“Let the little children come to me and do not stop them…” – Matthew 19:14  

There has been a noticeable decline in the attendance numbers for children and youth in our parishes, which began before COVID came along, but the past years have seen a significant drop.  Parishes that used to have a few dozen children in Sunday School now don’t have any children showing up on any given Sunday.  

In the early church, children were not viewed as being important.  However, Jesus overruled his disciples when they kept the children away from being blessed.  Jesus says, “It is to such as these that the Kingdom of Heaven belongs.” 

One of the key areas that our Missional Coaches focus on is children and youth leadership.  We need churches to take the education of our young people seriously. Children are not only our future. They are our present concern, and God's.  We need to welcome all ages into our services.  We need to embrace the crying baby and the scribbling toddler and the teens with questions.  We need to encourage the parents who do bring their young ones to church.  We need to let young families know that they are important and their children are precious in the sight of the Lord.  

If your parish is in need of a Sunday School revitalization, consider asking the Missional Coaches to hold a workshop.  They would be happy to come alongside and assist in bringing new life into your programs for children and youth.   

Ordinations: 

Archbishop Greg is pleased to announce that, God willing, he will ordain to the Priesthood The Rev. Deacon Adam Bedford.  The Service of Ordination will take place at Christ Church, Calgary, on Sunday, Febuary 5 at 4:30 pm.  Please pray for Adam as he prepares for this new ministry.  Color for this event will be White.

Incumbent for St. George, Calgary:

Archbishop Greg is pleased to announce that, after much diligent, prayerful and thoughtful work by the Search Committee, he will appoint The Rev. Chris Nojonen as the new Incumbent of St. George, Calgary beginning February 15.  Rev. Chris was formerly the priest with the Partners-in-Christ Shared Ministry at Holy Trinity, Rocky Mountain House.  After spending some time in Northern Ontario, she now returns to our Diocese to take on this new role.  Please keep Rev. Chris and the parish of St. George in your prayers as they begin this faith journey together. 

Many thanks are extended to The Rev. Greg Clark who has been serving as Interim Priest at St. George's.  It has been a blessing to have him lead and guide this congregation since 2021.

Clergy Day:

Licensed Clergy are asked to mark their calendars for an in-person gathering on Tuesday, February 14 beginning at 10:00 am.  Location to be determined.

On Wednesday, January 18, Archbishop Greg ordained The Rev. Margaret Hogarth as deacon, at The Church of the Good Shepherd, Calgary.

We celebrate and ask God to bless the new ministry for Rev. Margaret.

On Wednesday, January 25, Archbishop Greg ordained The Rev. Brent Schulze as priest, at St. George, Stettler.

We celebrate and ask God to bless this new ministry for Rev. Brent.

February 3 & 4: Missional Foundation Workshop, St. Augustine, Lethbridge

February 5: Bishop's Visit to All Saints, Cochrane

February 5: Ordination to the Priesthood of Rev. Adam Bedford, Christ Church, Calgary, 4:30 pm

February 9: Anglican Fellowship of Prayer meeting

February 12: Bishop's Visit to Christ Church, Nanton

February 14: Clergy Day, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, location tbd

February 17 to 21: Holidays

February 22 to 26: Retreat Leader in the Diocese of Central Florida

This welcoming parish in Northwest Calgary seeks to grow in faith both as individuals and as a community.  They are involved in a number of projects which support both their members as well as organizations outside the parish.

To find out more about this vibrant parish, please visit their website.

All interested ordained Anglican priests are welcome to request the profile by emailing Executive Officer The Ven. Dr. Pilar Gateman.

Deadline for applications is February 12.

As Parish Administrator, you are responsible for the general facilitation of the church and will be doing  different tasks.

Responsibilities include creation of a newsletter weekly, and program for each service, booking rental spaces and attaining subsequent paperwork, taking minutes monthly at meetings, answering emails and phone calls and directing information. Light bookkeeping and knowledge of being an envelope secretary will be an  advantage.

