What are you giving up for Lent? 

After a beautiful Ash Wednesday Service where we are reminded to observe a Holy Lent we often ask ourselves that kind of question.   

It did feel this year like it snuck up on me. Like suddenly I was feeling the ashes on my forehead and things draped in purple sprung on me along with being reminded to engage in self-examination, penitence, prayer, fasting and almsgiving.   

Of course, then all the questions and conversations about what we are giving up in Lent or what we are taking on. It seems pretty easy to miss the point of this season if we do not stop to prayerfully ask, "What is God's invitation for me this season?"   

There are many things we can do, of course: becoming more generous (almsgiving), reigniting a spiritual practice (prayer), holding back on something for a time (fasting), being more intentional about speaking to God (prayer), taking time with God to see ourselves (self-examination). 

In the myriad of things we might choose, I invite you to consider two things when debating what you might take on or release this Lenten season:   

1. Help yourself to remember that the act of taking on or giving up something is solely for the purpose of growing in deeper relationship with the Holy One. 

2. Before you decide, sit with God and listen for the invitation you are receiving from God for this season. 

And remember, whatever that invitation for this season, Jesus promised that he came "that they (you) might have life and have it in abundance" John 10:10 

Inductions:

Archbishop Greg Kerr-Wilson will be inducting The Rev. Brent Schulze as Incumbent of St. George, Stettler on Sunday, March 26 at 7:00 pm.  Please pray for Brent and the people of St. George as they continue their journey in faith together.  

Archbishop Greg Kerr-Wilson will be inducting The Rev. Dr. Chris Nojonen as Incumbent of St. George, Calgary on Wednesday, March 29 at 7:30 pm.  Please pray for Chris and the people of St. George as they move forward in faith together. 

Retirement:

The Rev. David Holmes has retired from his position as Incumbent at St. George, Stettler as of February 28.  We thank David for all he has done over the years for the community of Stettler.  We ask for prayers as he looks forward to his faith journey ahead.

Registrar of the Diocese:

Archbishop Greg is pleased to announce that he has appointed The Rev. Deacon Charmaine Evans as our new Diocesan Registrar.  We look forward to working alongside her.  Please keep Charmaine in your prayers as she begins this new role in addition to her ministry at St. Stephen, Calgary.

After 53 years of service in the music ministry at Christ Church, Elbow Park - first as Assistant Organist, then as Director of Music - Margie Newman has announced her retirement, effective August 31, 2023.  Margie has been a gift to the parish of Christ Church and to the wider Diocese with her ability to marry musical excellence with spiritual sensitivity, and a deep love of the church - its people and liturgical traditions.  Over the coming months, we look forward to celebrating Margie's faithful ministry, and we will be looking for a Director of Music to steward our rich musical tradition into the next chapter. 

March 1 to 5: Council of General Synod in Toronto

March 6 to 9: Ordinal Task Force meeting in-person in Toronto

March 10 to 12: Consecration of Bishop Elect Morris Fiddler in Muskrat Dam, Ontario

March 13 to 20: Personal time away from the office

March 21: BARDs

March 23: Clergy Day

March 26: Induction of The Rev. Brent Schulze at St. George, Stettler

March 29: Induction of The Rev. Dr. Chris Nojonen at St. George, Calgary

Please note that according to our Canons, the deadline for Annual Meetings of Parishioners was February 28.

The Annual Return forms must be in by March 15.

Thank you to those parishes who have already submitted their forms, and we look forward to receiving the remaining forms.

St. Peter Anglican Church in Calgary is seeking a parish administrator.  The position is for 30 hours per week.

You will be responsible for the general operation of the church, the creation of a bulletin for each worship service and a weekly newsletter, booking rental spaces and attaining subsequent paperwork, taking minutes at monthly meetings, answering emails and phone calls, directing information, ordering supplies, bookkeeping, recording parishioner donations and preparing year-end tax receipts.

Skills necessary for this position include computer literacy, competency with Microsoft Office, and familiarity with general office procedures.

Please call The Rev. Jagdutt Singh at (403) 466-4987 for further details.

St. Martin's is extending a volunteer opportunity, to have conversations with new English speakers.

Tuesday mornings from 9:30 to 11:00 am, a group will be meeting (until the end of May).  It's fun, interesting and rewarding.

If you are interested, please contact Martha by email.

The purpose of this workshop is to learn how to fight the enemies of God with His word and His power.

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."  (Eph. 6:12 NIV)

This workshop will be led by The Rev. Martyn Alvey, Honorary Associate at Meota Parish, who has led numerous workshops on Prayer and Healing, and held a monthly Wholeness and Healing service at the Southwell Minster for 15 years.  He was the advisor to the Bishop of Southwell on Wholeness and Healing, including Spiritual Warfare, before emigrating to Canada in 2016.

Please bring your own lunch.  Muffins and drinks will be provided.  There is no cost, but there will be a freewill offering to help cover costs.  As space is limited, please register: by email at admin@stbenshr.church or call the office at (403) 652-2271.

