SCHEDULE

Thursday January 12th – Reading and Writing Day

Friday January 13th – Meetings outside the office

Sunday January 15th – Parish worship

Monday January 16th – Canadian Compass Rose Society Lunch and Learn

Tuesday January 17th – Synod Arrangements Committee and Canadian Compass Rose Society Annual Meeting

Wednesday January 18th – Meetings in office

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Bishop Sandra is pleased to announce that:

The Reverend Tory Byrne has been appointed Priest-in-Charge of the Parish of St. John’s Lunenburg effective January 1st, 2023.

The Reverend Julia Ford has been appointed  Priest-in-Charge of the Parish of Bridgetown effective January 1st, 2023 for the duration of the Rector’s leave.

The Reverend Patrick Bright has been appointed Priest-in-Charge of the Parish of Blue Rocks effective December 20th, 2022.

The Reverend Edwin Ebsary has been appointed Priest-in-Charge of the Parish of St. Andrew’s Locks Road effective December 1st, 2022.

Are you a mid-level accounting professional with a Canadian accounting designation and experience leading a finance team? Are you an excellent communicator, process-driven and results oriented, with exposure to CRA requirements for charities and Great Plains accounting software? Do you enjoy working in a busy environment with colleagues who are driven to serve and care about their work? 

As our Financial Controller, you will provide leadership, direction, management, and vision to our financial reporting systems and ensure our financial strength by safeguarding assets and maintaining financial stability. You possess excellent inter-personal skills and a non-anxious presence. You excel at working collaboratively with individuals, task groups, and committees. You build trusting relationships. 

Our Diocese is on the cusp of change. We are being called to greater diversity of membership, wider participation in ministry and leadership, better stewardship of the environment, and a stronger resolve in challenging attitudes and structures that cause injustice. We are reimagining ways to use all the gifts and assets we have, to make a visible difference in people's lives. We know this will take time and patience.   

Expressions of interest for this part-time position are encouraged. A position description is available upon request.

Please email Jana Gauthier at bishopsoffice@nspeidiocese.ca for more information.

(NEW DETAILS!) 

Faithfully living out God’s missional call today requires us to see ministry and congregational life in fresh ways. Join in a series of online conversations to discover how to reframe our perspectives and reconnect with our neighbours in order to grow and flourish. 

reconnect & reframe is a learning and exploring partnership between the Diocese of Nova Scotia & Prince Edward Island and Diocese of Fredericton. Sessions are Thursday evenings on ZOOM. Each includes a dynamic presentation on a particular theme, several local examples, followed by small group discussion.  

The first module, beginning January 26, is a four-part series on Collaborative Ministry Leadership. Learn how to build effective teams of laity and clergy, lead through liminal times, avoid burn-out, and creatively adapt. Includes practical case studies.  

Speakers for this first series include Diocesan Bishops Sandra Fyfe and David Edwards, as well as Rev. Dr. Heather McCance, Director of Pastoral Studies at Montreal Diocesan Theological College. 

Collaborative Ministry Leadership runs January 26 at 7 p.m., February 2 at 8 p.m., February 9 at 8 p.m. and February 16 at 8 p.m. 

SIGN-UP HERE:  www.surveymonkey.com/r/reconnectreframe 

Other multi-part reconnect & reframe modules in early 2023: 

     *Rethinking Community Engagement  
     *Reimagining Buildings & Property  
     *Funding Sources for Innovation (alternate revenue streams) 
     *Fresh Expressions of Church (starting new congregations) 

Each of the modules features real-life examples and many Maritime church scenarios.  

Anyone may attend any of these free sessions. We encourage congregations to send a team. Individuals are warmly welcomed too.  

Got questions? Contact: Lisa Vaughn    lvaughn@nspeidiocese.ca    902-789-4840 

May God, whose star led wise men to his son, to worship him and reveal him to the world, be a beacon of hope and light to you and to those you encounter, from the Anglican Church Women Diocesan Board. Enjoy the January / February 2023 issue of the Board's e-Newsletter, Let's Keep in Touch. 

Whether living in rural areas, towns, suburbs or the city, demographics are shifting. As people move in, move out, retire, sell to rent a home, stay seasonally or live here to study - we are seeing more and new people living in Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia.  How can our congregations get to know these newcomers and find ways to minister to them?   

Here's a great blog post from Prince Rivers, Editor, Alban at Duke Divinity School. It's called, Who Is Your Neighbor? 

 https://alban.org/2022/11/21/who-is-your-neighbor/ 

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (WPCU) is an annual ecumenical celebration which traditionally takes place between January 18th (the Feast of the Confession of Saint Peter) and January 25th (the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul) in the northern hemisphere. In celebrating the WPCU, Christians around the world are invited to pray for the unity of all Christians, to reflect on Scripture together, to participate in jointly-organized ecumenical services and events, and to share fellowship. Many local churches are participating - so why not organize an ecumenical prayer time?  

This year's theme is based on Isaiah 1:17, "Do good; seek justice". To learn more visit Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2023. To discover how to organize a service visit here. 

Listen. Learn. Experiment. Connect. 

The Connectors is a group that journeys over the course of 12 months to explore fresh approaches to flourishing ministry. It involves reflection, prayer, discussion, study, goal-setting, trying out missional initiatives, mutual peer support and more!

