This week at St John's

THIS WEEK AT ST JOHN'S

Dear Friends:

This week, I listened to a podcast on which I am the featured guest. Fabio da Silva Fernandes, who has been attending our services over the past two months, invited me to be on his show, The Stumbling Spirit. Now in its third season, The Stumbling Spirit podcast is about resilience.

Our interview three weeks ago took place right in the middle of disturbing news updates about Canada, Ukraine, and the United States. Fabio’s starting point was the role of the church in addressing these concurrent crises. Our wide-ranging conversation covers many other topics as well, from the importance of fostering interfaith understanding, to the challenges facing the Christian church today, and my calling to help people discern for themselves how to be faithful. The title of this podcast is "Sermons on the Storm", and you can listen to it HERE.

I have been thinking a lot about sermons these past weeks, when our assigned gospel readings seem to have zingers that are relevant to current events. For example, this week, Jesus looks out over Jerusalem and all he can do is lament: "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills its prophets and stones those who are sent to it!" Lament is something we do when we can't see any hope to hold onto. And truly, things get worse for Jesus as his story unfolds.

What about our story which is now unfolding? Are we at the point of lament or are there grounds for hope? I'm trying to get to hope as I prepare to preach this Sunday.

I invite you to join us this Sunday. At the conclusion of the 10:15 service, we are commissioning our church leaders who were appointed and elected at our annual meeting. And following that service, we are pulling chairs into a circle in the Chapel to talk about where we drink "living water." See the briefing notes and video link below.

Gary+

SCRIPTURES - Sunday, March 16 - 8:00 & 10:15 a.m.

Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18; Psalm 27; Philippians 3:17-4:1; Luke 13:31-35

SCRIPTURES - Sunday, March 23 - 8:00 & 10:15 a.m.

Isaiah 55:1-9; Psalm 63:1-8, 9-16; 1 Corinthians 10:1-13; Luke 13:1-9

LISTEN TO RECORDED WORSHIP SERVICES

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

First Sunday in Lent - March 9, 2025

Ash Wednesday - March 5, 2025

Last Sunday after Epiphany - Transfiguration - March 2, 2025

Find all St John's Worship Recordings HERE

Children's Celebration:

More pictures from our wonderful children's service below.

LENT PROGRAM

LET LIGHT SHINE

River Through the Desert - A Lenten Journey in the Holy Land

Dean Richard Sewell of St George's College in Jerusalem

reflects at Jacob's Well:

"Jesus is the living water who can satisfy our deepest thirst

for meaning and purpose in life."

WEEK 2 - The Well

Watch the Video - above
Read the Scripture - here
Read the Reflection - here
Think about the Questions - below
Conversation - Sunday, March 16, 12:00 p.m. (in the Chapel)

Reflection Questions

You are welcome to join the circle of chairs in the Chapel following the 10:15 service.

John’s description of Jesus’s conversation with the Samaritan woman makes a play on physical thirst and spiritual thirst. What is your experience of spiritual thirst? How is that thirst quenched for you?
Spend some time looking at the icon. Icons make a great deal of hand gestures, head position and eyes. Consider what is said in the film. What do you see? What might it mean? The rock formations represent Mt Gerazim and Mt Ebal which surround Shechem/Nablus. What else do you see in the icon?
Jesus’s teaching powerfully challenges prejudices relating to ethnicity (Gentiles and Samaritans) and to gender. Have you experienced such prejudice in the church? What has been your response to this? What other lessons can be taken from this story?
Spend some time reflecting on how the woman’s feelings would have changed through the complexities of this encounter with Jesus. Reflect on this in the light of the Eucharist. How are we made hungry and how are these needs satisfied. What are you thirsty for?

