December Issue: Word and Wonder

This issue contains an Advent message from Bishop Naboth, reflections on a year of the Anglican Poetics Project by Ryan Turnbull, and reader-submitted poetry. Some poets who submitted have been writing for years, spending a great deal of time and energy on honing their craft. Others have just started—maybe in

Why Do We Pray? Kirsten Pinto-Gfroerer’s Response

  We live between the feeding and watering grounds of migrating Canada Geese—one of many resting places on their way to the south. From early September until now, these birds have been an intimate part of our daily life. They crowd the skies, filling them with the pulsing energy of

Why Do We Pray? Edmund Laldin’s Response

The premise of this article is to articulate and present a cogent submission on prayer and our need to pray. Furthermore, it will explore what our prayers should be and whether God answers them. The conclusion will endeavour to connect with my previous articles on attending the church and partaking

2025 Advent & Christmas Services

All Saints (521 Broadway Ave) Sunday, December 21, at 11:00 am: Choral Service of Lessons & Carols. Wednesday, December 24, at 4:00 pm: All Ages Family Service. Wednesday, December 24, at 11:00 pm: Candlelit Choral Midnight Mass. Thursday, December 25, at 10:00 am: Christmas Eucharist.   St. Aidan’s (274 Campbell

Why Do We Pray? Ben Girgis’ Response

I often think of the words of Christ, “But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”[1] Do not be like the “hypocrites, for they love to stand

Why Do We Pray? Amanda McKenzie’s Response

In order to know why we pray, it is important to understand what prayer is. Prayer is an act of communicating with our higher power. Many people have a lot of different names for this higher power—Yahweh, Allah, Abba, and so on. I refer to this higher power by many

November Issue: Why Do We Pray?

As we conclude the first three-part series of Faith Matters, exploring why we pray (and what prayer is), I would like to reiterate the purpose of this endeavour. Every person who reads this magazine has some kind of relationship with God and with the Anglican Church in the Diocese of

Why Do We Celebrate the Eucharist? Kirsten Pinto-Gfroerer’s Response

Several years ago, when I was a catechist in an Anglican parish, I had the privilege of working with an eight-year-old boy who wanted to be baptized. This was a common phenomenon in the parish where I worked. Congregants had come to the parish from other denominations, including some from

Why Do We Celebrate the Eucharist? Edmund Laldin’s Response

In my previous article, responding to the question “Why go to church?” I argued the following: The church provides a loving, caring, and like-minded community for the participant. There might not be a clear demarcation between the sacred and the profane, since the whole universe is God’s creation. Every human

Why Do We Celebrate the Eucharist? Ben Girgis’ Response

By now, you, the reader, have come to understand that I enjoy eating meals with people. At this point in my life, it is the only way I can spend time with people without having to pick up a new hobby. It’s a great chance to meet people in an

CURRENT ISSUE

Courage

In this issue, with the 121st Session of Synod coming up, Deb Buxton explains a bit about why Synod is important and what its goals are. Next, Anil Pinto-Gfroerer reminds us to encounter the world with a childlike wonder rooted in love. Then, Obren Amiesimaka uses biblical examples to ready us and inspire our courage. Finally, Donna Royer tells us of “the Birds,” a group of people at her former parish who broadened her definition of courage from a young age.