Parish Update
THE COLLECT FOR THE TWENTIETH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
Almighty and everlasting God, you govern all things both in heaven and on earth: Mercifully hear the supplications of your people, and in our time grant us your peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Discerning God’s Will Together
This fall, we began a feasibility study with Horizons Stewardship, to discern whether we should run a capital campaign in 2026, that could help us make necessary improvements to the building, complete several projects we deferred in our 2018-2019 renovation, and provide us with seed money to start new ministries. Thank you to all who participated in the First Impression Gathering sessions and completed the online survey. We hope to share the results of the feasibility study with the parish sometime in late November/early December. For those who were not part of the conversation, and would like to hear more, click here to access the Vision Case Statement.
At the First Impression Gathering sessions, we gave an update on how we have been living out our strategic mission. Five years ago, we discerned that we should focus our efforts in five areas of ministry, and we came up with specific goals that we wanted to work towards:
Worship
In five years we will:
View worship as a way of life, a 24/7 posture of living and being.
Have created more opportunities to worship through a diverse array of services and events.
Community
In five years we will:
Be known as a good neighbour, a supportive and loving presence to people who live and work downtown.
Evangelism
In five years we will:
Be teaching and demonstrating how to share the gospel with others; in our words and in our lives.
Be inviting others into a life of faith in Christ through the programs and opportunities offered by our church.
Developing Disciples
In five years we will:
Be providing an engaging roster of intergenerational, relational, Christian discipleship and formation programs, for all age groups.
Be providing a more resourced, robust, and vibrant Junior Church program.
Stewardship
In five years we will:
Have developed and implemented a sustainable financial plan to achieve these Strategic Objectives.
Be a congregation who embraces and engages in the three T’s of stewardship: Time, Treasure, Talent; for our spiritual health and the capacity of the parish to live out its mission.
The last five years have been challenging, living through a global pandemic; suffering the death of our beloved rector, Canon Brent Stiller; and ongoing political polarization, social instability, and financial instability. And yet the Lord has been faithful in strengthening us to continue with our mission and, by His grace and goodness, we have been able to accomplish many of our goals.
The question we are now asking is: What is the Lord calling us to focus on over the next five years?
We want to pray into this question and bring before the Lord all that we have been discussing this fall.
You are invited to join us for a time of prayer on Saturday, November 15, from 9:30 AM to 11:30AM, as we continue discerning God’s direction for our parish. We will spend time in worship, listen to what God is saying to us through Scripture, and then pray for our ongoing building renovations, the possibility of doing new ministries, and our strategic mission.
Please register for this prayer event, Discerning God’s Will Together, here, so that we can better prepare for our time together. And if you cannot make it, we will provide a prayer resource that you can use to pray on your own.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.Philippians 4:6-7
For the Mission of the Church
O God, you have made of one blood, all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near; grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh; and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
UPCOMING EVENTS – Mark Your Calendars
October 26: Sunday service at 10:30 AM with Jr Church. (Streamed online)
October 26: Please return Pledge Cards. For more information, click here.
October 29: Midweek Eucharist Service at 12:15 PM.
October 29-31: Diocesan Synod in Vancouver. Watch services online here.
November 8: Women’s Potluck Breakfast at 9:30 AM. Register here.
November 8: Choral Evensong at 5 PM.
November 15: Parish Prayer Event at 9:30 AM: Discerning God’s Will Together. Register here.
November 16: 140th Anniversary Sunday followed by Potluck Lunch.
November 21: Women’s Pub Night at Deacon Brodies at 7:30 PM. Register here.
Diocesan Synod Livestream
Next week clergy and laypeople from across Canada will gather in Vancouver for Diocesan Synod of the Anglican Diocese of Canada (ADoC). This includes clergy and lay delegates from our own parish.
At Synod, the clergy and lay delegates discuss and vote on official diocesan business, but Synod is much more than that. It is a time for the people of the diocese to fellowship, worship, and study the Scriptures together; to hear about mission priorities in the Bishop’s Charge; and to learn about the work of the kingdom taking place throughout the diocese.
