The Canadian Lutheran - March/April 2015 by The Canadian Lutheran

The

CANADIAN

LUTHERAN

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Volume 30 Number 2

Small Church

Big Opportunity

CANADIAN

LUTHERAN.ca More than a magazine.

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Contents Features www.canadianlutheran.ca Volume 30 Number 2 March/April 2015

Why I Prefer a Small Church 6 Sharing Jesus: The First and Highest Work of Love 10 The Martyrs’ Message 12

Departments Table talk

The End of Hope

In Review

Chappie 37 Presidential Perspective

Come to Him Who Answers Prayer

News Section International News

National News

ABC District

Central District

Conference addresses the challenges of post-Christian society

Update on ABC District situation • Immigration behind Francophone Lutheran growth in East District • Supreme Court decision a win for religious freedom

T h e C a n a d i a n L u t h e r a n is the national publication of Lutheran Church–Canada, published in Winnipeg six times per year: January/ February, March/April, May/June, July/August, September/ October, November/December under the auspices of the Board of Directors (Committee for Communication and Technology). ISSN #0383-4247 Member: Canadian Church Press Editor: Mathew Block Advertising: Iris Barta District News Layout: Marion Hollinger Cover: istockphoto.com/mammuth Subscriptions: $20/yr E-mail: bcs@lutheranchurch.ca

All material and advertising should be in the office of The Canadian Lutheran five weeks prior to publication date. Advertising rate card available upon request. The Canadian Lutheran 3074 Portage Ave. Winnipeg, MB R3K 0Y2 Telephone: 204-895-3433 FAX: 204-832-3018 E-mail: communications@lutheranchurch.ca Materials published in The Canadian Lutheran, with the exception of Letters to the Editor, news reports, and advertising, receive doctrinal review and approval before publication. Contents of supplements are the responsibility of the organization purchasing the space. ©2015 Lutheran Church–Canada. Reproduction of a single article or column for parish use does not require the permission of The Canadian Lutheran. Such reproductions, however, should credit The Canadian Lutheran as the source.

A tail of two towns • Church bells ring again • LWML grants support pastors in training • Giving thanks for Karen Lyons Praising God with music • Members find the silver lining in a church closure • Lutheran early centre first of its kind in Warman

East District

Mission-minded women working hard • Making most out of life • Kingsville welcomes pastor • Outreach continues in Quebec

Mission Update

25 29

Joy over continued growth in Cambodia • Canadian Lutherans participate in Nicaragua outreach

Education Report

CLTS to welcome Finnish scholar for 2015-2016 • Concordia University College of Alberta suspends church work programs

Classifieds

Daily Bible Reading

Supplement

Lutheran Women.ca

LWML Canada

Lutheran Women’s Missionary League–Canada encouraging and equipping women to Grow in God’s Word • Serve God’s People • Share God’s Son

LWMLC seeks renewal in equipping, motivating and encouraging the THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April women of the Church as they grow, serve and share The mission of Lutheran Women’s Missionary League–Canada

in leadership roles and more women actively engaged in our congregations.

priority in their life no matter what the circumstances of their life are.

2015

Letters to the Editor Bible-reading reaction I really liked the January/ February 2015 issue of The Canadian Lutheran. I loved Dr. Phillip Cary's article from his book Good News for Anxious Christians. In fact, when I had finished reading it, I went to my computer and ordered a copy of his book for our church library (Bethel Lutheran, Sherwood Park AB). It will be a welcome addition to our shelves. I related to his description of how God speaks to us today... just as He always has! ("Our Lord's face is a human face and His voice is a human voice.") And, I look forward to reading the rest of the book, where he supposedly tells us ten things we don't have to do to be close to God, like 'hearing God's voice in our hearts'. I also enjoyed the editorial "Lord to whom shall we go?" It spoke to me, and made it real easy for me to actually pick up my 'dusty' study bible and “tolle lege” (“take up and read”). I’ve decide to try out the Bible reading plan. Thank you. G.A. Teshke Sherwood Park, Alberta I much enjoyed the January/ February 2015 issue, especially the focus on encouraging reading the Bible. I cannot overstate the great benefits of reading through the Bible in one year. Since my retirement in June, 2008, I am now in my third time reading through the Word... I encourage readers to complete reading the Bible in one year, and suggest that a Study Bible be used as it helps explain the text. Or use The Message by Eugene Peterson, as it really provides current language and context. Brian Wonnick Regina, Saskatchewan Editor’s note: Brian passes along a one-year Bible reading plan for those who might want to try that rather than the two-year plan we’re printing in the pages of The Canadian Lutheran. To download the one-year plan, visit www.biblereading.com/bible-plan.pdf.

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2015

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Table Talk

The End of Hope by Mathew Block Editor, The Canadian Lutheran

“I thought the dead who are already dead more fortunate than the living who are still alive. But better than both is he who has not yet been and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun” - Ecclesiastes 4:2-3 -

t is a grim passage we read here. Solomon, that King of Israel renowned for his great wisdom, looks upon the things of earth and despairs in the meaninglessness of it all. Wealth, wisdom, and even family fail to satisfy in the end. We spend our lives in toil, merely to build up possessions that we cannot keep. All people are dust, and in the end we too shall die and return to dust. The life leading to that grave can be bitter too. The world is filled with injustice: the powerful oppress the weak; the righteous suffer and the wicked prosper. “It is an unhappy business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with,” Solomon laments. “I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind” (Ecclesiastes 1:13-14). Perhaps you have felt that kind of world-weariness before. I certainly have. There is much in this world that feeds into such frustration. Maybe it’s conflict in your family. Maybe it’s a dead-end job. Or maybe it’s nothing at all: just a sense of emptiness, a hole you cannot fill no matter how hard you try.

God knows we have other heartaches too, even inside the Church. Fewer and fewer Canadians identify as Christians and many congregations have shrunk accordingly. As secularization takes hold, we find family and friends uninterested in faith and even antagonistic towards it. In our churches, we find relationships between the family of God strained as people we trust—even leaders in our own church—let us down, and in spectacular fashion. Elsewhere in the world, we hear of Christians being slaughtered for their faith. It can leave us wondering: Is God paying attention at all? Does He even care? In the midst of these trials, we come face to face with the mystery of God. We do not understand why He allows evil to befall His people, and it grieves us. We try in vain to find an answer, to discover some hidden meaning in the darkness. But we fail. And we lose hope. In these circumstances, God comes calling after us, calling us to look to Christ. It is true that God’s ways are often hidden from us—He can feel distant or invisible. But Christ “is the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15). That means God’s will for you is made visible in Christ. If you doubt that God loves you, if you doubt that He cares for you, then look to Christ: you will see God’s love for you there. The God who loved you enough to send His Son to die on a cross is still the same God who cares for you even now.

Even when it hurts. Even when it all seems meaningless. Nearly two millennia ago, a group of Judeans were facing that same pain and despair. They had met Someone that they thought made sense of it all, a Rabbi who gave purpose to their lives—even a Saviour. But then He was taken from them to die a cruel death. All they had left was His body—a symbol of all the hopes that had died with Him. It had all been for nothing. But it was not for nothing. Hope did not stay dead because He did not stay dead. Christ arose. And because He lives we too will live. The end of hope is not despair. True hope—Christian hope—finds its end not in its destruction but in its fulfilment. Out of evil, God will finally bring good. Out of death, He will bring life. “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen,” the author of Hebrews writes (11:1). That hope will culminate one glorious day with something more than hope: the conviction of things seen. “For now we see in a mirror dimly,” St. Paul writes, “but then face to face” (1 Corinthians 13:12). The darkness, the pain, and the evil of this world will pass away, to be replaced by Christ and His Kingdom. On that day we shall see Him face to face. And we shall know at last the blessed end of hope.

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2015

s a military chaplain, my family moves around a lot. One of the first things that we consider before choosing a home is its proximity to the closest Lutheran church. Many factors are involved, and size matters too. Yet people are often surprised that, despite the choices of many others newcomers into a community who tend to visit the largest congregations, we seek out the smaller ones. And here’s why:

1. Personalized Pastoral Care In a small church, you receive lots of attention from pastor. I heard it once said that the ideal size of a Christian flock is one pastor for 100 sheep. After that it gets hard for the minister to know them all by name. In big churches people often have no choice but to compete for the time of their pastor. It’s not the pastor’s fault of course. He (or they, in the case of multi-staff churches) is less available because, unlike Jesus, he can’t be in two…ten… fifty places at once. Emergencies, multiple visits, committee meetings, and a plethora of other commitments make it difficult to maintain the “personal touch” that each pastor earnestly seeks to foster with every one of his lambs. While serving as a military chaplain in charge of a tiny chapel, I knew one couple who were undergoing intense personal challenges in their married life. They would constantly reiterate their gratitude for being part of such small community in which they had such easy access to pastoral counselling. Consider this: If you had a choice of going to a doctor with lots of clients or one responsible for just a few, who would you choose? The idea that the pastor of a small church is better equipped to apply the Office of the Ministry to each individual might be a tad frightening. But whether or not we like the idea of pastoral care applied to ourselves, we need it. Sometimes the temptation for members is to hide in the crowd to avoid an encounter with the pastor. Even though I may find it uncomfortable (since when has Christianity ever been about being comfortable?) I need the pastor to rebuke me when necessary. I also need him to comfort me with the forgiveness of sins in Christ, and to comfort me it as if I were the only person on earth at that precise moment. Even when it’s the public absolution pronounced, it is hard not to have it directed at you personally in a small church. The “small group” movement in churches was borne out of many of these same concerns. But small group

leaders are seldom pastors, even though they’re often expected to behave as such without training or a call. In a small church, your called and ordained pastor is your “small group” leader.

2. Visitors Meet the Pastor It’s true that inviting your friends to a small church is not as easy as inviting them to a large one, since new believers or unbelievers still judge heavenly realities by their earthly eyes and worldly standards. Nevertheless, your friends are more likely to get some quality time with the pastor in a small church, and probably even a visit if they like.

3. Small Bible Study Groups The Bible study classes are obviously smaller in a small congregation. But that means that you don’t need to be intimidated by a large group atmosphere. If you are anything like me, you feel more at ease to ask your “stupid question” in a small group setting, thus alleviating the sweaty palms and racing heart. O f c o u r s e, f e e l i n g judged in large group Bible studies is usually more about our own worries and not reflective of what other Christians actually think. But in any case, a small group makes it a lot easier for the introverted types to participate.

I heard it once said that the ideal size of a Christian flock is one pastor for 100 sheep. After that it gets hard for the minister to know them all by name.

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2015

4. Children in Worship

A t h r i v i n g S u n d ay school is not necessary for a healthy church, though it can certainly be a blessing. But when it is held at the same time as worship, it prevents children and teachers from gathering around the physical presence of Jesus in Divine Service. My experience with small churches is that if they have Sunday school at all, it often occurs outside of divine service, in order to maximize participation during worship. This way kids get to hear more of Jesus’ word and not less.

5. Opportunities for Service Although we do not go to church primarily to serve, but instead to be served (Matthew 20:28), the church is nevertheless often a focal point for utilizing our talents and gifts in service of the Lord. Some small churches have very few programs; and a church with their lights off during the weekdays implies that people are out in the world serving

Why I Prefer a Small Church Ten Hidden Blessings of a Small Congregation

by Harold Ristau

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2015

Christ through their specific God-given vocations. But for those that do have programs, a small church provides many opportunities for service (and not necessarily on committees, since there are usually fewer of them). Your service is often more appreciated in a small church too. When there are multiple talented musicians in one large church and none in another, and you are, say, a college or university student studying music, you may want to choose a small church to “share the wealth” so to speak. All of our gifts are from above and intended for the edification of one another (James 1:17). In the collection of offering this reality is inescapable since no financial donation is ever considered too small. But the principle also applies to our spiritual gifts, talents and time. Ultimately, we ought to choose a church based on their doctrine (i.e., whether or not I am being fed rightly), but after that, our next question may well be, “How can I be of service amongst this flock that my precious Lord has gathered here together?” (cf. Romans 1:12).

context. And yes, sins and problems become more obvious also. But all of this offers all of us more chances to pray, love and serve. When churches have problems, it means that God finds them worth fighting for; the devil leaves his own in peace. We don’t seek suffering, but we shouldn’t be surprised when it comes. The horror of the crucifixion is more striking when viewing it up close—with John and Mary—instead of from a position far off in the crowd. We meet Jesus in our brethren—bruises, scratches and all.

7. A Sense of Reverence

How can I be of service amongst this flock that my precious Lord has gathered?

6. Church as Family The intimate atmosphere of divine service in a small congregation is like a weekly family reunion bound by the blood of Christ our brother. After a noisy week surrounded by strangers, worship offers a pleasant break from that weekly environment and routine. For this reason, my family has always preferred the intimate ambiance of the smaller Christmas Day Mass versus the well-attended Christmas Eve Service. The Church is always like a small family—a “remnant,” Scripture calls it (Romans 11:5; cf. Genesis 45:7). This becomes particularly clear when your local congregation is actually small. Relationships naturally deepen in this

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2015

In a small church, it is easier to pray in silence before service, as chatter and whispers are more noticeable (and therefore less frequent) in a small congregation. God is not a killjoy, but worship is not the time for talking about the sports scores from last night’s game. Prayer and

reverence go hand and hand. Even the architecture of the smaller (and usually older) churches is intended to foster a reverential tone and Christfocused experience. After all, in the olden days churches were built with only one purpose in mind: worship. We may not build our new churches that way anymore, but why not make good use of those that were?

8. Preaching to Your Needs People often look for “relevant preaching.” Well, a pastor of a small congregation can better preach to your needs (not necessarily your wants) since he often knows them intimately. Don’t worry: your problems and confessions are held in confidence. But like a doctor prescribing medication, it helps to know the patient well. As lay people, you too often know the needs of your congregation members better in a small church, which

can assist you in your prayers for them.