Skills necessary for this position include computer literacy, familiarity with programs such as Microsoft Word and Excel, and basic technology knowledge. Knowledge on how to make changes and maintain a website are also helpful.

Please call The Rev. Jagdutt Singh at (403) 466-4987 for further details. 

Early in 2022 we had begun the process of moving towards becoming a Mission of the Diocese and turning the buildings over to the diocese.  One of our main concerns was to be able to continue as a church ‘family’ and to continue our outreach in our community – ie., our Food Bank and Christmas Hampers.   We have reached an understanding with the Diocese to continue using the Mission Hall (many of you are familiar with our building located behind the church) for the Food Bank and outreach programs as the Diocese takes over the property and considers how best to utilize it.  The ‘Mission of St Edmunds’ will also use the Mission Hall for lay led worship services and activities.   

We will be having a celebratory Spring Tea on Saturday April 15th (11:00 to 1:00) to mark our continuing evolution and the move from Parish back to Mission and us continuing to ‘Serve Christ and Community.'  Come join us to see how we have retooled the Mission Hall and feel free to take a tour of the Food Bank.  We ask for an RSVP for the free tickets (tickets will be available at the door, space permitting) – call 403-288-6330 or email here. 

Do you have an interest, calling or are just curious about Pastoral Care? Maybe you want to be better equipped to support your church community, friends or your own family. We are all called to care and care deeply, with and for one another. Maybe this is a “brush up” opportunity or time for skill refreshing. Please consider this is an invitation to join us. Together we will reflect on who we are as pastoral caregivers and how we can use what we have to perhaps lessen the burden on another. Pastoral care is in part about intentional listening, reflecting and the ministry of presence, rooted in our love for each other and our faith in Jesus.  

This course is now full but a waiting list has been started.

Dates are: Pastoral Care Course 2023: Tuesdays – February 14, 21, 28, March 7, 14, 21, 28. The time is 6:30 pm – 8:45 pm. 

Please contact Rev. Tracey at pastoralcare@calgary.anglican.ca. Questions are also welcome. 

Are you looking to form a parish Pastoral Care Team, or have one and want to learn from others?  If so, I would invite a member or two-ish from each parish to join us.  

Working with your parish leadership to form, reform or enhance your parish pastoral ministry, we will look to explore some growth and learning areas. Some of our areas of discussion will be around:

~ Assessing your parish needs in a manageable way

~ Team ministry – different models

~ Pastoral responsibilities

~ Working with members of the parish who want to be part of a ministry team

~ Training and mentoring

~ Addressing confidentiality and privacy  

We will have opportunity to learn from each other around the diocese and form a larger pastoral care community. There will be some guest speakers and group discussions.  

When and How: Invitation is to join by Zoom on Saturday, February 11 from 9:30-11:30 am.  

If you are interested, please email The Rev. Tracey Stagg to register and receive a zoom link. Questions are also encouraged. Registration Deadline is February 8, 2023. 

It is no wonder that Jesus sent the disciples two-by-two when going about their ministries. Many times, we find that there are places, movements in our spirit or times of decision, distress or loneliness where we long for a soul companion. This is where a Spiritual Director may be very helpful. Many find them helpful on a regular and ongoing basis.

Here are descriptions of Spiritual Direction from some well-known travellers: 

"...A relationship initiated by a spiritual seeker who finds a mature person of faith willing to pray and respond with wisdom and understanding to his or her questions about how to live spiritually in a world of ambiguity and distraction." - Henri Nouwen 

“What exactly do spiritual directors do? The simple and most direct answer I can give is that they help others attend to God’s presence and revelation and prepare to respond to Him. In other words, they help people attune themselves to God.” - David Benner, Sacred Companions

Please click on this link which will lead you to a listing of Spiritual Directors and ways to connect with them.  

Invitation:   If you are a trained and/or certified Spiritual Director and would like your name specifically listed on our website, please contact diocese@calgary.anglican.ca and provide your Name and Contact Preference as you would like it to be listed (email or phone), and we will happily include you on the list. 

