This week at St John's

THIS WEEK AT ST JOHN'S

Dear Friends:

These pictures are from this week’s special service of Prayers and Songs for Peace. This gathering of Christians from many Ottawa churches was especially focused on praying for peace for the people of Gaza. Thanks to photographer Leigh Anne Williams. Leigh Anne is part of our St John’s family and she is also editor of Crosstalk, the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa monthly newspaper.

Please see my longer reflection on this service below. It was very moving and beautiful and a significant call to prayer. It also coincided with making plans for our Maundy Thursday celebration, at which Rabbi Daniel Mikelberg and members of Temple Israel, Ottawa’s Reform synagogue, will be our special guests. My reflection is especially focused on the tension and complexity of keeping and supporting all of our friends while also praying for peace and justice.

Looking ahead to this weekend, this Saturday I am offering part 1 of a Lenten Presentation on Healing and Expanding our Images for God so that we can go deeper in our love for God and each other. This first session will focus on God as Creator, God as Father, and God as Mother. We will expand to more images on the next Saturday. I hope you will join us for this reflection on scripture, theology, and personal faith. We will meet in the parish hall this Saturday at 10:00 a.m. (Coffee at 10:00 and the presentation starts at 10:15.)

I am looking forward to preaching this Sunday because the gospel is so helpful with all that is happening. What could be more fitting in our challenging times than coming back to “For God so loved the world…”

Gary+

PS How quickly the seasons have changed – there’s more light and it feels like spring. Keep in mind that we spring forward one hour on Saturday night with Daylight Saving Time. If you forget, you will arrive at 9:00 or 11:15!

SCRIPTURES – Sunday, March 10 - Fourth Sunday in Lent

Numbers 21:4-9; Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22; Ephesians 2:1-10; John 3:14-21

SCRIPTURES - Sunday, March 17 - Fifth Sunday in Lent

Jeremiah 31:31-34; Psalm 51:1-12; Hebrews 5:5-10; John 12:20-33

LISTEN TO RECORDED WORSHIP SERVICES

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

Prayers and Songs for Peace - March 6, 2024 - For the People of Gaza

Third Sunday in Lent - March 5, 2024

Second Sunday in Lent - February 25, 2024 - Vestry & Black History Celebration

First Sunday in Lent - February 18, 2024

Ash Wednesday - February 14, 2024

Find all St John's Worship Recordings HERE

LEARNING IN LENT

HEALING AND EXPANDING OUR IMAGES OF GOD

A Study for Lent by Gary van der Meer

How do you imagine or picture God? Some images help us to connect and others are more difficult. Father, Mother, King, Creator, the "Ultimate Ground of Being," the Force...and there are more...

We will explore them together in a survey of the different approaches to help you connect more deeply with God.

Part 1 - Saturday, March 9, 10 AM to 12 PM

Part 2 - Saturday, March 16, 10 AM to 12 PM

JOURNEY TO BAPTISM

You are welcome to join our conversations about living the path of Christian Faith. We welcome your questions and interest - you may be interested in baptism or confirmation, or generally interested in how we live the Christian life at St John's.

Saturday, Marcy 9 & 16 - Our group will attend the Lenten Lectures by Canon Gary van der Meer, "Healing and Expanding Our Images for God. See details above.

PRAYERS AND SONGS

FOR PEACE IN GAZA

A Reflection by Gary van der Meer

A few weeks ago at a breakfast with my clergy colleagues from our neighbouring Four Amigos Churches (St Theresa’s Roman Catholic, First Baptist, Knox Presbyterian, and St John’s), Rev Jim Pot, the minister of Knox Presbyterian Church invited us to participate in a vigil for peace in Gaza. Members of several churches had asked him especially because of Knox’s location across the street from the Human Rights Monument.

We agreed to support this event, myself included, even though I felt conflicted about it.

We have grown in friendship with Temple Israel, Ottawa’s Reform synagogue, and I was already planning for Rabbi Daniel Mikelberg and synagogue members to join us for our Maundy Thursday dinner. Maundy Thursday is a celebration of Jesus’ Last Supper and the Church’s First Eucharist and his "New Commandment" that we love one another as he has loved us (John 13). We know that the Passover overlaps with the story of Jesus’ passion, death, and resurrection. This occasion will be an opportunity to learn from Judaism’s observance of Passover, especially the Seder meal, which places a special emphasis on asking questions. I am looking forward to asking questions together.

Do all of our friends have to think the same way or hold the same views? Wouldn’t our lives be easier if they did? I know there are a range of views at Temple Israel about the actions of the Israeli government and the Israeli military. I saw the script for the peace vigil in advance, so I also knew that the Palestinian perspective to be shared would make a strong criticism of Israel’s history of aggressive actions toward Palestinian people. I decided that I must live with the complexity. I will support, pray for, and show up for all of my friends. That does not mean I choose to be neutral or not have a point of view.

The Peace Vigil was a wonderful and prayerful gathering. In addition to our Four Amigos Churches, participation also included St John, St Peter, and Resurrection Lutheran Churches; Parkdale United Church and First United Church; St Andrew's Presbyterian Church; Ottawa Mennonite Church; and Blessed Sacrament Roman Catholic Church. Readings and prayers were led by representatives of each congregation. These were interspersed with beautiful reflective music led by Anneli Loepp Thiessen on piano, Charlie Edholm on guitar, and Colin McFarland, on violin. There are some lovely connections here: Anneli has led music at St John's (she's married to Josh Zentner-Barrett), and Colin is the Rector of St Margaret's Anglican Church. The songs included words in Arabic and Hebrew. In addition, the Lord’s Prayer and one of the readings were presented in Arabic by Palestinian Christians.