9. A Lack of Distraction A small church often has little choice but to focus on what really matters for the life of their community and the salvation of the world. It’s hard to be distracted by the crowds when there aren’t any. Besides Christians, all you really need for “church to happen” is a book, bread, wine and sometimes water. This struck home for me while teaching new Lutherans in Nicaragua many years ago. At that time, our fellow brothers and sisters had no buildings into which to gather. All they had was a table as an altar and some benches for pews. They met, like we often do in the army, “in the field.” But it sufficed! There was very little to clutter their vision from the cross. Various programs and committees can be helpful in building up the body of Christ and for outreach, but sometimes they can distract us from the true raison d’être of the church: believers gathered around the means of grace. As long as the Word and sacrament are faithfully preached and administered, Jesus Christ and all the company of heaven are present.

needed leadership (Deuteronomy 32:7). I want my children to spend time with older people and to hear their stories. History teaches us that if we lack exposure to something—or someone—we can grow to fear and despise it. We should learn to reverence old age, not fear it. Let us gladly receive that which is handed down to us from our Christian forefathers and mothers (Proverbs 23:22). Now don’t get me wrong: there isn’t anything nothing wrong with a big church. The Holy Spirit calls and gathers His people wherever and whenever He wills. But too often we seek large churches assuming they’re always better. In the process, we can overlook the blessings of a small church. A theology of glory boasts that big is always better. Instead, the theology of the cross announces divine things hidden in small places: a manger, a tomb, a font, a cup—even a heart! With the increasing secularization of North American society and marginalization of Christianity in public discourse, demographic studies suggest smaller churches will become the norm in the Western World. Even the growth in membership in some large congregations is explained not by conversions to Christianity, but by the absorption of members from smaller churches. We should not stop praying and hoping for more conversions, but even as we do so, we can recognize that the small church phenomenon is not necessarily a bad thing. So, if you belong to a small church, lift up your head— you may be more envied than you think! But whether you are a member of a large or small congregation, let’s learn not to boast in our size (big or small) but rather in the Lord, who sustains His Church with grace, forgiveness, and love forever.

If you belong to a small church, lift up your head— you may be more envied than you think!

10. Learning from our Elders Smaller churches seem to “gray” faster than larger congregations. For a father of five children, far away from any extended family, I try to instill and appreciation for the wisdom of the elderly in my kids. That’s easier done in a small congregation, where “congregational segregation” (ie, separating a congregation into “age groups” that tend not to mix) is less frequent. The Bible says that growing old is a blessing and that gray hair is “a crown of glory” (Proverbs 16:31). Those who are older provide our societies (and our churches) with

Rev. Dr. Harold Ristau is a Lutheran Church–Canada chaplain with the Canadian Armed Forces. THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2015

Sharing Jesus

The First and Highest Work of Love

by Leonardo Neitzel

here is no such thing as “private Christianity.” From its first to its last book, Holy Scripture presents God’s people witnessing His greatness and mercy to those around them, both in public and private. During Jesus’ earthly ministry, He and His disciples had one goal: to reach out and to care for people, physically and spiritually. Each congregation, as well as each of us individually, is called to be Christ’s channel of mercy to those around us—especially to those close to us. The martyrs of the Early Church have left us a legacy of public and private witness, and Christians throughout the ages have faithfully followed in their steps—in the steps of Jesus and His Church—as they lived lives of witness, pointing others to the way of salvation. This is “the first and highest work of love,” as Martin Luther testifies. So where do we come in? In what way are we called to witness to Christ publicly? And where does He want us to share the Gospel in personal relationships? How are we called to enact this “work of love”?

Diagnosing the Problem

In a sermon on the John 20:19-23, Martin Luther paraphrases Jesus’ words in this way: “I sent you into the world as my Father has sent me; namely, that every Christian should instruct and teach his neighbour, that he may also come to Christ.... All Christians are commanded to profess their faith publicly and also to lead others to believe.” The Church of Christ is always in danger of forsaking her first love, as she faces temptations from within and without. The devil, the world, and sin are counter-forces battering constantly against God’s Word and His Church, pushing us away from Christ and His Word, from spiritual growth, from the fellowship of believers, and the regular use of the sacraments. These forces try to deter us from love and care for others and from Christian witness in the world. The symptoms are all around us. On a congregational level, it is easy for pastors and other church leaders to become so involved in administrative concerns that little time and energy remains for (or one may easily lose sight of) the reason Christ established His Church: to make disciples of all nations through Gospel witness and outreach emphasis. This is not to say that good care and administration of God’s house are unimportant. They are. But when priorities

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2015

become inverted, or when the administration becomes a end in itself, then we have a serious problem. So too, we see problems on the level of individual believers. Christians fail to spend regular time in Bible study, in the fellowship of believers, and in regular use of the means of grace. Sometimes we exclude ourselves from the blessings of the Church and instead try live an isolated and individual Christian life. We have plenty of excuses. We are always busy, giving in to the demands and pressures of society around us. We give our personal enjoyment the highest priority, and push aside or disregard all together the Source of true and eternal joy. Affected by our internal and external influences we become complacent to our spiritual life, and we fail to give a faithful witness to our families and circle of friends. It is true that family and friends are often the most challenging arenas for witnessing about Jesus, but He doesn’t say that it is impossible or not required. Nor does He say that it won’t bring about blessings and produce fruits for the salvation of our loves ones. Walter Brueggemann, author of Biblical Perspective on Evangelism, puts the problem this way: The present crisis of evangelism is in a great measure because the community of the church has not persuaded our own young of the power or validity of the Gospel. I suspect that has happened because adults have been inarticulate within the family of faith about our faith. I imagine that a reason for inarticulateness is that the scandal of faith has become increasingly unpalatable for adults who crave easy accommodation between faith and culture. In the context of such an easy accommodation, the Christian faith is trimmed of all its radicalness, until there is very little about which to be articulate, and that very little has most often been boiled down to privatized legalism. Roy Fairchild, author of Christians in Families – An Inquiry into the Nature and Mission of the Christian Family, adds the following: Most churchmen and churchwomen see little or no relationship between their faith, their families, and their work outside the home. Some are very careful to keep faith and life in separate compartments. To others, it has just never occurred that there is a connection. It seldom occurs to them to think or speak of their job and their faith ‘in the same breath’.

The demands of our society have greatly interfered with and influenced negatively our Christian witness to families and circle of friends. We have become self-satisfied with ourselves and insensitive to the real needs of others. But the Holy Spirit, working through God’s Word, wants to reclaim in us a love for those who walk in darkness, and a passion to lead them to Christ.

Telling the next generation (Ps. 78)

As we learn and grow in our understanding of the why of witnessing the Gospel of Jesus to others, we also gain knowledge and skills for the how. The why grows out of our relationship with Jesus and His Word; we learn the how through on-the-job training. As we focus on practicing sharing the Gospel, we find new opportunities to share the Gospel appear. The desire to share the Gospel with others is itself a gift from Christ, and He provides us with the skills, strength and encouragement we need to proclaim His Word. Through Him, we can be “prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks [us] to give the reason for the hope that [we] have” (1 Peter 3:15). When we turn to Scripture, we find numerous examples of people sharing their faith—and we see numerous examples of how that witness resulted in great blessings for others, as people are instructed in God’s Word, confess their faith in Christ, join local congregations, and are baptized. For personal devotion, you may wish to meditate on the following examples: Luke 5:27-32; John 1:43-51; John 4:430; and Acts 8:26-40. In a sermon on the Gospel of Mark 7:31-37, C.F.W. Walther states: The Christian church is a great missionary house. Each Christian in it is a missionary sent out by God into his own circle to convert others to Christ, invite them to the heavenly wedding, call them to the kingdom of God, and enlist soldiers everywhere to the eternal treasure and the army of Christ. God does not give his spiritual gifts only to pastors and teachers. Lay people, who do not stand in the public office, often have very glorious gifts, a wonderful knowledge of Christian doctrine, a superior gift of understanding and explaining the Scriptures, a wonderful gift of examining teachers and opposing the erring, the wonderful gift of guiding, comforting, admonishing, praying and the like. You too are called to share Christ in your circle of family and friends. But as we carry out this work of love in telling this and the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of our Lord, it is important to keep in mind some basic Christian principles: 1. Share the Gospel of Jesus with love. Love as Jesus loved you; 2. Seize opportunities with discernment and understanding; 3. Be open to the Spirit’s guidance in each and every situation;

4. Be a good and open listener, rather than a loquacious babbler; 5. Be non-judgemental of the other person; 6. Speak the truth, and in doing it, do it in love; 7. Exercise patience as the farmer does: He sows the seed, cultivates, and waits patiently for the Lord’s providence in providing the growth and harvest; 8. Pray for the sowing of the seed of God’s Word and for the person receiving it. 9. Keep the servant’s spirit as the Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 3:6-7: “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.” As we focus on sharing Jesus with family and friends, let us also keep in mind the miracle of grace at work as souls are brought to Jesus. Jesus rejoiced over each sinner who heeded His call and followed Him, and Scripture tells us there is joy in heaven for even one sinner who repents. So too, there is joy in our heart for every opportunity given to us to share the love of Jesus with others. And the Lord comforts us that our work is valuable: “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise” (Proverbs 11:30), the Scriptures say. And again: “Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever” (Daniel 12:30). God grant us this wisdom and His strength as we embark on this highest work of love—sharing Christ with our neighbour. Rev. Dr. Leonardo Neitzel is Lutheran Church–Canada’s Executive for Missions and Social Ministry. THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2015

The Martyrs’ Message by Mathew Block

n February 15, Christians around the world shuddered as news of the Islamic State’s most recent atrocity was publicized. The terrorist organization released a video that day in which they beheaded 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians en masse. “Their only words were ‘Jesus, help me!” Pope Francis commented following the release of the video. “They were killed simply for the fact that they were Christians.” “The blood of our Christian brothers and sisters is a testimony which cries out to be heard,” he continued. “It makes no difference whether they be Catholics, Orthodox, Copts or Protestants. Their blood is one and the same. Their blood confesses Christ.” These men are martyrs. And there are grave fears that the Islamic State intends to add to their numbers. Only a week later, the group enacted a mass kidnapping of Syrian Christians, with at least 220 people taken hostage. “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,” our Lord Jesus Christ said in the Sermon on the Mount. “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:10-12). These are hard words because they remind us that the reward Christ has promised us is not one of safety and security in this world. It is not the promise of earthly comfort and joy. Instead, our Lord actually promises suffering. “If anyone would come after me,” Jesus said, “let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 16:24-25). Those Christian Egyptians recently slaughtered on video were called to witness this truth in a very literal way. They followed Christ, and in so doing they lost their lives. But—and this is important—they did not lose their lives in vain. Yes, it is true that on this earth Christians have no permanent home. Yes, we are promised suffering, not comfort, in this world. But the Good News is that this world is not all there is. Our true

and final home is yet to be revealed. “For here we have no lasting city,” as the Scriptures say, “but we seek the city that is to come” (Hebrews 13:15). It is for this reason that Christians can have hope in the face of persecution, even facing martyrdom with courage: we are promised that we lay down our lives only to find them again. So it is that we can take solace in the words of St. Peter: “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed…. If anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name” (1 Peter 4:12-13, 16).

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2015

This is the martyr’s message. This is the testimony they make with their blood: that Christ has suffered first and that His suffering makes our suffering meaningful. He has bought us entrance into heaven with His own blood. In fact, the very word “martyr” reminds us of this fact, for it comes from the Greek for “witness.” These Christians, killed for the faith, witness by their deaths that Christ is greater than death—that the grave which could not hold Him will likewise not hold them. Or us. “If we have died with Him, we will also live with Him,” St. Paul writes in a letter to Timothy. “If we endure, we will also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He also will deny us; if we are faithless, He remains faithful— for He cannot deny Himself” (2 Timothy 1:11-13). We can face death with confidence because Christ has already defeated death for us. But—and this is the hard part—we must still die. We must die with Him on earth ere we live with Him in heaven. And this death may well be violent, as a sinful world rages against the Gospel of Christ. We Christians in the West, too often comfortable in this world, have perhaps forgotten this difficult message. It is one that modern-day martyrs in Libya, and Syria, and Iraq, and Nigeria, and other places are now teaching us with their blood. Let us regard the suffering of the faithful in these places and pray for them, that God would protect, comfort, and strengthen them in the midst of persecution. May He guard their hearts and minds with the peace that passes understanding. And may He teach us through their witness a living faith—a faith that stands firm no matter the consequences, no matter the cost. Mathew Block is editor of The Canadian Lutheran. Icon of the 21 martyred Coptic Christians by Tony Rezk.

International News www.canadianlutheran.ca

Conference addresses the challenges of “Post-Christian” society GERMANY - Following an invitation from the Commission on Theology (CT) of the Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church in Germany (SELK), representatives of various commissions on theology from Lutheran churches in Europe and North America met in Oberursel, Germany March 4-5, 2015. This meeting served the purpose of exchanging information about the proceedings and results of theological endeavours facing the challenges in—for the most part—post-Christian societies in the North Atlantic part of the world. “Despite our very close ties to The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, we in Canada are faced with a society and church culture that is much closer to the ‘post-Christian’ situation of northern Europe,” Lutheran Church– Canada’s (LCC) Rev. Dr. Thomas Winger explained. Dr. Winger, who was present for the Germany meetings, is President of Concordia Lutheran Seminary and a member of LCC’s Commission on Theology and Church Relations. “It’s in meetings like these, with our brothers and sisters who have already faced these challenges, that we can learn to be prepared for where we’re heading. And certainly we can pray together and support each other as we face them under the guidance of God’s holy Word.” The first day of the conference was filled with reports delivered by the participants, who hold a confessional Lutheran position. In the evening the conference participated in the Lenten service held at St. John’s church in Oberursel. On the second day Bishop HansJörg Voigt (SELK) led Matins. It was followed by a presentation on “The Relationship of Church and State as Reflected in the Understanding of Marriage,” given by Dr. Werner Klän, professor of systematic theology at Lutheran Theological Seminary in Oberursel. Based on preparatory papers and a document only recently issued by the SELK Commission on Theology, Klän addressed the biblical and confessional understanding of

Participants at 2015’s Theological Conference in Germany.

marriage and the church wedding, especially with regard to the German situation since the 19th century. He pointed out that, if the state would revoke the privilege and precedence of marriage currently guaranteed in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany, compared to other forms of living together, then churches would have to restate the basic biblical assumptions underlying matrimony, the question of establishing ecclesial jurisdiction concerning marriage, and so forth. The discussion following the presentation identified similarities and differences for Lutherans in other nations. All agreed that the classical biblical, Lutheran understanding of marriage is being challenged in many ways, and that solutions to these challenges cannot be found easily. The topic of same-sex marriage legislation was of particular discussion, with emphases placed on the crisis of gender identity as well as the status and function of the legal protection of matrimony. Participants in the conference agreed that the meeting contributed to discovering the common confessional grounds shared by the various church bodies, the similarity of challenges confronting them, and

the diversity of contexts in which these churches exist. Participants decided to share as many theological documents as possible from their respective church bodies with the others, in order to communicate the results of theological research addressing the crucial questions of our time and day from a Lutheran point of view. “The encouragement to share documents written by our various commissions on theology was particularly welcome,” Dr. Winger noted. “We can all benefit from hearing a different perspective on our shared concerns.” Participants at the 2015 meeting included representatives from the Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church in Germany (SELK), the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Baden (ELKib), the Mission Province in Sweden, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia (LELB), the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria (ELCI), the Silesian Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Augsburg Confession (SCEAV), the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of England (ELCE), Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC), and The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod (LCMS).

