St John’s Shaughnessy...2021/03/04 · prior to going off to their Sunday School class. We...
Transcript of St John’s Shaughnessy...2021/03/04 · prior to going off to their Sunday School class. We...
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St John’s Shaughnessy is a
flourishing congregation that
is living our calling as
Christians by faithfully
walking the Anglican path.
We welcome everyone and
are enriched by the dynamic
tension of differing
beliefs. We embrace doubt.
Pray hopefully. And celebrate
diversity. We practice our
faith in our everyday lives.
Are strongly committed to
social justice. And believe in
the power of the Gospel of
Jesus Christ to transform
lives.
Come as you are, leave
uplifted.
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We acknowledge we worship on the ancestral lands of the Musqueam, Squamish
and Tsleil-Waututh nations.
The New Rector We Seek
We seek a rector:
• Who is an inspiring preacher with strong knowledge of
theology and Anglican tradition and history.
• Who has strong pastoral skills and deep emphasis on
pastoral care.
• Who has a deep and adaptive faith which accommodates
differing perspectives and beliefs.
• Who is willing to listen and engage with others.
"I hope we can
maintain the current
joyful atmosphere that
has been developed by
excellent clergy,
wonderful music and
friendly parishioners.
That is how I would like
us to be seen.”
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• Who is skilled at parish development.
• Who values Christian formation programs.
• Who is comfortable performing same sex marriages.
• Who has good administrative and organizational skills as
well as knowledge of social media and other technologies
that would allow us to continue to develop our online
ministries.
• Who has a sense of humour.
• And, it would be a welcome attribute if the rector has a good
voice for chanting and/or singing.
Areas parishioners would like to see the new rector focus on
include the following:
• Strategies for parish development and in particular ways, to attract
young people, families and new groups to the parish.
• Christian formation programs, continuing weekly Bible studies
and Lenten studies and developing more “one off” programs.
• Maintaining and further developing compassionate outreach
ministries to help those in need.
• Supporting and further developing our excellence in music.
• Supporting and developing pastoral care activities.
• Continued development of our online ministry.
Who We Are
St. John's Shaughnessy is a striking Art Deco church located in the heart
of a lovely tree-lined neighbourhood on the west side of Vancouver.
When the sun cascades through our magnificent stained-glass windows,
the altar is bathed in striking rose, orange and gold light.
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We are a welcoming and inclusive community, centered in the Eucharist.
We love the feeling of community when we greet one another on
Sunday mornings. We love the challenge of a good sermon, thinking
through Scripture, the sincerity of the Peace, the task of learning new
hymns and the familiarity of belting out the old favourites.
St. John's Shaughnessy enjoys a strong choral tradition and over the past
decade we have established ourselves as a place of musical excellence in
the city of Vancouver. We are proud of the steady growth of our
congregation over the past few years. Our average Sunday attendance is
now between 80 - 100 people, making us a medium-sized parish within
the Diocese of New Westminster.
During this period of COVID restrictions, we are live-streaming our
services. Online worship combined with videotaped Sunday school and
Compline services and podcasts have resulted in attracting a new and
larger following.
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We have an ever-expanding group of enthusiastic lay volunteers who
demonstrate their dedication by preparing the church for the Liturgy,
polishing the beautiful historic silver, arranging flowers, baking yummy
treats for coffee hour and maintaining, weeding and watering our lovely
gardens. We are welcoming, humorous and always willing to pitch-in to
help when help is needed. Our
parish family even includes a
few well-behaved dogs, (not
counted in our parish
attendance figures) who attend
most Sundays. We have a
unique dynamic of shared
values for our community and
the world.
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Accomplishments
In the past five years we have accomplished much in the terms of
growth and development. We have:
• Grown from a small to a medium-sized parish.
• Formed a Stewardship Committee that has raised the profile of
stewardship in the parish and encouraged all parishioners to give
of their time, talent and treasure. We are also participating in the
Stewardship 365 Program developed by the Kaleidoscope Institute
of California which is helping us to develop a more holistic
approach to stewardship.
