News and information

Following is the text of Archbishop Fred Hiltz's New Year's Day address delivered at Christ Church Cathedral in Ottawa. It is a tradition that the Canadian Primate preaches at the cathedral of Canada's capital on January 1.

Is your parish using the Compendium of the Church Mice Sunday School curriculum? General Synod staff would like to get your feedback as we work to improve this resource. Even if you've only been using parts of the curriculum, your feedback is welcome. Take the 10-minute survey now.

You are invited to download a packet of six Anglican-Lutheran Epiphany devotions for corporate or personal use this season. Following the gospels of the season, the devotions incorporate fresh and unusual hooks-from a Rumi poem to a meditation on Niagara Falls.

In this Holy Season of Christmas we celebrate the nativity of the Christ Child. With the angels we give glory to God. With the shepherds we come to adore him. With the magi we offer our gifts. With all our forbears in the faith we rejoice in His birth.

The Mohawks of Tyendinaga are passionate about supporting their northern Indigenous sisters and brothers—and the Gifts for Mission gift guide provides an essential conduit for this generosity.

In their 2012 Christmas video message, Anglican and Lutheran national leaders give a nod to the past and the future. The video messages are a tradition enjoyed by the Anglican Church of Canada and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, two churches that are in full communion.

Following the resignation of Editor Kristin Jenkins, the Anglican Journal will adopt an interim management structure and not hire a new editor until late 2013 at the earliest. Sam Carriere, director of Communications and Information Resources and Resources for Mission, shared this news with General Synod staff on Dec. 13. 

The editor of the Anglican Journal, the national newspaper of the Anglican Church of Canada, has announced her resignation effective Jan. 7, 2013.

World AIDS Day confronts us with the staggering statistic that in the past 30 years more than 30 million people have died of AIDS, and that 34 million still live with HIV today. In combating HIV/AIDS we have such a long way to go. However when we can, we should celebrate progress. This year's International AIDS Conference noted considerable advances in better medication, greater access for many more people to antiretroviral therapy, and major achievements in preventing the spread of HIV at birth.

The last thing you want to do when you're giving birth is walk 20 kilometres. But for years, that's what the women of Kitele, Mozambique, did: when the contractions started, they started walking along the hot, dirt road, to the medical clinic. Some women died on the way. Babies too.