• Those who are sick or suffering: Daphne, Jim, Amy, Donna.
• Those who have died; and those who mourn.
• Our brothers and sisters in Christ from Treaty Six and Treaty Eight First Nations.
• Bishop Sixbert and the Diocese of Buyé (Twinned Parishes).
• Request a prayer Click here to let us know what you would like 'pray-ers' in the diocese to pray for. We will use first names only which will be removed after two or three weeks.

The Synod Office will be closed December 24-January 2. We will be checking messages and email though, in case you need to reach us. 

Whether she is visiting the parishes in the diocese, leading and educating the community, providing pastoral support to the clergy, or representing the diocese in the Anglican Communion, our Bishop is always on the move! Here are some of the upcoming events which Bishop Jane will be attending:
-December 23: Parish visit, Good Shepherd, Edmonton
-December 24: Christmas Eve service, All Saints' Anglican Cathedral
-December 30: Baptism, St. Mark-Jieng, Edmonton

Since 1999, No Room in the Inn has led a highly successful cross-denominational Christmas campaign to raise money for housing and housing improvements for those in need. No Room in the Inn is inspired by the story of Mary and Joseph, who arrived in Bethlehem to discover there was no room at the inn for them. They found a place in a stable, where they welcomed their son, Jesus. No one in our community should be without safe, adequate housing.  

It is our pleasure to announce that Bishop Jane Alexander intends, God willing, to ordain to the priesthood the Rev. Eric Kregel, deacon-in-charge of St. George, Fort Saskatchewan; and the Rev. Danielle Lepine, assistant curate at Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Edmonton; Friday, February 1, 2019, the Eve of the Presentation of the Lord, 7:00 pm, at All Saints' Anglican Cathedral, Edmonton. Your prayers and presence are requested. Clergy are invited to vest. The colour is white.

Wondering what to do with that car or motorcycle sitting idle in your garage? The Edmonton diocese’s new partnership with Donate A Car Canada enables you to donate your car, truck, RV, boat, or motorcycle to be recycled or sold at auction (depending on its condition, age and location).

The Edmonton diocese is in need of a volunteer to help with our refugee sponsorship ministry.

Gail Millard, refugee sponsorship coordinator for the Edmonton diocese, is seeking assistance with the process of submitting applications on behalf of sponsored families. 

This person should be familiar with computer programs like Adobe Premiere and Microsoft Office and be able to help Gail approximately one day/month, with the likelihood of more hours when she is away in January, 2019.

If you can share your organizational and administrative gifts to assist refugee families, please contact Bishop Jane Alexander at the Synod Office: 780-439-7344, or email: bishop@edmonton.anglican.ca

As Partners for Life, members of the diocese can team up to give blood through the Canadian Blood Services (CBS) Program. We need some new donors, so if you have any spare time through the holiday season, use it to give the gift of life. To sign up and join "Team Anglican," Click here. Our Partner ID is ANGL696986. 

To donate blood, call: 1-888-236-6283 or click below for more information, including mobile clinics in rural areas.

An EfM Mentor Training event will be held in Edmonton from Monday afternoon, January 21 to noon Wednesday, January 23. This is open all clergy and EfM graduates who wish to learn about the program and possibly become accredited as group mentors. Interested people should contact the Rev. Robin Walker, Diocesan EfM Co-ordinator at robin_walker1948@outlook.com. Note that space is limited, and that accreditation requires attendance at the entire event.

Archbishop Fred Hiltz invites parishes and dioceses across the country to join together in dialogue, prayer and reflection through Conversation Circles. He asks that each circle create a prayer expressing their "heartbeat for the church." The prayers will be shared at General Synod 2019, which is also when Archbishop Hiltz will step down as Primate. Conversation Circles can take place anytime from now until May 7, 2019. Find all you need to know about this initiative on the ACC website.

We at the Synod Office love to share your stories and promote events in the diocese and in your parish. Please send pictures and details often! And to ensure your information can be included the same week, please send it no later than end of day Tuesday. Thank you!

Margaret and Shelly

Contact: 

The Ven. Travis Enright, Archdeacon for Indigenous Ministry: rev.enright@gmail.com / 780-477-5931

Fiona Brownlee, Aboriginal and Rural Communities Liaison: f.brownlee@edmonton.anglican.ca / 780-312-9070

The Rev. Nick Trussell, Urban Reconciliation Facilitator: n.trussell@edmonton.anglican.ca / 780-488-1118

Resources: Please see the Indigenous Ministries section of the diocesan website for leaflets, web links and other resources to help you pray and act for reconciliation. Please see the City of Edmonton Indigenous Relations Office to subscribe to their Community Bulletin.

Please click here to see the most recent newsletter from the Reconciliation Animator for the Anglican Church of Canada. Melanie Delva is tasked with guiding "the overall strategy of the Anglican Church of Canada for implementing the TRC Calls to Action, incorporating the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP) into the life of the church, responding to calls for justice from Indigenous leadership both inside and outside the church, and recognizing and acting on opportunities to act in support of reconciliation at the local, diocesan, and national levels." (ACC website)

Since the conclusion of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) mandate in 2015 and the release of the TRC’s 94 Calls to Action, Anglicans across Canada have been seeking ways to continue the process of truth-telling and healing begun by the TRC. From commemorations, walks and feasts to study groups and social action groups, more and more people are getting involved in this ongoing healing journey. Reconciliation, right relationship, justice-seeking—these are all part of a “trajectory of grace”. There are many places to enter into this journey. Wherever you are at, you will find resources in the Anglican Church of Canada Reconciliation Took Kit to help you either enter into this journey for the first time, or take the next step on that journey. 