• Developed a Pastoral Care Team.
• Expanded and diversified our Christian Formation program.
• Expanded our outreach ministries by joining the Westside
Anglicans Neighbourhood Ministry.
• Sponsored a Syrian refugee family as well as continued our
support of the Vancouver General Hospital Anglican Chaplaincy.
• Completed the first phase of an extensive refurbishment of our
historic organ.
• Created a labyrinth in the church.
• Strengthened our Sunday school.
• Mentored two theological students.
• Employed a part-time assistant priest as well as training and
teaching a curate.
• Moved from receiving financial support from the Diocese to being
one of the largest contributors through our parish assessment.
• Developed a strong online ministry with videos and podcasts
which has resulted in a large online congregational following.
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Hopes and Challenges
Our principal hope is that St. John's remains an open, welcoming and
inclusive parish.
Some quotes from parishioners are as follows:
“I hope for a vibrant inclusive parish that encourages folks to
enrich their faith journeys through liturgy, fellowship, education
and service.”
“My hopes and dreams for St. John’s begin with us always being
an open, welcoming and non-discriminatory parish for all that
provides both a safe place to worship and to participate in our
services and activities.”
“I value the St. John’s community because in this church I have
heard inspirational sermons teaching me to recognize the holy
presence of God in my everyday life and in the people I meet.”
“My hope is that we continue to be a welcoming and inclusive
parish that actively practices our faith through service in the
community by outreach and other ministries.”
The challenges we face are as follows:
• Attracting and retaining young families and youth. We recognize
that we are enriched by having a multigenerational parish. As
outlined above, we are developing our youth ministries but further
expansion is both a goal and a challenge.
• As a corollary to this, our other challenge is the aging demographic
of our parish. While that has not yet affected the number of
volunteers required to support our worship and other activities,
there is a concern this will be an issue going forward.
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“It is important to me to be a
part of the St. John’s family
because I feel a sense of
shared values and
aspirations for our
community and world.”
“Being part of the St.
John’s family gives me a
sense of belonging to a
caring community and
our beautiful Church.”
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Worship
In non-COVID times, we conduct services at 8 and 10 am on Sunday, both
of which are centered on the Eucharist and have their own character. The
early service is a quiet mass which uses the Book of Common Prayer.
There are two lay readers at this service. Incidental organ music
accompanies this service which is normally attended by seven to eight
“early risers”.
Music is one of our greatest gifts and the main service at 10 am is
accompanied by glorious singing and chanting from our choir and stirring
music from our magnificent organ. We are blessed with an accomplished
organist who plays beautiful preludes and postludes. Our choir has
several strong soloists and is under the direction of a talented and
dedicated choirmaster. We chant our Psalms and the choir sings an
anthem from the choir loft during the distribution of the Communion.
The Book of Alternative Services is used for
this service which also includes participation
of lay readers, Eucharistic ministers and
intercessors. This is also a family service and
children enjoy a special time with the rector
prior to going off to their Sunday School
class. We welcome children to Communion.
Our ever-popular coffee hour organized by
members of the congregation follows the 10
am service. This is the gathering where we
also recognize important occasions in parish
life, including birthdays, graduations as well
as informal talks from community leaders.
The coffee hour has been instrumental in
building our strong and vibrant parish
community.
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There is a mid-week Eucharist which is often followed by a small
gathering of parishioners to study the scriptures of the week. We also
hold a beautiful Choral Evensong one Sunday a month followed by a
small reception.
Every year we hold a number of special services including a well-attended
Blessing of the Animals Service which is mostly attended by dogs and cats,
but in the past has also featured horses from the Vancouver City Mounted
Police division, goldfish, parrots and the even the odd chicken.
“Our church provides
structure to my life. It
challenges me in ways that
I never thought possible. I
feel so much better for
being called upon to
serve.”
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We annually host a traditional carol service for the York House School Old
Girls.
