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Missional MinuteThe Holy Spirit at Work I have been blessed for many years with a faith that has sustained me through some tough circumstances. Throughout, I have had an expectation that the Holy Spirit would often intercede to cause me to follow God’s will, rather than my own. I must confess that this has not been my experience…except… As I was exiting a doctor’s appointment a few years ago, there was a sad sight at the door of the building. A young man sitting cross-legged, and sobbing quietly. His appearance was of a person affected by drugs – unclean hair, etc. The usual sight we’ve all seen too often. My natural habit would have been to quietly ignore this sight, move through the exit door and get along with the rest of my busy day. But something made me pause and ask if he was OK. In the end, he was in my car, I took him to the LRT station nearby, gave him money for his ride on the LRT so he could get home. Before saying good bye, I asked him if he knew how much God loved him…he said yes…and I knew he meant it. But I think that day, he needed to be reminded. As to my behaviour, this was quite irregular. As I got on with my day, I knew what I had done was God’s will, not mine. I felt a joy and knew I’d never regret the 30 minutes I spent offering this small aid to a distraught stranger. To this day I give thanks and Glory to the Holy Spirit for His intervention. My small prayer is that I might be equally obedient whenever He prompts me. |
The Parable of the SowerLessons in Patience A video talk by Archbishop Greg Kerr-Wilson. For more infomation visit:
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National Indigenous Day of PrayerJune 21, 2021 Sunday, June 20th is the Sunday closest to National Indigenous Day of Prayer. Archbishop Greg encourages everyone to mark this Sunday liturgically with the Propers and Readings assigned for that day (found here). Also, he asks that, during the Prayers of the People, prayers for our Indigenous brothers and sisters be included, especially remembering the grave hurt and grief re-triggered by the finding of the 215 in Kamloops. St. George, Calgary will be having a Zoom worship service on Sunday, June 20 with The Right Rev. Sidney Black, retired Indigenous Bishop, preaching. This service begins at 9:00 am via Zoom. To request the Zoom link, please contact the church administrator The National Church will also be holding an online Service honoring the National Indigenous Day of Prayer on Saturday, June 19, at 9:00 pm. Information for this service can be found here. |
June is Mission Month
Our Month of Mission is now half-way through. To date, our discussions on Evangelism, Teaching and Loving Service have offered great interaction and much food for thought. Still to come are Spark Sessions on the remaining two Marks of Mission: #4 Transformation for Justice on June 22 and #5 Care for Creation on June 29, as well as Closing Worship with Archbishop Greg on June 30. Be sure to ask your parish leaders for more information. We would love to have you join us! |
Diocesan Announcements
Diocesan Archivist: Our Archivist, Michael Hoskin, has been working from the University of Calgary in maintaining our Collection, and ably handling requests for archival materials regarding records and registers since 2018. He has also been patiently waiting for a Visa to allow him to use his librarian skills in missional work in Angola. The Visa has now come through, and he will be heading to Africa for one year as of the end of June. He will be missed, but we look forward to hearing about his ministry there, and in a year's time, having him back with us. Blessings, Michael!
Diocesan Interim Finance Officer: The Rev. Deacon Marcus Herrel came on board last year to assist us with our Finances. He, too, will be stepping down as of the end of June. His financial knowledge and skills in decision-making and communication have been true blessings to us. Thank you, Rev. Marcus, for being there for us!
Diocesan PWRDF Coordinator: Our long-serving Coordinator for the Primate's World Relief & Development Fund, Alison Longson, has announced her resignation as of July 31, to return to New Zealand. Serving since 2005, Alison has been passionate about the programs and events which have enabled the work of the PWRDF to thrive in this Diocese. We wish Alison and Chris all the best as they begin their next chapter of their faith journey.