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2015

National News www.canadianlutheran.ca

Update on ABC District situation

he Court hearing of the Alberta-British Columbia (ABC) District resumed on March 27. At that time, the Court approved the District’s choice of Chief Restructuring Officer (CRO) and granted the District a 90 day extension of its stay period (until June 26, 2015). The Court also approved the sale of four properties. Deloitte, the Court-appointed Monitor, supported the extension of the stay period in its second report to the Court, writing that “the District Group is acting in good faith and with due diligence.” It had also approved the District’s choice of a CRO and the land sales. Kluane Financial Services (and designated representatives) was approved as the CRO for the District Group. The Court had previously granted the District permission to pursue the appointment of a CRO on February 20. Under the CRO, work will continue in the development of a plan to present for the consideration of creditors The four properties which the Court granted approval to sell include Chestermere Lands owned by Encharis Community Housing and Services, St. Albert lands owned by the District, and Faith School lands owned by the District. The St. Albert lands include the building of King of Kings Lutheran Church, which the congregation intends to vacate upon closing of the sale. At the Court’s request, the Mileage Fund (a fund to which ABC District church workers could contribute for assistance in financing the purchasing of vehicles) will move to a separate trust account pending feedback from Creditors’ Committees. The Court again tabled the District’s request to release a p e rc e n t a g e o f c o n g re g a t i o n a l remittances to Lutheran Church– Canada (LCC). Congregations voluntarily remit Mission Offerings to their District, which in turn

passes on a portion to LCC for national and international programming. The ABC District historically passes on 35% of congregational donations to LCC on a monthly basis (40% on an annual basis). These regular remittances to LCC have been frozen since the District entered CCAA protection in January. The Court will consider the request again at the next hearing on June 27. In response to these financial challenges, Lutheran Church– C a n a d a ’ s B o a rd o f D i re c t o r s has frozen the salaries of all LCC employees. In an effort to maintain current overseas mission commitments, it has also approved a deficit operating budget for the year, to be reviewed as the year progresses. LCC’s President Robert Bugbee has also contacted congregations in Alberta and British Columbia to encourage them to consider directly remitting to LCC the percentage of their donations that would normally be remitted to LCC via District.

District Restructuring Efforts In an affidavit to the Court in advance of its March 27 hearing, the District Group reported on its restructuring efforts to date. It reported that the Joint Restructuring Committee began meeting February 24, 2015. Among the Committee’s initial work was reviewing submissions m a d e b y C RO c a n d i d a t e s , participating in interviews with the candidates, and making recommendations regarding the appointment of the CRO. The Committee has also begun examining properties owned by the District to consider whether and when certain properties should be sold (work it will continue with the newly appointed CRO). The Committee is also reviewing various proposals submitted by Depositors and Congregations for

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2015

resolving the current situation. The Joint Restructuring Committee will also consult with the Creditor Committees once they have been appointed. With the appointment of the Monitor, and more recently the CRO, the primary role of the Joint Restructuring Committee is to provide information and recommendations. On March 16, Deloitte reported that a number of members had already been appointed to the two Creditors’ Committees in accordance with a Court-ordered process approved at the February 20 meeting. Reserved positions on the Church Extension Fund (CEF) committee as well as the District Investments Ltd. (DIL) committee are filled. Elections by depositors to fill the rest of the positions on the two committees are currently underway and are expected to be completed on April 14. The District’s affidavit also notes that the claims process approved by the Court in February is currently in process, with plans to see the process “substantially completed” for all Claimants by May 5, 2015.

District’s actions under review Some questions remain, however. In its second report to the Court, Deloitte expressed concern that the District may have contravened provincial securities legislation, and it advised the District Group of these concerns. Deloitte further reports that “the Monitor understands that the Applicants are now having ongoing discussions with the [Alberta Securities Commission] and the [British Columbia Securities Commission] in that regard.” They also note that they are continuing to review withdrawals made from the CEF and DIL in the year prior to the January 2015 moratorium to ensure no preferential payments were made. (Continued on page 39)

National News www.canadianlutheran.ca

Immigration behind Francophone Lutheran growth in East District QUEBEC - That immigration is a significant source of membership is hardly news for Lutheran churches in Canada. It is part and parcel of our history and in the early days accounted for nearly all our churches’ growth. Waves of Lutheran immigration are a thing of the past but new Canadians still constitute the bulk of membership in francophone Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) congregations. These new members are not from Germany, Scandinavia, o r o t h e r E u ro p e a n L u t h e ra n strongholds. A closer look using the past six months brings this reality to light. In Montreal’s Église de l’Ascension, a Malagasy Lutheran couple arriving from France joined the church after being told about the church by friends. Last month an ethnically German Lutheran family arrived from Romania and contacted the church after looking for a French-speaking Lutheran church on the internet. The other adult catechumen is a recentlyarrived Cameroonian student whose student brother had become Lutheran here after being invited by other Cameroonians. The one baptism in that time period was that of the Canadian-born son of a Malagasy Lutheran couple arriving

from Switzerland and joining the church after an invitation by fellow Malagasy Lutherans. In Sherbrooke, all of the six most recent catechumens were foreign students, originally from Madagascar, now residing in Quebec. The latest baptism there was that of the son a new CanadianMalagasy married to a FrenchCanadian. Sainte-Trinité in Quebec City reflects the same pattern. Indeed, Malagasies now form the majority of the fledgling Lutheran c o m m u n i t y t h e re. T h e m o s t recent adult member is a Lutheran Malagasy student, referred to the church by a co-patriot from the church in Montreal. Again, the one recent baptism there was that of the son of Malagasy-born immigrants. The above trend is not new for LCC in Quebec. The six-month slice described above is representative of much of the increase for previous years, even the past decades, unlike the previous two decades when former Roman Catholic FrenchCanadians constituted most of the

francophone Church membership. That latter demographic now holds true only in Saint-Jean-surRichelieu, a preaching station of the Montreal congregation where the dozen or so communicants are virtually all Canadian-born, the majority French-Canadian, i n c l u d i n g n ew c o n t a c t s n ow beginning instruction. There, too, most of the new worshipers came to know the Lutheran Church through word of mouth. Overall though, there is now a notable absence of Canadian-born interest in the church (perhaps the same as elsewhere in Canada?). Noticeable in the immigration-fed membership trend is that hearing from friends and acquaintances is the means by which most people come to the French-speaking churches. Outreach through distribution of flyers, events and deliberate general outreach (except perhaps the website) have had negligible results. Rev. Dr. David Somers

New French resources from LHM ONLINE - Lutheran Hour Ministries (LHM) – Canada has announced the publication of two new French titles in LHM’s popular booklet series: Les raisons de croire (“Reasons to Believe”) and Se libérer des chaînes de la culpabilité (“Unlocking the Prison of Guilt”). In addition to regularly offering Advent and Lenten devotions in French, the Lutheran Laymen’s League of Canada (LLL Canada) has overseen the translation of a number of LHM’s popular booklets from English to French.

Other titles translated into French include Faire face au cancer (“Coping with Cancer”) and La prière: Lorsque les mots nouse manquent (“Prayer When You Don’t Know What to Say”). The booklets and are available to download for free from LLL Canada’s website at lll.ca/booklets/ french/. Alternately, you can order hard copies of the booklets by calling 1-800-555-6236. Follow LLL-Canada on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ LutheranLaymensLeagueCanada. THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2015

National News www.canadianlutheran.ca

Supreme Court decision a win for religious freedom

CANADA - A recent Supreme Court of Canada ruling is being hailed as a major achievement in the preservation of freedom of religion for Christians across the country. On March 19, the court ruled to allow Loyola High School in Montreal—a private Roman Catholic institution run by the Jesuit order—to seek an exemption to teach the Ethics and Religious Culture course that is part of the provincial curriculum in Quebec. The curriculum would have forced the school to teach all religions, including Roman Catholicism, from a secular perspective in the Ethics and Religious Culture course. But all justices agreed that the Province of Quebec had infringed upon the religious rights of Loyola members in the process—effectively forcing a Christian institution to teach Christian doctrine in a way contrary to its own perspective. Such an obligation “would require a degree of disconnect from, and suppression of, Loyola’s own religious perspective and that is incompatible with freedom of religion,” the Court ruled. “A secular state respects religious

differences, it does not seek to extinguish them.” The course, which is compulsory in all public high schools in Quebec, is a secular overview of religious and moral issues first instituted in 2008. That same year, the Loyola administration applied to the Minister of Education for an exemption to teach the course, suggesting that the school instead wanted to offer a similar course but within a faithbased context. The Minister refused to grant the exemption so the school took the matter to court. In 2010, the Quebec Superior Court ruled in favour of the school. The Minister of Education appealed the ruling and the Quebec Court of Appeal overturned the Superior Court decision. The justices at the Supreme Court were unanimous in declaring that the Province of Quebec had infringed upon religious rights by refusing to allow Loyola an exemption, but the actual decision was split 4-3, with the minority suggesting the majority

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2015

did not go far enough in protecting religious freedoms. The Supreme Court ruling allows Loyola High School to apply for an exemption from teaching the Ethics and Religious Culture course if it applies to the Minister of Education, and the Minister is obligated to abide by the court ruling. The school will therefore have the option to teach the course with modifications that present elements of it within a Catholic context. Background information from the school explains that from the very beginning of the legal proceedings, it wanted to emphasize that “all people share in the common good,” and that the religious values at the core of the school actually shape the desire for tolerance and appreciation of others, stressing it “is the essence of pluralism; that each person can come to society as a whole person, not as one stripped of his or her essential beliefs.” Since the 1960s, Quebec education policies have become increasingly secular. Before 1963, there was no provincial Department of Education, and the administration of the school system was the responsibility of Catholic and Protestant churches until the 1990s. The court ruling also follows other recent controversies over the public presence of religion in the province.

“We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28 A message from

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Great the glory theHis Lord! Thank theisLord and of Sing Praise

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Alberta Alberta and and British British Columbia, Columbia, Jon Jon Teschke, Teschke, editor editor

A “tail” of two towns CRESTON & CRANBROOK, B.C. - A gospel partnership brought to life two weeks of Group Ministry’s “Weird Animals” Vacation Bible School in two Kootenay towns in August 2014. Rev. Doug Stapleton, his wife Korleen, and Betty Marzke (Creston), and Rev. David Morton and Sharon Beloin (Cranbrook), led a team of willing gospel workers in welcoming nearly 120 children to learn that “Jesus’ love is one of a kind.” Much preparation was done through the months of January to July, and unique methods of advertising were utilized, including the use of Facebook as well as local parade entries in their two communities. Come August, the VBS was finally ready! The first week took place at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Creston and the second week ran at Mt. Zion Lutheran Church in Cranbrook. Both churches were transformed into various habitats by decorations created by many of Redeemer’s artistic members, along with some incredible set dressing and costume resources from Positive Productions. Each day the children moved in groups through five learning stations. They experienced special teaching moments from the likes of Jake the Red-Eyed Green

Children enjoy the story.

Tree Frog, Dr. Paws, and Milton the Star-Nosed Mole. Two communities, one week of VBS each, back to back—no easy task! A couple of truck loads and a 26-foot U-Haul were needed to move all the decorations. Amazing crews were required to take down and set up each church. A n e n t h u s i a s t i c g ro u p o f Redeemer people worked at both churches, inspiring those at Mt. Zion with their generosity and energy. The volunteers enjoyed fellowship and friendship despite not having

a whole lot of “bonding” time prior to working together, and so it comes as no surprise that both churches are looking forward to doing it all again in 2015. The participants had fun, children grew in their faith and praised the Lord together, and nearly $600 was donated by the children and their families for a clean water project in India. A key piece of the puzzle that made these VBS weeks possible was a generous grant from the ABC District of Lutheran Women’s Missionary League–Canada.

Church bell rings again MELLOWDALE, Alta.- After a hiatus of almost four years, the church bell of the former Redeemer Lutheran Church in Vega is ringing again, now at Christ Lutheran Church in Mellowdale, located on the Neerlandia highway. On November 30, 2014, Rev. Reinhard Dittmer re-dedicated the bell. For sixty-eight years the bell rang every Sunday to call people to worship in Vega. Originally the ringing of the bell alerted the people of Wetaskiwin, Alberta, whenever there was a fire in the area. In its second life as a church bell, it will be used to alert Christians in the area to gather for worship.

Rev. Reinhard Dittmer dedicates the bell.

The March/April2015 201517 1 THE Canadian CANADIAN LLutheran UTHERAN March/April

ABC District News

and British Columbia, Jon Teschke, editor editor AlbertaAlberta and British Columbia, Jon Teschke, Jon Teschke,

Sunday school helps LWMLC pack sewing kits CALGARY, Alta. - In September the ladies of Foothills LWMLC took on the project of collecting sewing kits for CLWR. Thanks to the generous donations from the ladies, congregation members and others, 30 kits were assembled. Sunday school students packaged the kits on Thanksgiving Sunday and an offering during coffee time on LWML–Canada Sunday helped cover shipping costs from Winnipeg. Home Hardware in Cochrane shipped the kits free of charge to Winnipeg.

