• Those who are sick, suffering, or in need: Sam & family, 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 (List of Twinned Parishes - updated May 19, 2026). 
• 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.
• Email to add a name to 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.

Find Anglican and ecumenical prayer cycles on our website.

Anglican Communion: The Scottish Episcopal Church

Anglican Church of Canada: Diocese of Western Newfoundland: Leadership in Transition

Diocese of Edmonton: St. Mary and St. George, Jasper: Interim Ministry; David Prowse, Honorary Assistant. For discernment as they work with community partners and navigate the rebuilding process.

Buyé:  Kibonde Parish: Alexis Nzoyisaba, Rector

Treaty 6:  Montana First Nation

Lutheran-Anglican-Moravian Prayer Cycle:

- ACC: The theological colleges and training programs within the Ecclesiastical Province of Ontario: Canterbury College, Huron University College, Renison College, the Anglican Studies Program at Saint Paul University, Thorneloe University, Trinity College, Wycliffe College 

- ELCIC: The congregations of the Saskatoon area of the Saskatchewan Synod

- MOR: The School of Theology at Moravian University (formerly Moravian Theological Seminary and Lancaster Theological Seminary) in Bethlehem, PA

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:

• Friday, June 5 - Innovative Stewardship
• Saturday, June 6 - Deacons' Gathering
• Sunday, June 7 - All Saints' Cathedral for Evensong

Official Notice of Synod
October 23-24, 2026

Notice of the 70th Synod of the Diocese of Edmonton

To all Members of Synod:

Notice is hereby given that the 70th Synod of the Diocese of Edmonton will take place on OCTOBER 23 and 24, 2026. This is a regular meeting of Synod for the purpose of electing officers, receiving reports, and other business referred to in Section 1(b) of Canon 7.

The proceedings of Synod will begin on FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, at All Saints’ Cathedral, 10035–103 Street, Edmonton. Registration will commence at 5:00 pm, followed by Eucharist at 6:30 pm (including the Bishop's Charge), the Call to Order, and various items of business.

The proceedings will continue on SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, at St. Matthias Anglican Church, 6210–188 Street, Edmonton, at 9:00 am.

Members of Synod are invited to submit notices of motions to the Synod Agenda and Resolutions Committee, in care of the Synod Office. Notices should be submitted as early as possible but must be received no later than 4:30 pm on Wednesday, September 9, 2026.                     

Written reports will be included with the Convening Circular and must be submitted to the Synod Office by 4:30 pm on Tuesday, September 1, 2026. Please submit reports electronically to RJ Chambers at the Synod Office: churched@edmonton.anglican.ca. Written reports will be received as a single motion at Synod.

In Christ,

The Rt. Rev. Stephen London

Bishop of Edmonton

May 21, 2026

Please note that everyone attending Synod must register. Delegates should use the appropriate link in the official email sent on May 26. All observers must contact the Synod Office to register.

Scroll down for more local and parish events in the "Join In" Section!

The Free African Song Workshop was presented at the Good Shepherd Anglican Church by Sokhana Mfenyana on Saturday, May 30th, 2026, from 1 pm to 3 pm, presided over by Archdeacon Jordan Ware. The audience was multinational and multicultural, consisting of people from various countries.  It was an exciting and participatory experience. Sokhana successfully taught the audience three South African gospel songs along with the dance steps.

A group from St. Faith's in beautiful cultural attire gave a musical performance directed by Betty Kaahwa. They also performed the hymn ‘Pass me not O gentle Saviour’ in Luganda while Sokhana rendered it in Swahili. The audience sang it in English.  A member of the audience also performed it in one of the  Nigerian Languages. There was a tea break. Members of the audience performed various songs, including from Sierra Leone, Nigeria, and Sudan.  Sokhana concluded by teaching a popular Nigerian Song, ‘I just want to say, Baba o Eshe’. It was a wonderful time in the Good Shepherd Anglican Church, and it was spiritually fulfilling.    

- Abieyuwa Osamwonyi (Good Shepherd, Edmonton)

The Cursillo community gathered last weekend for a mini-retreat at the Providence Centre. The event encouraged and inspired a group of forty participants as they reflected on Cursillo's pillars for nurturing life in Christ: Piety, Study, and Action. 

Bishop Stephen London commented, "I am always inspired by the seriousness with which people in this community take their faith and are dedicated to the task of offering opportunities for spiritual growth and renewal within our Diocese. ...For me, [this event] was a real affirmation that Cursillo has an important role to play in the life of our Diocese."

Cursillo has been forming passionate Christian disciples in the Diocese of Edmonton for 40 years. The leadership team has already begun planning the next main Cursillo weekend to be held in spring 2027. Plan to attend!

