• Those who are sick, suffering, or in need: Garett; Justin and Alicia; Lorelei, Marie, Sue, Doreen; Paul, Bob, Rhea, Jen and Megan; Amanda.
• Those who have died: Gail and Bruce; and those who mourn: the Hogle family.
• Those affected by conflict or natural disasters around the world.
• 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 at the end of those two weeks.

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. The following event and/or service dates have been scheduled:

• April 4: Iftar Dinner with Lieut. Gov., Edmonton, 7:30 pm
• April 6: Cursillo Team Training, 9 am
• April 5 to 12: House of Bishops, Toronto
• April 14: St. John's, Sedgewick, 10 am
• April 14: Ecumenical Youth Event, Trinity Lutheran Church, 1:30 pm
• April 21: St. David's, Edmonton

Earlier this week, your parish was invited to participate in the first phase of the Diocese of Edmonton's strategic planning process, Listening in Spirit | Shaping Our Future Together, to thoughtfully consider our current state and position in the community and the broader world. 

To help the diocese shape a good future, Bishop Stephen London and the Strategic Planning Committee would like to hear what you think are the strengths and challenges of your local faith community. Continuing our journey Together on the Way, we value your local perspectives, experiences and reflections as a part of our collective story. The results of the parish engagement will be summarised by our consultant Anna Bubel, and presented for discernment and discussion at our Synod in October. 

There are two parts to the listening process: an online survey of parish members, and a parish engagement to be led by Anna, starting later this month. We hope the engagement can be held in person in your parish.

In this time of transformation and newness of life, we ask you to think about your parish community and its current reality: In what areas are you flourishing? In what areas are you struggling? What do you envision your future to be like?

Led by Anna Bubel of Another Way Consulting and supported administratively by Jacqui Chesterton, we are embarking on the next phase of the Finding Our Way strategic planning journey. 

By now, a leader in your parish should have received an invitation to participate in the listening process we are calling "Listening in Spirit | Shaping Our Future Together." To ensure everyone's voice is heard, Another Way will be in touch with parishes to schedule a time for an engagement session, to take place beginning in the last week of April. We will also ask your parish representative to share a survey link with all members. Please email Jacqui Chesterton, jfchesterton@googlemail.com, if you have not received the survey link.

Bishop Stephen London is pleased to appoint the Rev. Lisa Wojna as Rector of St. George's, Devon. 

Bishop Stephen London is pleased to appoint the Rev. Eric Kregel as Assistant Priest at St. Paul's Anglican Church, Edmonton. Kregel also serves as priest-in-charge, St. Peter's Filipino Congregation at St. Matthias, Edmonton.

In the absence of a rector, St. Thomas Anglican Church in Wainwright found a creative and resourceful way to observe Maundy Thursday. The community held an Agape Meal, or Love Feast, incorporating an adapted handwashing liturgy and music recorded by Alana Levandoski and Steve Bell.

From Sorrow to Joy, the Good Friday Family Service at All Saints' Cathedral, was a meaningful way to start the Easter Weekend for parents and children. The kids scurried up and down the aisle collecting Easter Eggs about the rebirth and new life they symbolise.

There will be a Celebration of Life Service for Gail and Bruce Hogle on Friday, April 5, at 1:30 pm, at St. Timothy's Anglican Church, 8420 - 145 Street, Edmonton. The service will be live-streamed through sttimothy-edm.ca. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to two of Mom and Dad's favourite charities: The Good Neighbour Fund and the Shriners Hospitals for Children Canada.

St. Matthew's, 125 Larose Dr., St. Albert, is elated to host authors Dawn Hurley and Argentine Imanirakunda on Sunday, April 7, 2 pm, for an afternoon of conversation and connection. These authors met in the Congo and then, with the help of the Anglican Diocese of Edmonton, found themselves reunited in Athabasca, AB! The story is a great one and you will most definitely want to venture out to St. Albert to be a part of this conversation and reflection on faith, friends, and fears!

This event is free to attend, but pre-registration is required. Please email Leanne at llaroc18@gmail.com to register or with any questions! POSTER

All Saints' Cathedral, 10035 103 St, Edmonton, invites you to Choral Evensong, an evening of prayer and music for Eastertide, on Sunday, April 7, 7 pm.