From the President He is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! e celebrated Easter at church this morning,” the eightyear-old said to his parents. “We talked about Jesus rising from the dead!” “But wait a minute,” the father said, “this is October. Easter doesn’t happen until April next year.” The little boy responded, “But our Sunday school teacher taught us that every Sunday is a little Easter and in our church service we worship Jesus who rose from the dead.” The Sunday school teacher was right on. The early church chose to worship on Sunday because that is when Jesus rose from the dead. Of course, the actual Sunday following Good Friday is recognized as the Festival of Easter and the high point in the church year. It is on that day when we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord. It is also a time to remember who we are as Christians. The purpose of Christ’s death and resurrection was to defeat sin, death, and Satan. He disarmed these powers and authorities, and made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. Through our baptism, we receive the fruits of that victory. The Bible tells us that we were baptized into the death of Christ. We were “buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life” (Romans 6:4). Easter Sunday is a time to celebrate the new life we have in Christ. It isn’t just a change of attitudes and behaviours; it is actually new life. And it isn’t just for our temporal life. It is for eternity. That’s why, when we think about those dear friends and relatives who have died in faith, our grief is tempered by the assurance

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that God will raise their mortal remains on the Day of Resurrection. On that day, they, with us, will live with Him for all of eternity. There is tremendous comfort in the message of Easter. St. Paul writes, “Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14). It is because of that hope that the Church lives in eager anticipation of that great day when the risen Lord comes to take His Church to her heavenly home. The message of Easter is one that can bring life and hope to our lifeless and dying world. Easter is followed by the Festival of the Ascension. At His ascension, the risen Christ instructed His disciples to go out into all the world and declare the good news of the Gospel. Then follows the Festival of Pentecost where the disciples boldly proclaimed the risen Lord to people who came from all over the Roman Empire to celebrate the Jewish Festival of the Harvest. And what a harvest! We are told that 3,000 people were baptized that day. Think of it—3,000 people who in baptism received the assurance of forgiveness of their sins and the hope of eternal life in Christ! Easter is a story that most be told and re-told. It is a message to be celebrated every Sunday! We worship a Lord who became one of us to redeem us from sin and death. His resurrection is life and hope for us. “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a Man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:20-22). Rev. Donald Schiemann

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Alberta and and British British Columbia, Columbia, Jon Jon Teschke, Teschke, editor editor Alberta

Korean Sunday school’s first Christmas pageant PEACE RIVER, Alta. - God is good and continues to bless Prince of Peace Lutheran Church with growth within their Korean congregation. Recently, more than 60 people including children and guests from Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Jamaican, and Canadian nationalities gathered together for a Christmas potluck dinner. After the dinner, the guests enjoyed the first Christmas pageant performed by the Korean Sunday School, with singing and dancing from the congregation’s children. A l t h o u g h P r i n c e o f Pe a c e ( E n g l i s h congregation) currently does not have a Sunday School, the Korean Sunday School (taught in English) has blossomed with increased attendance. Rev. David Shin

Members and guests enjoy fellowship together.

District LWMLC grants support pastors in additional training congregation and CALGARY, Alta., regularly sponsors - Two pastors in community grief ABC District, Rev. counselling in Darren Dressler Airdrie. and Rev. Michael I n 2 01 3 t h e Keith, will each LWMLC of ABC receive a total of District approved a $12,000 from the $3,000 mission grant mission grant to host the third p ro g ra m o f t h e “LCC Chaplain’s ABC District of Skills Training Lutheran Women’s Conference” in Missionary Alberta. The League– Canada, conference is allowing them to participate in four (l-r) Bonnie Heumannn, South Alberta zone representative; Elfriede Fisher, Foothills s c h e d u l e d f o r courses to receive Lutheran Church Christian Mission chair; Rev. Darren Dressler, recipient; Rev. David Shepherd of the Va l l ey L u t h e ra n a “Death and Grief Bode, pastor at Foothills. Church, Canmore, Alta., Studies Certificate” from May 20-22, 2015. A cheque the Center for Loss and Life for this support was recently Transition, Fort Collins, presented to Rev. Mark Colorado. The courses take Lobitz, pastor at Shepherd place over the next two of the Valley. Pastor Lobitz is years. also chaplain for Lutheran To date each pastor has Hospital Ministries, South received $3,000 for the Alberta with an office at first course. Rev. Keith was St. Matthews Lutheran presented with a cheque Church in Calgary. The on March 21, 2015 at St. presentation was made Matthew Lutheran Church, there. Organizing committee Stony Plain, Alta. And Rev. for the conference is made Dressler or Airdrie, Alta., received a similar cheque on (l-r) Bonnie Heumann, South Alberta Zone represenative; Jeanette up of Pastor Lobitz, Rev. March 25, 2015 at Foothills Wood , ABC District financial secretary; Rev. Mark Lobitz, Shepherd Harry Haberstock and Dr. of the Valley Lutheran Church. Glenn Schaeffer. Lutheran Church, Calgary. Bonnie Heumann Pastor Dressler has a mission The March/April2015 201519 3 THE Canadian CANADIAN LLutheran UTHERAN March/April

ABC ABC District News

Alberta and and British British Columbia, Columbia, Jon Jon Teschke, Teschke, editor editor Alberta

2015 ABC District Convention May 22-24 Calgary, AB

Visit the Convention website at

abcconvention.lccabc.ca

Giving thanks for Karen Lyons EDMONTON – The Canadian Lutheran gives thanks for the faithful service of Karen Lyons, who recently completed her service as editor of the ABC District News. She served as editor for the section for nearly three years, from the July/ August 2012 issue through January 2015. “Karen’s editorship was marked with careful attention to detail and dedicated service to seeking out news important to readers,” said Mathew Block, editor of The Canadian Lutheran. “She brought the stories of Lutherans in Alberta and British Columbia to the attention of our Karen Lyons readers across the country, and I am grateful for her service. May God bless her in all her future endeavours.” This issue of The Canadian Lutheran marks the first issue for Jon Teschke, who is serving as Interim Editor of the ABC District News. Please forward your news articles to editor@lccabc.ca.

4 The Canadian Lutheran March/April 2015 20 THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2015

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Central District District News Central News

Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Manitoba, NW NW Ontario Ontario Elaine Elaine Stanfel, Stanfel, editor editor

Praising God with music Kayla and her brother THUNDER BAY, Ont. Jared also play in the - Kayla Falkenholt, a Thunder Bay Symphony 16-year-old homeYouth Orchestra, with schooled musician, was Kayla as the harpist and recently awarded the Jared as a percussionist. Royal Conservatory of Kayla believes that the Music Gold Medal for primary function of her Grade 8 Harp exam, music is to praise God receiving the highest and give him glory, mark in all of Ontario quoting Psalm 150:2-3, for Grade 8 Harp last 6 (ESV): “Praise Him academic year. Kayla for His mighty deeds; received a mark of 89 praise Him according to percent on her harp Kayla Falkenholt His excellent greatness! exam, and 100 percent and has filled in for the music Praise Him with trumpet sound; on the necessary theory exam. She director for whole services. Kayla praise Him with lute and harp! Let has also placed first in the Ontario also plays organ about once a month everything that has breath praise the Music Festival Association Provincial at Epiphany Lutheran. Lord! Praise the Lord!” Competition twice, playing in the Harp category. Kayla is working on her RCM Grade 9 piano, as well as Shining “all around the neighbourhood” the next level of concert harp (RCM Grade 10). Last year, Kayla completed a beginning organist scholarship through the Royal Canadian College of Organists. Kayla now serves by playing hymns in her home congregation (Christ Lutheran)

Easter cross witness

Left, installing the new cross. Above, the new, lighted cross serves as a beacon to the community.

SASKATOON, Sask. - Crosses are again popping up in Saskatoon. Members of St. Pauls Lutheran Church put them up on Palm Sunday. On Easter Sunday they turn them around to show the words “He is Risen!” and leave them up for another week.

REGINA - Thanks to a generous memorial donation, Mount Olive Lutheran Church and its surrounding neighbourhood have a new lighted cross. The cross was manufactured

and installed by Dustin Pretty’s Indiglow Signs & Graphics in Regina. Special thanks also go to Jeff Stashko and Amped Electric who made sure that the cross lights up the Regina night sky. This project wouldn’t be possible without the hard work and dedication of the Board of Church Properties at Mount Olive.

The March/April 201521 1 THE Canadian CANADIAN LLutheran UTHERAN March/April 2015

Central District News News

Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Manitoba, NW NW Ontario Ontario Elaine Elaine Stanfel, Stanfel, editor editor

Members find the silver lining in a church closure SOUTHEY, Sask. - The congregation of Zion, North Southey closed at the end of 2014, a decision made after the 104-year-old church basement was severely flooded in September. About half of the members of Zion attended a New Member Reception at Emmanuel, Southey. Another 55 members weren’t able to attend. The former Zion congregation brings to Emmanuel a vibrant music ministry, an LWMLC society, many volunteers and new ideas, as well as more delicious baking after worship services and events! Members old and new pray for God’s continual blessings on this newly-revived congregation. The Cupar-Southey dual parish is served by Rev. Lowell Dennis. Diane Dennis Some of the members of Zion who attended the new member reception.

Ponderings from the president Jesus wins! s spring weather struggles to settle in across our country, winter sports are winding down for another year. In hockey, minor leagues are well into their playoffs. The NHL’s long season is finally grinding to a halt as teams jockey for playoff positions. Fans and players are focused on their team winning the ultimate prize: the cup or trophy, plus all the monetary bonuses that go along with it, as well as the bragging rights throughout the summer. For the players, everything leads to this moment. There is the constant conditioning of one’s body, the playing through nagging injuries. There is a mental toughness needed to be able to play game after game even when your heart may not be in it on a particular night. There are the endless practices, team meetings and travel. There can be strains on marriage and family life. There are sacrifices of time and relationships. But when a player hoists the trophy above his head in a victory celebration, all that has gone before is forgotten. To be sure, next year the players may need to remember

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the level of perseverance and dedication that got them to their ultimate goal. But for now, the focus is on celebration and victory. As I write this, Easter is approaching. The forty days of Lent, though seemingly long, are almost behind us. We have witnessed again our Lord’s teaching and miracles. We have seen His great love for us by giving His perfect life as the necessary sacrifice for our sin. And we will rejoice again at His triumphant resurrection from the dead on Easter morning. I suppose you could summarize Easter with just two words: “Jesus wins!” His victory over sin and death is now our victory. His resurrection is our resurrection. The eternal life He won is now ours through faith. Our focus at Easter is on celebration and victory! We join with the apostle Paul in our victory chant: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Jesus wins! Amen! Rev. Thomas Prachar

Central District News News

Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Manitoba, NW NW Ontario Ontario Elaine Elaine Stanfel, Stanfel, editor editor

Lutheran early learning centre is first of its kind in Warman WA R M A N , S a s k . Approximately eight months f o l l ow i n g t h e groundbreaking ceremony, W a r m a n Lutheran Early Learning Center ( W L E L C ) opened its new doors on February 2. The first daycare facility, secular or religious, in Warman shares a building with St. John’s Evangelical L u t h e r a n Church. The early (l-r) LELC Executive Director Kim Randall, MLA Nancy Heppner, Warman Mayor Sheryl Spence, Rev. Tom Prachar, LELC learning centre Board Chair Shelley Neufeld, Rev. Randy Heide, WLELC Director Danielle Richard. fills a niche in Warman, one of narthex with office space for the Joining them for the ribbon cutting the fastest-growing communities in was WLELC Board Director Shelly pastor, LELC executive and the Saskatchewan. The advent of new Neufeld, with staff members Kim parish administrator; a new board families has led the government to Randall and Danielle Richard. room; and new classrooms to be increase its funding significantly Pastors and members from sister shared by Sunday school, preschool, for childcare. Warman achieved city congregations in the Saskatoon community renters, and before-andstatus in 2012, affording a perfect circuit and surrounding area were after school care activities. opportunity for Lutheran Early present for the commemoration, The lower level of the narthex Learning Centers (LELC) to add conversation, and refreshments will be used for the early learning a third facility to their outreach afterward. Revs. Prachar and Heide centre. Enrollment in the facility mission. are excited for what they describe as a is growing, currently filling 36 of Central District President Rev. new opportunity to “feed the lambs.” a potential 65 spots. The JABA. Tom Prachar, Rev. Lowell Guebert Members of the 101-year-old Construction project presented (previous pastor at St. John’s), and congregation at St. John’s endured the challenges, but has not provided Rev. Rod Parker (pastor at Grace, months-long construction project, cause to stop hoping that the Gospel Saskatoon, which hosts another which demolished the original will reach children, community, and preschool arm of LELC’s work) were A-frame building, leaving behind the staff in unpredictable degrees. The able to celebrate with St. John’s along sanctuary and basement hall built in method, however, remains familiar: with its pastor Rev. Randy Heide. 2003. Incorporating resource and Mrs. Judy Haichert, confirmation/ St. John’s congregational office spaces into the sanctuary area Sunday school teacher and librarian chairman, Gord Martens, welcomed and Sunday school and preschool at St. John’s, was invited to teach LELC to the Warman facility into the lower level, they settled in for biblical storytelling to children in commenting on the mission focus the long haul. Word and Sacrament a professional development day for for this new partnership. He read a ministry, Sunday school programs, WLELC guardians two days prior letter of congratulation from Member preschool classes, and space rental to its opening. She stressed that the of Parliament Maurice Vellacott. to a local music school for weekly historicity of Jesus Christ and the Encouragement was also brought by lessons continued. Members joyfully centrality of His Gospel be honoured. constituency MLA Nancy Heppner welcomed a newly-constructed Travis Heide and Warman Mayor Sheryl Spence. The March/April 201523 3 THE Canadian CANADIAN LLutheran UTHERAN March/April 2015

Central District District News Central News

Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Manitoba, NW NW Ontario Ontario Elaine Elaine Stanfel, Stanfel, editor editor

Group provides warmth for those living on the street WINNIPEG - Members of Beautiful Savior LWMLC, with the help of their congregation, once again assisted the less fortunate in their community to prepare for the cold winter. The “Warm Feet for the Street” mission project involves collecting a pair of woollen socks, personal hygiene items and a bible tract, which are then packed in a bag donated by Sobey’s for both men and women at Main Street Project. Also included: prayers that those receiving the package will be blessed with hope and warmth in God’s everlasting love.

New dual parish installs pastor

District convention

April 13-16, 2015 The Delta Bessborough Hotel Saskatoon, Sask.

Visit the Central District website at www.lcccentral.ca

(back, l-r) Revs. Tom Prachar, Rob Grout, Steve Bartlett; (front) Rev. Randy Fiege.

MELFORT, Sask. - District President Thomas Prachar installed Rev. Randy Fiege as pastor of the newly-formed dual parish St. Paul’s (Melfort) and

Zion (Nipawin) on February 22. Rev. Rob Grout, circuit counsellor and a son of St. Paul’s congregation, preached the sermon.

