This week at St John's

THIS WEEK AT ST JOHN'S

Dear Friends,

This week, I attended the annual meeting of the Centretown Churches Social Action Committee (CCSAC). This is an organized group of 23 churches founded in 1967. Its focus is: “Uniting Christians of all denominations through joint participation in social projects and prayer.” At the meeting, I saw how connected we are, including representatives of Belong Ottawa, Multifaith Housing, clergy from our 4 Amigos Churches (our neighours at First Baptist, Knox Presbyterian, and St Theresa's Roman Catholic Churches), and our local city councillor Ariel Troster. St John’s parishioner Emmy Verdun presented the financial statements as the vice-chair of CCSAC.

CCSAC is best known to us for its food bank. The Centretown Community Food Centre is “our” food bank and it is where we take the food offering that comes forward to the altar every Sunday at the offertory. It really is an impressive shared project. I visited their old location in the basement of Centretown United Church during the pandemic. I had a tour and I also interviewed Diana Mahaffy, manager of the food bank, for one of our worship videos. At that time, Diana was looking forward to the move to their new location in the new City of Ottawa Social Services Building at 370 Catherine Street.

Now in this new location, the Centretown Community Food Centre is a beautiful place. It’s spacious, clean, and accessible. The space has also allowed a change to a more dignified “shopping model” where clients are able to choose their grocery items. This summer, I grew tomatoes in a community garden and they were all ripe at the same time. I called the Community Food Centre and they were happy to have them.

Your food donations are welcome and very much needed. If you have a big harvest from your garden, you’re welcome to drop in as I did. Their donation hours are Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

We invite your food donations and every Sunday, we present them as an offering to God for God’s people during the worship service.

Please join us for worship this Sunday, 8:00 and 10:15 a.m.

Gary+

PS If you need food, contact the Centretown Community Food Centre HERE

WHAT'S HAPPENING

Please Note:

The roster is now open to update your availability for September and October.

The Centretown Churches Social Action Committee (CCSAC) will hold its 8th Annual Walk for the Centre on Sunday, October 1. Registration starts at 1:00 pm in the Jean Pigott room in City Hall. The 2km to 4km walk starts at 2:20 pm, and will be along the Queen Elizabeth Driveway. Emmy Verdun, the St. John’s representative on CCSAC, will be walking and invites you to join her.

To participate or donate please go to centretownchurches.org/walkathon and scroll down to “Sign up to Walk or to Sponsor a Walker with an Online Donation". You can also contact Emmy for more information (emmy.verdun@gmail.com).

PREPARING FOR LIFE’S TRANSITIONS

First Session: Preparing a Will – Introducing Wills & Estates

You are invited to submit specific questions in advance to prepare a session to meet our needs. Please submit questions HERE.

Heather Austin-Skaret

Co-Managing Partner and Head of Wills and Estates/Estate Litigation at Mann Lawyers

Sunday, September 24, 12:00 p.m.

Second Session: Making Decisions about Long-Term Care

Paul Beverley, Executive Director, Southbridge Care Homes, Ottawa

Sunday, October 1, 12:00 p.m.

Third Session: Planning a Funeral

Sean Copeland, Funeral Director, Whelan Funeral Home, Ottawa

Sunday, October 15, 12:00 p.m.

SAFE CHURCH

Now that we are well past pandemic restrictions on meeting in person, it’s time to update our Safe Church practices. We have guidelines especially to ensure the safety of anyone who is vulnerable, including children and people with special needs, but Safe Church is bigger than that. Safe Church is our intentional practice of making sure that when you enter our community you feel safe. This means each person’s dignity respected regardless of age, economic status, mental health, or where you identify on the spectrum of 2SLGBTQQIA+.

If you have (or would like to have) a leadership role at St John’s, we invite you to renew your familiarity with Safe Church practices by joining one of our training sessions this September. If you have a ministry role that is engaged with children or people who are vulnerable, have access to confidential information about members of our community, or engage with the general public on behalf of St John’s, you are required to have a Police Records check. Your participation will help us prevent unsafe behaviour or actions so that when we call St John’s Holy Ground it really is a safe space.

