p u s ’ t a wh
AT ST. JOHN’S
January 26, 2020
p u s ’ t wha
AT ST. JOHN’S
CONDOLENCES
George Davidson’s memorial service is scheduled for January 27, 11:00 AM at St John’s with a reception to follow in the downstairs hall. Please keep the Underhill family in your prayers, with the recent deaths of Owen’s father on December 9th and his mother on January 10th. Owen’s parents were life long partners and had celebrated their 69th wedding anniversary this past year. Please keep Manya Egerton and her family in your prayers as her father, a dedicated scholar and Bible translator, died earlier this week.
LANTERN FESTIVAL NEW YEAR PARTY
FEB 8 The St. John’s international ministry is hosting a Lantern Festival Party on Saturday, Feb 8th – 5:30 to 8:00 pm. It is meant to welcome and build community with our newest international members, families and friends. ALL are welcome to an intergenerational event with games, talent show, music and singing and testimonies of faith from some of our new members. It will be a pot-luck dinner so bring a favorite ethnic dish to share. Registration is required and can be found at sjvan.org/events.
A NOTE FROM KIMBERLEY GRAHAM
It has been a huge privilege to serve as St. John’s Director of Women’s Ministry for nearly three years now; the partnership in ministry with staff and parishioners alike has been a great blessing I am so thankful for. In recent months it has become clear that in this season of our family’s life, it will be wiser if I worship alongside you — following and growing in Christ with all of our church family—instead of providing leadership. I will be stepping down from my role on staff as of March 20th. Please join me in praying for the search and hiring process for a new Director of women’s ministry! with great thanks Kimberley Graham
Need more info? Contact Sandy at sandyharmel@shaw.ca or 604-266-9940
WOMEN’S RETREAT
JAN 31 - FEB 2 Each year women of St. John’s enjoy a weekend away together for fun, fellowship, rest, and sitting together under great bible teaching. Connally Gilliam will be joining us again in 2020, helping us (re)discover how God’s eternal goodness is present in the gritty tenderness of daily life. Registration is now closed. Please keep the women attending in your prayers.
SUBSCRIBE.
@STJOHNSVANCOUVER ST. JOHN’S VANCOUVER MEMBERS (FB GROUP)
Visit sjvan.org to get our weekly email and stay connected with your parish!
GRIEF GROUP // FEB 6 - APRIL 2
What can we say? Grief is complex and complicated but a time to experience God’s comfort and hope. Sometimes it is difficult to recognize the comfort of the gospel but other times you find Jesus’ hope in time of loss is like a renewal of your conversion. At SJV we want to walk along side you in your grief with the Psalmists. Beginning February 6 we will begin a 9 session grief group/bible study meeting weekly. Please contact james@sjvan.org for more information or visit the website for registration.
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”
STJOHNSVANCOUVER.ORG CATECHISM // JAN 26
What would you say if someone asked you “Who is the Holy Spirit?” Next Sunday, 11am Catechism starts up for the term and will be talking about what the Creed and the Scriptures have to say about this question. Feel free to join us in the Cafe Room on January 26th at 11am.
DISCIPLESHIP // JAN 30
This is an eight-session journey through Paul’s letter to the Philippians that is designed to help followers of Jesus discover the joy, unity, righteousness and love which are theirs in Christ. It features documentary-style films and inspiring real-life stories from around the world and Bible studies. Please register online on the women’s ministry page of the website or by emailing women@sjvan.org
LEARNER’S EXCHANGE // JAN 26 SPEAKER
JAMES 1:5
WHAT’S UP NEXT SUNDAY
TOPIC
Tracee Horvath Islam & Christianity, Cultures in Conflict: History
HAVE YOU MISSED ANY SERMONS FROM THE MATTHEW SERIES?
SUN, FEB 2 7:30 AM holy communion
11:00 AM holy communion
9:00 AM holy communion
6:00 PM evening prayer
Visit stjohnsvancouver.org/sermons catch any sessions you may have missed.
Matthew
CHAPTERS 21 THROUGH 28
“And behold, I am with you always!” are the last words Jesus says in the gospel of Matthew. We have come full circle: from Jesus’ birth as Immanuel, God-with-us, in chapter 1; to his glorious resurrection and great commission in chapter 28. But before the path to glory at the right hand of the Father, he passes through the suffering of the cross. This concluding section of Matthew from chapters 21-28 deals with the last weeks of Jesus’ earthly ministry. It takes us from the Hosannas of the Triumphal Entry all the way to the mockery of the Crucifixion and beyond. At the centre of it all is Jesus and his authority. He enters the city of Jerusalem as king, and as its king, he pronounces a final and devastating judgement on the city and its rulers. The rulers, their hypocrisy exposed, make one last attempt to take power back for themselves by putting this king to death, demonstrating once and for all how little they understand of God and his purposes. In the midst of all this confrontation, as readers, we are forced again and again to ask the question: what sort of king is this Messiah, and what does it mean for those who pledge allegiance to his kingship? This is a major theme of Jesus’ final teaching to his disciples in chapters 24 and 25, as he prepares his followers for the next phase of kingdom life, when they will be the ones sent out into the vineyard to prepare for his return, not knowing the day or the hour. It is also a major theme of the Passion narrative itself, where Matthew makes it abundantly clear that Jesus concedes none of his authority, even in the most humiliating of circumstances.“This is Jesus, the King of the Jews” was the sign above his head as he hung on that cross. The crowds and religious leaders jeered. This was no king, only a sorry excuse for a man who claimed an authority he did not have. They could not have been more wrong. He was the one to whom had been given “all authority on heaven and earth,” and it was from this position of divine authority that he sent his workers out into the world, making disciples of all nations. May God bless you as you continue to read this magisterial gospel. He who has ears, let him hear!
St. John’s Vancouver Offices: 2325 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC V6J 3J2 // Phone: 604-558-4400 stjohnsvancouver.org