This week at St John's

THIS WEEK AT ST JOHN'S

Dear Friends

We have some pictures to share about happenings at St John’s this summer!

Our summer edition of Books & Barbecue came together on Wednesday, July 26 for the book Falling Upward. A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life by Richard Rohr. The conversation was rich, the warmth of friendship was beautiful and the food was delicious. Thanks to Ian and Michelle for hosting.

This past Sunday was a final celebration with Josh Zentner-Barrett. Josh began playing the organ at St John’s in 2011. We were delighted and grateful for this final Sunday and wish him well in his future studies and ministry.

READ HERE

In case you missed it, Margot Cameron was published in the Ottawa Citizen this past Saturday, congratulating the National Capital Commission on the refurbished River House on the Ottawa River. If you needed encouragement to be involved in the wider community – there are so many ways to do so - here’s another beautiful example!

Welcome every Sunday 9:30 a.m. for worship. These summer Sundays, we read from Matthew’s Gospel as Jesus travels through Galilee sharing meals and stories of good news. Welcome!

Gary+

ST JOHN’S PRIDE SERVICE – Sunday, August 27, 9:30 a.m.

On the day of the Ottawa Pride Parade, you are invited to walk with St John’s as we join the other affirming Anglican congregations to walk in the Parade. It has been my experience at Pride Parades that there are many people in the crowd who have had a repressive experience of religion. Seeing us representing a church gives them hope that what they have felt isn’t true of all congregations. They are grateful – and so are we when we can give a person hope along with open hearts and open doors. This year, we are sharing the Pride service with Temple Israel, the Reform Synagogue of Ottawa. We are invited to Temple Israel on Friday evening 6:30 p.m. for their service, and then Rabbi Daniel Mikelberg and synagogue members will join our service on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. Rabbi Daniel and I will share both sermon times to talk about how your traditions and our congregations have made the journey to becoming welcoming and inclusive and actively engaging people who identify as 2SLGBTQQIA+. There is much to celebrate and we will both talk about the work that we think still needs to be accomplished.

WHAT'S HAPPENING

SUMMER READING

Our Home and Treaty Land: Walking Our Creation Story

This is our book study for early fall. It is written as a dialogue between Rev. Dr. Raymond Aldred, a status Cree and Rev. Dr. Matthew Anderson, a settler-descended biblical scholar.

"Treaty is the key to the shared narrative, shared spirituality and shared respect for the land." Through each author's chapters we learn the importance of understanding what Treaty meant to First Nations and to Newcomers.Accepting the truth of what happened is the first step in reconciliation.

Copies are available at Perfect Books on Elgin Street. There are three sessions, all on Saturday mornings from 9:30 to 11, beginning on Saturday Sept. 9th, then Sept. 23rd and the third on October 14th.