“All the persons of faith I know are sinners, doubters, uneven performers. We are secure not because we are sure of ourselves but because we trust that God is sure of us”  —Eugene Peterson

When reading this quote it seems almost uncomfortable that “God is sure of me”! That is maybe why sometimes thinking missionally can feel uncomfortable.

How could I possibly be smart enough, faithful enough, (fill in the blank) to share the Gospel with someone else?

Well, who are you not to! If God is sure of you, then we can be sure that God can work through our words and deeds to share the Gospel with others.

We are pleased to welcome back Archbishop Greg after his three-month sabbatical!  He spent a restful five weeks attending an Ignatician Silent Retreat at St. Beuno's Retreat Centre in Wales, and ten days in Covington, Louisianna attending a men's retreat and taking in the sights in New Orleans.  His return had him retreating again, this time to his home for the fourteen days of self-isolation following his trip south.  Many of you may have tuned into his Lenten Devotional from Covington, or leading Morning Prayer from his home.  His anticipated return date was to be April 13, but given these unprecedented times, he has returned earlier.  He has been missed, and we eagerly look forward to his guidance and leadership of our Diocese in the days to come.

A big thank you goes out to Dean Leighton Lee and the Venerable Pilar Gateman for all their efforts in a miriad of ways during Archbishop Greg's absence. We are truly blessed by such capable and Godly leadership during these uncertain days.

This week we lift up and pray for our hospital & prison chaplains. 

Thank you for all your faithful service in these peculiar times.

We appreciate all you are doing to keep the faith and encourage the hope we have in Christ Jesus.

Thank you also for your patience with all of us in the Diocesan Office as we attempt to do our very best for each of you.

We send you our loving support.

It is with great affection and appreciation that we send you a note of thanks and support. This is an extraordinary time and literally everything in our lives is being stripped away and we strive to find new stable ground on which to stand. You, chaplains, are on the front lines of this situation and we honour you and express our deepest appreciation.  

Here is our prayer for you, our chaplains:

May you be the light of Christ for others in a time of great darkness for some. 
May you know the light of Christ in a way that brings you peace and courage. 
May you be assured of our prayers and support. 

May you remember that you carry with you the antidote to fear... hope — in the one who when everything else is stripped away, holds us tenderly in the palm of his hand.

Here is a simple Easter Vigil service for families, individuals or small groups who want to celebrate an at-home-vigil. Though we cannot all be together, the Lord Is still with us.

[This resource has been approved for use in the Diocese of Calgary by Archbishop Greg Kerr-Wilson.]

Send David your links to add to our online list.

at communications@calgary.anglican.ca

Two new Regional Deans: 

We are pleased to announce the appointment of The Rev. David Pickett, of Christ Church, Calgary, as the new Regional Dean of Glenmore Deanery, and The Rev. Dr. Robert Sears, of St. John, Olds and St. Cyprian, Lacombe,  as the new Regional Dean of Red Deer/Drumheller Deanery.  We ask God's blessing on them as they begin these new ministries.

Clergy Conference:

This year's Conference has been cancelled due to the rapidly changing circumstances.

ACPO Conference:

This year's conference has been cancelled.

78th Convention of Synod:

This year's Synod is now planned to take place October 23 and 24.

Deadline for Synod Documents:

The April 1 deadline for reception of the following Synod-related documents has been extended until September 1: 

-- Written reports from Committee chairs, for publication in the Convening Circular.

-- Biographies from all persons wishing to put their name forward as Nominees for the Election of Delegates for Diocesan Council, Provincial Synod and General Synod (both clergy and laity).

These items can be forwarded to diocese@calgary.anglican.ca

Town Halls:

If anyone is interested in the recording from a previous town hall, please contact  cmoore@calgary.anglican.ca and she will provide you with a link to that video as well as the handouts and resources used that day.

Be aware of an email phishing scam:

If you receive an email from clergy or staff to get in touch urgently, PLEASE check the email address carefully. There is a scam targeting churches with emails first requesting urgent contact followed by a request to purchase gift cards. Contact details, including names and titles, are being scrapped by the scambots from church websites. 

All non-essential Diocesan meetings will be cancelled until further notice. Anything that is considered essential will be attempted as a video meeting.

Please send your Annual Return to Carol Tubman if you have not already done so.

The Missional Footprint is on the website under “Resources | Documents  | Downloads”.  In the Missional Footprint, each Parish is invited to highlight their activities. The template has been updated and the format is much easier to fill out and to work through.

The Annual Returns can also be accessed here and scrolling to the bottom of the page.  If your parish has not yet submitted your Annual Return, please do so at your earliest convenience.