Do you sense that God is nudging you to try something new?
Do you wish to reach out to people who might never come to Sunday worship?
Do you desire to be the hands, feet and heart of Christ to your community?
This peer learning community begins in early 2023 for lay and clergy participants who want to explore discerning prayer, deep dive discussions, engaging readings, goal-setting, mutual support and encouragement. 

The Connectors FIVE is a group of up to 10 eager pioneering-type people who gather monthly for 10, two-day sessions (a mixture of residential retreats and Zoom meetings). This is a skill-building environment for faithful Anglicans who want to reach out to others, but aren’t sure how. Participants in this cohort are a gift and asset to a local parish and their community. All costs are covered by the Diocese.

ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS …

... are willing to lean into their growing edges and take risks.

... commit to participating in all the sessions and an average of 3 hours per month of study, reflection and discernment/visioning for themselves and their congregation(s). Additional time required for missional initiatives.

Application deadline for The Connectors FIVE is Monday, February 13, 2023.

INFO & SIGN-UP HERE:  https://www.nspeidiocese.ca/users/the-revd-lisa-vaughn

(Got questions?    E-mail:   lvaughn@nspeidiocese.ca   or  call:  902-789-4840.)

Click here to read!

SHARE THE HOPE YOU HAVE WITH THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE

Alpha creates a space for you to invite someone in your life - whether a friend, family member, or co-worker - to ask questions and explore the hope of Christ, maybe for the first time. 

Alpha is a resource congregations use to create a comfortable culture where people are excited to bring their friends for a conversation about life, faith and meaning in a respectful, non-pressured environment. The 9-week series has lasting impact on guests and faith communities, as it nurtures spiritual seekers, encourages discipleship and fosters leaders.

Hosted on the Zoom platform, join in from your home. Sit in a comfy chair, wear your slippers, enjoy your favourite beverage, and join in a no-strings-attached series to explore big questions. For example, Who is Jesus? Why should I pray? Does God heal people? Is forgiveness possible? What about evil? 

A group of trained, pastorally-sensitive lay leaders and clergy are hosting the Alpha series on Zoom starting January 18th. Each Alpha session includes a time to connect, a short video, and discussion. Ask any question! 

If you are longing to nurture faith and energy in your people, encourage them to try Alpha. 

This series is hosted by Heart Rock Café, open-minded, open-hearted people from the rock band worship of St. Timothy’s, Hatchet Lake, NS. Other facilitators from local Anglican congregations are involved too.    

Alpha runs 9 weeks - Wednesdays on Zoom!

Starts January 18 – 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. (Last chance to join Jan. 25)

Anyone from any background or anywhere may come along. 

Have you tried Alpha?

Who will you invite to try Alpha? 

SIGN-UP HERE:

www.surveymonkey.com/r/HEARTROCKCAFEALPHA

FOLLOW on Facebook:   Heart Rock Café Alpha on-line:  

 https://www.facebook.com/groups/2056371691218410

The Parish of Trinity, Halifax, is currently searching for a new Director of Music. The Music Director we seek will strive to build up a church music program that is sensitive to classical Anglicanism and the Prayerbook tradition, by drawing upon the richness of Christian sacred music and hymnody, both evangelical and catholic, and the best of contemporary hymn-writing. The ideal candidate will be a competent organist and musician with the ability to teach, who can elevate our liturgy through the use of music (instrumental and choral), so that the whole congregation is encouraged to participate in worship that is vital, transformative, reverent and beautiful.  

For a detailed job description and to apply please touch base with our parish office (trinity.church@ns.aliantzinc.ca) Applications are being received until the end of February, and should include a cover letter and resumé.

Take-Out Only       (Please order before Monday, January 16, 2023) 

To order, please call Ellen @ 902-817-8457.  (She will give you a pick-up time between 4:30-6:00 pm)   

Meal includes: our famous Seafood*  Chowder or Chili,  (*haddock only, no shellfish), 

Upsized for supper, freshly made tea biscuit and dessert. 

Cost is Adult $15, Child (5-12) $7 

This month you may add to your order, a package of 6 homemade tea biscuits, for an additional $4.00.   

When picking up meals, please drive up the hill, around the church, and stop at the hall door.  A runner will come and take your payment and bring your meal(s) to your car.

St. Margaret of Scotland Church presents: BURNS NIGHT!

Featuring:

* Traditional Scottish Entertainment

* Poetry Readings

* Ode to Haggis

* A taste o Scottish Cuisine

Come and ``Tak a cup o` kindness yet for auld lang syne!``

Free will offering

The Diocese of NS and PEI Heating Oil Program with Irving Oil offers Churches of the Diocese and eligible Diocesan Clergy and Diocesan Staff a discounted rate based on non-profit status. This rate is not offered to individual Anglican parishioners. For more information, please contact: The Centralized Commercial Account Manager for the Diocesan Heating Oil Program, Ms. Jennifer Bishop by name at 1-888-310-1924 or by email at Jennifer.Bishop@IrvingOil.com

The Furnace Oil price for the period Jan. 7th to Jan 13th, 2023

Nova Scotia                    $1.3423

Prince Edward Island   $1.3253