St John’s Shaughnessy has a long tradition of being a gathering place to
mark special moments in one’s spiritual life: baptisms, weddings and
funerals. Our Vestry has agreed to celebrate same-sex marriages and we
welcome all couples to celebrate their special day in our holy space.
As we can seat up to 450 people, the church is a popular place for large
services and concerts.
“I think St. John's
should be known for
being truly
welcoming and
inclusive, being
forward looking.”
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Since the onset of the COVID pandemic, St. John’s Shaughnessy has made
excellent use of several different social media platforms. We live-stream
our Sunday services to YouTube, Facebook, and Twitch and provide
additional recorded content throughout the week, including a weekly
evening Compline prayer service and Sunday school. We currently have
over 150 subscribers on YouTube that has led to over 18,000 video views
through various podcast platforms. Sunday sermons are also provided as
podcasts found at the www.anglicanangleatshaughnessy.com. Moving
forward, we plan to build on our virtual community by improving the
quality of our content. To this end we have just made a substantial
investment in new cameras and sound equipment to expand the content.
We hope this will allow us to reach more individuals and get them
involved. We want take advantage of the momentum that we have gained
over the past year.
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Special Services
Advent
Christmas
Epiphany
Ash Wednesday
Lent
Palm Sunday
Maundy Thursday
Good Friday
The Great Vigil
Easter Morning
Garden of Remembrance
Blessing of the Animals
Pentecost
Corpus Christi
Assumption of Mary
Holy Cross
All Saints
All Souls
Christ the King
Remembrance Day
"When I had my marriage blessed at
St. John's, a long time friend said, ‘I
never thought I would live to see a
Same-Sex Blessing occur in a church,
and to have it happen inside of such
a welcoming church is beyond my
wildest dreams.' This is a testament
to the welcoming nature of the
congregation."
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Worship Space and Facilities
Within Vancouver there is a general recognition that our church is a
magnificent place to worship. We have hosted shared services with the
Deanery of Point Grey and large Diocesan liturgies. The large main
chancel area has seen a wide variety of music and artistic events including
choirs, chamber groups, symphony orchestras, piano recitals, dramatic
readings/plays, seminars and early music ensembles.
Recently, St. John’s offered church space as a venue for what is hoped will
become a regular livestream event called “Songs and Stories from St.
John’s” in support of indigenous artists from Vancouver and the Lower
Mainland.
Originally the church had two side chapels. The Lady Chapel on the south
side of the nave is used for our early Sunday Eucharist and quiet prayer,
while the north chapel has been converted into a flexible space for families
with children during the main Sunday Eucharist. This space is also used as
a small reception area following Choral Evensong services or special
concerts.
The Sacristy and offices for the rector and parish administrator are located
within the church on the main level.
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St John’s Shaughnessy has a large
Annex building that is connected to the
main church by a covered walkway. In
2014, the Diocese of New Westminster
entered into a long-term lease with St.
John's to occupy the entire Annex
building, located at the east side of the
property.
St. John’s uses the Trendell Lounge,
located in the church Annex, for Sunday
hospitality and, with prior consent of the
Synod office, for other receptions and
meetings. The Trendell Lounge has been
recently refurbished. It is a bright room with
large windows overlooking the church lawn
and the de Pencier Garden. This flexible space
has a capacity of 80 - 100 people, depending on the nature of the reception.
There is a large commercial kitchen attached to the lounge that is used
jointly by the parish and the Synod
office. The parish also maintains a one
bed-room apartment with a roof deck
over the Annex, which is used by our
Verger.
We have a large Garden of
Remembrance on the south side of the
property. The garden has recently been
redesigned and we have created an
annual Garden of Remembrance Service.
The de Pencier Garden, between the
church and the Annex, is bordered by
beds of roses, irises, hydrangeas and
other perennials and trees that form a
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cloister when in bloom.
We have a dedicated team of volunteer gardeners who refurbish and
maintain our lovely gardens.
Labyrinth
In 2019, the parish decided to create a labyrinth within the church. This
was approved as part of other changes to the sanctuary and involved
removing the back seven pews and polishing the concrete floor. Work
began last year and the labyrinth was dedicated in October 2020. The
design follows the design of the Chartres Cathedral labyrinth, except that
ours is one-half of the
classic pattern.
