Parish Prayer Meeting
Monday, February 1 at 7:30 pm
Please join us on Monday evening in the Trendell Lounge, in praying for the ministries of St. John’s and the wider Anglican church. Bishop Charlie Masters will also be with us to give an update on the ministry of the church in Eastern Canada.
Vestry Meeting
Our Annual Vestry (General) meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, February 9 at 7:30 pm. You are considered to be a member of the parish if you have been baptized, are 16 years of age or older, attend Sunday services regularly, have had your name on the parish list for at least 3 months, and are not a member of any other Anglican parish in the Diocese. The annual vestry meeting is an important event in the life of the church where we review the previous year, and make plans and set budgets for 2010.
An Opportunity to Serve
If you attend the 11 am service, would you please prayerfully consider volunteering as a “greeter”? You would serve on a team with 4 to 5 other people, approximately once every 6 weeks. We regard this as a very important ministry, as you often will be the first person to greet a visitor, or welcome someone new to our church. If you can help us, please contact Neil Stopforth by email or phone at 604.536.7477.
Confirmation Preparation
St. John’s will have its first confirmation service in several years on Sunday, June 20, 2010.
Confirmation in the Anglican Church marks the point in the Christian journey at which participation in the life of God’s people, inaugurated at baptism, is confirmed by the bishop by the laying on of hands, and at which those who have been baptized affirm for themselves their faith and their intention to live a life of responsible and committed discipleship.
If you have been baptized and are 16 years or older, there is a preparation course for Confirmation beginning Tuesday, February 2, at 7:30 pm. This course will run on Tuesday evenings through June 15 and consists of a 12-week unit on basic Christian doctrine followed by a 6-week unit on Anglican distinctives. There will be a $15 fee to cover materials for the 12-week unit and an additional later fee for materials for the 6-week unit.
If you wish to know more about Confirmation or the details of this course, or if you wish to register for the course, please contact Keith Ganzer this week by email or phone at 604.731.4966.
Baptism Services – Sunday, March 14
Are you interested in baptism, for you, or your child? Our next Baptism services are scheduled for Sunday, March 14 at either the 9:00 am or 11:00 am service. The application deadline for Baptism is Monday, March 1. For more information please contact Krista at the church office by email or phone at 604.731.4966, ext 19.
Interested in learning more about small group leadership?
If you are interested in learning more about the requirements for being a small group leader and being equipped to lead, please contact Jan Hobbis by email or phone at 604.731.4966 ext. 28.
Men’ s Breakfast
Come and meet Bishop Charlie Masters who is the ANiC (Anglican Network in Canada) bishop for Eastern Canada. He will give his testimony and talk about how God has been working in his life. This is a great chance to get to know Bishop Charlie and to be encouraged by his ministry. The breakfast will take place from 9:00 -11:00 am on Sat Feb 6 in the Trendell Lounge. The cost will be $15 (please pay at the door before the Breakfast), you can sign up by calling the church office, or between the 9:00 and 11:00 am services and after the 6.30 pm service.
New to St John’s?
If you are new to St John’s, we would like to get to know you! Please join us for a free ‘Welcome lunch’ after the 11am service in the Trendell Lounge on Feb 7. You can register by email, or phoning the church office at 731.4966.
How to Give to 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 Jan 1, 2010 we are now able to accept donations supporting the ministries of St. John’s through this new corporation. St. John’s Vancouver replaces the ANiC - St. John’s Project. Please make cheques payable to St. John’s Vancouver.
Please Pick Up Your Giving Envelopes
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. 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, as we are no longer accepting cheques for the ANiC-St. John’s Project
If you don’t have a giving code, or giving envelopes, and would like some, please contact Krista by email or phone at 604.731.4966 ext. 19.
Alpha Marriage Course
We are planning to run a seven-week Alpha Marriage course, beginning Wed, Feb 3. This is a very practical course giving any married couple the tools to build a strong and healthy marriage and is suitable for marriages of all ages and stages, whether you are newly weds or have been married for years. If you’d like further information or would like to register, (pre-registration is required) please contact Jan by email or phone 604.731.4966 ext 28.
Bishop From Malawi to Visit
Bishop Brighton Malasa and Father Grant Tebulo will spend 12 days in the parish from April 15 to 27. If you are able to help by providing accommodation for either or both of these guests, for all or half the time, or if you would like to invite them for a meal, or if your Bible Study Group would like to invite them for a meal, please contact Peggy Smart at 604.222.3771.
Parking
Please note that from February 4 - March 1 there will be no parking allowed on Granville at any time. If you normally park on Granville on Sunday mornings, please allow time to find another place to park for the month of February.
Accommodation needed
The Rev. Sam Chan and his wife and two sons (ages: 2 years old and 6 months old) are coming to Vancouver on study leave from April 24 to June 25 to study at Regent. Sam has visited and preached at St. John’s in the past. If you know of some accommodation for them, please contact Ruth Matheson, 604.731.4966, Ext 12.
Parish News
Condolences
Our condolences to Gail Stevens. Her father Stan Boulter died last Monday at the wonderful age of 98! Please pray for Gail and Paul and their family as they mourn the loss of their beloved father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.
Community News
Another way to help Haiti earthquake victims
Health Partners International of Canada (HPIC) is a Christian NGO which procures donations of medicines from drug manufacturers, and then provides the medicines – either in direct shipments to needy areas, or by providing them for organizations like World Vision who then deliver them “on the ground” to victims of the earthquake. Giving to HPIC is a very effective way to see your donated money used – one dollar donated means that ten dollars of medications are delivered where they are needed most. Edie Rittinger is a long time member of the Board of HPIC and would be happy to talk to you about this. Please consult their website at hpicanada.ca for full information on their involvement in Haiti.
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Dear Friends,
Welcome to St. John’s and God bless you as we gather together to worship our Lord Jesus and hear Him speak to us through God’s Word, and by His Spirit.
We particularly want to welcome Bishop Charlie Masters, who is our ANiC (Anglican Network in Canada) bishop in Eastern Canada. We have been fortunate over the last couple of months to have visits from and to get to know our three new ANiC bishops who were consecrated at Synod in November. Bishop Trevor Walters was with us in December, Bishop Stephen Leung was with us last Sunday, and this week Bishop Charlie is with us.
He is speaking at the Evening Service/Ekklesia retreat this weekend and will be with us throughout the coming week to take part in a number of the ministries that happen at St. John’s over the course of a week. He’ll be speaking at the Men’s Breakfast on Saturday and preaching at next Sunday’s services. This is a wonderful opportunity for us all to get to know Bishop Charlie, whose Godly leadership we are so very thankful for.
Warmly,
Dan Gifford
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