The
CANADIAN
LUTHERAN www.canadianlutheran.ca
Volume 33 Number 6
Tell the Story Again
INSIDE • A Knife, a Sheepskin, Sandals, and a Flute • Singing the Good News of Christmas • Keeping Christ in Christmas
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THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN November/December 2018
Contents Features www.canadianlutheran.ca Volume 33 Number 6
November/December 2018
A Knife, a Sheepskin, Sandals, and a Flute: Shepherds at Work in the Fields of Bethlehem Singing the Good News of Christmas
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Departments Shepherds at Work Page 6
Table Talk
Draw Us Up, O Lord
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In Review
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
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Presidential Perspective
Putt Christ Back into Christmas
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News Section International News
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India Evangelical Lutheran Church leadership dispute resolved • Darin Storkson named ILC Deputy General Secretary • Australian Lutherans reelect Bishop Henderson, decline women’s ordination
National News
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Transition to new structure continues at LCC • Changes to District News • Strategic Planning for Worker Benefits Services Board The Canadian Lutheran 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: Marlene Mohr District News Layout: Marion Hollinger Subscriptions: $20/yr E-mail: editor@lutheranchurch.ca
ABC District Confirmation retreat • District youth build relationships • Final ABC District convention held • Pastor’s 90th birthday
Central District
East District
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Bringing people to faith in Jesus • Ordination anniversary • Bells for Peace • 2018 East District Convention
Mission Update
The Canadian Lutheran 3074 Portage Ave. Winnipeg, MB R3K 0Y2 Telephone: 204-895-3433 FAX: 204-832-3018 E-mail: editor@lutheranchurch.ca
Education Report
©2018 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. Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.
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Multi-Generation Day • Mission Festival • Closing convention highlights • Learning opportunities at circuit convention
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.
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.
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LCC International Mission Executive has a busy start
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Annual call for CLS Award Nominations • Annual call for CLTS Award Nominations • CLS Reformation Day • Advent Lessons and Carols
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Letters to the Editor Transitiions In Memorium 2018 Index
Supplement
MEDIA in Mission
News from Lutheran Laymen’s League of Canada and Lutheran Hour Ministries www.LLL.ca
Partnering with You in HIS mission
2018
Reaching out in Fort McMurray Media that is above boardTHE CANADIAN LUTHERAN November/December 2018
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ecently we have been partnering with some mission-minded pastors
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Letters to the Editor RE: LITURGY As I read the September/October 2018 issue of The Canadian Lutheran I see things that cause me confusion and pain—specifically, the insistence on getting the “work of the liturgy” correct. The relentless pursuit of chanting and kneeling, genuflecting and adoring the elements, along with all the other movements and motions are turning the Divine Service into a work we must perform for God, and we better do it right. Most of the time when I have had to chant the Psalm or Introit, my entire attention has been focused on getting the right note on the right syllable at the right time. Then, when we thankfully get to the end of it, all I am left with is patting myself on the back because I did it right or berating myself because I messed it up again. If you were to ask me what the Psalm was about, I really couldn’t tell you. All my attention was focused on the form, and the content was left in the gutter. I believe that we are becoming a church of liturgical Pharisees. The flock is seeing their beloved Lutheran Church slip back into the error that the Mass is something we do for God instead of a gracious gift of God for us to enjoy and be nourished by. We all end up going home tired and hungry instead of pleasantly sated. My wife and I have been attending a nearby Anglican Church for a little more than a year now. My retirement in July 2017 saw us move out of the city to our place by the lake where life is good, retirement is great, but the nearest Lutheran church is 144 kms away. Distance and necessity have led us to attend locally from time to time, and to compare the service of Holy Communion in an Anglican pew with that in our Lutheran Churches. The liturgy follows what we are familiar with in the Lutheran Church, but is never done in a way that is beyond the understanding of the local congregation. They don’t try to do a cathedral service in the local parish with only a few people. We need to be sensitive to the difference between encouraging participation in the Divine Service and overworking the
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very lambs who have come to be fed. In the local Anglican church, the Priest bows and raises the elements and rings the chancel bells at the beginning of the sacrament. The priest and assistants consume all the remaining elements at the end, and even rinse the chalice and consume all the consecrated remains. The actions at the altar are a humble and reverent response to what God is doing and as they are done, we are not distracted by what the priest does, but are actually pointed to the mystery unfolding before us. By contrast, my recent observations in Lutheran circles have been far different. The bowing and genuflecting and raising the elements, the chanting and elevating and breaking the host, and everything else appears “overacted” to the point that it gets in the way of the flock seeing what God is doing. It comes across as if the celebrant himself is effecting the real presence by his magician-like actions, instead of humbly reacting to the mystery of God that is unfolding before him as he speaks the words of Christ. It also comes across as if the act of celebrating the Sacrament “correctly” has become a required good work necessary to earn God’s favour. The Divine Service has been made Pharisaic. I won’t say it is intentional on their part but all their actions taken together are distracting and hide what God wants me to see. Footmen are not entertainers. They are not to speak unless spoken to. They are well dressed but not overdressed. They are humble servants, they are furniture. They are the hands and feet conveying the feast to the table. To do anything that calls attention to themselves is a breach of etiquette. God is jealous of His glory and will not give it to another. Those who lead the Divine Service and deliver the Sacrament of the Altar should show humble reverence as they do what they do, but they should never steal the show. They are just God’s humble footmen, serving at the wedding banquet, the foretaste of the feast to come. They should not turn the Divine Service into a work we do for God. Requiring endless chanting
THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN November/December 2018
and bowing and kneeling has brought back the errors of the Roman Catholic Church that Luther fought so hard to expose and remove. It has become “too Roman Catholic.” Rev. Larry Flohr THE EDITOR RESPONDS You’re right that we all ought to prayefully consider what appropriate modes of piety in the Divine Service look like. We must recognize, however, that there will be honest disagreement over what one person considers an act of humility and what another considers distracting. The thing I find confusing about your response to Dr. Winger’s article, though, is that these modes of piety (eg, “chanting and kneeling,” as you put it) were not actually the subject of the article in question. Dr. Winger actually describes the Divine Service in ways which you likewise do: as God’s work for us, not our work for Him. He was speaking of the liturgy in broad terms, and did not enter into discussion about what constitutes appropriate forms of piety in conducting that liturgy. No doubt he—like you—has opinions on that subject. But again, that wasn’t discussed in his article, so I’m not sure why you equate what he wrote with “the relentless pursuit of chanting and kneeling.” His focus was on what God does for us in the various parts of the Divine Service, and our opportunity to respond in thanks. As an aside, my own experience visiting Anglican parishes is quite varied. I’ve seen both “high” services and “low” services, liturgically speaking—sometmes even in the same building! The same is no doubt true of our Lutheran congregations: there is a certain amount of variety between how the Divine Service is conducted here compared to there—one chanting this part while another simply reads it. At any event, it’s difficult to distinguish some of the practices you approve of in your Anglican congregation (eg, ringing chancel bells, bowing at the altar) with those you distrust (eg, chanting and bowing). If the former can be done in sincere humility, why not the latter?