Photos: the Rev. Helen Chan Bennett

Representatives of the Diocese of Edmonton met with Mayor Andrew Knack and community partners at St. Faith's this week to launch the Faith Lands Affordable Housing Incentive. The initiative represents a $2-million collaborative grant program that will support initial studies and site assessments, allowing churches to launch affordable housing projects. The project is part of the City of Edmonton and the Edmonton Community Foundation's plan to respond to a significant shortage of affordable housing.

St. Faith's is planning to use some of its land for affordable housing and community space. As part of the Lodgepole Communitas, a family of churches and community organizations centred on belonging, St. Faith's already serves many people who would benefit from this program. Listen to the Ven. Travis Enright reflect on the importance of this initiative in the news this week:

• Read the article from CBC News on June 1, 2026
• Listen to the Ven. Travis Enright's interview on CBC News - Edmonton AM from June 2, 2026

St. Thomas, Sherwood Park, is seeking a dedicated and organized Children and Youth Ministry Coordinator to lead and grow our vibrant community of children and young people. This role focuses on supporting our existing volunteer teams, overseeing administrative logistics, and fostering a safe, nurturing environment for spiritual growth.

For more information, see the JOB POSTING.

The application deadline is June 22, 2026.

You are invited to join the Cursillo community for a year-end BBQ with great food, music, and fellowship. 

Saturday, June 20th at 4:00 pm
St. Timothy’s: 8420 145 St NW, Edmonton

We’ll be providing the hamburgers with all the fixings and drinks.

Please bring a side dish or dessert, along with your own plate, mug, and cutlery to help reduce waste.

Kindly RSVP to: cursilloedmonton@gmail.com

We hope to see you there!

POSTER

St. Mary's is once again holding a delicious steak and lobster dinner to support community projects.

• $55 for lobster dinner
• $40 for steak dinner
• $85 for steak & lobster

Meals include baked potato, coleslaw, dessert, and beverages

Proceeds will support youth summer camps and the Ponoka Handivan. Dinner ticket holders are eligible to win 2 tickets to the Ponoka Stampede on June 25 for professional rodeo action followed by Dwight Yoakam live in concert.

Ticket order deadline is June 15. See the POSTER for more information.

What is evangelism? What is the Gospel? How can we participate in ways that aren't shaming or harmful?

In this video, the Rev. Dr. Eric Kregel, Chaplain to Lay Evangelists for the Diocese of Edmonton, introduces some of these questions and looks ahead to some of the content he's planning for the Lay Evangelists YouTube channel.

Follow this link for more about the Lay Evangelists program.

The Anglican Foundation of Canada has announced its 2026 Request for Proposals: Community Bridge-Building and Crisis Response. This program will help strengthen local and regional responses rooted in dignity, justice, and sustainable community wellbeing.

“Across Canada, we are witnessing extraordinary ministries of compassion and courage,” said Dr. Scott Brubacher, Executive Director. “Church communities are offering food, presence, advocacy, safe space, practical support, and accompaniment to neighbours navigating complex realities. At the same time, many ministries are stretched and under-resourced. This RFP is intended to help bridge that gap.” - anglicanfoundation.org

Ministries must apply between September 1 and October 1, 2026. For more information, visit the 2026 Request for Proposals. 

Finishing our series on paper records and archiving of records, we want to reinforce the importance of sending meeting minutes to be archived. Meeting minutes for Vestry and various parish committees often contain key decisions that some parishes may need to refer back to decades later. Over the last month, the Synod Office had a project that required combing through 22 years of meeting minutes to create a record of discussion that led to a specific answer. This work could not have been done without being able to access the meeting minutes over that time span.  

In looking through the list of holdings at the archives, we found that there are some parishes that have never sent their meeting minutes to be archived and some that have not archived anything for 20+ years. Many parishes no longer print and keep meeting minutes. But all parishes should make a plan to print such minutes annually or send digital versions to the Synod Office for printing and archiving.

If you are unsure of when you last submitted meeting minutes for archival purposes, please contact RJ in the Synod Office at churched@edmonton.anglican.ca. He can confirm which of your parish records are currently archived and assist with a plan to get up to date on your archiving. And, as always, to see how to properly prepare items for archiving, please see the summary sheet HERE.

Over the next few weeks, we will be moving the Synod Scene onto a new platform. This will improve our newsletter administration, solve some subscription glitches, and improve your control over your subscription preferences.

Please check your email to make sure you received the Synod Scene test message on May 20.

If you received it, you don't need to do anything more. You will continue to receive news and events from the Diocese of Edmonton each week in your inbox. 

