News > 2008 Parish Life Notes > 08.10.05 Parish Life

Ordination of Jim Salladin

It is a terrific pleasure to announce that Rev. Jim Salladin will be ordained priest in the church of God next Sunday October 12th at the evening service, 6:30 pm. I invite you to come and support Jim and Amber in this next stage in their lives with us.

Parish Prayer

Starting this month Parish Prayer is moving from the 1st Tuesday of the month to the 1st Monday of the month. Parish Prayer, this month will be Monday, October 6th. Come and join with other parishioner’s and staff to praise God, and pray for our ministries and missionaries.

ANiC Offer Specifics

ANiC can receive donations of funds and securities. Official receipts will be issued from ANiC for Income Tax purposes. If you wish to give to the St. John’s project please:
• make cheques payable to 'ANiC – In trust for St. John’s    Project'
• use ANiC Envelopes provided at the back of the church
• place envelopes in the offertory plate or drop off at the church office

Connections - Hospitality Ministry

Do you want to get to know other people at church? Are you finding it challenging to connect with new people at St. John’s? Connections is a way to get to know new people or connect with old friends by sharing a light lunch with 6 or 8 others in a host-family’s home. You will meet with them after the Sunday services on Oct 26 and Nov 23. How do you get involved? We will have a registration table today after the 9:00 am service in the Trendell Lounge and after the 11:00 am service in the Narthex. For more information call Jan at the church office 604.731.4966 ext 28.

Support Group for Men

Struggling with Pornography? Many surveys show that this is a significant temptation for many Christians. You can find help and support in this confidential support group for Christian men. Call Dan Gowe at 604.228.0326

Griefshare

GriefShare is a 13-week support group designed to comfort and support you as you deal with the painful loss of a loved one. Dealing with death of a loved one is never easy, and doesn’t follow a prescribed formula. If you, or someone you know is experiencing such a loss, please plan on attending the next GriefShare session which begins Thursday, October 23rd, from 7:00-8:30 pm in Room 100, Church Hall. To register, please email Edie Rittinger or phone 604.731.4966 ext 24.

Liveword Women’s Conference

Mark your 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

Parish Announcements

Decorations. Please join us for Thanksgiving decorating on Saturday, Oct. 11 at 9:00 am in the sanctuary. Coffee and snacks will be provided. Donations of greenery, flowers, leaves etc. can be left outside the south chapel door.

Keeping Company with God. Keeping Company with God, which normally meets on the 2nd and 4th Mondays will not be held on Thanksgiving Monday due to the holiday. It will resume on Oct 27th.

Community News

Living Waters. This 24 week program will begin on Tuesday, Oct 7, 2008 at Tenth Avenue Alliance Church (at the corner of 10th and Ontario). This is a Christ centered discipleship ministry that deals specifically with relational and sexual brokenness. The program involves worship, teaching and small group prayer. Email or call the Living Waters office at 604.301.1470 for more information, or to apply. Space is limited. Questions? Call or email Manya Egerton 604.261.7785. All enquiries are confidential.

Arthur Turner Training School. The Arctic Fellowship is hoping to continue support of the ATTS in the Diocese of the Arctic, through your donations of stamps. Thank you to all who already give. For further information please call Grace Turner at 604.872.6031.

Marriage Refreshment Weekend. “TeamMates: A Celebration of Marriage” will be held at Barnabas Family Ministries on beautiful Keats Island on November 7-9. Come and learn things like: why men and women view life so differently, how to talk with, rather than at, each other, and in general how to keep the sizzle in your marriage. For more information contact David and Mary-Lynn Jacoby 604.524.5849.

Dear Friends,

As you know, St. John’s is a large congregation and I often hear people say that it is hard to meet others here. Whether you are a newcomer or whether you have been at St. John’s for years, one way to get to better know others in the congregation is through our hospitality ministry, called Connections. The objective of Connections is to provide a starting point for parishioners to connect and for newcomers to become integrated into the church. There have been many significant connections made through this ministry, in terms of building friendships and in helping newcomers become involved in the life of the church. Sharing food, while getting to know each other is a lovely way to start to feel a part of the church family!

Today there will be a registration table in the Trendell Lounge after the 9:00 am service and in the Narthex after the 11:00 am service. Those who register will be placed in a group with 7-8 others to share a light lunch in a parishioner’s home on two occasions, the last Sundays of
October and November.

Our vision is that most of the congregation will be involved in connecting in this way, and that
people will continue to connect on their own, “breaking bread together from house to house”,
and inviting each other and new members into a deeper Christian relationship.

I encourage you to stop by the registration table to chat and to learn a little more about this
ministry.

Jan Hobbis