This week at St John's

THIS WEEK AT ST JOHN'S

Dear Friends:

This week I wandered around the peony garden at the Central Experimental Farm taking pictures of my favourite ones. I had an idea that I could look at my pictures and rank my favourite flowers but as I looked through the images, I couldn't do it. Each one was magnificent! There were a few of us walking around in the peony garden and it felt like we had a mystical connection. I did the same with the tulips and trilliums and I find myself marvelling at how the flowers come out in an orderly progression, overlapping with each other as the season unfolds.

While the increasing hours of sunlight are less noticeable than the progression of flowers, the lengthening days have a profound effect on all of us. As we come to the longest day of the year - this coming Sunday - I feel joy about so much light, but also some sadness because the days immediately start to get shorter.

It's no accident that National Indigenous Peoples Day and the National Indigenous Day of Prayer coincide with the Solstice to mark this turning point. We are grateful that the Indigenous calendar calls our attention to the the seasons, and how they are accompanied by emotions, practices and celebrations.

The Christian calendar, while less obviously tied to seasons and light, challenges us this Sunday to be disciples who see light as a sign of truth and faithfulness. Jesus says, "what I say to you in the dark, tell in the light"! In this Sunday's reading from the First Nations Translation, Creator Sets Free (Jesus) says it this way: The things I have told you in secret at night, make them known when the sun rises."

On this longest day of the year, I invite you to come and worship as we thank God for the light. You are invited to stay following the service for a conversation about shaping the future of Indigenous engagement at St John's.

Gary+

SUNDAY June 21 | Fourth Sunday after Pentecost | 9:30am

Jeremiah 20:7-13; Psalm 69:7-15, 16-18; Philippians 4:4-9; Matthew 10:24-39

SUNDAY June 28 | Fifth Sunday after Pentecost | 9:30am

Jeremiah 28:5-9; Psalm 89:1-4, 15-18; Romans 6:12-23; Matthew 10:40-42

LISTEN TO RECORDED WORSHIP SERVICES

Worship recordings include the following portions of the service: prayers, readings, the sermon, and music.

Second Sunday after Pentecost - June 7, 2026

Trinity Sunday - May 31, 2026

Find all St John's Worship Recordings HERE

ST JOHN'S IN PICTURES

ABOVE: Pride Planning Group in June 2025 - see announcement below

BELOW: Throwback 2025 Pride Parade pictures

UPDATES

BELONG COMMUNITY BARBECUE

Friday, June 19, 12-2 p.m.

The Well (Belong Ottawa) is hosting a community barbecue this Friday, June 19, from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m at St. John the Evangelist Anglican Church. This event welcomes participants, neighbours, and parishioners to enjoy a delicious lunch and celebrate the start of summer together. This event will take place in the Elgin Street parking spots.

As a community ministry of the Anglican Diocese, Belong Ottawa supports individuals seeking hope and belonging by providing services and spaces where everyone is valued and supported. Visit their website to learn more and donate to help make moments like this possible: www.belongottawa.ca

India Bedson

Belong Ottawa

CAPITAL PRIDE EVENTS

Capital Pride Parade Touch Base:

Please join us immediately following the service on Sunday, June 28 to start planning St John's participation in the Capital Pride Parade on Sunday, August 30. We look forward to participating and organizing other parishes of the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa to join us.

Please also join our interfaith delegation to share in Temple Israel's Pride celebration on Friday June 26; details in the poster above.

ALUMINUM POP TABS

Last week, 11 pounds of pop can tabs were delivered to Clifford Bowey School in Ottawa. Money raised from selling the tabs will allow the school to purchase equipment for their students, such as teaching aids, sports equipment, wheelchairs, etc. Please collect your tabs and donate them to St. John’s. There is a large can labelled ‘pop can tabs’ on the table at the church entry near the name tags. Thank you for supporting this initiative.

Marilyn Collins

CHRISTMAS MARKET CALL FOR VENDORS

We are looking ahead to the next St. John’s Christmas Market on Saturday, November 21. Please help us to invite more vendors - if you know any artists, artisans or crafters who might be interested in participating in our market, please have them contact me for more information. You can reach me through the church office email HERE.

Jill Moll

Christmas Market Coordinator

LIFELONG LEARNING

A book for this summer!

In the summer we've made it a habit to read a book and then get together to talk about it. The book we've chosen for this year is Encampment: Resistance, Grace, and an Unhoused Community by Anglican priest Maggie Helwig.

Encampment is the story of St. Stephen-in-the-Fields, an Anglican church in Toronto's Kensington Market, and how they responded when economic pressures and lack of housing, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, pushed those without shelter to set up tents in their courtyard. It is also the story of those residents, of what brought them to that courtyard and what they found there, and how the church fought to let them stay when the city sought to evict them.

Our plan this year is to have a BBQ in July where we have time to discuss the book, our reactions to it, and its application for our own context. We will then also have a follow-up Zoom discussion for people who were unable to attend the BBQ and to continue any unfinished conversations.

Encampment can be ordered from Perfect Books and Indigo for around $25. It is also available at the Library, but there is currently a long wait list.

The Rev Canon Maggie Helwig was interviewed about Encampment on CBC Radio Ottawa on April 30, 2026. Listen to the interview HERE.