This class will consist of four Wednesday evening meetings (April 5, 12, 19 and 26) from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm.  Couples who are planning to get married are invited to register for this workshop as part of their journey to their wedding day. 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 1/2 hour online consultation.  To get more information and to get registration information, click this website or email here.

Planning for the Spring Cursillo Weekneds is well underway.  Now is the time to consider sponsoring somone to attend for the first time.  Is there someone you know who is moving forward in their Christian walk, that just needs a little nudge to fully take up a leadership role?  Is there someone who already is a leader, who needs to experience what this Weekend is all about?

Cursillo is the place for them!

The Men's Weekend will be held Thursday, April 13 to Sunday, April 16.  The Women's Weekend will be held Thursday, April 20 to Sunday, April 23.  For more information, please visit the Cursillo website, or contact Lay Director Al Stretton.

For more information, please contact James.

The Choir of Christ Church, Elbow Park hosts choral evensong on the fourth Sunday of each month.  Please join us for this sacred service beginning at 4:30 pm.

In 2022, The Anglican Foundation asked for Requests for Proposals for Indigenous Ministry projects.  The Diocese of Calgary submitted a RFP for the Blackfoot Translation Project, working to translate Anglican worship materials, such as the Bible, the BCP and the BAS, into the Blackfoot language.  We are pleased to announce that our RFP was accepted, and the Anglican Foundation will be granting our Diocese $7,100 towards this translation project.  We look forward to working with Indigenous Elders, Wycliffe Bible Translators, the Canadian Bible Society, and our Indigenous parishes in furthering the Word of God through this project, and are grateful to the Anglican Foundation for its support.

Last year's campaign was a great success and built substantially on the success of the 2021 campaign.  We hope to see another fruitful year where the AFC can continue to be a partner in transformational ministry, with a special focus on young people, across the Canadian church.

Please click here to read the article describing changes to this year's campaign, most notably around the revenue sharing formula. We invite you to register for one of the upcoming webinars to learn more.  To learn more, contact Michelle.

We are pleased to announce that The Anglican Foundation of Canada (AFC) Board of Directors has been working hard to make their grants more diverse and accessible than ever.  This includes moving to a quarterly grants cycle, introducing new categories of grants, and increasing our efforts with special funding opportunities, such as the Say Yes! to Kids and our popular Requests for Proposals.  

In order to keep you informed about these changes and funding opportunities, we are hosting a series of webinars.  These 30-minute sessions will provide an overview of all AFC funding programs, summarize eligibility requirements, and explain how to navigate our new grants portal.

Dates for these sessions are: Friday, March 3, 1:00 pm EST, Monday, March 6, 7:00 pm EST, Tuesday, March 7, 11:00 am EST, and Friday, March 10, 1:00 pm EST.  To register, click here.  

If you are unable to attend one of these webinars, please follow us on Facebook and watch for a recorded version of the webinar to be posted on the AFC website and shared through social media and our monthly E-news.

- Dr. Scott Brubacher, Executive Director, Anglican Foundation of Canada

Upcoming Events:

Bentall Lecture on Education and Theology: An Evening with Beth Allison Barr: "History forgets much more than it remembers, and what it remembers is often what people have chosen to preserve.  I argue in my book The Making of Biblical Womanhood that historical ignorance paved the way for evangelical support of women's oppression.  I also contend that a lack of understanding about the broader cultural impact of these evangelical beliefs contributes to the continuation of oppressive structures even outside the church."  March 2, 2023 at 7:00 pm.  For more information or to register, click here.

Virtual Public Lecture: Who Needs A Pastor?: The Pastoral Vocation Today

With the strong and right affirmation of the sacred character of all vocations, we reightly raise the question: What then of the pastoral calling?  What is its character and purpose?  We particularly need to ask this in the context of what it means to be the church in an increasingly secular social context.  Join Ambrose President Dr. Gordon T. Smith, Thursday, March 16 at 6:30 pm (MT).  Register here.

Simpson Symposium: Formative Feasting: How Biblical Meals Shape Moral Communities

Join us virtually as Dr. Michael Rhodes, Lecturer in Old Testament, Carey Baptist College, talks about how the sharing of meals shapes Christian communities in the early church and today.  Dr. Rhodes will be joined by host, Dr. Jon Coutts, Associate Professor of Christian Theology at Ambrose Seminary.  Tuesday, March 21, 1:30 - 3:00 pm.  Register here.

Register on Eventbrite here.

On behalf of the 2023 Images Planning Committee, this is your invitation to the 33rd Annual Images of Spirituality gathering (in-person again).  Come and join with other women to celebrate God's spirit among us.

Friday, March 31 beginning at 6:00 pm to Sunday, April 2 after lunch, held at the Entheos Retreat Centre.

The theme this year is "Being in the Presence of God: Where Christian and Celtic Spirituality Join."

