Regional Christmas Pageant

The Regional Pick-up Christmas Pageant will be at St. Catherine's on Dec. 21st at 4. All parishioners and especially Sunday School families are welcome to attend and participate!

Christmas Concert - St. John's

St. John's will be hosting a Christmas concert on December 4th.

October Meeting Minutes

Minutes are available here

Men's Group

A new men's group is forming at St. John's North Vancouver in the new year.

St. John's Website

Blue Christmas

Blue Christmas Service Dec. 16th at 7 PM at St. Andrew's United in North Vancouver.

Education For Ministry (EfM)

Every baptized person is called to ministry. The Education for Ministry (EfM) program in Canada is a course in theology for lay persons from all walks of life, designed to help participants:

●  learn to think theologically

●  develop a sound basis for their own personal theology

●  increase their knowledge of the Scriptures

●  discern and explore personal calls to lay ministry

EfM enables Christian people to explore their faith within a small group setting, in ways that they can apply to the realities of contemporary life.

There is no imposed theology: participants are encouraged to explore their own theologies based on their study, interaction with their colleagues, and the realities of Christian life and practice in their communities in the contemporary world.

The entire program is 4 years in length and classes are typically one night per week during the “academic” year.  Participants enroll for only 1 year at a time.

Year 1 – Hebrew Bible (Old Testament)

Year 2 - New Testament

Year 3 - History of the Church

Year 4 - Theological Choices (modern movements in theology)

Recruitment is beginning now for candidates wishing to begin Year 1 in January 2015.  

For further information, please visit the EfM website at www.efmcanada.ca, or contact your local clergy, or Andrew Wilhelm-Boyles (EfM mentor) at awboyles@hotmail.com).

Click through for FAQ:

Amazing Race!

Sunday November 23rd

1058 Ridgeway Dr. North Vancouver.

The Anglican/Lutheran Amazing Race is coming to NORTH VANCOUVER, if you are a youth between the ages of 11-15 you are invited to join the Anglican/Lutheran Amazing Race!

Please contact Liz R-C for more details

(elizruderceliz@gmail.com, 604 754 6745.

 5-7:30pm St. Catherine’s Anglican Church

St. Martin's Fall Fair - Nov. 15th 2014

We hope you can join us on Nov. 15th for our fall fair!

September 2014 Minutes

Click through to see the minutes from the September 2014 regional council meeting.

June 2014 Minutes

Click through to see the minutes for the June 2014 Regional Council meeting.

Eco-Social Justice Events –

From Streams of Justice, MVA, and assorted sites.

13 Sept

Stand for Social Housing - 12pm – 1pm (http://streamsofjustice.wordpress.com/calendar/)

Where MetroTown Skytrain Station, bottom of the stairs

Description The second Saturday of every month is when we take to the street corners and STAND for social housing.

13 Sept

HIKE FOR THE SALISH SEA

Wilderness Committee event

Saturday, September 13, 2014 - 10:00am - 3:00pm

https://wildernesscommittee.org/event/hike_the_salish_sea

17 September 7-9 pm

MVA – Delegates’ Assembly

149 West Hastings Street

Delegations from all MVA member organizations will meet to hear presentations from our four Research Action Teams and give consent to the issues going forward to the Municipal Election Assembly on Oct. 9.

18 Sept – 7-9 pm

MVA – Election Assembly Team

Fairview Baptist Church 1708 West 16^th Ave, Vancouver

Contact Name Margaret Marquardt 604 253-0379

 All teams will meet to plan their work. The Coordinating Committee will meet at 4:00 ahead of each team meeting.

        

"Housing Action Plan for Cities" TOWN HALL MEETING

September 18, 6:30pm – 8:30pm

Where 6550 Bonsor Ave, Burnaby (two blocks east of Metrotown Skytrain Station, arts Room, Second Floor

Description The Social Housing Alliance will also be hosting a Town Hall meeting on Thursday, Sept 18th that will focus on what cities can do to address the housing crisis in their municipalities. With municipal elections looming across the province, the SHA has put together a document called "Housing Action Plan for Cities" that unpacks various ways cities can tackle the housing crisis.

