This week at St John's

THIS WEEK AT ST JOHN'S

Dear Friends:

When I ask people why they were attracted to St. John’s, and why they have stayed, I find that our music program is often top of mind. Under the creative leadership of Gordon Johnston, our Director of Music for 37 years, and now under the guidance of of our equally talented Nick Busch, music at St. John’s brings beauty and joy into our lives, channeling God’s love and grace every Sunday.

Our organs have been the primary accompaniment for our hymns, anthems and postludes. The recent death of Gabriel Kney prompted me to ask Gordon about the pipe organ Kney built for St. John’s in 1977. Gordon had much to say about its history, what it is like to play, and why he was motivated to build a digital organ himself to complement the pipe organ. I then asked Nick if he would describe his own experience playing the pipe organ and why he is excited about the re-introduction of the digital organ. Scroll down to see what they both had to say.

Speaking of music, for many years St. John’s was a venue for chamber music concerts. Older parishioners may remember how sweltering the nave became during the inevitable July heat waves- a main reason why festival organizers decided to stop using our church in favour of other air-conditioned sites, such as Dominion Chalmers on O’Connor Street.

Now that we have air conditioning, the Music and Beyond Festival has chosen St. John’s for several concerts this week and next. Opening up the possibility of summertime events was an important motivation for our redevelopment program, and it is very gratifying to see this plan come to fruition, and hear world-class chamber music once again in our church. A big thank-you to Kerry and Margot for sealing the deal with Music and Beyond.

Events at St. John’s slow down in the summer, and as a result, we are moving to a biweekly schedule for this newsletter. The next one will come out on July 24.

I hope you can join us at our 9:30 service this Sunday.

Brian Cameron

Guest Editor

SUNDAY JULY 13 | Fifth Sunday after Pentecost | 9:30am

Scriptures: Deuteronomy 30:9-14; Psalm 25:1-10; Colossians 1:1-14; Luke 10:25-37

SUNDAY JULY 20 | Sixth Sunday After Pentecost | 9:30 a.m.

Scriptures: Genesis 18:1-10a; Psalm 15; Colossians 1:15-28; Luke 10:38-42

Morning Welcome by Pat & Jill

We have nametags for everyone:

Check out the new ones - and we will make you one!

LISTEN TO RECORDED WORSHIP SERVICES

Worship recordings include the following portions of the service: prayers, readings, the sermon, and music. Recordings will resume later in August.

Third Sunday after Pentecost - Sunday, June 29, 2025

National Indigenous Day of Prayer - Sunday, June 22, 2025

Pentecost - Sunday, June 8, 2025

Find all St John's Worship Recordings HERE

ST JOHN'S IN PICTURES

Above: Jane and Deborah

Below: Ian, Luka, Pat and Nick

Above: Carma, Brendan and Kiegan

Below: "A Flute Odssey Through Baroque and Beyond"

Thanks to Erin Biggs for the St. John's photos, and to Anastasia Krachkovskaya for the Music and Beyond concert photo.

OF INTEREST

ALL ABOUT ST.JOHN'S ORGANS

Gordon and Nick share their views on our Gabriel Kney pipe organ - its history, strengths and limitations, and how the digital organ, which is being refurbished thanks to a successful fundraising campaign, will add so much to our Sunday worship. Among their comments:

"I loved playing the Kney, but after 20+ years I was ready to jump off a bridge, it was so limiting. I wanted to find a way to enrich the worship of the church, to have organ music that had a more "Anglican" sound, something richer and fuller, with a big bass and a fantastic fanfare trumpet (which organists refer to as the "party horn")." (Gordon)

"The Kney organ is built in the North German Baroque style, and is particularly well suited to music of that period and locale. Since it was built specifically with that music in mind however, it is not well suited to other historical styles of music - French symphonic repertoire being the most glaring example. This is where the electronic organ becomes extraordinary valuable, as it is able to play these styles of music that the Kney often struggles with." (Nick)

You can read all their comments HERE.

INDIGENOUS CHURCH UPDATE

Thank you to everyone who came to the after-service sharing circle on the evolution and current work of the Indigenous Anglican Church to close out Indigenous History month. For those who were unable to attend and those who want to go deeper into the resources I drew from, I have put together a short summary and several links, which you can find HERE.

Rebecca

TAKE NOTE

BOOKS & BARBECUE

We’ve made it a habit in the summer of reading a book together, then gathering for food and fellowship as we discuss what we’ve read and how it impacted us. This year, the Lifelong Learning Committee has chosen the book Faithful, Creative, Hopeful: Fifteen Theses for Christians in a Crisis-Shaped World by Jesse A. Zink.

