This week at St John's

THIS WEEK AT ST JOHN'S

Dear Friends:

This week marks the 50^th anniversary of the fall of Saigon to North Vietnamese troops. You might wonder: What on earth does that have to do with St. John’s? The one-word answer is: refugees.

The Communist takeover initiated a prolonged exodus of refugees to neighbouring countries, many of them taking to the sea in flimsy boats. Canada had an unprecedented response to this calamity, in what the Vietnamese-Canadian author Vinh Nguyen calls “a miraculous confluence of political will, grassroots organizing and inter-group collaboration.” More than 60,000 refugees were resettled in less than a year and a half, beginning in 1979. St. John’s was part of this effort, sponsoring a Vietnamese family and working with them to find schools, jobs, health care and much else over several years.

Since then, St. John’s Refugee Assistance Group has sponsored scores of individuals and families from countries as diverse as Afghanistan, Bhutan, Bosnia, Eritrea, and Iraq. The official sponsorship period is one year, but in all cases, the relationship continues well beyond that. One of the most rewarding aspects of this process is watching the children integrate into Canadian society through school and participation in community activities, such as hockey. The children of the Vietnamese boat people have made enormous contributions to Canada in so many fields, as will their grandchildren, and the same will be true of the Afghan and Eritrean children we have most recently sponsored.

We should take pride in welcoming the stranger, including the migrants from African countries who have found their way to St. John’s over the past year and more. Recently, JD Vance, a Catholic convert, referenced St. Thomas Aquinas’s concept of ordo amoris, an “order of love,” to justify the Trump administration’s heartless expulsion of migrants. In Vance’s words, “We should love our family first, then our neighbors, then love our community, then our country, and only then consider the interests of the rest of the world.”

Pope Francis was quick to correct Vance. In a letter to the U.S. Bishops on February 10, Francis emphasized that “[T]he true ordo amoris that must be promoted is that which we discover by meditating constantly on the parable of the ‘Good Samaritan’ (cf. Lk 10:25-37), that is, by meditating on the love that builds a fraternity open to all, without exception.”

I hope you can join us this Sunday at 8:00 or 10:15 to celebrate the love that created and surrounds us and that is the basis of the Christian commitment to working for the good of every neighbour without exception.

Brian Cameron, Guest Editor

P.S. Please also consider staying after the 10:15 service for a presentation on the Multifaith Housing Initiative, an important organization working to increase the supply of affordable housing and get at-risk people into safe, secure homes. Sandwiches will be provided, so please let us know HERE if you are coming.

Cue the trumpets! More Easter Sunday photos below.

SUNDAY MAY 4 | Third Sunday of Easter | 8:00 & 10:15 a.m.

Scriptures: Acts 9:1-20, Psalm 30; Revelation 5:11-14; John 21:1-19

SUNDAY MAY 11 | Fourth Sunday of Easter | 8:00 & 10:15 a.m.

Scriptures: Acts 9:36-43; Psalm 23; Revelation 7:9-17; John 10:22-30

LISTEN TO RECORDED WORSHIP SERVICES

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

Second Sunday of Easter - April 27, 2025

Easter Sunday - April 20, 2025

Easter Vigil - April 19, 2025

Good Friday - April 18, 2025

Palm and Passion Sunday - April 13, 2025

Find all St John's Worship Recordings HERE

ST JOHN'S IN PICTURES THIS WEEK

Petr Maur has taken many wonderful photos of Easter Sunday. Here are just a few. You can access all the photos by clicking HERE, and downloading any photos you would like to keep. Thank you, Petr!

OTHER EVENTS THIS WEEK

Art Credo Vernissage

Art Credo Co-Leader Mary Ann Varley (above)

Lucianne Poole with some of her paintings (below)

Art Credo: Paint-Along with Josie DeMeo

Field Trip to Mādahòkì Farm

Thanks to Detlef, Mary Ann and Gary for the photos.

TAKE NOTE

ROAD CLOSURES THIS SUNDAY!

