In writing Missional Minutes for this Newsletter, I am always amazed at God’s inspiration, for His Spirit working to help me put a piece together which allows God to speak to His church in this way.  He reveals verses of scripture during my Morning Prayer on my commute that I may never have paid attention to before.  Or He has me engaging with folks that lead to me putting pen to paper.

This morning, I was on my way via Calgary Transit to the office.  I was making good time; I wanted to arrive early to get started on my tasks for the day.  And at the C-Train station where I transfer to a bus, my bus was pulling away.  I waved but the driver didn’t even look my way.  I was frankly annoyed, but then I changed my thinking.  “What does God want me to see while I wait?”

A City of Calgary truck arrived to haul away the contents of a dumpster across the road from where I stood.  The driver got out first, to check it.  Sure enough, a skinny man emerged.  Cold, appearing to be high on something, homeless, confused, barely dressed for the winter weather. 

And I felt so helpless.

What could I do?  What can the Church do?  What can our city, our service agencies, our government do? The Scriptures are full of calls to care for the poor and needy.

Perhaps it's just the little things - the offer to buy a meal, the offer of a bus ticket...and of course, prayer.

At my diaconate ordination, I was instructed: “…you are to serve all people, particularly the poor, the weak, the sick, and the lonely.”  I stood across the road, watching a struggling man who was all four of these.  And it broke my heart.  But I know Jesus is in this situation, even when I can't be.

In this season of Advent, while we wait for light in the darkness, there are so many for whom the darkness envelopes their lives.  May we ask God to reveal to us His plans, His time for us to bring light to the darkness.  Lord Jesus, Come Soon. 

The Diocese of Calgary is hosting the national General Synod this coming June. We are in need of three Volunteer Coordinators for the following:  

1. Transportation Coordinator: This person will arrange for buses to bring delegates to the Uof C on day of arrival and take them back to the airport on day of departure.  

2. Registration Desk and Information: This person will gather volunteers, organize volunteers to hand out registration packets, schedule them for those jobs and general hospitality.

3. Final Banquet Coordinator: This person will organize the final meal for the Anglican component of General Synod.  

If you are willing, or know of someone that might be a good fit, please have them contact The Ven. Dr. Pilar Gateman. 

Diocesan Announcements:

The Diocesan Office is pleased to welcome Dianne Widney as the new Executive Assistant, coming to work in our office a few days a week.  She has done great work for us in helping already with the Clergy/Warden handbook and we look forward to her coming aboard a bit more regularly! Welcome Dianne! 

Deconsecration: 

Later today, Archbishop Greg will conduct a Service of Deconsecration for the church building of St. Mary and St. Timothy, Sylvan Lake.  We thank God for the many decades of ministry from this parish. 

The National Office has announced that The Right Rev. Chris Harper of the Diocese of Saskatoon has been appointed as the new National Indigenous Anglican Archbishop and Presiding Elder of the Sacred Circle.  Thanks are extended to The Right Rev. Sidney Black who served as Interim Archbishop so well, and we pray for Chris as he begins this important ministry.

The First Sunday of Advent Service, November 27, 2022,  at Holy Cross, Calgary, included a time of recognition of the anniversary of sixty-five years of Ordained Ministry of The Venerable Peter Millen.  

December 11: Bishop's Visit to St. Michael, Canmore

December 12 to 16: The Bishop is away from the office

December 13: Palliser/Glenmore Joint Service and Lunch

December 18: Bishop's visit to St. Augustine, Calgary in celebration of their 110th Anniversary of ministry

8:00 pm Sunday, December 11 Silvertip Resort, Canmore
Tickets $35.00 Children 12 and under $15.00
Café Books 826 Main Street, Canmore
www.brownpapertickets.com
From choir members or at the door

St. Martin's will be offering the following special Services.  All are welcome.

Sunday, December 11: Festival of Lessons and Carols beginning at 10:00 am

Wednesday, December 21: Blue Christmas Service beginning at 7:00 pm.  Join us for a time of prayer and remembrance.

Saturday, December 24: Christmas Eve Service beginning at 4:30 pm

Sunday, December 25: Christmas Service beginning at 10:00 am

Please save the date for Tuesday, January 10, 2023 at 6:30 pm, for the first session of an eight-week series attempting to bring tangible and practical ideas to a much-misunderstood topic.  Together we will be meeting at the St. Luke Church Hall in Red Deer to explore how we can move closer to God and enjoy a more abundant life through developing a better understanding of our emotions.  

God gave us our emotions and yet many of us struggle to accept them, understand them, or use them to make better choices.  As well, we are often paralyzed when bad emotions persist, leading us to believe we have done something wrong or that God has abandoned us.

As we work through some concepts in psychology, we will also be reading through the book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality.  Ven. Noel Wygiera will be augmenting our discussion with his own reflections.

For further information, please call Phil at (403) 598-1792.

Our January Book Study will be from Do I Stay Christian?  A Guide for the Doubter, the Disappointed, and the Disillusioned by Brian McLaren.  This online study in three parts will be led by The Rev. Christine Conkin, and go from 7:30 pm until 9:00 pm MT.

January 11: Introduction & Part 1 - "No"

January 18: Part 2 - "Yes"

January 25: Part 3 - "How?"

To register, click this link.

The Calgary School of Discipleship is pleased to announce the Theology of Worship Course will take place in January, led by Archbishop Greg Kerr-Wilson.

On behalf of the 2023 Images Planning Committee, this is your invitation to the 33rd Annual Images of Spirituality gathering (in-person again).  Come and join with other women to celebrate God's great gift of a creative spirit within each of us.

Friday, March 31 to Sunday, April 2, 2023 at the Entheos Retreat Centre

Please watch for more details early in the New Year, as we are in the process of developing the theme and other details.

If you happen to receive CHRISTMAS CARDS in the old-fashioned, snail-mail way, please take a moment to neatly clip the stamps from the envelope. There is a collection bin at the Anglican Parish of Holy Cross: 2828 – 19 St. N.W.  We collect stamps all year round. The revenue generated from the stamps allow CBS to purchase Bibles for Canadian prison ministry. Ten pounds of stamps equals approximately six Bibles for distribution! A simple way to bring the Word of God to others. 

Please remember in your prayers:

- those who are sick, suffering, fearful or in need, remembering those suffering from COVID-19 and their caregivers, those feeling isolated and those who are vulnerable;  

- for peace within our country, and in the world, remembering the countries of Ukraine and Iran; we pray for areas of unrest and riots, asking for wise discernment in our leaders;

- for Monica, Howard, Terry, Janet, Victoria, Rick and Deb, Donna, Don, Adrian, Caroline, Barbara and Elizabeth;

- for those who have died and those who mourn;

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

- the victims of violence and natural disasters;

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

- refugees, remembering those fleeing the Taliban regime, and those fleeing war in the Ukraine.

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.