This week at St John's

THIS WEEK AT ST JOHN'S

Dear Friends:

“The Heart of God in the Heart of the City”

Here’s some new language to describe the church that does stuff – a.k.a. St John the Evangelist!

So much is happening that the best way to present it is “show and tell,” so here come lots of pictures. As you scroll down, you will see our fabulous Christmas Concert, the Christmas Appreciation Lunch for the volunteers of the Community Thrift Shop, wonderful pictures of new parishioners, and reconnecting with Bishop Peter Coffin. So please have a look at the church that does stuff. Then I will turn to this coming Sunday so we can be ready for more!

CHRISTMAS CONCERT

We had the second of our two Christmas Choral presentations, a collaboration with the choir of Woodroffe United Church, this one hosted a St John’s. It was a sold-out, full-to-capacity gathering for wonderful music. St John’s Choir really shone under the leadership of Barb Hallam-Price. As always, we love the collaboration with the Strings of St John’s and Woodroffe United Church.

CHRISTMAS LUNCH FOR THE COMMUNITY THRIFT SHOP

Brian Cameron, People’s Warden, thanked our wonderful volunteers, who include members of the congregation and the wider community. In Brian’s words:

This Christmas celebration is a perfect time to tell you how important the Thrift Shop is to St. John’s and our community. The Shop is important to the church financially, but also because you, the volunteers, are living out our core value of compassion. Year after year, the Shop provides a substantial portion of the church’s income. We have come to depend on it, and we have never been disappointed. Equally important, the Shop is the face of St. John’s for people who would not otherwise come through our doors. You welcome everyone, make friends with repeat customers, treat street-involved people with kindness even when that is challenging, and provide vouchers for clothes and other items people need but cannot afford. Let me give you a few statistics to show how important you are to the church and the community. First, the Shop is on track to exceed this year’s revenue target of $55,000 by an additional $3,000. Second, Peggy estimates that by the end of this year, the Shop will have processed 2000 vouchers from over a dozen agencies, and given away goods equal to $57,000 at Shop prices. And here’s a final, equally impressive number: together, you devote a total of 4,500 volunteer hours each year to the running of the Shop. So, on behalf of St. John’s Corporation, thank you so much for all your hard work, and a special shout-out to David and Peggy for their leadership in making this remarkable institution a success.

Brian Cameron

FACES OF ST JOHN’S

Have you noticed many new faces at St John’s? Stay for coffee after the 10:15 service, now served in the nave, and help us welcome new friends. Special thanks to Maxine Payne who has been inviting some of our newcomers back to her home for lunch. Check out the new faces of St John’s!

BISHOP PETER COFFIN

What a joy to have a visit with Bishop Peter, our guest preacher this past Sunday. He enjoyed many conversations and we got to enjoy how he tied John the Baptist to the idea of theatre, that John is a stage-manager for the presence of Christ – and so are we. Peter loves the idea of Jesus at the door knocking, so we took a picture with that specific stained-glass window. And here we come back to his very interesting comment. Peter remarked on the illuminated heart that I keep in my office window. He said, “That’s a great symbol and it says a lot about what St John’s is – “The Heart of God in the Heart of the City.”

Intriguing words…

THIS COMING SUNDAY

We are coming to the Third Sunday of Advent, the one for which we light the pink candle (officially the “rose-coloured" candle). The theme of this candle is Joy, and I will be asking what is the darkness in which we need the light of joy.

We are staying afterwards to decorate the church and sing Santa songs at the piano. Please bring your poinsettias so we can decorate for Christmas Eve. Include a card as a memorial to your loved ones. If my father was still here, there’s so much I would want to say, and it will give me comfort to dedicate a poinsettia in his name. I invite you to join me in doing this to remember your loved ones.

Hope to see you on Sunday. 8:00 & 10:15 a.m. with the decorating party at noon. We are serving a sandwich lunch and everyone is invited to stay.

Gary+

SCRIPTURES – Sunday, December 17, 8:00 & 10:15 a.m.

Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11; Psalm 126; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24; John 1:6-8, 19-28

SCRIPTURES – Sunday, December 24

2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16; Luke 1:46b-55; Romans 16:25-27; Luke 1:26-38

Isaiah 9:2-7; Psalm 96; Titus 2:11-14; Luke 2:1-14, (15-20)

SCRIPTURES – Monday, December 25

Isaiah 52:7-10; Psalm 98; Hebrews 1:1-12; John 1:1-14

SCRIPTURES – Sunday, December 31 - Epiphany

Isaiah 60:1-6, Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14; Ephesians 3:1-12, Matthew 2:1-12

SCRIPTURES – Sunday, January 7 - Baptism of the Lord

Genesis 1:1-5; Psalm 29; Acts 19:1-7; Mark 1:4-11

SERMON - Listen to the Sermon from Sunday, December 3, Advent 1 - HERE.

CHRISTMAS SERVICES

For more information about the services noted above click for details HERE.

WHAT'S HAPPENING

CHRISTMAS DECORATING PARTY

Stay for the Party on Sunday December 17!

Christmas songs at the piano
Sandwich lunch provided
Help decorate the church
Bring poinsettias (see below)

The party begins right after the 10:15 service!

CHRISTMAS POINSETTIAS

This year there are two ways to participate in filling the church with poinsettias for Christmas.

Bring a poinsettia or several to church on Sunday, December 17. If you wish to donate the flowers and designate them as a memorial to loved ones, please include a card noting the names of those being remembered. If you prefer to be reimbursed for your purchase, please include your receipt with your contact details.

Make a financial donation for the purchase of poinsettias. Please note the names of the people to be remembered. Donations can be put in the collection plate any Sunday or dropped off at the office.

PWRDF World of Gifts – ST. JOHN’S HAS BOUGHT THE WHOLE FARM AND MAY BUY A SECOND ONE!

Huge thanks to St. John’s parishioners who generously contributed to “Buying the

Whole Farm,” part of PWRDF’S World of Gifts program. If we ‘buy the whole farm’ we

will be supporting 9 food security projects in 8 different countries.

We are pleased to announce that we raised a total of $1,165, easily enough to buy one

whole farm at $612 and just $65 short of buying TWO whole farms! If you would like to

get us over the finishing line to buying two farms, please make out a cheque to PWRDF

and write “Buying the Whole Farm” – St. John the Evangelist, Ottawa in the bottom left

corner, and give it to Jane Maxwell at the Christmas Card table. You may also write a

cheque to St. John’s, noting the PWRDF details, and put it on the collection plate.

Well done St. John’s! This is a wonderful and generous Christmas gift to The Primate’s

Fund and its many overseas partners.

(For new parishioners, PWRDF is short for Primate’s World Relief & Development Fund)

PWRDF CHRISTMAS CARDS

Now On Sale!

PWRDF Christmas cards have arrived and we will be selling two different designs illustrating “Peace on Earth, Good Will to All”. Each pack contains 12 cards. A donation of $25 is suggested. If you wish to purchase cards please bring cash in the amount of $25 or a cheque to church in the next few weeks. Christmas cards have continued to be popular at St. John’s and we usually sell out every year. The funds raised from Christmas cards go to support the life-saving work of The Primate’s Fund and its partners around the world. Thank you for your support. St. John’s PWRDF Committee

OF INTEREST

INDIGENOUS ENGAGEMENT

REPORT ON THE YEAR

Osiyo nigadv, (Hello everyone).

We are moving toward Winter Solstice, a time when darkness blankets the land, and Mother Earth slumbers, A good time for storytelling. I encourage us to look back on our journey this past year and to also look forward to continuing our journey; our good road.

We started in the Spring, participating in the Kairos Blanket Exercise, an impactful way to learn and participate in the history and sadness of colonization. We attended Odawa's 44th annual Pow Wow at the RCMP Musical Ride Stables.

Thank you, Mary Frances Marshall, for putting out a red dress in our church on May 5th for us to stand in support for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and Two-Spirited People Observance Day.

As we moved into Summer, we had the honor to respectfully participate in Indigenous People’s Day on the Summer Solstice. Our parish marked the occasion with special prayers and a focus during our worship services.

In the Fall, eight of us went together to see a play by Elder Albert Dumont and Phil Jenkins, “Bloodline,” based on Albert’s life. The storytelling was a powerful way to learn.

On September 30th, we marked National Truth and Reconciliation Day by participating in the events on Parliament Hill. We stood in solidarity with all those who survived and mourned the shameful legacy of Residential Schools in Canada.

Several of us gathered together for three Saturdays and worked through “Our Home and Treaty Land” by Raymond Aldred and Matthew Anderson in a book study that opened our eyes to understanding more how Indigenous people view the land we dwell on together and the historical agreements we’ve made on how we will live together peacefully.