Table Talk
“Draw Us Up, O Lord” by Mathew Block “Thou hast made us for Thyself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee.”
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hese words, taken from the writings of St. Augustine, are a reminder that no one finds true peace outside of God. That doesn’t stop us from trying, though; we are all of us restlessly searching for meaning. Within every person, there is a deep understanding—acknowledged or not—that something is wrong with the world. That something is wrong with us. We are sinners, and the Law written on our hearts reveals to each of us the depravity of our own nature (Romans 2:15). In other words, we weigh ourselves in the balance and find ourselves wanting. How then shall we make amends? How fill up what is lacking in us? We cry out with St. Paul, “Who will rescue me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24). And so, the search is on for something, anything that might save us and give our lives meaning. This quest for salvation is for many a treacherous one. Some turn to religions of works, thinking that if they just pray enough or do enough they can cancel out their debt and earn God’s good favour. This is the end teaching of so many different religions—and, indeed, of too many ill-informed Christians as well. But such religions fail to satisfy, and so many people look for meaning in other places: in the acquisition of wealth; in politics; in getting that higher degree; in the idolization of family. Others abandon the chase for meaning altogether, settling for a
steady stream of movies, books, video games, and social media to drown out that persistent voice in their hearts that tells them something is deeply broken inside them. So ends humanity’s search for meaning. But the God of Scripture—the true God—does not expect us to find Him on our own. He does not wait for us to raise our heads to the heavens. Instead, He stoops down. The Incarnation of Christ turns our self-driven quest for meaning on its head. God becomes what we are, flesh and blood, in order to make us as He is. Our restless hearts cannot find their peace in our “getting hold” of
drawn to Him by His own merciful invitation: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give your rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28-29). Truly He is gentle and humble in heart, this God who steps down out of the heavens to raise us up. Truly You are humble, Lord Christ, for though You are Life itself, You deigned to die for us poor sinners upon the cross. Give us the peace which the world cannot give (John 14:27). Proclaim to us through Your Word again the promise of forgiveness. Assure us that our lives are even now hidden in You through Baptism (Colossians 3:3). Fill us with Your very life through the Sacrament of the Altar. Indwell us, O Lord, and let us dwell in You, and so find rest. We need not bear the burden of finding God. We need not, with restless hearts, run this way and that searching for peace. Peace has already come to us. It came that first Christmas, so many years ago. It comes for us again now, to lay hold of us, to sweep us up into the heart of God. O Holy Spirit, give us faith to believe! Hold us in that peace, O God, in the midst of the suffering and sorrows of this life until we at last enter into the Sabbath of eternity— that day when we shall finally see with our own eyes the rest which You promise Your people (Hebrews 4:9). Draw us up to You, O God, and grant us peace at the last. Pie Jesu Domine, dona nobis requiem. Dear Lord Jesus, give us rest.
O God, make us Your own! You fill the hole in our hearts not by giving us a small piece of Yourself, but rather by enfolding us within Your own heart. God, as if He were some treasure we could possess. Instead, our rest comes in being possessed by Him. O God, make us Your own! You fill the hole in our hearts not by giving us a small piece of Yourself, but rather by enfolding us within Your own heart. It is the difference between filling a cup with water and submerging the cup within an ocean. In both cases, the cup is filled—but how much fuller is the cup enveloped by the sea! This is true peace on earth, the goodwill towards men which the angels proclaimed at the birth of Jesus. In Him, we indeed find rest,
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A Knife, a Sheepskin, Sandals, and a Flute Shepherds at Work in the Fields of Bethlehem by Rev. Dr. Hans-Jรถrg Voigt
The Annunciation to the Shepherds by Jules Bastien-Lepage (1875).
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THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN November/December 2018
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hose shepherds in the fields near Bethlehem were tough guys. Any decent person of the time would have considered them outcasts—on par with thieves and robbers. Nobody wanted to have anything to do with them. So, of course, it is to these people in the fields that the angels first appear. Luther’s words here are most fitting: “This is the first sermon about the newborn little child, our Lord Jesus, that was brought by the angels from heaven to us here on earth.” What kind of people were those shepherds? I am reminded of four objects that such shepherds may have carried on their person; and they say a lot about those people. And what they tell us is that these shepherds were very much like you and I today.
