• Those who are sick, suffering, or in need: Mel, Trevor, Les, Anne, Lorelei, Gail, Frank, Eva, and David.
• Those who have died; and those who mourn: Edmonton Police Service Constables Travis Jordan, Brett Ryan. We pray for all first responders who have been killed while trying to keep their community safe.
• Archbishop Sixbert and the Diocese of Buyé (Updated list of Twinned Parishes).  
• Our relations in Christ from Treaty 6 and Treaty 8 First Nations, from the Métis Nation of Alberta, and from the Métis Settlements in Alberta.
• Click here if you would like someone's name included in this prayer list. We will use first names only. Names are kept on the list for two weeks unless intentionally renewed.

Please hold Bishop Stephen London in your prayers as he serves parishes throughout the diocese and connects with our partners and friends beyond the diocese.

• March 23: Service of Induction, St. Mary's, Ponoka
• March 24: "Alberta Cares" Housing Rally, Legislature
• March 24: Cursillo Ultreya, Zoom
• March 25: Service of Induction, St. Thomas', Sherwood Park
• March 26: St. Saviour's, Vermilion (Dayspring Ministry)

Bishop Steve has been out and about lately, from visiting a parish in his own neighbourhood, to a Sunday with the diocese's Dayspring Ministries in eastern Alberta, to flying in a very small plane to attend a consecration in the far reaches of northern Ontario. If you don't already follow the Bishop on FaceBook, it's a great way to keep in touch with what he's doing. 

Walk through Lent with Bishop Steve as he explores the call to justice at the core of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Is "doing justice" part of the Gospel or an extra? This is one of the central questions the Christian church has been wrestling with over the last century as we have lived through and meditated on the experiences of WWI, WWII, the holocaust, the civil rights movement, women's equality, the Cold War, Apartheid, the Residential School legacy, LGBTQ+ inclusion, the Great Depression, the climate crisis and m more. Does the Gospel of Jesus Christ have anything life-giving to say to the great challenges of our time? The answer is a resounding, yes!

Every Wednesday in March, from 7:00-8:30 pm  
Zoom Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86437570642

POSTER

Bishop Stephen London and the Parish of St. Mary's, Ponoka will celebrate the shared ministry of the Rev. Trina Holmberg who will be inducted as rector on Thursday, March 23 at 7:00 pm. Holmberg also serves as rector of St. Andrew's, Camrose. All are invited to show their support for Holmberg, her family and the communities she serves. Members of the clergy are encouraged to attend and to robe. The colour is white. Pictured above with Trina are lay readers Janny Smith (left) and Deb Stevens. Photo: Heather Labrie 

Bishop Stephen London will give a talk on Holy Week at the Cursillo Ultreya this Friday, March 24 at 7 pm. This will be a Zoom meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85273911205

*Note: Ultreyas will now be held on the 4th Friday of the month, alternating between Zoom and in-person.

On Saturday, March 25 at 2 pm, Bishop Stephen London will be pleased to officiate at a service of induction celebrating the new ministry of the Rev. Canon Chelsy Bouwman together with parishioners of St. Thomas' Anglican Church. The church is located at 4a Raven Drive in Sherwood Park. Folks can also watch the service on St. Thomas' YouTube Channel.  All are invited to support Bouwman, her family and the church community. Members of the clergy are encouraged to attend and to robe. The colour is white. 

This week, more than 40 Lutheran, Anglican and Moravian ministers from central and southern Alberta spent a day together at Camp Van Es near Sherwood Park for a time of prayer, learning, conversation and friendship.

Organised by the Rev. Canon Dr. Scott Sharman, ecumenical and interfaith coordinator for the Edmonton diocese, the joint clergy day was an opportunity for the churches to grow together in partnership and collaboration.

A local interfaith commemoration of the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (proclaimed in the 1960s after 69 people were killed in a demonstration against apartheid laws in Sharpeville, South Africa), was held at Edmonton City Hall on March 21.

Held in Treaty Six Territory, the noon-hour gathering featured an Indigenous welcome by Lewis Cardinal. “It’s important to recognise that by sitting together as relatives we can work against racism, discrimination and prejudice,” he said.

Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi asked for a moment of silence for two Edmonton Police Service officers, Cst. Travis Jordan and Cst. Brett Ryan, who were killed while responding to a family dispute in the Inglewood neighbourhood of Edmonton. He encouraged people to hug the police officers in attendance, sign the books of condolences for the officers’ families and, if possible, attend the regimental funeral at Rogers Place on Monday, March 27 at 1 pm.

“Racism is not something that only happens in a foreign land. Unfortunately, it is prevalent in our city,” said Sohi noting that he, personally, has faced many forms of racial discrimination, including verbal abuse, physical attacks, and institutional barriers. “Let’s work together to remove the institutional structures that exist in our society that do not give everyone an equal opportunity to be successful. This work is generational.

“My call to you is whenever you see racism, please speak up,” said Mayor Sohi proclaiming March 21, 2023, as Elimination of Racial Discrimination Day in Edmonton. 

The Inner City Pastoral Ministry, a ministry of presence in Edmonton's inner city, invites all to its Annual General Meeting on March 23, 2023, 7 pm, at St. Mary's Anglican Church, 11203 68 Street NW, Edmonton. As part of the program, they will screen the short documentary This is Where We Live, featuring the true stories of community members who have experienced homelessness. Finger food snacks will be served. The 2022 annual report will be available in hard copy at the meeting. It will also be available online at http://www.icpmedmonton.ca/wp/ closer to the date. Please RSVP by emailing  info@icpmedmonton.ca or calling 780-719-1548 (leave a message with your name and number of people attending).

Some of Edmonton’s finest poets and musicians weave their works together to warm our hearts this winter. WARM HEARTS is a four-concert series to be held at Bleeding Hearts Arts Space, St. Mary's Anglican Church, 11203 68 St NW, Edmonton. The next concert will be held on Sunday, March 25, at 7 pm. These are ticketed events, with general seating available at a range of affordable prices. All ages are welcome. Tickets are available at Showpass.com.   POSTER

Corps Bara Dance Theatre will present Grief Marked on Saturday, March 25, at St. Matthias Anglican Church, 6210 188 St, Edmonton. This immersive experience will guide audience participants through the changing atmosphere of an inner world of grief. Grief Marked invites guests to travel alongside the dancers as they weave through textures of fabric installations, visual imagery, live sound compositions and movement. Entrance times occur every hour from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Audiences will be in close range with the performers and there will be simple, guided interactive elements. There will be limited seating for folks with mobility issues or those who cannot stand/walk or sit on the floor for the duration of the piece (approximately 40 mins). Please be in touch with any specific accessibility needs so we can accommodate in advance. Admission is free. For more info, see POSTER

Holy Trinity Anglican Church presents a Lenten Noon-Hour Concert Series on Tuesdays, 12:00 pm, until March 28. Join us during your lunch hour for beautiful music in the contemplative surroundings of our sanctuary. Donations in support of Holy Trinity's Concert Series are accepted at the door. POSTER

• March 28: An Afternoon of Vocal Music Featuring Holy Trinity's Choral Scholars in Recital Annie Randall, Mezzo Soprano, Hendrick Baerends, Baritone Gina Friedrich, Soprano and Megan Crane, Piano

The Cursillo Community will be helping serve a dinner at St. Faith's Anglican Church on March 31, 2023, and would love for you to join us. We'll gather for prep around 4pm and stay for cleanup after. Please click here to see the Cursillo newsletter announcement.

Join lay reader Wynne Whitten-Holmes for Morning Prayer every Friday morning at 9 am; and for Compline every Monday evening at 9 pm throughout Lent. All are invited! 

Friday Morning Prayer, 9 am - LINK HERE 

Monday Compline, 9 pm - LINK HERE 

What does it mean to be people of faith and love on this land? All are invited to participate in the Lenten education series We are a Treaty People, offered in part by the social justice team of St. George's, Edmonton. Led by the Rev. Nick Trussell and Fred Matthews, the series will run on Thursday evenings, 7 pm, on Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85782094858 Please share the Zoom link with those in your life who would be interested. 

