but I was recently reminded that isn’t always the case elsewhere within the Church, even in Canada.

I have seen how some of you care, sometimes very quietly and in unexpected ways, for people from the Aboriginal community around the church. And have seen how you care for refugees, for the unhoused, and for the poor.

I had the opportunity to meet with many of you and had the privilege to hear some of your stories, including those of triumph and those of trouble. And I had the opportunity to minister to the sick and to their families and to see others doing the same.

The ministries of many people in the congregation remind me of what we are all called to do: to love one another. That love is a theme of our Gospel reading for this Sunday, John 13:31-35.

In the ongoing pandemonium of the pandemic, I have seen some of your faces in only two dimensions, on the computer screen. Some, I have seen in three dimensions, in person, but only the top halves of your faces, due to our masks. But all are a part of the body of Christ as gathered at St. John’s.

I might be preaching on these thoughts on Sunday at the 8:00 AM and 10:15 AM services. Or I might be preaching on something else. Come and find out.

TO REMEMBER IN PRAYER

Those On Our Hearts

Robin, Pat, and The staff, volunteers and participants in the programs of The Well.

Our Parish

Gary, Catherine, Allen, John, Gordon, Josh, Gregory, Kerry, Stephen, Steve, Michelle, Jill and all who minister at St John's.

Our Diocese

Shane, our Bishop; Anne, our Metropolitan; Linda, our Primate.

The Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples, Sacred Circle and Archbishop Mark MacDonald.

The Area Parish of Mississippi Lake, the Venerable Brian Kauk and the Reverend Jonathan Askwith.

For custodial staff serving the parishes and ministries of our diocese.

For vocations to the diaconate, priesthood and religious life.

Anglican Church of Canada (ACC)

The Rt. Rev. Michael Oulton, Bishop, and the clergy and people of the Diocese of Ontario.

Evangelical Lutheran Church of Canada (ELCIC)

Bishop Syd Haugen, the people and rostered ministers of the Saskatchewan Synod.

The Anglican Communion from Aba to Zululand

The Scottish Episcopal Church.

Parish Prayer Group

If you wish to have someone prayed for, please call (613) 232-4500 ext 21 or send an email to prayer-request@stjohnsottawa.ca.

JOIN US

THE FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

15 MAY 2022

Acts 11:1-18; Psalm 148; Revelation 21:1-6; John 13:31-35

WHAT'S HAPPENING

ART CREDO RETURNS!

This year’s 43^rd Art Credo Exhibit and Sale will run from Saturday April 30^th to Sunday May 15^th . The Vernissage will be in the evening of Friday April 29^thfrom 7:00 to 9:00 PM. Everyone is invited to come to get a sneak peek at the artworks and perhaps chat with some of the artists. Feel free to bring a friend.

We need your help to keep the doors open during Art Credo! We are looking for volunteers who can offer three hours of time during the exhibition to act as a sitter, there is a sign-up sheet on-line at https://tinyurl.com/ycknb4rr .

Would you like to donate flowers for a Sunday Service?

Celebrate a special date in your life or remember a loved one.

Please contact Vicki Milnes

613-741-4624

vickimilnes705@rogers.com

If you have donated flowers for a certain date in the past Vicki will be in touch with you to confirm whether or not you want to do so again this year.

Lifelong Learning

Book Study on the Acts of the Apostles

Are we still in the time of the Early Church? We start from this idea as we delve into 3 stories over the month of May. Read all of Acts – but it’s long! If you don’t have time for all 28 chapters, read Chapter 8 for the first session. And watch the new video: 20 minutes of background and questions to focus our time together.

Second session Tuesday May 17, 7:30 p.m.

Connect Here

Trillium Hike

Walk with us as we check out the beautiful flowers. We’ll meet at the church and share rides to Gatineau Park. Or meet us at the Parking Lot P11. It’s a walk with some hills but they are gentle enough for all abilities. This hike also includes a brief service of communion in the woods: informal inclusive worship with bread and wine on the earth as the altar. Bring a picnic snack and plan for a pub visit in Old Chelsea afterwards for liquid fortification.

Especially let us know if you can be a driver so we have enough room for everyone to travel together.

Saturday, May 14. Meet at 10:00 a.m. at the church!

Upcoming schedule changes for

Ottawa Race Weekend

Here’s what we are planning. The 8:00 a.m. service will continue as usual. If you’re able to be with us at the church, we’ll stick around to ring the bell and cheer on the runners. And here’s the experiment: We are holding the 10:15 service at 4:15 p.m. That might be a time for future worship experiments so let’s see how it feels. With option of post-worship patio hangout time. By the way, it’s going to a music extravaganza – we actually have big plans. And remember, it’s an experiment. Experiments encourage growth and learning. Put it in your calendar!

TAKE NOTE

Dear MHI supporters,

Thanks to everyone who attended our Annual General Meeting yesterday! As those of you who joined us in person and online already know.... the campaign for Tulipathon 2022 officially launched during the AGM! Check out our video message about the special Tulipathon celebration in honour of MHI's 20th anniversary below!

Announcing Tulipathon 2022! Join us at Commissioners Park on May 29.

(For those who wish to include the video in your congregation's worship service or another event, you can download a high-quality version of this video here.)

We hope to see as many of you as possible on Sunday, May 29 at Commissioners Park (across from Dow's Lake) in Ottawa. Registration is at 2:00 pm, while the opening ceremonies begin at 2:45 pm and the walk starts at 3:00 pm. Please visit the Tulipathon website to donate or set up your own fundraising page, get the scoop on the free t-shirts this year, learn more about our annual banner contest, and more!

Best wishes,

MHI staff

Thank you to everyone who has contacted the office with their key information.

If you haven't yet please remember to do so.

In order to keep in line of our safe church practices we would like to take inventory of building keys in circulation. Please contact the church office office@stjohnsottawa.ca and indicate the keys you have by number and which ministry the key was distributed for.

PWRDF responds to ACT

Alliance appeal for Ukraine

PWRDF is supporting Ukrainians forced to flee their homes due to the Russian invasion. A grant of $20,000 has been issued to an ACT alliance appeal funding the work of ACT member, the Hungarian Interchurch AID (HIA). HIA has been working in Ukraine for more than 25 years in humanitarian and development projects. It had already shipped 28 tons of food to support those fleeing to Hungary, and their staff have been working with refugees at the Ukraine/Hungary border.

To make a donation go to pwrdf.org/give-today and click on Response in Ukraine. You may also donate by phone at 416-822-9083 or leave a voicemail toll-free at 1-866-308-7973 and PWRDF will return your call. You can mail your cheque to PWRDF, 80 Hayden, 3rd floor, Toronto, Ontario, M4Y 3G2 or give through St. John’s. Please mark Ukraine in the memo field. Thank you for your support. St John’s PWRDF Committee.