The Knife No doubt the shepherds carried a good knife on their belts. After all, a shepherd has to trim the hoofs of the sheep and he has to cut the sticks that close the gate at night. The Evangelist St. Luke writes: “They kept watch over their flock by night” (2:8). Back then, there were still some lions in the region around Bethlehem. And to protect the herd from the attack of lions that raided during the night, you needed at least a knife. The shepherds were therefore tough guys. They were people who knew how to use knives and clubs well, often even frightening other people. He who is afraid often seeks to frighten others. What are you afraid of? What makes your jackknife flip open? And how do you frighten others? Somebody once told me that we Germans are often considered to be quite anxious. Was it perhaps this “German angst” that so often caused Germans throughout history to break out their long “knives”? Is there such a thing as “Canadian angst”? When the angel came to the shepherds, they were very much afraid. Yet the angel proclaims to them the opposite of fear and anxiety; he brings joy and peace. “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day a Saviour…. Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace” (Luke 2:10-11, 14). The child in the manger, Jesus Christ, brings joy and peace despite the fear and anxiety so prevalent in our time. A few weeks ago, we marked the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. It was the most horrendous war that the world had seen until then. Canadians and Germans opposed each other on the battlefields of Europe as bitter enemies. I am filled with gratitude
that this last November the Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau and the German Chancellor Angela Merkel shook hands right there among the war graves. In 1914, something unusual happened in France. The war was raging in its fifth month; more than a million casualties were already mourned. But on Christmas Eve, the soldiers on both sides simply stopped shooting. For this day, at least, they wanted peace. And the Germans began to sing: “Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht.” On the other side the English called out: “Well done, Fritzen!” and then they began to sing: “O holy night… it is the night of our dear Saviour’s birth.” Then they showed each other their little Christmas trees, and, when nobody was shooting, they dared to come out of their trenches. They exchanged gifts and put up their little Christmas trees for all to see. Later on, in No-Man’s-Land, they played soccer—unbelievable! The birth of Christ works peace! God Himself makes peace for us by forgiving our sins. In the war this divine peace, for just a brief moment, became visible right there among the knives, the bayonets, and the machine guns. This story—it has become known as the “Christmas Peace of 1914”—is not recorded in many documents. The army commands on both sides tried to hush up the event, and they had some difficulty trying t o re s t a r t t h e wa r i n January. The units were re-assigned, because many of the men didn’t want to shoot anymore. For a brief moment in history, the “knives” were put away and peace became a reality.
The birth of Christ works peace! God Himself makes peace for us by forgiving our sins.
The Sheepskin When I think of the shepherds, I also think of sheepskins. For me it’s hard to imagine that the shepherds did not present a soft, warm sheepskin to the Christ child. St. Luke writes: “And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger” (Luke 2:16). It seems likely that the shepherds brought a sheepskin with them, but we can’t know for certain. But what we do know is the following: Christmas is not about us presenting a gift to the Christ child; instead, the Child presents us with a white, pure sheepskin. For this purpose, Jesus Christ, God’s Son, became man: to give us the gift of the sheepskin of His love and forgiveness. His love for us men is warmer than any sheepskin. His love is so warm that it covers up all your guilt and takes away all your anxiety. If you are sad during these Christmas holidays— perhaps because you’re alone, or because the festival THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN November/December 2018
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Announcement to the shepherds. Frans Hals Museum (c. 1600).
is not turning out as joyful as you had hoped—then just think of the warm sheepskin of Jesus’ love for you. When others have offended you and you are angry, think of the warm sheepskin of Jesus’ love.
Speaking of these “sandals,” our Confessions say this: “So that we may obtain this faith, the ministry of teaching the Gospel and administering the Sacraments was instituted” (Augsburg Confession, Article 5).
The Sandals
The Flute
In those days, shepherds wore sandals that consisted of a leather sole tied to the feet by strings. These sandals have some significance for us. After they had witnessed the scene, the shepherds used these sandals to go out to various people to tell them of that wonderful child in the manger. St. Luke reports: “And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child” (2:17). The sandals are a reminder for us that at some time in the past, somebody did for us what the shepherds did in their day. Somebody brought that same message about the Child in the manger to Germany and to Canada. Let’s hope that these shepherds—the Greek word for shepherd is “pastor”—who first brought this Christmas message to Canada were wearing winter boots and not sandals! But we really should be grateful for the shepherds’ sandals; they brought us the Christmas message of the wonderful Child in the manger. St. Mary shows us what we should do with the words of these shepherds: “Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart” (Luke 2:19). Yes, the sandals of the shepherds are truly important.
No doubt about it: a real shepherd has a real flute. St. Luke the Evangelist proclaims: “The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen” (Luke 2:20). Yes, I can easily imagine how the shepherds went through the night and played their flutes. It brings to mind Luther’s words from one of his Christmas sermons: “Having heard a good sermon, sing a joyful hymn.” Why? Because the child in the manger, Christ Jesus our Lord, takes away our “knives” and grants us eternal peace. Because Jesus Christ grants us His forgiving love, which is white, soft, and warm like a sheepskin. Because He sends shepherds in their sandals to proclaim Christ’s love to this day. For this reason, we sing and play the flute, we use drums along with violins, trumpets, organs, pianos and our voices to the best of our ability, whether that be in “old Germany” or among “God’s frozen people” in Canada.
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THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN November/December 2018
Rev. Dr. Hans-Jörg Voigt is Bishop of the Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church in Germany. He is also Chairman of the International Lutheran Council.
Singing the Good News of Christmas
by Jonathan Kraemer
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hristmas, perhaps more than any other time of year, is when music fills the air. It is everywhere, in stores, on the radio, at children’s programs and choir concerts. Some of the songs are fun and fluffy, about sleigh rides and snow. Many of them, though, are very weighty, significant, and profound. For some, Christmas hymns might just be sentimental favourites, souvenirs of Christmases long past. But if we take a moment to stop and really think about the words we are singing, we will see how deep and wonderful they are. They speak to us the good news of what happened that first Christmas, who that newborn baby is, and what He came to do for us. The hymns below include their reference hymn number from the Lutheran Service Book (LSB). Feel free to follow along with the lyrics as you reflect on the meaning of the words.
Silent Night (LSB 363) “Silent Night,” now 200 years old this year, is a magical hymn because it is so often sung as the last hymn of the Christmas Eve service. By candle light we are transported by the words back to that first Christmas. We are a part of the peace of that holy night, gathered round yon virgin mother and child. This might be any
birth scene, and this might be any child, except that the hymn bids us to call Him: holy infant—a baby set apart for a special purpose and completely righteous; Christ the Saviour—the Messiah, the anointed one, the King who has come to save us; Son of God, love’s pure light—God the Son in the flesh come to bring light and love to us who sit in darkness and the shadow of death. “Silent Night” paints such a simple scene of mother with sleeping child, but it becomes so profound in meaning because of who this new born babe is.