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Send news, photos, articles and announcements six weeks prior to publication month. Elaine Stanfel, district editor 509 Airport Road, Pembroke, ON K8A6W7 613-687-6620 E-mail: elaine.stanfel@ gmail.com

Next deadline: June 3, 2015

East District News News East District

Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia Ilene Fortin, editor Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia Ilene Fortin, editor

Mission-minded women joyfully work hard KINGSVILLE, Ont. - The Ladies of First Lutheran meet with enthusiasm to work on projects for Canadian Lutheran World Re l i e f ( C LW R ) . T h e group gets together for “ripping workshops” to cut out nighties, rip sheets to make into diapers and receiving blankets, and cut washcloths. The ladies then take them home to sew in Some of the many helpers in Kingsville participating in their spare time. In addition to these workshop. activities, some knit or Crisis Centre, and the group has even crochet newborn baby sweaters, while hosted baby showers. others shop at second-hand stores and Another woman working from yard sales for undershirts, sweaters, home, with a helper, now knits 4” receiving blankets, and other items, × 48” tensor bandages from cotton which are assembled into layettes. The wool. She has made approximately finished products are then shipped to 25 so far this year to be shipped to Medical Missions and CLWR in “We Medical Missions. Another member Care” bags. cuts squares and strips to sew together One member of the group cuts at home for the tops, then the group and sews all the baby quilts. Some are meets for a sewing workshop to shipped to CLWR, others to Neighbour assemble the top, back and middle Link in Sarnia. Gifts are prepared, as together, pin and sew edges, and then well, for expectant mothers who have tie the quilts. This is another time been referred by the local Pregnancy

to shop at second-hand stores to find sheets and blankets to use for backing and the middle layer. One member brings her grandchildren occasionally and they trace, cut out, and sew the sanitary pads that are shipped to Medical Missions. In February, the group held a Saturday afternoon workshop to get all the sewing ladies of different ages working together. They began with pizza for lunch, then traced, cut, sewed, quilted, and knit. All had a wonderful time with great fellowship for everyone from teeny-boppers to ladies with walkers. All of this hard work resulted in the following shipments early in 2015: 50 warm-climate layettes to Medical Missions; eight crib quilts to Neighbour Link; and 31 large quilts and 2 crib quilts, plus 50 complete layettes in We Care bags, as well as 4 complete layettes, 20 large quilts, and a box of children’s clothing to CLWR. Irene Brandner

Advent lessons and carols ST. CATHARINES, Ont. - The service of Advent Lessons and Carols, held Sunday, December 7 in the Martin Luther Chapel at Concordia, is our chance to share the celebration of the season before the semester break. President Winger explains the purpose in the introduction to the service when he notes, “The Procession with Carols on Advent Sunday is a collegiate tradition that gives students the opportunity to anticipate Christmas together before heading home for the holidays.” It is also an opportunity for the seminary community—or perhaps better stated, the seminary family—to give back to the circle of supporters it has. Area pastors, especially the fieldwork supervisors, members of the Seminary Guild, and anyone else connected with the seminary and

close-by that day, were invited to join us as we rehearsed Advent lessons and songs, reminding one another that our Saviour and salvation are, as the hymn-writer expressed it, “Of the Father’s love begotten ere the worlds began to be. He is Alpha and Omega, He the source, the ending He, of the things that are, that have been, and that future years shall see evermore and evermore” (LSB 384:1). This year fifty guests and participants took part. Special thanks again to Diane Humann and the Resurrection L u t h e ra n C h u rc h choir. After the reve r b e ra t i o n s o f the majestic “Lo! He

Come with Clouds Descending” (LSB 336) slowly dissipated and light refreshments were been enjoyed, the students, staff, faculty, and friends moved the festivities to Resurrection Lutheran Church, where the Concordia Seminary Students’ Association (CSSA) hosted the annual festive family gathering. Source: CLTS enews

THE CANADIANLutheran LUTHERAN March/April March/April 2015 The Canadian 2015 25 1

East District News News East District

Ontario, Ontario, Quebec, Quebec, New New Brunswick, Brunswick, Nova Nova Scotia Scotia Ilene Ilene Fortin, Fortin, editor editor

Christmas Eve service KITCHENER, Ont. - Two festive Christmas Eve services were held at Bethel Lutheran Church, with participation from many musical groups. Beautiful Christmas carols and hymns were sung by the three Bethel choirs, and rang out from the tone chimes. Instruments also enriched the service with the brass ensemble and several string solos participating. At the end of the service, the congregation sang “Silent Night” with only the Christmas trees and candles lit in the sanctuary. Irene Rooney

Two large Christmas trees decorated the altar at the Bethel Christmas Eve services, as the Sunday School children sing.

From the president Making the most out of life! “Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a spring; his branches run over the wall.” (Genesis 49: 22)

hapter 49 in the Book of Genesis is often referred to as the “Blessing of Jacob.” And rightly so, for in this chapter of Scripture, Jacob blesses his sons before his death. We do not have enough space here to grasp the central thought in the blessing pronounced upon each of Jacob’s twelve sons. In this article I would like to call your attention to how mightily Jacob’s son, Joseph, was blessed by God—so much so, that the descendants of Joseph would increase so rapidly in their own territory that they would soon extend beyond their own boundaries into the neighbouring tribes of the Children of Israel. In Genesis 49:22 we also have a magnificent character analysis of Joseph as a man. He was fruitful. He was producing that for which his life was intended. He was drawing his strength from a spring. This was a significant factor in the effectiveness of his life—even to the extent that his branches ran over the wall, which indicates that they extended beyond what could have been their limited confine. In the springtime we see many fruit-bearing trees at the height of their glory, so full of blossoms that each one looks as if it were a mammoth bouquet. When in the spring we behold these fruit-bearing trees in all their splendour, it directs us to look forward to that time of year when we will harvest their produce. Will all these promises of fruit that blossom forth in the early days of

spring grow into their intended ripeness? If there should not be enough moisture, if drought should come, has the tree anything to depend on for its sustenance? Joseph’s life had its resources. He drew nourishment from a spring which had a deep source. Therefore, even if the seasonal rains were meagre, he still had a source of strength. For it was God who was the power in Joseph’s life. When difficult circumstances came, Joseph still had the promise of God that He would never forsake him. How about you and your life? When we are young, life, it seems, holds so many promises. So much so, that someone once coined the phrase: “It is in the springtime of our youth when our blossoms give off the richest fragrance.” There is an enthusiasm and a rich potential in the gifts and talents which God has planted in each person. We do not all have the same gift, just as all trees do not bear the same kind of fruit. But each of us has something to do and we will find our greatest joy in living if we catch the importance of it. The secret of doing so is to dedicate our gifts and our talents to the highest purpose. That is to secure our future through fearing, loving, and trusting in God above all things. God will bless and give strength to those who lean upon Him, to those who trust in the fact the He came to be our Lord and Savior from sin, and to those who tap into His resources to supply the power for their lives. What wonderful words were spoken by Jacob in the blessing of his son, Joseph: “Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a spring; his branches run over the wall.” Would it be that these same words would be able to be spoken over each of us! Rev. Paul Zabel

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East East District News

Ontario, Ontario, Quebec, Quebec, New New Brunswick, Brunswick, Nova Nova Scotia Scotia Ilene Ilene Fortin, Fortin, editor editor

Ministry at Centre Vision Chrétienne MONTREAL - When a Christian blind man contacted de l’Ascension more than ten years ago, there was a lack of even basic documentation in French to respond to his request to further his understanding of Lutheranism. That led to contacting

the LCMS Lutheran Blind Mission and the subsequent Braille printing in French of Luther’s Small Catechism, the Divine Service, and the Augsburg Confession. Lutheran Hour recordings were obtained from France. The LCMS contact pastor, himself

Friends from around the world

WINDSOR, Ont. - A Christmas party for Windsor-Essex County Lutheran Outreach (WECLO) English-as-a-second-language students and Bible class students was held at First Lutheran Christian Academy. Rev. Gilvan de Azevedo (pastor at First Lutheran Church) and Paul and Suzanne Eberhard (principal, FLCA) enjoyed the event along with friends from India, Croatia, China, Iraq, and Korea. A Christmas party was also held at the home of lay missionary, Javed Khan and his wife, Nighat, to celebrate the joy of Christmas with 23 friends from China, Iraq, India. New friends were introduced, and presents for everyone were arranged by Nighat.

Kingsville welcomes pastor Repbulic. From 2003-2005, he studied KINGSVILLE, Ont. - With at the Philosophical Faculty in Nitra, overflowing joy and love, First Slovakia, obtaining his scientific Evangelical Lutheran Church PhD. Six years later, after finishing celebrated the installation of his dissertation work he obtained his Rev. Dusan Tillinger on Sunday, academic PhD. In 2010, Rev. Tillinger November 16. accepted the Divine Call from Christ Rev. Dusan Tillinger was born in Evangelical Lutheran Congregation in Bratislava, Slovakia. In 1994 he enrolled Aurora, Ontario. He served in Aurora in the Evangelical Lutheran Seminary until September 2014. in Bratislava, graduating in 1999. He was ordained on August 1, 1999. In that same year he married Milada, whom he met while studying at the seminary. They are blessed with two daughters, Sabina, 11 and Greta, 8. Rev. Tillinger’s first congregation was in Topolcany, Slovakia. In 2002, he received a call to Prague, Czech (l-r) Pastor Dusan, Sabina, Greta, Milada

blind, was at that time starting a U.S.-wide network of centres for the blind in LCMS congregations and encouraged such a centre in Montreal. The concept was simple yet original: provide a meeting space for blind Christians, organized and led by blind church members, to join in a monthly Bible study (using the newly-printed Braille Catechism), song (the members have often sung at worship services), conversation, and to share a meal. By then another blind man had joined the congregation and they set out to recruit interested visually handicapped individuals. A then-new sighted member, Cécile Ngo-Holl, agreed to be the Centre Vision Chrétiennne coordinator and has competently served in that capacity ever since. The LCMS also generously provided annual leadership seminars for the centre’s leaders. After the first year up until last year, the East District faithfully supported the monthly meetings through a special gift grant. Volunteers from the congregation and beyond have assisted during the monthly activities. Vision Chrétienne’s tenth anniversary was celebrated with a benefit concert on November 22, offered by de l’Ascension members Rena Detlefsen (who has also led singing for the centre members), Clarisse Nguea, and Josélin Radimilahy, presenting spiritual songs by Ms. Nguea. Enough money was gathered to maintain the centre through June 2015. The congregation gives thanks to God for this way to serve. Rev. Dr. David Somers

East District Convention May 3- 6, 2015 Crowne Plaza Hotel, Kitchener

THE CANADIANLutheran LUTHERAN March/April March/April 2015 The Canadian 2015 27 3

East East District News

Ontario, Ontario, Quebec, Quebec, New New Brunswick, Brunswick, Nova Nova Scotia Scotia Ilene Ilene Fortin, Fortin, editor editor

Christmas missions bazaar and silent auction KITCHENER, Ont. - Bethel held its annual Christmas Bazaar and Silent Auction November 22. Bethel members baked 14,000 butter cookies for the bazaar and all sold out! There were lots of delicious hot foods for sale, including sausage on a bun and a variety of soups, along with tortes and other German baking—all served with coffee or tea. Many interesting items were up for bid at the silent auction, which raised more than $4,500 for the St. Paul’s Community Cupboard in Kitchener. Crafts and “attic treasures” were also offered for sale. In total more than $12,000 was raised for Lutheran charities.

Bethel members baking cookies in the church kitchen.

Irene Rooney

Outreach continues in Quebec SAINT-JEAN-SUR-RICHELIEU, Que. - Two decades ago a then-new member of de l’Ascension, Montreal, expressed interest in a Lutheran presence in his home town of SaintJean-sur-Richelieu (30 minutes from Montreal). Under the care of the Montreal congregation, he began Wednesday evening prayers in his living room. After a few years the prayers were held in an historic Anglican Church (free of charge). Eventually the number of de l’Ascension members living in Saint-Jean grew to a dozen or so, both through outreach and members moving to the town. When the church building they were using was closed and sold four years ago, the prayers were moved to the local military base chapel, also free of charge (one of the chaplains there at that time was a Lutheran Church–Canada pastor). Occasionally—on some Ash Wednesdays, for example— communion services were held (in part because the rented LCMS church in Montreal was not available). In 2014 one of the members, a convert to Lutheranism, was encouraged by a surprise opportunity and was motivated to organize Bible studies and take charge of a mass distribution of Lutheran

Hour Ministry “What do Lutherans Believe?” leaflets in French. The member re-activated a Lutheran documentation literature counter (stocked with recently available LHM French materials) at a local Christian coffee house and participated in the organization of Word outreach suppers on Friday night at the same coffee house. Convinced the various activities could be used to channel contacts to the Lutheran church, he envisioned having more formal services in Saint-Jean. The Wednesday prayers at the chapel seemed to provide the opportunity to build on the existent Lutheran core. In November, Vespers from Liturgies et cantiques luthériens were begun as well as a monthly eucharistic service—providing an opportunity for the members to invite others to attend a Lutheran service— something still quite unknown in Saint-Jean. De l’Ascension members have committed to covering the costs of these various outreach ventures in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu. L a s t A s h We d n e s d ay, o n e member of the Church picked up another at a seniors’ residence (both former Roman Catholic French-Canadians) for the service in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu,

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Québec. Upon the return of the two to the home, a small group of women gathered near the entrance ( a l l Ro m a n C a t h o l i c F re n c h Canadians) saw the sign of the ashen cross on their foreheads, and asked where they had been. That led to a discussion of the Word which led to the launching of a Bible study at the home, led by the driver mentioned above. Now, at year’s end, those women are still being led in the discovery of the Word, and one has become a member of the Lutheran Church. Rev. Dr. David Somers

Visit the East District website at www.lcceastdistrict.ca Send news, photos, articles and announcements six weeks prior to publication month. Ilene Fortin, district editor East District Office 275 Lawrence Avenue, Kitchener, Ontario N2M 1Y3 E-mail:

ilene@lcceast.ca

Fax: 519-578-3369

Next deadline: June 3, 2015

Mission Update Joy over continued growth in Cambodia CAMBODIA - Leaders of Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) visited Cambodia March 5-8 to strengthen L C C ’ s re l a t i o n s h i p w i t h t h e Evangelical Lutheran Church of Cambodia (ELCC), rejoicing over the continued growth and maturing of the young church body. LCC President Robert Bugbee and synodical mission director Leonardo Neitzel arrived at the invitation of the ELCC’s president, Rev. Vannarith Chhim. Also present on behalf of the Canadian church were retired mission director, Dr. Leonard V. Harms, and his wife, Carol. President Bugbee and Dr. Neitzel made the stop in addition to visits earlier in the week to Lutheran leaders in neighbouring Thailand. “I had not visited these key partners of LCC in over four years,” remarked President Bugbee. “The first day of our visit took us a few hours’ drive southwest of the capital to the Kampot region, where we met leaders and members of a rural congregation near the town of Chhuk, which I had gotten to know in early 2011. That congregation is a good example of the progress made by local churches in various parts of the country. They now maintain a new Christian school near the church building, and I’m impressed by the congregation’s efforts to meet local needs by continuing to operate the well-known ‘rice bank’ and fishpond projects.” The following day President Bugbee preached at Christ Lutheran Church in Phnom Penh at the ordination of two pastors. Though the ELCC has numerous preachers and local leaders conducting worship in far-flung locations, the number of pastors fully trained, certified and ordained is growing gradually. The new ordinands, Revs. Phanna Bun and Sem Sothea, will supervise such leaders in the regions where they serve. President Vannarith presided over the ordinations, assisted by two other Cambodian pastors, along President Bugbee and Dr. Neitzel, who participated in the laying-on of hands.

