Blessing of Oils and Renewal of Ordination Vows Service:

The Cathedral Church of the Redeemer will host a service of Blessing of the Holy Oils and Renewal of Ordination Vows on Tuesday, March 26 beginning at 10:30 am.

Clergy are asked to bring their oil containers to be filled, and please arrive at 10:00 for vesting.  Color for this service is Red.

Clergy Conference in May:

The Clergy Conference this Spring will take place in Waterton Park from May 14 to 16.  Our theme this year will be "Preaching Missionally" and we are delighted to announce that our guest speaker will be The Right Rev. Susan Bell, Bishop of the Diocese of Niagara.

March 20 - Deacons' Zoom Meeting

March 21 - Meeting with Anglican Fellowship of Prayer Committee

March 24 - Reception into the Anglican Church Service at St. Barnabas, Three Hills

March 26 - Blessing of Oils and Renewal of Ordination Vows Service at The Cathedral Church of the Redeemer

March 30 - Anglican Fellowship of Prayer Service of Prayer at St. Peter, Calgary

March 30 - Easter Vigil Evening Service at The Cathedral Church of the Redeemer

March 31 - Easter Morning Service at The Cathedral Church of the Redeemer

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

Archbishop Greg Kerr-Wilson is inviting priests who are interested in the Incumbent role at St. Paul parish in Calgary to send requests for the profile to the Executive Officer at pgateman@calgary.anglican.ca.

For information about this parish, please click here.

Join in an evening of Lenten learning centering on the Palestinian Christian voice.  Palestinian Anglican Priest Samuel Fanous, former rector of St. Laurence's companion parish in Israel, will share his story of living in Ramle and working with Christians, Jews and Muslims in Israel-Palestine.  We will also be joined by a member of Independent Jewish Voices (IJV) who will speak about antisemitism within solidarity work.  We hope that you can join us on Zoom for this evening of learning and reflection.

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

Our volunteer opportunity is below:

- 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, please let The Ven. Dr. Pilar Gateman know.

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 this issue and the past two 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.

Last year the Anglican Chaplaincy at the University of Calgary received a grant from the Mission Funding Board as it sought to continue to reach out to students. The following is a good news update on how the funds have made a difference.

The grants that we received from the Mission Funding Board enabled us to create fresh momentum for the Anglican Chaplaincy at the University of Calgary as it was going through leadership transition.  The grant money has enabled the creation of several programs and spaces wherein students can build relationships with each other and with the Chaplain.  Christian students have been encouraged by finding Christian peers; likewise, students of any faith have been able to find community and the opportunity for being mentored.  

 We were able to start several new initiatives:

 - We began to take students on trips to the mountains— to Canmore and Banff and several day hikes — who were mostly from the international student body, and who had no other way of getting there.

 - We started two yearly events to help students get connected at the start of the semester: A Labour Day weekend retreat; and a float down the Bow River through the city.

 - We started a Lunch & Lounge program to address the food insecurity which a large percentage of students face.  During the academic year, we feed around fifty students every Monday with a nutritious vegetarian meal that we cook in the commercial kitchen on campus. 

 - During special seasons of the church year, like Lent and Advent, the Chaplaincy has offered special Eucharist or meditations.  

 - And, of course, winter events included a Christmas party and skating.

 We are truly grateful for the funding assistance which has assisted us in this important ministry.

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

The Holy Cross Quilters Group has six hand-stitched Kneeler Covers available to a good home.  These unfinished covers were donated to the Group, but their numbers are too small to be able to finish them.

If you are interested, please contact the Diocese Office.

It is with absolute delight that we announce we have been granted Charity status by the CRA!  This means that we will be able to issue tax receipts for all monetary donations.  We can now accept e-transfers made through our email address - foodbank@stedmundscalgary.org.

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Nick Vanderkooy who has taken on the role of handling our finances - thank you Nick!

Our Annual Garage Sale will take place on Saturday, June 1, rain or shine.  For anyone working on spring cleaning, we would be happy to accept household items.  Donations can be dropped off Mondays or Thursdays from 9:00 am to 12 noon at 8336 - 34 Avenue NW.  We are restricted for space, but we would be happy to accept larger items such as furniture, on Friday, May 31.

We are very appreciative of the support we receive from individuals, families and parishes.

The Diocese is seeking a Diocesan Representative for the National Primate's World Relief and Development Fund.

If you are interested in working for this worthwhile organization along with other representatives from all over Canada, or would like more information, please be in touch with the Diocesan Office.

All Things Made New!

Come join us at the Anglican Laity Retreat at Mount St. Francis, Cochrane.  The silence starts after Friday's dinner and continues through Sunday morning.  The retreat directors lead us through five meditations on the theme through Saturday and Sunday, concluding in a service led by The Ven. Dr. Pilar Gateman.  More details are available at the Mount St. Francis website.

To register or for more information, contact Patti or John Sinclair by email or call (403) 650-1491.

Taste and see...

Anglican Renewal Ministries is dedicated to bringing the life and power of the Holy Spirit to all Christians.  ARM has been serving the Anglican Chruch of Cananda for over 30 years.  In addition to workshops on the person and gifts of the Holy Spirit, we also offer a quarterly magazine called "Taste and See..." with articles to uplift and encourage you in your walk with Christ.  We hope this magazine will be a source of encouragement to all.  Sample articles and a free copy of the magazine are available on our website.

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.

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

Click here to learn more.

On behalf of the Chair of Christian Thought, on Friday, April 12, Tina Beattie (Professor Emerita, Roehampton University) will give the Swanson lecture in Christian Spirituality on The Art of Creativity: Art, Theology and Ecology.

Tina Beattie asks what anthropological transformation might come about if, instead of imagining the divine image (imago dei) in terms of rationality, we adopted Basil of Caesarea’s image of God as the Supreme Artist delighting in the beauty and diversity of creation. She reflects on medieval and modern art, poetry and music, to explore what it would mean to see the human creature as an artist of creation and co-creator with God.

This event is free but registration is required.  The EventBrite link can be found here.

In advance of the April 2 launch of the fourth annual Say Yes! to Kids campaign, the Anglican Foundation of Canada (AFC) has released its new Sunday liturgy and accompanying resources.

"The liturgy will provide a spiritual focal point for the SYTK movement," says Dr. Scott Brubacher, Executive Director, AFC, "and will be a flexible resource that any church can use, whether it has an active campaign or not."

The liturgy has been developed by a team of AFC's clergy board directors from across Canada.  It is hoped that Anglican parishes across Canada will join forces on Sunday, June 2 or another Sunday after Pentecost to pray for the health and well-being of young people in their churches, communities, and beyond.

Archbishop Anne Germond, Bishop of Algoma and Moosonee, Metropolitan of the Ecclesiastical Province of Ontario, and Vice-Chair of AFC welcomes the liturgy, emphasizing that it is meant to be used with the permission of the Ordinary.  "As a bishop I am pleased to have such a compehensive, user-friendly liturgical resource...I especially love the Prayers of the People and the litany that invites us to hear God calling us to new forms of ministry with children and youth and the suggestions for involvement of children and youth in the liturgy."  

To see the resource page, click here.

Summer programs at beautiful Sorrento Retreat Centre by Shuswap Lake are now available.  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.  

We still have the "five for four" promotion -When four individuals or families from the same church book during our five weeks of summer programming, a fifth family receives free accomodation.  It's a great way to help anyone facing challenges experience this wonderful place.  

Start planning here.

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, Rosemary, and Kate.

- 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 leaders in our diocese and country; 

- 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.