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Please Remember in Your Prayers this Week
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DIOCESAN AND PARISH NEWS
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Diocesan Appointment
Bishop Jane Alexander is pleased to appoint the Rev. Clare Stewart as Interim Vicar of All Saint's Anglican Cathedral in Edmonton, effective June 1, 2020. |
Changing of the GuardICPM to welcome new Pastor A changing of the guard is coming soon to the vital work of Edmonton’s Inner City Pastoral Ministry (ICPM). After many years providing pastoral leadership to ICPM, the Rev. Rick Chapman will retire May 31. Stepping into the role will be the Rev. Quinn Strikwerda, currently Vicar of All Saints’ Anglican Cathedral. Pastor Rick is thrilled Rev. Quinn was selected for the position of Pastor, saying, “His ability to be present with urban core community, people marginalised, with spiritual needs, living with the effects of poverty and at times the challenges of mental health and addictions, will be a tremendous asset to this invaluable ‘ministry of presence’ within the inner city.” For more infomation visit:
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Buye Diocese Raising Awareness for COVID-19 Spread Prevention
In an email to diocesan treasurer the Rev. John Gee, on April 17, Bishop Sixbert Macumi shared the following message about the ways Buyé diocese is raising awareness for preventing the spread of COVID-19. I hope this finds you all well and safe! In the Diocese of Buyé we are well, and safe. Priests and their families are well, and free from COVID-19 infection. So far, in Burundi, we have five cases of COVID-19, and all are from Bujumbura, the economic capital of our country. The measures in place to face this global pandemic are still regular hand-washing and not hugging or shaking hands. The government is monitoring its spread for subsequent other measures, and churches are called to join the government in the COVID-19 fight by bringing their contributions. For more infomation visit: http://edmonton.anglican.ca/news/buye-diocese-raising-awareness-for-covid-19-spread-prevention
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Unexpected Blessingsfrom St. Patrick's Anglican Church in Whitecourt This has been a time of challenges and blessings for the parish of St. Patrick’s in Whitecourt, and for me as their priest. As a rural parish, we have the challenge of an unfriendly technology which often simply repeats, “Your connection is not stable!” Due to this problem, we decided to go a different route during the Covid-19 pandemic, in reaching out to our own people and to others. Our first task was to ensure that Vestry members all received a list of people to contact on a regular basis (at least once a week), to notify them of my plan to send out regular reflections, etc. and to ask for their email addresses. Although we saw this as a challenge, it has become a wonderful blessing! Those who are phoning are enjoying new relationships with others and those receiving the calls are thankful that someone is reaching out to them; God is blessing both! For more infomation visit:
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St. Matthew's Easter Surprise
On April 12, Easter Sunday morning, Archdeacon Lee Bezanson, along with a worship team consisting of Lisa and Matthew Furry and Angela Bokenfohr, gathered at St. Matthew’s Anglican Church in St. Albert to present what has become their weekly church service live-streamed on Facebook. At the end of the service, however, the worship team had a surprise in store for Archdeacon Lee. They pulled up a chair and continued to live-stream as he watched a video presentation of Easter sentiments from parishioners. It was a touching and inspiring moment for all. Angela Bokenfohr describes how it came to be: Everyone can think of that person in their lives who goes out of their way to be hospitable: greets you with a smile, embraces you in a hearty handshake and asks with sincerity the age-old question, “how was your week?” The person who immediately comes to mind for us at St. Matthew’s Anglican Church in St. Albert is our rector, Archdeacon Lee Bezanson... For more infomation visit: http://edmonton.anglican.ca/news/st-matthews-easter-surprise
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Another busy Wednesday at Manna Market!
