• Those who are sick, suffering, or in need: Melanie, Paul, Bob, Rhea, Mitchell, Jen, Noreen, Floyd, Donna, Josh, David & Suzanne, Carol, Elliott, Elaine
• 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 to include someone's name 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.
  
• Click here for the Diocese of Edmonton, Anglican Communion, and ecumenical prayer cycles.

Please pray for Bishop Stephen London 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 meetings, events, and services:

• Tuesday, January 6 - Legislative Committee Meeting
• Friday, January 9 - Innovative Stewardship Meeting

Note: A new resource with bulletin announcements is now linked in the "Please Promote" section further down

Jan. 8-17 - Ten Days of Fasting, Prayer, and Praise at St. John's

Jan. 11 - River Walk with All Saints' Cathedral and friends

Jan. 27 - Induction service at St. George's, Fort Saskatchewan

New Epiphany resource for parishes

Registration is now open for lifelong learning through Huron University. Learn for free in 2026!

Church Admin Corner: Preparing for Annual Meetings

The January issue of The Messenger is now available online

St. John the Evangelist, Edmonton, invites you to participate in ten days of fasting, prayer, and praise.
January 8-17, 2026 from 6:30-7:30 pm each day.

We welcome you to join us in person or via livestream on our YouTube channel.

All are invited to support the Rev. Regula Brandle and the parishioners of St. George's, Fort Saskatchewan, on Tuesday, January 27, at 7:00 pm, when she will be inducted as rector of the parish.

Clergy are invited to vest. The colour is green.

Download the resource from the Parish Resources page of our website.

The Diocese of Edmonton is excited to begin a new partnership with Huron University In 2026, tuition for courses in the LTh program is covered for members of the Diocese. Study towards a certificate or credential (e.g. Parish Leadership, Theology for Lay Readers, or Foundations in Diaconal Ministry) or learn more about something that interests you.

These online courses are beginning this month:

- Presiding for the People of God with Bishop William Cliff (Thursdays beginning Jan. 8) - FULL

- Pastoral Care in Crisis: Finding Hope in Darkness with Fr. Matt Kooisk (Saturdays beginning Jan. 10) - FULL

- Protest and Praise: The Theology of Lament with Dr. Willam Morrow (Tuesdays beginning Jan. 13)

- Living Our Faith: An Introduction to Christian Ethics with Dr. Gray Bowcott (Tuesdays beginning Jan. 28)

For more information and to register, click here.

Parish Annual Meeting season is coming soon. Now is the time to ask for submissions for your parish’s meeting packet, including all ministry reports. Set a clear deadline for submissions and set yourself a deadline a few days prior so you have time to remind people (or to get your own materials finalized for submission).

Parish Annual Meetings must be held before the end of February (unless the Bishop provides consent for it to be held at a different time). Notice for your meeting must be given to the parish at least 10 days in advance of the meeting (which must include at least two preceding Sundays), so make sure you have planned for adequate notice as well. For wording of your announcement, please refer to Canon 5.88, found on pages 42-43 of the Canons (accessible here).

Download the January 2026 issue of The Messenger, a collection of news and stories from the Dioceses of Athabasca and Edmonton.

Click here to receive a print copy of The Messenger or change your subscription address. The Messenger and the Anglican Journal are mailed to subscribers for a suggested donation of $15/year.

The Messenger welcomes story ideas, opinions (Letters to the Editor), and photo submissions relating to news and events of the Dioceses of Athabasca and Edmonton. Written content should be limited to 500 words. Pictures must be high resolution, at least 1 MB (300 dpi), and include the photographer's name and a brief description of the subject matter.

Note: The Messenger is published once a month, except in July and August. Please send submissions for the March 2026 edition to anglicanmessenger@gmail.com by February 2. 

We can do more together! Please make sure your parish knows about these important Diocese-wide events and initiatives by including them in your bulletin, announcements, calendars, and other channels.

**NEW: for these events in an easy-to-copy format for bulletins and slide shows, click here**

For more information and promotional materials, click the bold, underlined text links.

Save the date for Awakening Your Purpose, a new Diocese of Edmonton conference on vocation, discernment, and call. Coming February 21.

Bishop Stephen's Lenten Retreat Feb. 27 to March 1 at the Providence Centre

This section contains events from parishes across the Diocese.

For more information on each event, click the bold, underlined text link.

Feb. 21 - Awakening Your Purpose new Diocese of Edmonton conference on discernment and call for everyone (not just ordained ministry!)

WEEKLY EVENTS (please check with parishes directly to confirm whether events are happening over the Christmas holidays)

Wednesdays at 11 am Lectionary Bible Study at Good Shepherd, Edmonton

Fridays at 9 pm Night Prayer Livestream from Good Shepherd, Edmonton

Daily except Sundays at 8 am Morning Prayer at St. Paul's, Edmonton (Zoom)

Daily at 9:15 pm Evening Prayer at St. Paul's, Edmonton (Zoom) 

Join this short, meditative walk along river valley trails for prayer, ritual, and walking in celebration of the River and the Winter Solstice.

Please bring food and drink, and dress for the weather.

Hosted by Temple Beth Ora, All Saints' Cathedral, and Oskya Matchetawin-New Beginnings.

(This event was postponed due to weather from an earlier date in December)

Enjoy an evening with acclaimed East Coast musicians J.P. Cormier and Jake Lauzon. J.P. is an award-winning bluegrass/folk/Celtic singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist with many awards to his credit. Jake is a celebrated folk/roots/bluegrass artist who has toured widely.