Jesus and the Samaritan woman share water at Jacob's Well, John 4:1-42

THIS SUNDAY

INTERFAITH IFTAR

Have you ever visited a mosque? Have you ever shared a meal with Muslims as they break the Ramadan fast? Have you ever spent time with Muslims and Jews together for friendship? That's what is happening this coming Sunday evening. We are getting together with members of Temple Israel and the Ahmadiyya Mosque at their new mosque for supper and friendship. Space is limited. We are invited to bring twelve people and we have a few more spaces. Send me an EMAIL to let me know you're interested. I will reply with address and details to participate. Sunday, March 16, 6-8 p.m.

Gary+

HELP WANTED

MAUNDY THURSDAY PASCHAL MEAL

On Thursday in Holy Week, we read about Jesus' last supper with his friends, a supper now also known as the First Eucharist. We celebrate with our own delicious meal and then we go into the church to continue the story of how Jesus was betrayed and arrested. This delicious meal requires planning! We need two co-leaders to make it happen - plus lots of volunteers. Be part of our team - have a look at the details HERE.

EASTER VIGIL RESURRECTION PARTY

The service on Saturday night is the Easter version of Christmas Eve. Each of us has a candle in the darkness for the scripture readings. There is a great musical fanfare as all the lights come on and we read the story of Christ's resurrection. We celebrate with a baptism and eucharist and more great music. And we conclude with a party: Easter breads, chocolate, wine and cheese. We need two people to organize this Easter Party.

Send us an email to volunteer for one or both events HERE.

ST JOHN'S IN PICTURES THIS WEEK

ABOVE: Happy times with children at St John's.

BELOW: Welcome to children from Gary & Nick.

CHILDREN'S FOCUS TABLE

Jesus looks out over the city of Jerusalem in sadness. He says he wants to be like the mother chicken who gathers her chicks under her breast for protection.

TAKE NOTE

MEMORIAL FLOWERS FOR EASTER

Remember your loved ones with flowers at the Altar. Help the Altar Guild decorate the church for Easter. Make your donation to St John's noting that it is for Easter Flowers and if applicable, please include a note to indicate the names of the people to be remembered. You can put your donation in the collection plate any Sunday or drop it off at the Office.

INDIGENOUS ENGAGEMENT

A note from Kimberly:

Osiyo Nigadv (Hello Everyone)

I hope the sunny warmer weather this past week was a welcome hint of Spring on the horizon for you. I wanted to let everyone know we have a wonderful trip planned to Mādahòkì Farm on April 26, 2025. 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. Participation cost is $22.50 per person.

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

Please see the sign-up sheet in the church on Sunday or send a reply email to Kimberly: indigengcoord@stjohnsottawa.ca

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).

Every Sunday in Lent

Lent Conversation. After each Sunday's 10:15 service. Meet in the Chapel.

Sunday, March 23

Black History Month Debrief. 12:15 p.m. in the Parish Hall.

Sunday, April 13

Palm Sunday. 8:00 & 10:15 a.m.

Thursday, April 17

Maundy Thursday: Part I - Paschal Meal. 5:30 p.m.; Part II - Liturgy of the Agony in the Garden. 8:00 p.m. We need two volunteer leaders to organize the Paschal Meal and a team to in 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 - 9:00pm

Saturday April 26 - Sunday May 11th

Art Credo runs daily.

Saturday, April 26

Church Field Trip to Madahoki Farm

Sunday, May 25

Ascension Children's Service, 3-5 p.m.

Saturday, May 31

Thrift Shop Fashion Show

TO REMEMBER IN PRAYER

Our Parish

Prayers for those in leadership roles: Gary, Allen, Christina, Pat, 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.
The Area Parish of South Carleton, St. John the Baptist, Richmond, The Reverend Allan Budzin and Deacon Tamara Connors.

Anglican Church of Canada

The Rt. Rev. Bruce Myers, Bishop, and the people and clergy of the Diocese of Quebec.

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada

Bishop Jason Zinko, the people and rostered ministers of the Manitoba-Northwestern Ontario Synod.

Moravian Church in Canada

The people and ministries of Good Shepherd Moravian Church in Calgary.
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 Central 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 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