This week at St John's

THIS WEEK AT ST JOHN'S

Dear Friends:

This coming Sunday combines our Black History Month celebration and our Annual Vestry Meeting.

At 10:15, we will join in some African songs and hear readings in Luganda and Ikinyarwanda (English texts included) and there will be dancing as the service concludes. We are cooking on Saturday to serve an African lunch following the service. There will be lots of food and you're welcome to stay.

Keep in mind that we have the 8:00 service if you would prefer an early start on your day. This service is 40 minutes and you're welcome to join our table at Bridgehead afterwards for coffee or breakfast. You'll have a space for personal time and then you're welcome to come back for lunch and the annual meeting. The meeting will begin at noon.

We circulated copies of the Annual Report last week, but you are also welcome to download the full report including financials HERE. The sermon at both services will reference the Rector's Report and reflect on the gospel reading of the day (readings are listed below).

In this newsletter, please note the update below about Belong Ottawa. Thanks to everyone who participated in the conversations and offered input - we are grateful for your questions, insights, and support.

With best wishes,

Gary+

SCRIPTURES – Sunday, February 25 - Second Sunday in Lent

Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16; Psalm 22:23-31; Romans 4:13-25; Mark 8:31-38

SCRIPTURES - Sunday, March 3 - Third Sunday in Lent

Exodus 20:1-17; Psalm 19; 1 Corinthians 1:18-25; John 2:13-22

RECORDED WORSHIP SERVICES

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

February 18 - First Sunday in Lent

February 14 - Ash Wednesday

Find all Worship Recordings HERE

UPDATES

Update on Extended Hours at The Well

On Sunday, February 11, Peter John Hobbs, Director General of Community Ministries for the Diocese of Ottawa, and Rachel Robinson, Executive Director of Belong Ottawa, met with parishioners after the 10:15 service to explain the dire situation on the streets of Ottawa, and why Belong Ottawa is asking St. John’s to help address this crisis by agreeing to extended hours for The Well. Currently, The Well is open from 8 am to 8 pm Monday through Thursday. Belong Ottawa requested that The Well’s hours be extended to Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

About 40 people attended the information session, and while there were a few voices in favour of proceeding more cautiously than proposed, the majority of participants who spoke supported the extension of hours. At the same time, there were many concerns raised about how this new arrangement will work, and what safeguards would be put in place. You can find a summary of the questions raised and the answers that were provided HERE.

Our current and incoming Corporations met last week to discuss the request, and after careful consideration, the consensus of all but one Corporation member was that St. John’s should support extending The Well’s hours to Friday from 8:00 am to 8:00 PM, and 7 1/2 hours on Saturday and Sunday, at times that St. Johns and The Well will determine together, for a period of one year. This agreement will be reviewed six months after the new hours have been implemented, and a decision will be made at that time about whether to renew.

Corporation members see this new arrangement as a continuation of a long-standing partnership between St. John’s and The Well. At the same time, we know that there are many new challenges in the partnership that we need to address together with The Well. This past week, we met with Belong Ottawa to review a detailed list of measures we proposed that will:

ensure the security of all those who use the building;
manage any situations that arise with clients outside the building; and
ensure good relations with neighbouring businesses.

On the administrative side, we called for a review of the cost-sharing arrangements to reflect increased use of the building, a review of cleaning requirements, and an increase in cleaning staff capacity as required. Belong Ottawa has committed to working with us to achieve these and other objectives in the weeks and months ahead. They estimate that it will likely take eight weeks before they have recruited the additional staff required and can implement the extended hours.

Corporation will keep you updated as implementation talks with Belong Ottawa continue. We thank you in advance for your support, as St. John’s does its part to meet the immediate needs of people on our streets who are suffering.

Brian Cameron

People’s Warden, on behalf of St. John’s Corporation

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.

LEARNING IN LENT

TRUTH & RECONCILIATION - IN WORSHIP

A Study of St John's by Josh Zentner-Barrett

Last spring, Josh Zentner-Barrett conducted research at St John's on how we understand worship and its relationship to truth and reconciliation. We look forward to welcoming him back for a presentation and discussion of his research findings. Josh will outline what he did and what he found, and invite your reflection and thoughts. We look forward to an interesting discussion!

Saturday, March 2, 2024 from 10 AM to 12 PM

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...

Some work better than others! Join us for 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. Our group is meeting this Saturday 11:00 AM. Come to the Somerset Street Office entrance. We begin the conversation by sharing a loaf of bread.

Saturday, February 24 - The Theme This Week: We continue to learn the parts the worship service with a special focus on the scriptures and how we interpret them.

PWRDF 2024 LENTEN RESOURCE

“Seeding Health:

Lenten Meditations

on the Climate Crisis and Well-Being”

This year, renowned biblical scholar, Dr. Sylvia Keesmaat, past co-chair of the Bishops Committee on Creation Care for the Diocese of Toronto, will be providing daily meditations during Lent. Dr. Keesmaat will reflect on our current climate crisis and the well-being of ALL of creation, human and non-human, and offer us lessons in repair and restoration that are both profoundly ancient and current.

You can sign up to receive a daily reflection at Lent 2024 - The Primate's World Relief and Development Fund (pwrdf.org).

Emails begin on Ash Wednesday, February 14.

TO REMEMBER IN PRAYER

Our Parish

Prayers for those in leadership roles: Gary, Allen, Christina, Pat, Karen, Barb, Kimberly, Kerry, Jesse, Stephen, Brian, Michelle, Jill, Monica, Barb, Jeff, Marianne and all who minister at St John's.

Our Diocese

Shane, our Bishop; Anne, our Metropolitan; Linda, our Primate.
Staff at Ascension House.
St. Mark the Evangelist, Ottawa and The Reverend Julian Campbell.

A Time of Prayer - Living God, as we listen for your divine sparks in our midst, strengthen us for your service by your grace. Help us remember that we are like trees planted by your life-giving water and keep our hearts and minds open to hear your desires for our diocesan church, our parish, and our community. Give us your wisdom so that we might bear fruit worthy of your kingdom. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Anglican Church of Canada