To register, please Click Here.

You can also register by calling St. Martin's at (403) 249-3014 or emailing the church here.

St. Martin's is extending a volunteer opportunity, to have conversations with new English speakers.

Tuesday mornings from 9:30 to 11:00 am, a group will be meeting (until the end of May).  It's fun, interesting and rewarding.

If you are interested, please contact Martha by email.

A coat company in Calgary called Warm became aware that hundreds of people in our city have no winter coat this year.

They have created a purchasing incentive called "Love is Warm."  Their mission is to reduce the number of people in our city without an adequate winter coat to zero. 

When you purchase a coat from this company, you get a reliable, warm winter coat you can count on, and it provides the same thing for someone in dire need.  One for one; same coat, same warmth.  Warm works with registered Canadian charities to allocate coats to people who really need it.  Project Warmth Society of Alberta is their current partner this winter.

Don't need a new coat, but still want to help?  Warm also has hoodies!  Each hoodie contributes to putting more winter coats on people without one.  These hoodies are lined with polar fleece and are sure to be your new favourite hoodie.

To find out more, visit their website or click here to begin your order.

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 spirit among us.

Friday, March 31 beginning at 6:00 pm to Sunday, April 2 after lunch, held at the Entheos Retreat Centre.

The theme this year is "Being in the Presence of God: Where Christian and Celtic Spirituality Join."

The Session Leader and Worship Leader will be The Rev. MJ Leewis-Kirk.  The weekend will include sessions with MJ, small group discussions, lunch breaks and some craft time together, as well as singing, worship, fellowship, and the usual free time on Saturday afternoon.

Early Registration Fees: $250 for Double Occupancy or $270 for Single Occupancy.  Deadline for registration is March 17 and a non-refundable $100 deposit is required.  Late registration fees are $270 for double occupancy or $290 for single occupancy.

Learn more on their website.  

The United Nations World Interfaith Harmony Week runs from Wednesday, February 1 to Tuesday, February 7.

Wednesday, Feb. 1: Opening Ceremony: 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm, Atrium at City Hall.  Greetings from Mayor Jyoti Gondek, with Calgary Interfaith Council members and friends.

Thursday, Feb. 2: Strangers to Neighbours Potluck (details in poster above).

Friday, Feb. 3: Attending to Spirit: Spirituality and Childhood Hope in Chronic Illness: 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm.  Dr. Duane Bidwell, 2023 Chair of Christian Thought, Swanson Lecture in Christian Spirituality.  Link here.

Sunday, Feb. 5: CIC Interfaith Discovery: 4:00 pm to 5:15 pm, via Zoom. Sharing wisdom from our traditions and stories from our lives, Register here.

Tuesday, Feb. 7: Interfaith Habitat for Humanity Build, 8:30 am to 4:00 pm.  Details to come.

Tueday, Feb. 7: UNWIHW Closing Ceremony: 7:00 pm, via Zoom.  Join us virtually in a time of sharing and remembering together.  Register here.

We are hosting an Open House on February 9 from 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. Explore campus, engage with faculty and staff and discover a variety of student services. Refer a student to attend in person and they will receive some Ambrose Swag! To refer a student, tell them to say, “An Ambrose Alumni referred me” at registration to receive their gift. 

Come join us for rewarding work in a positive and enriching environment.

We are building a dynamic team of young people to help make the "Summer at Sorrento Centre" experience extraordinary...not just for our guests (from the littlest to our elders) but for the summer youthy staff, too!  We are seeking enthusiastic, energetic, and motivated individuals to join our summer youth staff during summer.

Take a look at this lineup of exciting full-time jobs for youth aged 16 to 30.  Here's a chance for young people to gain valuable paid work experience and build employability skills for the future.

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, Cathy, and Cathie;

- for those who have died and those who mourn;

- for the poor, the homeless, and 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.