Parish Update
THE COLLECT FOR THE SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
O Lord, you have taught us that without love, all our deeds are worth nothing: Send your Holy Spirit and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of charity, the true bond of peace and of all virtues, without which whoever lives is counted dead before you; grant this for the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Pastoral Reflection
By The Michelle Terwilleger
Christian spirituality can sometimes be thought of as a solitary activity: a life of prayer and fasting, away from the distractions of the world and away from other people. In the Gospels, we see Jesus getting up early to go to be alone with his Heavenly Father.
And yet we also see that Jesus spent the majority of his time with other people, investing in them. This should not surprise us if we think back on the Creation story from Genesis 2.
Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner.’ (Genesis 2:18).
From the very beginning, the Lord created us for relationship with himself and with one another. We hear this message again in the words of Jesus: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbour as yourself. (Matthew 22:37-39).
And again as Jesus speaks to his disciples on the night of his betrayal: I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. (John 13:34).
Having intentional loving relationships with others is a central part of following Jesus. While some of us live with our spouse, children, parents or friends, others of us live alone. Whatever our situation, we need fellowship and friendship with other Christian believers to fulfill our calling as Jesus’ disciples.
In addition to the small group opportunities that Pastor Ben wrote about a couple weeks ago (learn more here), St Peter & St Paul’s also provides additional opportunities for sharing meals together and for Christian fellowship.
Women’s Potluck Breakfast: 9:30 AM Saturday, September 19
Tomorrow morning, the women of the church are invited to gather at 9:30 AM in Stiller Hall for a potluck breakfast that will be focused on meeting people and getting to know one another better. Please come to share in table fellowship and to hear one another’s stories. You can register here.
Men’s Catered Breakfast: 8:30 AM Saturday, September 26
Next Saturday, the men of the church are invited to gather at 8:30 AM in Stiller Hall for coffee and at 9 AM for a catered breakfast. This will provide a chance for the men of the parish to get to know one another better and to hear from this month’s speaker, Adonis Tuyisenge. Cost is $12.50 and registration is required by September 23. You can register here.
Parish Night Out: 4 PM Saturday, October 3
On October 3, all are invited to participate in our Parish Night Out event where groups of people gather in parishioners’ homes to share a meal together. The hosts provide the table settings and the drinks while the guests bring the meal. This event gives both newcomers and long-time members the chance to get to know one another better over a relaxed meal. The registration deadline is September 28. You can register here.
Young Adults Potluck: 6 PM Wednesdays
People in their 20s and 30s are welcome to join our young adults potluck that takes place on Wednesdays from 6 PM to 8 PM in the church library. This is a time to enjoy food and fellowship and study the Bible together.
Hospitality Hour: This Sunday, September 20
Finally, there is our Hospitality Hour that takes place occasionally on Sundays in Stiller Hall following the church service. Our next Hospitality Hour is this Sunday, September 20. Please plan on staying for refreshments and fellowship.
We want our church to be an authentic community grounded in the love of Jesus Christ and living out his command that we love one another as he has loved us. I know that some of us face challenges in connecting with others, but I encourage you to take that first step by sharing a smile, a handshake, or a hello, and attending one of our fellowship events. Our parish is full of incredible people that Jesus loves and you are one of them. Allow us to get to know you.
UPCOMING EVENTS – Mark Your Calendars
September 19: Women’s Potluck Breakfast at 9:30 AM. Register here.
September 19: Choral Evensong from 5 PM to 6 PM.
September 20: Sunday service at 10:30 AM with Jr Church. (Streamed online)
September 20: Life @ St P&P’s Course at 9 AM in Stiller Hall. Register here.
September 20: Hospitality Hour following the service in Stiller Hall.
September 23: Weekday Eucharist Service at 12:15 PM.
September 23: ALPHA course at 6 PM in Stiller Hall. Register here.
September 23: Young Adults weekly potluck at 6 PM in the Library.
September 24: Ephesians Course at 6 PM in Stiller Hall. Register here.
