St John the Apostle Anglican Church

Parish Newsletter

Issue No.89 St. John the Apostle Anglican Church, Port Moody, B.C. November 2008

Dear Friends in Christ:

“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel!” Soon, our thoughts and devotions turn toward contemplation of the advent, the coming, of God into the midst of human life. The focus in Advent is how to become receptive enough to allow the birth of God’s new life (symbolized by the Christ Child) in us. That new life, which redeems, enlightens and empowers, is the true heart of parish life. Without it, we limp along, like a patient waiting for a transplant.

“In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy …” Joel 2:28, quoted in Acts 2:17

We are living in turbulent and uncertain times. For many life is a challenge; for many, life makes them afraid. Against a backdrop of uncertainty and anxiety, the future can become threatening, so faith becomes essential.

Every year we in the Church are brought around again to this season, which for me is so moving and compelling. It’s a cycle, which returns us to the same place again and again, in hope that we will discover what TS Eliot did:

We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.

Followers of Jesus are invited to look to the future in hope, trusting in the reality and blessing of “God with us.” I pray that God will sustain us in peace and hope as we move once again through the season of anticipation, birthing and new life. As we persist in our journey, may we find our lives renewed and our hope restored.

Blessings and best wishes during the Advent and Christmas season,

(The Rev.) Grant Rodgers

In This Issue Word from Grant 1 God’s Mission has A Church 1 Our Worth Comes from God, Not Money 2 Rite 13 5 Cold Wet Weather Mat Program 7 Caroling 8 Crossword 9 Cob’s Ministry 11 Words of Wisdom 11

God’s Mission Has a Church

Your church is a sacred place of intimate dialogue. It is here where your important conversations for relationship happen with God, family, community and the wider world.

These conversations may take many forms; the sacraments, prayer, meditation, bible study and through volunteering for ministries that feed the hungry and work for peace and justice in the world.

For you to fully join in the mission of your parish there is one other conversation you must have. A private chat within yourself. (And perhaps your family.) You must ask how you will best share your financial resources with your Church. Because you and your Church have a mission.

Below is a quick glance spreadsheet for your reference. For more information on all the programs and ministries that your money supports locally, in our diocese, country and the world pick up your Stewardship package at the back of the church.

Weekly Giving
Annual Income	1%	2%	3%	4%	5%	6%	7%	8%	9%	10%
180,000	35	69	104	139	173	208	242	277	311	346
150,000	29	58	87	115	144	173	202	231	260	288
120,000	23	46	69	92	115	138	162	185	208	231
90,000	17	35	52	69	87	104	121	139	156	173
60,000	12	23	35	46	58	69	81	92	104	115
40,000	8	15	23	31	38	46	54	62	69	77
25,000	5	10	14	19	24	29	34	39	43	48
10,000	2	4	6	8	10	12	14	16	18	19

Yearly Giving
Annual Income	1%	2%	3%	4%	5%	6%	7%	8%	9%	10%
180,000	1800	3600	5400	7200	9000	10,800	12,600	14,400	16,200	18,000
150,000	1500	3000	4500	6000	7500	9000	10,500	12,000	13,500	15,000
120,000	1200	2400	3600	4800	6000	7200	8400	9600	10,800	12,000
90,000	900	1800	2700	3600	4500	5400	6300	7200	8100	9000
60,000	600	1200	1800	2400	3000	3600	4200	4800	5400	6000
40,000	400	800	1200	1600	2000	2400	2800	3200	3600	4000
25,000	250	500	750	1000	1250	1500	1750	2000	2250	2500
10,000	100	200	300	400	500	600	700	800	900	1000

Our Worth Comes from God, Not Money

by James Hudnut-Beumler

In many congregations, talking about money is taboo. That we don’t talk about money doesn’t mean we don’t worry about it, though. In fact, most Americans worry about it constantly. Are we saving enough? Will Social Security be there for us when we are old? Will the nursing home costs for our aging parents clean us out just in time to prevent us from sending our children to college? And now, how will the mortgage lending crisis and the sharp declines in stock values affect me and my family?

Many people keep such worries to themselves or share them only with their spouses. Sometimes we turn to a co-worker for understanding, but rarely to a pastor or to the church and its members.

One of the best ways people can be the church together in a money-dominated age is to break the taboo against discussing money and money worries. If we are concerned with having enough money to care for others or ourselves, or with meeting payments, let’s confess those concerns to our brothers and sisters in a supportive setting. A burden confessed is a burden shared.

