This week at St John's

THIS WEEK AT ST JOHN'S

Dear Friends:

Welcome to September! This Sunday, we leave behind our summer hours to return to worship services at 8:00 and 10:15 a.m.

We also return to a regular children's ministry program during the 10:15 service. We look forward to commissioning our Children's Ministry Leaders (Sunday School teachers) at the conclusion of the service. We look forward to welcoming children every Sunday!

And, at last, this Sunday, come to enjoy the return of the digital organ. After our spring fundraising effort, the refurbishment has been completed. Come and hear the result of our efforts - with thanks for your support and patience.

As always, we welcome everyone to stay following the service for refreshments served in the Nave. We love lemonade, but coffee is back following the 10:15 service. And Bridgehead is expecting us following the 8:00 service.

This newsletter features pictures from St John's participation in Capital Pride, and a brief report about the parade (which did not take place).

Looking forward to seeing you as we worship together this Sunday!

Gary+

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 7 | Thirteenth Sunday After Pentecost

Scriptures: Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Psalm 1; Philemon 1:1-21; Luke 14:25-33

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER14 | Fourteenth Sunday After Pentecost

Scriptures: Numbers 21:4b-9; Psalm 98:1-5; 1 Corinthians 1:18-24; John 3:13-17

LISTEN TO RECORDED WORSHIP SERVICES

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

Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost - August 31, 2025

Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost - Pride Sermon - August 24, 2025

Find all St John's Worship Recordings HERE

ST JOHN'S IN PICTURES

CAPITAL PRIDE

Jamie and Pat in Proud Anglicans t-shirts.

Gary and Nick in the new St John's t-shirts.

Order your St John's shirt this fall. There will be a sign-up sheet - coming soon!

Thanks!

We have many people to thank for St John's participation. Thanks to Diana (above), one of the founders of PFLAG (Parents and Families of Gays and Lesbians). Luka (below), for designing our t-shirt, Ron (below) our past organizer with an eye for details, Maroua (below) for her experience with t-shirt orders, and our leader, Marianne Harkema (below on the ladder). Thanks also to Allan Whetter, who offered and brought his vehicle to carry particpants in the parade. There are many more people to thank - we are grateful for all of you!

CAPITAL PRIDE REPORT

Our Capital Pride photo album presents a happy gathering of our St John's community and representatives of several Diocese of Ottawa parishes. Sadly, the parade began but was halted. Our Proud Anglicans group did not make it out of the staging area.

At first we were confused, and then news began to travel backwards through the crowd that the parade had been cancelled by a protest by the group Queers4Palestine.The news was followed by spectators coming towards us saying that they were bringing the parade to us by walking the length of the staging area. We turned our parish signs outwards for the passing spectators and greeted them. I guess we were trying to make the best of events beyond our control. We were hot from waiting in the sun and there was a sense of resignation when we also made our way to leave.

St John's put a lot of work into this. We took on organizing the Anglican presence on behalf of Diocese. We created signs, arranged the vehicle, produced new t-shirts, and we were excited to make the day memorable and meaningful.

If you followed the story, you may realize where things have been left. Capital Pride and Queers4Palestine each accuse the other of bad faith, with hardened positions and diverging accounts of what happened. On the one hand: "Why would protesters work against the progress other groups have made?" On the other: Pride is "always a struggle for liberation — not just for us, but for oppressed people everywhere." Queers4Palestine's position was supported by a prominent editorial in the Ottawa Citizen, which said that Pride is hollow if it ignores the oppression in Palestine.

Pride is important to St John's as part of our story - and we are part of this larger story. In the coming year, let's find ways to continue to tell our Pride story as we watch the unfolding of what will happen at the parade next year. I hope we keep our organizing role, but let's also work on other ways to channel our passion for welcome and justice. I encourage you to follow along and understand both positions. Pray for the leaders in our community, pray for the Capital Pride organizers, pray for the people of Gaza.

Should this not be resolved in time for next year's Capital Pride, let's be thinking about what we might create in addition to the hoped-for parade. May God encourage our creativity as well as our longing for justice.

The Rev Canon Gary van der Meer

NEWS

NICHOLAS BUSCH

Associate - Royal Canadian College of Organists

Our Director of Music, Nicholas Busch, became an Associate of the Royal Canadian College of Organists at the recent RCCO convocation ceremony. The Associateship is one of the College’s highest-level exams, requiring tests in playing organ repertoire, hymns, and keyboard harmony (sightreading, improvisation) as well as a full day of written papers. Nick was the top-ranking candidate in the whole country and was awarded several prizes for top marks. Congratulations, Nick!

UPCOMING EVENTS

Ottawa Mosque Tour and Orientation to Islam - Saturday, September 28, 10:00 a.m.

Sukkot Celebration with Temple Israel and Ahmaddiya Mosque - Thursday, October 9, 7:00 p.m.