J Join St. Joseph’s College and the Faculty of Native Studies for a film screening of In the Spirit of Reconciliation followed by a moderated panel discussion. Panel members will include Fr. Larry Lynn (Film Director), Monique Sabourin (Dene Elder from Ft. Providence), and Dr. Paul Gareau (Faculty of Native Studies). This is a free event open to the public. No RSVP required.  

·  January 29, 2019
·  University of Alberta (ECHA L1-190)
·  5:30-8:30pm

The Rev. Billy Isenor, rector of St. Augustine’s-Parkland Anglican Church, Spruce Grove, welcomed more than 180 people to a dramatic reading of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol on December 15. The evening in support of the Christmas Hamper Drive of the Spruce Grove Kinettes and Stony Plain Kinsmen, featured CBC Radio One personalities Adrienne Pan, Lydia Neufeld, Janice Johnston, Mark Connolly and Rod Kurtz, who told the timeless tale in five staves or sections. Emcee Kim Trynacity said the CBC’s tradition of reading A Christmas Carol spans more than two decades. The idea originated with CBC Toronto newsreader Judy Maddren who began an annual project to stage a spoken-word version of A Christmas Carol in 1990, which has raised more than $5 million for local charities across Canada.

In the new year (2019), St. Mary's Anglican Church, Edmonton, will be starting a new outreach to homeless women who are pregnant. Through a partnership with Espirito Edmonton, a social agency that helps people overcome the barriers of poverty, the parish will transform its former church rectory into a transitional supportive living home for women. The goal of Hagar’s House is to support women during their pregnancy by nurturing their emotional, physical, social, and spiritual well-being; helping them become self-sufficient and find affordable, safe, and stable permanent housing; and teaching them life skills to lower the likelihood they will be without a home again. Hagar’s House is in need of donations of gently used or new items that will make the house a home for the women. Please see the attached PDF for a list of their most needed items.

We all know that Christmas can be a real challenge for a lot of people. The message of the season is one of joy, but that only highlights the pain for many who are dealing with hurt and grief. Several churches throughout the diocese recognize this by offering "Blue Christmas" or "Longest Night" services. Please click below to see a list of services, as gleaned from parish websites.

St. Stephen the Martyr Anglo-Catholic Parish, 11725-93 St, Edmonton, invites you to the following services:

• Friday, December 21: St. Thomas the Apostle – Evensong at 7 pm
• Wednesday, December 26:  St. Stephen the Martyr – High Mass at 10:30 am
• Thursday, December 27: St. John the Apostle & Evangelist – Low Mass at 10:30 am
• Friday, December 28: The Innocents’ Day – Evensong at 7 pm
• Tuesday, January 1: Solemn Evensong with devotions to the Blessed Sacrament at 7 pm

The Anglican/Lutheran parish of Holy Trinity, Edson is seeking a parish priest/pastor to shepherd the community in a new direction as one church with open arms; someone who is enthusiastic about building relationships with the church and the Edson community-at-large. To learn more, please view the Parish Profile or click on the link below.

St. Faith Anglican Church (11725–93 Street NW, Edmonton) needs a Godly Play volunteer to help lead our diverse children's outreach ministry. Our community members have a desire to know and be loved by Jesus. We need someone to teach and show God’s love through play with the children while their parents are in church. If God is calling you please contact the Ven. Travis Enright at 780-887-9710.

Providence Renewal Centre is offering a three-week journey based on the book Ten Evenings with God, by Sr. Ilia Delio, OSF, which invites us to get to know God and to awaken to Divine presence in life’s decisions. We gather in prayer to begin the adventure January 3rd. Then, in the comfort of your home, work through five evenings (chapters) before we gather two weeks later to share. We finish the book and return to celebrate the journey as the month ends. Thursdays: January 3, 17, 31 from 1:30 to 3:30 pm Cost is $60.00 (book not included) Please register by December 20th.

King's University is offering a public access course for the winter term on Tuesday evenings from January 7 - April 17.  Engaging Islam: An Introduction to Religious Dialogue is an opportunity to "Develop an understanding of the social, historical and theological dimensions of contemporary Islam from an insider approach. By the end of the course, students will have a good grasp of the early history of Islam, the subsequent growth of the Muslim community, and contemporary issues. No prior knowledge of Islam needed. Principles of interfaith dialogue will be applied."  POSTER

Begin the year by learning a new skill and engaging in the creative and reflective act of quilting. Our lives, as spiritual journeys, include remnants of experiences. The cutting and piecing involved in quilting provide concrete symbolism for repurposing the scraps of life. As the fragments come together, we will reflect on how prayer is the thread that unites the pieces of our lives. Each participant will complete a table runner made from scraps of donated fabric. Bring your own sewing machine, a small iron, and an open heart. Wednesday, January 16, 2019 from 10:00am - 4:00pm at Providence Renewal Centre, 3005 119 Street, Edmonton. Cost is $135 including lunch. Register by January 9. Space is limited to 12 participants. 

Grounded in the Anglican tradition, Canterbury Foundation is a private, not-for-profit charitable organization in Edmonton that operates three seniors living options on one site. The Canterbury Foundation is located in a quiet community surrounded by mature trees in the Laurier Heights area of west Edmonton. The Foundation has provided quality seniors accommodation and related supportive services for more than 40 years. If interested, see attached Position Profile and apply, by February 15, 2019, to: