• Those who are sick, suffering, or in need: Tracy Lee; Joanne; Bob, Rhea, Mitchell, Jen, Megan; Tracy; Jordan; Karen, Lynn; Paul.
• Jasper residents and members of St. Mary's and St. George's church displaced by wildfire from their homes and church.
• Those who have died; and those who mourn.
• 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.
• Students and educators starting a new school year this month.

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. God-willing, Bishop Stephen will attend the following public events, meetings and services:

• November 3: St. John the Evangelist, Cold Lake, 11 am
• November 3: Evensong, All Saints' Cathedral, Edmonton, 7 pm
• November 8: Anglican Roman Catholic Ecumenical Event, Newman Theological College, 7:30 pm
• November 10: St. George's, Edmonton, 10 am
• November 16: Diocesan Social Justice Day for Young People, St. John the Evangelist, Edmonton
• November 20:  Clergy Day, location TBD, 9:30 am
• November 24: St. Timothy's, Edmonton, 10 am

Remember to turn your clock back on Saturday evening, or you will surely be the first to arrive for church on Sunday.

The 69th Synod of the Diocese of Edmonton was tasked with interpreting the findings of the Listening in Spirit | Shaping Our Future Together Phase 1 Report, produced by Another Way Consulting. 

Over the spring and early summer of 2024, Anna Bubel, principal consultant, Another Way, gathered quantitative data (2017 to 2023) from the Synod Office, and conducted online surveys of parish membership (members, priests and lay leaders), one-on-one interviews, 46 parish engagement sessions and a Synod leadership session.

Bubel shared the key findings of this comprehensive environmental scan at the 69th Synod of the Diocese of Edmonton:

• Two-thirds of parishes are located in the greater Edmonton area; one-third are in smaller communities;
• In 2023, an average of 52 people attended Sunday services, and one-third of parishes had fewer than 25 attendees;
• Between 2017 and 2023, the average number of children in Sunday school declined by 42 percent;

Did you know the diocesan website has all kinds of resources for parishes? This is true, and we have recently added the resource of all resources: the Parish Administration Overview. This handbook, available to download as a PDF or WORD doc, is packed with useful information. Have a question about parish record keeping, website design or service preparation? You can find this information and so much more in the overview. If you stumbled across this item in the Synod Scene, please share this knowledge with other members of your parish community by word of mouth, in your parish bulletin and announcements, at your next AGM ...

Since we featured the Rev. Eric Kregel's book A Town for All Seasons in the July 24th edition of the Synod Scene, people have asked about ordering a copy. We are happy to let you that the books have arrived at the Synod Office. Copies can be reserved by contacting RJ Chambers at: churched@edmonton.anglican.ca or (780) 439-7344. The books are available for pick-up during office hours. A cash payment of $30 per book will be accepted on-site. If you would like to pay by cheque or e-transfer, please get in touch with RJ and he will provide the payee information.

You are invited to celebrate All Saints' Day on Sunday, November 3, at All Saints' Cathedral, 10035 103 ST NW, Edmonton. There will be a BCP Service at 8:30 am, and a Choral Eucharist and Celebration of Baptism at 10:30 am. Join Jeremy Spurgeon and the Cathedral Choir for Evensong at 7 pm. All are welcome!

Join the Rev. Helen Chan Bennett at the Neighbourhood Coffee House, 6110 Fulton Road, Edmonton, every Wednesday evening at 7 pm, starting November 1, to discuss the meaning of life. This will be a welcoming space to explore, reflect and ask questions about life and death. Whether you are an Atheist, religious, or of any Orientation or Belief… we all die, so we have common ground. Come join us! Please share this FLIER with your parish community.

George Brant (Father Harry), a retired Anglican priest who for the last several years made his home at Canterbury Foundation in Edmonton, has died at 103 years old. The memorial service for Harry Brant will be held at All Saints’ Cathedral on Saturday, November 2, 2024, at 10 am.

You can read about Fr. Harry’s ministry career, spanning the countries of Canada, the U.S., Mexico, El Salvador, Poland, China and Cuba, in the Summer 2021 Messenger.

Holy Trinity Anglican Lutheran Church, Edson is holding a Christmas Bazaar at the Galloway Museum on Saturday, November 2, from 11 am until 3 pm. The bazaar will feature baking, crafts, white elephants and a silent auction. Come to shop and stay for lunch! POSTER

The Diocesan Youth Games Night originally scheduled for November 2 at Holy Trinity Anglican Church has been cancelled due to lack of participation.

You are invited to an eclectic performance by Horns A Plenty on Sunday, November 3, 7 pm, at St. Timothy's, 8420 145 ST NW, Edmonton. Admission, by donation, will support St. Tim's Music Ministry. All are welcome! POSTER

The Anglican-Roman Catholic (ARC) Dialogue of Canada invites you to an evening of ecumenical conversation on Friday, November 8, 7:30 pm, at Newman Theological College, 10012 84 Street NW, Edmonton. The evening will feature presentations from representatives of the Anglican Church of Canada, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada. Canon Scott Sharman, Canon to the Ordinary and Executive Officer for the Edmonton diocese, Bishop Bruce Myers, Quebec diocese, Archbishop Brian Dunn, Sister Donna Geernaert and others. will share some of the recent work of the ARC Canada dialogue, specifically an ecumenical theological perspective on what it means when churches apologize for wrongs and harms carried out in the name of the church. POSTER

Passionate about God’s call to act justly and love mercy?
 Saddened by the injustice you see around you?
 Frustrated that nothing ever seems to change? The Social Justice Committee of the Edmonton diocese is holding a Social Justice Day for young people, aged 13 to 30, on November 16, at St. John the Evangelist, 11111 57 Ave NW, Edmonton, from noon to 6 pm. This is a day for young people of every faith and those seeking to learn more about how our Christian faith compels us to transform the unjust structures of society. Please share this info with your parish community: POSTER / POSTCARD  REGISTER