The purpose of the
labyrinth is to provide
a space for
contemplative practice.
A Labyrinth Guild has
formed of individuals
(all parishioners at this
point) who support the
spiritual development
of the community
using the labyrinth.
Members of the Guild
open the church to
others to walk the
labyrinth.
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Music
St. John’s Shaughnessy continues to uphold one of the finest music
traditions in Vancouver and, over the past nine years, we have re-
established ourselves as a place of musical excellence. Our liturgical music
is under the collaborative direction of our organist and our choirmaster.
The church’s rich acoustic encourages congregational participation for
which we offer a variety of Mass settings. The Psalms are sung
responsively in four-part Anglican chant, and Christocentric hymns are
chosen in union with the day’s readings from the Common Praise hymnal.
The vested choir sings from the chancel and consists of a core quartet of
professional singers (often UBC music students), augmented by a several
musically keen members of the congregation. Their anthems are often
sung from the rear gallery, but the labyrinth now offers a wonderful
alternative.
The Hallman organ with its 3,700 pipes serves as the primary instrument
for our services. However, we also have a six-foot Yamaha grand piano
that augments the contemporary songs. Brass and timpani resound on
High Feast Days.
“I support and
would like to see
further developing
of our excellence
in music.”
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St. John’s has one of the largest pipe organs in Vancouver. Its recent 50th
anniversary saw a very successful fundraising campaign which allowed us
to undertake a significant revitalization to the instrument. Once COVID
restrictions are lifted, the final phase of this refurbishment will commence
with concert celebrations to follow.
We have developed good relationships with local public and private
school music programs, which is further enhanced by our organist and his
wife, who both serve as music teachers for our local neighbourhood
schools.
“St John’s is for me a
place of calm, of
welcome, of
renewal.”
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Volunteers in Worship
We have a large cohort of dedicated volunteers within the parish who
serve as sides-people and greeters, readers, sacristans, intercessors, Lay
administrators, hospitality hosts and cooks. A dedicated team of
parishioners prepares the altar for each Eucharist and is responsible for
caring for the Church silver, brass and linens. Another group ensures that
the main altar is always decorated with flowers and co-ordinates the
decoration of the church on Christmas and Easter.
Youth and Childrens’ Ministries
At St. John’s Shaughnessy, we value children and families: recalling how
Jesus allowed children to approach him freely, and that he blessed those
that came to him. We wish to follow this example by welcoming and
including children in our community. We affirm these simple truths:
children are a blessing, and the whole community is both enriched by its
children and is also responsible for their nurturing.
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Our children and youth have an important visual presence within our
parish family and in our Sunday worship services, some take part as
crucifers and scripture readers. Music is an important part of their
program and in addition to learning a new song each week they contribute
musically to our Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter and Remembrance Day
services. The Sunday school have participated in Easter egg hunts in the
garden, cooked and served pancakes to our entire congregation to mark
Shrove Tuesday, served ice cream to parishioners after church to welcome
newcomers, made hand-crafted poppies and painted an enormous wall
mural of 'Noah’s Ark’ on the stairs leading to their classroom.
We have a growing, ethnically diverse group of church school children
which to date, includes: 2-4 toddlers (2 who were baptized at St. Johns), 3-
4 elementary school children, and 4-5 high school youth, whose
families are committed members of our congregation. Currently there is
one teacher for both Intermediate and Youth Groups who is assisted by
two volunteers and the assistant priest. The children’s area within the
church is stocked with books, colouring supplies, and stuffed animals
to keep the infants and toddlers engaged during the service. All the
children remain
present for the
beginning of our
worship service
until the rector calls
them forward to sit
at the altar to have
a conversation with
them about the
Gospel reading for
that Sunday.
School-aged
children then
follow their teacher
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downstairs to their classroom where their church school experience
includes weekly music, arts and crafts, scripture and bible stories. The
children return to the service to re-join their parents just before
Communion.
