I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how we are missional in our churches through our culture. That may not make a lot of sense to you right away, but I hope to convince you that this is an integral part of what it means to be an invitational, transformative church!

When I say culture, what I mean is the overall feeling, impression, experience that someone has when they walk into your building. Are you known for being charismatic, or traditional, or welcoming, or warm, well learned, maybe even loud? These things are shaped from the choices you make as a church community. From your worship style, your choice of liturgy, what ministries you run, and so on and so forth. At first glance you might then say that the culture is defined by the priest in charge or maybe the wardens. In reality though, the culture is made from these places and more. ALL of the people who make up a church contribute to its culture. That is why it is so important that we decide together as a church to focus on mission!

There is an opportunity for people to come into your church for the first time and experience what makes your church culture great! They can experience all those things that make you love your church community and of course also get a chance to hear and see the good news of the Gospel. There is also the opportunity for them to be an afterthought, or even worse feel unwanted. That’s why the culture of our churches needs to be under the ownership by every member, not just the priest, or the greeting team, or the outreach team, or whatever other body you might have. It might only take one instance of someone being asked to move because they are in the wrong pew or being told to take their child to the nursery instead of sitting in the service for a newcomer to decide never to come back.

Let’s encourage one another to create space in our space for someone new. Let’s build churches where an unchurched person feels welcomed and loved. Let’s say hi! Let’s make room! We can each play a part in the way in which a newcomer will experience the culture of our church. Let’s make it a positive experience!

This month's Missional Minute contribution comes to us from James Lawton of St. James, Calgary

Annual Returns:

All parishes are reminded to begin their preparations for the Annual Meeting of Parishioners.  These Meetings are to be held within sixty days of the end of the financial year, which is December 31, and Annual Returns are to be submitted to the Diocese Office within fourteen days of the AMP.  The forms can now be found on the Website, under Resources/Documents for Parish Life/Annual Return Forms and scroll to the bottom of the page.

If you have any questions regarding the process of holding AMPs or submitting Annual Returns, please let us know, and we will be happy to answer all your questions.

Regional Dean of High River:

Archbishop Greg is pleased to announce that he has appointed The Rev. Dr. Norbert Haukenfrers as Regional Dean of High River.  We ask for your prayers for Norbert as he begins this new administrative ministry.

February 8 - Parish Council Retreat at All Saints, Cochrane

February 9 - Bishop's Visit to St. Martin, Calgary

February 11 - Diocesan Council Meeting (both in person and by Zoom)

February 13 - Deacons' Zoom Meeting at 7:00 pm

February 16 - Bishop's Visit to St. Barnabas, Calgary

February 18 - Archdeacons' Zoom Meeting

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 Priest of the lovely St. Benedict Anglican parish in High River, Alberta.

For more information, or to request a parish profile, please contact the Diocese Office.

Clergy will be required to submit a current resume as well as two written responses.

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

Applications will be received until February 14, 2025.

One of the Diocesan clergy is looking for a three bedroom, two bath house with a yard for two small dogs.  It is hoped the rent would be $2,000 per month.

If you have anyone you know with a rental property or someone seeking renters, please contact the Diocese Office and we will forward the information.

Have you been thinking about pastoral care in your parish family and wondering what it is about this way of caring?  This is a seven week online Zoom course that can help you understand better what pastoral care is, how to care in different ways and your personal part in it.  We touch on topics such as: the theology of pastoral care, caring for self, different facets of communication, grief, death, dying and loss, joy, healing and wholeness, as well as where and how to visit, with different practice sessions.  We will review some resources and build our own pastoral community during this time.  This can be a course commitment with initial wonderings about pastoral care, an opportunity to strengthen skills and knowledge, and/or to add to a "team."  This course is open to clergy and laity.  Please ask all questions or register by contacting Rev. Tracey.

Thank you to all who have registered.  The course is now full, but there is a waiting list available.

The Urdu Service held monthly at St. Barnabas, Calgary will now be held on the third Saturday of each month, beginning at 5:00 pm.

All are welcome!

We would like to extend our sincere thanks for all the continued support we receive at Christmas and throughout the year.

We have prepared a list of dry good items that make up the regular emergency food hamper program.  To receive this list, please click here.

We still have volunteer opportunities available; please call us at (403) 288-6330 on Monday or Thursday mornings from 9:00 to noon for more information.

Once again, the Church of the Good Shepherd is producing a four-show Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre production, just in time for Valentine's Day! This interactive comedy puts you in the middle of all the action while you try to figure out whodunit and why . . . 

By attending one of the performances, you agree to be a test subject for the research of Dr Ernest Terrence Mars. As he conducts Phase 2 of his work on a miraculous drug to eliminate the COVID-19 virus from the human race, you will enjoy a three-course dinner while you participate in this test . . . and see how things unfold!

There are four show times: Friday, February 7th and Saturday, February 8th, and Friday, February 14th and Saturday, February 15th. Doors open at 5:30pm with the show beginning at 6:00pm. Tickets are $50 per person and include your meal with coffee and tea. Beer and wine will be available for purchase by the can, glass or bottle.  We might even have some Scotch lying around somewhere, left over from Robbie Burns' Night...

To purchase tickets, click on the link below. Be careful to indicate which show you plan to attend. 

• Ticket sales for the Feb 7 & 8 shows close at 1:00pm on Tue, Feb 4.
• Ticket sales for the Feb 14 & 15 shows close at 1:00pm on Tue, Feb 11.

