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Missional Minute
On my commute to work, I practice Morning Prayer from the Canadian BCP app on my cell phone. This morning's Old Testament reading was from Genesis 8. It is the story of Noah sending out birds from the ark to discover if the flood waters had receded. First, he sends out a raven, who does not return. Then Noah sends out a dove, who comes back a first time "empty-beaked." On the second time it is sent out, it returns with a twig in its beak. Today's passage of the dove's first return contains a line I hadn't noticed before. "So he (Noah) put out his hand and took it (the dove) and brought it into the ark with him." Genesis 8: 9b This little bird is exhausted by a day of flying, searching and finding no place to land, being buffeted about by the winds that God has sent to dry the earth after the flood. It is stressed and tired and anxious. It returns to the safety of the ark, to a loving caregiver who gives it rest and refuge. All the news events we have been facing lately - the health issues, the political issues, the rumours of war, the new discoveries at a Residential school, to name a few - have left us all exhausted and buffeted about. We, too, are stressed and tired and anxious. But we have a Father who stands ready to take us in, to give us rest and refuge. We have a safe place to return to. May we sense our Father's everlasting love and presence around us, and share that hope with others this day. |
Diocesan Announcements
Christ Church, Calgary: Archbishop Greg Kerr-Wilson, after consultation with the Council and Wardens of Christ Church, is pleased to appoint The Rev. Brandon Witwer as their new Incumbent, as of March 1, 2022. Please pray for Brandon and the people of Christ Church as they continue to journey forward in faith together.
Clergy Day: All Clergy in the Diocese of Calgary are invited to participate in a Zoom Clergy Day, on Tuesday, February 22 from 10:00 am to Noon. |
Ash WednesdayDay of Prayer and Meditation - Wednesday, March 2, 2022 The Anglican Fellowship of Prayer in the Diocese of Calgary invites you to join us in prayer and meditation as we begin our Lenten journey. 8:30 am - Morning Prayer Noon - Mid-day Prayer 4:30 pm - Evening Prayer 8:30 pm - Compline There will be opportunities for break out groups, discussion, and prayer. Personal prayer times throughout the day will also be made available. Register here to receive a Zoom link. For more infomation visit:
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Group Marriage Preparation WorkshopBeginning March 8, 2022 Couples who are planning to get married are invited to register for this workshop as part of their journey to their wedding day. This class will consist of four Tuesday evening meetings from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm, on March 8, 15, 29 and April 5. Participants will receive information and resources, and be asked to complete "homework" between classes. Topics to be covered: Communication, Conflict Management, Family Culture, Finances, Goals and Values, Intimacy, and Spirituality. The program will be led by The Rev. Brian Way, Counselling Therapist and Gottman Seven Principles Program Educator. Couples interested can book a free half hour online consultation to get more information and to get registration information through this link or by email.
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Cemetery Plots for SaleTwo plots in Mountain View Cemetery Through various parishioners' kind gifts in the 1980's, Holy Cross Parish, Calgary, received six cemetery plots in Mountain View Cemetery (1515 - 100 Street SE, Calgary). They have been determined as an asset for sale, and we have sold four of the six so far, with two still available. Similar open plots in the mature part of the cemetery are priced in excess of $9,000 each (cemetery owner Arbor current price list). Each plot includes the right for one casket and two ash urns or no casket and three ash urns. We are offering the two for $7,500 in total. If you are interested, please contact John at (403) 288-7636. |
Sound Equipment Available
The Parish of St. Peter, Okotoks has several pieces of sound equipment available to a church or band that may have use for it. Items included are a Behringer Feedback Destroyer Pro, a DBX Equilizer/Limiter, and a Behringer Power Supply for an analog eurodesk board. If you would be interested in any of these items, please contact Rev. Dr. Norbert at St. Peter's. |
Black Anglicans Black History Month ServiceSunday, February 27 at 2:00 pm MST Black Anglicans of Canada was established in 2018 to carry on the mission of Jesus towards equitable representation, participation, belongingness and empowerment of Black people within the Anglican Church of Canada. As part of the courageous conversations reignited across society after the tragic murder of George Floyd in 2020, the dedicated volunteers of Black Anglicans of Canada have done extensive work to educate the church on the shape of anti-Black racism in the Canadian context and church. We encourage you to visit our Black Anglicans of Canada YouTube channel if you have not yet viewed the array of informative programming produced last year. This year we will be hosting a Black History Service to celebrate Black presence in Anglican churches across Canada. This will be the first time Black Anglicans will be gathering virtually from across Canada for this service which will be aired at 4:00 p.m. EST on Sunday, February 27th on YouTube. The Annual Celebration of the Black Heritage of Our Church began in the Diocese of Toronto, 26 years ago and was inspired by the late Dr. Romney Moseley, whose life and witness we will remember this year, the 30th anniversary of his death. As our work has extended for the benefit of the entire Anglican Church of Canada, we are inviting support from all Dioceses for this year’s Black History Month celebration. |