Throughout COVID, St. Johns has had a ‘remote’ version of church
school dubbed ‘Kids Church’. The format is a dialogue with our assistant
priest and her younger daughter, unveiling a variety of interactive projects
like Prayer Jars and making Advent wreaths. Individual books were
chosen for each of the 10 Sunday school children to help support them.
Currently our Sunday School area is under renovation as we hope to
expand and encourage the growth of our Children’s ministry. We have
held several events for youth in the past year and anticipate adding a
Youth Group program in the near future. The ongoing vision for our
church school, is for young families to continue to see St. John’s as a
welcoming, caring, and inclusive place to know God’s love, and to invite
their children to find their place in God’s story.
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Pastoral Care
The Pastoral Care Team of dedicated volunteers works to augment and
support the work of our clergy team in caring for members of the
congregation who are shut-ins, frail, elderly and/or in care homes by
offering friendship, and often the opportunity to share scripture readings,
prayer and spiritual reflection.
Christian Formation
Spiritual formation and continuing education are an important part of the
ministry at St. John’s Shaughnessy. Whether you are new to the Anglican
Church or you are a lifelong Christian, St. John's offers a number of
opportunities to gain a greater understanding of the bible or spiritual
books. Special programs have included:
• Pilgrimage Series
This series originated with the Church of England and explored faith
through particular prayers or scripture in a guided open-ended discussion.
• Bedtime Stories
In this series, lay members of our parish were given a certain reading from
the Old Testament and asked to tell the story in their own words.
• Revolutionary Love
This series featured one historical figure per session, looking at their self-
giving love and how that transformed those around them and has the
power to transform us. Some of the figures reflected upon were Oscar
Romero, Mother Maria of Paris, Don Christian de Cherie and Simone Weil.
• Mystics
This series included discussions and studies of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin,
Charles Darwin, Sallie McFague, Matthew Fox, Richard Rohr, and
several others.
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Outreach
Locally, St. John's Shaughnessy has provided generous support to the
hospital at the nearby Vancouver General, the Province's largest tertiary
care hospital and the Downtown Eastside Ministry. We also supported the
residents of St. Jude’s and Brock Fahrni Care Homes with monthly
services before the advent of the COVID pandemic.
Nationally, we contribute to the Primate's World Relief and Development
Fund of the Anglican Church of Canada, as well as making contributions
to important indigenous justice work within the Diocese.
Westside Anglicans Neighbourhood Ministry
The Westside Anglicans Neighbourhood Ministry
(WANM) is a four-parish ministry, which includes
St. Anselm’s, St. Helen’s, St. John’s and St. Philip’s.
This ministry began in 2008 as a street outreach
service to those in need on Vancouver’s Westside.
With strong support from the congregations, a
group of 40-50 volunteers continue to offer their
time to canvass the streets and provide care packets of nutritious food and
outdoor supplies to those in need, together with non-judgmental love and
support to these vulnerable neighbours.
A pivotal point in WANM’s history came in 2010, when the City and
Province announced two Supportive Housing buildings were under
construction on Vancouver’s Westside. The housing was aimed at people
who were homeless and who had connections to the neighbourhood.
WANM works with government and the non-profit building operators to
refer homeless people to these new buildings and helps those being
referred to complete their housing forms, secure IDs, obtain income
assistance, and prepare for interviews. Dozens of those who the street
teams served, are now living in these secure homes. In addition, WANM
identifies and refers homeless people in our area to the new Modular
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Homes program for the homeless, working with BC Housing, the City and
other housing providers.
In 2017, WANM launched the Mobile Care Unit (MCU). This program
component helps break down barriers to accessing medical and social
services for homeless and marginalized neighbours by bringing these
services to them where they are, at local Westside community meals and
camps on the street. The MCU includes participation by the UBC School of
Medicine and UBC School of Social Work, who offer time and expertise
from doctors, residents and students. WANM has been a participant
through these years in forums on homelessness and poverty, presenting at
conferences at Vancouver School of Theology (2010, 2016), Alliance
Church Affordable Housing Forum (2011) and Diocesan Mission
Conference (2016), as well as bringing its expertise to the City through
participation in the Mayor’s Faith Roundtable and Homelessness Action
Week.
