Clergy Retirements:

The Rev. Andy Lees has stepped down as Intentional Interim Priest in Charge of the Parish of Christ Church, Fort Macleod as of December 31.  

The Rev. Larry Keddie has retired as Sunday Supply Clergy for the Parkland Mission - St. David, Elnora, St. Hilda, Arthurvale and Holy Trinity, Pine Lake, as of February 11.  

We are thankful for their faithful ministry, and ask God to be with them as they go forth in their faith journeys.

February 23 & 24 - Lord of the Rings Youth Event at St. James, Calgary

February 25 - Bishop's Visit and Consecration of Furniture at St. Martin, Calgary

March 5 - Clergy Day at St. George, Diamond Valley

Please hold Archbishop Greg in your prayers as he serves as our Bishop and Metropolitan.

The Most Reverend Gregory Kerr-Wilson is inviting applications for the position of Incumbent of Holy Cross Parish in Calgary, Alberta.

For more information or to request a Parish Profile, please contact Executive Officer, The Ven. Dr. Pilar Gateman.

Interested clergy are invited to provide a recent resume and written response to the profile if they decide to apply.

Clergy from other dioceses are required to have the permission of their own diocesan bishop before applying.

Applications will be received up to March 1, 2024.

Not By Bread Alone: Exploring Jesus’s Temptation in the Wilderness

Please join us this Lent for an in-depth exploration and conversation around the Temptation of Jesus in the Wilderness. We will have five unique sessions focussing on how five different theologians and saints have approached Jesus’s Temptation, looking for their unique wisdom and insight to this event in Jesus’s life and ministry. We are excited, as well, to have each session led by a different person from the Diocese! Hopefully this study will enrich your Lenten journey. We’ll gather via Zoom on Thursday evenings through Lent, from 7:00 to 9:00 pm. There is still time to sign up!  Please contact Barbara Labrecque at the Diocesan Office to register for the study.

Schedule

February 22 – Rev. Greg Clark (Karl Barth)

February 29 – Most Rev. Greg Kerr-Wilson (Rowan Williams)

March 7 – Rev. Chris Roth (Church Fathers)

March 14 – Rev. Br. Jason Carroll (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)

March 21 – Rev. Elizabeth Short (Deitrich Bonhoeffer) 

PLEASE NOTE: the previous email address for registration was spelled incorrectly.  If you have registered and not heard back, please resend your request to Barbara Labrecque by clicking here.

These workshops will give students a basic understanding of the theology, structure and purpose of the Daily Office, the Eucharist and the associated rite of the Reserved Sacrament. Students will be trained to organize appropriate services from the Book of Alternative Services (BAS), the Book of Common Prayer (BCP), and locally developed service books approved by the Bishop. Students will be able to plan a service of worship effectively, taking into account the sacramental context and liturgical season, and selecting appropriate Propers, readings, hymns, prayers and collects. The course will also cover practical matters such as appropriate strategies to navigate unexpected events in worship and the use of appropriate postures for leading worship.

Date:                     March 16, 2024

Location:             In person at St. Augustine’s, Lethbridge, or on Zoom

Times:                   Morning & Evening Prayer 9:00am-12:00

                                Reserved Sacrament 1:00pm-4:00pm

Cost:                      $35 for either morning or afternoon sessions or $60 for the whole day

(If cost is an issue, please contact the CSD)

Instructors:         Ven. Dr. Pilar Gateman, Rev. Br. Jason Carroll

Registration:      Contact Barbara Labrecque 

Often there are some great ideas within parishes relating to how a church might reach out beyond the church walls; however, sometimes funding those ideas is more difficult. A few years ago, as a way of assisting parishes, the Diocesan Council formed a Mission Funding Board (MFB) to receive grant applications for mission initiatives so that some of those great ideas could be brought to fruition. It was the hope of the Diocesan Council that the diocese might partner with parishes as they reached out in mission to those outside their church walls.

The next deadline for MFB submissions is March 30^th, and it is our hope that some parishes that haven’t previously accessed funds through the MFB might consider making an application as you listen to God’s call to mission. Further information relating to some of the parameters of the grants and the grant application itself can be found on the diocesan website by clicking here.