Amorim Rufino Studio presents Back to Bach on November 16, 5 pm, at St. Paul's Anglican Church, 10127 145 St. NW, Edmonton. Details to come! POSTER

St. Matthew’s Anglican Church presents Christmas Then, Christmas Now, a poignant reflection on what Christmas "used to be" and what it has become. This production, a poem written by the late Margaret Lumley and set to music. features a Canadian rendition of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" and Kenny Rogers’ "Til the Season Comes Round Again." It is sure to put you and your loved ones in the holiday spirit on the eve of Advent 1, November 30, at 7 pm. Tickets, $10/person, can be purchased/reserved by emailing stmattscommunication@gmail.com. POSTER

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

The PrayerWorks community meal program is looking for 4 to 6 volunteers on the following Fridays to prepare a meal for 150 people: November 8 and December 13. Meal preparation takes place from 12 to 4 pm at Lodgepole Alberta Avenue (St. Faith's Anglican). To volunteer or to make a donation, please get in touch with Sarah Nicolai-deKoning at prayerworks@lodgepolecommunitas.ca; phone/text to 780-289-5730, or check out the Lodgepole website.

With only two months left to give in 2024, let's see if we can reach 175 donations of blood and plasma! To book a life-giving appointment, call 1-888-236-6283 or visit Canadian Blood Services. Check your eligibility, then click here and enter our Partner ID: ANGL696986 to join Team Anglican. You won't just make a difference. You can make all the difference.

Level 1 of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program, for children ages 3 to 5, is being offered this fall at St. Matthew’s Anglican Church, 125 Larose Drive, St. Albert.

This program gives kids an opportunity to learn about the Good Shepherd’s personal and unconditional love for each of us. It provides a foundation while continuing to guide children as they get older through the Good News of the New Testament by following the life of Jesus through a selection of parables.

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.

The Carrot Friday Nite Live presents Songs of War and Peace with Tim Chesterton and  Bill Werthmann on November 8, 7 pm, at the Carrot Community Arts Coffee House, 9351 118 AVE NW, Edmonton. Join us for an evening of heartfelt songs performed by Bill who blends well-chosen covers with original songs, and Tim who brings traditional folk melodies and his own compositions to the stage. Don't miss this memorable night of music and storytelling! Tickets, $10 (kids are free admission), can be purchased ONLINE and at the door.

The Da Camera Singers open their season on Sunday, November 10, 3 pm, at First Presbyterian Church, 10025 105 St NW, Edmonton, with one of the most beloved masterworks in the choral canon, Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem, alongside Howard Goodall’s deeply moving Eternal Light: A Requiem. With guests Jolaine Kerley (soprano), Roderick Bryce (baritone), Marnie Giesbrecht (organ) and Jacquie McNulty (harp), we honour Remembrance Day and offer solace to those who grieve. POSTER

Join Faith Nostbakken for an Ignatian Prayer Retreat, from November 29 to December 1, at Providence Renewal Centre, Edmonton. Come away for some prayer and quiet before the busyness of December. This retreat, following the rhythms and styles of prayer from the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola, will invite spacious time to engage with scripture, music, art, and the details of your life in guided group sessions as well as plenty of time for silence and personal reflection. View Fee Schedule

On November 29, 7 pm, at Star of the North in St. Albert, join Ron Rolheiser for the public lecture "Domestic Monastery: God is More Domestic than Monastic." Your marriage, your family and your work can be your own monastery. The alarm clock that wakes you in the morning is your monastic bell and your work and duties each day are your monastic rhythm. Monks have secrets worth knowing. This presentation will draw wisdom from the monastic tradition to shed light on our own human and spiritual journey. Cost is $25.

From November 29 to December 1, join Ron Rolheiser for the retreat "Generative Discipleship: The Deeper Secrets Inside the Gospels." How do we move from being good to being great? How do we break the long-standing patterns and habits of mediocrity in our lives? How do we move beyond the last and deepest sadness of our lives? During this retreat, we will attempt to take a deeper look at the invitations that Jesus has given us to grow. The great mystics have always stated that when we reach the highest level of human maturity, we will have only one question left: How can I be more helpful? How can we be more mature and more generative? View Cost Schedule

You are invited to join Lutherans, Anglicans and Moravians in a Celebration of Christ as Chief Elder: a Moravian approach to Christ as Head of the Moravian Church, on November 13, 7 pm, at Heimtal Moravian Church, 5315 127 St SW Edmonton. Light refreshments will be served.

The ELCIC is hosting a series of online workshops to address racism in the church. Carmen Ramirez, assistant to the bishop for diversity, equity and inclusion, will lead the four racial justice workshops on November 12 and 21. The four sessions are intended to be taken consecutively. Registration is free.

The U of A Interfaith Chaplains and Mixed Chorus, and The Royal Canadian College of Organists - Edmonton present the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols for Advent, on Monday, December 2, 7:30 pm, at the Winspear Centre. The concert will feature the U of A Mixed Chorus, Adam Robertson, Director; Handbells, Jackie Malcolm, Director; Marnie Giesbrecht and Joachim Segger, Organists. Tickets are $25 (plus a $5 service charge) from the Winspear Box Office: (780) 428-1414. POSTER

The Star of the North Retreat House in St. Albert seeks to hire two part-time housekeepers:  a Lead Housekeeper for 24 to 30 hours weekly; and a Housekeeper for 16 hours weekly.  To apply, email your application, indicating in the subject heading which of the two housekeeping positions you are applying for, Lead Housekeeper or Housekeeper, to director@starofthenorth.ca We appreciate your interest but only those who are short-listed will be contacted. Job Profile