News > 2008 Parish Life Notes > 08.08.31 Parish Life

Registration for Sunday School

Sunday School begins again during both morning services on September 7th. All parents are asked to register children from birth up to grade 6 on the lawn during coffee hour this morning. This is also a good chance to let Ruth Flannigan know if you are intending to teach again in the fall or to enquire about teaching or assisting a teaching team.

Luke Teaching Day

On Saturday, Sep 13 from 9:00 am until 3:00 pm, plan to come to a day of teaching by David Short on the gospel of Luke. David will give us an overview of Luke, the big themes, and also some tools to help us in our studies throughout the term. These teaching days fill up early and there is limited seating! Pre-registration is required. There is a cost of $15, which includes a lovely lunch. There will be a registration table in the Trendell Lounge both this Sunday and next. For more information call Jan Hobbis at the church office, 604.731.4966 ext 28 or by email

Liveword Women’s Conference

Ladies, mark you calendars now and register for the women’s conference on Saturday October 18. We invite you and women from churches throughout the Lower Mainland to attend a day of solid teaching and great music, as three speakers (Carolyn Hindmarsh, Marion Maxwell, and Polly Long) teach from the Psalms. Brochures are available in the church and on the reception desk. For more details visit our website under Special Events or contact Jan Hobbis at the church office, 604.731.4966 ext 28 or by email

Welcome Lunch

If you are new to St. John’s, we would like to get to know you! Please join us for our welcome lunch after the 11:00 am service in the Trendell Lounge on September 21. You can register by emailing or by calling the church office at 604.731.4966.

Childcare Needed

Children's Choir

Were you surprised when your child enjoyed singing in the Christmas choir? This musical opportunity might be just right for your family. The fourth season of the St. John’s Children’s Choir begins Monday, September 15 from 4:30 - 5:30 pm. Open to children aged 7 and up who are independent readers. The St. John’s Children’s Choir learns to read music and sing properly, while serving the body of Christ at both St. John’s Shaughnessy and St. John’s Richmond. Contact Amber Salladin for more information, 604.319.6048.

Learners' Exchange

Learners’ Exchange begins on September 7 in room 100 at 9:00 am. All are welcome to attend. On September 7 Rev. Dr. J.I. Packer will be speaking on GAFCON. For a complete list of upcoming topics please see the Learner's Exchange page or contact Bill Chandler, 604.987.5445

Discovering Christ presents DC2 - Building foundations

This course meets for 6 weeks every Tuesday night at 7:15 pm in the Trendell Lounge. DC2 is designed particularly for those new to the Christian faith (or those still investigating). This is a warm, pressure-free environment to explore some of the foundations of Christianity. Watching video clips and looking at classical artwork are some of the ways we will study a variety of topics including an overview of Church history, a survey of the Bible, prayer, and tips on understanding ‘Christianese’.

Those new to St. John’s are also particularly encouraged to attend. Please register by emailing Aaron Roberts or by phoning the church office at 604.731.4966 ext 22. The next course begins Sep 23 and there is no fee for attendance.

Parish Announcements

Parish Prayer Please join us for prayer this Tuesday evening in the Trendell Lounge at 7:30 pm to pray for St. John’s people and ministries, and other ministries beyond our parish.

St. John's Book Club meets every second Wednesday of the month during the afternoon from 1:00 to 2:30 pm in the church library. Everyone is welcome to join. For September only we will meet on Wednesday the 17th at 1:00 pm. We will be reading a variety of books, e.g. Philip Yancey, Max Lucado, novels and biographies. Please contact Linda Hewitt 604.266.4374 for any further information.

Sunday Morning Parking Please remember the City of Vancouver Street and Traffic By-law requires that we park:
• 1.5 metres from a driveway or lane
• 5 metres from a fire hydrant
• 6 metres from a stop sign
If you are able-bodied, please park a block or two from the church and leave the spaces near the church for those who are elderly, very young, or handicapped.

Dear Friends,

As August comes to a close, many of us are prayerfully seeking ways to serve one another. Bettina Konrad, married to Ed and mother of a grown son, reflects below on why she offered to serve last year in children’s ministry and of how she received more than she anticipated.

I decided to teach Sunday school last year because I wanted to tell meaningful stories to children. I also felt that the children of this church are a significant part of our community and I wanted to engage with them. What I didn’t expect was that teaching the children would become a vital link in my understanding of the Biblical text. This was particularly true for me as we studied Exodus. Reading the Bible passages and reflecting on the well crafted lessons gave me a wonderful context for understanding the sermon series. Then, after hearing the sermons and participating in the 9:00 am worship service, I was ‘pumped’ – ready and eager to tell and teach.

Another part of teaching Sunday School that I really enjoyed was the teamwork. Before teaching on Sunday mornings, we spent about twenty minutes reviewing the plan and praying together in preparation for the morning. Then, when the children came we always had a wonderful opening time of worship, sharing, and during this time the introduction to the lesson was presented. Watching others present the review and opening helped me in my teaching practice and provided the context for the final part of the morning. My team then met with a small group of children to bring the lesson to its conclusion.

I left each Sunday feeling truly blessed to be a member of this church family.

If you’re wondering how you might serve in this ministry, please speak with Ruth Flannigan this morning at the registration table on the lawn.

warmly,

David Short