St. Simon's North Vancouver

05/06/2023

LONG-LASTING FELLOWSHIP

The key to spiritual renewal (both personally and in the church) is to have a rich devotional life where we “abide in Christ.” To abide is to rest or remain. Jesus himself said:
you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire, and burned. John 15:5-6

The first effect of abiding in Christ is we have fellowship with God. A central theme of Scripture is the two-way relationship between God and man. God did not make mankind only to ignore him. No! When the universe was created it was declared, “good.” Man is the imago Dei, that is, made in the image of God to have fellowship with God.

Genesis tells us that in the beginning God walked and talked with Adam in the garden. Because God is pure and holy, he cannot tolerate sin in His presence, thus, when sin entered the world through disobedience, this close relationship was broken.

Because God does not change, he still wants fellowship with you and I. St Paul wrote God wants to renew this relationship with us through Jesus. Jesus is the way we find peace with God.

God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful. 1 Corinthians 1:9

St John discovered the same thing:

We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 1 John 1:3

How do we do this? By prayer, by listening to prayer. By reading our Bibles, and learning from its lessons. God speaks to us through the Bible, we speak to God through prayer. The key to a meaningful relationship with God is found in listening and learning....on a regular basis.

Have you taken time to be with Jesus today? Unhurried time? Have you spoken with Him, today?

02/15/2023

We remember Jack Major and the influence of renewal he had through the Rev. Dr. Ed Hird at St. Simon’s.

Remembering Archdeacon Jack Major, Apostle of Renewal
February 22, 1926 – February 3, 2023
By the Rev. Dr. Ed & Janice Hird
Archdeacon Jack Major was so quiet and gentle that few would initially suspect that he was an Anglican apostle of spiritual renewal. It was Jack that introduced us to the remarkable world of Anglican renewal as we accompanied him to the major Anglican Renewal West Conference at UBC in 1982. Though we had already privately experienced the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, it was through Jack that we came ‘out of the closet’ spiritually.
While attending theological school, Jack first met the Rev Dennis Bennett, father of charismatic renewal. After hearing him pray in the Spirit, Jack was not impressed. Later, while serving as Rector of St. David’s Tsawwassen, he was given Dennis Bennett’s new book Nine O’Clock in the Morning at a funeral. Jack was so busy in ministry that such a book would normally gather dust on the shelf. Instead, Jack devoured the book, finishing it in one day, and began praying in the Spirit. From that point on, all the congregations that Jack served became renewal centres.
Venerable Jack was never supposed to become the rector of St Matthew’s Abbotsford, as he was asked interview questions designed to eliminate any charismatically-oriented priest. Jack admitted to his renewal experience, and told them that he would not agree to come to St. Matthew’s unless they chose him unanimously. Upon returning home, he told his wife Pat that he would not be going to St. Matthews. God surprised Jack when the St. Matthew’s search committee unanimously selected him.
Ed served as Jack’s first assistant priest at St. Matthew’s Abbotsford from 1982 to 1987, during a time of remarkable renewal and revival. When first participating in the weekly prayer meeting with Jack, we were deeply impacted by the power of the Holy Spirit changing lives. God was definitely on the move.
Jack and his late wife Pat hosted two Renewal Missions at St Matthew’s every year, bringing in unforgettable, life-changing speakers like the Rev. Dennis & Rita Bennett, the Rev. Charles Alexander, and the Rev. John Torley.
With Jack as an Order of St. Luke the Physician Chaplain, there developed a powerful healing ministry at St. Matthew’s with much prayer ministry for body, mind, and spirit. Jack was a true shepherd at heart with his love for people, a gift of encouragement and discernment.
Jack’s favourite bible character was John the Baptist who told people that Jesus would soon be baptizing people with the Spirit and fire (Luke 3:16). For many of us, Jack was a John the Baptist leading the way into spiritual renewal. Our lives have been impacted immeasurably through his life and witness.
During this time of renewal, the attendance and giving doubled, resulting in the building of a new sanctuary to seat the overflowing congregation. We will never forget attending the final service in that building before St. Matthew’s ANIC processed up the street to their new location on McMillan Road.
We will miss Jack, but we are so grateful that he is safely home in the presence of the heavenly Father. He has been promoted to glory at age 97. He has truly been a ‘well done and faithful’ servant of the Lord Jesus.

12/28/2022

ST. SIMON’S ANGLICAN CHURCH
420 Seymour River Place
North Vancouver
(Inside Kenneth Gordon School)

Announcement concerning time of church service:

Sunday, January 1st 2023 - 10 am

03/02/2022

Ash Wednesday service at 6:15 pm tonight.
Place: Deep Cove Gospel Hall, 4544 Cove Cliff Road,
North Vancouver BC

Service starts outside at 6:30 sharp with Consignment to the Fire,
then continues inside.

Ash Wednesday is a special service that marks the beginning of the season of Lent: It is a time of soul preparation, a time to reflect upon the reason why we have Easter.

St. Simon’s Church welcomes all those who know Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, all those who would like to know Him, and especially all those who do not know Him.

11/17/2021

Happy to share this very good report!

09/06/2021

We are joining with St Andrews Tsawwassen for this conference. See below for registration details. We look forward to welcoming you. 🙏

08/29/2021

The same information is valid for Sunday, September 5, 2021, and following Sundays until further notice.
Come and join us to worship and praise the Lord. Everyone is welcome!

Brief announcement concerning church services

08/28/2021