Registration is now open for the spring session of Revive, a discipleship program offered by the Diocese of Edmonton. The next six sessions focus on cultivating a Scriptural Imagination through engaging with the Bible. Everyone is welcome to participate in these sessions, which will be offered in person and online.

The Revive leadership team includes the Rev. Canon Dr. Scott Sharman, Canon to the Ordinary; the Rev. Madeleine Urion, St. George’s, Edmonton; the Rev. Andreas Sigrist, St. Matthias, Edmonton; the Rev. Stephanie London, St. Columba, Beaumont.

Bishop Stephen London invites youth from the Edmonton diocese to join him at an Ecumenical Youth Event, hosted by the Alberta Synod & the Territories, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada. This will be an opportunity for Anglican, Lutheran and Moravian youth to connect over food, games and conversations. The event will be hosted by Trinity Lutheran Church, 10014 81 Ave NW, Edmonton, on Sunday, April 14, from 1:30 to 4:30 pm. Click here to register

Church leaders will have another opportunity to hear about how the gospel is being lived out in different contexts at a Joint Clergy Day with ecumenical partners on Thursday, April 25 at Glory Lutheran Church in Sherwood Park, 22577 AB-16. There will be a time of networking, fellowship, worship and prayer, from 10 am to 3:30 pm. Refreshments and a light lunch will be provided. Register here by April 17. 

Join Queerly Beloved as we engage in the spiritual practice of forming a rule of life from a queer context in a safe and open environment. Beginning on April 26, we plan to meet every fourth Friday of the month for 12 gatherings in person at Lodgepole Communitas Highlands, 11203 68 Street NW, Edmonton, from 7 pm to 8:30 to 9 pm. We will provide coffee, tea and light snacks. Please note: the book we are using for this book study, Crafting a Rule of Life,  is not written from a queer viewpoint, but we will be engaging it from a Queer Christian lens. To Register, or information, email queerbelonging@lodgepolecommunitas.ca

Interested in learning about common practices individuals participate in during Lent and Ramadan? Interested in getting to know our neighbours a bit better? Holy Trinity Anglican Church, 10037 84 Avenue NW, Edmonton, is hosting an "Interfaith Conversations and Community Connections" event on April 28, at 2 pm. If you might be interested in attending, please contact Rev. Rob Key (rob@holytrinity.ab.ca) to ensure your spot at the table.

Have you considered going deeper in your faith by attending a Cursillo Weekend? The weekend runs from Friday evening, May 3 to late Sunday afternoon, May 5. It revolves around a series of talks given by a team of laypeople and clergy. Small group discussions follow the talks. There are times for worship, fellowship, personal reflection, prayer, and song. As a Christian, the weekend is a time for you to be strengthened in your spiritual journey. This weekend is open to all Christians 18 years and older. For more info, e-mail cursilloedmonton@gmail.com | BROCHURE | POSTER

"Cursillo means a little course in Christianity. But it is so much more. It is, in fact, a profound experience of deep Christian community. It is a weekend of learning, but also of fellowship, worship, laughter and friendship." Bishop Stephen London

The Anglican Foundation of Canada, in partnership with All Saints’ Anglican Cathedral in Edmonton, is pleased to celebrate Evensong and host the Anglican Foundation’s Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, May 22, 2024. The Most Rev. Linda Nicholls will preach,  and the Rt. Rev. Stephen London will preside. Everyone is welcome. Pre-registration is encouraged. 

• Evensong • 5:45 pm
• Reception • 6:45 pm
• Annual General Meeting • 7:30 pm

To pre-register: www.anglicanfoundation.org/2024agm

We are already on the home stretch of February and parishes have either had or are gearing up for their Annual General Meetings. People's wardens and synod delegates should save the date of October 18 and 19, 2024 for the 69th Synod of the Diocese of Edmonton. Details, including the official notice of synod, will be posted at: https://edmonton.anglican.ca/synod

We are happy to share news and pictures, or help promote upcoming events (ie. youth gathering, parish fundraiser, worship service, community outreach, public lecture) 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 news and event . Upload a graphic or picture (horizontal / landscape orientation; 1500x784 px), and your event poster (if you have one). Submissions must be received by Tuesday at noon to guarantee their inclusion in the current week's newsletter. Have questions? Email Margaret Glidden, communications@edmonton.anglican.ca; or call 780-439-7344

Donating blood and/or plasma is a lifesaving act of generosity. Not everyone can be a donor, but if you are able, please donate. You will join a community of donors making all the difference for patients nationwide. Patient need is constant, no matter the season. Your support helps ensure people receive essential blood products when and where they need them.