Companions on a Journey (St. Mary's musicians) will tell The Easter Story in Song at St. Mary the Virgin, 5042-48 Avenue, Vegreville, on Palm Sunday, April 2, 2-4 pm. All are welcome to come for Bible readings, songs and refreshments. Admission by donation. POSTER

Preparation is underway for a Diocesan Easter Vigil Service on April 8, 8 pm at All Saints' Cathedral, 10035 103 St, Edmonton. Parishes that have their own Easter Saturday Vigil tradition are encouraged to continue their practice. However, if your parish is not holding its own service, please consider attending this one at the cathedral. Volunteers from several parishes will participate in the service to make this a truly diocesan event.

Last year at the beginning of Lent we began the diocesan Remembering the Children weaving project. At the summer solstice, National Indigenous Peoples Day, we blessed the finished project at a special service at the Cathedral. We now have the weaving available to visit parishes. You might think the only good time to have the weaving visit your parish is in September or October. Not true! Anytime you want to deepen your parish's connection to the ministry of reconciliation in our diocese is a good time to do it. Please contact Fiona at f.brownlee@edmonton.anglican.ca for more information or to ask if a particular date is available.

Let us help you promote your upcoming event in Synod Scene, our weekly e-newsletter to clergy, parishes and subscribers. Please click the link to the form below to tell us about your event (ie. youth gathering, parish fundraiser, worship service, community outreach, public lecture). Upload a graphic or picture (horizontal / landscape orientation; 1500x784 px), and your event poster. Events must be submitted by Tuesday at noon for inclusion in the current week's newsletter. Have Questions? Send us an email: churched@edmonton.anglican.ca

Team Anglican is aiming for a donation target of 130 units of blood and plasma in 2023, and we're 1/4 of the way there in less than a 1/4 of the year! To book your lifesaving appointment call 1-888-236-6283 or visit Canadian Blood Services and make sure you're donating as part of Team Anglican. Check your eligibility, then click here to enter our Partner ID: ANGL696986. Make your life-saving donation today!

Good Shepherd Anglican Church is seeking a Youth & Children’s Ministries Coordinator who loves to share the Good News of God’s love with children, teens, and their families. This is a part-time, independent contractor position with flexible hours and paid planning time. Join our team of passionate volunteers as we seek to equip families to grow in the knowledge and love of God not only on Sundays but all week long. Check out the Job Description! Apply by sending a resume and cover letter to rector@goodshepanglican.org. Applications should be sent by April 14, 2023. 

The Anglican Parish of Christ Church is hiring a Youth Minister to nurture and grow a youth group for pre-teens and teens in the parish, as well as a separate young adult group for post-high school folks. If interested, please submit your CV and a one-page letter describing what interests you about the position and what strengths you think you might bring to this ministry to Archdeacon Susan Oliver: sue@christchurchedm.ca  MINISTRY PROFILE

St. Timothy’s Anglican Church in the Laurier Heights neighbourhood of Edmonton is seeking a leader for our Sunday Morning “Kids’ Church” program.  We are using the sermons4kids resource. This provides a short sermon, colouring sheet, activity pages, song suggestions to accompany the weekly Lectionary Gospel. The leader would be supported by volunteers to maintain the necessary Safe Church ratios of children:adults and to provide musical support. This is a paid position. For more information, please contact the Rev. Clare L. Stewart at clare@sttimothy-edm.ca or 587.687.1490 

Erin de Zwart, a French Language and Canadian Studies student at the University of Alberta is coordinating a community project to tidy up St. Martin's Sunnyside Cemetery, where the remains of some of her White, Milligan and Hewitt ancestors are interred. There will be a St. Martin's Sunnyside Cemetery (Bon Accord) work bee on Saturday, April 29 (weather permitting), from 10 am to 5 pm. This pioneer cemetery was last maintained in 1997, so volunteers are asked to bring wheelbarrows, gumboots, warm clothes, gardening gloves and steel-toe boots if operating machinery. There will be a safety briefing prior to the event. Coffee and donuts will be provided. Parking will be provided a few minutes away, with a shuttle from the parking lot. Interested volunteers are asked to visit the website for more info and to register.

