• Those who are sick, suffering or in need: for John; for Steve and Nancy; for all who are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19; all who are struggling with fear or depression; all who are doing their best to serve others, including those who are saving lives by staying home; victims of racial prejudice and violence.
• Those who have died: ; and those who mourn: 
• Bishop Sixbert and the Diocese of Buyé (Twinned Parishes). 
• Our brothers and sisters in Christ from Treaty 6 and Treaty 8 First Nations, from the Métis Nation of Alberta, and from the Métis Settlements in Alberta.
• Request a prayer Click here to let us know who you would like prayers for in the diocese. We will make sure they are prayed for by name.

Bishop Jane Alexander is pleased to announce the appointment of the Rev. David Thiessen as an Archdeacon in the Diocese of Edmonton effective June 1, 2020. David is rector of St. Matthias in Edmonton and Chair of the Diocesan Examining Chaplains committee. 

Upon the introduction, June 12, of Stage 2 of the province’s Relaunch Strategy, Bishop Jane has provided revised guidelines for re-opening churches. One significant change to public health measures is the introduction of no cap on the number of people attending worship gatherings as long as physical distancing is maintained.

“With the further re-launching of the community here in Alberta we now find ourselves in Phase 3 of the Diocesan Plan for Meeting Together Again,” said Bishop Jane. In a letter to clergy last week, she noted “the new guidelines are still very detailed and many have not changed from our diocesan Phase 2.”

The Synod Office was re-opened June 15 (although some of the staff are choosing to work remotely for some parts of the week), and Bishop Jane is holding a series of Zoom meetings with parish clergy to discuss the new changes.

Working with the guidelines and checklist previously provided by Bishop, several parishes have submitted re-opening plans and with the Bishop's approval a few intend to re-open their churches June 21. However, other parishes do not intend to resume holding Sunday services in-person until the fall.

Want to learn more about your faith? Want to be part of a group that engages in ongoing theological questioning? Consider enrolling in Education for Ministry (EfM), a theological study program that goes beyond traditional bible study, covering Old Testament, New Testament, Church History, and topics in Theology. It is a four-year program, but students commit and enroll for only one year at a time. EfM will enrich your understanding of the nature of faith and give you knowledge and tools to help you answer the questions of faith that arise in your life.

For more information, please contact the Rev. Robin Walker, Diocesan EfM Coordinator, at 587-589-3725, or by email at efm.edmonton@shaw.ca. Detailed program and registration information may be found on the EfM Canada website www.efmcanada.ca.

The annual Anglican Editors Association (AEA) conference held online, via Zoom, June 5-12, was an opportunity for diocesan paper editors and communicators, as well as Anglican Journal and General Synod staff to focus on digital publication. Host Catherine Pate, communications director for B.C. diocese and conference host, and AEA President Mark Hauser, editor of Dialogue for Ontario diocese, facilitated four online sessions from their homes in Victoria and Kingston, respectively. The conference was originally planned for Victoria but was moved online due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.

Matt Morrison, owner of Tithe.ly Sites (formerly Ascend), described the benefits of online publications, such as cost-effectiveness and the ability to reach vast audiences quickly. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for the Anglican Journal and diocesan papers to build and expand their digital presence. Many diocesan papers are now offered in print and digital format and the Rupert's Land News is digital only. Options for reading The Messenger currently include subscribing to receive a print edition by mail, or reading a digital copy of the paper at www.edmonton.anglican.ca.

Holy Trinity Anglican/Lutheran Church has partnered with Edson United Church to deliver meals to seniors once a week. The United Trinity Kitchen ecumenical food ministry is an extension of Kate’s Kitchen, which was offered out of St. Catherine’s Anglican Church, and provided food and fellowship to the Edson community for years.

St. Patrick's Anglican Church in Edmonton will receive a $2,500 grant from the Anglican Foundation of Canada (AFC) for its proposal to address climate change. AFC’s board of directors met via Zoom in May to review 28 proposals from across Canada. The grant will help St. Patrick’s take further green action. “We are so thankful for the support and generosity of the Anglican Foundation,” says the Rev. Kevin Kraglund, rector, who submitted the proposal along with parish environmental champion Vivian Bell.

St. Paul’s regular lunch ministry, “Soups On,” has been suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic. But the parish, led by member Nicohl Walker, has found a creative way to feed its hungry neighbours. Members of the community are invited to come by anytime to pick fresh vegetables from garden planters in front of the church. “We are thankful to be able to help our community in this new way,” says Sara Bloomfield, a St. Paul’s youth member. Submitted by the Rev. Robyn King

As we adjust to the changes brought by the COVID-19 pandemic and parishes make plans to safely re-open their churches, what are some of the challenges you face? 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.

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 physical distancing. 

