A time to get acquainted with other woman in a fun and relaxed setting. We gather for dinner from time to time. Please call or email ahead for exact date of next meeting. You do not have to be a member of All Saints or the Anglican Church to attend.

This course and other courses for orientation to christian life are run with our sister church St. Thomas. The courses answer questions like:

IS THERE A GOD?

WHY AM I HERE?

WHERE DID I COME FROM?

WHERE AM I GOING?

The purpose of running courses on basic evangelism is to draw people from outside the church into the shared life of the christian community.

This is an importnat element of being a church in a city. 

For more information please contact 

admin@allsaintsanglican.ca

The Server helps prepare for the celebration of the Eucharist by lighting the altar candles before the service. The Server also assists the priest with the washing of hands before communion, recieves the offering plates during the Offeratory Hymn and extinguishes candles at the end of the service.

Each Sunday lay persons read the appointed lessons from the lectern. (Latin for "to read"). They are called "lectors" (Readers). 

Lectors prepare at home and are assigned to read certain Sundays in advance. Lectors normally read about once a month. 

A new lector is given "Guidelines for Reading Scripture in Church" to help  them understand some basic guidelines when reading in church.

Anyone interested please speak with the team lead available through the church office 

admin@allsaintsanglican.ca

Lay Readers will be

• be reasonalby proficient at reading in public
• be informed members of the local Christian community.
• be responding to the Lord's call to serve on the parish ministry team.
• be prepared to assist the pastor in assisgned duties
• demonstrate a knowledge of Anglican Prayer books
• continually seek to grow in their Christian faith and knowledge
• potentially preach sermons at the discretion of the rector
• Help administer the Sacrament at the Eucharist
• lead the Prayers of the People
• seek to learn and grow in their role as Lay Reader through appropraite reading, instruction from the Pastor, and/or attending pertinent seminars, workshops, conferances.

Lay Readers are subject to annual approval by the parish ar the Annual General Meeting.

Normally they administer the Chalice to communicants at the altar rail. They are licensed by the Bishop and their ministry approved annually by the Parish Annual General Meeting.

Any person who is a regular confirmed communicant in the Diocese of Athabasca, who has reached their 16th birthday may be eligible.

There is a sign up board outside the kitchen where anyone can volunteer to provide lunch on any given Sunday. Usually 2-4 people join together to provide the lunch. Each week is something different sometimes soup and sandwich, sometimes hot dishes and even occassionally some ethnic specialty. You may donate the food or claim reimburssement for costs. Many find it a joy to provide the lunch.

Sunday lunches are always popular and a great way to get to know and be known by your parish family. Once a month we clebrate all the birthdays and annniversaries in the parish that month by singing our special BIRTHDAY SONG and cutting the cake. High chairs are available for infants.

 Greeters usually serve in pairs approximately one Sunday a month according to a published schedule.

If you may be interested in becoming a Greeter please contact the co-ordinator, Currently Connie Wyatt, either in person or by email @ admin@allsaintsanglican.ca 

 Specific Duties of Greeters

• Be at church 1/2 hour early to cheerfully greet people.
• Hand out the service bulletins along with any inserts for that Sunday.
• Make sure steps and wheelchair ramp are free of snow and ice. If you are physically unable to do this, ask for help.
• Hand out mail that has not been picked up from the mail slots.
• Be sensitive to the temperature of the sanctuary. Adjust the thermostat and open windows and doors to regulate a comfortable environment. Turn on fans if necessary.
• Help with coats and hang them up.
• After the service tidy the pews and book racks, removing discarded bulletins, Kleenex and other garbage. Turn off lights, fans etc. Close windows, doors, turn down thermostat etc.
• Take an accurate "head count" of everyone in the church. Include Jesus in your count and record the number in the Vestry Book.
• Take up the offering during Offertory Hymn.
• Guide the flow up to the communion rail during the administration of Holy Communion.
• Save at least a dozen service bulletins for distribution during pastoral visits.

There are many amongst us whose physical, emotional, and spiritual needs can be brought before God. When everyone is praying simultaneously for the same requests, there is tremendous power in prayer.

Prayer Chains provide a wonderful method of teaching complete confidence in answered prayer, and in the God who answers our prayers.

Prayer chains have a unique way of joining the human links together in a horizontal plane here on earth. But the marvel of it is that each individual is directly connected to the source of  the power of the whole universe, who is in Heaven - God Himself!

"Lord, teach me to pray! Amen"

Guidelines

• Prayer requests may come from any source but must begin with the 'coordinator' of the prayer chain. The director then records the requests and sends it out via email or phones not connected to the internet.
• Only the bare essentials should be communicated in the request and the discerning 'director' can sense when something is too personal. They may need to ask the caller -"Have you checked with the person for whom you're requesting prayer?"
• Pass along only what has been requested. Do not add or subtract from prayer requests.
• No chatting is allowed when recieving a prayer request. The only purpose of the call or email is prayer.
• After you recieve the message you must pray immediately, and then continue to pray periodically as the Lord leads you.
• The coordinator must phone a member of the prayer chain and simply say "Hi, it's Mary I have someone for you to pray for." Do not leave a detailed message on the machine as other family members may check for messages. The member should contact the director as soon as possible after recieving the message.
• It's important that requests be sent out immediately.
  