If we are going to talk about money in the context of our congregations, we owe something to each other—the discipline of going to the next level in listening. One is tempted, when someone relates a financial problem, to try to help that person find a quick fix. What most of us need is not a quick fix or even a good coping strategy. For most of us, a money-related problem is the tip of the iceberg. Underneath the worry about Social Security is worry about growing old. Will I keep my independence, my friends, my mental capacities? Will I be able to buy the help, if I need it, of people I can trust? Below the issue of how to pay for college is concern for the welfare of one’s children. Will they be happy? Will they choose important and satisfying work? Will they be able to get by without parental protection? What Christians need to do for each other is to engage their brothers and sisters at below-the-surface levels.

What’s That Mean? Are you just joining our community and wondering what everyone is talking about half the time? Have you been here a while but new acronyms or terms keep popping up and you’re not sure what anyone is talking about anymore? This column is for all of us. Each issue there will be a brief description of a program, location or term often bandied about but rarely explained. PMC How many times have you heard “such and such is at the PMC” wondering where or what this is? PMC stands for Parish Ministry Centre. It is the small house located next to the church (on the west side). Youth Group, the church offices, Bible Study and various other programs and events take place here. There is a group meeting room, washroom, small kitchen and the parish offices all located on the top floor. If you will brave the dark less appealing basement you will find remnants of white elephant sales and the deep freezers used for the food bank.

The place to begin is with leading people to say what’s in their hearts and then following up the Social Security comment (to cite but one example) with a question related to hopes and fears about aging. The prime American value of autonomy will make us want to deflect such questions. “No,” we will want to say, “I know exactly what to do as long as I’ve got enough money.” The tragedy of this presumption of autonomy is that we cut ourselves off from the very conversations about our hopes and fears and insecurities in the world and before God with which our faith communities are in a position to help us.

Congregations of Christians can do other things to counter the power of money in our lives. The church’s ministry to its members is not merely problem-centered. We also can tell the stories of our lives in less materialistic ways. If we truly believe that life is more than bread and water (and clothing, houses, and cars), then the church must be the institution that validates our nonmaterial values. How? By telling the stories of the generous saints in our midst.

An example: A man’s child is dying of cancer. He takes family leave without pay to tend to the child. The cancer abates for a while, then returns. The man’s employer replaces him at the end of the statutory leave period. The child dies at home one evening. Now, what does the congregation say in public? What do members say in private to the man who lost a job for the child he loved? Too often we just say, “Sorry for your loss.” Privately we may even say to each other, “It’s too bad that cost him his job.”

These weak responses are not adequate to the followers of Jesus Christ. Someone needs to stand up and say in the presence of the congregation: “Henry, we grieve with you, but we are also proud of you, for you gave of yourself to your daughter in her time of greatest need without reserve. You are a witness to us all that people come first. We say that nothing can separate us from the love of God; you showed us all the love of God made real through your steadfast commitment to Sarah. Now, Henry, in the name of Jesus Christ, we promise to stand by you in love as you grieve and as you begin to put your life back together. We’ll help you find a job, and for my part, I’m going to pay your electric bill until you’re back on your feet.”

If this fictional speech seems too personal for your church, it suggests how far we have to go in most congregations to reconcile ourselves to gospel values. The way to encourage generosity is to recognize it publicly and to support those who display its virtues.

The people of God know something that others don’t. They know that their worth comes from God and not from money—not from money earned, hoarded, spent to purchase things, or used to exercise power. Once people see this truth, they can see that they have things going for them, for they are gifted with an abundance of skills and stories, with opportunities for love and service, and with one another. The people of God know that they have things money cannot buy; they know they are rich in things of the soul. The job of the contemporary congregation is, as always, to increase love and understanding of God and love toward the neighbour. Lest money stand in the way of love, congregations must become places where the abundant gifts of God to the people of God become known and celebrated.

__________________________________

Adapted from Generous Saints: Congregations Rethinking Ethics and Money, copyright © 1999 by the Alban Institute. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2008, the Alban Institute. All rights reserved. We encourage you to share Alban Weekly articles with your congregation. We gladly allow permission to reprint articles from the Alban Weekly for one-time use by congregations and their leaders when the material is offered free of charge.

Rite 13 . . . What is it?

When the 2020 Vision plan was produced at a visioning day in 2006 we addressed the concerns regarding support for the youth of the parish from Grade 6 and up.

Plans were set in motion to share in the hiring of a joint Youth Minister with our neighbouring parish of St. Catherine’s. A submission was made to a diocesan committee for a grant to support us in the first two years of the program.

