The Diocese Office will be moving to the church building of the former parish of St. Edmund, King & Martyr in the community of Bowness.  Renovations are well underway, and we anticipate the physical move to occur in the last week of  April.

The new address will be: 8336 - 34 Avenue NW, Calgary, AB, T3B 1R2.  Email addresses and phone numbers will remain the same.  Please take a moment to add this in your contacts or mail out lists.

We ask that the Diocese be patient during the moving week as we may have computers and phones down for a few days.  Also we would appreciate your prayers for a smooth transition for all involved as the move date draws closer.

Annual Returns:

All parishes are reminded to hold their Annual Meeting of Parishioners before the end of this month.  Annual Returns are to be submitted to the Diocese Office within fourteen days of the AMP.  The forms can 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.

Archdeacon of Macleod:

The Ven. Alan Getty is taking a leave of absence from his duties as Archdeacon of Macleod for the next year.  We pray for his ongoing increase of health in the meantime.

February 20 - Anglican Fellowship of Prayer Committee

February 22 - Parish Council Retreat at St. Peter, Calgary

February 23 - Bishop's Visit to St. George-in-the-Pines, Banff

February 25 - Blackfoot Translation Gathering in Strathmore

February 26 - Legislative Committee

February 27 - St. Ambrose, Redcliff Parish Meeting

March 2 - Confirmation Service at St. Peter, Okotoks

March 5 - Ash Wednesday Evening Service at All Saints, Cochrane

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

Start Date: May 1, 2025 (negotiable)

Christ Church is seeking a passionate and dynamic individual to oversee our Children, Youth & Family Ministries.  This half-time position offers an exciting opportunity to lead a group of invested volunteers, and play a key role in nurturing the spiritual formation of the next generation.

Part-time (20 hours a week)

Flexibility in hours, including some evenings and weekends for ministry events.

Competitive salary and benefits (commensurate with experience).

For the full job description, please click here.

To apply, please send a cover letter, resume, and references to Rev. Brandon Witwer, by March 28,2025.

The wait is over.

St. Peter, Calgary is offering three in-person Bible studies to help you dig deeper into the Scriptures this Lent, and registration is now open. 

On Thursdays evenings starting February 20, Alpha Pastor Karen Petkau will lead Get Out of Your Head – a women's Bible study on Philippians that looks at how we can change the way we think when we submit our minds to Christ. Click here to register.

On Friday evenings starting February 21, Youth Assistant Liam Getty will facilitate Outside the Spotlight – a journey through some of the lesser-read parts of the Bible; the historic, the enigmatic, the brutal. Come not to be taught but to explore... Click here to register.

And on Saturday mornings starting March 1, Associate Priest Rev. Rob Petkau will lead Psalms for Guys – a walk through the Psalms that aims to shed light on what it looks like to be a man of prayer; to pray like a man after God's own heart. Click here to register.

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!

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.

The upcoming Cursillo Weekend will run from the evening of Friday, April 4 through to the afternoon of Sunday, April 6 at the Entheos Retreat Centre near Bragg Creek.  This co-ed Weekend features a series of informative and inspiring talks from laypeople and clergy, small group discussions, worship, and fellowship.  Both men and women may attend; however, this is not a "couples weekend."  

For more information, please visit the Cursillo website at www.cursillo.ab.ca

Did you know that the Diocesan Refugee Support Group ….

• has been formally supporting refugees since the 1980s in response to the Vietnamese “boat people” crisis?
• housed and supported more than 80 women at risk and their children through Project Daybreak between 1996 and 2008?
• has welcomed newcomers from Guatemala, El Salvador, Vietnam, Iran, Ethiopia, Pakistan, Kurdistan, Afghanistan, Bosnia, Somalia, Sudan, Chechnya, Iraq, Uganda, Eritrea, Liberia, Nepal, Myanmar, and Syria?
• has facilitated the settlement of more than 1045 newcomers in southern Alberta to date?
• is a Sponsorship Agreement Holder (SAH) with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)? This legal arrangement allows us to work with community members to sponsor and settle refugees in Southern Alberta.
• is allocated a certain number of spaces each year for sponsored refugee applicants?
• currently employs one paid full-time staff (SAH Coordinator) who works with a dedicated committee to invite, review, submit, and support applications for refugee sponsorship from interested parishes, community members, and groups?
• supports and encourages community sponsors to undergo training that enhances their capacity to welcome and settle newcomers?
• since December 2024, in conjunction with the parish of St. James’ Calgary, has welcomed and is actively sponsoring a family of 5 from Sudan?
• has worked with the Parish of Holy Nativity, Calgary which kindly supported a newcomer family by donating furniture and household goods and generously supplied gift cards to several families at Christmas?
• has benefited from the kind donations by individuals and families for the settlement of our newcomers?