World Day of Prayer 2022Friday, March 4 Please join us for World Day of Prayer, a prayer movement that invites us to enrich our faith experience with the experience of Christians from other countries and cultures, and to bring hope to women touched by injustice. This year, the service was written by the World Day of Prayer Committee of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. To view the World Day of Prayer 2022 Service Video (55 minutes), use this link, and click on "World Day of Prayer 2022 Service Video." |
Hope Mission
Hope Mission is a not-for-profit social care agency caring for men, women, youth, and children experiencing poverty across Alberta. We offer meal programs, Kids and Youth programs, and Camp Hope. Two current initiatives are as follows: 1. Regular Food Hampers: A program started in 2020, there are more families in need than ever. It is hoped that parishes would consider and commit to take on a non-perishable food item drive once a year for us. By letting us know of your commitment, we can ensure a steady supply of food items coming in throughout the year. 2. Regular Updates: We would love to speak to your parishes at a church service. Updates help to keep our ministry in the hearts and minds of your church family. We also have created a video update on what is happening at Hope Mission. It outlines ways your church can get involved. The link can be found here. For more information or to get involved, please contact Rev. Kelly Row. |
Upcoming Events
Hamper delivery volunteers wanted: At the start of the pandemic we responded to the food insecurity it created by having our members volunteer to deliver food hampers to people in need. The Calgary Food Bank has now taken on this role, by starting their own in-house Hamper Delivery Project. The Calgary Food Bank would like to increase the number of hamper delivery volunteers in the effort to work toward meeting demand. If you want to reach out to the Calgary Food Bank about joining the project, please reach out to Laura Harrisson or Michelle Vetland. |
Say Yes! to KidsApril 1 to June 30, 2022 Who is eligible? Any parish in Canada with a vision for ministry and outreach to young people. When? Apply now and campaign alongside your peers nationwide from April 1 to June 30. Why? - to raise funds needed to bring your church's vision for youth ministry to life - to receive fundraising and communications mentorship from AFC's experienced team - to reconnect with families in your community by raising awareness about your youth programs - to benefit from an AFC-led effort to secure leadership donations, including matching gifts. I'm interested. What next? Visit our website and register for an upcoming webinar. |
Sorrento Programs in 2022
Registration is now open for our Summer programs. Come for one week, or come for them all. You will find environmental and nature-based programs, as well as outdoor spirtuality and experiential spiritual teachings, including core Anglican, reconciliation and interfaith offerings. As always, you will have the opportunity to enrich your heart and soul through arts and craft-based playful creativity. Start planning here. Join our summer team for part or all of the summer. We will be building a dynamic team of young people to help make the "Summer at Sorrento Centre" experience extraordinary. We will be hiring staff for the kitchen, maintenance and housekeeping areas, as well as lifeguards, early childhood educators, videographer, etc. We will be posting several seasonal employment positions in the coming weeks.
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Phishing Scams Happening Again
Once again, there have been several phishing attempts reported to the Diocesan Office. 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. Phishing emails may look extremely authentic. Here are some tips on how to protect your confidential personal information: · Do not click on links OR open attachments in emails or messages from people that you do not know. · Remember that the Archbishop or the staff would never ask you for assistance in this way. · Look out for spelling or grammatical errors. · Check the sender’s email address. Is this address the same as you would usually see from this person or organization? · Be cautious with any unexpected messages. When in doubt, delete. 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 strange times; - those who are sick, suffering, fearful or in need, remembering those suffering from COVID-19 and their caregivers, those feeling isolated and those who are vulnerable; - for peace and safety in our Nation's Capital at this time, and for those whose decisions will lead to the resolution of these disputes across the country; - for Michelle, Monica, Howard, Travis, Barbara W. and Stan; - those who have died and those who mourn; - the victims of violence and natural disasters; - our Indigenous brothers and sisters, especially remembering their hurt and grief at this time; - refugees, remembering those fleeing the Taliban regime. 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. |