Equipped for Spiritual Conversations –
Oct 19, 12:30 - 2:30 pm
How to talk about Jesus in a city that values tolerance and pluralism above all else. Immediately after the 11:00 am service St. John’s will be running a workshop specifically addressing the issue of doing evangelism in a pluralist society. Our speaker is Tim Ernst who works with The Navigators and has been running evangelistic programs since 1995 in Vancouver. This will be a fun, interactive and informative session with plenty of time for questions. Lunch will also be provided. The workshop is free, but a small donation is requested to help cover food costs.
Keeping Company with God
Are you feeling weary and heavy laden? Needing to come to God for his care and comfort? Then come to “Keeping Company with God”, Monday, October 27th at 7:30 pm in the sanctuary. Whatever your need; a quiet time with God at the end of your day, a place to receive prayer support for personal concerns or a desire to hold up this congregation in prayer – this is a place of prayer care.”
Men's Prayer Group
Please come to the Trendell Lounge after the 9:00 and 11:00 am services today to purchase the study guide we will be using: Disciplines of a Godly Man. The cost is $15.
Youth Camps
Please pray for the two upcoming youth camps:
- Senior High: Oct 24-26
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Ekklesia: Oct 31 - Nov 2
ANiC Offering Specifics UPDATED
- Please use the ANiC envelopes provided at the back of the church.
- To identfy yourself for a tax receipt do one of the following:
~Write your name and address on the envelope
~Write your St. John’s Shaughnessy envelope number on the ANiC envelope
- Make cheques payable to "ANiC – In trust for St. John’s Project"
- Place envelopes in St. John’s offertory plate or drop them off at the office.
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, Oct 23, from 7:00-8:30 pm in Room 100, in the church hall. To register, please email Edie Rittinger or phone 604.731.4966 ext 24.
Parish Announcements
Correction. Our apologies to Dallas Brodie and David Ash whose little twin daughters were baptised at the 9 am service last Sunday. We inadvertently omitted the name of one of the babies, Madeline Marie Ash, who is all of ten
minutes younger then her sister Katherine. We want to assure little “Maddie” that she is fully included in our
thankful prayers, as is Katherine.
Flowers. The flowers on the Credence table are from the “LIVEWORD” Vancouver Women’s Conference, held yesterday at St. John’s, with thanksgiving to God for his abundant blessings on our 4th annual event!
Operation Christmas Child. Each year opportunity is given for individuals and families to fill a shoebox with gifts for a child living in a wartorn or impoverished country. Boxes can be picked up this Sunday morning in the lower hall or contact Ruth Flannigan.
Community News
Living Waters. Please pray for the 36 participants (including members of this congregation) in the 24 Week Program as the program begins. The men, who range in age from 25 to 52, come with a wide range of relational issues. Some of their particular areas of brokenness include the past experience of abuse and emotional trauma, emotional or sexual addiction, same sex attraction, and failing or failed marriages. The women, who range in age from 26 to 64 have come with specifi c concerns such as fear of men because of experience of abuse, feeling disconnected to God’s love, foster home upbringing/ fractured relationships and struggling with perfectionism and attraction to “father figures”. Emotional neglect and alcoholic parents are common themes. Please pray that they will come willing to be open to the work of God in the worship, teaching and small group prayer time. Pray also for the leaders, 5 of whom are from St. John’s.
Marriage Refreshment Weekend. “TeamMates: A Celebration of Marriage” will be held at Barnabas Family Ministries on beautiful Keats Island on Nov 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.
Light a Candle of Hope: An Evening to Celebrate Maurice McElrea. Union Gospel Mission’s President, Maurice McElrea will be retiring at the end of 2008. On Tuesday, Nov 4, at the Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre there will be a gala dinner, live Celtic entertainment, and testimonies of lives changed as well as fitting recognition for Maurice. Maurice and Lois will be so pleased if you are able to join us for this evening of celebration. For more information or to purchase tickets please go to www.ugm.ca or call 604.253.3323
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Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
After a few months of advertising a position for someone to lead our birth to three ministry and a second position for an assistant children’s minister, I’m delighted this morning to introduce two good women, Rachel Prince and Jennifer Martin. They both come with experience in children’s ministry, but perhaps their strongest recommendation is that each of them has grown up in a Christian family with parents who have been committed to growing not only their own children in Christ, but also the children in their respective churches and neighbourhoods. Now Rachel and Jennifer are bursting to give out of such plenty to our children and families at St John’s. We thank the Lord for his generous provision!
Wondering how you can support and encourage them? A good place to begin would be to pray that the Lord fill them with wisdom and grace that they might help in discipling our children to follow Christ. Let’s pray also that the Lord would bring teams together to support their ministries.
This week I was researching Luke’s credentials and was so struck by the reference to Demas no longer serving with Luke as one of Paul’s fellow-workers, “because he loved this world”. It’s my prayer that all of us will receive this gift of leadership with deep gratitude, and that, for the sake of all our children, we will weigh up very carefully anything that would get in the way of meeting with our brothers and sisters here Sunday by Sunday.
Lastly, we welcome Rachel’s husband, Trip, as well as Jesse, who is married to Jennifer, both of whom are studying at Regent College.
Ruth Flannigan
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