Stories of Invitation Over the last two years, we’ve been encouraging you in different ways to think about how to share your faith. And as we approach Christmas, we’ve been thinking again about reaching out. For many non-Christians, attending a traditional Christian event during the Christmas season is a very natural and attractive way to celebrate the season. So, throughout November and December, we will provide suggestions on ways you can extend invitations. We realize this will be done differently for each of us, so we’ll try to offer a wide array of suggestions. If you have ideas from your own life or that you have seen (or heard of) feel free to let us know (email brie@sjvan.org). practical suggestions to consider:
• Invite someone over for lunch or dinner after the service today. • Invite someone to join in your everyday tasks (eg. going for a walk or bike ride). • Invite people to join your Christmas or Christmas Eve dinner, and think through how to make them feel welcome at dinner. As you are in conversation in the next few weeks think about if they have somewhere to go – perhaps they’re not going home for Christmas, or they’re an international student. • Invite people over for an afternoon of advent crafts, baking, or gingerbread house decorating. who should i invite?
• People sitting around you at church • Neighbours • Co-workers
What’s up at St. John’s FINANCIAL UPDATE TO OCTOBER 31, 2019
LEARNERS’ EXCHANGE
We thank God for all of you who have so generously donated to the ministries of St. John’s in 2019. Below is an offerings update:
Every Sunday in the Café Room at 9:00 am, Learners’ Exchange offers stimulating speakers and engaging discussions.
Total 2019 offering budget
$2,225,000
Offerings to October 31
$1,532,173
In order to reach our budget we will need to receive $692,827 by December 31. This week we will be sending out contribution reports to all of our donors and ask that you review them and prayerfully consider how you might help us to meet our offering budget by December 31. If you have any questions about your offerings or the St. John’s budget please contact either Krista Friebel at krista@sjvan.org or our Treasurer, Christine Klukas, who can be reached through the church office. CONDOLENCES Please pray for Kathryn Haller and her family as they grieve the loss of Kathryn’s mother who passed away on November 3. Pray particularly for Kathryn’s father who was married to the love of his life for 66 years. Funeral arrangements are still being made. YOUTH PARENT NIGHT // NOV 22 @ 6:00 PM Parents are invited to come learn how to understand your teens favourite artist. We’ll learn from one another how to use music as a launching point for important family dialogue about our emotions, our affections, and recognizing why what we listen to matters. For more information visit sjvan.org/events.
Today // two speakers Zoltan Horvath: The Impacts of Gender Politics on Healthcare Tracee Horvath: A review of Anne with an E and how SOGI is being promoted to children November 17 // Jeanette Jones Hezekiah’s Last Words PRAYER MEETING NOV 18 @ 7:30 PM It’s time for our next Quarterly Prayer Meeting. Join us for teaching, sharing, and of course, prayer! Please bring a dessert to share if you are able. SENIORS TEA // NOV 19 Join us as Thena Ayers shares with us on Tuesday, November 19 at 1:30 pm in the church chapel for tea and coffee.
CATECHISM
Please RSVP to Margaret Wilson, margaret@sjvan.org or 778-838-7400.
Feel free to drop in today for catechism.
2020 WOMENS RETREAT
9:00 am (Library) We will cover a new section on the Lord’s Prayer. We will spend time understanding the riches of the prayer. 11:00 am (Café room) We will cover the Apostles’ Creed, asking questions of: Why is it important that Jesus’ resurrection was bodily? What does the resurrection change, if anything? 5:00 pm (Chapel) What does it mean to not the take the Lord’s name in vain? Is the Third Commandment about more than swearing?
Women are invited to join us in Cedar Spring from Jan 31-Feb 2. Connally Gilliam will join us and will be speaking on the theme of Good News: Embraced by the Goodness of God. Registration is now open! Sign up now for early bird rates sjvan.org/women
Calendar UPDATE ON DAVID SHORT We know that many of you have been praying for David Short and he is grateful for your prayers. Over the last few weeks David has slowly been resuming some of his work duties but is still experiencing concussion symptoms and is unable to return to full-time work at this time. Please continue to pray for a full recovery for him. We will keep you updated on his progress. EVENSONG // NOV 12 @ 5:30 PM Evensong will be on Tuesday. We will meet in the main floor chapel as Life Explored meets downstairs and will eat together after the service. Evensong is a time to gather over a meal, pray, sing, and hear from God’s word. Everyone is welcome.
In our Community HOMEMADE JAMS, PICKLES, CHUTNEYS & SO MUCH MORE Several members of St. John’s have been busy making all sorts of preserves this fall, both savoury and sweet, which will be sold to support Journey Canada. Everyone is invited to the sale! The sale will be at the home of Manya and George Egerton (2071 Kitchener St) from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, on Saturday, November 23. For a list of what will be sold email Manya, megerton@ telus.net.
MONDAY, NOV 11 Office Closed TUESDAY, NOV 12 5:30 pm Evensong 6:00 pm Life Explored WEDNESDAY, NOV 13 7:20 am Men’s Bible Study Ekklesia (18 6:30 pm to late 30s) @ UChapel THURSDAY, NOV 14 7:00 pm DivorceCare FRIDAY, NOV 15 6:00 pm Youth (grades 7-12) SUNDAY, NOV 17 Matthew 20:1-16 7:30 am Holy Communion 9:00 am Holy Communion 11:00 am Holy Communion
Prayer Points Refugee Outreach: Please continue to pray for the day-to-day adjustments and health of our sponsored refugee family – Farhad, Homa, Marve, and Arsham as they have now passed their first six months in Vancouver. Special intercession is requested for Homa’s extended family who are currently living in perilous circumstances in the mideast, particularly for her younger brother Shueb who is alone and in need of assistance in Germany. In addition, we request prayer for consistent employment for Farhad. Get our weekly email with all events happening in our community by subscribing to the parish email list at sjvan.org
12:30 pm
The Newcomer Sessions
5:00 pm Catechism 6:00 pm Evening Prayer Learn more at sjvan.org/calendar
MALI
CÔTE D’IVOIRE
MISSIONS LUNCH // TODAY
NIGER
BURKINA FASO
Throughout the year we hold Mission Lunches to share with St. John’s the work that our missionaries are doing throughout the world. Sharyn Thomson is one of our missionaries and today she will be sharing about the work she is doing in Africa. A bit about Sharyn... Sharyn has been interested in discovering new languages and cultures for as long as she can remember. After graduating from Simon Fraser University with a degree in French and Linguistics, Sharyn worked in business for several years before she felt the Lord nudging her to consider something else. Through studies at Regent College and further linguistics training, the Lord led her to Wycliffe Bible Translators. Sharyn became a member of Wycliffe in 1986 and has been serving with Wycliffe’s partner organisation SIL (formerly the Summer Institute of Linguistics) in Burkina Faso, West Africa for the past 30 years. Together with a team of nationals and expatriates, Sharyn helped translate the New Testament into the Buamu language, a language spoken by about 175,000 people in Burkina Faso. After the New Testament was dedicated in 2013, Sharyn was asked to move into a leadership role. She now serves as Director of SIL West Africa and is responsible for the work of SIL in Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, and Niger. In this role, she leads a team that is supporting Bible translation and language development (research, literacy, and education) in over 90 languages of West Africa. It is exciting to see lives transformed as people are able to engage with God’s Word in a language they understand well! JOIN US TODAY AT OUR MISSIONS LUNCH AFTER THE 11:00 AM SERVICE Lunch is $5/person or $10/family
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