Parish-Wide Prayer Day
Our parish periodically sets aside days for prayer (and fasting, which is optional) in order to seek the Lord’s face, ask to be filled with his Holy Spirit, for repentance, and to bring our concerns to him about our world, our country, neighbourhoods, church, and families. With the many transitions and events taking place this year both domestically and internationally, along with our own transitions and events closer to home, it seemed right to set apart a day this summer to pray.
Join us on August 9 as we commit to pray for at least one hour for our church and our world. You are welcome to pray at the church, at home, or wherever you happen to be that day. We will send those registered special materials to focus your prayers. Register below.
VBS Kids Summer Camp
Registration is now open for VBS Kids Camp. Camp will take place August 25 - 29, from 9 AM to 2 PM and is for children born between 2014 to 2020. Our theme this year is Magnified: Made to magnify God!
O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together. Psalm 34:3.
There is no cost but space is limited. Camp programming will include games, craft and activities. You are encouraged to prayerfully consider inviting friends or relatives who may enjoy being with us.
Sunday Service Online
We invite you to join us online as we live-stream our services on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/StPandPOttawa/
Click to access the Worship Guide to follow along with the service.
Parish Update
THE COLLECT FOR THE FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
Let your merciful ears, O Lord, be open to the prayers of your humble servants; and, that we may receive what we ask, teach us by your Holy Spirit to ask only those things that are pleasing to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the same Spirit lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. … Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42, 46-47)
In the book of Acts, we see the early church devoted to a particular pattern of discipleship that included meeting together as a large group in the temple, and meeting together in smaller groups in people’s homes. Our large group meeting on Sunday mornings is for public worship, the exhortation of God’s Word, the celebration of the Sacraments, but large group meetings can only take us so far in our spiritual growth. We also need to be meeting together in some kind of small group. Here are five reasons why small groups are an integral to our life in Christ and spiritual growth:
1. Strengthen Relationships - Small groups offer a more intimate setting for building relationships than large church services. They help us to get to know each other on a deeper level, fostering friendships and a sense of belonging.
2. Deeper Engagement with God’s Word – Small groups allow us space for more in-depth Bible study and discussion, so that we can grow in our knowledge of God, others, self, and the world we live in. In a smaller group, we are free to ask questions, share insights, and learn from each other’s perspectives in a safe environment.
3. Accountability and Support – Small groups can provide us with a network of support. As we face life’s challenges, we can encourage and pray for each other, and hold one another accountable to our values, commitments, and goals.
4. Opportunities for Service and Outreach – Small groups can be a natural platform for serving others and reaching out to community. We can work together on projects, offer support to those in need, and invite others to join the group, which can be a powerful way of bearing witness to Christ and spreading the Good News.
5. Strengthens the Overall Life of the Church – Churches with a thriving small group ministry are often more effective in making disciples, cultivating leaders, and expanding the Kingdom of God in the city.
As we prepare for the fall, there will be several small groups that will meet in people’s homes or at the church. If you are interested in becoming a part of a small group, please fill out the small group registration form, and a member of our staff will get back to you.
UPCOMING EVENTS – Mark Your Calendars
July 13: Sunday service with Junior Church and Nursery at 10:30 AM. (Streamed online)
August 9: Parish-wide Prayer Day. Register here.
August 25-29: VBS Kids Camp. Register here.
Parish-Wide Prayer Day: Saturday, August 9
Our parish periodically sets aside days for prayer (and fasting, which is optional) in order to seek the Lord’s face, ask to be filled with his Holy Spirit, for repentance, and to bring our concerns to him about our world, our country, neighbourhoods, church, and families. With the many transitions and events taking place this year both domestically and internationally, along with our own transitions and events closer to home, it seemed right to set apart a day this summer to pray.
Join us on August 9 as we commit to pray for at least one hour for our church and our world. You are welcome to pray at the church, at home, or wherever you happen to be that day. We will send those registered special materials to focus your prayers. Register here.
Simeon Hastings Summer Missions Fundraising
I am so excited to work at Circle Square Ranch Big Clear Lake for my third summer! My name is Simeon Hastings. I’ve recently graduated from Nepean High School, and will be pursuing commerce with an option in finance this fall at the University of Ottawa. This summer, I will be a senior cabin leader and shadow the recreation director as well. The ranch has become a crucial part of my life, in the community and the beautiful space. I feel blessed to be able to minister to the campers and share with them the goodness of God that I've experienced and that has been shown to me. Being here for 6 weeks, I'd be extremely grateful for your support. Donating to my page, sharing it around, and keeping me in your prayers would be extremely impactful to me, no matter the capacity. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to reach out to the church office admin@peterpaulottawa.com!
