• Those who are sick or suffering; Amy, John, Brian.
• Those who have died: Sharleen, and those who mourn: the Rev. Stuart Ravnsborg, Honourary Assistant at St. Luke's Anglican Church in Edmonton, family and friends. Sharleen's funeral will be held January 6, 2018 at St. Luke's.
• Our brothers and sisters in Christ from Treaty Six and
  Treaty Eight First Nations.
• Bishop Sixbert and the Diocese of Buyé (List of Twinned Parishes).
  Please continue to pray for our brothers and sisters in Buyé diocese who continue to suffer the effects of drought.
• Request a prayer

It is our pleasure to announce that Bishop Jane Alexander intends, God willing, to ordain the Rev. Aaron Parsall-Myler to the priesthood and Danielle Lepine to the diaconate on the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, January 25, 2018 at 7:00 pm at All Saints' Cathedral, 10035-103 Street, Edmonton. Your prayers and presence are requested. Clergy are invited to vest. The colour is white.

Still looking for the perfect Christmas gift? The hospital in our partner Diocese of Buyé, Burundi, is in need of renovations to the pediatric ward. Last year our diocese sponsored the construction of a maternity ward in Buyé, which has allowed them to serve approximately 5,400 women each year, providing a clean and safe space for deliveries and c-sections. Now they would like to move forward with a much needed ward to treat ill and malnourished children, and have asked for our help. We are almost there but need another $12,000 to make this dream a reality for the children of Buyé. Please consider giving to this important project. Please make cheques payable to The Diocese of Edmonton and mark "Buyé Pediatric Ward" in the memo line.

Every year the Diocese of Edmonton participates in the 'No Room in the Inn' project. Organized by the Edmonton and District Council of Churches, this project provides financial support to a different agency each year; one that is working to house the homeless in the Edmonton area. This year, 'No Room in the Inn' has chosen to support the Edmonton Region of the Canadian Mental Health Association. Brochures and offering envelopes are available for pickup at the Synod Office, 10035 103 Street NW, Edmonton. 

View work from more than 45 local artists, just in time for Christmas shopping. Bleeding Heart Art Space is located at 9140 118th Avenue in Edmonton. Visit the website for hours and exhibit details.   

The Ecumenical Service celebrating the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (WPCU) 2018 will be held Sunday, January 21, 2017 at McDougall United Church. Reception to follow. 

Mark the first weekend in March on your calendar and stay tuned for more information. Plans are underway for another Winter Camp from Friday March 2nd to Sunday March 4th, 2018!

In 2017, Anglican Diocese of Edmonton became a partner in the Gender Based Violence & Sexual Assault Prevention Initiative and the national church took part in its social media campaign. Please see the more about the Initiative in its most recent newsletter in the attached pdf.

Contacts: 
Sharon Pasula, Oskâpêwis / Aboriginal Cultural and Educational Helper: oskapewis@edmonton.anglican.ca / 780-439-7344
Fiona Brownlee, Aboriginal and Rural Communities Liaison: f.brownlee@edmonton.anglican.ca / 780-312-9070

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.

Join us for "Our Common Ground: Thanksgiving," the final gathering of a four-part series sponsored by the Anglican Foundation, Inner City Pastoral Ministry and Moving Forward with Reconciliation. There will be feasting, a smudging ceremony and a mini round dance! For more info, see POSTER

Come along for food and drinks and Christmas pictures with Santa. Our open house is from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm on December 21st. The Friendship Centre is upstairs at 11728 - 95 Street, Edmonton. POSTER

St. Luke's Edmonton hosted a “Messy Christmas Pageant” on December 9, and what a party it was! For the first time, St. Luke's combined the December Messy Church event with the annual Christmas pageant. The Messy activities included building the star and making angel wings, sheep hats and special gifts for the magi to carry in the re-enactment of Jesus' birth. The event wrapped up with a delicious pot-luck supper. Approximately 90 people enjoyed the festivities – about 60 adults and 30 children - with a mix of regular Messy Church folk, regular St. Luke's parishioners and new friends from the surrounding community. 

Throughout the Season of Advent, the parish of Christ Church, Edmonton has invited all to “Come as You Are” and join in worship. Many special visitors came to church on Sunday, December 10 for an intergenerational service called “Everyone Upstairs,” specially tailored to the youngest members of the congregation (who routinely head downstairs for Sunday school). Jora the Moose shared a story about peas and PEACE, and then everyone welcomed Mary, her fiancé Joseph and cousin Elizabeth, who gave a miraculous performance about being surprised by God. After the play, the children were invited to gather around a kid-sized altar to help their rector, the Rev. Sue Oliver, prepare communion. Photos: Shannon Kerr

The parish of St. Mary the Virgin in Vegreville decided to try something different this Advent. A number of parishioners and their rector enjoy collecting nativities from around the world. We decided it would be fun to display our nativities at the church and invite the wider community to our first-ever Nativity Festival. On December 9 and 10, the church basement was filled with more than 70 different styles of nativities – big and small. A large number of nativities came from different countries in Africa, including one from Burundi; as well as from Mexico, Central America and South America.

