Are you looking for a way to connect more deeply with God during Lent? Bishop Glenda Curry offers ways to use the next 40 days as a time to strengthen this important relationship. You can watch the video here.

One practice she recommends is using Daily Prayer, A Guide to Spiritual Rhythm, a free, experiential app designed to develop long lasting spiritual rhythms of prayer and scripture reading. Learn more and download the app here.

Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. BCP, Collect for Ash Wednesday

"Lent is really an invitation from our loving, heavenly, Father to come home. He invites us to surrender the good and the bad of our lives, the worry, the regrets, the fear, the sadness, the pain, and our secrets and shame to him. To deliberately lay down those things that stand in the way of us walking in peace and love with God and each other." -Bishop G, Ash Wednesday service at the Cathedral Church of the Advent

We hope you will take a few minutes and look at the Lenten resources available on our website, where you will find books, poetry, calendars and more, all designed to encourage and guide you on your journey home.

There are many ways to have a Camp Sunday at your parish and we encourage you to make it your own! Check out ideas you can use during services, Sunday School classes, and other gatherings - click here. Questions? Email Catherine Poellnitz.

Questions? Email Catherine Poellnitz.

Click here to register for the 100th Year Celebration! 

From Scratch: Beginner Weekends

If you’re interested in learning a new instrument or art form, this is the weekend for you, as these workshops are for true beginners. Come learn with us in a beautiful and encouraging environment! You can find details about teachers and register for classes and lodging here. The deadline to register is Feb. 26. Contact Caitlin Lollar.

Sacred Ground is part of Becoming Beloved Community, The Episcopal Church’s long-term commitment to racial healing, reconciliation, and justice in our personal lives, our ministries, and our society. This series is open to all, and especially designed to help white people talk with other white people. Participants are invited to peel away the layers that have contributed to the challenges and divides of the present day – all while grounded in our call to faith, hope and love.

The Episcopal Dioceses of Alabama and Maine are partnering to offer this unique Sacred Ground experience: one that is shared across geographic areas and communities, and across lived experience. Our two dioceses have different experiences with race, both historically and in the present, and our hope is that collaboration in shared Sacred Ground circles will offer opportunities for deeper reflection through expanded perspective, and ultimately for healing.

You can sign up to participate in Sacred Ground here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdnLLN53FgfNpfP_fw2NaVu1ZwD1Fdhb-AbMtY5XrrGXiyiUQ/viewform

You're invited to a conference on congregational vitality for smaller parishes! We're in the planning stages, and we want to hear from you--what would you like to learn? Please take a moment to answer a 10 question survey and help us create the best conference possible. Questions? Contact The Rev. Marti Holmes. Take the survey here:

Alabama. Applicants must be communicants of the Diocese of Alabama and must provide document information regarding family’s financial status (IRS 1040 Form).

“Receiving the ECW scholarship meant the world to me. It was so much more than a financial gift, it was a gift that represented support and love from a community that has given me so much.” Anna Shaddix, ECW Scholarship Recipient:

For more information visit the ECW website. Questions? Email Staci Shaddix.

Mountain Brook Baptist Church (The Heritage Room)

This will be a lunch and learn event led by Dr. Renée Brown Harmon, author of Surfing the Waves of Alzheimer’s: Principles of Caregiving That Kept Me Upright. In it we will learn how communication skills are affected by dementia, and how we can best address those losses. Through lecture, storytelling, and interactive activities, Dr. Harmon will help us deepen our connections with our loved ones who are living with all stages of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. This event is appropriate for both family and paid caregivers. CEUs are available for this event. Register here.

Advent is the perfect season to explore Sabbath Keeping as an antidote for our modern 24/7 overscheduled and overwhelming lives. The program will discuss the history of keeping Sabbath as well as ideas and tools for reinventing the traditional Sabbath practice to fit your own traditions.

Attendees will have the opportunity to create their own Sabbath plan and participate in a Visio Divina exercise. Presenters will be Marilyn Lands, author of A Day of Rest: A primer on keeping the Sabbath and Nikki Chenault, photographer whose beautiful, evocative black and white photography accompany the text. Register here.

 “Waking Down to the Divine Presence”, led by The Rev. Mary Catherine Akamatsu

St. Mary’s-On-The-Highlands          

You’ve likely heard of spiritual awakenings, a waking up! What about a waking down? This waking down to the Divine Presence is another path or perhaps even the further path on the soul’s journey into God. Join us as we explore spiritual awakening in the concretized reality of everyday life. The day will be a mix of presentation, practice, and conversation. The registration form is available here.

Diocesan young adults (ages 22-35ish) are invited to dinner & Compline at St. Stephen's, Birmingham, at 7 PM on Tuesday, February 28. Contact Kristin Blackerby for more information.

This retreat at Camp McDowell March 24-26 is open to youth in grades 9-12. Program will be led by The Rev. Brad Landry on the theme "Spring Cleaning" and The Rev. Jamie McAdams will be Chaplain. We'll also elect the Youth Department members for 2023-2024! Click here to register. College students, youth ministers, and other interested adults are invited to apply for staff here.

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