The Session Leader and Worship Leader will be The Rev. MJ Leewis-Kirk.  The weekend will include sessions with MJ, small group discussions, lunch breaks and some craft time together, as well as singing, worship, fellowship, and the usual free time on Saturday afternoon.

Early Registration Fees: $250 for Double Occupancy or $270 for Single Occupancy.  Deadline for registration is March 17 and a non-refundable $100 deposit is required.  Late registration fees are $270 for double occupancy or $290 for single occupancy.

Learn more on their website.  

What is World Day of Prayer?  Informed Prayer. Prayerful Action. Imagine Christians from over 170 countries coming together in spirit, uniting on a common day to pray for relevant issues affecting women and children. This is a reality: the movement has been active for nearly 100 years. Each year, a different country writes the service materials. The World Day of Prayer is generally celebrated on the first Friday of March. This year it will be on Friday, March 3 and the writing country is Taiwan:“I have heard about your faith” based on Ephesians 1: 15-19 is this year's theme.

The Service from Taiwan is already available on YouTube here. 

Gift of Hope Retreat for Unemployed Persons: A Time of Transition - Friday, March 3 at 5:30 pm: This retreat is not for job-finding but a heart-helping retreat of conversation, reflection, laughter, connectedness and hope!  Loss of employment can be trying to our souls and our emotional balance, not just our financial health.  Struggling for a sense of hope in the midst of disappointment is an arduous task.  Tickets available from Eventbrite here.

Praying with the Stations of the Cross: Wednesday, March 8 at 7:00 pm: Have you ever wondered why there are plaques or statues in some churches that tell the story of Jesus' last days on earth, often used during the season of Lent?  Learn about the history and practice of praying the Stations of the Cross in the FCJ Chapel.  Tickets available from Eventbrite here.

From the Committee on Death and Dying: Horizons of Hope is a toolkit for parishes to start talking about palliative care and how to be a caring community.  There are 4 modules that look at palliative care through the lens of faith, medical questions and pastoral care.  The modules would be taught over two Saturdays from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.  We are looking for a parish who would be able to host this as a pilot project sometime in late April or May.  The hosting involves providing meeting space, technical assistance and coffee/tea & baking.

This would be an ideal workshop for those involved in pastoral care, those accompanying people in palliative care, or those interested in how to care well for their dying family or friends.

If your parish is interested, please contact Alicia Dykstra or Rev. Elizabeth Short.

Summer Jobs Available: Come join us for rewarding work in a positive and enriching environment.

We are building a dynamic team of young people to help make the "Summer at Sorrento Centre" experience extraordinary...not just for our guests (from the littlest to our elders) but for the summer youthy staff, too!  We are seeking enthusiastic, energetic, and motivated individuals to join our summer youth staff during summer.

Take a look at this lineup of exciting full-time jobs for youth aged 16 to 30.  Here's a chance for young people to gain valuable paid work experience and build employability skills for the future.

Five Weeks of Summer: Please click here to find out about our amazing lineup of courses and leaders.

This is a summer internship for 18 to 25-year olds who feel a call to ministry outside the walls of the church.

Serve at a social service organization in Montreal.  Reflect with other interns during weekly group meetings.  Discern how you are called to particiapte in God's work.  Click here for more information.

Camp Kuriakos at on the shores of Sylvan Lake is a place set apart for people of all ages to grow together in Christ.

Now Hiring: Kuriakos is currently looking for 10 - 12 passionate young adults to join our summer team.  These staff will spend the summer leading kids, youth and families in activities, worship, Bible study and daily life.  Through the experience, they will develop leadership skills, deepen their faith and understanding of God's word, and build lasting relationships with their co-workers.  A summer at camp can preapre young adults for many of the challenges they will face in their careers - no matter what kind of work they do, and can often be a catalyst for chooseing ministry as a career path.  Apply here, or email Kendra for more information.

Upcoming Programs: 

Youth Retreat: March 10 - 12.  Encourage your youth to sign up on their own, or bring a group to learn, grow and play together. 

Women's Retreat: March 31 - April 2.  A Garden party weekend with learning about Women's Spirituality, with The Rev. Prema Samuel.

More information can be found here.

Please remember in your prayers:

- 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 within our country, and in the world, remembering the countries of Ukraine and Iran; for victims of violence and natural disasters, praying this week for Syria and Turkey recovering from earthquakes, and we pray for areas of unrest and riots, asking for wise discernment in our leaders;

- for Monica, Howard, Terry, Janet, Victoria, Rick and Deb, Donna, John, Adrian, Caroline, Barbara and Elizabeth, Cathy, Vic and Fergus;

- for those who have died and those who mourn;

- for the poor, the homeless, and the needy in our communities;

- our Indigenous brothers and sisters, and their new leaders in our diocese and country; 

- refugees, remembering those fleeing the Taliban regime, and those fleeing war in the Ukraine.

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.

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.