Clergy Movements: The Rev. Matthew Perreault has announced his intention to step down as Curate of All Saints, Cochrane, to answer the call to serve as the Rector of St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Eustis, Florida, in the Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida, as of July 18. His pastoral care, genuine heart for our Lord, and the detail he has brought to not only his parishes where he has served, but also the Missional Coaches, the Mission Action Plan and the Diocesan Cursillo Movement, were gifts to us. We wish him and his wife Linzie all the best in their new home, and we ask God to bless his ministry there. |
Six Deacons to be OrdainedTuesday, June 29, 2021 The Diocese is pleased to announce that, God willing, on Tuesday, June 29, Archbishop Greg will be ordaining six people to the order of Deacons: Betty Nadurak, of St. Peter, Calgary, Vocational Deacon David Bull, of St. John the Divine, Acme, Vocational Deacon David Ginther, of St. Edmund, Calgary, Vocational Deacon Dean Hartung, of St. Aldhelm, Vulcan, Transitional Deacon Gillian Breckenridge, of St. Augustine, Lethbridge, Transitional Deacon Jason Carroll, of St. Augustine, Lethbridge, Transitional Deacon Please pray for each one as they continue to serve our Lord, now in ordained ministry. |
In Memorium
This past week, the Diocesan Office has learned of the loss of two former leaders of our faith community: The Ven. Robert Rhys Griffiths: It is with sadness that the Diocese has learned that Archdeacon Robert Rhys Griffiths passed away on June 1, at 86 years of age. Venerable Robert, former Archdeacon of Macleod, served at many parishes throughout his ministry, most recently with the Highwood Parish, and as Honorary Assistant with St. Aidan, Pekisko. A Memorial service will be held at St Benedict's, High River, on Thursday, June 24. Officiating for the service will be The Most Reverend Gregory Kerr-Wilson and the Reverend Sean Devlin. Due to current regulations, attendance at this service will be by invitation only. Condolences, prayers, blessings, or memories for Archdeacon Bob's widow, Judy, and his family can be posted on The Venerable Robert Rhys Griffiths' obituary page at www.lylereeves.com. The Most Rev. David Norman Ashdown: It is with sadness that we announce the death of the Most Reverend David Ashdown, former Bishop of Keewatin and 9th Metropolitan of the Ecclesiastical Province of Rupert’s Land, from 2009 to 2014. We are thankful for his example of servanthood and faith, and we ask for prayers for his widow, Penny and family. Funeral arrangements are not determined at this time.
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COVID 19 CommunicationsArchbishop's Letter of June 10 and Task Force Update of June 16 Please find attached the letter from Archbishop Greg regarding entering Stage 2 for the 2021 Summer. Also attached is the Diocesan COVID 19 Task Force update of June 16, which outlines the restrictions still in place for Places of Worship, Funerals and Weddings. For more infomation visit: http://calgary.anglican.ca/news/covid-19-letter-june-10-2021
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Windward Islands UpdateUpdate #3 In one of our early posts on St. Vincent, we were introduced to Limiske Berkley in a video interview with the Rev. Howard Thornton. Limiske is a young man who lives on the west side of St. Vincent. He actively volunteers in shelters where evacuees are being housed as they await a time to return to their homes on the north end of the island. I asked Limiske for an update on the overall situation on St. Vincent and specifically in the shelters. This was his reply: “… it is said by the professionals here monitoring the volcano that is yet to have gone back to sleep so it’s still very active as it is seen throwing a large amount of steam. The shelters are still full with people however, the government is trying to vacate the shelters as they are ready to get back to some sort of normalcy and the recommencement of normal schooling. The remaining persons in the shelters as well as those who would have gone back home or who are in homes are still in need of help but they are managing with what they have. Although things are getting back to some sort of normalcy the people are still in need of help as some of them would have lost their homes, farms and livelihoods.” Financial Donations can be made through the Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund by clicking here. For more infomation visit: https://www.calgary.anglican.ca/news/windward-islands-update--229
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Cursillo EventsFundraiser Announcement The Secretariat of the Anglican Diocese of Calgary Cursillo Movement are hosting an Online Silent Auction event to raise needed funds to assist with their operating costs. The Bidding is now underway until June 25. Please click here to find guided instruction on setting up a personal account to place your bids. If you have questions, email us at silentauction@cursillo.ab.ca |
ACW Zoom Hymn SingMonday, 28 June at 7:00 pm The Anglican Church Women of the Diocese of Calgary invite all to join them for a Zoom Hymn Sing on Monday, June 28 at 7:00 pm. Please register here or call (403) 743-2130.
