Dear Friends:

This week, I returned to one of my favourite books about Holy Week. The Last Week, by Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan, was originally published in 2006. Its subtitle, "A Day-by-Day Account of Jesus's Final Week in Jerusalem," accurately describes what to expect in chapters named by the day of the week.

I referenced this book in my Palm Sunday sermon because an article in the New York times that morning presented Borg and Crossan's thesis that Jesus' arrival in Jerusalem on a donkey was a deliberate mockery and parody of a coinciding Roman imperial procession. The article, by Episcopal priest and Oxford PhD candidate Andrew Thayer, is entitled "Palm Sunday was a Protest, Not a Procession." Andrew Thayer doesn't mention Borg and Crossan (he should have given credit where credit is due) but I support how Thayer applies Jesus' protest to the events of our times.

It has been a joy to re-enter The Last Week. This classic book helps us live with Jesus through Holy Week. I recommend it if you ever want to read an approachable introduction to the significance of Jesus.

Here's what to expect for Holy Week as St John's retells the last days of Jesus' life.

• Palm Sunday: Listen to the worship recording here. Please ask for a blessed palm branch if you didn't get one. It's worth keeping as a reminder of how Jesus challenges you and all of us to live lives of authentic love.
• Maundy Thursday 6 p.m. This Thursday, we share a meal during which we retell Jesus' final supper with the disciples, a meal which became the first Eucharist. We remember that at this meal, Jesus washed the disciples feet as an example of the "servant leadership" we are to live by. Our meal is a ticketed event in the lower level of the church. Please come to the Somerset Street entrance in time for us to begin at 6:00.
• Maundy Thursday 8:00 p.m. If you are not attending the dinner, please come to the church at 8:00 for a shorter service focused on Jesus' betrayal and arrest.
• Good Friday 10:15 a.m. On Friday, we hear the full account of Jesus' death as a dramatic presentation, with the congregation taking the part of the crowd that demanded Jesus' death. This service presents our solidarity with Jesus in his suffering and our prayers for all who suffer, trusting in God's love and forgiveness.
• Holy Saturday 7:30 p.m. The Easter Vigil is the Holy Week equivalent to Christmas Eve, including candles in the dark and the great dramatic celebration of Christ's resurrection. Going back to early church traditions of this service as a celebration of baptism, we are delighted to welcome Maroua's baptism into Christ's resurrection. This service is followed by a Resurrection Party of wine, cheese, and chocolate.
• Easter Sunday 8:00 & 10:15 a.m. Our celebration continues as Mary Magdalene lingers by the tomb where she meets the resurrected Jesus and initially thinks that he is the gardener. The 8:00 service does not include music. At 10:15, the music is dramatic with Easter hymns accompanied by organ, trumpets and drums.

You're welcome for all of it. I hope the significance of Jesus grows for you in our day-by-day journey with him.

Gary+

HOLY WEEK SERVICES & SCRIPTURES

Thursday, April 17 - Maundy Thursday

6:00 p.m. - Exodus 12:1-14; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; John 13:1-17, 31b-35

8:00 p.m. - Matthew 26:30-46; Psalm 22

Friday, April 18 - Good Friday - 10:15 a.m.

Isaiah 52:13-53:12; Psalm 22; Hebrews 4:14-16, 5:7-9; John 18:1-19:42

Saturday, April 19 - Easter Vigil - 7:30 p.m.

Genesis 1:1-2:4a and Psalm 136:1-9, 23-26; Genesis 7:1-5, 11-18; 8:6-18; 9:8-13 and Psalm 46; Exodus 14:10-31; 15:20-21 and Exodus 15:1b-13, 17-18; Isaiah 55:1-11 and Isaiah 12:2-6; Romans 6:3-11 and Psalm 114; Luke 24:1-12 

Sunday, April 20 - Easter Day - 8:00 a.m. & 10:15 a.m.

