Blog

We are grateful to Canon Susan for leading this year’s Blessing of the Pets, which will be inside the church this year, and held at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 4th, which is the Feast of St. Francis.
We invite you to join us for our Pet Blessing service as we celebrate and recognize the role our pets, therapy dogs, and service dogs play in our lives.
This is a short family and pet-friendly service.  All animals must be kept on a leash or in a secure carrying case. A freewill offering will be taken: proceeds to the Clarington Animal Shelter.
We will host a pumpkin carving event for kids and adults this Friday October 27th. You are welcome to come anytime between 3:45 and 5:45.  Halloween is the celebration of “All Hallows’ Eve”, the Eve of All Saints’ Day, and has a long history in the Church.  
The church will  provide pumpkins, paints for the pumpkins, and some knives and carving kits.  Donations to help with the cost of the pumpkins and supplies are welcome.   You can either take your pumpkins home afterward, or leave them for the weekend as a display by the church.  
Please email the church to tell us whether you would like to attend and whether you’d like us to provide a pumpkin for you or whether you would prefer to BYOPumpkin. 

We’ve had several requests for a time for children and young people to learn about holy communion.  We are planning on having that session during the children’s program on Sunday, November 5th.  We hope parents will mark your calendars so kids will have this opportunity to learn more about why communion is a meaningful sacrament of God’s love and grace.

As we get ready for the season in which we focus on thanking God for all our blessings, and we decorate our church with symbols of the beauty and bounty God grants us, we have opportunities to do so with flowers, fruits, and vegetables.
Anyone wishing to place an In Memoriam or Thankoffering plant in the church for Harvest Sunday, October 1, please contact Mary Tillcock at 905-623-4326 
 prior to September 25.
If anyone would like to contribute fruits or vegetables that could be used to decorate our Sanctuary for Harvest Sunday, please leave them in the church by Saturday morning, September 30.
Grace and peace,
Lucia
 Please save the date, August 22nd, 2023.
We at St. John’s will be preparing our annual Dinner for the Migrant Farm workers to be held at St.Saviour’s Orono. 
Last year,  St.John’s provided meals for over 100 workers and we would like to do the same this year. 
We are requesting Salads (potato or Pasta), chicken, and any other dishes you would like to prepare. 
We will also need volunteers to help with serving the meals. 
An update will be provided as the date approaches, however I  am available to answer any questions. 
Thank you very much. 
Williette 
Our summer schedule will begin Sunday, July 2nd.  This involves a few changes
The 8:00 service will take a summer vacation and everyone is invited to attend the 10:30 service.
The 10:30 service will move to the parish hall which has air conditioning.  
The children’s program will take a summer vacation.  We will have a place in the parish hall with some colouring and other quiet activities for children during the worship service.  
We will follow the summer schedule from Canada Day weekend to Labour Day weekend.  
We will then return on September 10 to our regular schedule, regular worship space, and regular children’s program.
There is value to experiencing worship in a variety of places and in a variety of ways. 
We encourage you to keep worshipping at St. John’s throughout the summer when you are in the Bowmanville area, and if you are travelling during the summer to worship at a church in whatever place you go.
Grace and peace,
Lucia
Sunday April 16th after the 10:30 worship service, Paige and I will offer an informal education session on ordination: What exactly happens when someone is ordained? What vows do clergy make?  What is the transitional diaconate, and why is there an ordination for that and then an ordination to the priesthood six months later?  Feel free to add whatever other questions you’re interested in discussing.  
After the 10:30 service, you can take a few minutes to get a cup of coffee or go to the washroom, then come back to the pews and we’ll have the education program in the church.  No need to RSVP in advance; you can simply attend.  Looking forward to seeing you there.
Maundy Thursday in the church 7:00 p.m. April  6th
Good Friday in the church 12:00 noon April 7th
Easter Sunday on April 9th is our regular Sunday schedule
8:00 in the church using the Book of Common Prayer (older language)
9:00 on zoom
10:30 in the church using the Book of Alternative Services, with music
We will also have the Easter breakfast potluck at 9:00 in the parish hall
We invite you to participate  as we experience in our worship the love of God expressed in the Last Supper, the Crucifixion, and the Resurrection during Holy Week.
Grace and peace,
Lucia

Please JOIN US Easter Sunday morning at 9 AM in St. John’s Parish Hall for our EASTER POTLUCK BREAKFAST. This is our first one since COVID!
BRING a friend or neighbour and a family sized serving of anything you like to have for breakfast yourself. (muffins, cheese, fruit, yogurt, anything)
We’ll have the coffee ready and a place set for you. See you there!

The Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper is back!  It will be held Tuesday February 21st from 5:00 to 7:00 at St. John’s in the Great Hall downstairs.  We are glad that, after a two-year hiatus because of covid, we can gather for this annual tradition of feasting before Lent begins.  
The menu includes pancakes, sausages, syrup (regular or sugar free), salad, and more.  Plus there are friendly folks to socialize with.
Everyone is welcome, so please come and bring a friend. 
There is a flier attached, and you are welcome to post fliers around the community.
We are grateful to David Crowe for organizing it.  We are looking for volunteers to help with set-up, cooking, serving, and clean-up.  If you would like to volunteer, please add your name to the sign up sheet in the church hallway, or email David. It is fun to volunteer as well as attend.