... People still leave his shows amazed and wondering what they just saw. Did they see a storyteller? Songwriter? Someone who crosses the lines between different instruments like there are no lines? Arguably one of the best guitar players today? Of all the things he is, foremost, an entertainer.

Click below to read more!

Palace of Nowhere: A Deepening Centering Prayer Retreat, Facilitated by Liz Rees

“This one door is the door of the Palace of Nowhere. It is the door of God. It is our very self, our true self called by God to perfect union.” – James Finley. This retreat will share the wisdom of Thomas Merton, James Finley, and Fr. Thomas Keating, who invite us to the path of deep humility and surrender, where we can encounter the deathless beauty within us, a Palace of Nowhere. We will hold silence throughout the retreat, engaging in multiple sessions of Centering Prayer, along with learning sessions to inspire us to deepen our spiritual journey.

Friday, January 30, 2026 (7:00 pm) to Sunday, February 1, 2025 (noon)

Suite $350          Single $325        Commuter: $225

Register by January 22, 2026,     Event #16996

 An optional online learning session about the method of Centering Prayer will be available on Thursday January 29 from 7 -8:30 p.m. for those who are preparing for the retreat and wish to learn or refresh their awareness about the method of holding silence.

Traditional Approaches to Healing needs sustainable funding so it can increase its capacity in response to growing community needs. This life-giving healing circle is grounded in traditional Indigenous wisdom and supports emotional and psychological well-being. Led by Cree Elder Russell Auger at St. Faith's, Edmonton.

The Diocese of Edmonton has been a refugee Sponsorship Agreement Holder for decades and has helped support newcomers to Canada from around the world. In the last two years, we have seen a dramatic reduction in the number of spaces available for applications for privately sponsored refugees. This ongoing reduction in capacity will greatly impact people working in Canada, the families that have been hoping and saving for sponsorship, individuals and families caught in dangerous and desperate situations abroad, and parishes whose work with refugees forms a vital part of their outreach ministry.

This grassroots campaign comes from AURA (Anglican-United Refugee Alliance), which is the refugee sponsorship organization associated with the Diocese of Toronto:

WE NEED YOUR HELP TO SAVE THE PRIVATE SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM AND HELP CANADA REMAIN A COUNTRY THAT PROTECTS REFUGEES!

Sponsorship Agreement Holders (SAHs) privately sponsor refugees from around the world. We have the money, housing, and all settlement supports ready for refugees, many of whom have family members in Canada ready to welcome them. However, our government is slashing the number of privately sponsored refugees. There will be fewer privately sponsored refugees arriving, and now we are severely restricted in how many new refugees we can apply to sponsor.  The government reduced our ability to sponsor by 54% for 2026 compared to 2025. This unprecedented reduction has major impacts for our staff, volunteers, communities, and refugees around the world. 

This means that collectively, the 143 SAHs in Canada will only be able to submit new applications to sponsor 5000 refugees (individuals) in 2026, despite requests and capacity to sponsor many, many more.

The association that represents SAHs has asked the Minister of Immigration to double this number, the Global Cap, increasing it to 10,000 refugees for 2026. This would still be a reduction but would not put the entire program’s future at risk. 

We are now calling on YOU to help us show the Minister and other government representatives that you support this request.

THIS WILL TAKE 1 MINUTE. YOU CAN DO IT IN A FEW CLICKS: 

Step 1: CLICK HERE 
Step 2: Enter your name and address, click “Start Writing”
Step 3: The letter we created will appear. You can edit it or send it as is. 
Step 4: Click “Send”

We are hopeful that if enough people express their support, the Minister will increase the number.

Find resources here to support your ministry and parish administration.

To access the links, click the bold, underlined text.

Hospital Stays and Spiritual Care: If you or your loved one is in hospital and you would like the Anglican Hospital Chaplain to visit you, you will need to give written consent during your hospital stay (the hospital will provide you with the form). Only then will the Anglican Hospital Chaplain receive your information and be able to provide spiritual care. - The Rev. Regula Brandle, Anglican Hospital Chaplain

Arrange an Alongside Hope mapping exercise for your parish, facilitated by the Rev. Helen Chan Bennett.

Retreats and Spiritual Formation programs: The Edmonton area is blessed to have two active retreat centres offering spiritual direction and programs to help you grow in your discipleship of Jesus Christ. Follow the links to explore offerings at the Providence Centre (southwest Edmonton) and Star of the North (St. Albert). 

Grief and dementia support resource for congregations: Sarah Rudd, a Lutheran Diaconal Minister, is available for worship service support, dementia compassionate community presentations, or to share more about a peer support grief program. Please reach out to srudd@alzheimer.ab.ca if you’d like to connect or explore how these resources can bless your congregation’s ministry.

We would love to connect with you!

• Sign up for The Messenger or manage your subscription through the Anglican Journal website
• Read The Messenger online
• Sign up for the Synod Scene by emailing communications@edmonton.anglican.ca

We take your personal information seriously and do not sell or share it with third parties.

Part of what unites us as a family of churches is the support we give one another and our ministries. We can do this by sharing our news and events (e.g., youth gatherings, parish fundraisers, worship services, community outreach, public lectures) here in the Synod Scene, the diocese's weekly e-newsletter. We have created a form to simplify this task. Click on the button below to upload a graphic or picture (horizontal / landscape orientation; 1500x784 px), and your brief news/event information. Submissions must be received by Tuesday at noon for inclusion in the current week's newsletter. Because the Synod Scene is public and posted to the diocesan website every week, please use parish (not personal) contact information in your submissions whenever possible. Have questions? Email communications@edmonton.anglican.ca or call 780-439-7344