Isaiah 65:17-25; Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24; Acts 10:34-43; John 20:1-18

LISTEN TO RECORDED WORSHIP SERVICES

Worship recordings include prayers, readings, a sermon, and music.

Palm and Passion Sunday - April 13, 2025

Fifth Sunday in Lent - April 6, 2025

Find all St John's Worship Recordings HERE

Holy Week on the Children's Focus Table:

The children are encouraged to move the figures around.

Palm Sunday:

Bosco, Allen, Sherrie, Gary & Allen

Maura with her granddaughter Charlotte, Gordon & Gaston

Luka's beautiful poster for Art Credo's Poetry and Music Night.

Copies of the poster are available for you to post!

Ojibwe Spirit Horses at Mādahòkì Farm: The Ojibwe Spirit Horse is the only known Indigenous breed of horse in Canada. In the 1970s these sacred horses almost went extinct as they were wild and eating farmer’s fields. Some brave men from Lac La Croix FN captured the last four wild mares and, like in a scene out of a movie, took them across the frozen ice to Minnesota, where they started to bring back the breed with over 180 registered today. These horses are smaller and built for the Canadian forests with hairy ears and an extra nose flap. Many have the prehistoric tiger striping on their legs and dorsal stripes on their backs. The Ojibwe Spirit Horses live at Madahoki Farm.

Join our field trip to Mādahòkì Farm - see the details below.

ART CREDO IS COMING!

 The 46^th Art Credo Exhibit and Sale promises to be another wonderful art show! It will run from Saturday April 26^th to Sunday May11^th. We will have over 100 works of art from 45 artists.

The Vernissage will be in the evening of Friday April 25^th from 7:00 to 9:00 PM. Everyone is invited to come and to bring a friend. Get an early peek at the artwork, meet some of the artists, and enjoy some wine & cheese.

Volunteers needed: If you can offer 3 hours of your time to welcome guests and watch over the artworks (in teams of two people), please sign up on-line at https://tinyurl.com/mubyn8j3 , or you can contact Detlef or Mary Ann (contact details below). Finally, we are also looking for someone to organize the hospitality part of the Vernissage, that is: food and libations—purchase, set-up, serve and take-down.

In conjunction with Art Credo, there will be a Paint-Along workshop on Saturday afternoon April 26^th (the first day that Art Credo is open to the public), and a Poetry & Music Night on Thursday evening May 8^th. See the details in the posters below.

Contacts: 

Detlef Dransch: ddransch@sympatico.ca 613.592.9897

Mary Ann Varley: varleymaryann1@bell.net , 613.745.2996

ART CREDO - PAINT ALONG

ART CREDO - POETRY & MUSIC NIGHT

SCRIPTURE READ-ALONG

The Scripture Read-Along is back! During the Easter Season, we will read from the Book of Acts every Sunday. Experience the flow of how these stories of the early church fit together. Join us on Sunday, April 27 for Acts Part 1: Chapters 1-14. We will meet in the Chapel immediately after the 10:15 service (approximately 12:00 noon). Please also note Part 2: Chapters 15-28 on Sunday, June 1.

Our session includes an introduction to the book by Canon Pat Johnston. The time frame is approximately one and a quarter hours. Bring a sandwich!

INDIGENOUS ENGAGEMENT

A note from Kimberly:

Osiyo Nigadv (Hello Everyone)

I hope this note finds everyone anticipating the season and making plans to spend time outside. I know we are longing for the “sunlit springs and flowing streams.” 

Mādahòkì Farm Field Trip Update: We have three more spots! A few people had to change their plans and can’t attend. Let me know if you would like to attend. The cost is $25/person.

Mādahòkì Farm is located on 164 acres of Ottawa’s Greenbelt. Its mission is to share the experience of land, stories and food from an Indigenous perspective. We will immerse ourselves in an Indigenous learning experience with opportunity to learn more about the herd of endangered Ojibwe Spirit Horses. Our field trip is full (waiting list only)!

