St. John’s Vancouver Things happening in the life of our church and in our community August 11, 2019
What’s up at St. John’s LIFE EXPLORED INFO TRAINING SESSION // SEPT 7
CONTACT INFORMATION
This spring we hosted a training session in order to learn a little bit more about Life Explored, the evangelism program that we’re beginning to use as a congregation. We’ll be hosting a second training session on September 7, with the same trainer, as we prepare to roll out Life Explored in October. Whether you are curious about the program, or have already been through it once with us this spring, this training session will provide a helpful context to explore content, and to work through questions you might still have about how to make the most of Life Explored.
Has your contact information changed in the last couple of months? Let us know by visiting our website – sjvan.org/contact. At the bottom of the page click the button “Update my Contact Information.”
The training session will be held in the Cedar Room at VanDusen Garden, from 8:30 am-1:30 pm. Coffee, snacks, and lunch will be provided. If you’d like to attend please register online. DO YOU KNOW OF A JOB OPENING? Earlier this year the Abdul Satar family, the refugee family we sponsor, was able to move to Vancouver. In the past months, Farhad, Homa and their children Marve (8) and Arsham (4) have begun to settle well, all things being considered. At the moment Farhad is eager to work and is looking for full-time work in the day so he can attend English classes in the evening. Please consider if you know of any job opportunities for Farhad. If you know of possible employment for Farhad, a former soldier with basic English skill, please contact Owen Underhill, underhil@sfu.ca. JOB OPPORTUNITY // EVENING SERVICE KIDS COORDINATOR Do you love sharing the gospel? Do you love children and families and have an ability to teach children and nurture their spiritual growth? If so, please consider working with us at St. John’s Vancouver as the Evening Service Kids Coordinator. This is a one-year contract position working six hours per week primarily at St. John’s Evening Service. A detailed job description and instructions for applying can be found on our website at stjohnsvancouver.org/jobs.
SOUP SUNDAY THIS FALL The fall coming quickly, which means Soup Sunday will start up again! If you would like to make soup, help with set-up or clean-up please email Katy, katy@sjvan.org. WHAT IS SOUP SUNDAY? We agree that there’s nothing quite like gathering around a table together to share a meal. Soup Sunday provides a space for us to do just this as a church family. On the first Sunday of each month, we head downstairs after the Evening Service to eat soup. Each Sunday looks a little different: we may hear from missionaries we support, learn through a talk from someone in our congregation, or hang out and play board games!
In our Community SUMMER CONCERT The Verdi Requiem will be performed by SummerChor, a choir of nearly 200 voices, on Friday, August 16 and Saturday, August 17 at 7:00 pm. They will be performing at Pacific Spirit United Church (formerly Ryerson), 2205 West 45th Ave. Vancouver. Tickets: $20 at the door
Calendar WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14 6:30 pm
Ekklesia (18 to 20-somethings)
SUNDAY, AUGUST 18 1 Kings 18:17-40 8:00 am Holy Communion
CONDOLENCES Please pray for the family of Gordon McGee who died last week. Gordon was a beloved member of our St. John’s family for many years. He was not able to come to church in recent years because of mobility issues but continued to receive many visits from friends in our church. His vibrant faith and love for the Lord Jesus was a constant inspiration to those who knew him.
10:00 am
Holy Communion (Family Service)
6:00 pm Evening Prayer LEARN MORE AT SJVAN.ORG/CALENDAR
All are invited to his funeral which will take place at St. John’s on Friday August 23 at 10:30 am.
PRAYER POINTS 1. Pray for the fall parish retreat. That those attending will grow in faith and fellowship as we learn more of the gospel through the teaching of John Neufeld. 2. That Farhad and Homa will be able to both work and study, and that their families will be kept safe. 3. Pray that God would give us courage to invite people to attend Life Explored. Get our weekly email with all events happening in our community by subscribing to the parish email list at sjvan.org
Prayer Stories We all know the importance of prayer, yet for many of us, it can feel as though there isn’t enough time in the day to sit down, quiet our minds, and pray. Through these Prayer Stories, we hope you will be encouraged to set aside time for prayer and to remind you of where you see God at work in your life. This week’s story was written by Katy Der. Katy attends the Evening Service and is an Artizo intern. I am entering week four of five at a convent in Nairobi, Kenya – what an adventure. I am with the Daughters of St. Paul, who focus on using social communication to share truth. They work hard editing and publishing books, meeting with authors, writing content, and much more! Regular prayer is built into our day here. Morning and evening prayer are done together daily, and mid-day prayer is practiced alone for an hour during the workday. I had never practiced a disciplined, daily mid-day prayer until coming here. It breaks the workday up and reminds me of whose I am. Sometimes I sit on a bench outside and stare at a tree as I pray. Sometimes I go to the chapel. Sometimes I go for a walk (although that’s a little risky – I know my temptation to stop and talk with people I run into!). I’ve found the practice has given me time to sit with my thoughts, bring them to God, and pray for people that come to mind or that I’ve promised to pray for. Sometimes I read scripture, sometimes I sing, and sometimes I just sit in quiet with God. I’ve been asking myself, what could this look like when I go home, back to Vancouver? What could this look like as a student? What could this look like for someone who is working? I’ve come to realize that setting aside 10, 30, or 60 minutes mid-day, however long I have, can only be fruitful. God really does love spending time with us, and it’s so rich to spend time with Him too! We’re confident that each of us have stories of prayers answered, and we’d love to share them. If you have one we can share please email Brie, brie@sjvan.org. We’re looking for stories between 250 and 300 words.
St. John’s Vancouver Offices: 2325 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC V6J 3J2 | Phone: 604.558.4400 | stjohnsvancouver.org Stay informed: facebook.com/stjohnsvancouver | Engage with each other: facebook.com/groups/stjohnsvancouver