Our Diocesan Vision Statement: To be a church that is inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit; a church that reflects the virtue and grace of Jesus; a church reaching out to proclaim God's love to a broken world. 

"Grant, O Lord, that all who are baptized into the death of Jesus Christ your Son may live in the power of his resurrection and look for him to come again in glory; who lives and reigns now and forever.  Amen."  BAS Rite of Holy Baptism, p. 156

In our Baptismal Covenant, we answer promises about continuing in the Apostles' teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread and in prayers.  We also promise to "...proclaim by word and example the good news of God in Christ" and answer these statements with the words, "I will with God's help."

How do these things to which we have all promised find their way into your daily life and practice?

✨ Listen to Advent reflections
✨from The Rev. Dr. Kyle Norman
✨Dean of Palliser

Ordination:

Seth Enriquez is to be ordained to the Transitional Diaconate at the Cathedral Church of the Redeemer on Sunday, February 2^nd at 4 pm.  Colour will be White.

Retirement:

After forty years of ministry in the Diocese of Calgary, The Rev. Gordon Jackson, currently serving at St. Clement, Balzac, will be retiring as of December 31.  We thank him for his faithful leadership and pray that his journey forward will be blessed.

Clergy Movement:

Archbishop Greg is pleased to announce the appointment of The Rev. Gordon Pontifex as Incumbent (part-time) for the parish of St. Luke, Calgary, beginning January 1, 2020.  Please pray for Gordon as he begins this new ministry. The Induction for Rev. Gordon will be held at St. Luke, Calgary on Saturday, January 25 at 10:00 am. [note corrected date]

Sabbatical:

The Diocese Office announces that Archbishop Greg will be on Sabbatical beginning January 1, until March 31.  Part of that time, he will be attending an Ignatian Silent Retreat at St. Beuno's Retreat Centre in Wales.  While he is away from the Diocese, his Commissary will be The Very Rev. Leighton Lee.  We pray that Archbishop Greg's time away will be filled with refreshment and blessing.

78th Convention of Synod:

Archbishop Greg Kerr-Wilson along with the Diocesan Council has announced that the 78th Convention of Synod has been called for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, June 5, 6 and 7, 2020. 

The Diocesan Office will be closed for the holidays from December 21 to January 5.  

Email and postal items will be monitored occasionally.

There will be no Newsletter on December 26 or January 2, but we will return on January 9, 2020.

On behalf of the Diocesan Staff, we wish you a Merry Christmas, and a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.

St. Stephen, Calgary: Incumbent, full time; Job Posting here, Parish Profile here

Holy Trinity, Calgary: Pastor of Youth Ministries, part-time

For more information on these positions, please contact pgateman@calgary.anglican.ca

In 2020, there will be a pilgrimage from Calgary to Taizé and Paris for young adults aged 18-35 from June 26 to July 10, 2020.   Taizé is a wonderful place for young adults to explore their faith, meet other young people from all around the world, and discover more about themselves. After a week in Taize, we'll spend 5 days in Paris. If you have young people in your congregation or in your wider connections, please help spread word of this opportunity. Here are four tools: 1) attached is a powerpoint slide to include in your announcements on a Sunday morning 2 3) also attached are two graphic options for posting on your social media sites or email bulletin found here  4) we have made a 1-minute promo video (see below) - it would be great if you could show this at a suitable time in your services or programs, include in your email bulletins, post on your website and link in your social media: https://youtu.be/3nNZOL84K6E We are producing hard-copy postcards in the near future.  If you'd like postcards delivered or mailed to your church, let me know how many. If there are other resources you'd find helpful, let me know! A few FAQs: - If you register before January 24, the early bird price is $2,400; then until February 28 the price is $3,000 (because of changing airline prices). Details of what these fees include are listed on JourneyToTaize.eventbrite.ca  Registration opens on December 15. There's a $250 deposit to register. 