We advertised for a person to fill the position of Youth Minister. Since that time we have tried to maintain some connection with those in this age bracket through activities and getting together on an irregular basis on Sunday morning.

Upcoming Events Nov 20th – 730pn ACW Meeting – all women welcome Nov 22nd – 6pm Fall Fest at St. John’s For tickets or info contact Brenda Binns at 931-2482 Nov 30th – after 10am service Advent Wreath Making Nov 30th – 7pm Lessons and Carol Service December 14th Neon Christmas Pageant December 20th Christmas Caroling

This summer it became apparent that our search was not bringing forth anyone. In the fall, Grant, Paul Strudwick and I met with the new Diocesan Youth Coordinator, Phil Colvin. In our discussion with him there were a few key points, which gave light to our search.

It was felt that our distance from Vancouver might be restrictive to draw someone from the larger Diocesan community. There is no formal training program at VST for Youth Ministry such as there is at some of the other theological schools and most Youth Ministers tend to come from the conservative background. At most other parishes in the Diocese youth programs are often lead by people in the congregation. The key thing that Phil said to us was that it could be quite difficult to find someone from outside the parish to establish a program. To hire someone to build a group from the ground up would not be easy to find.

With all these points in mind, after further discussion with Paul, Grant, Anne and the Wardens a motion was passed at the October Council meeting to withdraw our search for a paid Youth Worker for a joint ministry with St. Catherine’s and St. John’s and to send a letter of thanks to the Diocesan committee for their support and advise them we would not be in need of the funds.

While these discussions were happening other options and ideas were explored. At the August meeting of Council they agreed to support the use of the Episcopal Church youth program Journey to Adulthood. The purpose stated in the program plan states….

“The Journey to Adulthood is a complete youth ministry program of spiritual formation for 6th-12th grades. It uses Bible study, prayer, rites of passage, outreach ministries and both serious and playful activities”

To bring this program to our existing core of young people from Grade 6 and up Laurie Fox and Anne Anchor have decided to meet on an alternating basis with them on Sunday mornings and at times throughout the year provide other opportunities for building up their fellowship. Our hopes are that through the J2A program we will empower this group to grow in their faith and learn of ways in which their faith becomes a focus in their lives as they grow through the years of transition from childhood to adulthood. The first two years is called Rite 13, again the program plan states the following

“Rite 13 has a focus on celebrating the individuality of each young person and their creative potential. The Rite-13 liturgy (A celebration of Manhood and Womanhood) is the community expression of this and a rite of passage from childhood towards adulthood”

We pray that through this program we will provide support for this group of over 10 young people to grow in their spiritual journey and that they come to realize the presence of God and the love of this community of faith for them as they move into adulthood.

We expect you will hear more from the young people themselves over the next few years.

Anne Anchor and Laurie Fox co-leaders Rite 13.

Back row: Rachel, Jane, Deja, Catherine Front row: Nathanial and Ashton A few of the group participating in Rite 13

Cold Wet Weather Mat Program

The “Cold Wet Weather Mat Program” began on a very wet November 1^st at St. Andrew’s United Church. Delivering an assortment of bread and baked goods, I arrived to find the volunteers busy preparing for the first group they were expecting for that night.

St John’s list of volunteers to make sandwiches for their bag lunches has been filled and the details have been “ironed out”. Expecting up to 30 people on Sunday, the sandwiches were made and delivered.

Only 3 people took advantage of a hot meal and a warm dry place to sleep on Saturday night and breakfast and a bag lunch on Sunday. The following evening the number rose to 7 and we began to wonder where all the homeless people were?

Without the luxury of a television, radio or a newspaper, the only way they will hear about the program is by word of mouth, so that might take a while.

The request so far for sandwiches on our allotted days has either been cancelled or greatly reduced. With our volunteers willing to provide them with a nutritious sandwich for lunch, hopefully the people sleeping on the street will hear about the program soon and take advantage of all it has to offer them.

Respectfully submitted,

Brenda Binns

** Last year this program gave shelter to 30 people a night every night right through until March. This is a greatly needed service, for more information on how you might get involved, speak to Anne Anchor.

So You Think You Can Sing St. Johns?

Last year a small group of us went caroling. Despite the rain we had a blast knocking on our fellow parishioners’ doors and assaulting their ears with our attempts to bring Christmas cheer.

The response was so positive, despite my tone-deaf involvement, that we are doing it again this year. We would like to bring our joyfulness to more people this year so plan to split into two groups that meet up at the end of refreshments and snacks.