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Calgary School for Mission & MinistryOnline Course Coming Up Mark your calendars for this CSMM course being offered. This course is one of our Educational components for Licensed Lay Ministry. Tuesday, June 22: Leading Morning and Evening Prayer, led by The Rev. Betty Piwowar. To register, click here. Stay tuned for courses being readied for July and September, as well. |
Spiritual Autobiography WorkshopSaturdays on August 21 & 28, and September 4 Once again, we are offering a Spiritual Autobiography Workshop. Sometimes called a spiritual memoir, this is an opportunity to explore our life story and the places where God interacts with us. It is a beautiful exercise where we explore the themes of our lives and work with others to discern the working of the Spirit. The workshop will take place over 3 Saturdays (August 21 & 28, and September 4 from 9:00 - 12:00 noon). Please contact Cathy to register. When registering, please include a contact phone number and the name of your parish. |
Education for Ministry (EfM)Registration Now Open Education for Ministry (EfM) is a four-year program which offers a basic grounding in theology and scripture, and how to apply these to our lives today. It runs from September to May. Registration deadline is July 15. For more information on the program, please go to the EfM Canada website, or contact the Diocesan Coordinator. |
Upcoming Event
Anti-Racism and Collective Hope with St. Mary's University: On August 10th, St. Mary's University is delivering a workshop using popular theatre and Métissage as the foundation for exploring the concept of human plurality and how we can develop perspectives of the “other” to become allies in combatting racism and building communities of hope within our classrooms and work environments. Learn more here. |
Diocesan Rep Needed
The Diocese of Calgary is looking for an interested person to represent us at Anglican Foundation national meetings. Responsibilites would include receiving and forwarding information about programs and funding available to parishes, as well as attending meetings twice a year. This is an opportunity to learn more about the amazing work the Anglican Foundation does, and connect with fellow reps from all over Canada. If you are interested, please let The Ven. Dr. Pilar Gateman know. |
The Anglican Foundation of Canada launches Requests for Proposals (RFP)September 1 to October 1, 2021 Based on the success of the Say Yes! to Kids campaign, the Anglican Foundation of Canada (AFC) is issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) that contribute to the physical, intellectual, emotional, or spiritual well-being of children, youth, or young adults within Canada. Grants for both ongoing and emerging projects will be considered: * Category A grants, of up to $5,000 will be considered based on impact and how they support young people in a local context. * Category B grants of up to $15,000 will be considered based on how they support the overall mission and service to children and youth in a city, diocese, or region. Eligible uses of funding include, but are not limited to, administrative expenses, equipment, technical costs, remuneration, honoraria, and food. Proposals will be accepted from September 1 to October 1, 2021. Proposals submitted in response to this RFP will not count as one of the three submissions each diocese is allowed per year. To read the full news release click here. For the 2021 RFP Criteria and Application form click here. |
Anglican Lutheran National Worship Conference (NWC)July 6 to 7, 2021 via Zoom We are writing to invite your participation and support of the upcoming NWC, “Disruption and Grace: Learning Edges in Liminal Times”, July 6-7, 2021. As planners we want this online NWC to provide an important opportunity for those involved in worship and music in our churches and ministries to be able to listen, reflect and talk thoughtfully together about the significant disruption and grace we have all experienced during this pandemic and to glean new learnings and possibilities together. The NWC will include opening and closing worship, the conferral of the Companion of the Worship Arts to the one Anglican and one Lutheran recipient announced last spring in recognition of their local and national contributions to worship in our churches, and lastly, in this 20th anniversary year of the full communion partnership of the ACC and ELCIC, and July 7 being the day of signing the Waterloo Declaration and the NWC being the first national full communion event of our churches, we are hoping to also celebrate this anniversary milestone together. For more information and to register, visit our Website. |
Outdoor Anglican Church Signs