Please add your name to the sign-up sheet at the back of the church or send an email to office@stjohnsottawa.ca

CENTRETOWN CHURCHES SOCIAL ACTION COMMITTEE

The annual Walkathon to raise funds for the Centretown Community Food Centre will be on Sunday, October 5. Please join Emmy Verdun by walking and donating to this worthy cause. The walk starts at 2 pm from Canadian Martyrs Church on Main Street.

You can give your donations to Emmy Verdun or Gay Richardson — or better yet, donate online through Canada Helps.

INVITATION FROM TEMPLE ISRAEL

This powerful documentary offers a searing look at the eruption of antisemitism on college campuses, across social media, and in the streets of North America — beginning the very day after Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7th.

Following the screening, a moderated discussion will feature individuals with lived experience of the rise in antisemitism here in Ottawa. This promises to be a vital opportunity for dialogue, reflection, and action.

Date: September 20, 2025

Time: 7:00pm

Location: To be confirmed prior to the event

RSVP: October 8 Film - Form - Temple Israel

INDIGENOUS ENGAGEMENT

Siyo Nigadv (Hi Everyone)! Welcome to September!

This is the time of preparation for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 20. Join us as St John's marks this day to honour children who never returned home from residential schools, as well as the survivors, their families, and communities.

On Saturday, September 20, we welcome Elder Louella who will lead us in a Sharing Circle focused on the Medicine Wheel Teachings. 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the church.
Wear orange for worship services on September 28, to observe Orange Shirt Day.
Join city-wide events for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, on September 30. The day is a federal statutory holiday intended for learning, reflection, and commemorative activities related to the legacy of residential schools.

As a new initiative, Bishop Shane Parker, now Archbishop Shane, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, is inviting all parishes to consider displaying the Survivors' Flag as a sign of acknowledgement and respect. The flag is now displayed at Church House, the headquarters of the Anglican Church of Canada in Toronto.

ABOVE: Church House in Toronto with the Survivors' Flag on display.

BELOW: The Survivors' Flag - find out more about it HERE.

Looking forward in Gadugi (a Cherokee word meaning "people coming together as one and working to help one another").

Kimberly Johnson

indigengcoord@stjohnsottawa.ca

St John's Indigenous Engagement Coordinator

THE YELLOW BOX

Upcoming Events for your Calendar

Sunday, September 7

Worship Schedule: St John's returns to two Sunday services at 8:00 & 10:15 a.m.

Saturday, September 20

Sharing Circle with Elder Louella: Medicine Wheel Teachings, 9:30-11:30 a.m
Bishop Shane Thanksgiving Celebration: Christ Church Cathedral, 11 a.m.
Marriage of Hayden & Patrice, St John's, 3:30 p.m.
Temple Israel Movie Screening and Selichot, 7 p.m.

Sunday, September 21

Children's Service, 3:00 p.m.

Saturday, September 27

Field Trip to Ottawa Mosque, 10:00 a.m. 251 Northwestern Ave.

Sunday, September 28

Celebration of Baptism, 10:15 a.m.

Sunday, October 5

Walk for the Centre, to support Centretown Community Food Centre, 1:30 to 4:00 p.m. starting from Canadian Martyrs Church on Main Street.

Thursday, October 9

Sukkot Interfaith Celebration, Temple Israel, 7 p.m.

Sunday, October 12

Harvest Thanksgiving Services, 8:00 & 10:15 a.m.

TO REMEMBER IN PRAYER

Our Parish

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

Prayer Requests: James, Alice, David, Barton, Sara, Doug. Give thanks for the life of Helène Simard, and pray for her family.

Our Diocese

We pray for Shane, our Primate and Bishop of Ottawa; Anne, our Metropolitan.
Our Community Ministries:
Belong Ottawa: Centre 454; St Luke’s Table; The Well/La Source
Centre 105 (Cornwall)
Cornerstone Housing for Women
Ottawa Pastoral Counselling Centre
Refugee Ministry
St. James Church, Leitrim and The Reverend Nash Smith.
All Saints Church, Greely and The Reverend Margo Whittaker.

Anglican Church of Canada

The theological colleges and training programs within the Ecclesiastical Province of Rupert’s Land: Arthur Turner Training School, the Centre for Christian Studies, the College of Emmanuel and St. Chad, Henry Budd College for Ministry, Saint John’s College, Dr. William Winter School for Ministry, James Settee College for Ministry.

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada

Together

For the Season of Creation and a renewed commitment to a healthy relationship with the Earth.

Moravian Church in Canada.

The Moravian Church has joined Full Communion with Anglicans and Lutherans - read about the Moravian Church HERE

The Anglican Communion - Pray for Anglicans Worldwide

The Anglican Church of Southern Africa.

Parish Prayer Group

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

office@stjohnsottawa.ca

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