This week at St John's

THIS WEEK AT ST JOHN'S

Dear Friends:

In the Gospel reading for this coming Sunday, Jesus sees the crowds and we are told that "he had compassion for them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd."

I'm too urban to understand about sheep that do not have a shepherd, but it does paint a picture of Jesus' mission in it's original rural setting. I think we can all identify with what the image is meant to describe. People. People with burdens and worries; people drained and tired from the hardness of life.

Jesus' response is to call disciples by name. He sends them to serve. They are organized, they care about people, and they also identify with the struggles everyone has. They get involved in ways that lighten the burdens. As Jesus also says, "Come to me, all you who are heavy-laden, and I will refresh you."

As a church community, we carry on what they started. Some of us are available and wanting to be called to something. Some of us are intensely busy, in the thick of supporting people and community life. Some of us are ready for others to carry on our efforts. All of this is happening in our community at St John's and all of it goes back to Jesus.

In this newsletter, you will see facets of our discipleship that are worth celebrating:

Doors Open Ottawa: St John's welcomed people who have never been inside a church before.
Interfaith Friendship: St John's was honoured this week for deep friendship with communities of other faiths, notably for our friendship with Temple Israel.
Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID): St John's hosted an information evening to help people to think through end-of-life planning.

St John's is a community of hospitality. There is refreshment here when you're feeling heavy-laden. You might feel called to join the many volunteers whose effort makes all of this happen. With thanks to God for all our volunteers and for you.

Please join us on Sunday for Jesus' invitation to the original disciples - and to us.

Gary+

Information Evening on Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID)

Gary with Dr Justine Amaro and Dr James Downar

SUNDAY June 14 | Third Sunday after Pentecost | 9:30am

Exodus 19:2-8a; Psalm 100; Romans 5:1-8; Matthew 9:35-10:8-23

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

Jeremiah 20:7-13; Psalm 69:7-15, 16-18; Romans 6:1b-11; Matthew 10:24-39

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

The Day of Pentecost - May 24, 2026

Seventh Sunday of Easter - Interfaith Preaching Weekend - May 15 & 17, 2026

Find all St John's Worship Recordings HERE

ST JOHN'S IN PICTURES

Doors Open Ottawa: St John's welcomed over 170 visitors! These were especially younger visitors and many had never been inside a church before.

ABOVE: Barbara, Glen & Vicki with the sign

BELOW: Enjoying the Creche and Ringing the Bell.

Interfaith Leadership Award: St John's and Temple Israel representatives attended the Joy of Faith annual event hosted by the Capital Region Interfaith Council. Our communities were honoured for our leadership in setting an example of friendship between congregations of different faiths. Merle Haltrecht-Matte accepted the award on behalf of Rabbi Daniel Mikelberg and Temple Israel.

UPDATES

SAFETY NOTICE

Please do not leave anything of value unattended. We have had a few unfortunate incidents in recent weeks and we want to ensure your belongings are safe when visiting. Thank you for your cooperation.

CIRCLE OF CARE INVITATION & UPDATE

Sunday, June 14, 11:30 a.m.

Circle of Care Leadership Group: Brian, Marianne, Monica, Gary

I think you will agree that St. John’s is a caring community. That quality is what brings people to join us, and then to stay. We look out for each other in different ways, often through the connections forged on Sundays and at the great variety of learning and social opportunities St. John’s offers.

This past February, we launched a parish Circle of Care ministry. The goal of the Circle is to extend our informal networks of support and friendship and make sure that no person is left out when they are in need. Over twenty people attended our post-service launch, and many of them signed up to be part of the Circle of Care in different capacities. We would love to have more people join. Please consider joining us following the 9:30 service when we will describe how the Circle of Care works, invite you to join if you haven’t already, and describe what our plans are for the fall.

Brian Cameron

Circle of Care Leadership Group

MAID INFORMATION EVENING

Dr Justine Amaro and Dr James Downar

Thanks to our wonderful guests, Dr Amaro and Dr Downar for this week's information evening about Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID). Recognizing that some people wanted to attend but were not able to make it, and that you may also have questions, please see the attached edited transcript of our session. Please note that this a long document - we hope the information and questions asked will be helpful for you.

BELONG COMMUNITY BARBECUE

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

The Well (Belong Ottawa) is hosting a community barbecue on 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.

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

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

The National Indigenous Day of Prayer is observed on Sunday, June 21, 2026. This sacred occasion—coinciding with the summer solstice and falling on the same day as National Indigenous Peoples Day—invites communities to honor First Nations, Inuit, and Métis cultures, celebrate Creator's gifts, and commit to ongoing healing and right relationships.

The Anglican Church of Canada publishes resources for our observance, including the Collect of the Day:

Creator God,

from you every family in heaven and earth takes its name.

You have rooted and grounded us

in your covenant love,

and empowered us by your Spirit

to speak the truth in love,

and to walk in your way towards justice and wholeness.

Mercifully grant that your people,

journeying together in partnership,

may be strengthened and guided

to help one another to grow into the full stature of Christ,

who is our light and our life. Amen.

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 12

Psalms as Poetry Recital, 7:30 p.m. Parish Hall

Sunday, June 14

Parish Circle of Care update meeting following the 9:30 worship service

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: Jene, David, Earl and Alice.

Our Diocese

Kathryn, our Bishop; Anne, our Metropolitan; Shane, our Primate.
Our Diocesan Partners: Kairos Ottawa and Saint Paul University.
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 Office
St. Thomas the Apostle Anglican Church, Ottawa
The Reverend Tim Kehoe
The Reverend Maria Nightingale

Anglican Church of Canada

The Most Rev. Gregory Kerr-Wilson, Metropolitan, and the clergy and people of the Ecclesiastical Province of Northern Lights.

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada

The congregations of the Regina area of the Saskatchewan Synod.

Together

Global partners and companions.

Moravian Church in Canada

The Anglican Communion - Pray for Anglicans Worldwide

Church of the Province of South East Asia.

Flowers

The flowers are given to the glory of God and in loving memory of Ralph Banke and Sylvia Banke and Ben and Rachael Hussey by Daryl Banke and Mark Hussey.

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