Hark the Herald Angels Sing (LSB 380) While “Silent Night” is quiet and meditative, “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” is joyful and exuberant. With this hymn we are set down right in the midst of the heavenly hosts of angels as they burst out in praise for the birth of Jesus. We sing with the angels, Glory to the newborn King. The birth of a king is special, but what is special about this birth is what this King came to bring: peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled! In order to do such a wondrous thing, the Child himself is extraordinary. He is the everlasting Lord because He is God Himself: veiled in flesh the Godhead see, hail th’incarnate Deity. This hymn loudly proclaims that God has come in the flesh to save us and THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN November/December 2018
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to bring us home to heaven, giving us new life now and forever: mild He lays His glory by, born that man no more may die, born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth.
What Child Is This (LSB 370) While every Christmas hymn praises Jesus as the Christ, born to save us, there is one that strikes a more somber tone. “What Child is This” makes the connection between His humble birth and what is in store for this new born babe—what He will suffer in order that He might save us. It asks Why lies He in such mean estate Where ox and ass are feeding? The brutal answer comes: Nails, spear shall pierce Him through, The cross be born for me, for you. This newborn king, this son of God has come as a humble, suffering servant who will die for us, for our salvation. Our only response to this is to honor and glorify Him: So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh; Come peasant, king, to own Him. The King of kings, salvation brings, let loving hearts enthrone him.
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear (LSB 366) Many of the Christmas hymns transport us back to the birth of Jesus but “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” does not leave us there. It connects the first Christmas to our lives today. After painting the scene of the birth of Christ and the songs of the angels, it reminds us that Still through the cloven skies they come—still the angels sing the praises of Christ above its sad and lonely plains. But not everyone has that peace of which the angels sing: all you beneath your heavy load, By care and guilt bent low, who toil along a dreary way With painful steps and slow. Especially to those who need it, the message of peace is declared again: The Prince was born to bring you peace; of Him the angels sing. The good news of Jesus’ birth, proclaimed by the angels, is a word of peace for all who will receive it, and all who take this gift will hear The song the angels sing.
human flesh, but well before that. It sings praise to the pre-incarnate Christ: Of the Father’s love begotten, Ere the worlds began to be. And not only is He there at the beginning when all things were made through Him, but He will also be there at the end, for He is Alpha and Omega. Of all that is, has been and will be, He the source, the ending He. Having reminded us He is both the Alpha and Omega, the mystery of His birth by the virgin Mary is declared. This wonder of the incarnation is when the Son of God was born, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit, And the babe, the world’s Redeemer, First revealed His sacred face. Since He took on human flesh, no longer do we need to be afraid of looking into the face of God. Instead we see a face like ours; He looks like us because He came to redeem us. For this we sing to Christ, God the Father, and the Holy Spirit Hymn and chant and high thanksgiving And unending praises be. Honor, glory, and dominion, And eternal victory Evermore and evermore.
Joy to the World (LSB 387) Some hymns like “Of the Father’s Love Begotten” reach a crescendo of praise by the time they come to an end. Others, like “Joy to the World,” are full blast, pull-out-all-the-stops hymns from the very start. “Joy to the World” echoes the praise psalms that call all people and all of creation to praise God, for the Lord has come! All creation responds to His birth: No more let sins and sorrows grow, Nor thorns infest the ground for He has come to defeat sin and to make all things new.
What are your favourite hymns? As you sing them this Christmas season, look closely at the words and think about them.
These are just some of the wonderful Christmas hymns we sing at this time of the year that remind us why we are celebrating. What are your favorite Christmas hymns? As you sing them this Christmas season, look closely at the words and think about them. Take some time out of your devotions to read and ponder them. Look up the scripture references listed with the hymn in the Lutheran Service Book. Most of all, celebrate God’s gift of love for you born in Bethlehem, born so that we might join in singing with the angels now and evermore.
Of the Father’s Love Begotten (LSB 384) While it may not be as well-known as some, this Christmas hymn takes us back to the beginning. Not to the birth of Jesus, when the Son of God took on
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THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN November/December 2018
Rev. Jonathan Kraemer is pastor of All Saints Lutheran Church in Edmonton.
International News www.canadianlutheran.ca
India Evangelical Lutheran Church leadership dispute resolved INDIA - On September 26, 2018, the Madras High Court ruled in favour of President Y. Suvisesha Muthu as the duly elected head of the India Evangelical Lutheran Church (IELC). President Muthu was elected in May 2017 but his administration had faced legal challenges by an opposing group. The International Lutheran Council (ILC), of which the IELC is a member church, greeted news of the legal resolution with satisfaction. “We are overjoyed to be able to finally extend our formal recognition of your administration,” wrote ILC Chairman Hans-Jörg Voigt and General Secretary Albert Collver in an October letter to President Muthu. “It is our fervent prayer that, under your continuing leadership, the IELC may advance towards an ever-strengthened unity of faith and confession, and that the hitherto endless strife and legal disputes that are so displeasing among Christian brothers may come to an end. May our Lord give you the grace necessary
to bring this about and to guard and guide His Church in India.” “The ILC wishes all the best for you and your presidency, and stands ready to support you in any way that we can,” they continued. “We pray that the Lord would bring those opposing your administration to repentance for the sake of His Church in India, and so that their own souls might avoid judgement in the afterlife.” President Muthu was elected on May 26, 2017, receiving 35 of 65 ballots cast. Because of leadership challenges in the IELC in recent years, representatives from the IELC’s partner church, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), were on hand as observers to verify the vote, in addition to the IELC’s own election commissioner and presidential candidates. An installation service for President Muthu took place later that evening, with IELC Vice President Y. Sukumaran presiding. “We are encouraged that faithful men like you and your fellow officers
continue to tirelessly seek to reform the IELC administration,” wrote LCMS President Matthew C. Harrison in a letter to President Muthu after the September court decision. “We join you in looking forward to the day when the dissension and strife within the IELC has ceased.” President Muthu succeeded President Gambeeram, who had previously been elected to office in 2014. As a result of internal disputes, the courts likewise had to declare his administration legitimate after legal challenges from opposing groups.
