News > 2008 Parish Life Notes > 08.10.26 Parish Life

Bach Cantata – November 2nd

Come and bring a friend to hear the Gospel through Bach’s  first Cantata: “How Brightly Shines the Morning Star!” Jane Corrall (soprano) and Terry Penner (tenor) will sing accompanied by strings, woodwinds, and brass.

Discovering Christ presents ‘Big Questions’

At one time or another, we are all faced with life’s tough questions – questions about meaning, purpose and the divine, questions worth exploring, questions that really matter for finding our way in life. This short course provides a relaxed environment for those still investigating the Christian faith to explore Christian perspectives on God and spirituality, suffering and meaning. Over five Wednesday evenings, this course provides a place for you to think and discuss with others interested in similar things. We begin Nov 19 at 7:00 pm in Room 100. The course is free but we do ask for a small donation for the sumptuous dinner we provide at the beginning of each session. To register please call Aaron at the office, 604.731.4966 ext 22 or email him at dc@sjvan.org

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, Oct 27 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 upcoming Ekklesia camp on Oct 31 - Nov 2.

ANiC - Legal Defense Fund:

ANiC’s legal defense, which includes work on behalf of St. John’s (Shaughnessy), will be funded from designated givings only. For the legal defense to continue, it will need to be funded above and beyond current budgets and offerings. We ask you to consider your ability to participate in this. To give to the legal fund, please designate on your ANiC envelope the amount you are giving for the legal fund. If it is a portion of your total gift that portion will be set aside for the legal fund or you can make a cheque out directly to the legal fund by addressing the cheque to "ANiC - Legal Fund".

2009 Offertory Envelopes Orders:

We will be ordering our 2009 Offertory Envelopes very soon. If you would like to order ANiC- St. John’s Project Envelopes, please contact the office or see Nancy Williams at coffee hour after the 9:00 am service or in the narthex after the 11:00 am service.

ANiC Offering Specifics UPDATED

ANiC – St. John’s Project can receive donations, as cheques, cash, or securities. To give via cheque or cash:

• Use the ANiC envelopes provided at the back of the church.
• Make cheques payable to "ANiC – St. John’s Project"

To identify yourself for a tax receipt please 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.

To donate securites please contact the church 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

Operation Christmas Child

Now’s the time to fill a shoebox with gifts for a child living in a war-torn or impoverished country. Boxes and leaflets with gift ideas can be picked up this morning in the lower hall and should be returned by Sunday Nov 16. Please include a cheque for $7 to Samaritan’s Purse to cover transportation costs. You can return boxes any day up till Nov 16 – please stack all boxes behind the reception desk in the hall.
GIFT IDEAS
Things to include: school supplies (pens, pencils, sharpeners, crayons, writing pads), toys, toothbrushes, combs, T-shirts, socks, baseball caps, sunglasses, hair clips, watches.
Things NOT to include: toothpaste, food items, any liquid and war-related toys.

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 the death of a loved one is never easy, and doesn’t follow a prescribed formula. It's not too late to join but you must come this Thursday, 7:00-8:30 pm in room 100, in the church hall. To register, please contact Edie Rittinger 604.731.4966 ext 24.

Parish Announcements

Volunteers needed! We are looking for volunteer receptionists and bulletin stuffers. If you have a few hours a week to volunteer please contact Nancy Williams or Joanne McKinnon in the office.

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 specific 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, five 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 at 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

Dear Friends,

I had the privilege last week of speaking to the Reform Conference in London. ‘Reform’ represents a network of 1,800 congregations in the Church of England committed to personal and corporate reform by the gospel. It was very encouraging! There are many in England praying for us and at the end of the conference they passed a motion supporting us in Vancouver and affirming we are authentically Anglican. The motion has been posted as a petition on the web at gopetition and by Thursday there were 1,200 signatures. Many have added comments with their signatures and they are moving and heartening to read - I encourage you to read them.

I came home to news that two of our members have received President’s Awards from the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of BC for excellence in professional, technical and community service. Congratulations to Dr. Phil Hill and Michael Blackman.

Last weekend St. John’s hosted our fourth LiveWord women’s conference which was attended by women from 45 churches. Our Junior High group travelled past Hope for a weekend conference which was “fantastic” according to personal testimony. This weekend the Senior High group has their retreat, and the weekend after is the Ekklesia retreat.

Next Sunday, Nov 2, you are invited to Bach Cantata #1 at the 9:00 am and 11:00 am services — How Brightly Shines the Morning Star. We hold Cantatas as an opportunity to invite friends who are curious about our faith. There is a simple explanation of the gospel from the Scriptures within the context of brilliantly beautiful music.

David.