Who we are:

Church address:
5350 Baillie Street
Vancouver, BC
(on 37th Ave between Cambie and Oak)

Church office address:
2325 Burrard Street
Vancouver, BC V6J 3J2
604.558.4400

St John's Vancouver Anglican Church is a community of Christians dedicated to the exposition and teaching of the Word of God, to the spreading of the good news of the Gospel at home and abroad, and to the application of God's purpose in our own lives and families.

 

News > 2009 Parish Life Notes > 09.01.11 Parish Life

Jan 11, 2009

Congratulations to new parents!

Ben and Carolyn Van der Heide are thankful to God for the safe arrival of their daughter, Hannah Colleen, on January 3rd.

Service times

A reminder that services revert to the regular times of 7:30, 9:00, 11:00 am, and 6:30 pm on Sunday Jan 11. Sunday school will also resume as normal.

Legal Update

The legal team advises that on Tuesday this past week the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court set our case down for a three week trial beginning 25 May 2009. A judge will be appointed shortly. Contrary to initial expectations, there will be no need for interim hearings with respect to the use of our church buildings as the Diocese has agreed that we will remain in possession of them until the outcome of this trial. While it is possible for a decision to be rendered immediately upon conclusion of trial, a delay of several weeks or even months is more typical. Avoiding an interim hearing, which would govern only until trial, means the legal funds raised to date can be applied directly to trial-related expenses. The legal team needs your continued financial support during the next six months and will keep us informed about significant developments as things progress. Please prayerfully consider how you might contribute to these fundraising efforts. In the next month we will schedule a meeting in which more details can be presented and questions asked.

2009 Giving Envelopes

The 2009 ANiC – St. John’s Project Giving Envelopes are ready for pick up at the back of the church. Please pick up your envelopes and use them, even if you plan to give once a month or quarterly.

Two Ways to give to St. John’s Ministries:

1. St. John’s Shaughnessy (make cheque out to St. John’s Shaughnessy)
      • Through St. John’s Visitor Envelopes
      • Direct Debit (to be arranged through the office)
2. ANiC – St. John’s Project (make your cheque out to
ANiC - St. John’s Project)
      • Through your numbered ANiC Envelopes
      • Through ANiC – St. John’s Project Visitor Envelopes

If you have any questions, please call the office.

Keeping Company with God

Are you feeling weary after the holidays? Needing to come to God for His care and comfort? Then come to “Keeping Company with God” tomorrow, Monday Jan 12 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. This service is held every second and fourth Monday of the month.

Noon Bible Study – Tuesdays 12:00 -1:15 pm

The Tuesday noon Bible study group, led by Olav Slaymaker, will begin a new series this Tuesday, Jan 13. The study, entitled “The First Twenty Years of Christianity”, will run until Apr 7, meeting every second week. All are welcome to join this group in Room 100 and to bring a bag lunch if you like. Call Jan at the office (604.731.4966 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 Jan 22, 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.

Discovering Christ presents Christianity Explored

~a course for the curious, a place to ask questions

The Christianity Explored course meets Wednesday nights at 7:00 pm in the Church Hall for a wonderful home cooked meal, short presentation and discussion. The course runs for 7 weeks and is designed for those who are curious about Christianity or are new to the Christian faith. Christianity Explored provides a warm, pressure-free environment to explore questions of faith and life. It’s informal, fun and you can choose to be silent or say whatever you want. No question is too hostile or basic and no knowledge of faith is expected!

If you have any questions or wish to register please email Aaron or phone him at the church office at 604.731.4966 ext 22.

The course is free, but a small donation is asked to help cover the cost of the awesome food. The next Christianity Explored course begins on February 4th.

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 at 604.980.0778.

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 their resume and cover letter.

Ministry Support Coordinator – The ministry support coordinator will have three primary responsibilities: Support Ministry Staff, Event Coordination, donor Administration & Communication.



   Dear Friends,

Welcome to St. John’s. Many of you know that we at St. John’s have been praying for Mehran, a
member of our 11 am congregation who had converted from Islam to Christianity in Iran before coming to Canada at Christmas 2006. His application to stay in Canada as a refugee from Iran was rejected in 2007. I would like to update you on his situation. During the past year we have supported Mehran morally, financially and prayerfully. We have helped him retain the services of a very good immigration lawyer, Naomi Minwalla, who has worked very hard to produce applications for Pre-removal Risk (PRRA) and Permanent Residence based on Humanitarian and Compassionate grounds (H & C). We as a church have not only paid legal bills for Mehran, we have officially sponsored him, and a number of parishioners have spent hours giving affidavits on his behalf. A number of us have become friends with Mehran over the last year and a half, and many pray for him regularly. In July of 2008 the PRRA and H & C applications were submitted. At that time Naomi told us that it would be six months or more before we would know the answer. If Immigration Canada rejects the applications, Mehran will be deported to Iran to face great danger as an apostate Muslim. If the applications are accepted, he will immediately become a Canadian resident. The six months are up at the end of January and so we will know at anytime over the next few months what the answer from Immigration Canada is. Some very good news is that at Naomi’s request, Amnesty International has researched Mehran’s case and has now provided a very supportive report for him. This report has been added to his application and will further strengthen Mehran’s case.

Mehran is very thankful for all
St. John’s has done for him over the last year and is grateful for the loving way that you have been supporting and caring for him. Please continue to pray for him as the day for the answer from Immigration Canada draws near.

Warmly,
Dan Gifford