There are only 36 spots available for each performance, so don't miss out: "Spies Like Us" Tickets

Note that this production would likely warrant a PG rating if it were a movie as it deals with murder and mild sexual themes, and so may not be appropriate for children. Note also that this is not your typical church production in that there is no religious or spiritual message involved. It's just all for fun!

Please join us on Friday, March 15 from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm for our Lenten Retreat, The Other Side of Darkness: The Spirituality of Darkness.

This day-long retreat will provide a light lunch as we get ready for this Lenten season.

For more details, please click here.

Dr. Peter Craigie was a professor of the Department of Religious Studies, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, and Vice-President (Academic) of the University of Calgary until 1985.

His family has digitized all the cassettes of his lectures, many from Anglican Theology seminars, and have now created an open website for anyone to access.  The link can be found here.

The Very Rev. Dr. Kyle Norman (previously of this Diocese) has written a book exploring the topic of Spiritual Discouragement.  What do we do when we are frustrated in our faith?

In Alive, Loved, & Free: Finding Jesus when Faith is Hard, Rev. Kyle describes how the news of his wife's cancer sent his spiritual life into a tailspin.  His sermons felt hollow, and his prayers felt flat.  Yet amid his struggles, he began to encounter Jesus in a new and liberating way.  Could it be that the places where we are most discouraged are the places where we are invited to meet Jesus anew?

Rev. Kyle tackles topics such as struggling to feel God's love, the battle for forgiveness, unanswered prayer, and frustration with community.  With sensitivity to the struggles we all face, Alive, Loved, & Free offers a vision of hope and encouragement.

Alive, Loved, & Free is available on Amazon.ca.  For more information, please contact Rev. Kyle.

Photos for next year's calendar are now being accepted for consideration for publication in next year's Church calendar.  Deadline for submissions is March 1, 2025.

So far, the Diocese of Calgary is still missing any submissions.  We know there are talented photography enthusiasts in Anglican congregations, and we look forward to receiving your submissions.

Help capture the essence of Anglican life in our Diocese!  

PWRDF is rebranding as Alongside Hope with the French equivalent Aupres de l'espoir, following a decision at a special members meeting on October 15, 2024.  The new name, developed over nearly two years by a task team of staff, board members, and volunteers, was chosen to simplify and better represent the organization's mission while respecting its legacy as the Anglican Church of Canada's international development and humanitarian agency.

The transition to the new name will take place over the next year.  The iconic colourful globe logo will remain, aiding brand recognition during this shift.  Alongside Hope reflects a commitment to walking alongside partners for a better world, embodying hope through shared efforts.

Thursday, February 6:  time 7:00 pm Eastern (5:00 pm Mountain)  - Online, via Zoom

Register HERE

Where have challenges led the Church into important new conversations and ways of being? How are we being called to engage with the world beyond our walls? Where is the Holy Spirit leading us in the coming decades? This panel discussion is presented by the Divinity Associates of Trinity College, Toronto, and open to all. Questions? Contact trinity.alumni@utoronto.ca

Registration for the Anglican Foundation of Canada's (AFC) 5th annual Say Yes! to Kids (SYTK) campaign is now open.  The 2025 campaign will launch on Tuesday, April 22 and close on Monday, June 30.  All parishes, dioceses, and organizations seeking to partner with AFC are asked to register by April 1.

Participation will be limited to 30 teams, and registration is on a first-come, first-served basis.  Teams will be asked to articulate a campaign goal and project focus at the point of registration.  Most costs associated with youth projects and programs, including staffing, are eligible.

SYTK is an annual fundraising appeal sponsored by AFC.  Launched in 2021 to encourage church-led pandemic recovery programs and initiatives, the SYTK movement has now provided $755,000 in funding to more than 150 beneficiaries and fundraising partners for youth-focused ministry and outreach across the Anglican Church of Canada.

To register, visit the Anglican Foundation of Canada's website.

For more information, contact Michelle Hauser, Development & Communications Officer at AFC.

Save the date and join The Mustard Seed for Canada's largest fundraising walk to combat poverty and homelessness.  Mark your calendars for this year's event, happening February 22.

The Coldest Night of the Year is a "winterrific" family-friendly 2 or 5 km fundraising walk in support of local charities serving people experiencing hurt, hunger, and homelessness.  Each year, tens of thousands of Canadians step outside the warmth and comfort of home to shine a light of welcome and compassion in their communities.  Since 2011, this event has raised over $75,000,000 across Canada in 190 Canadian communities, with 100% of net proceeds staying local to support our CNOY charity partners.

This is not just a walk - it's a symbol of solidarity and support for those facing difficult circumstances in our community.  By participating or contributing, you can directly impact the lives of individuals and families in need.

Spread the word.  Encourage your church to get involved.  Together, we can make a positive impact and show compassion to those who need it most.

To celebrate the United Nations' World Interfaith Harmony Week, the Calgary Interfaith Council and the University of Calgary's Chair of Christian Thought will host a panel discussion examining how diverse religious traditions are taught.  Experts will explain how religious studies facilitate a better understanding of our global community.

Friday, February 7 at 7:00 pm.  Central Library.

For more information, please contact Rev. Adam Bedford.

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 Anglican Communion, for the selection of a new Archbishop of Canterbury, and for healing and direction moving forward;

- for the Windward Islands recovering from Hurricane Beryl;

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

- for those who are sick, suffering, isolated or in need.  We ask for prayers for Barbara, Maureen, Ruth and James, Kate, Rosemary, Patricia, John, Rob, John, Alan, and Gloria;

- 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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