September 26: Men’s Catered Breakfast at 8:30 AM. Register here.
October 3: Parish Night Out at 4 PM. Register here.
HOME GROUPS
As we enter into the fall season, 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 in someone’s home, please fill out the form here, and someone will get back to you.
Evensong Service: September 19 at 5 PM
Join us for our next Evensong on Saturday, September 19 at 5 PM. Enjoy a time of quiet reflection, musical worship, and meditating on God’s Word, helping us to pause, give thanks for the week that’s passed, and prepare our hearts for worship the next morning.
Men's Breakfast on September 26
Looking for a great way to start your Fall with good food and even better company? All men and older teens (16+) are invited to the Men’s Breakfast on September 26!
We’re excited to welcome Adonis Tuyisenge as our guest speaker—come for the coffee, stay for the conversation and community.
☕ Coffee: 8:30 AM
🍳 Breakfast: 9:00 AM (catered and included!)
💲 Cost: $12.50 📅
Registration deadline: Wednesday, September 23
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Kris Nanda at kkhnanda@hotmail.com. Register using the link here or through the church website. We’d love to see you there!
Parish Night Out Saturday, October 3 at 4 PM (Dinner at 5 PM)
Parish Night Out is a great opportunity to get to know fellow parishioners as you share a meal in a home setting.
The next Parish Night Out is on Saturday, October 3. To participate, please sign up to either host a dinner or attend a dinner with fellow parishioners. The HOST provides the home/beverages and the GUESTS provide the meal (main course/casserole, salad or veggie dish, bread & dessert). If you are interested, please sign up here by Monday, September 28.
Young Adults Wednesday Potluck at 6 PM
Our young adults' Wednesday night potluck takes place on Wednesdays from 6 PM to 8 PM in the parish library. This group is for adults in their 20s and 30s and is a chance to enjoy food and fellowship and study the Bible together. Plan to join and bring a dish to share. While Pastor Harman is on leave, you can chat with Hannah Willmann, Nathan Chan, or Alex Taylor if you have any questions or would like to be added to the email list.
ALPHA course - Wednesdays at 6 PM
Our Alpha Course began on Wednesday, September 16 and will continue on Wednesdays for the next 10 weeks. ALPHA is designed to be a safe place to learn about the Christian faith in a relaxed, friendly environment over a meal.
It is not too late to join if you would like to. Please register here.
Life @ St P & P’s Course – Sundays, from September 13 to October 25, at 9 AM
Beginning last Sunday at 9 AM, we are offering a 6-week class in Stiller Hall designed for those who are new to our parish and interested in learning more about what it means to follow Jesus in the Anglican way. This class focuses on our core values, our approach to interpreting and applying scripture, Anglican worship and discipleship and membership.
Register here.
Ephesians Course - Thursdays, from September 17 to December 3, at 6 PM
Pastor Ben is leading an 11-week course focused on Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus. Unlike many of Paul’s letters, Ephesians does not focus on any obvious pastoral issues, rather Paul gives us a big-picture view of what God has done for us in Christ, and how to live into the fullness of this new reality. The letter is a masterful work of art, made up of praise, prayers, theological statements, and practical implications for daily life. Our time together is a mix of teaching, discussion, and prayer. There are light refreshments. A study guide is provided. Download it here or on our website.
Please register here.
Thursday Morning Online Bible Study begins September 17
The Thursday morning Bible study will be resuming on September 17 at 10:45 AM ending at noon. We meet on Zoom so no need to find parking downtown! Our leader, Karen Bergenstein, will send out the Zoom link to those who wish to join. This fall (and for the foreseeable future), we will be looking at the book of Daniel so it would be helpful to read through it before we begin.
Join us by using the Zoom link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83591508654?pwd=Cis6LF9fnhIjWzezod11eryLkZjaM1.1
Meeting ID: 835 9150 8654
Passcode: 985683
One tap mobile
+16475580588,,83591508654#,,,,*985683# Canada
+17789072071,,83591508654#,,,,*985683# Canada
Check out our Parish YouTube Page: @PeterPaulOttawa
As you may have noticed, Facebook now has a policy of deleting posted videos after 30 days. We have begun posting videos of our services on our YouTube page as well as our Facebook page, so you can watch them there without expiration. We plan to move the livestream of our services from Facebook to YouTube in the future, so please familiarize yourself with our YouTube page: youtube.com/@PeterPaulOttawa
Youth Group at 6 PM on Sundays
Youth Group takes place on Sundays with doors opening at 5:45 PM and youth starting at 6 PM. All youth in grades 7 through 12 are welcome to join. All families need to have filled out the registration forms for Grades 7 & 8 and Grades 9-12 for the 2026-27 school year before they attend youth group.
For more information and to register your youth, please fill out the form on our website or here.
CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES: Time to Register!
We have resumed our Children’s Ministry program for the new school year. Please make sure to register your children for the new school year. We need a new registration form each fall.
Jr Church Registration for children born 2015-2022 can be found here.
Nursery Registration for children born 2023-2026 can be found here.
We continue to gather in Stiller Hall until we have final sign-off on the permit. We are waiting on a piece of fire-proof material which has been delayed in arriving. We hope to be in the new space by the end of the month.
Our Nursery blessings continue with the Good Shepherd. They will watch a presentation of the Parable of the Lost Sheep using peg people and props.
Our Chapel Lambs will hear how God is the Creator of all things and begins to fill his creation with plants, the sun, the moon and the stars. Our memory verse this month is from Genesis 1:1: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. To help our children learn the verse, there is a tune and actions to accompany the words.
Our Kingdom Kids will hear how, from the beginning, God created us for intimacy with Himself; but no one naturally fulfills this purpose. Everyone since Adam and Eve has sinned. Only God can save us from sin, which separates us from God.
Lions of Judah begin a new series on the Covenants of the Old Testaments. This week they will look at the story of Noah. Eddie leads the Lions this week.
Playgroup begins next Wednesday, September 23.
Playgroup will resume on Wednesday mornings beginning September 23. We will gather from 10 AM to noon in our Nursery space. Playgroup is for babies and children born 2023-2026, and their caregivers. If you know of anyone who may like to connect with other parents or caregivers, please feel free to invite them along. All are welcome!
Midweek Eucharist Service on Wednesdays
Join us every Wednesday as we gather for a Communion service that starts at 12:15 PM and finishes by 1 PM that includes a brief meditation on Scripture followed by Holy Communion. All are invited.
Daily Morning Prayer on Zoom
Our online Morning Prayer gatherings meet online over Zoom, Monday through Saturday at 8 AM. Morning Prayer lasts about a half hour. We pray through the Morning Prayer service using the Book of Common Prayer, which is displayed on the computer screen.
Join by using the Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/353321062?pwd=SWVKTVFyMHFhK01SU1dBdlVMYVU2Zz09
Meeting ID: 353 321 062 Passcode: 537528
Centretown Food Centre Walkathon - October 3 at 1:30 PM
On Sunday, October 4, the Centretown Churches Social Action Committee (CCSAC) will sponsor their annual walkathon from 1:30 PM to 4:00 PM to benefit the Centretown Community Food Centre.
The event begins at Canadian Martyrs Catholic Church at 100 Main Street and follows a 2 km or 4 km route along the Rideau Canal. This is a wonderful, family-friendly event, so please feel free to bring strollers and leashed dogs! 100% of all funds raised go directly to the Centretown Community Food Centre. To register, volunteer, or make a donation, please visit www.centretownchurches.org/walkathon—donations can also be made at the walk or mailed to CCSAC at 507 Bank Street, Ottawa, K2P 1Z5.
St Peter & St Paul’s is a member of the CCSAC, and we support the Centretown Food Centre. You can drop off non-perishable food items for the centre in the wicker basket located at the back of the sanctuary.
Looking for Sandwich Makers, Soup 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, make a 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 contact the church office.
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 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.