This week at St John's

THIS WEEK AT ST JOHN'S

Dear Friends:

After some time for rest and adventures, I am looking forward to Sunday worship here at St John’s. I have been to services at Westminster Abbey and St Paul’s Cathedral in London, and at St Margaret’s Anglican Episcopal Church in Budapest – but there’s no place like home!

Here at St John’s, we are on our own adventure. This Sunday is especially exciting as our worship services are returning to the Nave. It’s going to be beautiful. I wish I could share a picture but we don’t have any yet. The workers are trying to get it all done and we are planning to move the new chairs into place on Saturday. Sunday will be the first time for all of us to see it.

It’s going to feel different – and beautiful – but you will recognize the layout. We are starting with familiar. Keep in mind that all of the furniture is now moveable – we look forward to future layout experiments after we have had time to settle in.

This Sunday, we leave our summer schedule and return to worship services at 8:00 and 10:15. If you forget and try to arrive at 9:30, come join the 8:00 coffee hour at Bridgehead. We pull a row of tables together so we can all visit. You are welcome to join our conversation.

Immediately after the 10:15 service, please stay for the Special Vestry Meeting to discuss the replacement of our flat roof. Details are in the notice below.

I am looking forward to reconnecting with you – or meeting you for the first time this Sunday!

Gary+

SCRIPTURES - Sunday, September 8 - Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Isaiah 35:4-7a; Psalm 146; James 2:1-13; 14-17; Mark 7:24-37

SCRIPTURES - Sunday, September 15 - Holy Cross

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 prayers, readings, a sermon, and music.

Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost - August 24, 2024

Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost - August 18, 2024

Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost & Pride Sunday - August 11, 2024

Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost - August 4, 2024

Find all St John's Worship Recordings HERE

WELCOMING REFUGEES

Last Saturday, the Refugee Assistance Group hosted a BBQ at an Alta Vista park for all our sponsored refugee families from Afghanistan and Eritrea - a total of 17 adults and 12 children, plus 8 RAG members. A downpour drove us to quickly gather up the food and have our meal inside the nearby home of Jane Morisset, RAG's Chair, but the weather did not dampen the spirits of the adults, who shared their experiences as newcomers, or the children, who had a ball making new friends and playing games in the park when the sun came out again.

RENEWING OUR BUILDING

We are about to reach a major milestone in our redevelopment project: on Sunday 8 September we will again be worshiping in the Nave! Both the Nave and the Chancel are ready for use and the bulk of the work now focusses on the Chapel.

Our construction team has been working with the architects and engineers to make progress on the design of the glass double-door between the Nave and the Chapel and its transom. I am jokingly told that this doorway is now the strongest part of the building.

We have finally settled on a ductless heat pump solution to provide both heating and cooling in the Chapel. Engineering drawings are being finalized now and work can then proceed on this task. This task also includes the installation of new ceiling fans in the Chapel.

These two larger tasks will be followed by the finishing touches of refinishing the floor in the Chapel (to match the new Chancel floor) and painting the new separating wall among other things.

SPECIAL VESTRY MEETING NOTICE

September 8, 2024

Please note that a Special Vestry Meeting is scheduled for September 8, immediately following the 10:15 service. The meeting will address the following agenda item:

Flat Roof Replacement

The two levels of flat roofs were identified in the Building Condition Assessment (2018) as needing to be replaced in the 2-to-5-year timeframe.
The administration offices have been facing intermittent leaking problems for years, despite multiple repair attempts.
Installing heat pumps on the problematic roofs is necessary to bring air conditioning into the Chancel and the Chapel.
Postponing roof work would require removing and reinstalling air conditioning units once the issue worsens.
Addressing the roofing concerns promptly is a more efficient solution.
LP Lundy, our contractors, have estimated the work to be between $167,000 and $197,000. The estimate is supported by three quotes from reputable roofing companies.
A generous bequest of $285,000 from the estate of Henry Sawatzky, designated for building maintenance, was received in July, aligning with the necessary roof repairs.

Corporation is seeking approval at the upcoming meeting to proceed with the roof replacement project and utilize the Sawatzky bequest to cover the costs.