We took a short Medicine Walk into Mer Bleue to see the beautiful creation and to reflect on how the Indigenous peoples of this area lived in harmony with the plant and animal life of a thriving bog.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to educate themselves and help build “Gadugi” - caring for each other and working together in our community.

Have a Peaceful Winter Solstice!

Kimberly Johnson-Breen

Indigenous Engagement Coordinator

Thank you to St John’s Supporters of CoSA

Earlier this fall, I asked St John’s Corporation and many of you individually, to lend your moral support to a CoSA (Circles of Support and Accountability) application for funding from the Anglican Foundation of Canada for a documentary that CoSA is planning. The Corporation wrote a letter of support and over 30 of you agreed to allow your name to appear on a list of supporters. We were delighted when Diocesan Council and the Bishop approved the application for forwarding to the AFC. This show of support from St John’s and the diocese was a wonderful encouragement for CoSA and its ministry, which began and continues on St John’s premises.

Thank you very much for supporting the application. Unfortunately, the application for $12,300 was not approved by the AFC. CoSA continues undaunted in its work and its search for sustainable funding. CoSA is most grateful for the ongoing encouragement from St John’s Church and hopes that you will be able to respond to the Christmas Appeal and enjoy the spring gala on April 26 next year.

The Rev Canon Garth Bulmer

UPDATES

DIRECTOR OF MUSIC POSTING

The Christmas Season comes, as always, with a great focus on music. Special thanks to Barb Hallam-Price for her very able leadership as Interim Director of Music.

At the same time, we are preparing for the future. The position of Director of Music has now been listed online. We are grateful for input from Barb Hallam-Price, Gordon Johnston, Frances Macdonnell, and Paul Lex (Director of Human Resources for the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa. We are advertising with the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa, the Royal Canadian College of Organists, and on our own St John’s website.

Read the posting on the St John's website HERE.

THE SHOP NEEDS YOUR HELP!

Colder weather is here, and there is an urgent need for:

Men’s winter jackets/coats
Men’s winter boots
Mitts and gloves

Also, do you have a surplus of reusable bags that are taking up space in your cupboards?

Please donate them to the Shop!

PWRDF GAZA Hospital Appeal

For several years, PWRDF has supported the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza with surgical equipment, improved access to health care and during emergencies. The hospital is run by the Episcopal (Anglican) Diocese of Jerusalem and the Middle East, with whom the Diocese of Ottawa has had a partnership for many years. Shortly after the war started in Gaza, the Al-Ahli Hospital was hit by a strike sustaining damage to upper floors and the ultrasound and mammography departments. A second deadlier strike a few days later injured four staff. After the violence, the hospital’s director, Suhaila Tarazi, issued an emergency appeal to support its health services in this time of crisis. PWRDF has responded with a grant of $30,000. This grant will cover the cost to employ six additional nurses, two doctors, five operating room specialists, one psychosocial specialist and four cleaners to work at the hospital for the next three months.

Through our membership in the Canadian Food Grains Banks, PWRDF has joined the Humanitarian Coalition in an emergency appeal to respond to mounting needs. To support the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, we ask you to donate to PWRDF’s Gaza Hospital Emergency Appeal. You may donate online, by phone at 416-822-9083 or leave a cheque on the collection plate made out to PWRDF - Gaza Hospital Appeal. Thank you for your support.

St. John’s PWRDF Committee

Photo Credit: The New York Times

TO REMEMBER IN PRAYER

Our Parish

Prayers for those in leadership roles: Gary, Allen, Barb, Kimberly, Kerry, Jesse, Stephen, Brian, Michelle, Jill, and all who minister at St John's. Prayers for those in need: Robin.

Our Diocese

Shane, our Bishop; Anne, our Metropolitan; Linda, our Primate.
The Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples, Sacred Circle, and the Ministry of Reconciliation and National Indigenous Archbishop, The Most Rev. Christopher Harper.
Staff at Ascension House.
St. Paul’s, Hazeldean-Kanata and The Reverend Canon Stephen Silverthorne.

Anglican Church of Canada

The Venerable Alan Perry, General Secretary, and the staff of the General Secretary’s Office.

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada

Peace Anthony-Idoko, Director of Finance and Administration, and the staff of Finance and Administration.

The Anglican Communion - Pray for Anglicans Worldwide

The Anglican Church of Papua New Guinea.

Parish Prayer Group

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

prayer-request@stjohnsottawa.ca.