This week at St John's

THIS WEEK AT ST JOHN'S

Dear Friends:

This newsletter is another photo album that celebrates life in our community. Check out the pictures of our Children's Epiphany Celebration and put March 2 in your calendar for our next one! Below there are a couple more pictures from Christmas Eve. At both services, we dimmed the lights following Communion to sing Silent Night. It was beautiful, atmospheric, and worth repeating next year.

Come this Sunday and get your Star Word. Keeping in mind the star that guided the Magi to the Christ Child, a Star Word is a word that can guide your prayers over the coming year. My word this year (photo below) was Forgiveness. I know who I have forgiven and who has forgiven me over this past year. I have also reflected on who I have not forgiven, who has not forgiven me, and how to move past that in a good way. I am eager for a fresh word!

This coming Sunday is known as the "Baptism of the Lord." We read about Jesus' baptism, which was the initiation for his ministry of love and compassion. As part of my preparation to preach this Sunday, I read through the service for my own baptism 61 years ago. What struck me was its almost exclusive focus on washing me clean of my sins - the ones I had already committed as a 3-month-old baby, and also my inherent state of sinfulness. There is a time and place for this kind of forgiveness but I no longer believe that's the job of baptism. I want to think of my own baptism as being more in line with that of Jesus. Baptism initiates us into an intentional life of love and compassion. That's where my thoughts are going right now - with more to come on Sunday.

I hope you will join us. I hope a Star Word will add a further dimension to intentional love and compassion in your life.

Please join us for worship this Sunday 8:00 and 10:15 a.m.

Gary+

SCRIPTURES - Baptism of the Lord - Sunday, January 12 - 8:00 & 10:15 a.m.

Isaiah 43:1-7; Psalm 29, Acts 8:14-17; Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

SCRIPTURES - Sunday, January 19 - 8:00 & 10:15 a.m.

Isaiah 62:1-5; Psalm 36:5-10; 1 Corinthians 12:1-11; John 2:1-11

LISTEN TO RECORDED WORSHIP SERVICES

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

Epiphany Sunday - January 5, 2025

Christmas Day - December 25, 2024

Late Christmas Eve - December 24, 2024

Find all St John's Worship Recordings HERE

COMING SOON

STAR WORDS FOR EPIPHANY

Get your Star Word this coming Sunday, January 12 at St John's. Star Words are intended as a prompt for self-reflection and prayer over the coming year. The word may seem random, but we hope it will encourage you to notice your life in a new way. May your word be a blessing!

Words will be given out during announcements at the conclusion of the 10:15 service. We will keep some words ready for you if you can't be with us this week.

ST JOHN'S IN PICTURES THIS WEEK

CHILDREN'S EPIPHANY CELEBRATION

ABOVE:

Epiphany story at the Crèche (top)

Epiphany Story at the Focus Table (putting the stars in the sky to guide the Magi)

BELOW:

Craft - telescopes to see the stars

BELOW:

Celebrating the Eucharist with children in leadership roles

BELOW:

Snack and Free Play - including the jump at the top of the newsletter!

NEXT CHILDREN'S SERVICE

Plan to be with us for the Children's Transfiguration Celebration on March 2!

A COUPLE MORE FROM CHRISTMAS!

This week's pictures: Thank you, Petr Maur

TAKE NOTE

OPEN HOUSE RECEPTION

Meet our neighbours! We want to show off our building.

St John's is hosting a reception for neighbours, friends, neighbouring businesses, current renters and groups interested in booking our renewed facility.

Reception includes tours of the building, food and drink, music on piano and organ, introduction to our team, and good old-fashioned neighbourliness!

You're welcome to stay or come back after lunch as we greet our visitors.

STEWARDSHIP UPDATE

Our Walk In Love Stewardship campaign has wrapped up. We heard stories during our campaign about how we come together in purpose and mission.

Jesus calls us to heal, visit, feed, accompany, protect, advocate and love our neighbour. Sharing our time, talent, and treasure is the way that we make this happen. When we walk in the same direction, we can do so many things.

Here are some of the results of the campaign:

53 givers indicated their giving intentions, for an average increase of 6.5%
After adding the 36 givers on pre-authorized debit or Canada Helps who did not return commitment cards, the overall increase in givings is 4.6%
The result of our campaign is an estimated $12,000 increase in givings

Thank you to all who participated.Your gifts do make a difference.

Barbara Dransch & Emmy Verdun

Stewardship Co-Chairs

ANNUAL VESTRY MEETING

Sunday, February 23 - 12 p.m.