Cold and flu season is upon us, and COVID persists in all its variations. As we spend more time indoors, it is becoming more difficult to contain germs and protect vulnerable members of our communities. Please remember that a minor infection for one person can develop into a major sickness for someone else. If you are feeling unwell (ie. have a cough, runny nose, sore throat, chest congestion, fever...), please stay home.

Interested in initiating or continuing Christian-Muslim dialogue in your community? On April 16, at noon, join the Anglican Church of Canada to learn about the origins of the A Common Word initiative, explore local engagement tools and resources, hear stories from people who have used them in their context and engage in discussion. Register today.

Kevin Guenther Trautwein, Community Animator, Edmonton Interfaith Housing Society, invites all to the 2024 Interfaith Housing Plenary to be held in the City Room (Main) at City Hall on Thursday, April 18, from 9 am to noon. The theme is "A Vision of Home" and guest speaker, Louis Cardinal, will talk about home as "More Than a Place to Sleep: Life, Love, and Relationship."  The gathering is offered in partnership with the Chester Ronning Centre for the Study of Religion and Public Life. POSTER Please register HERE.

Coping With Loss: Bereavement Support Group, with trained grief workshop facilitator Wanda Lehman, will be offered Wednesday, April 9 to May 21, 1 o 2:30 pm and 6:30 to 8:00 pm. Register by April 1 ($150).
More info and registration at www.starofthenorth.ca/bereavement or call 780-459-5511.

This group provides a safe environment for those who are bereaved; to share stories, gain support through one other and learn strategies to assist in coping with issues associated with their personal grief journeys.

Before we know it spring will be here, and joining a local Christian slo-pitch league is a great opportunity to share fun and fellowship. The ELMSP league, made up of various Christian churches in the Edmonton area, has been going for more than 30 years. Here are some specifics about the league:

• Teams consist of a minimum of 10 players, including at least 3 women and 3 men.
• All players must be at least 14 years old.
• Teams generally play one game per week beginning the first full week of May.
• Games days are Tuesday each week. 
• A year-end tournament is usually held on the third weekend of August.
• League fees are typically $475 per year (may be adjusted depending on how many teams join), plus a $100 refundable deposit per new team.
• If you can't find enough interest from your congregation, feel free to join with another congregation or use this as an outreach opportunity by adding friends to your team.

To play, sign up your team HERE by  April 24. For more info, please email Warren at elmsp.president@gmail.com

The Edmonton Grandmothers are hosting their spring fabric Frenzy on April 27, from 9 am to 3:30 pm, at Strathearn United Church, 8510 95 Ave NW, Edmonton. Find fabrics, yarn, notions and craft supplies for bargain prices! All proceeds go to the Stephen Lewis Foundation to support grandmothers in Africa.  POSTER

Saturday, April 27, 10 am to 6 pm, facilitated by Jo-Ann Badley: Before the resurrection, Peter is a coward and betrayer; after the resurrection, he gives leadership to the disciples and preaches boldly. Before the resurrection, Mary ponders these things in her heart; after the resurrection, she is among those waiting for the promised Holy Spirit. Before he meets the risen LORD, Paul is a persecutor of the Christian community; after his  encounter, he forms new communities of followers. By their stories, we can make better sense of our call to follow. Cost: $125 Register by April 22 

Youth Retreat: A Day Just for You

“Young people: They care. They know that this is the world that they are going to grow up in, that they’re going to spend the rest of their lives in.” (David Attenborough). On Saturday, May 11, from 10 am to 6pm, Providence Renewal Centre is hosting a Youth Retreat. It is “A Day Just for You,” a day of activities and programs including Stress Reduction, Art Therapy, Music, God & Sports, and Spirituality & Gaming with the aim of supporting young people. Ages 12 + $75 (first youth); $50 (each additional youth from same family)

Register online for the National Worship Conference, a full-communion initiative of the Anglican Church of Canada and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada since 2001, to be held in Regina, from July 18 to 21. These conferences are wonderful opportunities to explore together in community a particular theme, hear gifted speakers, participate in workshops and, of course, worship.