You can watch the worship and teaching sessions in real time via the diocesan livestream on YouTube, which can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/@DioceseofCanada
Join us online for the following (Eastern Daylight Time):
Wednesday, October 29: 12 PM - 1 PM Morning Prayer and Bible Teaching
Wednesday, October 29: 10 PM - 12 AM Opening Eucharist and Bishop Dan Gifford’s Charge
Thursday, October 30: 12 PM - 1 PM Morning Prayer and Bible Teaching
Friday, October 31: 12 PM - 1 PM Morning Prayer and Bible Teaching
140th Anniversary Sunday: November 16
Come and join us on Sunday, November 16, as we celebrate God’s faithfulness to us as a parish over the past 140 years. After the service we will have a potluck lunch.
If you plan to attend, please register here.
Women’s Potluck Breakfast: November 8 at 9:30 AM
The women of the parish are invited to a potluck breakfast on Saturday, November 8 at 9:30 AM. Our speaker will be Hannah Willmann. Please join us for food, fellowship, and inspiration. For more information and to register, click here.
Choral Evensong: November 8 at 5 PM
Our next Choral Evensong will be held on Saturday, November 8 at 5 PM.
Women’s Pub Night: November 21 at 7:30 PM
Women of the parish who are 19 and older are welcome to join us at Deacon Brodies Pub (247 Elgin Street) on Friday, November 21 at 7:30 PM or later for a time of fun and fellowship. Please register here.
ALPHA CELEBRATION DINNER - Thursday, November 27
On Thursday, November 27, we will be celebrating the completion of the Alpha Course with a special catered meal! Doors will open at 6:00 PM and dinner will be served at 6:15 PM
You are welcome to invite friends and family who might be interested in taking the Alpha Course in the future. There will be a meal, worship, testimonies, and a video.
To help us plan for our time together, we ask that you RSVP by filling out the registration form here.
Wednesday Morning Bible Study is back in session
Our Wednesday morning Bible study series in Genesis resumed and will continue on Wednesdays at 10:30 AM.. Led once again by Fr. David Crawley and based on Genesis chapters 28-50, we conclude our journey through this fascinating book of origins which wonderfully anticipates the Gospel of Jesus. Please register here.
Annual Campaign: Please Return Pledge Cards by October 26
Annual campaign packages have been both mailed and emailed. If you didn't receive it, you can access it online here. After prayerful consideration, we ask that you return your completed pledge card by Sunday, October 26. Please put your card in an envelope marked "confidential", and place it in the Sunday offering, drop it in one of the church’s mailboxes, or mail it to the church. If you have any questions, please contact the church office at admin@peterpaulottawa.com.
Meal 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 continue reading stories based on the Psalms.
After spending two weeks learning about the good days in the garden of Eden, our Chapel Lambs will now learn about the first bad day. Adam and Eve disobey God and sin enters the world. Sin causes separation between us and God, but God has a plan to bring us back to Him.
Our Kingdom Kids continue to learn about Abraham’s journey. This week they look at the story of Isaac. The big idea: God provides the right sacrifice in order to keep His promises.
The Lions of Judah begins the book of Ruth this Sunday. They learn how Ruth chooses to follow the LORD.
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 2022-2025.
No Playgroup on October 29
Playgroup will not gather on October 29 but will resume on November 5. A reminder that playgroup is for children 0-Pre-K and their caregivers. This has been a very positive time of connecting. Playgroup is open to everyone including friends and neighbours from our communities. Please consider who you may want to invite to join us. If you have any questions, 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. Please note that next week we will not meet on Thursday, October 30. 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 to join us, please contact the church office at admin@peterpaulottawa.com.
Online Thursday morning Bible Study - Thursdays at 10:45 AM
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. Anyone interested in joining us, please contact the church office at admin@peterpaulottawa.com.
Volunteer Opportunities
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.
A Place To Go
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.
A Place To Go is in need of people who are willing to make sandwiches once a month; who are willing to make a large batch of soup 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.
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.