• If the request is for a member of the parish family, the Clergy should be informed as soon as possible.
• Normally we will pray as a chain for one week for new requests unless otherwise advised.
• Each prayer request will be included in the Sunday Bulletins (with permission) for two Sundays.
• Persons with chronic conditions will be prayed for one week each month.
• Suggestions for new members to join the prayer chain should be forwarded to Rector via the Parish Administrator. 
• The Prayer Chain will meet twice a year (Fall and Spring) for mutual encouragement, the welcome of new members, training in intercessory prayer, to discuss any necessary improvements of the Prayer Chain, and to plan ways to promote prayer throughout the parish.

It is appropriate that our public worship reflect an element of order. The Apostle Paul wrote that in church worship all things should be done with decency and in good order. (1 Corinthians 14:40).

Altar guilds give attention to the details of worship and the sanctuary helping to ensure that both glorify God and point to God.

Typically the members work in teams of two, each team assigned to care for the sancutary one week at a time.

• This will include: cleaning and vacuuming the altar area
• polishing brass or silver communion vessells, candlesticks, etc.
• washing altar linens
• setting out hangings on altar, lectern, pulpit, etc with appropriate liturgical colour according to the church season.
• arranging and decorating the sanctuary with flowers.
• Setting up the Lord's table for communion services with the elements (wine, water, bread, etc.)
• Cleaning up the altar/santuary after each worship service including weddings and funerals.

Persons interested in serving on the Altar Guild should speak with the Altar Guild Coordinator, Carolle Vigilance, email at admin@allsaintsanglican.ca. Thorough training with be provided and you will work with a partner. On average the weeks your are called will require four to six hours of work. There are occasionally altar guild meetings to discuss our roles and encourage one another.

Altar guild members are expected to have an obvious commitment to Christ as Lord, by regular attendance at worship, and by knowlege of their duties, excercising their ministry to the honour of God, and the well being of the Church. 

The ministry of the altar guild is a quiet service to be performed with reverance and humility and ungirded with prayer. The following prayer expresses the prayerful attitude neccessary to faithful service on the altar Guild:

Vestry members are elected by the Parish Annual General Meeting convened every February. All Parishoners may vote at the AGM if they:

1) are of the full age of 16

2) are baptized and confirmed

3) identify with the teaching of the Anglican Church

4) demonstrate genuine interest in the parish

What is a VESTRY?

Spiritual Leadership

"Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labour in vain." Psalm 127.1

In addition to its legal roles and responsibilities, the vestry is comitted to the spiritual life and growth of the congregation. The elected lay leaders as well as clergy have a responsibility to model the mission of the congregation in their work and personal witness as they lead the congregation in fulfilling that mission.

The mission of the church is "to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ" (Book of Common Prayer; p.855.)

Leadership of a congregation is a challenging call to service and requires a spiritual commitment and hard work of many. The fruits of service on a vestry must be laid firmly on a foundation of prayer, discernement, and faithful dependance on God.

Accepting the call to serve on a vestry is also a service of trusteeship. The congregation entrusts its leaders with its tangible property and its spiritual well being. It is crucial that clergy and vestry develope a corporate spiritual life that nourishes them as individuals and inspires them to grow as a leadership team. Bible study, vestry retreats, prayer before and during decisions, and regular attendance in worship and adult education programs are essential ways of living into the role of being an effective servant leader.

What is a Vestry? The Duly Elected Leaders of a Congregation Constitute "The Vestry"

By tradition and canon law (church law) the vestry consists of other members.

The vestry is the legal representative of the parish "in all matters concerning its corporate property and the relations of the Parish to its Clergy."

General Responsibilities of the Vestry

The responsibilities of the vestry, the like the governing body of any organization, is to:

• Help define and articulate the mission of the congregation;
• Support the mission by word and deed;
• Select and work with the rector or priest-in-charge;
• Ensure that effective organization , planning, decision making, and implementation;
• Develop leaders and leadership capacity;
• Ensure adequate resources and financial stewarship are in place.
• Manage resources effeciently and effectively;
• Determine that appropriate programs, policies and procedures are developed and followed;
• Review and assess the performance of the vestry itself.

Responsibilities of Individual Vestry Members

• Regularly prepare for, attend, and participate in vestry meetings;
• Learn about the mission, programs, services, activates, strengths, and needs of the parish diocese, The Anglican Church.
• Maintain confidentiality on sensitive issues;
• Serve the congreagtion as a whole rather than any specific group;
• Encourage complainants to talk directly with the person(s) involved, aviod taking sides, and inform the rector or senior warden of serious concerns;
• Aviod even the appearance of a conflict of interest;
• Study financial statements and ask questions;
• Take on leadership roles or other tasks willingly and enthusiastically;
• Help identify and train new leaders;
• Contribute financially to the congregation and assist in stewarship education.