It is hoped that soon, outdoor church signs will be available for purchase on the ACC eStore. In the meantime, people looking to purchase or replace the Anglican Church parish signs will need to reach out to at Gilmore Global (the company which the ACC works with in managing the eStore). The Customer Operations Manager, Robin (who can be reached here), can assist with placing a sign order. An info sheet for the signs, to see which templates are available and which customizations can be made (or what information is required to create a sign) can be requested here. The instructions to “Customize” the sign will not be accessible on the eStore since the product isn’t live yet, but Robin can gather the details for any sign(s) and have artwork drafted for the order placer to review before finalizing the order. These signs are created to be durable and are printed on metal, with grommets at the top corners for hanging, but the eStore folks can walk anyone through the details/options. The signs are available double-sided or single-sided; the double-sided signs are $165 + taxes and order fee. (Free shipping since the order is above $50.) Gilmore (eStore) can confirm on the pricing. We’re keen to make the product more automated for ordering online in the next month or so. |
Sorrento Centre Events
Restart BC, announced May 25, “is a careful, four-step plan to bring B.C. back together.” The provincial public health plan is “focused on protecting people and safely getting life back to normal”. At the Sorrento Centre, we are extending our arms in a joyous and generous welcome as we confirm plans for healthy and happy summer on the shores of the beautiful Shuswap. At the heart of our summer is our Five Weeks of Summer, a diverse range of activities and events: Week one (July 11-16): Wild Church and, back for the 21st year, 21st Century Pilgrims: Walking on Holy Ground with Phil McIntyre-Paul. Week two (July 18-23): Creative Journaling with Kathy McDuff and Blessings Upon Blessings with Celtic harpist Jeff Stockton. Week three (July 25-30): Watercolour Everywhere! with Karin Huehold and Divine Dancing with Sheilagh McGlynn. Week four (August 1-6): Introduction to Weaving with Alison Hurlburt and How to Read the Bible and Not Kill People with Rev. David Taylor. Week five (August 8-13): Abiding in God’s Presence with Lorie Martin and Katherine Murray and Birding and the Holy Spirit with Jessica Schaap. Stay tuned for other special events and activities over the summer. To find out more, click here. |
Renovare CanadaNew Program beginning in September 2021 |
A Reminder about Phishing Scam Emails
There has been several phishing attempts reported to the Diocesan Office in the past few weeks. If you receive a request from one of our staff asking for your help, and you are suspicious, please do not respond and delete the email. We ask two things: 1. ALWAYS read the email address the message is coming from; all of our correspondence comes only from @calgary.anglican.ca 2. Know that the Archbishop, or our staff will never ask you for money or the purchase of gift cards on our behalf. These emails are not harmful to your computer, just annoying. |
We'd Like to Hear from You
We are interested in what is happening in your parish and would love to highlight those events and news in our newsfeed. We look forward to your contributions - feel free to forward your event announcements, your parish news, your stories. Send in your details and pictures to ctubman@calgary.anglican.ca. |
Prayer Requests
Please remember in your prayers: - our clergy and churches as we continue to find our way forward in these days of gradually loosening restrictions; - those who are sick, suffering, fearful or in need, remembering those suffering from the Coronavirus and their caregivers, those feeling isolated and those who are vulnerable; - for Michelle, Paige, Monica, Jane, Wendy, Aus, Bill, Anne; - those who have died and those who mourn, remembering The Ven. Robert Griffiths and The Most Rev. David Ashdown; - the victims of violence and natural disasters and victims of racial attacks; - our Indigenous brothers and sisters, especially remembering the grave hurt and grief re-triggered by the finding of the 215 in Kamloops; - our Companion Diocese of the Windward Islands, especially during these stressful days of volcanic activity on the island of St. Vincent, and their Bishop Leopold Friday. Request a prayer: Send prayer requests to ctubman@calgary.anglican.ca to let us know how we can pray for you. We will only use first names which will be removed after two or three weeks. We will also pray for you during our regular Chapel services each week. Please ensure that you have permission from those whose names you are submitting for prayer, and that they understand their name will be made public to all who subscribe to the Newsletter. |