The Interfaith Housing Initiative invites faith communities to a province-wide affordable housing rally on Friday afternoon, March 24 at 2 pm, Alberta Legislature (front steps), and in communities across the province. Please share this Information and Invitation with your faith community, family, friends, neighbours and co-workers. To see the details for rallies in your local area, and to consider the key initiatives considered critical for success, please visit www.interfaithhousing.ca. POSTER

For improved access to grants and special funding opportunities such as Say Yes! to Kids, the Anglican Foundation of Canada has launched a Grants Portal. 
 
Upcoming deadlines:

• Applications to regular grants for organizations and individuals will be accepted through April 1.
• Team registrations for this year's Say Yes! to Kids campaign will be accepted through April 15.

If you have questions, or if you would like to book a consultation about this year's Say Yes! to Kids campaign, please email Michelle Hauser, Development & Communications Officer, Anglican Foundation of Canada at mhauser@anglicanfoundation.org. 

Athabasca diocese invites your prayers and/or participation as it prepares for its third annual Holy Week Bible Reading Marathon, to take place April 2-6. If you have participated or watched people around the world reading the bible over Zoom and Facebook, you know the entire Bible will be read by people taking turns, beginning at 1 pm on Palm Sunday, until 5 pm on Maundy Thursday. After each hour is read, the subsequent person picks up wherever the previous person stopped. 

The Outdoor Way of the Cross is an ecumenical prayer event marking the suffering and death of Jesus. It is a time to reflect on how the gospel values of Jesus apply to individual and public life today. This year’s theme is based on Micah 6:8: "And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
People of all faith traditions are welcome.
The two-km walk through inner-city Edmonton is held on Good Friday, April 7, starting at 10 am. Free street parking is available near the start location. Light refreshments will be provided at Hope Mission after the final station. Please share this invitation with your parish communities. 
For more information, contact Marguerite Watson or visit the
Way of the Cross website.  POSTER

All are welcome to an ecumenical Good Friday Prayer Around the Cross service in the Taize worship style of scripture, silence and meditative song. The service will be held April 7, 7 pm, at Lendrum Mennonite Church, 11210 59 Avenue NW, Edmonton. Please share this invite with your parish communities. POSTER

Join popular speaker and Christian activist Shane Claiborne, author of several best-selling books including Common Prayer: a Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals for a public lecture and retreat weekend (April 14-16) of stories and reflections on the world of grace and bombs. With tears and laughter, Shane unveils the tragic realities of our fragile world and the incredible hope that "another world is possible." To join in person at Star of the North Retreat Centre or online, register at 780-459-5511 or at www.starofthenorth.ca/possible. Registration fees: Friday Public Lecture: $20 | Weekend Retreat: Online $140 | Commuter $205 | Live-In $345. 

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SSVP) has launched its annual appeal to fill a sea can of food, and new or gently used items for the village of Ulukhaktok, NWT, and the Anglican Church of the Resurrection which is in need of repairs. The sea cans are packed in early May, and shipped in May and June while the McKenzie River and ocean waters are open.

Donated items (click here for suggestions) can be dropped off at:

Catholic Parish of Holy Family parking lot in St Albert:
- Wednesday, April 26: 7:00 to 8:30 pm
- Sunday, April 30: 8:30 to 11 am; 4:30 to 5 pm

St. Albert Parish parking lot:
- Sunday, April 30: 8:30 to 11:00 am; 6:00 to 6:30 pm

Monetary donations are also gratefully accepted. Please see attached Bulletin Info and Poster

Online registration is now open for Canadian Lutheran Anglican Youth CLAY 2023: Ashes & Embers, to be held August 10-13 in Waterloo, Ontario. Please spread the word to youth and leaders in your parishes!

More than 36,000 people were killed and thousands more displaced at the borders of Türkiye and war-torn Syria by a series of devastating earthquakes. Please continue to pray for the victims, first responders and families. Donations to the emergency relief efforts can be made through the Primate's World Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF) response online, or over the phone by calling 416-822-9083 (or leave a message toll-free at 1-866-308-7973 and we will return your call.) You can also donate by mail. Send your cheque to PWRDF, 80 Hayden Street, 3rd Floor, Toronto, ON, Canada, M4Y 3G2. Please indicate "Syrian Earthquake" in the memo field.