News > 2010 Parish Life Notes > 10.01.03 Parish Life

Nominations for Church Committee

Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven people of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. Acts 6:3
Just as the early church had to quickly figure out how to care for the needs of the growing group of Christians, so do we at St. John’s, each year, need to identify leaders to help run the mission and ministry of the church. Please prayerfully consider whether you or someone you know would be willing to serve on church committee. To find out more, or to nominate someone, please contact the ANiC – St. John’s Project People’s Warden, Lesley Bentley by email or at 604.261.9495 or St. John’s Parish Corporation People’s Warden, David Ley by email or at 604.266.3075. Nominations will close Tue, Jan 5, 2010.

Parish Discernment Meetings

Beginning in January we will be holding round 2 of the Parish Discernment Meetings to discuss the future of our Parish. The January discernment meetings will be different from the December discernment meetings. Even if you have come to a December meeting please plan on coming to one of the meetings in January. In round 2 we will share some of your feedback, and continue to seek God’s guidance on the way forward.
The dates for Round 2 meetings are as follows:
• Wednesday, January 6, 5 pm to 6:30 pm
• Thursday, January 7, 7:30 pm to 9 pm
• Sunday, January 10, 12:30 pm to 2 pm
  (bring a bag lunch)

Parish Prayer

January’s Parish Prayer meeting will be incorporated into the January Discernment meetings.

Keeping Company with God

Feeling weary after the busy Christmas season? Come to a quiet and restful service called “Keeping Company with God” that is held every second and fourth Monday evenings. Our first service of 2010 will be Monday January 11th at 7:30PM in the sanctuary.

Are you interested in a short-term mission trip to Cambodia?

The Ratanak Foundation is putting together a team of people to go to Cambodia in March 2010 to finish renovating The Sanctuary (the new ministry centre in Svay Pak funded by Ratanak). If you are interested in being a part of this team please contact Steven Friebel, St. John’s Mission Committee at 604.731.7508 or sfriebel@shaw.ca

 Introducing - St. John’s Vancouver

You will remember from our “state of the union” letter in October that we had a new corporation called St. John’s Vancouver. In late December we were informed that St. John’s Vancouver received charitable status much sooner than we had anticipated. Thanks be to God. As of January 1, 2010 we are now able to accept donations supporting the ministries of St. John’s through this new corporation.
This has implications for your offerings: St. John’s Vancouver replaces the ANiC - St. John’s Project. When you use your 2010 giving envelopes cheques need to be made payable to St. John’s Vancouver.

Happy New Year – St. John’s 2010 giving envelopes are now available

If you gave to the Ministries of St. John’s more than once in 2009 you were likely assigned a giving code, and 2010 giving envelopes.
Using your giving envelopes greatly assists the office staff in accurately recording and keeping track of your financial gifts. It also helps us provide you comprehensive giving reports, and simplifies the issuing of tax receipts at the end of the year.
You may pick up your envelopes at the back of the church. Make sure you check the address on the envelope box and ensure it is correct.
When using these envelopes please make your cheques payable to St. John’s Vancouver.
If you don’t have a giving code, or giving envelopes, and would like some, please contact Krista at the church office by email or phone at 604.731.4966 ext. 19 and she would be happy to help you and answer any questions about this.

Parish Family News

Condolences
Over the past 25 years, many members of St. John’s have been greatly helped by the counselling skills of Vincent D’Monte and will be sad to hear that he died on December 27th, eleven days after his 80th birthday. His funeral was held yesterday.

Dear Friends,

Happy New Year! This is a time when the world around us reflects on the past year and also makes predictions and resolutions about the year to come. In either case, whether we reflect back or look ahead to a new year, Christians can say with certainty that God is faithful. As a church family, we are in Christ together, and so we know God’s constant love and saving work in our lives. We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28). The new year is a terrific opportunity to think about how God is working all things together for his good purpose. As you think of the events of the last year and anticipate what may happen in the year to come, ask yourself these questions: How is God shaping my life? How is he preparing me for His gift of the resurrection of the body? How is He blessing the world for Jesus’ sake through me? One can’t think of the good that God has worked, and will work in one’s life, without being thankful, so this is an exercise in gratitude.

One of the significant ways that we express our gratitude to God is to give back to Him financially. Generous giving for the sake of Christ and His church, is a sign of spiritual health because it represents a commitment to Jesus’ own ministry of reconciling all the world to himself. That is why it is such very good news to report that our congregation at St. John’s has met our operating expenses for 2009. This is a wonderful work of God in the hearts of many people, and a direct answer to our prayers for God’s provision. Thank you for your generosity and for your commitment to Jesus’ ministry at St. John’s.

As you continue to give in 2010 please note the instructions on the inside of the Parish Life Notes. By God’s provision, we now have a permanent charitable status called “St. John’s Vancouver” and no longer will need to use the transitional “ANiC St. John’s Project”.

Another aspect of spiritual health is to seek God’s guidance in the decisions that we make at St. John’s. We will be holding a 2nd round of discernment meetings to share feedback from the December meetings, discuss long term options in more detail, and pray together for God’s guidance for us. These dates are listed inside these parish life notes. I invite you to come to one of these meetings to help one another make important decisions in a way that honours God.

As we meet together at St. John’s for the first time in 2010 we can look back and see God’s faithfulness to us in 2009. In a year of significant challenges for us as a church family, God has led us, He has provided for us in remarkable ways, and He has continued to strengthen the many Gospel ministries at St. John’s. We know God’s steadfast love to us in Jesus, we have known his faithfulness to us in the last year, and we can be sure that he will pour his grace upon us as we follow Jesus in 2010. May we always say with King David, your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. (Psalm 36:5)

Warmly,

Dan Gifford