Darin Storkson named ILC Deputy General Secretary ANTWERP The Executive Committee o f t h e International Lutheran Council (ILC) has named Darin Storkson as the ILC’s Deputy General Secretary, filling a post created following the ratification of the ILC’s new bylaws during the 2018 World Conference in Belgium. Storkson had already been unofficially functioning in the role for more than a year. As a former diplomat with the International Committee of the Red Cross, a former foreign direct investment consultant, and a director in various international roles for The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) for thirteen years, Storkson brings significant international
experience and capacity to the ILC to engage and build partnerships with international church bodies. “It’s a pleasure to officially welcome Darin as Deputy General,” said Rev. Dr. Albert Collver, General Secretary of the ILC. “I’ve worked directly with Darin for several years and look forward to serving with him in this new capacity. His expertise will be an invaluable asset to the International Lutheran Council as it faces everexpanding opportunities to assist confessional Lutherans around the world in their proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
“This is a watershed moment for global Lutheranism,” said Storkson. “The solidly biblical and confessional theology of the ILC is attracting new Lutheran partners right and left... It is a tremendously exciting opportunity and blessed privilege to be part of such a great organization and contribute to the historic growth of confessional Lutheranism around the world.”
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International News www.canadianlutheran.ca
Australian Lutherans reelect Bishop Henderson, decline women’s ordination AUSTRALIA - The Lutheran Church of Australia (LCA) has reelected Bishop John Henderson during its 2018 General Convention of Synod October 2-7 in Rosehill, New South Wales. The convention also saw the church decline a resolution calling for the ordination of women. Bishop Henderson was reelected to a second term on October 4. He was first elected in 2013 (the first term for LCA bishops is six years, with three-year terms thereafter). ‘I thank you for your support’, Bishop Henderson said upon his election. ‘I pray that I am worthy of serving you—well, I’m not worthy of serving you—but I pray that I will be given by God the strength to serve you for another term.’ A major subject of discussion during the 2018 General Synod was the ordination of women, with the LCA again declining a resolution calling for the ordination of women. This was the fourth time the LCA has voted on this subject since 2000. LCA Bishop John Henderson declared the results of the secret ballot on October 5: 161 against and 240 in favour. That meant the resolution failed to receive the 2/3 majority required by the LCA’s constitution to make changes in matters of a theological or confessional nature. The International Lutheran Council, of which the LCA is an Associate Member, had pledged prayer for the Australian church in advance of the vote. Rev. Dr. Albert Collver, General Secretary of the ILC, also brought greetings
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to the General Synod on October 4, encouraging the LCA in his remarks to remain faithful to the historic teaching of the church on ordination. Following the news of the LCA’s vote on female ordination, Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) President Timothy Teuscher commented: “While we in LCC are relieved and thankful that this issue did not receive the required number of votes for adoption, which would have put the fraternal relationship between the LCA and LCC in jeopardy; the fact of the matter is that over 60% of the delegates at the General Synod convention of the Lutheran Church of Australia
did vote in favour of women’s ordination.” H e c o n t i n u e d : “ T h e L CA remains a divided church and prayers for our brothers and sisters in Christ in Australia continue to be needed, perhaps more now than before. In addition, lest we think that such disagreements on this or any other issue of a theological nature could not happen among us; we need to always be mindful of the exhortation of St. Jude: ‘Contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints’ (Jude 3) and to thus do, as St. Paul says, ‘Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly’ (Colossians 3:16).”
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THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN November/December 2018
National News www.canadianlutheran.ca
Transition to New Structure Continues at LCC CANADA - During the month of October, the three Districts of Lutheran Church– Canada (LCC) welcomed members to their final regular conventions before the transition of the new LCC structure in January 2019. Central District’s Convention was held between October 1-3 in Winnipeg, East District’s Convention was held in London, Ontario between October 14-17, and the Alberta-British Columbia District held their convention in Sherwood Park, Alberta between October 19-21. The business at the conventions consisted of receiving reports from committees, approving the revised constitutions of congregations, accepting amendments to bylaws, the election of Regional Pastors and Circuit Counsellors, and other business. During the Central District Convention, Rev. David Haberstock was elected on the third ballot as the Regional Pastor for the newly formed Central Region. Rev. Marvin Bublitz won out over five other contenders to be elected Regional Pastor for the East Region at the East District Convention. At the Alberta-British Columbia District Convention, members elected Rev. Robert Mohns on the fourth ballot as the Regional Pastor for the West Region. Further news on the conventions is available in the District News sections of this issue. Additional information will also be published in each District’s Convention Proceedings.