If you did not receive it, please sign up below. If the test email landed in your junk mail folder, be sure to add us to your safe senders list.

*We do not share your information beyond the Synod Office.

Download the May 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 September 2026 edition to anglicanmessenger@gmail.com by August 10.

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.

The Diocese of Edmonton is hiring a Coordinator for Lay-Led Parishes.

A growing number of our communities are led by lay staff and volunteers. This mode of being an Anglican community comes with unique gifts and challenges. This position will develop supports and systems to help these parishes find renewed viability and vitality as the lay leaders hold mission and ministry for their communities. You will work with diocesan staff and volunteers as well as directly with the lay-led communities to coordinate their facilitation, education, and oversight needs. As most of these parishes are in rural areas of the Diocese of Edmonton, you must be able to travel.

This is a quarter-time position for one year with a possible one-year extension. The application deadline is Thursday, June 4.

For more information, see the POSITION DESCRIPTION.

This section contains events from parishes across the Diocese.

June 7 The Art of Community Regeneration with Dr. Ronald Pate

June 20 Cursillo Year-End BBQ at St. Timothy's, Edmonton

July 17 Edmonton Elks Faith & Family Night

September 19 Cursillo Welcome Back Ultreya & Ice Cream Social

November 21 Cursillo Christmas Celebration

WEEKLY EVENTS (please confirm events directly with parishes)

Sundays at 7 pm Compline from St. Peter's, Edmonton (Facebook)

Wednesdays at 11 am Lectionary Bible Study at 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) 

Are you looking for fun kids' activities this summer? Here are offerings from several Diocese of Edmonton parishes. 

Just Like Me Vacation Bible School at Good Shepherd, Edmonton: every Thursday from July 30 through August 27

Come join us in the garden! We're celebrating who we are, learning how to use our voice, and sharing our gifts with our community. Visiting gardeners will explore a series of Old and New Testament stories and learn that people in the Bible are just like us! Join us as we wonder, shout, share, build community, and help others. Expect an all-ages dinner and stations for the whole family to enjoy. Scholarships are available. More information.

Summer Day Camp with Hastings Lake Bible Camp at St. Thomas, Sherwood Park August 4-7

Hastings Lake is partnering with St. Thomas to bring you camp-style activities, skits, songs, Bible studies, silly games, and all the wacky excitement you expect from Summer Camp!

$65/camper. For more information: www.hastingslake.com/day-camps or contact St. Thomas

Rainforest Falls Vacation Bible School at St. John the Evangelist, Edmonton August 10-14

Registration Open! Get ready to step into a vibrant rainforest at St. John the Evangelist Anglican Church this summer as we put on Rainforest Falls: Exploring the Nature of God!
Vacation Bible School will be held August 10-14 from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm each day, for kids ages 4-12. To register a participant or as a volunteer, please do so here. If you have any questions, please contact Abby.

Are you interested in hearing about where social justice, global health, and human rights intersect?

Partners in Health was born out of the work of Paul Farmer, a doctor who responded to the call of liberation theologians to elevate the dignity and rights of those least served by modern medicine.

Come hear Dr. Joia Mukherjee of Partners in Health, an Associate Professor of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School, speak on the amazing work of the PIH organization in the world. 

POSTER

ABOUT PARTNERS IN HEALTH

The programs below need your help to make a difference in our community!

For more information, click the bold, underlined text link.

Join us in recognizing the 40th anniversary of the Edmonton Coalition on Housing and Homelessness.

This fundraising event will feature live music and community speakers. Complimentary bannock and refreshments, plus lunch available for purchase. 

Funds raised will go towards supporting ECOHH and housing advocacy in our city.

Tickets: $25-$50 (pay-what-you-can available). See the poster for more information.

POSTER

St. Luke’s Hospital in the West Bank is operated by the Episcopal (Anglican) Diocese of Jerusalem. Alongside Hope has been supporting this ministry for many years, and more especially during the current war.

St. Luke’s serves a population of about 455,000 people, including 57 marginalized villages and four nearby refugee camps. But unreliable electricity and costly fuel make health care delivery a challenge in the best of times. During the worst of times, it becomes a crisis.

In partnership with the Diocese of Jerusalem, Alongside Hope is funding the purchase and installation of 407 solar panels for St. Luke’s Hospital. “Light for St. Luke’s” will cost $352,000. 

- from alongsidehope.org

Find resources here to support your ministry and parish administration.

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

Churches Now Hiring: See our Ministry Opportunities page for more information.

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.

Registration and more information for these courses are available on Huron's website. 

NOW OPEN FOR REGISTRATION:

- The Theology of AI: God, the Machine, and Everything in Between with Dr. Erin Green, beginning June 13

About this program: 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. 

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