The Anglican Diocese of Calgary Refugee Support Group has, for many years, been quietly serving the complex needs of newcomers as they leave behind some of the most desperate conditions imaginable. Compassionate, supportive, and welcoming communities are critical to the wellbeing and success of these families.  If this is a mission that calls you, please reach out to us at refugee@calgary.anglican.ca to find out more about what we do and different ways you or your parish can be involved in this worthwhile ministry!

Next Month: a Newcomer’s story;  Who is a Refugee?

Lent calls us to practice almsgiving. It invites us to examine ourselves honestly on how subtly we have accepted society’s addiction to possessions, to affluence. Through the days of Lent, we are encouraged to focus our eyes on Jesus who gave his whole life in faithfulness to God, giving his life totally out of love for all. As we keep that clear focus, we join our life in the loving intention of Jesus to give himself for all (Anglican Fellowship of Prayer, Keeping a Holy Lent: www.anglicanprayer.org)

We invite you to join us in making the Bishop Nathaniel Garang Training Centre a reality in South Sudan. Our goal is to raise $100,000 to build four classrooms, a computer laboratory, a Library, a Principal’s Office, Washrooms and a Cafeteria by the end of 2025/2026.

WHY IS THIS CENTRE IMPORTANT?

TRAINING: We will facilitate the preparation, development and teaching of the South Sudanese clergy, and lay church and community leaders, laying the foundation for spiritual transformation and empowerment, and institutional accountability through mentorship and theological formation.

EMPOWERMENT: We will provide access for quality education, leadership and theological training, leading to the acquisition of knowledge and skills that enable South Sudanese church and community leaders to become competitive for employment within and outside the church and to alleviate the inequalities of access to education and leadership in the local community.

EXPERIENCE: We will enable the exchange of knowledge between the Bishop Nathaniel Garang Training Centre and colleges and dioceses in Canada, whereby the students from Canadian Anglican theological colleges and dioceses may visit South Sudan to live and share the practical experience with the students at the centre and other believers from different cultural backgrounds.

Click here to watch Rev. Nathaniel Athian Deng Mayen speak about the construction project and the role of the partners: Lenten appeal video

Donate through your respective Diocese of Qu’Appelle or the Diocese of Calgary websites, OR:

• SEND a cheque payable to Southdove Training Services Inc, OR
• SEND an e-transfer to southdove22@gmail.com  
• Mark your donation “Bishop Nathaniel Training Centre”

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!  

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.

This three-day silent retreat will have the theme, this year, of Celebrate Sacred Space - Pilgrims of Hope.

More information will be forthcoming.

The Diocese of Islands and Inlets (British Columbia) announces an event to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Priesting of Women in the Anglican Church of Canada.

The location will be in beautiful Victoria, BC from November 23 to 26, 2026 (travel days inclusive).  Planning is in the early stages.  We invite the dioceses across Canada to consider setting aside funds to assist interested women priests to come and be part of this historic celebration.

More information will be published as available.  For information, please contact The Rev'd Canon Jeannine Friesen.

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 upcoming General Synod in June.  Please pray for all who are organizing, and all delegates and volunteers, especially the delegates attending from our Diocese;

- for the Windward Islands recovering from Hurricane Beryl;

- 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, Gloria, Joan, James, Jason and Danielle;

- 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.

The views and opinions contained in Newsletter items provided by individuals or groups for advertisement belong solely to those individuals/groups and do not reflect the views, opinions or beliefs of the Anglican Diocese of Calgary.