Demand for affordable, fresh produce is as high as it has ever been. After being open for a mere 20 minutes on Wednesday, April 22, Manna Market had but a few bags left. The Very Rev. Alex Meek and the Rev. Quinn Strikwerda, Cathedral Dean and Vicar, were busy sending out bags of pre-packaged groceries with volunteers to deliver to people in self-isolation. |
Trinity Youth Project Supporting Community During COVID-19 CrisisYouth baking program supplies buns for Manna Market and PrayerWorks food ministries Driven by creativity and resourcefulness, Trinity Youth Project (TYP) has adapted its ministry to continue to meet the needs of vulnerable members of society in these uncertain times. TYP continues to provide employment opportunities through its baking program which also now supports food ministries in the Edmonton diocese. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the TYP baking program catered church functions, from coffee hours to synods, and was a regular contributor to city markets. Now it has been adapted to help meet urgent food security needs. For more infomation visit: http://edmonton.anglican.ca/news/trinity-youth-project-supporting-community-during-covid-19-crisis
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Jesus and the Pre-schoolerPublished by Sara Kate Edwards-Smith, April 17, on 'Thoughts for Saints' blog I look at my 4 year old and wonder constantly how he must be processing this whole change. We tried to work through a kind of home schooling routine the first two weeks, but frankly, that was a waste of the time we were being given together. His attention span and sensitive feelings come from me and I knew this was the wrong way to support him. This wasn’t about him knowing his letters inside and out before kindergarten or writing his name. It was and is, all about love. That enveloping, wrapped up in a blanket of warmth love.
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Be Still and Knowa personal reflection in a time of pandemic "Be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10) is my favourite verse from the bible. During this time of uncertainty they are words that I repeat often. I am blessed to be isolated with two of my daughters so I am not alone. When the girls are working, I am enjoying the antics of a new puppy, Jake, and seeing tolerance in action on the part of Ron, the cat. I am still, and I see God in these innocent animals. The challenge for me during this pandemic is the physical distancing... For more infomation visit:
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What is it like for you to live through these strange days?
Your working-from-home diocesan staff, curators and content creators of Synod Scene, Messenger and edmonton.anglican.ca, would like to hear about your experiences in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. What has been the greatest challenge for you? Where do see God at work? How are you practicing your faith? What keeps you hopeful? If at all possible, please send us a picture that helps tell your story. Please send your thoughts to Margaret: churched@edmonton.anglican.ca |
ACW Annual Meeting Postponed
The ACW Diocesan Annual Meeting is postponed until the Fall 2020, due to COVID-19 protocols. |
RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES
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Worship Services Postponed
Bishop Jane continues to monitor and evaluate the situation regarding the use of church buildings, in communication with government officials. Steps forward will be communicated as they become clear. "We are living in an extraordinary time and we need to put the needs of the most vulnerable members of our churches before all else," she said. "Please take good care of yourselves and your folk." For more infomation visit:
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Worship from Home Schedule and Resources
To help stop the spread of COVID-19 virus, worship services and church gatherings in the Edmonton diocese have been postponed until it is safe to meet again. Many parishes and dioceses are live-streaming and/or recording services and prayers online. This page lists online opportunities for prayer, worship, learning and virtual community in this season of social distancing. For more infomation visit: http://edmonton.anglican.ca/news/worship-from-home-schedule-and-resources
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Updated InformationCBS calling for donors; says giving is safe Canadian Blood Services has supplied the diocese with an updated mobile clinic schedule for April, along with a letter addressing concerns about giving blood during these extraordinary times. Precautions for donors and the blood supply are always in place and currently heightened. The need remains strong. Donate through the Partners for Life program using the code for the Edmonton diocese: ANGL696986. We are working toward a goal of 100 units of blood donated by the end of 2020.