18 Sept

MINING JUSTICE

When Thu, September 18, 12pm – 4pm

Kwantlen Polytechnic University - Richmond Campus, Lansdowne Rd, Richmond, Conference Centre, Side Description University students across the Lower Mainland have mobilized in response to the University-Mining Industry nexus. What will you do? KPIRG is in KPU Richmond to host a panel on Mining Justice, featuring the UBC-SFU initiative, Stop the Institute. Get informed and involved. When: September 18th at 13:00 More info bellow. https://www.facebook.com/events/261373707396632/

20 Sept

RALLY AT THE USA/CANADA BORDER

Wilderness Committee event

Saturday, September 20, 2014 - 1:00pm - 3:00pm

Climate Change knows NO Borders - Defence of the Salish Sea is without Boundaries

At Peace Arch, Blaine Crossing.  https://wildernesscommittee.org/event/rally_the_usacanada_border

21 Sept

People’s Climate March and Mobilization – Vancouver – Unceded Coast Salish Territory

1pm CBC Plaza

https://www.facebook.com/events/754576387914695/?ref_newsfeed_story_type=regular

22 Sept

Poverty: Health Hazard for All

7-9pm, Murder by Policy – Poverty Kills: What Can We Do?
Public event at Carnegie Community Centre (401 Main St., corner of Hastings)
Speakers include Mona Woodward (Aboriginal Front Door), DTES Health Practitioners and activists.

23 Sept

Poverty: Health Hazard for All - Impacts and Solutions with Dr. Gary Bloch

WhenTuesday, Sep 23, 2014

WhereSFU Harbour Centre, 515 West Hastings St.

Description7:30 pm to 9:00 pm Free but space is limited so please register at bchealth.eventbrite.ca

MC: Anita Huberman, Chair of Surrey Board of Trade

Dr. Gary Bloch has a simple cure for the health problems ailing low-income British Columbians: increase their income. That’s the message that Dr. Bloch, a family physician with St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, and chair of the Ontario College of Family Physicians’ Committee on Poverty and Health, will bring to Vancouver on September 23rd. The impacts of poverty on health directly affect 15% of the population of British Columbia, with the poorest 20% having a 60% greater rate of two or more chronic health conditions, when compared to the richest 20%. However, inequality also negatively affects the health of everyone through the breakdown of social cohesion.

25 Sept 5-7pm

MVA – Election Assembly Team

Fairview Baptist Church 1708 West 16^th Ave, Vancouver

Contact Name Margaret Marquardt 604 253-0379

All teams will meet to plan their work. The Coordinating Committee will meet at 4:00 ahead of each team meeting.

27 September

Party Against the Pipelines

When Saturday, Sep 27, 2014

Where A Secret Location, 1 Water Street

Description Party against the pipelines! A carnival for climate justice.

No other info currently available

9 October

MVA – Municipal Election Accountability Assembly

Italian Cultural Centre, 3075 Slocan St, Vancouver, BC V5M 3E4

7pm-9pm Contact: Deborah Littman 604 441-8136

The proposals developed by MVA's Research Action Teams will form the agenda for the Municipal Election Accountability Assembly. We will be seeking candidates’ commitment to our proposals and asking them to work with us to make them a reality.

Wednesday Services at St. John

All are beginning on Sept. 17th, 2014.

May Regional Council Minutes

Please see the May 2014 Regional Council Minutes here

Regional Youth Ministry Coordinator Job Posting

North Vancouver Regional Youth Ministry Coordinator

The North Vancouver region is looking to hire a part time youth ministry coordinator.  Click here to see the job description.

Music Night at St. John's

Disciples in the Watershed

an outdoor eucharist

What does it mean to be disciples in this place?

Saturday May 31

5 PM—6:30PM

Rice Lake in North Vancouver

Meet at 5 PM at the green-roofed pavilion in front of the Ranger Station

Rain or shine--dress for the weather

Our worship will include a 3 km walk around the lake on a trail with very mild elevation change. The trail is not wheelchair accessible.

Please contact Laurel Dykstra loraldyk@hotmail.com if you plan to attend.

Directions: http://www.vancouvertrails.com/trails/rice-lake/

Cononsionta

Friends

 

April showers bring May flowers: and there will be a spiritual bouquet of three beautiful flowers blooming at the May Consonantia Program, Friday evening and all day Saturday, May 9-10, at St Andrew's United Church in North Vancouver.

 

Friday evening, Lynne McNaughton, rector of St Clement's Anglican Church in North Van, will share with us some of her learnings from many years of leading pilgrimages to the Celtic lands of Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Brittany. It's only in recent years that we have reawakened to the spiritual vitality of the form of Christianity that predated the Roman form in those lands. One of the factors in that reawakening has been the ecological crisis in which we find ourselves, and the veneration of the Celts, pre-Christian and Christian, for the sacredness of the earth connects strongly with that. They called the earth "God's other book," and Lynne will encourage us to read more deeply what it has to say.

