This week at St John's

THIS WEEK AT ST JOHN'S

Dear St John's Church family,

I recently read an article which reminded me of my own upbringing and early work life in the grocery business. The renowned teacher and author, Dr. David McLennon tells a story of his very first job in a small-town general store. At age thirteen he was hired as a handy boy. He would sweep the floor, bag items for customers, and put up stock. On one particular Saturday, he recalled, he heard the owner say to one of the clerks "It's that time of the year again, it's time to take inventory." Dr. McLennon wrote that this was a word that had not yet entered into his vocabulary. When an opportune moment arrived, he went up to the kindly older man and asked, "Sir, what is an inventory?" Patiently the owner explained that it was a time when you made a list of everything that you had, from groceries on the shelves to wrapping paper and string. Still somewhat puzzled, the young McLennon then asked, "Why?" "Well, responded the owner, it’s easy to forget exactly how much you have each year. Every now and then you have to take an inventory just to see what all you have."

It occurs to me, as we prepare to enter the season of Harvest Thanksgiving, that we should also be about the business of taking inventory, for in the hustle and bustle of our lives and the chaos of the world around us, we can forget exactly how much we have, and how blessed we truly are. I suspect that this isn’t simply a twenty-first century reality, for the Psalmist David, writing some 3000 years ago, penned Psalm 65 as a song of praise, acknowledging the abundance of God’s providence and love. “Praise is due to you, O Lord” he writes, “O you who answer prayer… O God of our salvation… the hope of all the ends of the earth… you visit the earth and water it, you greatly enrich it… you provide the people with grain… You crown the year with your bounty, your wagon tracks overflow with richness.”

Psalm 65 depicts a world that is alive with the bounty and glory of God, affirming that where God goes, richness abounds. It is also set in a time of great upheaval and uncertainty, both socially and politically, not unlike our world today. It is then, for us, a reminder that no matter what situation we find ourselves facing, the God of our Creation is ever-present to us and that we are truly blessed.

I invite you in this time of thanksgiving, to take inventory and to know the abundance of the God who created you and all living things.

Wishing you every Blessing

Paul+

The Very Reverend Paul Millward

Sabbath Clergy from September 6 to October 15

SUNDAY October 4 | Season of Creation 5 (St. Francis of Assisi) | 8:00 and 10:15 a.m.

Job 12:7-10; Psalm 148; 1 John 3:14-18; Matthew 10:1-4

SUNDAY October 11 | Season of Creation 6 | 8:00 and 10:15 a.m.

Joel 2:21-27; Psalm 126; 1 Timothy 2:1-7; Luke 17:11-19

LISTEN TO RECORDED WORSHIP SERVICES

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

Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost - August 23, 2026

Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost - August 16, 2026

Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost - August 9, 2026

Find all St John's Worship Recordings HERE

ST JOHN'S IN PICTURES

Above: Barb and Vicki with the Survivors Flag for Truth and Reconcilation Sunday

Above: Rebecca smudging Wendy on Truth and Reconciliation Sunday

Below: Godly Play children share the dismissal: "Go in peace to love and serve the Lord"

Below: Pat and Ted celebrating their wedding anniversary with a delicious spread of pastries from the Portuguese Bakery.

UPDATES

REFUGEE ACTION GROUP

Members of the Refugee Action Group are delighted to announce the safe arrival in Canada of Fatima Rezayee. Fatima is a vulnerable 21-year-old Afghan orphan who was living alone and in hiding in Pakistan, constantly in fear of being deported back to Afghanistan.

Fatima was originally approved to enter the U.S.A., until President Trump cancelled his country's entire refugee program. Her American sponsors reached out for help, and RAG was pleased to be able to take up her case.

Fatima is spending her first weeks in Windsor, but will soon be on her way to Ottawa, where RAG will be responsible for her settlement and integration in the community.

SABBATH CLERGY

Sunday, October 11 will be the Very Reverend Paul Millward's final servce as Sabbath Clergy. We are very grateful for his thoughtful, caring ministry over the past six weeks.

On Sunday, October 17, we will welcome the Reverend Tim Taylor (above), who will serve us as Sabbath Clergy until November 1.