WANM is managed through a Board that consists four clergy leaders and
four parish liaisons from St. Anselm’s, St. Helen’s, St. John’s and St.
Philip’s.
Syrian Refugee Family Sponsorship
In July 2018, with our rector’s and parishioners’ enthusiastic
encouragement, we agreed to co-sponsor a Syrian-Palestinian family of
five, who fled the civil war in Syria in 2013, to the Nahr al-Bared refugee
camp in Lebanon.
The co-sponsorship is with St. Philip’s community who have already
sponsored the relatives of our family. Due to the effect of the COVID
pandemic, we are still awaiting their arrival.
Our sponsored family consists of a father, a 36 year-old skilled graphic
designer and printer, his wife, a 10 year-old daughter and two sons 7 and
4. We have weekly contact with the father, via WhatsApp. Until a year ago
he managed to work almost continuously in his field despite war and
displacement. As they are confined to the camp, he can no longer work so
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we have arranged to send monthly financial help to buy food and
medicines, along with messages of hope. We continue to grow our
Refugee Fund monthly, as well as having collected and stored household
items for their arrival through the generous support of parishioners and
friends. This is a delightful and community building out-reach project and
we look forward to our new rector joining our Refugee Committee.
Drop your Socks Off Campaign
We reached out to the three schools in our immediate neighbourhood to
participate in a campaign to provide socks for the homeless. Altogether,
more than 400 pairs of socks were donated to the campaign.
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History of St John’s Shaughnessy
St. John’s Shaughnessy has a wonderful history of committed faith to
Christ’s gospel and it has played out in a variety of ways.
In 1910, Bishop Adam Urias de Pencier built See House at 1426 Nanton
Avenue, converting a room in the basement to a chapel. When numbers
increased in 1925, he encouraged the building of the first church on the
site.
The present church was built in 1949 as a memorial church “… that it be a
joyful song unto the Lord; and that it stand as a memorial honouring all
Vancouver’s sons and daughters who answer the call to serve their
country.” Funds for the project were raised
from all over the Lower Mainland, some
coming from outside the Anglican
community, but nevertheless bonded by a
common desire to build a living memorial.
The cornerstone was laid by J.E. McMullen
K.C., in May 1949, and dedicated on June
18, 1950. Using an innovative building
design, the church has stood proudly facing out on Granville Street, one of
the main arteries of the city, as a symbol of the centrality of God in our
community for the past 65 years.
In addition to the magnificent
lunette-shaped Memorial window
that dominates the south side of
the church, the Sanctuary
Memorial windows are made of
12th century glass fragments from
Canterbury Cathedral that were
shattered during the bombing raids of World War II. The fragments were
given to Archdeacon Greig, a parishioner during the war, by special
permission of the Cathedral. The windows, a memorial gift of the Greig
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family, were dedicated on December 6, 1970.
There are numerous other stunningly beautiful
memorial windows throughout the church, side
chapels, and choir loft.
Our church was one of the few modern buildings
on the City of Vancouver’s heritage inventory, but
in 1990 it was in need of extensive repair and
refurbishment. As part of the refurbishment, the
sanctuary was redesigned to permit more natural
light, the exterior was restored to its original
condition and provision was made for disabled
access.
We have had some troubling and painful history stemming from the
Diocese of New Westminster giving serious consideration to the Blessing
of Same Sex Unions in the early 1990s.
The Rite for the Blessing of Covenanted Unions between persons of the
same sex was finally authorized by the Bishop in 2003. Both the leadership
and many of the membership of St. John’s rejected the authority of the
Bishop and efforts at mediation and reconciliation were unsuccessful.
They vacated the St. John’s Shaughnessy property and moved to another
worship space in 2011 after which the Diocese re-established the ministry
of the Anglican Church of Canada at St. John’s Shaughnessy in September
2011.