 

Then Saturday, and once again two engaging workshops. Joanne Duma, therapist in private practice and longtime member of the TMSC, will give us the opportunity to discover how photography can be contemplative. (She didn't ask us to ask you to bring your camera, but why not!) Essential to contemplation is just sitting still; and of course we all know that if we want to get a great shot, we have to hold the camera still and truly "see" what we want to photograph. There's a strong Zen connection here; and if you want to read how this happened for Merton, have a look at his "quarrel" with Mount Kanchenjunga in the Asian Journal--it starts on page 133 and goes, in intervals, to page 157.

 

The second workshop is another look at centering prayer. We had a workshop on the same subject last fall; but every time a different facilitator leads us, this beautiful practice reveals a further dimension. This time our facilitator is Kathleen Symons, artist, iconographer and longtime practitioner of centering prayer. Thomas Keating and John Main are two of the spiritual teachers who have sent out a strong call in our time to dare to be silent in God's presence, to know God and know ourselves thereby. It is, as John Greenleaf Whittier says in his beautiful hymn, "the silence of eternity interpreted by love."

 

So, a beautiful bouquet, a rich feast, another great opportunity to give your soul a good stretching! And, important: this is the last Consonantia Program until the fall. So launch yourself into God's summer by joining us May 9 and 10 at St Andrew's.

 

Best as always,

 

Don Grayston

Outdoor Eucharist - Disciples at the Watershed

As part of our regional ministry, on a very rainy Saturday twelve Anglicans from four parishes met at Rice Lake for a contemplative Eucharist. We walked in the woods by the water and as we prayed "Holy, Holy, Holy" we raised our voices with all the species in this watershed that praise our creating God in this place... Orcas, Salmon, Cedar, Fern, Salal, Raven.

We won’t save a place we don’t love;
we can’t love a place we don’t know; 
and we can’t know a place we haven’t learned.

- Ched Myers

Fabulous Friday - April 25th

Fabulous Friday will return on April 25 at 5:30pm.  Our regional youth minister Rev. Andrew Halladay will lead this event with a theme “New Life”.   Everyone is welcome!

Spring Concert at St. Martin's

Fascinating Rhythms

A Spring Concert

Featuring

Joyful Voice Community Choir

Tuesday, April 29th 7:30 pm

St. Martin’s Anglican Church

195 East Windsor Road, North Vancouver

Admission is by donation of a non-perishable food item to the Harvest Project and a cash donation to St. Martin’s Community Ministries.

Reception to follow.

St. Catherine's Justice Workgroup Expanding

Take a look on St. Catherine's website for a article about the region working together on eco/social justice together.

February Meeting Minutes

Click through to see the minutes from the February regional council meeting.

The Pastoral and Ethical issues of Palliative and Hospice Care

Really Important Planning session #4: Palliative and Hospice Care

Saturday, April 26, 10 am – 12:30 pm

St Agnes Church, 530 East 12^th Street, North Vancouver.

What are the pastoral and ethical issues a family is likely to face when a loved one is dying? This final session in the RIP series will feature special guests from the North Shore Palliative and Support Care program, including the Rev. Andres Rebane, Dr. Peter Edmunds, and clinical ethicist Kim Taylor. If you have not already registered for a previous RIP session, please let us know you are coming. Encourage your friends and family members to come as well. Please call the church office at 604 987-0432 or send an email to office@stagnes.ca.

Who's My Neighbour - Downtown Eastside Visit

On Sunday, April 13, we will make the final visit in our Lenten visiting series--Who Is My Neighbour?. We will visit the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, often described as the poorest off-reserve postal code in Canada. People who live or work in the neighbourhood will act as hosts and guides on a short, slow pace, walking tour of their place in the city. Rain or shine we will go in small groups of five or fewer and hear about gentrification, displacement, economic disparity and resistance in the oldest neighbourhood in Vancouver.

You will get the most from your experience if you prepare before hand.

For our bible study please read Luke 10:25-37 and think and pray about the attached questions.

To learn more about some of the issues facing the neighbourhood please read the attached Introduction to the Neighbourhood and look at this short video made in 2010 just prior to the olympics.

We will meet at St. Catherine's at 11:45 for prayer and bible study and at Four Sister's Co-op, 133 Powell St. at 1pm for the tour. If you plan to join us it is essential that you let Laurel know so that we have enough guides.