BUY-A-CHAIR CAMPAIGN WRAPS UP SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 8

95 Chairs!

It will be exciting to worship in the Nave sitting in our new chairs and absorbing the beauty of our updated space. Thank you to everyone who has bought chairs over the course of the summer.

We’re very close to reaching 100 chairs. Wouldn’t that be an exciting end to our campaign?

We wrap up this Sunday. If you haven’t yet purchased a chair now is the time to do it.

Help support the renovations to our worship space.

Each chair is $200.

Donations can be made:

By E-transfer to office@stjohnsottawa.ca
Through Canada Helps at https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/108084658RR0007-church-of-st-john-the-evangelist/
By cheque made out St John’s Anglican Church, Ottawa

INTERFAITH UPDATES

KNITTING PILGRIM

Thursday, September 12, 7:30 p.m.

Temple Israel is hosting a knitting exhibition featuring works by Kirk Dunn. Dunn's works are large format knitted murals that encourage conversation about interfaith empathy, homophobia, anti-Semitism, and Islamophobia. Tickets available HERE.

PREACHING EXCHANGE WITH TEMPLE ISRAEL

Sunday, September 22 - 10:15 a.m.

We look forward to welcoming our friends from Temple Israel, Ottawa's Reform synagogue. Rabbi Daniel Mikelberg and Canon Gary van der Meer will each reflect on the Jewish and Christian lectionary scriptures of the day.

SOLIDARITY INVITATION - TERROR ATTACK

Monday, October 7, 2024 - 7 pm

The Jewish Federation of Ottawa, in partnership with the Embassy of Israel and the Soloway Jewish Community Centre, invites you to join us for a commemoration and memorial event marking the first anniversary of the October 7 terror attack.

This solemn gathering will feature a monument unveiling, as well as community speeches, prayers, and inspiring songs by a Christian & Jewish interfaith choir, as we come together to honour the memory of those who were lost and to find hope for the future. Join us as we gather in solidarity and remember.

Register HERE. Location will be shared in confirmation message after registration. Please bring your proof of confirmation for admittance to the event. I.D and bags will be checked on entry.

LOOKING AHEAD

MORE UPCOMING EVENTS FOR YOUR CALENDAR

Saturday, September 21

Memorial Service for Katie Seymour. 2:00 p.m.

Thursday, September 26

Retirement Celebration: Rachel Robinson, Executive Director - Belong Ottawa - 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Sunday, September 29

Service for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Saturday, October 26

Church Safety Training - Second Session, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Saturday, November 23

St John's Christmas Market (Back-up date is Saturday, November 30)

TO REMEMBER IN PRAYER

Our Parish

Prayers for those in leadership roles: Gary, Allen, Christina, Pat, Kimberly, Kerry, Jesse, Monica, Barb, Jeff, Marianne, and all who minister at St John's. Those in need of our prayers: Diana, Sarah, Marcela, Pat and Wilma.

Our Diocese

Shane, our Bishop; Anne, our Metropolitan; Linda, our Primate.
The Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples, The Rt Rev Christopher Harper, National Indigenous Anglican Archbishop, Sacred Circle Events, and the Ministry of Reconciliation.
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, Leitrim and The Reverend Nash Smith.
All Saints, Greely and The Reverend Margo Whittaker.

Anglican Church of Canada

The Most Rev. Lynne McNaughton, Metropolitan, and the clergy and people of the Ecclesiastical Province of British Columbia and Yukon.

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada

The Assistant to the Bishop and staff of the British Columbia Synod.

The Anglican Communion - Pray for Anglicans Worldwide

The Church of the Province of Myanmar (Burma).

Parish Prayer Group

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

office@stjohnsottawa.ca

A Time of Prayer:

Almighty God, thank you for the faithful service of those you appointed to go ahead of you to spread your love and your message to those around them. We pray that you would help us to do our part to continue sharing your love and message to those around us: in our parishes and community where you have put us. Guide us to the places where you want us to go and bless our efforts to further your kingdom here on earth. In your holy name we pray, Amen.

DONATE

CANADA HELPS QR CODE

e-transfer office@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

office@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