Advent Quiet Day -
“And His Name Shall Called..."
November 21, from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
This year Irena Tippett and Tanya Hawke will be leading us as we look at the meaning of Advent. The day will include wonderful music, good food, teaching and time to quietly reflect on both Christ’s coming to live with us here on earth and his coming as our King of Glory to take us to live with him forever. Registration forms are available in the church and at the reception desk in the church hall. You may: leave registrations at the front desk, mail them to St. John’s or register in person in the Trendell Lounge between the 9:00 and 11:00 services. All registrations need to be in the office before 9:00 pm on Tues Nov 17. The cost is $20. For more information please email Marion Maxwell.
Artizo ‘Meet the Interns’ Dessert Night
Mon, Nov 23 at 7:30 pm in the Trendell Lounge. The ‘meet the interns’ night is an annual November event that is part of St. John’s ‘Artizo Sundays’. It gives you an opportunity to meet and find out more about the interns and to get caught up with what is happening with the Artizo program. Everyone is invited to come along! Any questions, contact Eric Thurston at 778-834-2771.
Installation Services for Two of our new ANiC Bishops
While we are not able to attend Bishop Charlie Masters’s installation in Burlington this afternoon, we do have the opportunity of attending the installation services for Bishop Stephen Leung and Bishop Trevor Walters. It would be an encouragement to these new bishops, who we have been walking with in the past 7 years of the dispute with the Diocese of New Westminster, if some of us attended.
Saturday, November 21st at 2 pm, Bishop Stephen will be installed at Church of the Good Shepherd, 189 West 11th Avenue, Vancouver.
Sunday, November 22nd at 3 pm, Bishop Trevor will be installed at St. Matthew’s Abbotsford, 2010 Guilford Drive, Abbotsford (overflow parking has been arranged at Henderson’s Funeral Home and at Grace Church).
Operation Christmas Child
Today is the last day to drop off your Christmas Child Boxes at the Church. After today please drop your boxes off at Safeway.
Prayer for Christians in Iran
We have heard that the largest church in Tehran has been forced to close by government officials. Please pray: that God will open up other means whereby the gospel can be proclaimed to the people of Iran; that God will give the leaders of the church wisdom in the next steps; that God will give courage and hope to the members of the church; and that God’s will may be done through the authorities in Iran, despite their hard line against Christians.
“Iran30” is a short, easy-to-read booklet to help you pray more specifically for our Iranian brothers and sisters in Christ. There are some available today (for a small donation) in the Trendell Lounge between the 9 am and 11 am services. For more information please speak to Sandy Harmel.
Men’s Breakfast
The next Men’s Breakfast will take place on December 5, 9 am -11 am in the Trendell Lounge. The talk will be titled “How Jesus Renovates and Restores Men’s Lives”. It will take the form of five testimonies from men who will share how Jesus has brought great change and restoration into their lives. Cost is $15.00 and you can register in person in the Trendell Lounge between the 9 am and 11 am services, or by calling the church office.
St. John’s Walkers – Sunday November 15
Next Sunday we will be visiting the Reifel Bird Sanctuary. If you would like to join us please meet the group at 10:45 am outside the library located in the church hall. Wear comfortable footwear and bring a packed lunch. For more information please contact Joann Wilkins at 604.943.3882 or Brian Cole at 604.464.0019.
Senior’s Tea
St. John’s Seniors Tea will be held on Tuesday, November 24 at 1:30 pm in the Trendell Lounge. Come and bring a friend as we travel to “Antarctica” with Trudy Wijnbeek. If you need a ride please call the church office.
CTC Retreat
Please keep the St. John’s youth group in your prayers. CTC (grades 7-9) will be on retreat from November 13-15.
Address Update
Last week we mailed out a St. John’s “state of the union” letter to everyone on our parish list. If you did not receive this letter it means we do not have your address. If you are new to St. John’s or have recently changed addresses please fill out a blue Welcome card which you will find in the pew rack. These cards can be placed in the offering plate or in the Parish Mail Box located at the Granville Street entrance to the church.
Parish Family News
Condolences. Our deepest condolences to the family of Dr. Don Rix, who died on Friday, November 6th. Don was a long-time member of St. John’s, and he will be sadly missed by many. A private memorial service will be held on Tuesday, November 17th. Please keep Don’s daughter Laurie, her husband Neil, and all the extended family in your prayers.
Community News
Living Waters International Market and Silent Auction (The “Splash”)
This will be held at 10th Ave. Alliance Church (Ontario and 10th) on November 27th at 7 PM. There should be lots of good things to buy and it will be a lot of fun. The director of LW travels extensively and always brings back lovely things. This is an event that anyone would enjoy attending. Bring your neighbors and friends. Ask Manya Egerton for more details – megerton@telus.net.
|
|
Dear Friends,
This letter is being written from the national Synod of the Anglican Network in Canada being held in St. Catharine’s Ontario from November 11 to 13. For those of you who are not familiar with Synod, it is the opportunity for us to gather as a national Anglican Church to encourage, challenge, and learn from each other. It is also a time when we can come together, worship God, and express our unity in Christ.
In the last three days it has become clear to us (St. John’s delegates), that ANiC is being firmly established and is spreading across the country. One of the highlights of our gathering has been listening to the stories of new ANiC churches and projects begun in the last year on Vancouver Island, in the lower mainland, Alberta, Manitoba, southern Ontario, the Ottawa Valley, Montreal, and even across the border in Massachusetts. As each new church concluded its presentation, it was evident that God is working through a great diversity of communities and church models but in unity, and with clarity in the gospel. It is amazing to remember that when we gathered together just two years ago to formally launch ANiC, there were only two member parishes, both located in the lower mainland; now there are 33 parishes and church plants that span the nation.
There has also been growth in the leadership of ANiC. On Friday, three new bishops were consecrated. Bishop Charlie Masters will serve ANiC parishes from the Manitoba/Ontario border east, Bishop Trevor Walters will serve ANiC parishes from Manitoba/Ontario border west, and Bishop Stephen Leung will serve Asian parishes across North America. Bishop Don Harvey remains the Diocesan Bishop and Moderator, but announced his plans to retire at the end of the 2010 National Synod. Bishop Malcolm Harding has retired from his role as an ANiC bishop, but made clear at the Wednesday night banquet honoring his work that he was not retiring from ministry, and will continue to work with ANiC churches in the area of evangelism.
Our Primate, Archbishop Robert Duncan, Primate of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), was also present to encourage us and challenge us as we seek to make Christ known in our world. Rev. Canon Chris Sugden, from Anglican Mainstream, UK, brought support for our new bishops from bishops in England and the primates of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans.
It is an exciting thing to be part of a national church body, unified in the gospel, and moving together in the work of proclaiming the gospel to our country and world. Let us all continue in prayer for the work set before us and, in particular, for our new bishops as they establish their ministry.
Krista Friebel,
Church Committee Chair
|