Circuit Counsellors
East Region Hamilton: Rev. Kevin Walrath London: Rev. Don Schieman Stratford: Rev. John Trembulak Hanover: Rev. Brian Dunlop Kitchener: Rev. Richard Orlowski Ottawa: Rev. David Smilek Toronto: Rev. Matthew Habermas Windsor: Rev. Kirk Radford Niagara: Rev. Kurt Lantz Central Region Assiniboine: Rev. Barry Wood Southland: To be appointed by Regional Pastor Northland: Rev. Clint Magnus Ontario: Rev. Brian Falkenholt Portage: Rev. Edmund Mielke Qu’Appelle: Rev. Todd Guggenmos Red River: Rev. Brad Schollenberg Saskatoon: Rev. Robert Grout Wascana: Rev. James Chimirri-Russell West Region Calgary: Rev. David Bode Cariboo: Rev. Alan Visser Edmonton: Rev. Mark Hennig Elk Island: Rev. Vince Moore Kootenay: To be appointed by Regional Pastor Lethbridge: Rev. Andy Kahle Okanagan: Rev. Michael Schutz Peace River: To be appointed by Regional Pastor Stony Plain: Rev. Rod Buck Wetaskiwin: Rev. Russ Howard Vancouver Island: Rev. R. Fraser Coltman Greater Vancouver: Rev. Laverne Hautz
Lay Members on Regional Mission and Ministry Council East Region Hamilton: Paul Otterman London: To be appointed by Regional Pastor Stratford: Gerry Klages Hanover: Stephen Otterman Kitchener: Stephen Klinck Ottawa: Ron Griskleg Toronto: David Chant Windsor: James Krestwick Niagara: Dan Putzman Central Region Assiniboine: Gloria Rathgeber Southland: To be appointed by Regional Pastor Northland: To be appointed by Regional Pastor Ontario: Megan Barone Portage: To be appointed by Regional Pastor Qu’Appelle: Elton Fiege Red River: James Lutomske Saskatoon: Daryl Walter Wascana: Barb Schentag West Region Calgary: Michelle Heumann Cariboo: Charles Von Hahn Edmonton: David Mitchell Elk Island: To be appointed by Regional Pastor Kootenay: To be appointed by Regional Pastor Lethbridge: Dieter Witzke Okanagan: To be appointed by Regional Pastor Peace River: To be appointed by Regional Pastor Stony Plain: Tiffany Playter Wetaskiwin: Deanna Friesen Vancouver Island: Sonja Bland Greater Vancouver: Stephen Glanfield
THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN November/December 2018
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National News www.canadianlutheran.ca
Request for Participants in Worker Benefit Services Strategic Planning Workshop WINNIPEG - Based on a review of the feedback from the recent 15 Regional meetings that have been held, the Board of Directors of Worker Benefit Services (WBS), at its June meeting, has decided that a “refresh” of its strategic plan is in order. As a result the board is planning a strategic planning meeting starting on the evening of January 27, 2019 and continuing all day January 28, 2019 in Winnipeg. It will involve representatives of all of the key stakeholders, including employers, active members, and board members from both WBS and LCC. The focus of the meeting will review the existing strategic directions and ensure they accurately reflect relevant future directions and address specific areas of concern of employers and members. The session will begin in Winnipeg on Sunday evening at 6 pm with a “get acquainted dinner” and orientation. Monday will consist of an environmental scan, reviewing the existing strategic plan and directions and making adjustments as necessary. In addition specific challenges for WBS and for employers identified during regional meetings will be discussed, with options presented and evaluated. We anticipate approximately 27 participants. Expenses for travel and accommodations will be covered by WBS.
Participants: It is anticipated participants in the January meeting will consist of: 12- Employer Representatives 4- Active Members 6- WBS Board members 1- LCC President or designate 1- LCC Board of Directors Chair or designate 1- LCC Communications Director 2 – 4 Resource People Eligibility: E m p l o y e r Re p r e s e n t a t i v e s : Applicants must be current holders o f a n o f f i c i a l c o n g re g a t i o n a l o r e m p l o y e r p o s i t i o n e. g . congregational chair or vice chair; treasurer; chair of the elders, etc. Members: Applicants must be active or retired members in the Worker Benefit Plans. Participants must be from a congregation that is an active employer in the plan and has signed the new agreements with LCC and WBS. Applicants should also ensure that they are available for the scheduled planning dates January 27-28, 2019. Successful invitees will be notified the first week in January.
Application Process: Interested individuals are asked to send a letter or email of interest by December 31, 2018. Include the following: - Current leadership position with organization - Other positions held in congregation or in community organizations - Occupational background and any relevant experience in finance, pension or employee benefits - Reason for wanting to be considered for participation - Suggestions of specific issues that you believe should be addressed Send applications for participation to wbsinfo@lutheranchurch.ca by December 31 2018. Pastors we would appreciate it if you would please pass this notice on to the lay leaders in your congregation.
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Changes to District News in The Canadian Lutheran CANADA - The Districts may be winding down, but Lutheran Church– Canada remains committed to sharing local stories in the pages of The Canadian Lutheran. For that reason, beginning in the January/February 2019 issue, you will notice the “District News” sections are replaced with “Region News.” Each of the current District editors has agreed to stay on for the time-being to serve as the magazine’s regional news editors.
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The
CANADIAN
LUTHERAN However, contact information for some of these editors will be changing. Please see the contact information at the end of the District News sections in this issue to confirm current contact information for your regional editor. If in doubt, send your submission to editor@lutheranchurch.ca.
THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN November/December 2018
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ABC District News
Alberta and British Columbia Laura Goerz, editor
Confirmation retreat a success LOWER MAINLAND, B.C. Nineteen confirmation students and six leaders from four Lower Mainland Lutheran churches (Hope, Faith, St. Luke, and Walnut Grove) joined together on September 7-8 to learn about the Apostles’ Creed. In a new venture this year, these churches have decided to work together to teach some of the confirmation classes, giving students the chance to connect with youth from other congregations. “It allows them to see that there are other students going through the same experiences, that they are not alone in learning about their faith,” says confirmation teacher, Deacon Lisa Olding from Walnut Grove Lutheran Church. While the first retreat was hosted by Hope Lutheran, churches will take turns and share the work for putting on these events. The idea for the retreats was spearheaded by Rev. Laverne Hautz (Hope) based on his experiences in the Calgary Circuit. “We did these retreats when I was a pastor in Calgary,” explains Rev. Hautz. “They were very successful at engaging
Confirmation students in attendance are already looking forward to the next retreat, which was scheduled for November. Lower Mainland churches interested in having their confirmation students involved in future retreats can contact Rev. Hautz (lhautz@hopelcs.ca). Lisa Olding
Calgary youth visit Edmonton
Students participate in an ice-breaker game.
the students in the learning and making them excited about coming to confirmation.” Students participated in a variety of activities, including viewing a movie related to the topic, group discussion, competing in an Amazing Race, and playing Jeopardy and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire style games—all based on the Apostles’ Creed materials in the Catechism.
