Women’s Potluck Breakfast | March 21
Saturday, March 21 at 9:30 AM
The women of the parish are invited to a potluck breakfast on Saturday, February 21 at 9:30 AM. Please join us for food, fellowship, and inspiration. Please register below.
Women’s Retreat at Camp IAWAH | April 17-19
Last April, several churches in our diocese came together for a Love Covers women’s retreat at Camp IAWAH. We had a wonderful weekend of praise and worship, teaching, prayer ministry, fun activities, food, and fellowship. About a dozen of us from St Peter & St Paul’s attended.
The women of the parish are invited to join this year’s Love Covers women’s retreat with the theme of “Living in His Love.” Deacon Jane Manary Parent will be our speaker and Pastor Michelle will be the retreat chaplain. The cost is $270 and scholarships are available.
Please register your intention to attend below.
This information is for planning purposes only, to coordinate carpooling and to provide an opportunity for retreat scholarships. From this form, you will find a link to the actual registration page where payment (or a scholarship) is required. For more information, you can talk to Pastor Michelle or contact the church office.
Midweek Eucharist Service
Join us for our Midweek Eucharist Services on Wednesday at 12:15 PM. This is a spoken service and is a great way to spend some time in worship in the middle of your busy work week. Some of our major feast days (Saints' Days) are celebrated at these services. Everyone is welcome.
Parish Update
COLLECT FOR THE THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT
Heavenly Father, you have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you: Look with compassion upon the heartfelt desires of your servants, and purify our disordered affections, that we may behold your eternal glory in the face of Christ Jesus; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
It’s usually about this time of Lent that I remember how much I hate fasting. I talk a big talk throughout the year about how spiritually refreshing fasting is, or how transformative it is when we really press into it, and these things are of course true. But I hate fasting. If I’ve discerned well, and fasted from something that I genuinely use to distract myself from discomfort, then it’s about now—two weeks in—that I stop being able to convince myself that I’m enjoying the process. I’m not. I just want to eat and scroll away on my phone into oblivion.
Our Collect this Sunday comes at just the right time to remind me of why I struggle with fasting. My heart is a restless, writhing mass of desires, desperately in search of comfort and peace. When I cut away the things that I typically, instinctively and unreflectively turn to for comfort and peace—filling myself up with food, filling my mind with news analysis—I become resensitized to just how empty I feel inside when I don’t have these things to distract me, and when I am not regularly turning instead to Jesus.
My heart desires Jesus. Your heart desires Jesus. He is the only thing that can genuinely fill our souls and not still leave us restless and desperate for more. This desire for Him is the true north of the desires of our hearts, but sin has disoriented that compass and has pointed us in every which direction, convincing us that what we actually want is this or that. Fasting not only resensitizes us to our desire for Jesus, but it also resensitizes us to the lies our sin tells us to keep us restless and desperate but never turning to Jesus.
Next week we will be halfway through our Lenten journey. Now is the perfect time to take a moment and reflect. How have you shown up to your fast? What desires or sins has your Lenten practice revealed to you? How is the Lord calling you to repent so that you can better desire and find true peace in Him? How can you make the most of the rest of Lent to prepare to celebrate Jesus’ Resurrection in purity of heart and a quiet mind, untroubled by sin and distraction? Consider using our Collect as a guide for your prayers as you reflect.
UPCOMING EVENTS – Mark Your Calendars
March 8: Sunday service at 10:30 AM with Jr Church. (Streamed online)
March 21: Women’s Potluck Breakfast. Register here.
Holy Week
March 29: Palm Sunday with procession of the palms at 10:30 AM
April 2: Maundy Thursday with foot washing at 7 PM
April 3: Good Friday Family Service at 10 AM
April 3: Good Friday Stations of the Cross Service at 12 PM to 3 PM
April 4: Easter Vigil in the evening
April 5: Easter Sunday service at 10:30 AM
April 17-19: Women’s Retreat at Camp IAWAH. Register here.
