I once heard a speaker talk about the three things churches do.  He described them as Looking up, Looking in, and Looking out.

Looking up was spending time in worship and prayer to God.  The things we do to nurture our relationship with the Divine.  Looking in was about taking care of one another. The ways in which we provide pastoral care or build community.  Looking out was witness.  The ways we connect with the unchurched.

Much research indicates that we spend 92% of our resources, time, money, and energy in the first two.  This means we spend less that 8% on our witness (looking out).

How might we as communities consider how to make that more balanced?  Imagine what would happen if we spent 30% of our energy Looking up, 30% Looking in, and 30% Looking outside!  What might that look like?  It could look like a simple adjustment.  Asking ourselves at every meeting, in every planning stage, in worship or other committee, a few questions:

Is what we are doing accessible to the "unchurched"?  Does what we do in the "Looking up" portion set up in such a way that anyone off the street could come in and take part?

Is what we are doing for one another seen by the "unchurched" in positive ways?  Are we talking out issues, taking forgiveness and reconciliation seriously, caring for our vulnerable?

How are we present in the community?  Do we know the needs outside our parish walls and are we members of the neighbourhood in helpful ways?  Do the 'unchurched" see us living out our faith in Jesus as people who are willing not only to do the loving thing but also to speak about the One who has transformed us?

The next time you are sitting in a meeting with your fellow church members, ask yourselves - How much time are we spending on these areas?  How might we shift our gaze to be more missional?

This month's Missional Minute contribution comes from The Ven. Dr. Pilar Gateman.

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! 

We continue to prepare for the Office move to the St. Edmund's church building, scheduled for April 2025.  Please pray for this transition process to go smoothly.

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

October 5 - Order of St. George Service, Cathedral Church of the Redeemer, Calgary

October 6 - Harvest Service and Bishop's Visit, All Saints, Medicine Hat

October 7-9 - Keywords Meeting, Lethbridge

October 16 - BARDs at 10:00 am

October 16 - A&F Committee meeting at 2:00 pm

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

On Wednesday, September 25, Archbishop Greg inducted The Rev. Tony Hilling as Incumbent for St. Paul, Calgary.

Please pray for Rev. Tony and the parish of St. Paul's as they journey together in faith.

On Thursday, September 26, Archbishop Greg inducted The Rev. Rob Cowie as Incumbent for Christ Church, Nanton.

Please pray for Rev. Rob and the parish of Christ Church as they continue to journey together in faith.

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.

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.

60 Minutes

Contemporary Music

Streamlined Liturgy

Accessible Teaching focused on John's Gospel

Powerful Prayer anchored in the Psalms

Come as you are...

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. 

This course, led by Facilitator The Rev. Deacon Elizabeth Short, MTS will run for six weeks beginning on October 21 at 7:00 pm, via Zoom.

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.

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 has now been completed and 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.  A PDF copy of this book is available for $15 by cash, cheque or direct deposit.  For more information, please contact Rev. Eyad Ajji.

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!

Looking for a wonderfully uplifting way to spend a Saturday night?  Join us for our concert on Saturday, October 26 at Bonavista Church and enjoy an evening of joy- and hope-filled music.  

Our Diocesan Comptroller is in the chorus, and we are excited to hear him, and the other members of the 50-voice chorus, along with an orchestra of 50 musicians.

Megan Kelly, a gifted musician and Christian singer, is available for worship leadership.

Her deep faith and musical talent would be a wonderful addition to any evening or Sunday service.

The Rev. Canon Leyla King is a Palestinian-American Episcopal priest who will provide a way in to the conversation about the current realities in the Holy Land through the lens of her family's experiences as Palestinian Christians.  Her stories will help us learn about the underlying roots of the conflict, understand its complexities, and equip us to think and speak more compassionately about current events and future hopes in Palestine and Israel.  Leyla serves as the Canon of Mission in Small Congregations for the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas.  She writes about her experiences as a Palestinian, a clergywoman and a mother at thankfulpriest.com.

The 2025 Canadian Church Calendar is available to order online from the Anglican Church of Canada eStore. This year, the theme of the calendar is Pathways. As has been the custom, the calendar includes a range of photos featuring our beloved churches across the country.

Our own Kim Getty, Diocesan Social Media Coordinator, has one of her photos in there, in the month of November.

Please mark your calendars for the 35th annual Images of Spirituality gathering!  Join us for a weekend filled with celebrating God's great gift of creation, how it can enable us to connect more meaningfully to God, listen more clearly for God's purpose in our lives and experience God's peace more fully.

This year's theme is Psalm 23: 2-3: "He makes me lie down in green pastures and leads me beside still waters.  He revives my soul and guides me along right pathways for His name's sake."

Information on the weekend speaker and worship leader will be forthcoming.

Early Registration Fee: $280 double occupancy, $300 single occupancy (before March 7, 2025)

Invite a friend!  We look forward to seeing you once again, or for the first time!

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, 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, remembering at this time, Janet;

- 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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