Inductions:

Archbishop Greg will, God willing, conduct two Services of Induction later this month:

The Rev. Tony Hilling as Incumbent of St. Paul, Calgary, on Wednesday, September 25, at 7:00 pm.

The Rev. Rob Cowie as Incumbent of Christ Church, Nanton, on Thursday, SEPTEMBER 26, at 7:00 pm. (NEW DATE!)

Please mark these dates on your calendar.  Clergy who are part of the respective deaneries are expected to attend and support these Incumbents in their ministries.  Color will be Red.

Diocese Office:

We are grateful to Dianne Widney who has served as the Executive Assistant for the past year and a half. She will be stepping away from regular hours, but will be back to help with occasional projects. We wish her well on her retirement! 

September 21 - ACW Silver Cross Luncheon and Eucharist, St. Peter, Calgary

September 22 - 140th Anniversary Service, St. Barnabas, Medicine Hat

September 24 - Diocesan Council meeting, zoom or at Diocesan Office

September 25 - Induction Service for The Rev. Tony Hilling at St. Paul, Calgary

September 26 - Induction Service for The Rev. Rob Cowie at Christ Church, Nanton

September 29 - Confirmation Service, St. John the Divine, Siksika 

September 29 - Bishop's Visit to St. Michael & All Angels, Strathmore

October 1-3 - Provincial Executive Meeting in Saskatoon, SK

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

On Wednesday, September 4, Archbishop Greg inducted The Rev. Simba Mutandwa as Incumbent for Holy Cross, Calgary.

Please pray for Rev. Simba and the parish of Holy Cross as they journey together in faith.

Our Parish is seeking a part-time Sunday School facilitator to lead a Sunday morning program for children on two Sundays per month.  This will be a paid position.  

Closing date for applications is September 22.

For further information, please contact The Rev. Kersi Bird.

St. Barnabas Anglican Church, Medicine Hat seeks an efficient, organized and hospitable person who is self-motivated and can work independently as our administrative assistant.  This individual plays an important role in the day-to-day operations of the parish, especially in providing a ministry of hospitality to all parishioners and community users.  The main responsibilities are managing the church office (such as filing, correspondence, inquiries, facility use/rentals), preparing the weekly worship service programs, and putting updates on the website/social media.  Given the central role this individual plays, a Christian character, personable communication skills, honesty, confidentiality and discretion are essential attributes for the position.  

The position is half-time (Monday to Friday, 20 hours/week).

Consideration of applications will begin immediately.

For more information or to forward a resume, please contact The Rev. Dr. Oz Lorentzen.

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.

October 5, 2024, either in person at All Saints, Cochrane or on Zoom.

Morning & Evening Prayer - from 9:30 am to noon; Reserved Sacrament - from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.

Cost: $40 for either morning or afternoon sessions; $60 for the whole day.  If cost is an issue, please contact the Calgary School of Discipleship.

Instructors: The Ven. Dr. Pilar Gateman and The Rev. Br. Jason Carroll

To register, please contact Br. Jason Carroll.

What is worship?   Why do we worship?  What constitutes Christian Worship?  This course will examine the Biblical and theological foundations of worship and its particular expression in our Anglican liturgical tradition.  Students will explore the theology, structure, and purpose of the Offices and sacraments, with a view to building connections between understanding and practice, and growing in sensitivity and reverence.  The course will also cover practical matters, including instruction about appropriate use of vestments, and appropriate liturgical forms according to Diocesan norms.

This course is one of the requirements for obtaining License A, B and C.

Date: Saturday, October 19, 2024, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.  Location will be via Zoom and in-person at Holy Cross Anglican Church, Calgary.

Instructor: The Most Rev. Gregory Kerr-Wilson

For in-person students, please bring a bag lunch.

To register for this course, please contact Br. Jason Carroll.

If you HAVE registered, but have not heard back, please be in touch with Br. Jason Carroll for confirmation of registration.

For many years, students of the Calgary School of Discipleship have been working hard to obtain licenses for Licensed Lay Ministry.  This spring, six students achieved all the necessary coursework to receive a permanent license.  The Diocese Office is excited to announce that the medallions to honor this hard work are now here.  Permanent Licenses and Medallions for Leading Morning and Evening Prayer, Offering Reserved Sacrament and Preaching, or a combination of the three, will now be awarded and blessed, once parish services for the students have been arranged.  We are so grateful to all the students who have achieved or are working towards licensing, for their hard work, efforts and willingness to share their faithful leadership.