Baobab Blast in Rocky Mountain House R O C K Y M O U N TA I N HOUSE, Alta. During the week of July 16-20, an average of 79 children attended Va c a t i o n B i b l e School at Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church. Pa r t i c i p a n t s learned about “God’s Great Get VBS participants having some fun. Together” through to support the B.C. Mission Boat the daily themes of Trust, Love, Society. Follow, Care, and Share. The message More than 40 volunteers filled was shared through centres for skits a variety of roles to enable the VBS and music, Bible stories, science, to reach out to the children of the crafts, snacks and games. The community. children learned about this year’s VBS Mission Project, which was
EDMONTON - On September 7, the Calgary fall youth retreat committee held a circuit youth event in Edmonton, hosted at Riverbend Lutheran. The goal of the event was to introduce youth in Edmonton to the fall youth retreat community, and about thirty people attended. Youth participated in traditional retreat games, including crab ball and the pool noodle name game. And in a twist on a Foothills favourite, they played capture the flag in the dark with glowing wristbands. There was time for snacks and fellowship, and Rev. Eric Moffett, speaker at the then-upcoming retreat (November 2-4), led a devotion based on the theme for this fall, 1 Peter 3:15: The Best Defense. Some of the youth were able to reconnect with people they had met at the District Youth Gathering in July 2018, and to see youth from five different congregations quickly come together into one large community—with no youth sitting on the sidelines—was a beautiful thing. The youth and leaders from Foothills spent the night there, and the Riverbend youth and leaders provided a wonderful breakfast with great company. The goal of the event was to build a sense of community between youth of Edmonton and the fall youth retreat, and that was certainly achieved. The Calgary group expressed thanks to DPS Kathy Cornish for the invitation to visit, and to her youth and leaders for their hospitality. The event was continued
THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN November/December 2018
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ABC District News
Alberta and British Columbia Laura Goerz, editor
From the President In Jesus’ name The days of our lives pass as sand through an hourglass. It is useless to try to stop the relentless march of time. As the hymn writer Isaac Watts put it, “Time, like an ever-rolling stream, soon bears us all away; we fly forgotten, as a dream dies at the op’ning day” (LW 180:5). Certainly time rolls on and before we know it, death is knocking at our door. But is it true that we will soon be forgotten like a dream? Every son of Israel was given his name at the time of his circumcision (cf. Luke 2:21), and also our Lord was given His name, Jesus. It was an ordinary name as Jewish boys’ names went, but when attached to Mary’s Son, the name “Jesus” took on superlative significance! Remember what the angel said to Mary before she had even conceived her firstborn son? “Fear not, Mary, you have found favour with God. You will be with child and will give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High [God]. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; His kingdom will never end” (Luke 1:30-33; cf. Matthew 1:20-21). This Jesus who Luther says, “plays in the lap and at the breasts of His most gracious mother” is the eternal Son of God made visible in the flesh! This Jesus is a King like none other for His kingdom lasts forever! This Jesus is the One through whom we receive the forgiveness of sins and life over death! This tiny bundle of humanity was given the name Jesus which means, “the Lord saves.” Jesus, just eight days after He is born, is already shedding His blood as our Saviour. As times passes Jesus fulfills His name most wondrously. God the Father laid on Jesus the sin of us all, and our sin killed Him. Jesus endured the rabbi’s circumcision scalpel and a Roman cross for us! For our salvation, Jesus shed His blood. He was crucified, died and buried. And why? Because, as the One named Jesus, He “would save His people [that includes you and me!) from their sins.” Excitement and anticipation jockey with fear and trepidation within us as 2019 approaches. What awaits us? God only knows. How will we handle these unknowns? In the name of our Lord Jesus, that’s how. When I was a kid a potato chip company had a promotion where they put a seven-inch plastic
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THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN November/December 2018
cowboy or Indian in every bag. My brother and I were obsessed with those plastic figurines, so we begged our mom and dad to buy more bags of chips. As each sack was opened we got another cowboy or Indian. These plastic men became our treasured possessions. But soon, my brother and I began to fight over the figurines. My brother claimed certain cowboys and Indians were his and I made similar claims. So what do you think my brother and I did? We put our initials on the bottom of these plastic men. With permanent marker I printed on my men, “GS” and with that they became mine! They now had my initial—my name—on them! The name Jesus is not only given to Mary’s Child. In fact, we were given the name “Jesus” when we were baptized in Jesus’ name. In our baptism, our Lord marked us with Jesus’ name using something far more durable than permanent marker. Our Lord marked us with the blood of Jesus. “Receive the sign of the holy cross both upon your forehead and upon your heart to mark you as one redeemed by Christ the crucified.” In so doing we became His—now and forever. He is the one who treasures us! His face beams with delight as He thinks on us for whoever has His name receives His blessings of forgiveness, life, and salvation! As recipients of God’s grace, in Jesus’ name we sing, “Remember now the Son of God And how He shed His infant blood. Rejoice! Rejoice! With thanks embrace Another year of grace.” (LBW 181:2, Greet Now the Swiftly Changing Year) To live our lives in another year of God’s grace means many things: that we face life’s trials and tribulations by praying—in Jesus’ name; that we are forgiven, and will forgive others—in Jesus’ name; that we know we will not “fly forgotten, as a dream at the opening of day” for the Lord never forgets those who belong to Him—in Jesus’ name; that we will do acts of service and love—in Jesus’ name; that we will give thanks to God for the blessings of food, clothing, home, and family—in Jesus’ name; that we will tell of His wondrous love in Christ Jesus to family, friends, neighbours, schoolmates and coworkers—in Jesus’ name. To live our lives in another year of God’s grace means that whatever we do, whether in word or deed, we do it all—in Jesus’ name—to the glory of God our Father (Colossians 3:17). Rev. Glenn E. Schaeffer
ABC District News
Alberta and British Columbia Laura Goerz, editor