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As you can see from the description elsewhere in this Profile of our
transition and growth over the past several years, we have moved beyond
this troubled past and we believe it is no longer part of what defines us.
Since returning to the building in 2011, the congregation has done
extensive repairs and renovations on the church itself. One of the first
things we did was remove the shutters on the front door to allow not only
the light to stream into the nave, but also to welcome the world outside
our front doors.
The roof has been completely replaced, and a number of repairs were
made to the structure as well as the drainage around the exterior of the
church. The Cross on the roof was replaced, and we added flood lights to
illuminate the front tower of the church as well as the Cross. We installed a
new illuminated sign in front of the church and repaved the driveway and
lane. We have also initiated a campaign to restore a number of our stained-
glass windows and have obtained funding from a heritage organization to
fund part of that restoration. Each year Vestry allows for a generous
budget to continue to the restoration and continued maintenance of the
church and gardens.
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Parish Leadership
St. John’s Shaughnessy is led by five trustees and a parish council of 14
members (including the trustees). The leadership team consisting of the
rector, the assistant priest, the church wardens and the treasurer, together
with two staff, manage the day-to-day operations of the parish. They are
assisted by a host of volunteers.
The assistant priest is a one-third time position.
Trustees
The trustees of the incorporated parish of St. John’s Shaughnessy are the
rector, the rector’s warden, the people’s warden, the treasurer and one
elected trustee.
The trustees are legally responsible:
• To oversee, care for and administer the buildings, records and funds
of the parish.
• Have prepared the annual financial statements.
• Assist in guiding the implementation of the programs of the parish
and share with the rector the pastoral and spiritual concerns of the
parish.
Trustee meetings are held on a quarterly basis and when required. The
parish council assists the trustees in the general business of the parish and
aspects of the ministry of the parish.
Parish Council
The St. John’s parish council is an active group of volunteers who are
committed to their faith and St. John’s. It is led by the rector and the two
wardens and oversees church operations, outreach, church finances,
stewardship, social events, maintenance and revitalization projects.
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The parish council is appointed or elected at Vestry and, in addition to
clergy, currently comprises:
• The rector’s warden,
• The people’s warden,
• The treasurer,
• An elected trustee,
• The vestry clerk,
• Two synod delegates,
• Two alternate synod delegates,
• The Youth delegate, and
• Four members at large
Staff
The current paid staff of St. John’s includes: a full-time parish
administrator, our verger who works 20 hours a week and a part-time
director of music (who is also our organist) who works 30 hours a week.
We also have a paid choir leader and choristers.
When the church is open for in-person worship, there is also a part-time
children’s ministries coordinator.
Diocese of New Westminster
The Diocese of New Westminster is on unceded lands of the Coast Salish
First Nations and consists of 68 worshiping and serving communities
across the southwest part of the province of British Columbia, from the
Sunshine Coast in the west to Hope, located 150 kilometers east of the City
of Vancouver.
The Diocese covers the urban and suburban areas of the City of Vancouver
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and the Fraser Valley. It is divided into six archdeaconries and 12 regional
deaneries. It was established in 1879.
The 10th Bishop of New Westminster is the Right Reverend
John Stephens, our previous rector. He was ordained on
January 23, 2021 and installed as Diocesan Bishop on
February 28, 2021.
The Cathedral Church of the Diocese of New Westminster
is Christ Church and it is located in the heart of downtown Vancouver at
the corner of West Georgia and Burrard Streets.
The Synod Office (including the Bishop’s Office) is located at 1410 Nanton
Avenue, adjacent to St. John’s Shaughnessy Church. Although the parish
and Diocesan offices are separate, there is some use of shared space (e.g.
the kitchen and Trendell Lounge) and there is good and friendly
interaction between parish and Diocesan staff.