The newly ordained pastors are presented with shepherds’ crooks by ELCC President Vannarith Chhim.

Following the ordination service, Presidents Vannarith and Bugbee proceeded to the main entrance of the ELCC office building to formally dedicate the opening of Concordia Theological Institute, which will now coordinate the training of future pastors. President Vannarith and Pastor Naro of Christ Lutheran Church (Phnom Penh) briefed the visiting Canadians in the final hours of the visit on the ELCC’s plans to structure theological education for the future, as well as other ways LCC can assist the church in Cambodia. They were joined in the discussions by Dr. Leonard Harms and Rev. Carl Hanson, Director of Asia regional mission operations for The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), based in Hong Kong. “The ELCC was not started by Lutheran Church–Canada,” President Bugbee observed. “It came about through the influence of LISA (Luther Institute – Southeast Asia), which provided theological lectures in Phnom Penh to leaders of independent local churches in this country.” In early 2009, convinced that the Lutheran confessions set forth the truth of God’s Word, Cambodians themselves established the ELCC and promptly sought registration by their government as a recognized religious group.

“In my view, this shows exceptional courage and leadership,” Bugbee continued. “This enterprising spirit has marked the ELCC ever since. President Vannarith travels extensively to deepen relationships and hold together their synodical family across the country, and has also worked on key overseas church relations. LCC is honoured to be one of the Cambodian church’s primary partners.” The efforts of the ELCC are bearing fruit. President Vannarith reports that the ELCC now numbers 32 congregations, in addition to 156 other preaching stations, and that their synod has grown to embrace over 6,000 members. President Bugbee observed that the closeness between the ELCC and the Canadian church is due in large measure to the influence of Dr. Leonard Harms, former LCC mission executive, who spends much time in southeast Asia and is a trusted friend of the Cambodian church. Dr. Harms’ gifted wife, Carol, a rostered Lutheran teacher, accompanies him on many of his travels. “Watching her interact with deaconesses and local leaders impressed on me how deeply respected both Len and Carol are,” President Bugbee noted. “Our synod is blessed indeed to have servants willing to give so much of themselves even well into their retirement.”

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2015

Mission Update Canadian Lutherans participate in Nicaragua outreach

Rev. Mark Koehler teaches a Bible Study class in Nicaragua.

NICARAGUA - From January 10-17, twenty-six members of a number of Ontario congregations took part in a short-term mission trip to Nicaragua. Participants stayed in Leon, and came from Redeemer Lutheran (Waterloo), St. Paul’s Lutheran (Elmira), Pilgrim Lutheran (Hamilton), Christ our King Lutheran (Mississauga), Grace Lutheran (Oshawa), and Historic St. Paul’s (Kitchener). Each morning, eight participants would depart at 7:00 a.m. for Cartonera, where they would assist in leveling the floor and laying ceramic tile at San Paulo Lutheran Church. The remaining members split up to help lead Vacation Bible Schools in four different locations along with the local pastor (or vicar) and deaconess. Approximately 1000 children attended the four VBS

programs, with about 300 attending in Telica, 350 in Leon, 150 in Cartonera, and 200 in Marononal. In addition to ministry to children, three Lutheran Church– Canada pastors on the trip delivered adult Bible classes during the first half of each morning. Rev. Robert Krestick (Redeemer, Waterloo) had between 80 and 100 adults in attendance at class in Telica, Rev. Richard Frey (St. Paul’s, Elmira) had 40-50 adults at Leon, and Rev. Mark Koehler (Pilgrim, Hamilton) had 40 in Cartonera. On the afternoon of January 15, team members distributed food hampers to families at each of the four locations where Vacation Bible schools were held, with a total or 210 food hampers distributed. On January 16, the Canadians were privileged to worship with the members of St. Paul’s

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2015

in Telica, who were celebrating a confirmation that day. That evening, the Canadians hosted a celebration dinner with all the pastors, deaconesses, translators, and supporters of the trip at their hotel in Leon.

LCC’s Mission Work For information on LCC’s missions, visit LutheranChurch.ca. You can support LCC’s missions through online giving, or by sending donations by mail: Lutheran Church–Canada 3074 Portage Avenue Winnipeg, MB R3K 0Y2 Canada

Education Report CLTS to welcome Finnish scholar for 2015-2016 S T. CAT H A R I N E S , O n t . Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary (CLTS) has announced that they will be hosting a visiting scholar during the 2015-2016 academic year in St. Catharines. Rev. Esko Murto, of Helsinki, Finland will be joining the seminary community during that year. This is the third in a sequence of visiting scholar arrangements. Rev. Juhana Pohjola of Helsinki was in residence at CLTS from January 2011 to June 2012 while completing his doctoral dissertation, contributing to the community via preaching and occasional teaching. Rev. Dr. Wilhelm Torgerson, a CanadianGerman well-known to members of Lutheran Church–Canada, joined the CLTS community in August 2011 and continues to serve a full load of classes. His first two years were supported by a grant from the Marvin M. Schwan foundation. Rev. Murto is a young pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland (ELMDF). The church was officially formed in 2013, though the origins of the group date back to 1999. The ELMDF emerged out of the state church of Finland, which bars

the ordination of anyone who opposes female ordination and which is increasingly moving towards acceptance of homosexual marriage. Today the ELMDF counts 3 0 c o n g re g a t i o n s t h ro u g h o u t Finland. “It is important that we offer brotherly support within the Lutheran community to those who struggle to confess the truth in such circumstances,” a CLTS release explains. “Rev. Murto’s time in Canada will give him crucial insights into the inner workings of an independent confessional Lutheran church body and seminary that he can bring back to Finland. LCC President Robert Bugbee is delighted to approve Rev. Murto’s Canadian sojourn to the mutual benefit of our churches.” The release further notes that Rev. Murton will bring unique insights into sharing the Gospel in the “increasingly post-Christian north Atlantic culture that we in Canada share with our Nordic cousins.” Rev. Murto’s Master of Theology (from the University of Helsinki) was on the theology of C.S. Lewis and his Master of Sacred Theology (from Concordia

Rev. Esko Murto

Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne) focused on Martin Luther’s view of the devil. Rev. Murton will teach the seminary’s Confessions, dogmatics and missions courses in the 20152016 academic year, in the wake of Rev. Dr. William Mundt’s retirement. Consequently, the s e m i n a r y w i l l d e l ay h i r i n g a replacement faculty member for one year.

Seminaries release new recruitment poster online ONLINE - Concordia Lutheran Seminary (Edmonton) and Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary are encouraging LCC members to share a new recruitment poster with their friends and family on social media. This poster is part of a series designed to remind Lutheran Church– Canada (LCC) members to pray for and encourage those whom they believe God may be calling to pastoral ministry. All LCC congregations received copies of five posters last year, with a request to put up a new one every two months or so. The third poster— Theology for the Joy of It—will soon join two earlier posters online at www.isgodcallingme.ca. THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2015

Education Report Concordia University College of Alberta suspends church work programs E D M O N T O N - In response to budgetary challenges and consistent low enrolments, Concordia University College of Alberta is moving to suspend its church work programs, including the Director of Parish Services, Lutheran Teacher, and Youth Ministry Certificate programs. Discussions are also taking place with Concordia Lutheran Seminary whether the Pre-Seminary Minor offered at Concordia is the preferred route of preparation for seminary candidates. Concordia’s church work programs have had consistently low enrolments since their inception nearly thirty years ago, graduating an average of four students per year. No students are currently enrolled in the Lutheran Teacher or Youth Ministry programs. The two students who are currently enrolled in the Director of Parish Services program have completed all courses necessary for graduation. Two others, completing post-graduate internships, will be unaffected. “These programs are not unique in facing suspension,” said President Gerald Krispin. “They are part of an institution-wide degree and program review that is focusing on sustainability and student demand.” While intending to suspend the programs themselves, which require that courses must be offered

no matter how low the enrolment, Concordia will continue to provide foundational theological education for church work and pre-seminary students of Lutheran Church-Canada through individual courses. The programs as such may be delivered by Concordia Lutheran Seminary (CLS) in the future. “Discussions are underway to explore if the seminary would assume responsibility for a graduate certificate or diploma in various areas of church work,” Dr. Krispin added. “Other church work students who study at the seminary could experience spiritual formation and a focused confessional learning environment currently open only to pastoral students.” As is the case for all ministry graduates, certification remains the purview of the synod. Concordia Lutheran Seminary President Jim Gimbel indicated a commitment to seriously explore the feasibility of cooperation on ministry formation, “as long as there are sufficient

resources to take on this broadened role.” In the meantime, “CLS is committed to stand beside all of the workers in LCC and their need for support, training, and nurture as servants of the Church.” In the meantime, the Council of Presidents of LCC has been apprised and is supportive of the establishment of an Institute for Interdisciplinary Christian Studies within the Department of Religious Studies and Philosophy at Concordia University College of Alberta. Upon presentation of this initiative, LCC’s First Vice President Nolan Astley stated: “It was clear at the Council of Presidents meeting that the ecclesiastical bond with Concordia University College of Alberta is still very real and there is a strong desire to move forward in a positive way.”

GARY R. SCHMIDT President

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THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2015

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LWML Canada

Lutheran Women’s Missionary League–Canada encouraging and equipping women to Grow in God’s Word • Serve God’s People • Share God’s Son

LWMLC seeks renewal in equipping, motivating and encouraging the women of the Church as they grow, serve and share The mission of Lutheran Women’s Missionary League–Canada (LWMLC) is to equip, motivate and encourage women to grow in God’s Word, serve God’s people, and share God’s Son. Since the inception of our organization in the 1950s and even since 1993 when LWMLC became an autonomous organization, our world has changed. Family life and the role of women in the world have changed. For several years our members and our leadership have recognized that LWMLC would benefit from a renewal in the way we carry out our mission today and into the future. Wi t h t h i s i n m i n d , at o u r 2012 convention a resolution was passed to appoint a task force to analyze our organization and make recommendations for changes to give LWMLC a renewed focus in carrying out our mission well into the future. At our 2015 convention members will consider significant changes to our structure. We are considering a structure that will have fewer women

in leadership roles and more women actively engaged in our congregations. There will be less money spent on administration, more money available for support of mission and service projects in Canada and in partnership with Lutheran Church–Canada in overseas missions. As the women’s auxiliar y of Lutheran Church–Canada it is our prayer that God will lead us through these changes so we can equip, motivate and encourage all women of Lutheran Church–Canada to: GROW in God’s Word by providing materials and opportunities to be in the Word and grow closer to God so they are equipped to encourage others to know God. God’s Word does not change. We recognize the way women embrace that Word has changed. We want to equip, motivate and encourage women to allow God into their lives in a real and meaningful relationship, to make Him the first

priority in their life no matter what the circumstances of their life are. SERVE God’s people by providing opportunities for women to share their gifts and talents. Every woman in is called by God to serve Him. Our prayer is that LWMLC can help each woman recognize their call and serve, each in their unique way. SHARE God’s Son. There are so many people in our lives who need Jesus. As individuals it sometimes seems like a daunting task to bring Jesus to so many. As a group we can share this task, encouraging each other and equipping each other so that many will hear of His great, saving love for each of us. We live in a world that is becoming increasingly secularized. As members of the body of Christ it is important for us to equip, motivate and encourage each other as we work together to stay close to God and bring others to Him. Iris Barta President

Woven together in faith, serving others While attending the Winnitoba Zone Spring Renewal in April, 2013, Valerie Olsen was inspired to lead a “Pillowcase Dresses for Haiti” project at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, Winnipeg. Eighty-two dresses were created. We thank God for providing us with this new, creative way to share His love. We hope each girl will feel special in her brand-new dress. A few times in recent years, our society collected new and gently-

u s e d stuf fe d animal s for Misericordia Health Centre. Children who need a cast at the Ambulatory Care Clinic can pick a “stuffie.” The staff members use the toys to explain medical procedures. We added “Jesus Loves You” labels to this collection and pray God will comfort each child through these toys. Janice Storozuk

Unit Clerk Rosa T. (left) welcomes the new arrivals presented by Janice Storozuk.