May 29-31: Parish Retreat at Camp IAWAH
Lift is Out of Order
We regret to report that our lift is in need of repairs and Savaria, the lift company, has determined it is not safe for use until the repairs are made.
On Sunday we will be showing the livestream of the service in the library and will bring communion to anyone watching the service in there.
We hope to have the repairs completed soon and will keep you updated.
2025 Tax Receipts
Electronic and paper tax receipts for March to December 2025 have been sent. Please note that the tax receipts for January and February were sent in March 2025 per CRA's deadline extension for charitable donations last year only. This extension was given due to the Canada Post strike in December 2024. It allows tax payers to claim charitable donations for January and February 2025 on either their 2024 or 2025 tax returns.
For those who use electronic receipts, they are always available by clicking "donor account" which can be found in the paragraph just below the "Download my statement" button located at the bottom the email you received.
If you have any questions or require further details, please feel free to contact us at envsecretary@peterpaulottawa.com or leave a message for her at the church office by calling 613-235-1636.
Women’s Potluck Breakfast - Saturday, March 21 at 9:30 AM
The women of the parish are invited to a potluck breakfast at 9:30 AM on Saturday, March 21. This is a wonderful opportunity for women across the generations to get to know one another. Please register here.
Women’s Retreat at Camp IAWAH: April 17-19
Last April, several churches in our diocese came together for a Love Covers women’s retreat at Camp IAWAH. We had a wonderful weekend of praise and worship, teaching, prayer ministry, fun activities, food, and fellowship. About a dozen of us from St Peter & St Paul’s attended.
The women of the parish are invited to join this year’s Love Covers women’s retreat with the theme of “Living in His Love.” Deacon Jane Manary Parent will be our speaker and Pastor Michelle will be the retreat chaplain. The cost is $270 and scholarships are available.
Please register your intention to attend here. This information is for planning purposes only, to coordinate carpooling and to provide an opportunity for retreat scholarships. From this form, you will find a link to the actual registration page where payment (or a scholarship) is required. For more information, you can talk to Pastor Michelle or contact the church office.
Photos/Videos for Church Communications
St Peter & St Paul's is refreshing some of the photos and videos it uses in its services and communications. The goal is to portray the parish as the vibrant community it is: one that worships, builds warm relationships, cares for its children and young adults and nurtures their faith, and invites its neighbours and international students in to meet Christians and enjoy Christian hospitality.
This photography is being done at the request of the parish leadership.
For this purpose, you will see one of our parishioners, Rob Linke, taking photographs or video of group activities at St Peter & St Paul's over the next few weeks.
Rob and his wife Margot have been attending SPP for several years and are very involved in ministry at SPP. Rob is also a father and grandfather who understands how much we value our children and youth and the role they play within the church family.
All photos/footage will be taken in the public spaces of the church during scheduled church activities. Rob will keep a respectful distance. Out of an abundance of caution, no photos of children or youth will be posted on our website, but photos of adults may appear there. If a parent does not want their child in any photo or video or if you do not want to be photographed, please let Pastor Harman or Carolyn Vanderheide know either in person, by email or by emailing or calling the church office directly. They will be sure to inform Rob so that he can honour your request.
Looking for Sandwich Makers and Friday Night Volunteers
Our church runs a weekly drop-in on Friday evenings from 7 PM to 9 PM called A Place To Go. This ministry gives us the opportunity to provide Christian hospitality to our neighbours in Centretown and it provides a place for food, fellowship, community, and prayer for those who may not have anywhere else to go.
We depend on a large number of volunteers to make this ministry happen. A team of about seven volunteers (different ones each week) including a team leader prepares Stiller Hall, the drinks, and the food for serving. We pray together before opening the doors at 7 PM and then serve our guests. We have a lot of fun and get plenty of exercise! We also spend time in the kitchen washing dishes, running them through the sanitizer and putting them away.
In addition to our in-person volunteers, we rely on a team of soup makers and sandwich makers. Our sandwich makers make four loaves of sandwiches at home and then drop them off at the church once a month. Sometimes sandwich makers who live close to one other will bring one another’s sandwiches. Those making sandwiches can submit grocery receipts to the church for reimbursement.