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 September 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.

Michael Harvey, co-founder of Back to Church Sunday in the UK, will be visiting the Diocese of Calgary in September.  He will be speaking on the ACORN Movement, a means of engaging with others in a simple, caring way.

There are still available times during the days he is here, should your parish leaders wish to have him visit.

The current schedule is:

September 18 - evening event at All Saints, Cochrane

September 19 - evening event at Christ Church, Nanton

September 20 - evening event at Christ Church, Calgary

September 21 - morning gathering with St. George, Banff and St. Michael, Canmore, in Canmore, followed by an afternoon hike

September 22 - preaching at St. Michael, Canmore

Michael Harvey developed the concept of invitation as a mission tool across seventeen countries.  He is a dynamic speaker with enthusiasm and humor, providing exciting ideas for church growth.  An opportunity to hear him is truly a blessing.  Everyone is invited to attend these events.

Canada is facing a severe housing shortage, and Calgary is no exception.  Housing is a fundamental necessity, as without it, meeting other basic needs becomes significantly more challenging.

Christ Church, Elbow Park (3602 - 8 Street SW) is hosting a presentation on housing by Gregor Craigie, host of CBC Victoria's morning radio show and author of Our Crumbling Foundation: How We Solve Canada's Housing Crisis.  Gregor has explored housing challenges and solutions globally.  If you are concerned about this pressing issue and want to learn more about potential solutions, this is a valuable opportunity to engage.

This event offers a chance for us to explore what steps we can take to address our city's housing crisis.

For more information on this free event, please call (403) 243-4680 or email Christ Church, Calgary.

Please plan to join us for a special Service to mark our 110th Anniversary!

Archbishop Greg will be our Celebrant for this Service at 10:00 am, followed by a potluck lunch.

The earth is 4.5 billion years old. Homo sapiens is 200,000 years old. And the Christian faith is only 2,000 of those years old, though its scriptures reach back to the beginning of all things. But the authors of the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament had no concept whatsoever of the scientific knowledge we’ve gained over the past 500 years or even the past 50 years.

What impact does the knowledge we possess today have on our approach to the Christian faith and its scripture? How can we practise a faith based on the life and teachings of Jesus that is faithful to the reality we have been continually discovering? Perhaps there is more yet to discover in our theology . . .

Rev Derwyn Costinak, Incumbent at the Church of the Good Shepherd, developed this course and taught it at the Sorrento Centre this past summer. The course will provide a broad overview of the Christian faith in history, beginning with the Big Bang, and then continue into the development of religious thought in homo sapiens, exploring how Christianity fits in with what had been going on before it and with what has been happening since. Come ready to discuss your observations and questions in a safe environment where nothing is off-limits.

This 12-week course will run every second Thursday evening from 7:00-8:30 pm, beginning on October 10th and ending on March 20th. For more information or to register to participate, please contact Rev Derwyn. 

The Foodbank operates Monday and Thursday from 9:00 am to 12 noon (closed on statutory holidays).  We provide emergency hampers with basic food supplies to clientele in need in the Bowness area.

Basic routine Foodbank operations include receiving the hamper requests by phone.  The messages are noted and the client is called back on either Monday or Thursday, depending on when the message is received.  After confirmation that the hamper is being picked up, the hamper is prepared for the number of people requested, and a time of pickup has been determined.  A client may walk in to request a hamper, which is then prepared.

We are in need of someone to commit to either morning.

More information will be coming in November, regarding the Christmas Hamper Program and the need for extra volunteers.

As well, we will be holding our Christmas Tea and Sale on Saturday, November 30 - this is another opportunity for volunteers to help us set up, price items and assist at the sale, as well as donations of sandwiches and desserts.

We welcome your phone calls if you have any questions about volunteering at the Food Bank.  We can be reached during the Foodbank hours at (403) 288-6330.

We have had a lot of changes in the Diocesan Refugee Committee over the past few years.

We went from having one person handling all requests and interactions to an entire committee which included volunteers in different places around the Diocese.  These folks devoted their efforts to settlement help, translation, administration and more.  We got through some very challenging situations with certain refugees which caused many sleepless nights and required a lot of attention and care.  There has been a great deal of challenge, frustration and hard work in recent years.