The March/April 2015 1 THE Canadian CANADIAN LLutheran UTHERAN March/April 2015 33

Reaching out in mission key factor for women Lutheran Women’s Missionary League–Canada has begun to build relationships between women of Nicaragua and Costa Rica and women of local congregations in Lutheran Church–Canada. It began with a visit from LWMLC president, Iris Barta, who spent time at the Mission Centre in Nicaragua with about 50 deaconesses. Following her visit, deaconess Betty Cevallos, who works with her husband in Costa Rica, shared the following with women of LWMLC through the League’s magazine, Tapestry. She, of course, wrote in Spanish. Following is the translation. I am originally from Ecuador, now a nationalized citizen of Costa Rica. I have been a deaconess of Lutheran Church– Canada in Costa Rica, since 2011. Some years ago, I thought I had finished my long-enjoyed adventure of faith, living and working as a missionary for the Catholic Church. Then I came to Costa Rica to study theology and, in the classrooms of the Latin American Biblical University, met for the first time, a Lutheran. Edmundo Retana, who is now my husband and a missionary pastor of Lutheran Church–Canada, introduced me to Lutheranism in 1991 and I returned to missionary work together

Lots to like online LWMLC has been expanding into social media, including Facebook and Twitter. It is important we be there. On Facebook, we have 285 people “liking” our page. Most of these people are from Canada, quite a few are from the United States, plus from various other places around the world. Even though the majority following our LWMLC Facebook page are female, about 15% are male. On Twitter, we have 150 people following us. Here too, the majority are from Canada, but we have people following us from around the world. What do we post on Facebook and Twitter? Every day there is a prayer suggestion. On Mondays a

with him. We have been married 21 years and have a 17-year-old son. We have, for several years, shared a path of sharing the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ in different co ntext s i n o u r beloved homeland, Costa Rica. I am a deaconess and my everyday life is not very different from most of the women Nicaraguan women enjoy a craft. of my community. My time is divided I am fully conscious of the care of between my home, my family and my children, always besieged by the lack life of service as a missionary. Because of values present in our culture— of the Gospel, I have chosen to serve as heartbreak (lack of love), broken a missionary in the Church. This work families, adult self-centred nature— is given to me only by the sheer grace that along with the ignorance about and mercy of the Lord. God, increases the vulnerability of our I share and live in the certainty children. The integration of children of God’s continuous presence in and young people in the different everyday work with women who each activities is encouraged in our Church. bring a part of themselves from their I am concerned by the general God-given gifts. Together we build the disregard of the people for the things work God wants for us in Costa Rica. of God, as well as the common idea Every week I am with them in worship, of a magic God who is predictable Bible study, crafts and other activities and complacent, a God who can be in which they can express themselves manipulated. This view is very distant without anything threatening their from the God of our Lord Jesus integrity as Christian people. Christ. Our only hope is in the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, out of love, saved us from our sins and the Holy Spirit who leads us through the Scriptures to the only source of saying or a picture is posted. On authority and knowledge. Wednesdays you will find various It strengthens me to think that projects groups can do. On Thursdays there are other people who are also a Resource of the Week, highlighting a working in the same direction in many different resource from the LWMLC and different ways in other contexts Resource Centre in Winnipeg finds and countries to make this world its way onto Facebook and Twitter. more beautiful with God in sharing In addition, information from our the gospel message. website, newsletter Get Connected I don’t have my own path; I just and magazine Tapestry. are shared walk on the path of God, day by day, If you are already on Facebook or realizing and embracing it in faith. Twitter, please “like,” share or retweet “The Lord is my keeper; the Lord is our posts to your family and friends. my shade on my right hand.... Facebook: www.facebook .com/ The Lord will keep my going out and LWMLCanada; Twitter: https:// my coming in from this time forth and twitter.com/LWMLC. forevermore” (Psalm 121:5). Melissa Henke

34 THECanadian CANADIAN Lutheran LUTHERAN March/April March/April 2015 2 The 2015

Betty Solórzano Cevallos

Vicars learn how League supports local congregations Redeemer Lutheran Church in Hamilton was the place. Friday, March 13 was the date. Starting time was 6:00 pm. What was it? The annual dinner for vicars sponsored by LWML– Canada and hosted by the Niagara and Hanover Zones of the league’s Ontario District, with a special appearance by national LWMLC president, Iris Barta. [A similar dinner for vicars is held in Edmonton each year.] The purpose is to familiarize these future pastors with the League’s mission and ministry, especially as it may relate to the local congregation. Since two of Concordia, St. Catharines’ three vicars present are not life-long Lutherans, the introduction to the multi-faceted ministry the League provides was extremely helpful (and impressive). A well-known remark by an unknown author on the difference between men and women says: “Woman was created from the rib of man. She was not made from his head to top him, nor from his feet, to be trampled on. She was made from his side, to be equal to him; from under his arm to be protected by him; from near his heart to be loved by him.” Although not entirely applicable to LWMLC—although honestly, who can’t love these dedicated women—it does describe in general the role the League wishes to play in the local parish: partnering with the pastor, the council and other organizations

(l-r) Sarah and Andrew Cottrill, Iris Barta holding Audrey Cottril, Milton Lamb, Paul Schultz. Inset: Audrey Cottrill with her dad.

to augment or supplement various ministries and to keep the local congregation’s focus on the greater challenge entrusted by Christ to His Church, namely, “making disciples in all nations.” Mite boxes, mission awareness and service projects, plus a wide-variety of devotional materials are all part of what the LWMLC offers the congregations. Iris Barta, national president, encouraged the vicars to get involved by dropping by the meetings (at least to enjoy the refreshments), offering to do a Bible study, and taking a

look at Tapestry and other LWMLC materials to become familiar with the resources available for all ages. She also shared pictures of some of the projects supported by LWMLC mission grants. These included police chaplaincy work in Regina, support for ministries in Nicaragua, and the training of deaconesses in Thailand and Cambodia. The youngest future LWMLC member present was little Audrey Cottrill, who kept ever yone entertained throughout the evening. Rev. Dr. Wm. Mundt

Thank you for support to seminary students LWMLC supp orts seminar y students in a number of ways. For example, the national body provides a grant each year to students at each of the seminaries and, as noted above, with help of members in the Edmonton and St. Catharines areas they host an annual dinner for those going on vicarage. The note that follows was received from student Aaron Astley in response to money received from the ABC District of LWMLC. “I recently received a cheque from LWML–Canada through Concordia

Lutheran Seminary’s Adopt-a-Student program. I wanted to take this chance to say thank you to the ladies of LWMLC for their support. “Without a doubt, LWMLC groups from around the country are among the biggest supporters of seminary students like myself. Their prayers and gifts are a huge blessing for all of us. I have been very thankful for the support LWMLC has shown me over my time in seminary. Whether it be the vicars’ dinner or simple gifts like the one I recently received, the

continued support from the ladies of our church has been a special encouragement for me. Seminary can be trying at times, but the knowledge that so many people throughout our synod are supporting me and the other students is greatly appreciated. “Please pass along my deepest thanks to those involved. God’s richest blessing to you and the LWMLC as we together serve our Lord!” In Christ, Aaron Astley, 4th year student, Concordia Lutheran Seminary, Edmonton

3 35

The Canadian Lutheran March/April 2015 THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2015

Providing seminars for everyone “This seminar is extremely well done,” was the way Pastor Murray Keith summed it up at the end of Heart Melody, a three-hour workshop to which everyone at St. Paul’s Lutheran, Saskatoon, had been invited. “We couldn’t use all of it today and I intend to find other ways to make use of it,” he concluded. Two dozen men and women participated. One of the men earlier suggested that three hours was a long time to sit but he changed his mind given the variety in the presentation from Bible study to a skit to a scavenger hunt. No stone was left unturned in the search through the wonderful resource called Lutheran Service Book.

This same seminar has been used across Canada. A participant in Ontario said, “I was very disappointed when I heard the whole retreat would be from our hymnal. However, by the end of the retreat I was thrilled with the format, the topics and the wealth of information presented.” While w r itten a s a triennial seminar for LWMLC, Heart Melody writers had both men and women in mind as they wrote. They also knew that those who use it will have varying amounts of time available. Therefore, it can be used whole (an entire day) or in parts, or even just one part. Copies on CD may be ordered from the LWMLC Resource Centre in Winnipeg (see bottom of the page).

Lap quilts part of group’s service to others Each year we have a mitten tree and this year many mittens, caps and scarves will go to the Community Cupboard program at St. Paul’s Lutheran, Kitchener. The Dorcas Society a n d LW M L C m e m b e r s presented lap quilts to the Fordwich Village Nursing Home for their residents. Myrtle Demerling, Clifford, Ont.

Tapestry – a magazine for the women of Lutheran Church–Canada

Subscribe today! For details:

• http://www.lutheranwomen.ca/

publications-and-forms/tapestry

• tapestry@lutheranwomen.ca or • call Marion at 306-343-7396

LWML–Canada Resource Centre 3074 Portage Avenue Winnipeg, MB R3K 0Y2 1-888-596-5226 Ext. 2220 resourcecentre@lutheranwomen.ca

4 The 2015 36 THECanadian CANADIAN Lutheran LUTHERAN March/April March/April 2015

LWML–Canada President Iris Barta president@lutheranwomen.ca 204-889-8494

Add the psalms to your meetings A Christian lady came up to me and said, “I’m reading the Sams.” The Sams??? What could this be? Dr. Seuss’ Sam, I Am? Or could it be some mysterious book I’d never heard of? What were the Sams? “Well,” the lady continued, “The Sams give me joy and comfort, especially Sam 23; The Lord is my Shepherd.” Now I understood. The psalms! Of course. Sams, psalms, psalter. Whichever way we say it, the psalms are the ancient song book of Israel. The Bible provides us with the Psalter. David, Moses, Asaph ( a musician under David) and others wrote these masterpieces of spirituality. First century Christians continued to use the psalms to sing to the Lord a new song. Throughout the Christian church, the psalms have been the inspiration for hymns and spiritual songs. Hymn writer, Isaac Watts, based Joy to the World on Psalm 98. Martin Luther’s A Mighty Fortress is based on Psalm 46. Songwriter, Martin J. Nystrom, based As the Deer Panteth for the Water on Psalm 42. There are many other hymns and spiritual songs that you can discover. Ephesians 5:18 – 19 says, “Be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” As in the Heart Melody seminar, we want you to continue making melody in your hearts to the Lord. To that end a “program planner” is being put together offering devotions on some of the psalms and suggesting hymns and prayers in Lutheran Service Book to go with them. And if anyone tells you they are reading the Sams, you’ll know exactly what they are talking about! This planner will be available for download from www.lutheranwomen. ca or from the LWMLC Resource Centre by late April (see below). Jill Munoz

LWML–Canada www.lutheranwomen.ca https://www.facebook.com/LWMLC http://lwmlcnews.wordpress.com http://twitter.com/LWMLC

In Review: Chappie

by Ted Giese

uilding on the aesthetic and thematic groundwork of his previous feature films District 9 and Elysium, director Neill Blumkomp’s dystopian sci-fi action film Chappie wrestles again with what it means to be a human in a world that increasingly devalues life. Its central focus is the nature of the will and consciousness, the fragility of the body, and the ever-growing anxieties associated with death and dying in a modern technologicallyadvanced world. Set in 2016, the story centres around a droid, Scout 22, manufactured for policing in Johannesburg, South Africa. During its regular police duties the robot is damaged and slated for demolition and recycling primarily because its battery has fused with its chassis making replacement impossible. On his personal time Deon Wilson, the engineer who originally designed police droids while working for the manufacturer Tetravaal, writes a computer code which

transcends artificial intelligence (AI). After being denied a test subject by his boss Michelle Bradley, Deon steals the damaged Scout 22. After being car-jacked by a street gang Deon is forced to upload his untested code into the droid and leave it with the gang who become

want to use it to rob an armoured truck to pay off a debt owed to a crime boss. CHAPPiE’s navigation of these competing loyalties creates one of the film’s dramatic tensions. Another tension develops based on the damage CHAPPiE experienced before receiving consciousness. It forces an answer to a big question: “When the droid’s battery dies what will happen to its consciousness? Will it die too?” It’s quickly revealed that the battery will die in one week. Likewise, the criminals, CHAPPiE’s adoptive family Ninja, Yolandi, and Amerika have one week to pay off the crime boss Hippo or face death. This threat of death links them together solidifying their growing “familial” bond. Add to this tension another antagonist: Vincent Moore, a rival engineer and Deon’s co-worker at Tetravaal. He resents the popularity of Deon’s Scout droid program and is “spiritually” opposed to artificial intelligence. Vincent wants to see the

Chappie wrestles with what it means to be a human in a world that increasingly devalues life. its adopted family. With the AI code installed, Scout 22 becomes CHAPPiE. The rest of the film details the consciousnessinfused droid’s rapid development from an AI infant through childhood to adolescence. The droid slowly develops a relationship with Deon who asks CHAPPiE to promise not to be involved in the crimes committed by the droids surrogate family. They

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2015

In Review (cont.) Scout droid program replaced with his own droid policing program MOOSE which is operated by a human “moral” operator. The morally-questionable Vincent, who invites Deon to church just seconds after threatening his life, is the film’s most obvious “Christian” character. Blumkomp and co-writer Terri Tatchell depict him as a person just as violent and self-serving as any other of the film’s characters. By making Vincent a Christian, albeit a poor example, Blumkomp invites people to think about religion in relation to Chappie. There are a couple other spots in the film which invite religious contemplation. While acting as “mother” to the droid, Yolandi tells CHAPPiE that it has a soul and that the body doesn’t matter because it is temporary. The part she loves in CHAPPiE is the droid’s soul/consciousness not its body. This attitude toward the body is Gnostic in nature and discounts the Christian promise of the bodily resurrection of the dead. Interestingly, in a movie that favours evolution as the mechanism of life (over and against God being the “Maker of heaven and earth”), the idea that a soul exists and consciousness could outlive the body is decidedly unnaturalistic. Ninja, the droid’s “daddy,” provides the opposing viewpoint as CHAPPiE looks at a dead stray dog. While comparing it to a living dog he explains the harshness of the world saying CHAPPiE must fight to stay alive or wind up dead. Overall, Blumkomp paints a picture of a world with little kindness or selflessness. Life is nasty, brutish, and short; everyone lives with the continual fear and danger of violent death. From a Christian worldview Chappie shows the fallen nature of

the world and the impact of sin on the motives and activities of every character. In no way does the film pretend that any of its characters are without sin. Even CHAPPiE, who at times seeks to follow it’s maker’s commandment to avoid being involved in crime, finds itself manipulated into criminal activity. While Blumkomp holds up a person’s consciousness and free will as unique—something to be cherished and safeguarded—he simultaneously presents a view that this same consciousness and will is the source of all pain and suffering. The humans use their will to lie, deceive, hurt, steal, murder, and create chaos.

fi elements in the painfully mundane harsh details of ordinary urban South African street life, corporate cubical culture, and industrial manufacturing. There is little in the film that is traditionally beautiful. It creates a kind of hyper-realistic documentary style detail that lends a sense of importance to its bigger questions, providing legitimacy to the questions Chappie asks. Christians will want to take a step back and think about what they’ve watched. For Blumkomp, physical death is the enemy of the soul/ consciousness, regardless of whether that consciousness is human. Chappie says the problem of death must be dealt with in the present by ingenuity, or eventually in the future by evolution, but he leaves no place for God. In the face of death, Chappie doesn’t put much hope in Jesus. With its relentless and brutal violence this is not a film for everyone. Even a “happy” ending doesn’t make Chappie a pleasant film to watch. However, it is intriguing and poses important questions, even if it arrives at unsatisfying answers from a Christian perspective. In Chappie, Blumkomp gives viewers a movie bearing his unique style and aesthetic yet also the unmistakable influences of movies like A Clock Wo r k O r a n g e , S h o r t Circuit, and Robo Cop. It is lighter in tone than the exceedingly grim Elysium and less focused than his film District 9, and seems to revel in perplexity, exhibiting a sort of cafeteria style mish-mash of philosophy and religious ideas.