Since the global outbreak of COVID-19, Canadian Blood Services has welcomed greater than usual numbers of first time blood donors in a very short period: "the pandemic has changed our world, but it’s also shown we can still count on the unwavering support of our donors." The need for blood and blood products remains constant and what better time to become a donor or make a donation than during National Blood Donor Week. Canadian Blood Services is thankful for the way donors have stepped up in the last couple of months: "From governments to hospitals; first responders to corporations; faith groups to community groups – we are all in this together and we appreciate the incredible support."

All precautions are taken to make giving blood safe during the Covid-19 pandemic. Please see the attached wellness infographic. Please visit www.blood.ca to find a donor centre near you and book an appointment. And if you haven't done it already, register here for the Partners for Life program to make your donation count toward the Diocese of Edmonton annual donation goal of 100 units. Our code is: ANGL696986. Registration must be done online. Even if you've given blood before, if you register now, your donations can be included retroactively toward our goal.

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.  

Contacts: 
*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. Lori Calkins, Priest: loriinkster@gmail.com 

Resources:
Please see the Indigenous Ministries section of the diocesan website for leaflets, web links and other resources to help you pray and take action for reconciliation. See also the Anglican Church of Canada Reconciliation Toolkit.

The Office of the National Indigenous Anglican Archbishop Mark MacDonald invites you to an online video worship service to celebrate National Indigenous Day of Prayer, June 21, 2020 at 12pm MST. Come and see Indigenous Anglicans and friends from across Canada for prayer, singing and story. In the Edmonton diocese, St. Faith's will broadcast its National Indigenous People's Day service, live at 11 am, on Facebook.

In the Edmonton diocese, St. Faith's will broadcast its National Indigenous People's Day service, live at 11 am, on Facebook.

Parishes can view resources to mark the National Indigenous Day of Prayer here.

For more information about the celebration service and a wealth of resources to help mark Indigenous History Month and National Indigeous People's Day, read the latest e-newsletter by ACC Reconciliation Animator Melanie Delva.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the Reconciliation Team at Immanuel, Wetaskiwin has discovered different ways of doing ministry in the parish and in the community. This has been true of our Heart Garden this year, as well. After some time of creative thinking we came up with a way to make it happen. We gave out packages for making hearts to anyone who wanted one, and also to the families that have been receiving weekly Sunday school packages. We cleaned up the garden and planted the flowers. Then, one by one, we added the hearts to the garden.

Due to the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic, Athabasca University's Bannock and a Movie is moving to an online environment. The ongoing theme will revolve around Indigenous groups and their stories. Each month until August, we will provide documentary links and a discussion board to discuss the documentaries. We have included a bannock recipe for your use. The facilitators of the series will be Ivy Lalonde and Priscilla Campeau who will answer questions in the discussion rooms.  We hope you will enjoy this. June - Two Spirit; July - Inuit; Inuk August - First Nations  

Please access Bannock a and Movie here. The first time a person visits they will need to click on the “Create new account” button (at the bottom of the sign-up page) and create a username/password. After that they can visit Bannock and a Movie and click the “Enrol me” button.  

Creating Hope Society, a nonprofit charitable organisation working to ensure equity for Indigenous families and communities, is looking to fill two positions: temporary full-time Summer Student (research and writer assistant); temporary full-time Youth Coordinator; part-time Communication Assistant. Please email a cover letter and resume to info@creatinghopesociety.ca or fax at 780-477-7918. No calls please, only the appropriate candidate will be contacted. For more info, see attached Job Profile

Though it is not known when On Eagle's Wings will be able to have a physical presence in northern communities again, the Christ Loves All People (CLAP) Bible Camp curriculum is complete and will be offered as a virtual Bible Camp by video, accompanied by activity packs for the children. OEW Executive Director, the Rev. Lesley Hand, says Bishop David Lehmann of the Diocese of Caledonia and Bishop Lesley Wheeler-Dame of the Diocese of the Yukon are collaborating on the video VBS project, and she also invites volunteers to share their gifts by sending a video of themselves telling one of the Bible stories, leading a craft, skit, song or another of the activities in the curriculum. The video can be taken on a smart phone or tablet and should be short so it can then be emailed or sent in Google Drive. For more info, see attached News Bulletin.

Register online at www.providencerenewal.ca or call 780-701-1854

Becoming Silence - Centering Prayer Summer Retreat

Event #12766 Susan Storey and Mary Jane Yates

This summer enrich your experience of Centering Prayer in the comfort of your own home (via Zoom). Join others faithful to the practice of Becoming Silence. Days include periods of Centering Prayer, a selection of videos from a variety of spiritual teachers, and Lectio Divina each evening, based in nature and scripture. The retreat is designed for those familiar with and committed to the practice of Centering Prayer.

Monday, July 13 (10 am) to Friday, July 17 (noon): $175.00/per person

Register by: July 2 (materials and meeting access will be emailed on July 9)