If you would like to spread some joyful noise and Christmas cheer please email me at amandaaw@shaw.ca or call me at 604-465-8520.

If you know someone who is not getting out as much as they would like this time of year and so not getting their caroling quota from the malls, please contact Deacon Trudi Shaw so that she can add them to our caroling map.

We will be caroling on December 20^th. More details as to start time and location will be announced and added to the bulletin over the next few weeks.

Amanda Mungal

Bible Crossword – Clues on next page

ACROSS

1 ___ , my lord, what shall we do?” the servant asked (2 Kings 6:15)

4 Go to the ___ , you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise (Prov 6:6)

6 ___ to them! They have taken the way of Cain (Jude 11)

9 like a lion among the beasts of the ___ (Mic 5:8)

11 Greetings, you who are ___ favored! The Lord is with you (Luke 1:28)

13 on your way in safety, and your ___ will not stumble (Prov 3:23)

14 part of 13 across

15 sons and thirty grandsons, who ___ on seventy donkeys (Judg 12:14)

16 Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ___ be with you (Luke 24:36)

17 the building fitly ___ together groweth unto an holy temple (Eph 2:21) KJV

18 She said ___ herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.” (Matt 9:21)

19 Whoever flatters his neighbor is spreading a ___ for his feet (Prov 29:5)

20 O LORD my God, I called to you for help and you ___ me (Ps 30:2)

23 at his waist was a belt with a dagger in its ___ (2 Sam 20:8)

27 to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, ___ , Philadelphia (Rev 1:11)

31 of lions and lionesses, of ___ and darting snakes (Isa 30:6)

34 and a quarter of a ___ of seed pods for five shekels (2 Kings 6:25)

35 Yes, it is ___ you say, Jesus replied (Matt 27:11)

36 occupation

38 He is able to open the scroll and its ___ seals (Rev 5:5)

40 second son of Adam (Gen 4:1-2)

41 The ___ who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man (Matt 13:37)

42 and my couch will ___ my complaint (Job 7:13)

44 Smite the ___ of the door, that the posts may shake (Amos 9:1) KJV

45 But small is the gate and ___ the road that leads to life (Matt 7:14)

46 He is demon-possessed and raving ___ . Why listen to him? (John 10:19-20)

47 But Jacob replied, “I will not ___ you go unless you bless me.” (Gen 32:26)

48 Come, follow ___ Jesus said, and I will make you fishers of men (Matt 4:18-20)

DOWN

1 Therefore each of you must put ___ falsehood and speak truthfully (Eph 4:25)

2 the stork, any kind of heron, the ___ and the bat (Lev 11:19)

3 Paul greeted them and reported in ___ what God had done (Acts 21:19)

4 Esther summoned Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs assigned to ___ her (Est 4:5)

5 their m

agic arts, their sexual immorality or their ___ (Rev 9:21)

6 “May your God, ___ you serve continually, rescue you!” (Dan 6:16)

7 David was the youngest. The three ___ followed Saul (1 Sam 17:14)

8 for one official is ___ by a higher one, and over them both are (Eccl 5:8)

10 the gazelle, the ___ deer, the wild goat, the ibex (Deut 14:5)

12 the ___ harvest will fail, and the harvest of fruit (Isa 32:10)

18 the wisdom of ___ world is foolishness in God’s sight (1 Cor 3:19)

21 Look at the birds of the ___ ; they do not sow or reap (Matt 6:26)

22 The sons of Benjamin: ………. Gera, Naaman, ___ , Rosh (Gen 46:21)

24 After the Lord Jesus ___ spoken to them, he was taken up into (Mark 16:19)

25 Abimelech took an ___ in his hand, and cut down a bough (Judg 9:48) KJV

26 Egypt will ___ like a fleeing serpent (Jer 46:22)

28 ___ and all the princes of Kedar were your customers (Ezek 27:21)

29 I have not ___ in a house from the day I brought Israel (1 Chron 17:5)

30 You are worthy to take the ___ and to open its seals (Rev 5:9)

31 though I am ___ from you in body, I am present with you (Col 2:5)

32 there shall be earthquakes in ___ places (Mark 13:8) KJV

33 Do not accept a ___ for the life of a murderer (Num 35:31)

36 Be careful, keep ___ and don’t be afraid (Isa 7:4)

37 ___ your heart and not your garments (Joel 2:13)

39 And he touched the man’s ___ and healed him (Luke 22:51)

43 bring two male lambs and one ___ lamb a year old (Lev 14:10)