As the war grinds on in Ukraine and fatigue sets in, we must continue in our resolve to support the people of Ukraine through our prayers and actions of solidarity. Join us for a service of Holy Communion with Prayers for Ukraine. We will be joined by the vocal ensemble Družba which will lead us in several Hymns sung in Ukrainian. A freewill offering will be taken to support our ministry to Ukrainian refugees. 

We have set aside this Sunday to pray for the people of Ukraine. In doing this, we in no way minimize or ignore the suffering cause by war and violence in other areas of the world.  As is written, “when one member of the body suffers, we all suffer.”  

Our focus on Ukraine stems from associations and friendships that have developed since we offered the first English-Ukrainian Conversation Circle in 2022. As the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East continue to cause suffering and breed division, we want to stand together with Ukrainian members and friends of our congregation and pray for peace and God’s intervention for what seems impossible at the moment. 

The liturgy will take on a bilingual flavor and include readings and prayers in both Ukrainian and English. We have invited our homegrown Družba ensemble to participate in worship. They will join our choir in singing the hymn, “If You but Trust in God to Guide You” - ELW 769.  Our Offertory Hymn - the Taizé chant - Laudate Omnes Gentes  has lyrics in both English and transliterated Ukrainian. This will make it easier for us to join in.

Of course, singing is harder when we don’t know the pronunciation of words. That is why we will have a quick practice of transliterated Ukrainian at the beginning of the service. So do plan to come a few minutes early. We may still feel awkward as we stumble over the words. But if you stop and think for a minute, this is the weekly experience of non-native speakers in our congregation. When we humble ourselves to sing in the language of another, we identify with the sufferings of others, writes Jaewoo Kim, a multi-cultural worship leader and songwriter. This softens our hearts and encourages “tender affection and sympathy” (Philippians 2:1, NRSV). 

“To sing in the language of non-native speakers is an exercise in mutuality: It moves us away from a posture that reflects a need to “sing our songs” to one that demonstrates greater openness, saying, ‘Let’s sing each other’s songs.’”

We sing in other languages not only for the sake of others, but for ourselves. Pastor Sandra Van Opstal calls this “mutuality.” Receiving the gifts of others communicates “We need you.”

I am looking forward to our bilingual worship this Sunday, when we will have the chance to experience a taste of the grand, heavenly multilingual worship envisioned in the book of Revelation:

“After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb” (Revelation 7:9). 

Image in the Public Domain: This art from the Catacomb of Priscilla in Rome may depict either the heavenly banquet or an agape feast.

We are happy to announce our fifth season of English Conversation Group for Ukrainian women. We will meet on five Saturdays weeks beginning on Nov. 9 from 1:00-3:00PM  You are invited to join this group to practice conversational English in a safe, relaxed and friendly environment. 

• Improve speaking and listening skills
• Boost self-confidence
• Meet new friends 
• Ask questions
• Share stories 

The group is best suited to beginner and intermediate level speakers.

We look forward to seeing you there!

For inquiries email to Pastor Vida - pastorgd@shaw.ca 

There will be a seasonal music concert by the St. Stephen's Community Choir, featuring our own Sue Engelbert.

Date: Sunday, November 24, 2024
Time: 2:00 PM
Location: St. Stephen's Anglican Church, 185 - 22nd Street, West Vancouver
Admission: By donation