One reason we chose this book is that is actually a series of theses (or essays). We’ve chosen to highlight two chapters for discussion:

Chapter 8: "Christian witness is rooted in hope "
Chapter 13: "In a mistrusting world, the church is called to be a community of responsibility and solidarity"

Our thinking is that with less content to cover, we can have a deeper discussion when we are together.

Faithful, Creative, Hopeful is available at Perfect Books for $42. It is also available at Chapters for $30. Unfortunately it is not available at the library. If either buying option is out of your price range, we will have photocopies of the above two chapters available at the back of the church.

Whether or not you were able to complete the reading of these chapters, we hope you will join us on Saturday, August 16. Thanks to Ian and Michelle who are hosting us in their home for food and discussion. Please email the office at admin@stjohnsottawa.ca to confirm your participation. More details will be provided for participants closer to the date.

MEMORIAL FLOWERS

Celebrate a special date in your life or remember a loved one by donating flowers for the Sunday worship service. Flowers are welcome at the altar, the chancel, or the font. Flower dedication names will be included in the Sunday prayers of the people.

Please contact Vicki Milnes on a Sunday or by email.

FUNDRAISER FOR BRUCE HOUSE

Bike Ride for People with AIDS

This will be my 11th time cycling from Toronto to Montreal in support of people with AIDS. What is new is that I'm doing this ride for Bruce House, our local Ottawa charity providing services and housing support for people with HIV. Toronto People with AIDS Foundation, the ride's organizer and founder, has broadened the ride to support local community AIDS service organizations.

Every dollar that I raise over $2000 will be split 50/50 between PWA Toronto and Bruce House. My fundraising goal is $10,000, and I have just reached $7,750.

Each of us has many causes you care about and support. I hope you're excited to support Bruce House with me! Make a secure online donation by clicking here. No donation is too small.

Thanks for your support!

Gary+

LOOKING AHEAD

INDIGENOUS ENGAGEMENT

Osiyo Nigadv! Hello everyone!

Here are some upcoming Indigenous events at St. John's:

Saturday, August 23: St John's Field Trip - Pow Wow at Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation. If you would like to join our field trip, and be part of our shared rides to Golden Lake, please email me at the address below, or use the sign-up sheet at the back of the church. We will have more details soon.
Saturday, September 20: Sharing Circle with Elder Louella. Knowledge sharing about the Medicine Wheel Teachings, including the Four Directions. Please send me an email if you would like to participate.

Kimberly Johnson

indigengcoord@stjohnsottawa.ca

St John's Indigenous Engagement Coordinator

CAPITAL PRIDE PARADE ORGANIZING TEAM

St Johns' Capital Pride organizing team: Maroua, Marianne, Luka, Laura, Mary Frances, Sherrie, Diana, Ron. Our team also includes Denis and Krisha (away).

St. John's will be organizing the Anglican presence in the Capital Pride parade on Sunday afternoon, August 24.

We have a St John's team getting us organized!

We are planning a sign-decorating party on Sunday, August 17 following the 9:30 service. Our signs will be for walking in the parade and will include scripture quotes in the languages we use at St John's, scripture quotes and memorable phrases. We hope to make enough signs to share them with parade walkers from other Anglican parishes.

St John's is on the parade route so we are planning a space for watching the parade (especially if you're not able to walk the whole parade route) including water and washroom station.

LOOKING AHEAD

UPCOMING EVENTS FOR YOUR CALENDAR

Every Sunday from June 1 to August 31

Worship Service at 9:30 a.m.

Saturday, August 16

Books & Barbecue, 5:00 p.m. Chez Ian and Michelle.

Sunday, August 17

Pride Parade Sign Making Party, 11:30 a.m. in the Chapel

Saturday, August 23

Pow Wow Field Trip to Golden Lake - Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation

Sunday, August 24

Capital Pride Parade

Saturday, September 20

Sharing Circle with Elder Louella: Medicine Wheel Teachings

Saturday, September 27

Field Trip to Ottawa Mosque, 10:00 a.m. 251 Northwestern Ave.

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: James, Alice, David, Barton, Sara, Ted, Doug, Wilma.

And for those who have died: Adrian Crane, Wilma Van Der Meer, Bert Hopkins and Michel Landry.

Our Diocese

We pray for Shane, our Primate and Bishop of Ottawa; Anne, our Metropolitan;
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, Manotick and The Reverend John Holgate.

Anglican Church of Canada

The Rt. Rev. Rachael Parker, Bishop, and the clergy and people of the Diocese of Brandon.

ELCIC

Bishop Trish Schmermund, the people and rostered ministers of the Synod of Alberta and the Territories.

Moravian Church in Canada

The Van-Es Camp and Conference Centre.
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 North India (United).

Flowers

Invited for this week by contacting the office.

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