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Can you sew?requests for donations of face masks On April 6, the Government of Alberta posted the following information about the use of cloth or homemade, non-medical masks:
Some organizations, such as The Mustard Seed Society in Edmonton, have asked for donations of non-medical masks, and even homemade medical gowns. These and other items from the Seed's Urgent Needs List can be dropped off at 10568 114 Street NW. Edmonton (rear side of building) on Mondays-Fridays between 9am-4pm. See below for instructions on how to make a face mask: |
Give Today
Though we are unable to gather in person for the safety of ourselves and others, we remain a loving and connected community. As the Church, the Body of Christ, we hope to do all we can to support each other. In this time of uncertainty, we are grateful for all donations we receive. If you feel you are able, please continue to support the ministries of the Anglican Diocese of Edmonton. We continue to look for ways to support parishes and to ease the financial burden on those who will be struggling in weeks and months to come. You can make a secure online donation at edmonton.anglican.ca/give/donate. For more info, contact the Rev. John Gee at treasurer@edmonton.anglican.ca. For more infomation visit:
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Help in Tough Times
The Synod Office will keep an eye out for helpful information and resources available during the COVID-19 crisis. Below are two links to information regarding mental health and financial difficulty.
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INDIGINEWS
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Diocese of Edmonton Indigenous Ministries
Contacts: Resources: For more infomation visit: http://www.edmonton.anglican.org/what-we-do/indigenous-ministries
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Heart LearningNew podcast available in Sacred Teachings series The weekly episode of the Sacred Teachings podcast is now available. In "Heart Learning," the Rev. Canon Dr. Martin Brokenleg explains that against all odds, Indigenous peoples have survived catastrophic events throughout many generations. "We are wounded, we are limping, but we are here". What is the secret to finding the strength and courage to survive and carry on? Sacred Teachings is a joint initiative of Indigenous Ministries and Anglican Video at the Anglican Chuch of Canada. Find the podcasts on Vimeo, Spotify and PodBean. |
Stolen Lands, Strong Heartsan excellent use of time while stuck at home The Anglican Church of Canada, in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commissions 94 Calls to Action, has created Stolen Lands, Strong Hearts, an hour long video documentary explaining proclamations made by kings and religious leaders more than 500 years ago, which created the environment for European explorers to consider the land they found as “empty” land and its millions of Indigenous inhabitants as “non-human.” A study guide accompanies the video for those who wish to pursue their study and increase their understanding of the ways this "Doctrine of Discovery" continues to affect us today. For more infomation visit: https://www.anglican.ca/primate/tfc/drj/doctrineofdiscovery/
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OTHER PARISH and DIOCESAN NOTICES
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Call for Photos2021 Canadian Church Calendar Ever wanted to see a beautiful local church in the national calendar? Well now is your chance to make that happen. The Anglican Church of Canada is taking submissions for the 2021 calendar. Just don't wait too long, the submission deadline is April 30, 2020! For more infomation visit:
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Called in Love, Sent to ServeProvidence Renewal Centre taking applications for spiritual direction training program Presence is the name of a two-year, part-time spiritual formation program that consists of eight weekend learning modules (Friday 1:00pm to Saturday 4:00pm) and two five-day retreats per year. *Year One, Called in Love, focuses on deepening one's personal spiritual life. Participants may opt to continue to year two or not. Application deadline is April 30, 2020! For more infomation visit:
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Kevin Carr Christian Leadership AwardApplications Accepted Until May 1 To nominate a lay person(s) who has provided significant leadership in fostering/promoting Christian culture, and whose leadership efforts have had a positive and lasting impact in western and northern Canada for the Newman Theological College Kevin Carr Christian Leadership Award, simply fill out the Nomination Form and submit with support materials by May 1. Brochure |
Ministry OpportunitiesChrist Church Hiring Youth Ministry Leader and Communications Coordinator The Anglican Parish of Christ Church, 12116-102 Ave, Edmonton, is hiring a Youth Ministry Leader and Communications Coordinator. To apply, see attached ministry profiles and email your coverletter and resume to the Rev. Sue Oliver: sue@christchurchedm.ca . |
Sing it Out!St. Luke's Seeking Worship Music Leader St. Luke's, Edmonton is looking for a part-time musician and choral leader (approx. 6hrs/wk, paid monthly) who will lead Sunday and special worship music, as well as rehearse with our choir and volunteer musicians. If interested see attached Ministry Profile. To apply, please email rector the Rev. Nick Trussell at |