By REV. YOHAN DUMPALA
What a year it’s been so far! Here at St. John’s Norway, located at 470 Woodbine Ave, we’ve been busy doing new things and exploring creative ways of doing ministry.
In February of 2023, after putting our ears to the ground, we offered parents of our parish and our neighbourhood an opportunity to unwind and get some much-needed R&R. We called it Parents Night Out (PNO).
The event was four hours long for children and youth to gather in our lower hall, watch movies and play video games and board games while their parents or guardians did whatever their hearts desired.
This was the third time we had done PNO, and it is clear that many parents and guardians need the time, albeit four hours, to attend to their own well-being and mental health.
Please watch our website, www.stjohnsnorway.com, for updates regarding this event, as we cannot wait to host this event again this summer!
In the spirit of doing new things, we launched a contemporary worship service called The Table in March.
After listening to our neighbours and understanding our parish area’s demographics and psychographics, it was clear that a new evening service was needed for those seeking to understand the Christian faith while providing a safe space as they explored their faith and the big questions about God and what it all means to us as created beings living in a complex world.
The Table takes place every Sunday at 5 p.m. and is followed by a simple meal that brings the community together and provides an opportunity for fellowship.
Compared to our 10:30 am service, The Table is quite different in its liturgy and has been described by some as “earthy.” We encourage all who attend to participate musically or by sharing their thoughts during the reflection.
If this sounds intriguing and exciting, you are most welcome to join us on Sundays at 5 p.m. Enter through the doors on the north side of the church from our sprawling parking lot, and you will find us eager to get to know you. We hope to see you soon!
Over the past few years, our Food Pantry has been consistently open and available on Mondays to many struggling in our community to put food on their tables. This is made possible by the generous donations of our parishioners at St. John’s, the Scouts and Cubs, and some of our local businesses, such as COBS Bread and The Big Carrot.
If you’d like to donate or help at our Food Pantry, you can reach us by phone at 416-691-4560 or by email at admin@stjohnsnorway.com.
We are so blessed to be a part of the Beach community, and we look forward to seeing you either at our mid-week service on Wednesdays at noon or our Sunday services at 10:30 a.m. or 5 p.m.
With blessings from all the people of St. John’s Norway.
— The Reverend Yohan Dumpala is Assistant Curate, St. John the Baptist Norway Anglican Church.
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