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

For more information on this position, please contact pgateman@calgary.anglican.ca

Find online events by clicking here.

Do you have news and events from your parish for next week's newsletter? Click here to send them to David by Tuesday noon.

Find online events by clicking here.

Do you have news and events from your parish for next week's newsletter? Click here to send them to David by Tuesday noon.

Find online events by clicking here.

Do you have news and events from your parish for next week's newsletter? Click here to send them to David by Tuesday noon.

Find online events by clicking here.

Do you have news and events from your parish for next week's newsletter? Click here to send them to David by Tuesday noon.

Find online events by clicking here.

- St. Edmund's Food Bank Closed due to CoVid-19: The decision was made to close St. Edmund's Food Bank for the duration of this pandemic crisis.  All of our volunteers are in the high risk categories as are many of our clients, and the space at the Mission Hall is not conducive to allowing the six feet for Social Distancing.  The other big issue for our little Food Bank is picking up more groceries with our volunteers in self-isolation.  We are monitoring the voicemail at the Food Bank and the church, and will respond to any emergencies on a case-by-case basis.  It is hoped the Calgary Food Bank will reopen soon with their new protocols in place to help people in this time of great need.

Note: we are not accepting donations of food items at this time.  If you have already done a food drive, please contact us at email@stedmundscalgary.org and we will make arrangements to receive them.  We will let everyone know when we re-open and if we have donation needs at that time.  Please keep all our usual clientele and volunteers in your thoughts and prayers in the coming weeks.  Stay safe!

 Do you have news and events from your parish for next week's newsletter? Click here to send them to David by Tuesday noon.

This year's international launch of Thy Kingdom Come, the global ecumenical prayer movement, took place at Lambeth Palace. The event runs from Pentecost to Ascension (May 21-31) and will involve more than 90 percent of countries around the world.

Save the dates:

Christine Conkin of St. Andrew's and Anna Greenwood-Lee of St. Laurence will teaching a course at Sorrento Retreat Centre from July 5 - 11 entitled "The Turbulent 2020s: A Theological Field Guide".  Click here for more information.

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

For more information on the Wisdom Centre, click here.

All Saints Retreat Centre is located in The Parish House, a beautiful space next door to All Saints Anglican Church in Cochrane set aside for programs and outreach.  There are rooms available for meeting on two levels, with both inside and outside areas to enjoy.  It would be a lovely spot to hold a Parish Council meeting, Small Group Retreat, or any other gathering.  For more information or a tour of the facility, please contact Elizabeth Short at (403) 660-5636 or email allsaintsretreatcentre@outlook.com

What's Happening Next Door at The Parish House?: 

Sacred Space CoWorking: We have opened an ecumenical sacred co-working space for those who need a professional work setting free of distractions that holds both productivity and spirituality as equally important. If you are interested or would like a tour of the facility, please contact Elizabeth Short at (403) 660-5636 or email 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.

Walking into Holy Week: Saturday, April 4: This event has been cancelled.

Group Marriage Preparation Workshop: Saturday, May 2, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. This workshop is now full.  A second workshop has been scheduled for Saturday, June 13, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.  The workshops involve short presentations followed by guided couple communication exercises on communication, conflict management, family of origin, intimacy and sexuality, goals, finances, and spirituality. For further information and registration, go to www.relatewellcounselling.ca

April 1, 2020

Dear Friends,  

During these unsettling times, we at the Anglican Foundation are aware of how challenging these days are for you, your families and colleagues, your diocese, and the church.

Many of us are appreciative of the countless ways you and your parish communities are reaching out to bring the prayers of the church into people’s homes, and to provide the hope and peace of our faith.  

We want you to know that we stand ready to offer whatever help we can during this pandemic. We have extended to loanees the repayment period and suspended interest charges on loans outstanding with AFC. We are looking carefully at our funds under management to have emergency funds available as necessary.  

We want you to know that you are in our prayers each day. We are all in this together, and we trust that our thoughts and prayers for one another at this time will provide comfort and reassurance.  

On the slider of the AFC website, you will find a link to Dear God: Prayers for young children. These four daily prayers for children and families written by AFC’s Executive Director are available for your use, whatever your age, to pause four times each day to be thankful and to think of others. When the AFC Store on the website re-opens, we would be happy to send you a physical copy of the book.  

Clearly, we are having a pause in some of our activities, but we are all working remotely to ensure that the ministry of AFC continues as fulsomely as possible. If we can be of any assistance to you, please feel welcome to contact us at foundation@anglicanfoundation.org.   

Please remember in your prayers:

- our clergy and churches as we find our way forward in these strange days;

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

- 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.