In addition, be sure to check out some Good News stories in upcoming issues of the Diocesan Newsletter relating to previous recipients of MFB grants. Perhaps through one of these stories, a seed might be planted relating to a possible mission initiative that God would like you and your parish to consider.

We are getting excited and making plans for hosting the Provincial Synod in our Diocese later this year.

Our volunteer opportunities are below:

- We are looking for individuals or churches who may wish to create greeting cards as a welcome gift for the delegates.  They should contain something simple saying, "Welcome to the Diocese of Calgary." We would need 100 cards for the total number of delegates attending.

- We are looking for volunteers to assist delegates getting on and off busses, greeting, and being a welcoming presence.  

If you are interested in helping with these activities, please let The Ven. Dr. Pilar Gateman know.

Clergy are invited to attend our next Clergy Day, on Tuesday, March 5 at St. George, Diamond Valley, with gathering at 9:30 and beginning at 10:00 am.  

Our topic for this event will be Healing and Wholeness, with The Rev. Martyn Alvey leading the discussion.

All Saints, Cochrane on Wednesday evenings beginning February 21 at 7:00 pm by Zoom

Topics and discussions will center around four themes: 

- How do we discern and make good decisions when faced with a life-limiting illness?

- How do we accompany and support those who are sick and dying?

- How do we provide compassionate care at the end of life?

- How does our faith in Christ help us to understand the human experience of dying and death?

To register, please contact Catherine at All Saints, or call (403) 932-6556.

Join us at St. James for a weekend full of fantasy and adventure! We'll watch through all three Lord of the Rings films (extended edition of course!) with special commentary by our own Archbishop Greg! He'll give a little insight as to how Tolkein was influenced by his faith in his writing, and point out some of the biblical parallels we might see in the plot of the films! 

We'll gather together at 5:30 on Friday evening and start with some pizza before launching right into the first movie. We'll take a break to sleep for a bit in the middle before finishing up by 1:30 pm on Saturday. Breakfast will be provided on Saturday.

All youth and youth leaders/volunteers across the diocese of Calgary are welcome to attend!

For information or to RSVP, please contact James Lawton.

The Parish of St. George, Calgary ACW has nine calendars left over and would be willing to sell them at a cost of $5.00 each.  If there are any churches needing them please email Matilda Engel or call (403) 273-4409 to make arrangements for pick up.

Last year, the parish of St. Andrew’s, Gleichen submitted an application to the Mission Funding Board so that they could bring to fruition a mission initiative to reach out to those who were in need in Gleichen. The report below from Linda Holt shares how that ministry has made an impact:

St. Andrew's Parish continues to work with the street people in Gleichen and welcome them to the Church. One of the parishioners very generously picks up and delivers many people from the local Shelter and also offers them prayers. Each week we welcome between 12 to 30 men and women whose lives may not be quite what they had expected: people who are dealing with addictions, loss of family, as well as illnesses. We join together for a luncheon after church - sometimes soup and sandwiches, sometimes spaghetti or chili or other prepared dishes. Sometimes we even get fry-bread, which is a favourite! Before Christmas, we were able to host a turkey dinner with all of the trimmings.  We made 30 "gift" bags made out of canvas to distribute. These bags were filled with various items including a reversable toque which was hand-knitted by one of the parishioners from Rimbey as well as things given to us from St. Peter’s, Calgary. Father Brad Everett is a huge support in this vital work and it is also possible through the support of the Diocese of Calgary through the Mission Funding Board!

If you would like to make an application to the Mission Funding Board (MFB) for a new mission initiative through your parish, you can access the resources relating to the MFB on the diocesan website by clicking here.

A retired priest is looking to donate his collection of personal inspirational books including prayer books, hymnals, etc. to a good home.  In total, there are two boxes.  If you would be interested in this collection, please contact the Diocese Office.

An event is being organized to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the ordination of Victoria Matthews as the first woman to be elected to the office of bishop in the Anglican Church of Canada. This important occasion will be marked by a webinar on February 26.

Please consider attending. Details of the webinar and registration can be found here.