Mosque Visit

On Sunday March 30th, forty-five Anglicans and Lutherans were guests at Masjid Ar-Ramnan, the mosque in the former St. Richard's building in North Vancouver. As part of a North Vancouver Lenten Visiting Program "Who is my neighbour?" members of St. Catherine's, the North Van region, St. John Port Moody and the diocesan Ecumenical and Multi-faith Unit studied the story of the good samaritan, learned about the what being a good neighbour means in Islam, and toured the mosque.

Youth Sleepover at St. Clement's

The First Sunday of Lent was an unusual one at St. Clement’s. Our priest, the Rev. Dr. Lynne McNaughton, the Regional Youth Ministry Coordinator, the Rev. Andrew Halladay, and Caroline Battista who is our Sunday School Coordinator hosted a Junior Youth Sleepover at St. Clement’s on Saturday March 8th. As Lynne remarked, given that it was also the night the clocks went forward an hour, this was perhaps not too smart, but everyone had tremendous fun despite the tiredness. The youth prepared Lenten Banners on the theme of pilgrimage: with the help of our deacon the Rev. Elizabeth Mathers they worked with brown paper and charcoal, tracing their feet. The theme was further supplemented by cacti on the Altar and a “desert road”, lined with rocks and desert-like plants invited us to journey to the Altar, where we were fed with bread and wine.

The Gospel of The Temptation of Jesus (Matthew 4: 1-11) was acted out by the youth in a very imaginative and energetic way, including a couple of cheerleading lifts! The parish was then invited to wonder about the presentation: I wonder what stood out to you. I wonder where how we are tempted. I wonder if you have ever had an encounter with an angel or with the devil. It was a thought-provoking exercise for us all and the youth did an amazing job. Then we were led in prayer, also by the youth, who took turns at the microphone reading a prayer they had all worked on.

This was an amazing Sunday for us all and we look forward to another exciting Youth-led service.

Wilna Parry

Jesus is temped in the desert

The angels came and took care of Jesus after he overcame the devil's temptions

The desert road leading to the Altar, where we are fed

Lenten Altar

Who's My Neighbour: Mosque Visit

March 30: Masjid Ar-Raham, mosque at the former St. Richards

Sunday March 30th as part of our Lenten Study-Action Program we will visit Masjid Ar-Raman, the mosque at the former St. Richard’s church building.

Please bring a bag-lunch and meet at St. Catherine’s in the Mary Pellat Room at 12:45 for a time of prayer and preparation. (1058 Ridgewood Drive, North Vancouver)

You will get the most from your experience if you are able to pray and prepare before:

Read Luke 10:25-37 and the study questions (attached)
Read the Guidelines for Interfaith Conversations (attached)
Visit the masjid website
View this short music video by Kareem Salama
 In the Ash Wednesday service we are called to keep a holy Lent through giving alms. Almsgiving or Zakat is also one of the core principles and practices of Islam. During our visit we will make a group gift to the Zakat Box for those in need, individuals are welcome to contribute as well.

We have been asked by our hosts to observe modest dress during our visit. Most of us already dress modestly on a Sunday morning. Please wear long or ¾ sleeves, a skirt, dress or slacks and women bring a scarf to cover your head when we are in the mosque. No shorts, short skirts or bare arms, please.

Meet at St. Catherine’s, 1058 Ridgewood Dr., North Van at 12:45

If you are meeting us at Ar-Raman, 1398 W. 15th St., North Van, at 2pm you need to have read the Guidelines for Interfaith Conversations before you come.

If you plan to attend please let Laurel Dykstra know by e-mail so that we can tell our hosts how many to expect. loraldyk@hotmail.com

Who is my neighbour?

As part of our Lenten visiting program called "Who is my neighbour?" ten Anglicans and Lutherans from 4 North Van (and 1 Vancouver) parishes visited Jose Figueroa, a Salvadoran man living in sanctuary in Walnut Grove church in Langley. Our next visit will be to Masjid Ar-Raham, the mosque at the former St. Richard's church. For more information see the St. Catherine's website. 

http://saint-catherines.org/events/who-is-my-neighbour

Ash Wednesday Services

Lutheran and Anglican Churches of North Vancouver

ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICES: March 5, 2014

Begin the Season of Lent with Eucharist and the ancient sign of Ashes

The following alternative times are available for sharing Ash Wednesday with Lutherans and Anglicans.

Choose one which suits you:

7:30 a.m. St. Clement in Lynn Valley, 3400 Institute Rd.