December 22 - Parish visit to St. John, Claresholm

December 29 - Confirmation service, St. Mark & St. Philip, Calgary, 12:30 pm

Candlelight Vespers - Thursdays at 6:15 pm during Advent:  Join us today, Thursday, December 19, for Vespers by candlelight, sung by the Cathedral Choir. These services are an opportunity for tranquillity and quiet reflection at the end of the workday during the busy December season. The modern BAS order of Evening Prayer is blended with ancient Gregorian Chant creating the perfect atmosphere for meditation. These services last approximately 30 minutes. (Please note: Incense is used.)

Services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day: Tuesday, December 24 at 4:00 pm: Family Service and Blessing of the Crèche.  (Please note: There is no Eucharist at the Family Service) Tuesday, December 24 at 10:30 pm: Candlelight Choral Eucharist featuring the music of Watson Henderson, Darke, and Ledger. Preacher: Archbishop Greg Kerr-Wilson. Wednesday, December 25 Christmas Day at 10:30 am: Procession and Sung Eucharist featuring the music of Hurd and Cockburn. Preacher: Dean Leighton Lee (Please note: Incense is used)

Details of all of these and other services during December can be found on the Cathedral web site here.     

December 22 - Lessons & Carols, St. Peter, Okotoks, 7:00 pm

December 24 - Christmas Eve Service, (Communion, Carols & Candlelight), Christ Church, Nanton, 4:30 pm

December 24 - Children's Crib Service, St. Peter, Okotoks, 6:00 pm

December 24 - Christmas Eve Worship, St. Peter, Okotoks, 7:00 pm

December 25 - Christmas Day Worship, St. Peter, Okotoks, 10:00 am

Sunday, December 22, 10:00 am - Lessons & Carols Service

Tuesday, December 24, 9:30 pm - Christmas Eve Service preceded by Carols at 9:00 pm.

St. Edmund, Calgary:

St. Edmund's Food Bank is in need of Donations: With the start of the cold weather, we have seen a large uptick in the number of requests for our Food Bank.  Looking ahead at planning for our Annual Christmas Hamper program, we are putting out an appeal for assistance!  We are in need of canned products (canned meats, vegetables, pasta, soups, etc.) as well as things like pasta, cereals, dry soups, etc.  We also need things for children's lunches: juice boxes, granola bars (nut-free), puddings, fruit cups, cookies, cheese strings, etc.  Personal items are always welcome (toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, etc.) as well as pet supplies (food, kitty litter, treats).  We also appreciate donations in cash or by cheque so that we can purchase those items that we are in greatest need of.  Donations may be dropped off during Food Bank hours (9:30 - 11:30 am, Mondays and Thursdays) or by appointment by calling (403) 288-6330 or (403) 239-5266.

Food Bank Appeal: Rising costs have caused one of our food sources, Spinz Around, a division of Community Kitchen, to raise costs from $50 per year to $1200 per year starting in January.  We are in need of support to be able to continue stocking our shelves!  We are looking for individuals, parishes, or organizations that would be willing to 'sponsor us' - be it for a week ($25), a month ($100) or for transportation costs ($300/yr).  As we operate on a tight budget (we are 100% donor sponsored) it is going to be very difficult for us to add another $1200 to our expenses for 2020.  We hope to get enough people to come forward with donations so that we can continue using Spinz Around as our supplier - we get thousands of dollars' worth of groceries in return for our annual fee.  Please email us at email@stedmundscalgary.org or call (403) 615-0651 for sponsorship.

   The Refugee Support Group is looking for sponsors to help with the following refugee family.  

Family size: 3,  Country of Origin: Iraq,   language(s) spoken: Kurdish  

A 37-year-old Iraqi mother and her two children arrived in early 2019 in Calgary accompanied by her brother and his family. Due to her traumatic background, and because she is a single parent in a new and unfamiliar environment, the mother struggles with raising her children. The mother is highly dependent on her brother for emotional support as he is the only male in the household. The mother also worries for the well-being of family members they were forced to leave behind in Iraq.

A sponsor could provide the family with the assistance they need to reduce their feelings of isolation and loneliness. The sponsor could assist the mother in accessing resources in the community which will increase her overall independence and confidence. 