Extraordinary friendship and abundant talent made for an unforgettable Advent performance by English poet-priest Malcolm Guite and Christian singer/songwriter/storyteller Steve Bell before a nearly sold-out crowd at All Saints’ Cathedral on Friday evening, December 8. Bell performed several songs from his new album, Where the Good Way Lies, his 20th career album, recorded on “old school” analogue tape machines. Guite serves as the chaplain of Girton College at the University of Cambridge, and moonlights as lead singer and guitarist for the blues-rock band Mystery Train. The two artists met at a CS Lewis conference in the UK, and many of Guite’s sonnets (he recently recorded a CD of 70 sonnets for the Christian year from his popular book of poetry, Sounding the Seasons), have inspired Bell’s own music.

GriefShare: This 13-week video and discussion based program helps participants walk through different challenges of grief in a safe and supportive atmosphere. The only cost is $20 for the workbook and people are welcome to join at any time. Join us at St. Thomas Anglican Church, 4A Raven Drive in Sherwood Park on Wednesday mornings, 10:00 am - 12:00 noon, until December 20 (weeks 1-7), and January 10 to February 14 (weeks 8-13). For information or to register: 780-467-5730 or sttomsherwoodpark@gmail.com POSTER

Death Café: Saturday, December 16th, 12-2:00 pm, Upper Hall at Holy Trinity, 10037-84 Ave, Edmonton. Death is a taboo subject in our society. We live in a culture where many people only start to think about what happens when we die - to our bodies, our loved ones, our souls - when they are faced with the death of someone close to them. I am passionate about creating safe spaces to talk about Death because it is the one sure thing that every one of us will have to deal with at some point in our lives. The HTAC Death Cafe is about turning on the light - pulling death out from under the carpet - and asking the questions so many are afraid to admit they've got bouncing around in their brains. AND, I promise, there will be cake. While our Death Cafe is in a church, Holy Trinity is also a community space; it is open to the whole community. Questions? Please contact Rev. Heather Liddell.

Check it out! Good Shepherd Anglican Church in Edmonton has a newly revamped website.

In the spirit of Christmas, the Rev. Tim Chesterton, rector of St. Margaret's, Edmonton, records a Christmas song each year for family and friends. He shares with us his version of the old traditional Christmas carol "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen."

Welcome Home: Are you a person who enjoys the journey, not the destination? Would you enjoy building a new life-long friendship? If so, put your faith into action by spending time with someone who is making the transition from homelessness to home. Volunteer with Welcome Home! Visit: https://www.cssalberta.ca/Our-Ministries/Welcome-Home or call (780) 378-245.

King’s Now Offers Continuing Education Courses: Starting the second week of January 2018, The King’s University will offer a variety of non-credit personal enrichment, child care, business, music, and spirituality courses on evenings and weekends. There are no prerequisites, text books, essays, or exams. It’s learning and personal development at its most relaxed. Learn about infant development, how to write a book in 40 days, technology strategies for business, and many more! See the full listing here.

Winter Interdisciplinary Studies (IS) Conference: Join us at The King’s University on January 24–25, 2018 for our winter IS conference, with keynotes by Rev Dr. Margaret Aymer of Austin Theological Seminary, where we will consider a prophetic challenge to the way we live by exploring practices (both individual and communal) that might lead to greater shalom for all. The conference sessions are free and open to members of the public.
We will also host an evening performance of “Freud’s Last Session” on January 24 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the play are available at www.kingsu.ca/isconf or through King’s Bookstore. For more details, contact Rebecca Warren at rebecca.warren@kingsu.ca or 780-465-8332.

Oxford Theology Summer School: The Oxford University Theology summer school is a residential programme for members of the clergy, theologians and teachers of religious education. In 2018 we will be exploring the theme "Renewing the Sacred Centre" through a series of one-week seminars taught by members of Oxford's Theology Faculty, distinguished theologians and prominent church leaders. Participants will have the opportunity to study and live in Christ Church, one of Oxford University's largest and most beautiful colleges. For more information please see our website. Letter from Program Director

Bruce Ehlert, Pastor of Mount Olivet Lutheran Church in Sherwood Park, has compiled prayers for Advent. If you would like to receive a daily prayer and picture via email, please send a message with the word “subscribe” in the subject line to: pastor.bru@mountolivet.ca   

An afternoon of quiet reflection, some sharing and rest to honour those who are in for the long haul of caring for someone with little ability to care for themselves. A time to be spiritually embraced and uplifted for the continuing journey. Facilitator Helen Gledhow is a certified grief counsellor and former pastoral associate. She has developed programs of support for the often weary journey of care giving. It takes place Wednesday, January 24 from 1:00-4:00 pm for a cost of $25 (financial subsidy will be available if needed). Register at: 780-459-5511 or online. POSTER

Something lacking in these days is a spiritual vocabulary that speaks to many men. Retreat leader, Richard Groves, will reach back to the Grail Quest story to address that need. Groves, an ordained Catholic priest for 15 years, also served as chaplain in the Oregon Correctional System and as assistant chaplain in the US Air Force. The retreat will include engaging films, a creative process for reflection and conversation, and inspiring ritual. It takes place January 26-28 at Providence Renewal Centre, 3005 119 Street Edmonton.