A Place To Go is in need of people who are willing to make sandwiches once a month and who are willing to volunteer at the church from 6 PM to 9:30 PM once a month.
If you would like to learn more about A Place To Go or volunteering, please click here or speak with Pastor Michelle.
Meals Ministry
Do you like to cook or buy and deliver meals? Our Meal Train Ministry is looking for people to cook and deliver meals. Providing meals is a practical way of supporting others during a challenging time. It is a real blessing to receive a meal following surgery or recovering from an illness. It is also a wonderful gift to young families after the birth of a new baby. If you are interested in joining the team or learning more about this ministry please email the church office at admin@peterpaulottawa.com.
CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES
Our Nursery Blessings will continue the Parables Unit this Sunday. Each week, they will gather for a circle time to sing a few songs and read the week’s story together. This week, they read The People Helper Who Wouldn’t Help. This is the story of the persistent widow from Luke 18:1-8.
Our Chapel Lambs will hear the important lesson that Jesus teaches us to love God and love others. This week’s lesson draws on teachings from all four Gospels: Matthew 22:37-39, Mark 12:28-34, Luke 6:27-36 and John 13:33-35. This week as we review these stories, the children will learn that not everyone chooses to follow Jesus.
Kingdom Kids have now completed the Gospel unit and will spend the season hearing the stories of those who met Jesus on His way to Jerusalem. This week, they look at the story of Bartimaeus. Bartimaeus has faith in who Jesus is and cries out to Him for mercy. Then Jesus heals him and he follows Jesus.
The Lions of Judah continue to look at the Apostles’ Creed. This week, we look at the Communion of Saints. As saints, sinners rescued by Jesus and made holy by the power of the Holy Spirit, we are united with other believers and work together as one body to glorify God.
Registration Forms
Junior Church registration for the 2025/2026 school year can be found here.
Junior Church is for children born between 2014-2021.
Nursery registration for Nursery can be found here.
Nursery is for children born between 2022-2026.
Playgroup on Wednesdays
A reminder that we now gather from 10 AM to 12 noon on Wednesdays. Playgroup is for parents and caregivers of children up to the age of 5. This has become an important time of connecting during a season of life that can be isolating.
Wednesday Morning Bible Study - February 18 to April 1
The 10:30 AM Wednesday Bible study resumed last Wednesday. Led by Fr. David Crawley, the group is studying Romans Chapters 1 to 8, following the overarching theme ‘How big is your Gospel?’ If you are interested in joining, please register here.
Online Thursday morning Bible Study - Thursdays at 10:45 AM to 12:00 PM
The Thursday morning Bible Study is studying the Book of Judges. We meet online via Zoom every Thursday from 10:45 AM to 12 PM. If you are interested in joining, please contact the church office at admin@peterpaulottawa.com
Online Morning Prayer Monday - Saturday at 8 AM
Join us every morning (Monday - Saturday) at 8 AM to take part in Morning Prayer over Zoom. We gather virtually for about a half hour to worship the Lord, read Scripture, pray, and enjoy Christian fellowship. It is a wonderful way to begin the day. We use the 2019 Book of Common Prayer as our guide, but you do not need to own a prayer book to participate; all the words are on the screen. If you are interested in joining, please contact the church office at admin@peterpaulottawa.com
Hospitality Team
Thinking you would like to volunteer somewhere, but are afraid of making a regular commitment? The Hospitality Team may be for you!
The Hospitality Team hosts Hospitality Hours after church, receptions, potlucks, and other parish events in Stiller Hall. You are welcome to join us once a year, once in a blue moon, or every time we host an event. You are welcome even if baking is not your thing. You can set out dishes, plate cookies, put jugs of water in the fridge, bring dirty dishes into the kitchen, help load or unload the dishwasher –there are lots of different things to do. You will receive an email when there is an upcoming event and you can respond or ignore, depending on your availability. Join the team by signing up 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 and pay stations.
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.