BOOKS & BBQ DATE: Saturday, July 18 - hosted by Ian & Michelle

ZOOM FOLLOW-UP DATE: Wednesday, July 22 - 7:00 p.m.

INDIGENOUS ENGAGEMENT

ANNOUNCEMENT

Kimberly Johnson has concluded her role as Indigenous Engagement Coordinator at St John's.

"This decision has come after many months of reflection and discernment and is not one I have made lightly. I am grateful for the opportunity to have contributed to the life of the parish and to support Indigenous engagement, education, relationship building, and reconciliation initiatives during my time in this role."

Kimberly notes increasing professional and personal commitments, and says that this work has been meaningful and important. "Thank you again for your support and for the opportunities I have had at St. John’s. I wish you and the parish every blessing in the future."

Over the past five years, the role of Indigenous Engagement Coordinator at St John's has grown to include so many facets:

Learning about Truth and Reconciliation and the Calls to Action
Smudging before worship services
Powwow Field Trips
Medicine Walks
Visits with Elders
Introduction to the Grandfather Teachings
Sermons
Introduction of the monthly reading of the Gospel from the First Nations Translation
Red Dress Day to remember Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirited People
Companionship and support for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit members of our St John's community
Survivor Flag during National Indigenous History Month and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

We are so grateful to Kimberly Johnson for all that she has shared with our community.

This Sunday's observance of National Indigenous Day of Prayer is an opportunity to reflect on how St John's continues to be called in this ministry. Please plan to stay following the service for a conversation looking to the future of Indigenous Engagement at St John's. Sunday, June 21, 11:00 a.m. in the chapel.

UPCOMING EVENTS

UPCOMING EVENTS FOR YOUR CALENDAR

WORSHIP EVERY SUNDAY

St John's worship services begin "summer hours" on June 7, with one weekly worship service on Sunday at 9:30 a.m.

Friday, June 19

Barbecue hosted by The Well - Belong Ottawa, St John's Elgin Parking Spots, 12:00 to 2:00 p.m.

Friday, June 26

Barbecue at St John's hosted by Multifaith Housing Institute, St John's Somerset Parking Spots, 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Saturday, July 18

Books & BBQ Event: Encampment by Maggie Helwig. Location details closer to the date.

Wednesday, July 22

Books & BBQ: Zoom Discussion, 7 p.m.

TO REMEMBER IN PRAYER

Our Parish

Prayers for those in leadership roles: Gary, Allen, Christina, Pat, Nicholas, Kimberly, Kerry, Aot, Monica, Barb, and all who minister at St. John's.

Prayer Requests: Dixie, Jane, Jene, David, Earl and Alice.

Our Diocese

Kathryn, our Bishop; Anne, our Metropolitan; Shane, our Primate.
Our Diocesan Partner: International Anglican Women’s Network of Canada (IAWN Canada).
The Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples, Archbishop Christopher Harper, National Indigenous Anglican Archbishop, Sacred Circle Events, and the ministry of reconciliation.
The Parish of West Carleton-March
St. Mary’s, North March
St. Paul’s Dunrobin
St. Thomas, Woodlawn
The Reverend Dr. Alana McCord
All church musicians serving in our Diocese.

Anglican Church of Canada

The Provincial Synod of the Ecclesiastical Province of Northern Lights.

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada

The congregations of the North area of the Saskatchewan Synod.

Together

The National Indigenous Day of Prayer: for healing and reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples.

Moravian Church in Canada

Delegates and participants at the 2026 Provincial Synod.

The Anglican Communion - Pray for Anglicans Worldwide

The Church of South India (United).

Flowers

The flowers are given to the glory of God and in loving memory of Memere and Doris Zastre by daughters and granddaughters April, Lia, Sandra and Colleen.

Parish Prayer Group

If you wish to have someone prayed for, send an email to:

Prayer Request

DONATE

CANADA HELPS QR CODE

e-transfer accounts@stjohnsottawa.ca

HOW YOU CAN DONATE TO ST JOHN'S

Identified donations to St John’s are charitable donations and are eligible for a charitable tax receipt. Receipts for donations made directly through St John’s are usually generated on an annual basis. Donations to St John’s through Canada Helps are receipted by Canada Helps.

Here are the different ways that you can give:

E-Transfer

accounts@stjohnsottawa.ca

PAR (Pre-Authorized Remittance)

Enrol in the PAR (Pre-Authorized Remittance) program, whereby a designated monthly amount is withdrawn from a parishioner’s bank account or credit card. Peggy Lister, the Envelope Secretary, will provide you with the application form required to enrol in this program.

Weekly Offering Envelopes

Use identified weekly offering envelopes to make your cash or cheque donation to St John’s. A request for such envelopes goes to Peggy Lister, the Envelope Secretary, who will provide the envelopes.

Cash or Cheque Donation on Sunday

Make a cash or cheque contribution during a weekly service. The donation must be identified (i.e. a name & address on the envelope or a cheque with the donor’s information) if the donor wishes to receive a charitable receipt for the donation.

Canada Helps

Make a donation to St John’s through Canada Helps by scanning the QR code on the weekly bulletin, the QR code on the sign at the back of the church or through the ‘donate’ button on the St John’s website. Canada Helps donations can be for a single time or set up as an on-going monthly donation.

With thanks to God for your generous support