This Sunday, May 4 from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. there will be lane reductions/road closures during the annual CN Cycle for CHEO. Please check the list of road closures here, because you may need to adjust your usual route to St. John's. Roads may open earlier or later depending on when police services determine it is safe to reopen to regular traffic.

MULTIFAITH HOUSING PRESENTATION

You are invited to a presentation in the Warriors Chapel regarding the Multifaith Housing Initiative following the 10:15 am service on May 4. Sandwiches will be served. To ensure that we have enough sandwiches for everyone, please express your interest in participating in this presentation by clicking HERE.

ART CREDO IS HERE!

The 46^th Art Credo Exhibit and Sale is up and running until Sunday May11^th. We have over 100 works of art from 45 artists and it is another wonderful show!

We still need a few more sitters 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 to sign-up.

Don’t forget to mark your calendars for the Poetry & Music Night on Thursday evening May 8 at 6 p.m..

ART CREDO - POETRY & MUSIC NIGHT

INDIGENOUS ENGAGEMENT

A Note from Kimberly:

Osiyo Nigadv (Hello Everyone):

I hope this note finds everyone following the bright sunshine.

As we start a new seasonal cycle, it is good to remember that Red Dress Day is on Monday May 5, 2025. This day honours the memories of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ across Canada. Métis artist Jaime Black helped inspire the red dress movement, where red dresses are hung from windows and trees to represent the pain and loss felt by loved ones and survivors.

Parishioners are encouraged to wear red to morning services on Sunday May 4, 2025 in recognition of this important issue. This is more than history. This is an ongoing national tragedy.

“Reconciliation is not a single act, nor does it have an end date. It is a lifelong journey of healing, respect and understanding.” Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada

Healing and Reconciliation: Our Shared Journey

To recognize the 10^th Anniversary of the release of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Report, the All My Relations Circle of the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa invites everyone to an opportunity to begin or to progress on their journey towards Healing and Reconciliation on May 10, 2025.

You'll leave not only with ideas and resources for celebrating and learning during Indigenous History month, and you'll be able to make connections with others.

Refreshments including strawberries and bannock will be provided.

May 10, 2025 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

St. Thomas the Apostle Church,.

2345 Alta Vista Dr. Ottawa, K1H 7M6

Please Let us know you are coming:

Kathryn F. Email: lou_daybreak@hotmail.com

https://ottawa.anglican.ca/what-we-do/partnerships/indigenous-justice/

LOOKING AHEAD

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).

Saturday April 26 - Sunday May 11th

Art Credo runs daily.

Sunday, May 4

Multifaith Housing Presentation, Warriors Chapel, 12:00 p.m.
Strings of St John's Spring Concert at St John's, 2:00 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.

Saturday May 10

Healing and Reconciliation: Our Shared Journey, 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., St. Thomas the Apostle Church (see above)
Roger Broughton Celebration of Life. 2:00 p.m.

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.

Thursday, May 29

Ascension Day Hymn Sing. 7:30 p.m. in the Nave.

Saturday, May 31

Thrift Shop Fashion Show. 7:00 p.m. in the Nave.

Sunday, June 1

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

TO REMEMBER IN PRAYER

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, and Doug. We give thanks for the life of Denise Torunski who died on Tuesday April 15th at age 82. Denise and her husband Pete were longtime members of the St .John's community.

Our Diocese

Shane, our Bishop; Anne, our Metropolitan and Acting Primate.
The Diocese of Jerusalem and the Middle East and Archbishop Hosam Naoum.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada and Bishop Susan Johnson and Bishop Carla Blakley.
St. Barnabas, Ottawa and The Reverend Canon George Kwari.

Anglican Church of Canada

The Most Rev. Anne Germond, Bishop, the Most Rev. Fred Hiltz, Assisting Bishop, the Rt. Rev. Victoria Matthews, Episcopal Administrator, and the clergy and people of the Diocese of Moosonee.

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada

The congregations of the Winnipeg area of the Manitoba-Northwestern Ontario Synod.

Moravian Church in Canada

The Rt. Rev. Michael Johnson, Bishop of the Unity residing in the Northern Province.
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 Church of Ireland.

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