Even a droid’s titanium construction doesn’t spare it from the ravages and impact of sin. The film Chappie presents a world where a droid with a soul can struggle with the passions of the inorganic and, along with the rest of humanity, be by nature a child of wrath.

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2015

Rev. Ted Giese is associate pastor of Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. He is a contributor to The Canadian Lutheran, the LCMS Reporter, and KFUO Radio, as well as movie reviewer for Issues, Etc.

ABC update cont. (Continued from page 14) The District’s Board of Directors has also appointed a task force to conduct “a review of the culture and decisions of the ABC District that led to [the] 2015 CEF crisis.” “We are reviewing everything possible to determine what led our District to this point,” the Task Force writes, “and we will be making recommendations for improvements that will help us fulfill the Great Commission better as God’s church in 21st century Canada.” The District’s Board of Directors appointed two initial members to the task Force: Bryan Adams (Stony Plain, Alberta), and Rev. Michael Schutz (Penticton, British Columbia). The Task Force will make additional appointments to ensure the group’s arm’s-length independence from the District BOD. “We want to make it clear that the District Board has given us wide latitude, and other than asking us to conduct the review, is not directing our work in any way,” the Task Force explains. The Task Force is scheduled to report on its investigation to the District Convention at the end of May as well as to the District’s new Board of Directors following convention.

The above is summarized from reports, court documents, and other communications.

The Canadian Lutheran is following the situation in the ABC District closely, posting news summaries as information becomes available. K e e p u p t o d a t e a t w w w. canadianlut heran.ca/t he-abcdistrict-situation/.

Announcements

Classified

Lynn Gergens of Langley, BC has submitted an application to the Deacon Colloquy Program of Lutheran Church–Canada. Communications regarding this application should be submitted in writing within four weeks to the Rev. Tom Kruesel, Chairman, LCC Colloquy Committee, c/o 201 Birch St., Campbell River, BC, V9W 2S6 or lcc_colloquy@gmail.com.

Pilgrim Lutheran Church (Hamilton, Ontario) will be celebrating its 50th Anniversar y in 2015 with a special weekend of Anniversar y celebrations on May 23-24. On Saturday May 23, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. we will host a meet and greet with the wife and family of our former pastor, Rev. Edward Koehler. At the 11:00 a.m. morning worship ser vice on May 24th, our guest preacher will be Rev. John Nunes, a son of the congregation.

Transitions Rev. Dan Barr, pastor, Immanuel, Tomahawk to Zion/St. Luke Lutheran Churches at Augsburg/Eganville, ON Installation: April 25, 2015. Rev. Fraser Coltman, pastor, East Kootenay Parish to St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Nanaimo, BC Installation: tbd.

HAVE YOUR SAY! The Canadian L u t h e r a n welcomes letters to the editor on articles published in the magazine. S e n d s u b m i s s i o n s to communications@ lutheranchurch.ca with “Letter to the editor” in the subject line. Letters to the editor may also be sent in hard copy to the following address: The Canadian Lutheran c/o Lutheran Church– Canada 3074 Portage Avenue Winnipeg, MB R3K 0Y2

At the 3:30pm 50th Anniversar y Worship service, our guest preacher will be Rev. Paul Koehler, another son of the congregation and a son of our first pastor. A banquet will follow at Carmen’s Banquet Centre at 6:00 pm. Information about the various activities taking place during the year can be viewed on the Anniversary page of our website: www. pilgrimlutheranchurch.ca. Click on the Anniversary Logo in the top left of the Home page. If you require tickets for the banquet or additional information regarding planned events, you can email plc50ann@yahoo.ca or call the church at (905) 383-3923. Please join us for any of the celebration activities.

70th Anniversary Celebration Service of Redeemer Lutheran Church (Didsbury, Alberta) will be observed on Sunday, June 28th. The Divine Ser vice with Holy Communion will be celebrated at 10:30 am. with guest preacher Rev. Larry Lentz followed by a potluck lunch. At 3:00 pm the Divine Service of the Word will be celebrated with guest preacher, President Robert Bugbee. All are invited to attend.

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2015

Partnering with you in HIS mission

ADVERTISE HERE! Come join us in MARCH FOR LIFE - Ottawa, ON Thursday May 14th, 2015

10:00 a.m. Opening Worship Service – Meeting, gathering of participants. Location: St. Luke’s Lutheran Church (326 MacKay St., Ottawa, Ontario) 10:35 a.m. Address to Youth & Participants – Rev. Dr. Bryan King 11:00-11:15 a.m. Walk (drive) to Parliament Hill (111 Wellington Street - 2.03 miles). 6-7 minute drive, 45-50 minute walk. 12:00 p.m. Gather on Parliament Hill. Welcome - speeches. See Agenda from CLC. 1:30 p.m. March through downtown Ottawa. 4:00 p.m. Closing Prayer.

Forgiveness is a Choice Just as our heavenly Father reconciled us to Himself through Christ – we are to forgive one another. That takes effort and a desire to get beyond the offenses we’ve experienced or have committed (6BE140). Also available in French.

Unlocking the Prison of Guilt We all struggle with guilt. Is there an emotional issue, a personal habit or an inappropriate relationship that has you located in a prison of blame? Learn how one man found the freedom that can be yours too! (6BE83) Also available in French.

4:15-4:30 p.m. Return to St Luke’s for Meal and AGM, youth to return home. 5:15-5:30 p.m. Evening meal, with reports circulated so we can study them during the meal. 6 : 0 0 - 6 : 3 0 p . m . AG M r e p o r t s , questions, Election/installation of Board Members 7:30 p.m. Guest Speaker - Pastor Larry Gajdos 8:15 p.m. Wrap up and closing prayer. Pre-register: Contact Judith Obelnycki. Email jobelnycki@aol.com or call (905) 820-4990. Mail: 3252 Martins Pine Crescent, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1G4. Registration fee: Free will offering for lunch and dinner given upon arrival. Nominations for Board positions: Deadline April 30th. Email: jobelnycki@ aol.com.

Booklets may be in your congregation’s tract rack – if not, request a free copy. Quantities available at nominal cost Listen to The Lutheran Hour on radio, by app, or online at www.lutheranhour.ca. Lutheran Laymen’s League of Canada 270 Lawrence Ave Kitchener, ON, N2M 1Y4 www.LLL.ca 1-800-555-6236 or helpful@LLL.ca

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2015

Movie Night! Take your family’s movie nights to the next level. The Canadian Lutheran publishes regular movie reviews by Rev. Ted Giese online— more than you see in the print magazine. Visit www. canadianlutheran.ca for the latest film.

The Canadian Lu t h e ra n s e l l s advertising space to help offset the cost of printing and shipping the magazine to congregations and subscribers. Classified space is sold at $0.45 per word, minimum 50 words ($22.50). To purchase classified space, or to receive a rate card for other advertising opportunities with The Canadian Lutheran, please email pres_sec@ lutheranchurch.ca or call 1-800-588-4226.

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Daily Bible Reading

Hear, O Israel...

f you started this reading plan after getting your last issue of The Canadian Lutheran, chances are you’ll be about 9 or 10 weeks in when you get this one. Great job! By now the practice of daily Bible reading should be becoming second nature. This issue’s readings can be tough, especially Leviticus. In fact, this book is where many people on their first time through the Bible quit. But persevere! The readings get easier! If you haven’t joined the reading plan, why not start today? Find the first set of readings in the January/ February 2015 issue of the magazine, or visit www.canadianlutheran.ca/ biblereading/.

“I wish for nothing so much than that all Christians would be engaged with Divine Letters... In Scripture, you will find nothing that is not majestic.” - Philip Melanchthon

WEEK 10  Mon  Tues  Wed  Thurs  Fri  Sat

Lv 4:1–6:30 Lv 7:1–9:24 Lv 10:1–11:47 Lv 12:1–15:33 Lv 16:1–17:16 Lv 18:1–19:37

WEEK 14  Mon  Tues  Wed  Thurs  Fri  Sat

Dt 1:1–46 Dt 2:1–37 Dt 3:1–29 Dt 4:1–49 Dt 5:1–33 Dt 6:1–25

WEEK 18  Mon  Tues  Wed  Thurs  Fri  Sat

Dt 33:1–29 Dt 34:1–12 Jsh 1:1–18 Jsh 2:1–3:17 Jsh 4:1–5:12 Jsh 5:13–7:26

WEEK 11  Mon  Tues  Wed  Thurs  Fri  Sat

Lv 20:1–22:33 Lv 23:1–21:55 Lv 26:1–27:34 Nu 1:1–3:51 Nu 4:1–6:27 Nu 7:1–8:26

WEEK 15  Mon  Tues  Wed  Thurs  Fri  Sat

Dt 7:1–26 Dt 8:1–20 Dt 9:1–10:22 Dt 11:1–12:32 Dt 13:1–18 Dt 14:1–15:23

WEEK 19  Mon  Tues  Wed  Thurs  Fri  Sat

Jsh 8:1–9:27 Jsh 10:1–43 Jsh 11:1–12:24 Jsh 13:1–15:63 Jsh 16:1–17:18 Jsh 18:1–19:51

WEEK 12  Mon  Tues  Wed  Thurs  Fri  Sat

Nu 9:1–10:36 Nu 11:1–12:16 Nu 13:1–15:41 Nu 16:1–18:32 Nu 19:1–20:29 Nu 21:1–35

WEEK 16  Mon  Tues  Wed  Thurs  Fri  Sat

Dt 16:1–17:20 Dt 18:1–19:21 Dt 20:1–21:23 Dt 22:1–23:25 Dt 24:1–22 Dt 25:1–26:19

WEEK20  Mon  Tues  Wed  Thurs  Fri  Sat

Jsh 20:1–21:45 Jsh 22:1–34 Jsh 23:1–16 Jsh 24:1–33 Jgs 1:1–36 Jgs 2:1–23

WEEK 13  Mon  Tues  Wed  Thurs  Fri  Sat

Nu 22:1–25:18 Nu 26:1–27:23 Nu 28:1–30:16 Nu 31:1–54 Nu 32:1–34:29 Nu 35:1–36:13

WEEK 17  Mon  Tues  Wed  Thurs  Fri  Sat

Dt 27:1–26 Dt 28:1–68 Dt 29:1–29 Dt 30:1–20 Dt 31:1–29 Dt 31:30–32:52

WEEK 21  Mon  Tues  Wed  Thurs  Fri  Sat

Jgs 3:1–31 Jgs 4:1–5:31 Jgs 6:1–8:35 Jgs 9:1–10:18 Jgs 11:1–12:15 Jgs 13:1–16:31

Readings for the above plan are from the Lutheran Study Bible © 2006 Concordia Publishing House. Used with permission. To purchase this resource or other Bible reading resources, please visit CPH at www.cph.org. THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2015

Presidential Perspective

President Robert Bugbee

n old Christian teacher and author told a certain pastor long ago, “Expect more from your prayers than from your sermons.” Does the Lord say that in so many words? Maybe not, but it’s worth pondering. Pastors who studied preaching at the seminary, who spend hours preparing to preach, who read books and attend conferences to improve preaching skills are hopeful about accomplishing things in the congregation with their sermons. They can picture people out there needing comfort right now. They see others who have grown careless and should be warned. They realize members require teaching on the truth of God, so they can sink roots down deeper into the Lord Jesus. If the pastor truly cares for people’s needs and works hard to prepare messages for them, why wouldn’t he expect much to come from his preaching? “Expect more from your prayers than from your sermons.” Even if it’s not a verse drawn from the Bible, it’s healthy for the pastor to think about. It’s true also of other things he does; counseling, strategizing, and administering. His efforts alone will not get very far, no matter how well-prepared and energetic they are. Solomon sang about this, “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labour in vain” (Psalm 127:1). This does not only apply to pastors. Christian fathers and mothers, husbands and wives, teachers, business people, health-care professionals, those who work with their hands, and every other believer could take this to heart. “Expect more from your prayers than

Come to Him Who Answers Prayer from... your planning, your toil, your correcting, your friendliness, your investing, etc.” The list goes on and on. We’re not used to thinking that way! We’ve come to respect hard work and giving it “your all.” Aren’t we right to disdain half-hearted effort and lukewarm commitment? I never knew the teacher who told that pastor to expect more from his prayers than from his sermons. I don’t imagine he intended for the pastor to be sloppy about his work. He was pointing instead to where the power comes from to affect situations and to change people. It comes from the Lord, not from us. “It is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose” (Philippians 2:13). Yes, the Lord is pleased to use your hard work and influence as His tool. How does He work with tools? The tool is nothing unless He lifts it off the workbench and wields it to transmit His power and love. “Expect more from your prayers than from your .” You fill in the blank! I’ve asked people across Synod’s family to think about such things since our convention last year in Vancouver. We gathered there under the theme “Come to Him Who Answers Prayer” a reminder from Psalm 65:2. The Lord does not merely command you to pray. He solemnly pledges to hear your prayers, to answer them in His best way and time. He’s yearning for you to bring Him your need, the troubles faced by others around you, and to praise Him for hearing your prayers in the past. (By the way, you’re always the first to benefit from that sort of thanksgiving, since remembering God’s help in days

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2015

gone by can re-kindle strong trust for the prayer-concerns you are taking to Him now.) By the time you read this page, we will be in the middle of the district convention season across the Synod. It runs from mid-April to the latter part of May. Our friends in the AlbertaBritish Columbia District especially are working through trying times with the crisis relating to their Church Extension Fund. Nobody knows what the future will bring to structures now shaken as their convention prepares to meet. District leaders there cannot craft a magic solution to the challenge. Neither can pastors nor lay delegates. I am as powerless to do it as any of them. The Lord already sees exactly what the best way forward looks like. All who care deeply about our church family’s troubles in that part of the country do well to expect more to come from our prayers than from any other preparing we might do, so that we cry to Him repeatedly and ask Him to lead our people to His gracious gift of a solution. It’s true for any other trial—great or small—faced by any district, any local congregation, or faced by you in your personal life. Like a diligent preacher preparing a sermon, go ahead! Study! Plan! Think deep! Work hard! But expect more to come from your prayers than from anything else you do. I do not say this because we who pray are so strong and holy and are thus able to make things happen. I say it because we who pray are fleeing to the strong and holy Lord who can make all things happen. Your constant, hungering prayers to Him are the beating heart that shows you really believe that.

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