Join the online conversation about church growth

A new online forum has emerged as a space for Canadian Anglicans to discuss church growth and explore how buzzwords like “congregational development” and “missional” translate into actual, life-changing ministry in their neighbourhoods.

Wanted: Anglicans to sponsor refugee families

Anglican parishes have until March 31 to benefit from a special refugee sponsorship arrangement between the Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF) and the Government of Canada. Parishes who sponsor families through the 50 Refugee Families Sponsorship Project will receive an average of $4,000 in seed money, depending on family size. These funds will help offset the costs of supporting a refugee family for a year, costs that private sponsors must cover.

Primate's statement on church bombing

In the aftermath of the bombing of a Coptic Church in Alexandria, Egypt, as the congregation celebrated Midnight Mass on Jan. 1, I ask your prayers for the 21 people killed, for those injured and for their families in Egypt and abroad.

Primate’s New Year’s Day Address

What follows is the text of an address by Archbishop Fred Hiltz, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada. As is traditional, the Primate’s New Year’s Day address was delivered at Christ Church Cathedral in Ottawa.

Silent Night video a Christmas gift to the world

Christmas Eve 2010 marks the launch of Silent Night, a documentary featuring clips of Anglicans singing the carol across Canada and the world. More than 500 videos were sent in, and all received by Dec. 14 were included in this 10-minute compilation video, now available online.

Advent Hope: Growing gardens and confidence in Sri Lanka

In Modarapiliwell, a small town in southern Sri Lanka, a woman named K.H. Chandima Pushpakumari knows how to make a garden grow. The petite wife and mother of two climbs and prunes the trees in her three-quarter-acre plot. She makes fertilizer. She builds dirt barriers to retain rain water. She diagnoses and treats diseases and infestations in her crops.

Christmas greetings from the Primate

So you think you can sing?

We can, and we have been!

Throughout Advent, Canadian Anglicans have happily participated in the “Silent Night” Project anchored by Anglican Video. There have been almost 500 submissions from coast to coast to coast and far beyond. A compilation video will be posted on our National Church Website on December 24th.

Advent Hope: Oji-Cree translators make church language their own

In most Anglican churches, the word “warden” refers to a parish leader, but in Oji-Cree the word “warden” doesn’t exist. When a group of seven Oji-Cree speakers gathered to translate the Diocese of Keewatin’s church regulations and laws (canons) last September, this was one of the many obstacles they encountered.

Anglican, Lutheran church leaders celebrate gift of music

In their 2010 joint Christmas video, Archbishop Fred Hiltz, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC), and National Bishop Susan Johnson of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) celebrate and share the gift of Christmas music.

Advent Hope: Helping Pacific partners adapt to climate change

“Preparations for eventual resettlement of South Pacific Island communities must begin now rather than later.” -Pacific Conference of Churches Climate Change and Resettlement Program

With these words and the actions that follow, the Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC) is emerging as a leader in the ecumenical climate justice movement. As rising sea levels force migration and threaten the livelihoods of South Pacific people, PCC is increasingly sought after by regional and national churches and civil society groups to advocate for the rights of people marginalized by climate change. PCC’s work in this area includes not only human and economic rights advocacy but also disaster risk reduction programs at the community level.

Last chance to sing "Silent Night"; videos due Dec. 14

This Sunday is your last chance to incorporate “Silent Night” into your church service, film it, then upload or mail in your video to General Synod by Dec. 14. The Silent Night Project is designed as a fun and festive unity-building activity, and all videos will be incorporated into a documentary, to be put online by Christmas as a gift to the world.

Advent Hope: Online program equips Sunday schools

Marion Dennis felt a little overwhelmed when she was asked to lead her church’s Sunday school several years ago. The Dryden, Ont. woman had just come back to the church and was already juggling several volunteer gigs. She served as president of the Newfoundland club, sang in a praise group, and on top of this she worked full time at a busy government centre that serviced her northern community.