For more information on sponsorship contact the refugee support group by email at anglicancalgaryrefugee@gmail.com  

Andre Visscher, Refugee Ministry Coordinator of the Anglican Diocese of Calgary  

This is the fourth year for Anglicans on the Move participating in the walk to raise funds for Feed the Hungry and Kairos low-income housing in Calgary. The date is February 22, and the Anglicans on the Move team will be joining hundreds of other walkers in Calgary and thousands of Canadians across the country to support and serve hungry, homeless, and hurting people and families in our community.

The Cursillo Community is reminded that the Annual General Meeting is scheduled for January 10, at 7:30 pm at St. Barnabas Anglican Church, Calgary.  Please plan to attend.

The P.O.V. Café is a new initiative offered by the Church of the Good Shepherd. Every couple of months, an opportunity is offered to explore topics that affect the communities in which we live, work, and play. Each event features a presentation followed by discussion so that our broadened perspective might influence how we respond and relate to others. Open to anyone who wishes to participate, there is no charge for the evening. Coffee and tea are provided along with the option to purchase beer and wine. Everything gets started at 6:30 pm.  

On Friday, January 3rd, we’ll be discussing psychological trauma. Traumatic events happen to people of all ages and across all socio-economic strata in our communities. Certified trauma counsellor Susan Brandt will speak about this major public health issue, covering the basics of trauma, the types of trauma, and how it can affect us. She’ll also introduce self-help and coping strategies. 

Matthew Fox, January 17-19.  Matthew is a spiritual theologian, an Episcopal/Anglican priest and an activist for gender justice and eco-justice.  Author of 37 books, he is one of the most important theologians of our time, and it is a real coup that we have persuaded him to come to Calgary. 

Friday, January 17, 7:00 pm Public Lecture: Awe and Wonder in a Secular World;

Saturday, January 18, 9:30 am to 3:00 pm Workshop: Mystical Activism; Sunday,

January 19, 10:00 am, Matthew will preach at St. Laurence Anglican Church.

More info on Matthew can be found here.  More info on Matthew's events at St. Laurence can be found here. 

Save the dates:

Dave Hines, March 6-8: Wayfinding as Life: Disorientation and Reorientation.

Matthew Wright, May 5-8: Four-day Retreat at Kingsfold Retreat Centre

Pip Nicolls, September 17-20, 2020: Three-day Retreat at Kingsfold Retreat Centre

For more information on the Wisdom Centre, click here.

The All Saints Family Centre Society is a registered non-profit society connected to All Saints Anglican Church in Cochrane, providing community outreach.  We offer a variety of courses, workshops and retreats, as well as space for rent for courses, speakers and retreat days.  For more information or a tour of the facility, please contact Elizabeth Short at (403) 660-5636, or email Karen and Elizabeth at allsaintsretreatcentre@outlook.com

What's Happening Next Door at the Retreat Centre?: 

Sacred Space CoWorking: We have opened an ecumenical sacred co-working space for those who need a professional work setting free of distractions. The start date for our free pilot project has begun, with the space opening up for a fee starting in January.  If you are interested or would like a tour of the facility, please contact Elizabeth Short at (403) 660-5636 or send an email to allsaintsretreatcentre@outlook.com. You can also click here for more detailed information, pictures and pricing.

Spiritual Direction: We are excited to introduce Karen Wold who is a Spiritual Director and part of the Ministry Team for All Saints Retreat Centre.  For more information on what she has to offer or to get her contact information, please click here.

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. NW).  We collect stamps all year round but here is a timely nudge about the important work of the Canadian Bible Society during a season when the much-loved tradition of the Christmas card exchange takes place. The revenue generated from the stamps allows CBS to purchase Bibles for Canadian prison ministry. Ten pounds of stamps equals approximately six Bibles for distribution! This is a simple way to bring the Word of God to others. For more information, click here.

Rev. Larry Keddie asks our prayers for ongoing and challenging medical issues.

Please remember in your prayers:

- those who are sick or suffering,

- those who have died and those who mourn

- the victims of the violence and natural disasters

- our Companion Diocese of the Windward Islands, and their Bishop Leopold Friday

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 communications@calgary.anglican.ca.