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Appendix A
Parochial Statistics
2017 2018 2019 2020
Baptized persons 16 years or over on Parish
Roll
148 192 191 1511
Households on Parish Roll 109 119 143 127
Total members on Parish Roll 168 213 203 159
Identifiable Regular Givers 109 130 112 120
Average Sunday attendance (incl. children)
Jan 1st to March 15th for 2020 (in person
worship)
79 83 84 82
Average Sunday attendance
March 22nd to December 27th, 2020 (online
viewing)
N/A N/A N/A 2992
Average attendance at weekday services
(for 2020 - Jan – Mar 15th in person worship)
7 6 5 6
Average attendance at weekday services
(for 2020 - March 22nd to December 27th online
viewing)
N/A N/A N/A 593
Average attendance at Sunday School
(for 2020 - March 22nd to December 27th online
viewing)
N/A N/A N/A 244
Number of Sunday School & children’s
programs
1 1 1 1
Number of Sunday School teachers/program
leaders
3 3 4 4
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Number of children in Sunday
School/programs
18 14 12 8
Attendance at all Easter Services 132 155 162 2935
Attendance at all Christmas Services 243 194 269 2905
Baptisms 3 5 5 1
Marriages 5 2 1 3
Funerals 7 9 8 9
Number attending Bible Study Groups 12 12 14 0
Number attending other Study Groups 26 24 16 3
Number attending Special Courses 23 27 24 38
Number attending Youth Groups 0 0 0 4
Number attending other Women’s Groups 0 0 8 3
1 In 2020 our parish roll was updated. Many people who had not been attending our Church for some time requested
their names be removed from our parish roll. This resulted in a significant decrease in membership from 2019 to 2020 2 Numbers from both YouTube and Facebook (not incl. Easter and Christmas service numbers) 3 Numbers from both YouTube and Facebook 4 YouTube figures only, not posted on Facebook (only 21 weeks uploaded) 5 YouTube figures only, unable to access Facebook numbers
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Appendix B
Vancouver, British Columbia
Located on the south coast of the mainland of British Columbia,
Vancouver is Canada’s largest seaport and third largest city. While the
City of Vancouver recorded a population of 675,218 in the 2017 National
Census, Metropolitan Vancouver's estimated population is 2.581 million
(2021). Stated as being the most densely populated city in Canada, and the
4th most densely populated city in North America, Vancouver is also one
of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities in Canada. Some
72% of its residents speak English, although not necessarily as their first
language. While this port city is known for its temperate climate, the
surrounding snow-covered slopes are perfect for winter sports and
breathtaking views of the city twinkling below. Vancouver is one of the
few places in the world where it's possible to ski in the morning and golf
or sail in the afternoon. The city lies between Burrard Inlet to the north
and the Fraser River to the south. The Strait of Georgia, to the west, is
shielded from the Pacific Ocean by Vancouver Island. The city covers an
area of 114 km2 (44 sq. mi). Its climate is temperate by Canadian standards,
with dry weather in the summer and wet, rainy winters with little
appreciable snow. It is a gardener’s paradise boasting a growing season of
more than eight months. Cited for its livability, environmental policy,
climate initiative, public transit, and strength as a financial center
Vancouver was ranked No. 23 in the world by the Arcadis Sustainable
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Cities Index in 2016. Urban planning in Vancouver is characterized by
high-rise residential and mixed-use development in urban centres, as an
alternative to sprawl. One of the few exceptions to this is the
neighbourhood of Shaughnessy, where St. John’s is located, as it was
declared a heritage conservation area in 2015.
Metropolitan Vancouver boasts eight universities scattered over numerous
campuses as well as a number of colleges. In addition to its flourishing
cultural venues, thriving theatre scene, and several world-class galleries
and museums, Vancouver has hosted many international conferences and
events, including the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games,
Expo 86, the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, and the 2015
FIFA Women's World Cup, with the annual TED Conference moved here
in 2014 after having spent 30 years in California. The City of Vancouver
has crafted an action plan of goals including reducing greenhouse gas
emissions, encouraging the growth of green jobs and businesses, requiring
green construction, and reducing waste with the aim of being the greenest
city in the world by 2050.