We are now in a place where a larger group of people is helping with this invaluable work.  We have much of the administrative pieces in place.  This has been largely due to someone who has put a Herculean effort into all of this work.

The Rev. Canon Erin Phillips has put her passion, time, energy and love of humanity into this work and has literally transformed the way we care for and invite refugees into this Diocese.  Erin will be stepping down as of September 30th.  We are incredibly grateful for her hard work, commitment and love in all she has done.  

Thank you so much, Erin!

The Diocese is pleased to announce a new course developed for Baptism and Confirmation Preparation.

The Call of the Image Bearers: A Narrative Catechism, written by Rev. Br. Jason Carroll, is now available on Amazon.

Ideal for preparation classes or small groups of seekers or inquiring parishioners, this in-depth guide allows one to see a full picture of the overarching story of Creation, our relationship with God, Christ’s redemption and what the future holds, along with study materials and parallel BCP Catechism questions and answers.

Endorsed by Archbishop Greg, this approved resource for baptism and confirmation preparation has been tested by several parishes, and is now available to everyone.

A Leader's Guide will be available on Amazon very soon. If you are ordering this for a group, please know that you can only order 3 copies at a time.

The Rev. Eyad Ajji has written a book, examining the more difficult passages found in the four Gospels.

Often, reading and interpreting passages for which there are initially questions or concerns leads the reader to wrestle with scripture, to consider the background and history, to pray about where the Holy Spirit is speaking, and to explore commentaries and on-line notes for enlightenment.

Rev. Eyad sheds light on these passages from his research and encourages the faithful to look closer in their study of the Word of God.  For more information, please contact Rev. Eyad Ajji.

There are lots of things happening in the Cursillo community this fall!

The upcoming Commissioning Service for the Fall Weekends will take place on Saturday, September 21 at Holy Cross, Calgary (2828 -19th Street NW) beginning at 9:30 am.

The Fall Weekends are - October 31 to November 2 for the Men's Weekend and November 7 to 10 for the Women's Weekend.

Now is a great time to sponsor someone who needs to experience a Cursillo Weekend!  Applications to attend and to sponsor can be requested here.

Please also remember to share your Cursillo experiences with others in your church community and continue to pray for the Cursillo movement in our Diocese and around the world!

We are still looking for more parish reps to share information about Cursillo with their parishes.  If your congregation doesn't have a parish rep, that person could be you!

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 Church of Canada for over 30 years.  We recently held events in Airdrie, AB, and Miramichi, NB.  If you would like to host an ARM event in your parish, please contact the ARM office.  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. 

Sunday, September 15 was The Most Rev. Linda Nicholl's last day of serving in the role as Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada.  We are grateful for her faithful leadership, wisdom and guidance, and wish her all the best in her future faith journey.

We now will be praying each week for The Most Rev. Anne Germond, who will serve as Acting Primate until the next General Synod in 2025.  We ask our Lord to bless her work going forward.

This summer has brought unprecedented attention to the lifesaving importance of fresh water.  As we look toward a generation in which western Canada is predicted to transition from water abundance to water scarcity, there has never been a more important time to become friends, advocates - disciples - of our water sources.

In this half-day workshop, Robin Galey will invite a group exploration of the meaning and purpose of water in our lives, both physically and spiritually, and teach a variety of practices to help us connect with water as a source of life and hope.

"In one drop of water are found the secrets of all the oceans." - Kahlil Gibran

Saturday, September 21 from 9:30 am to 2:00 pm, at The Wisdom Centre (at St. Laurence Anglican Church).

Tickets can be purchased here.

Please remember in your prayers:

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

- for the Windward Islands recovering from Hurricane Beryl;

- for the Town of Jasper, and the people of the Parish of St. Mary & St. George, suffering the loss of their church home;

- for those who are sick, suffering, isolated or in need.  We ask for prayers for Barbara, Karen, Ruth and James, Kate, Rosemary, Janet, Patricia, John, and Wendy;

- for the Wall family - for peace and strength during this difficult time, and for Lily, that the Lord will keep her safe and cared for and that she will find a way to return home;

- for those who have died and those who mourn;

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

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

- 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.

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