Training Sessions

Thursday, September 14, 4 p.m. Zoom Link HERE

Sunday, September 17, 12:00 noon (in person in the Parish Hall)

Let us know which one you plan to attend HERE

CALLING ALL ARTISTS AND ARTISANS!

We are looking ahead to our Christmas Market on Saturday, November 25, 12-4 PM.

If you’re an artist or craftsperson, we would love to hear from you. We want this first-ever Christmas Market to be a great event – the more the merrier! If you’re interested or have friends you would like to invite to participate, find out more from Jill Moll!

ST JOHN’S BRIDGE CLUB

The St. John’s Bridge Club's 2019-20 season was interrupted by COVID, and then for three more years. We are resuming the usual program this September. Some pairs have had pickup games since last November. There are currently seven pairs. Each pair plays each other pair once, that means having about one game a month. The games are played in each other’s homes, either afternoon or evening as mutually arranged. Sixteen hands are played taking about three hours including a break for refreshments, either during or after playing. It is a friendly round of games with players varying in experience. The season is concluded in June with a Saturday supper and a pick-up game, usually in the Parish Hall. New members would be most welcome, either as a pair, or singly and I will try and get you a partner.

Questions to Bill at billndora@rogers.com or phone 613-521-5088.

BOOK STUDY BEGINS!

Our Home and Treaty Land:

Walking Our Creation Story

Saturdays: September 23, October 4 - 9:30 a.m.

St John's Parish Hall

This is our book study for early fall. It is written as a dialogue between Rev. Dr. Raymond Aldred, a status Cree and Rev. Dr. Matthew Anderson, a settler-descended biblical scholar.

"Treaty is the key to the shared narrative, shared spirituality and shared respect for the land." Through each author's chapters we learn the importance of understanding what Treaty meant to First Nations and to Newcomers. Accepting the truth of what happened is the first step in reconciliation.

Each session is different - come to all of them!

Copies are available at Perfect Books on Elgin Street.

TRUTH & RECONCILIATION WEEK

September 25 – 30, 2023

Daily Lunch & Learns

Day 1 – Sept. 25:

Indigenous peoples and the History of Residential Schools

Day 2 – Sept. 26:

Unconscious Bias and Debunking Stereotypes

Day 3 – Sept. 27:

Intergenerational Impacts and Ongoing Systemic Discrimination

Day 4 – Sept. 28:

Indigenous Peoples’ Rights and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Day 5 – Sept. 29:

Taking Action towards Reconciliation

If you would like to participate see the link below to register:

https://nctr.ca/education/coming-soon-truth-and-reconciliation-week-2023/trw2023-gen/

September 30th - Join Us on Parliament Hill

Commemorating the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day. Join in-person or tune in to the live national broadcast from Parliament Hill in Ottawa as we memorialize the children lost to the residential school system and honour Survivors and their families. Remembering the Children begins at 1:00 p.m.

All are welcome.

https://nctr.ca/

I have 3 tickets left to the play "Bloodline" by Elder Albert Dumont and Phil Jenkins examining the harmful Indian Act - Thursday, September 28, 2023, 7:00pm – 8:30 at the National Arts Centre - Fourth Stage. Let me know if you would like to join us.

Kimberly Johnson-Breen

St John's Indigenous Engagement Coordinator

TO REMEMBER IN PRAYER

Our Parish

Robin, Gary, Allen, Barb, Kimberly, Kerry, Jesse, Stephen, Brian, Michelle, Jill and all who minister at St John's.

Our Diocese

Shane, our Bishop; Anne, our Metropolitan; Linda, our Primate
The Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples, Sacred Circle, the Ministry of Reconciliation and National Indigenous Bishop, The Right Rev. Christopher Harper
Christ Church Aylmer, The Reverend Robert Sicard
For volunteer university and college campus chaplains
For vocations to the diaconate, the priesthood and religious life

Anglican Church of Canada (ACC)

The Provincial Synod of the Ecclesiastical Province of British Columbia and Yukon.

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada

The dean, council, and congregations of the Southern Interior Region of the British Columbia Synod.

The Anglican Communion from Aba to Zululand

The Church of the Province of the Indian Ocean.

Parish Prayer Group

If you wish to have someone prayed for send an email to:

prayer-request@stjohnsottawa.ca.