Congratulations to new parents!
Bethany Murphy and Nathan Janz are delighted to welcome their daughter Hannah Linda Patricia, a sister for Andrew, born on Dec 29.
Rachel and Noah Rui also welcome their first born son, Simon Wesley, born on Dec 30.
Service times
A reminder that services revert to the regular times of 7:30, 9:00, 11:00 am, and 6:30 pm next Sunday. Sunday school will also resume as normal next Sunday.
Sunday school teacher needed
Here is an opportunity to serve the children of St. John’s.
Starting in January two new teachers are needed to teach at the 11:00 am service. One to teach four and five year olds and a second to assist teaching grade 5’s. The commitment entails teaching two Sundays a month and all materials will be provided. Please contact Bettina Konrad at: 604.542.2588 or email: ebkonrad@gmail.com
Parish prayer meeting
Mon Jan. 5 at 7:30 pm – “There is nothing that tells the truth about us as Christian people so much as our prayer life. Everything we do in the Christian life is easier than prayer.” (Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, The Sermon on the Mount, Part 2)
Dear friends, you are invited to join us at the parish prayer meeting tomorrow evening, January 5, for two reasons: first, that you may be encouraged in your praying for St. John’s ministries as well as for those ministries that are beyond our walls; and secondly, to encourage fellow pray-ers. Give it a try; you may just want to come back and make it a monthly habit for 2009.
Noon Bible Study – Tuesdays 12:00 -1:15 pm
The Tuesday noon Bible study group, led by Olav Slaymaker, will begin a new series on Jan 13. The study, entitled “The First Twenty Years of Christianity”, will run until April 7, meeting every second week. All are welcome to join this group in Room 100 and to bring a bag lunch if you like. Contact Jan at the office (ext 28) if you have any questions.
Welcome Lunch
If you are new to St. John’s and have never been at a newcomer's lunch, 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 Jan 18. You can register by emailing or by calling the church office at 604.731.4966.
The Living Waters Program at St. John’s
The 8 week introductory program, called CrossCurrent, will start on Thursday January 22nd, 2009. This is a Christ – centered discipleship ministry that deals specifically with relational and sexual brokenness. All programs include worship, biblical teaching and prayer ministry. If you are wondering if you should apply, here are some actual examples of issues participants have brought to God in this ministry:
- A sense of emptiness in relationships and a longing to experience God’s love
- Experience of neglect in childhood or many losses in life
- Struggle with same sex attraction/shame/fear. Longing to acknowledge struggles and seek help from God’s family
- Wounded relationships due to own or spouse’s use of pornography
- Feelings of unworthiness before God because of past sexual activity
Manya Egerton would be happy to answer any questions (confidentially). Email or call her at or 604.261.7785. For applications, contact the Living Waters office at 604.301.1470. Spaces in the program are limited.
Learner’s Exchange
Learner’s Exchange begins again today at 9:00 am in Room 100 with Dr. J.I. Packer speaking on Catechizing, and the Prayer Book Catechism. He will be speaking again next Sunday, Jan 11. Watch for the full spring schedule soon.
Accommodation needed
Stable Christian refugee man from Sri Lanka is looking for a single room to rent in the Lower Mainland for up to $500 per month. Please call Paul Ratsoy @ 604.980.0778.
Staff changes
As of the end of December, Nancy Williams has resigned from the position of Ministry Support Coordinator. She needed to return to Abbotsford to be closer to family. Please join me in thanking God for her service to us at St. John’s for the past year and pray that God will continue to care for her and her family.
Employment opportunity
If you are interested in applying for or want to encourage someone to apply for the following position, please look at the full description on our website. Applicants can email applicants resume and cover letter.
Ministry Support Coordinator – The ministry support coordinator will have three primary responsibilities: Support Ministry Staff, Event Coordination, donor Administration & Communication.
Used stamps
Thank you to all of you who have been collecting used stamps for the Arctic Fellowship. This year we have been able to send over $1,000 to the Diocese of the Arctic. Please continue to give.
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He established
a testimony in Jacob
and appointed a law in Israel,
which he commanded
our fathers
to teach to their children,
that the next generation
might know them,
the children yet unborn,
and arise and tell them
to their children,
so that they should
set their hope in God
and not forget the works of God,
but keep his commandments;
Psalm 78: 5-7
Ruth Flannigan is committed to equipping us at St. John’s to pass on God’s word to the next generation just as King David articulates in Psalm 78. We have been blessed by her commitment to our children and families for the last 15 years, and now it is time for her to take a break. Ruth Flannigan will be going on leave starting at the beginning of February to spend time with her family and sharpen her ministry axe. We will celebrate her ministry and send her off on January 25th at coffee hour between the services.
Bettina Konrad and Nerida Patton will join Jennifer Martin and Rachel Prince in continuing our strong Children’s and Family ministry. Bettina is a trained and experienced teacher who has been serving in the Children’s ministry for a number of years. She will take on the ministry oversight and help Nerida who will primarily be responsible for the development and delivery of curriculum. Nerida, who is finishing her degree at Regent this term and has volunteered in the Children’s ministry since coming to St. John’s, will be working with the older children. Both Bettina and Nerida will be working part time.
What is really exciting about all these women is that God has used Ruth to give them a vision for a Bible based Children’s ministry. They are passionate about growing disciples in our youngest members.
Praise God for providing us with such Gospel committed women. Please pray for God’s continued protection and provision for this ministry particularly as the leadership transitions.
Joanne Lawrie
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