It' time to write your reports for St John's Annual Report!

Some helpful tips and guidelines:

Name of group, name of leader
Number of members, names of members (if appropriate)
Regular meeting time/place (if applicable)
Brief description of your group’s ministry/purpose/mandate
One thing that was exceptional for your group last year
One hope for the upcoming year

In order to have our Vestry Circular available in advance, please submit your report by the end of day, Tuesday, January 28th, to Kerry: admin@stjohnsottawa.ca.

Thank you so very much for your leadership!

Gary+

SMUDGING BEFORE YOU WORSHIP

In the cold winter months, it's a challenge for St John's Indigenous leaders to be outside offering smudge. Kimberly Johnson, St John's Indigenous Engagement Coordinator, has sourced smudge from medicines steeped in distilled water from the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory. The four medicines - tobacco, sage, cedar, and sweetgrass - continue to be present on the medicine table for the dry smudge version, consisting of rubbing the medicines in your hands and drawing the scented air of the smudge towards your face and body. Liquid smudge is a spray vapour drawn towards your face and body in the same manner.

Smudge before worship is an invitation to focus and be present as we worship Creator - in keeping with the themes of the following traditional prayer:

Almighty God, to you all hearts are open,

all desires known, and from you no secrets are hidden.

Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,

that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name;

through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Learn more in conversation with St John's Indigenous Engagement Coordinator Kimberly Johnson.

WHERE TO PARK NEAR THE CHURCH

2-HOUR PARKING - Somerset east of Elgin (i.e., adjacent to the Church) and MacLaren and Gilmour east of Elgin. 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM, 7 days per week (including on Sundays).

3-HOUR PARKING - Somerset west of Elgin. Maximum 2-hour parking, from 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM Monday through Friday, and from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM on Saturday; no restriction on Sunday!

ALWAYS CHECK THE PARKING METER!

Meter indicates times when you need to pay for parking. Most street parking is free on Sundays in the neighbourhood. Note that in the above photo of a meter, the 2-hour MAX limit still applies on Saturday/Sunday.

PARKING FOR LONGER VISITS

Park at City Hall, 110 Laurier Ave West. Parking Rates:

MONDAY - FRIDAY:

6:00 AM to 6:00 PM: $2.00 per 30 mins, $20 max

6:00 PM to 6:00 AM: $1.00 per hr, $2.00 max

WEEKENDS & HOLIDAYS:

6:00 AM to 6:00 PM: $1.00 per hr/$2.00 max

6:00 PM to 6:00 AM: $1.00 per hr/$2.00 max

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).

Sunday, January 12

Star Words Revisited - Get your spiritual word for the year, immediately following the10:15 service.

Sunday, January 19

Black History Month planning meeting. Meet in the Parish Hall following the 10:15 service to plan for the month of February.
Renewed Space Reception for the Community, 2:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Wednesday, January 22

The Virtues of Aging - Presented by the 4 Amigos Churches. This is a 4-Part Series on Zoom, 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. on January 22, January 29, February 5, February 12

Sunday, February 16

Gospel Read-Through Part 2: Gospel of Luke 14:1-24:53. Get to know the flow of this year's featured gospel in time for Lent and Holy Week

Saturday, February 22

Church Safety Workshop: How to engage with and support people in distress; based on the principles of Non-Violent Crisis Intervention Training. Ideal for church volunteers who engage with the public and for Community Thrift Shop volunteers. There is no fee but registration is required. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Facilitated by India Bedson. Confirm your participation by email HERE

Sunday, February 23

Annual Vestry Meeting, 12:00 p.m.

Wednesday, March 5

Ash Wednesday

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

Prayer Requests: Alice, David, Inga & Liam

Our Diocese

Shane, our Bishop; Anne, our Metropolitan and Acting Primate
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
Holy Trinity, Metcalfe; St. Mary’s, Russell and the Reverend Tom Hubschmid

Anglican Church of Canada

Dr. Andrea Mann, Director, and the staff of Global Relations; Ryan Weston, Lead Animator, Public Witness for Social and Ecological Justice; Executive Director, Will Postma, and staff of the Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund/Alongside Hope.

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada

Chief Executive Officer, Karin Achtelstetter, and staff of Canadian Lutheran World Relief.
The Assistants to the Bishop and the staff of the Eastern Synod.

Moravian Church in Canada

The people and ministries of Edmonton Moravian Church in Edmonton.
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 the Province of West Africa.

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 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