"SMALL BUT MIGHTY" BELL CHOIR

Starting this September, we are starting a bell choir at St. John's! You can expect to hear our bells at select services throughout the year, and perhaps some other impromptu appearances. If you are interested in joining the bell choir, please email our Director of Music Nicholas Busch for more information [music@stjohnsottawa.ca]. The bell choir rehearses on Thursday evenings at St. John's, and if we get enough new members, we will change the name to just "The Mighty" Bell Choir.

NEWSLETTER SCHEDULE

For the next four months, during Gary's absence, This Week at St John's will be published every second Thursday. Please contact Brian Cameron if you have something you would like included. The deadline for the next issue will be Wednesday, October 14, but the earlier the better!

UPCOMING EVENTS

CHILDREN'S SERVICE

October 4, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.

These afternoon services offer the chance for the children from both the 8:00 and 10:15 services to be together as the children of St John’s. Since this first Children’s Service this fall is so close to September 30th we are taking the opportunity to learn more about our Indigenous people. Our focus is The Medicine Wheel as it shares their knowledge about everything that is connected in life. Nick is going to teach us a new song, “We Must Learn to Walk Together.” We will share in the Eucharist, and make a craft using the colours of the Medicine Wheel. There will be time to share some food and enjoy this time together.

Please wear orange shirts if you have them!

WALK FOR THE CENTRE

October 4, 1:30 - 4:00 p.m.

Join the St. John’s Walkathon Team on Sunday, October 4 to raise funds for the Centretown Community Food Centre. You can walk or donate or both! The event starts at 1:30 pm at Canadian Martyrs Catholic Church at 100 Main Street with music and a silent auction. The walk is 4 km along the Rideau Canal beginning at 2:15 pm. Please talk to Emmy Verdun for more information, and click on this link to donate.

LEGACY GIVING WEBINAR

October 27, 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

UPCOMING EVENTS FOR YOUR CALENDAR

WORSHIP EVERY SUNDAY AT 8:00 AND 10:15 A.M.

Sunday, October 4, 1:30 to 4:00 p.m.

Walk for the Centre (see above)

Sunday, October 4, 2:00 to 5:00 p.m.

Children's Service (see above)

Tuesday, October 27, 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Legacy Giving Webinar (see above)

Sunday, November 8, 12:00 p.m.

Sisters of St. John the Divine (SSJD). Local Associates of SSJD will meet in the Parish Hall. Parishioners are welcome to come and learn about SSJD's mission and ministry.

Saturday, November 21, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Christmas Market

Saturday, November 28, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Community Compassion Workshop with India Bedson, Belong Ottawa

Saturday, December 5, 10:00 a.m.

Sacrament Preparation with Gary: First Meeting

TO REMEMBER IN PRAYER

Our Parish

Prayers for those in leadership roles: Gary, Allen, Christina, Pat, Nicholas, Kerry, Aot, Monica, Barb, Chris, Pat and all who minister at St. John's.

Pray for St John's Sabbath Clergy: Paul Millward, Tim Taylor & Pat Johnston

Prayer Requests: John, Ron, Suzanne, Sandy, Dixie, Alice, David, Bruce, Linda and Kevin

Our Diocese

Kathryn, our Bishop; Anne, our Metropolitan; Shane, our Primate, as well as:

(Oct. 4): The Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples, Archbishop Christopher Harper, National Indigenous Anglican Archbishop; Sacred Circle Events; and and the ministry of reconciliation. Our Diocesan Partner: Multifaith Housing Initiative (MHI) and The Parish of the Holy Spirit, Quebec The Reverend Caroline Ducros, The Reverend Sony Jabouin and the Venerable Christopher Dunn (Oct. 11): Staff at Ascension House, including the Archives. Our Diocesan Partners: Alongside Hope, and the Anglican Foundation; and for St. Matthew’s, Ottawa The Reverend Geoff Chapman

Anglican Church of Canada

(Oct. 4): The Provincial Synod of the Ecclesiastical Province of British Columbia and Yukon (Oct. 11): The Rt. Rev. Clara Plamondon, Bishop, and the clergy, and people of The Territory of the People

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada

(Oct. 4): The Assistant to the Bishop and staff of the British Columbia Synod

Parish Prayer Group

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

Prayer Request

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