This week at St John's

THIS WEEK AT ST JOHN'S

Dear Friends,

The most important thing to know going into this weekend is that we have returned to our regular Sunday worship times, 8:00 and 10:15 a.m.

The 8:00 service is a celebration of the Holy Eucharist in the traditional language of the Book of Common Prayer. The service is approximately 40 minutes and does not include music. It is followed by coffee across the street at Bridgehead.

The 10:15 service this week brings the return of the St John’s Choir. We also welcome Interim Music Director Barb Hallam-Price for her first Sunday with us. The service is followed by refreshments in the chapel.

Barb Hallam-Price

You’re invited:

The first choir rehearsal is this evening (Thursday) in the parish hall at 7:30 p.m. Welcome back, choir members! (If you would like to know more about joining the choir, please introduce yourself to Barb on Sunday.)

The first session of the book study, Our Home and Treaty Land, is this Saturday, 9:30 a.m. in the parish hall. Kimberly Johnston-Breen and Margaret Kasurak will guide us over three sessions in what the authors say is a journey: “The process of learning is pilgrimage shaped… We say that we are on a path of realization, or a voyage of discovery. There may not be a single trail map. Nor is there a prescribed way of walking it. But the journey can and will change us.” (page 21)

Lifelong Learning presents Preparing for Life’s Transitions, a series of three one-hour forums taking place following the Sunday worship services. Learn about preparing a will, making decisions about long-term care, and planning for a funeral. See details below.

Looking forward to being with you on Sunday!

Gary+

WHAT'S HAPPENING

PREPARING FOR LIFE’S TRANSITIONS

First Session: Preparing a Will – Introducing Wills & Estates

You are invited to submit specific questions in advance to prepare a session to meet our needs. Please submit questions HERE.

Heather Austin-Skaret

Co-Managing Partner and Head of Wills and Estates/Estate Litigation at Mann Lawyers

Sunday, September 24, 12:00 p.m.

Second Session: Making Decisions about Long-Term Care

Paul Beverley, Executive Director, Southbridge Care Homes, Ottawa

Sunday, October 1, 12:00 p.m.

Third Session: Planning a Funeral

Sean Copeland, Funeral Director, Whelan Funeral Home, Ottawa

Sunday, October 15, 12:00 p.m.

SAFE CHURCH

Now that we are well past pandemic restrictions on meeting in person, it’s time to update our Safe Church practices. We have guidelines especially to ensure the safety of anyone who is vulnerable, including children and people with special needs, but Safe Church is bigger than that. Safe Church is our intentional practice of making sure that when you enter our community you feel safe. This means each person’s dignity respected regardless of age, economic status, mental health, or where you identify on the spectrum of 2SLGBTQQIA+.

If you have (or would like to have) a leadership role at St John’s, we invite you to renew your familiarity with Safe Church practices by joining one of our training sessions this September. If you have a ministry role that is engaged with children or people who are vulnerable, have access to confidential information about members of our community, or engage with the general public on behalf of St John’s, you are required to have a Police Records check. Your participation will help us prevent unsafe behaviour or actions so that when we call St John’s Holy Ground it really is a safe space.

Safe Church Training Sessions

Tuesday, September 12, 7:00 p.m. Zoom Link HERE

Thursday, September 14, 4 p.m. Zoom Link HERE

Sunday, September 17, 12:00 noon (in person in the Parish Hall)

Let us know which one you plan to attend HERE

CALLING ALL ARTISTS AND ARTISANS!

We are looking ahead to our Christmas Market on Saturday, November 25, 12-4 PM.

If you’re an artist or craftsperson, we would love to hear from you. We want this first-ever Christmas Market to be a great event – the more the merrier! If you’re interested or have friends you would like to invite to participate, find out more from Jill Moll!

ST JOHN’S BRIDGE CLUB

The St. John’s Bridge Club's 2019-20 season was interrupted by COVID, and then for three more years. We are resuming the usual program this September. Some pairs have had pickup games since last November. There are currently seven pairs. Each pair plays each other pair once, that means having about one game a month. The games are played in each other’s homes, either afternoon or evening as mutually arranged. Sixteen hands are played taking about three hours including a break for refreshments, either during or after playing. It is a friendly round of games with players varying in experience. The season is concluded in June with a Saturday supper and a pick-up game, usually in the Parish Hall. New members would be most welcome, either as a pair, or singly and I will try and get you a partner.

Questions to Bill at billndora@rogers.com or phone 613-521-5088.

BOOK STUDY BEGINS!

Our Home and Treaty Land: Walking Our Creation Story

Saturdays: September 9, September 23, October 4 - 9:30 a.m.

St John's Parish Hall

This is our book study for early fall. It is written as a dialogue between Rev. Dr. Raymond Aldred, a status Cree and Rev. Dr. Matthew Anderson, a settler-descended biblical scholar.

"Treaty is the key to the shared narrative, shared spirituality and shared respect for the land." Through each author's chapters we learn the importance of understanding what Treaty meant to First Nations and to Newcomers. Accepting the truth of what happened is the first step in reconciliation.

Each session is different - come to all three!

Copies are available at Perfect Books on Elgin Street.

NATIONAL DAY FOR TRUTH & RECONCILIATION

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, which coincides with Orange Shirt Day, is September 30, 2023.

It recognizes the tragic legacy of residential schools, the missing children, the families left behind and the survivors of these institutions.

Here are some websites of Indigenous-owned companies that have Orange Shirts:

https://redrebelarmour.ca/products/every-child-matters

https://www.muinclothing.com/

https://mysticalmetis.ca/

You can also learn more about Orange Shirt Day here:

https://orangeshirtday.org/about-us/#story

For National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, the OPL and NAC are hosting "Bloodline" a play by Elder Albert Dumont and Phil Jenkins examining the harmful Indian Act.

I have 6 tickets to the play. If anyone would like to join us, just let me know.

Thursday, September 28, 2023, 7:00pm – 8:30pm

National Arts Centre - Fourth Stage

1 Elgin Street Ottawa

I also have a few more booklets of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), please let me know if you would like a copy.

Kimberly Johnson-Breen

St John's Indigenous Engagement Coordinator