VBS Kids Camp
Registration is now open for VBS Kids Camp. Camp will take place August 25 - 29, from 9 AM to 2 PM and is for children born between 2014 to 2020. Our theme this year is Magnified: Made to magnify God! O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together (Psalm 34:3). There is no cost but space is limited. Camp programming will include games, crafts and activities. You are encouraged to prayerfully consider inviting friends or relatives who may enjoy being with us. Please sign up here.
CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES
We are undergoing some transitions among our volunteer team. A number of individuals have recently joined the team and a number of members have been willing to take on new roles and responsibilities. This is an answer to prayer as we continue to develop as a team and strengthen our ministry to children. Two of our volunteers who have been helping with our Nursery Blessings will now join our Kingdom Kids group. There is more preparation time required for those teaching older children and we give thanks for their commitment of time, energy, and prayer. Our Nursery Blessings will welcome two new volunteers in the fall. There are also individuals discerning a call to join our team over the summer months.
An Invitation to Consider
Construction of our new Jr Church space will continue over the summer. One of the traditions at the church during times of construction is to invite people to write scriptures and prayers on the walls and frames before painting. These messages will surround the children in the new classrooms. We will let you know when the drywall is up and ready to be written on. Please consider a scripture verse or prayer you would like to write.
We aim to create a welcoming space for children to hear the good news of Jesus and to learn how to follow Him. It has been a delight to watch the children come to a deeper understanding of God’s love for them and what it means to be children of God.
PLAYGROUP
Our playgroup is taking a break for the summer!
Please help us support the Centretown Community Food Centre!
Bring in non-perishable food items on Sunday mornings and place them in the large basket at the back of the sanctuary. For more information, click here.
The Archbishop’s 2025 Theological Essay Contest is open
The annual essay contest, sponsored by Anglican House Publishers, is currently underway and accepting submissions until August 31. All active lay members (non-clergy) in good standing of a church in the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) may submit an essay addressing the following writing prompt:
Each of us experiences discipleship in the daily practices of worship, relationship, service, and personal faith. From your vantage point, what does it look like when a parish is truly helping people grow as followers of Jesus Christ?
For more details as well as information on the essay contest which is open to clergy, click here.
ONLINE MORNING PRAYER
We are taking a break from our online morning prayer. We will begin again on Monday, July 21.
Rickwood Fund Application Update
Our church has been blessed with a memorial funding source, the Nora Green Rickwood Memorial Life Long Learning Fund, that provides funds to the church each year to encourage learning, growth, and leadership among the clergy and laity. The application cutoff dates will be March 1 and September 1. To apply for a grant from the Rickwood Fund, contact the office admin@peterpaulottawa.com or call 613-235-1636.
Short-Term Mission Fund
At St Peter & St Paul’s, there is an Outreach Partners Committee that administers funds for various outreach initiatives. Part of the funding available has been designated for short-term missions and special requests. Money is available to help pay the costs for someone engaged in a relevant event or mission activity. If you are interested in finding out more about this, please contact the office via email: admin@peterpaulottawa.com or phone (613-235-1636).
Volunteer Opportunities for Food Makers, Servers, and Cleaning-uppers
The Hospitality Team is a great way to serve at the church in a low-commitment volunteer position. Even those who can only help out once or twice a year are welcome to join the team. For more information or to sign up, click here.
For those looking for more of a regular commitment, our church runs a weekly drop-in on Friday evenings from 7 PM to 9 PM called A Place To Go. We have volunteers who make the soup and sandwiches once a month and volunteers who purchase the other groceries needed from the supermarket. We also have volunteers who spend one Friday night a month at the church serving those who gather. If you would like to learn more about A Place To Go or volunteering, please click here.
CHURCH RESOURCES
Church Office: The church office is open from 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM Tuesdays through Thursdays. You can reach the office by phone at 613-235-1636 or by email at admin@peterpaulottawa.com.
Worship: We gather together for worship at 10:30 AM on Sundays, both in-person at the church and online on our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/StPandPOttawa/)
Please use the Worship Guide to follow along with the service. You can join us in person at 152 Metcalfe Street.
Parking: There is a paid lot directly behind the church on Gloucester Street that offers all-day parking at a flat rate on Sundays. For street parking, please check posted signs, pay stations, and keep up to date on winter parking bans here.
Online: Check out our Facebook page for livestreams of our services, audio recordings of our sermons, and other news and posts. You can listen to our Parish podcast and sermons on your favourite podcast app by searching for “peterpaulottawa” and subscribing. And there is also our Website where you can listen to our sermons and podcasts, sign up for events, and read an extended cut of the weekly parish update.