12 Noon St. Agnes, 530 12th Street

7:30 p.m. St. Catherine Anglican 1058 Ridgewood Drive

or

 Gloria Dei Lutheran 1110 Gladwin Drive

Metro Vancouver Alliance Founding Meeting on March 19

On March 19, 2014, representatives of our 36 member organizations, representing 200,000 citizens, will gather at Metro Vancouver Alliance’s founding meeting. We will celebrate the launch of an exciting and powerful new organization, and begin working together to bring real change to our city.

The North Vancouver Lutheran & Anglican Churches are members of the MVA via the Eco-Justice Working Group.

www.metvanalliance.org · facebook.com/MetVanAlliance

Saturday, March 22: Regional Ministry Plan Consultation

All members of the five Anglican and two Lutheran churches in North Vancouver are invited to attend a special consultation on our Regional Ministry Plan. We will assess what we have accomplished and set new goals for the future. Please come if you can: St Catherine’s, 1085 Ridgewood Drive from 9 am to 3 pm.

Upcoming North Vancouver Regional Youth Events

Fabulous Friday:

Friday, February 28th, 5pm at St. Martin's

This event is geared towards families with pre-school or primary - aged children. We'll have supper, a craft, a story and some songs. This is a Regional Event and is being led by Andrew, the Regional Youth Ministry Coordinator, with the very helpful help of the people of St. Martin's. Out theme for the month of February is "Memories & Remembering"!

Vancouver Giants:

Saturday, March 1^st

The Vancouver Giants are offering a special of $13 dollars per ticket anywhere in the arena for groups of 10 or more. They would would love to have our churches take part in Faith Night. Come  join us for an exciting night of hockey! If you are interested in being a part of this please contact Lucy Rowe at lucy.e.rowe10@gmail.com

Junior Youth Sleepover

Saturday, March 8 at 5:30pm until Sunday, March 9th just after church at St. Clement's

This event is geared towards youth in grades 4-7. Older youth who are interested in helping as leaders are invited to contact Andrew, the Regional Youth Ministry Coordinator at sandrewh@hotmail.com. This event will include food, music, talking about Lent and what we're supposed to do, and a midnight candle-light worship service. Participants and their families are invited to church at St. Clement's on the Sunday morning. This is a Regional Event and is being led by Andrew, Lynne (who is the priest at St. Clement's), and Caroline (who runs the Sunday School at St. Clements). Please see the attached poster for more information.

Open Gym

Sunday, March 9 at 5pm until 7:30 at St. Catherine's

This event is geared towards junior youth (grades 4-7) and senior youth (grades 8-12). Any adults who are interested in helping as leaders are invited to contact Andrew, the Regional Youth Ministry Coordinator, at sandrewh@hotmail.com. This event includes a pizza dinner, sports and games depending on who comes and what they want to do, and maybe a movie. This is a Regional event and is being led by Andrew as well as some adult volunteers from St. Catherine's. We are always hoping for more adult volunteers, especially if you are a member at St. Catherine's. Please see the attached poster for more information.

Alternate Eucharist Service Planning

Sunday, March 16 at 5pm until 7:30 at St. Agnes'

This event is geared towards families who, for some reason, find it difficult to get to church on Sunday morning. We are working together to create a Sunday afternoon or evening service that offers something just a little bit different than what goes on in the morning. For the March planning session we are imagining the different ways we are transformed by worship through rituals, music, and community. Come experience and help create something new! This event includes dinner. This is a Regional event being led by Andrew, the Regional Youth Ministry Coordinator, and Stephen who is the priest at St. Agnes.

Visit to the Cat Sanctuary in Richmond

Sunday, March 23 meeting together at 2pm at the Sanctuary

This event is geared towards senior youth (grades 8-12). Every year, thousands of cats are abandoned or abused. The Cat Sanctuary in Richmond is where they can go to find healing, love, care and compassion. Come and see how the volunteers at the Sanctuary interact with these beautiful animals. If you would like to attend this event, please contact Andrew, the Regional Youth Ministry Coordinator, at sandrewh@hotmail.com. Please note that you must find your own transportation to the Sanctuary. This is a Regional event and is being led by Andrew and Raili who is a Warden at St. John's.

Fabulous Friday

Friday, March 28th, 5pm at St. Martin's

This event is geared towards families with pre-school or primary - aged children. We'll have supper, a craft, a story and some songs. This is a Regional Event and is being led by Andrew, the Regional Youth Ministry Coordinator, with the very helpful help of the people of St. Martin's. Out theme for the month of March is TBA!