Our time together focused on the reading of two letters - as an intentional echo of New Testament churches which were known to hold gatherings at which they publicly read each other’s letters as encouragement. The first letter, “An Open Letter from Palestinian Christians to Western Church Leaders and Theologians” was written by Palestinian Christians on October 20, 2023. Read the full Palestinian letter HERE. The second letter, “An Open Letter to Palestinian Christians from Christians in Canada” was a response written by a working group from the United Church of Canada, the Mennonite Central Committee, The Presbyterian Church in Canada, Roman Catholic groups, the Anglican Church of Canada, and other ecumenical groups, dated December 15, 2023. Read the full Canadian response letter HERE.

The letter from Palestinian Christians was especially critical of some Western Churches for their silence about Israel’s actions, and their lack of public support for Palestinian Christians. The Canadian response acknowledged this lack of support. It begins: “Dear Palestinian friends in Christ - We, have heard your Call for Repentance and respond with contrite hearts and deep sorrow for the ways we have failed God, you, and all who are our family in faith in the land of the Holy One.”

My participation in the service was to share in the reading of this Canadian response. I did so with a heavy heart and also a recognition of the truth. Western Churches have not said enough to support Palestinians. The Canadian letter expressed broad agreement with Palestinian Christians while condemning violence on both sides: "the violent actions of Hamas in killing innocent civilians" and also "the brutal and disproportionate acts of violence by the Israeli military." The prayers were similarly on behalf of all: "We pray for Israeli families with a member killed or taken hostage. We pray for Palestinian mothers and fathers in Gaza who stand in the midst of chaos and powerlessness, looking for food for their families, and a safe shelter for their children.”

As the service concluded, we walked in procession to the Human Rights Monument, holding up our peace vigil candles. I was so grateful to see familiar St John’s faces as we stood together and prayed. For me the vigil accomplished what it presented: I feel the pain of the present time and I am more focused on praying for peace.

I hope you will join me in doing so, even as I also urge you to reach out in love to all of your friends. I would ask you to try to hold the tension of differing views and to pray for each other as we all pray for peace.

Gary+

Photographs with thanks: Leigh Anne Williams

UPDATES

The changeover to spring/summer stock at the Shop will take place on March 25th and 26th. The Shop will be closed to clients on Tuesday, March 26th. It will open again on Thursday, March 28th.

MAUNDY THURSDAY SUPPER

Maundy Thursday is in four short weeks!

The Paschal Meal is the first part of the liturgy of Maundy Thursday, in which we remember the final meal Jesus shared with the disciples. Jesus shared bread and wine in what is known as the First Eucharist. He also washed the disciples' feet to remind them that leadership takes the form of serving others.

We look forward to sharing our Paschal Meal this year with Rabbi Daniel Mikelberg and representatives of Temple Israel, the Reform Synagogue of Ottawa. Rabbi Mikelberg will introduce the special role of questions in the Jewish tradition of the Seder Supper.

If you would like to volunteer to assist with the meal, please, contact Michelle Smulders HERE.

Tickets are $20 (plus a small Eventbrite charge if purchased online).

Please purchase by March 18 to allow us time to order appropriate amounts of lamb.

Tickets available HERE

MEMORIAL FLOWERS FOR EASTER

Remember your loved ones with flowers at the Altar. Make your donation to St John's noting that it is for Easter Flowers. 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 Church Office.

ART CREDO IS COMING!

Saturday, April 20 - Sunday May 5

Mark your calendars for the 45th Art Credo Exhibit and Sale!

This annual show will comprise 100 works of art from 50 artists. The Vernissage will be in the evening of Friday, April 19th. Everyone is invited to come; and to bring a friend. Come meet some of the artists!

We are looking for volunteers for some of the activities related to Art Credo, such as receiving the artwork on Thursday evening April 18th, or hanging the artwork in the church on Friday morning April 20th. During the show, if you can offer three hours of your time to act as a sitter, there is a sign-up sheet online at HERE.

See what the church looks like during Art Credo HERE.

Contacts:

Detlef Dransch / 613.592.9897

Mary Ann Varley / 613.745.2996

TO REMEMBER IN PRAYER

Our Parish

Prayers for those in leadership roles: Gary, Allen, Christina, Pat, Karen, Barb, Kimberly, Kerry, Jesse, Monica, Barb, Jeff, Marianne and all who minister at St John's. Those in need of our prayers: Robin, Diana.

Our Diocese

Shane, our Bishop; Anne, our Metropolitan; Linda, our Primate.
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
The Area Parish of the St. Lawrence, The Rev Adam Brown and the Rev Cynthia MacLachlan.

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.

The Anglican Communion - Pray for Anglicans Worldwide

The Episcopal Church of the United States

Parish Prayer Group

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

prayer-request@stjohnsottawa.ca.

A Time of Prayer - As we engage in a Time of Prayer across our diocese to listen for your divine sparks in our midst, we remember that you, O God, have been with your church since its beginning. You are with us now, and you will be with us as we prayerfully discern how to support your action in the world you love. Help us keep our hearts and minds open to hear your desires for our diocesan church, our parish, and our communities, and give us your wisdom and grace so that we can faithfully bring them to fruition. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.