Thank You to Donors!  "This is AFC's most successful annual campaign to date, by far," says Dr. Scott Brubacher, Executive Director of AFC.  "We know 2023 was not without financial challenges, but the growth of the annual fundraising program reflects a deepening bond between Canadian Anglicans and their national foundation."  Noteworthy was an increase of 15%  in the average donation amount from member churches.  Read more.

Save the Date! Join AFC & celebrate Say Yes! to Kids Sunday on June 2.  The 2024 SYTK campaign will launch on Tuesday, April 2 and close on Sunday, June 30. A new campaign component will be a liturgical resource to promote the celebration of Say Yes! to Kids Sunday on June 2. “This will provide a spiritual focal point for the SYTK movement,” says Brubacher, “and will be a flexible, adaptable resource that any church can use, whether it has an active campaign or not.”  To find out more, click here.

Grace Presbyterian Church in Calgary will be hosting an opportunity to build Christian community in Calgary, in person and online, in this multi-denominational event, entitled Preaching Grace 2024 - Scripture: Play and Possibility.  Guest Preacher will be The Rev. Dr. Richard Topping, President of Vancouver School of Theology.

Friday morning, February 23: Clergy Masterclass 

Friday evening, February 23: Free Public Lecture

Saturday, February 24: Workshop and lunch 

To register, please click on the highlighted dates above.

For more information, please contact Amy Dunn Moscoso, Communications Director at Grace Presbyterian Church.

Ambrose Pastors Conference is an annual gathering designed to empower and uplift those in pastoral ministry.  At Ambrose, we appreciate the courage and care it takes to lead in the world of pastoral ministry.  That is why our theme for this year is "Handle with Care," an exploration of navigating the demands of ministry.

To Register, Click Here.

Those joining us can meet at the FCJ Centre on the west bank of the Elbow River and we will walk across The Old Train Bridge into the park. There is free parking at the FCJ Centre or on the street.  

This is your invitation - come and join with other women to celebrate God's spirit amongst us.

This year's dates are Friday, April 5 to Sunday, April 7

Registration opens Friday at 6:00 pm with the program starting at 7:00 pm.  The gathering concludes after lunch on Sunday.

Location will be the Entheos Retreat and Conference Centre.

The Theme this year is Cultivating a Garden of Contentment: "I have everything that I need - the secret of being content."

Session Leader will be The Rev. Faye Reynolds.

The weekend will include sessions with Faye, small group discussions, meal breaks, and some craft time, as well as singing, worship, and fellowship.

Click here to learn more.

Early Bird Rate (before March 5) is $260.00 double occupancy or $285.00 single occupancy (limited availablity).  

After March 5, rates will be $280.00 double or $300.00 single.

We hope you can join us.

Do you know a promising young adult who God might be calling to serve the church - even if they don't know it yet? 

Consider encouraging them to apply to the Ministry Apprenticeship Program (MAP) at St. Paul's Bloor Street: a "discernment gap year" for young people to explore the possibility of ordained service in the Anglican Church of Canada.

This full-time, year-long program combines hands-on service in ministry, including church planting, theological education and spiritual formation.  It's also fully funded so that anyone can participate, regardless of means.  Apprentices receive room and board at Wycliffe College, plus a monthly stipend for living expenses.

The 2024 program starts in September and applications are now open.

For more information, contact The Rev. Dr. Tyler Wigg-Stevenson.

Please remember in your prayers:

- for peace within our country, and in the world, for victims of violence and natural disasters, and for areas of unrest and riots.  We ask for wise discernment in our leaders;

- for areas of our world where there is conflict and war, and for your peace;

- for those who are sick, suffering, isolated or in need.  We ask for prayers for Barbara and Elizabeth, Janice, Joan, Dan, Karen, Elizabeth, Ruth and James, and Dave and Vivian;

- for those who have died and those who mourn;

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

- for those caught up in alcoholism or addictions, and those in recovery;

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

 - for IVCF camps: for an overflow of children so that they may encounter Jesus, and the staff to be on fire for God;

- for refugees, remembering those fleeing regimes around the world.

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.