Find out more about the farm: https://madahoki.ca/about-the-farm/

UPCOMING EVENTS FOR YOUR CALENDAR

Every Sunday

• Worship Services at 8:00 and 10:15 a.m. (Summer schedule is one service at 9:30 from June 1 to Labour Day).

Thursday, April 17

• Maundy Thursday: Part I - Paschal Meal. 6:00 p.m.; Part II - Liturgy of the Agony in the Garden. 8:00 p.m. We need volunteers ln various roles, including shopping, cooking, serving, and putting everything away in the Well space where we are holding the dinner.

Friday, April 18

• Good Friday. 10:15 a.m.

Saturday, April 19

• Easter Vigil. 7:30 p.m. Resurrection Party follows the service. We need two volunteers to lead the Resurrection Party.

Sunday, April 20

• Easter Sunday. 8:00 & 10:15 a.m.

Friday April 25

• Art Credo Vernissage 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Saturday April 26 - Sunday May 11th

• Art Credo runs daily.

Saturday, April 26

• Church Field Trip to Mādahòkì Farm, 10:00 a.m.
• Art Credo Paint Along 1-3 p.m. in the Nave.

Sunday, April 27

• Scripture Read-Through: Acts Part 1 (Chapters 1-14) 12:00 p.m. in the chapel.
• Multifaith Housing Initiative AGM, 1:30 p.m. Rideau Park United Church.

Sunday, May 4

• Multifaith Housing Presentation, Warriors Chapel, 12:15 p.m.

Monday, May 5

• Red Dress Day: National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered, Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIIA+ Peoples

Thursday, May 8

• Art Credo Poetry and Music Night. 6 p.m. in the Nave.

Sunday May 11

• Interfaith Conversation with Temple Israel and Ahmadiyya Mosque at 3:00 p.m. hosted by Temple Israel. Conversation Theme: "My Canadian Home: Navigating the Questions of Citizenship as a Jew, Christian, and Muslim."

Sunday, May 25

• Tulipathon, Fundraising Walk for Multifaith Housing Initiative. Commissioners Park (across from Dows Lake), 3:00 p.m.
• Ascension Children's Service, 3-5 p.m.

Saturday, May 31

• Thrift Shop Fashion Show

Sunday, June 1

• Scripture Read-Through: Acts Part 2 (Chapters 15-28) 12:00 p.m. in the chapel.
• Pride Month Begins

Our Parish

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

Prayer Requests: Alice, David, Inga, Peter & Jack

Our Diocese

• Shane, our Bishop; Anne, our Metropolitan and Acting Primate.
• The Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples, Sacred Circle, The Ministry of Reconciliation and our National Indigenous Archbishop, The Most Rev. Christopher Harper.
• St. Columba, Ottawa and The Reverend Susan Lewis.
• For theological education: students, teachers, and field education supervisors. 

Anglican Church of Canada

• The Most Rev. Anne Germond, Archbishop, and the clergy and people of the Diocese of Algoma.

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada

• The congregations of the Southern Manitoba area of the Manitoba-Northwestern Ontario Synod.

Together

• Climate justice and healthy relationships 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

• Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui.



Parish Prayer Group

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

office@stjohnsottawa.ca

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

ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST

ANGLICAN CHURCH

www.stjohnsottawa.ca

 154 Somerset Street West, Ottawa, ON K2P 0H8

613-232-4500

office@stjohnsottawa.ca

The Reverend Canon Gary van der Meer, Rector

The Reverend Canon Allen Box, Honorary Assistant 

The Reverend Canon Pat Johnston, Honorary Assistant

The Reverend Christina Guest, Honorary Assistant

Nicholas Busch, Director of Music

Kimberly Johnson, Indigenous Engagement Coordinator  

Barbara Dransch, Rector’s Warden

Monica Patten, People's Warden 

Pat Fisher, Parish Council Chair