District youth build relationships CAMROSE, Alta. - On July 5-8, 48 youth (ages 11 to 18), 16 leaders, and 9 volunteers gathered at Augustana University f o r t h e 2 01 8 A B C District Youth Gathering under the theme “UNMASKED” based on 2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the Participants gather outside for evening prayer. new has come.” The youth participated in Morning and Evening Prayer with happened on a Sunday morning at Rev. Curtis Boehm, main sessions church—demonstrating the need for with Rev. James Avery, and Bible a safe place for youth to find answers study groups. For a servant event, to their questions. The unique they wrote 51 letters to Christians in community that comes from living other countries who are imprisoned and learning together for a long because of their faith, and through weekend allows for those kinds of the offering at the worship service discussions and relationships. Youth they donated $250 to the BC gatherings are important because Mission Boat Society. There were they are a unique opportunity for lots of opportunities for games and Lutheran youth to connect with the fellowship, and participants rotated larger church community and grow through a series of Impact Sessions in the faith. with their study groups. The sessions Almost all of the groups that were a prayer walk based on the attended completed a feedback form, Lord’s Prayer, the always-popular and most of them would like to attend Faith Like a Child (a time for play Calgary youth, continued and discussion), a session on pop culture and making wise choices about media consumption, and one about mission opportunities available through Lutheran organizations. Over the last few years, people have been heard to say that their kids want to “talk about the tough stuff,” and they did! Beyond the content of the main sessions and the Bible study groups, there was a chance for the youth to anonymously ask any of Rev. Eric Moffett speaks to the youth. their questions about faith and the world, and to have answers right such a success that the planning away from a group of experienced committee hopes to reprise the event teachers. They had scheduled an in a different circuit next September. hour for this, and it ended up taking The Calgary youth retreat was an hour and half to briefly answer started in 2000 by Judy Ellard and all the questions. Susan Bernhardt, church workers at M a ny g o o d c o n ve r s a t i o n s Grace and Foothills, and was called happened in the wake of the Q&A— “Ultimate Survivors.” There were conversations that might not have eight Survivor retreats attended by
youth gatherings more often in order to reconnect with the community that was built this weekend, and for some of the older youth, the community that was built at previous gatherings. Living and learning together as a community of Canadian Lutherans is a gift that the youth clearly appreciate. The organizers thank all the volunteers, all the leaders who brought youth, and the congregations that supported them. The DYG is financially supported only by the people who make donations or pay registration fees, so the support of congregations in sending their youth and leaders is vital. The committee included Michelle Heumann (chair), Rev. Eric and Kayla Moffett, Tara Sadoroszney, Monica Schultz (registrar), Rev. Glenn Worcester (joining from Central District), Rev. James Avery (main speaker), and Rev. Curtis Boehm (chaplain). A longer report is available at abcdyg.ca/convention-report. Michelle Heumann youth from B.C., Alberta, and Saskatchewan. After 2007, there was a hiatus due to committee turnover, but it was revived in the fall of 2010, thanks to the encouragement of Melanie Kuhn, after the fellowship at the National Youth Gathering in Edmonton rekindled interest in a local retreat. It has been hosted at Foothills every fall since then. The fall retreat committee is: Heather Graham-Navis, Michelle Heumann (chair), Trevor Heumann, Rev. Eric Moffett, Kayla Moffett (registrar), Monica Schultz, and Deaconess Miriam Winstanley. For more information go to www.lutheranyouthretreat.ca.
THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN November/December 2018
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ABC District News
Alberta and British Columbia Laura Goerz, editor
Final ABC district convention held SHERWOOD PARK, Alta. - Bethel Lutheran Church in Sherwood Park hosted the final Alberta-British Columbia District convention October 19-21, 2018. The convention theme was “Called to proclaim His righteousness to a people not yet born” from Psalm 22:31. The convention included three worship services (opening, closing, and a service of remembrance) and three devotional times which fortified the faith of those who attended the services. Many talented musicians provided uplifting music. Lutheran Church–Canada President Timothy Teuscher presented a two-part Bible
study on Psalm 22. Two special offerings were taken. The Opening Service collected $1,973.75 for a Concordia Lutheran Mission Society project of sending instructors to Rwanda. The Closing Service offering raised $1,457.50 for Edmonton’s innercity ministry The Rock. A simple twelve-minute video highlighting the blessings and challenges of the ABC District ABC District President Glenn E. Schaeffer (far right) is joined by three of his predecessors (left during its 97 year history was shown to right): Edwin Lehman, Harry Ruf, and Donald during the Convention banquet. It Schiemann). can be viewed on YouTube at: by children and adults associated with https://youtu.be/8e0Meu1wRrA. The Bethel Lutheran Church. banquet entertainment was provided The convention was a time of th many blessings. There was great Pastor honoured on 90 birthday camaraderie of the delegates as they OLIVER, B.C. - The family of Rev. visited with one another during the Les Carlson was always pleased with meals and during the business sessions the cherries that were procured in of the convention. The pastors and B.C.—they planned on coming from laity at Bethel Lutheran Church went Iowa and Arizona in time for the out of their way to provide hospitality cherries. They suggested that even and sacrificial service to enrich the though it would be a month early, convention experience for attendees. that they celebrate their brother’s The convention brought together birthday at that time. Sons Paul and three former ABC District Presidents Daniel agreed, and they planned the (Presidents Emeriti Edwin Lehman, event. Harry Ruf, and Donald Schiemann) A short program was held at and outgoing District President, Rev. St. Paul Lutheran’s parish hall, Dr. Glenn Schaeffer. There was also with Paul acting as the master of thanksgiving for the current ABC ceremonies. Rev. M. Rentz of Surrey, District staff and ABC District Board a good friend of Rev. Carlson, gave a of Directors for their service to God’s resumé of his work with Rev. Carlson people during the past three and a On Saturday June 30, Rev. Les Carlson was over the years. Rev. Darren Siegle honoured on his 90thbirthday. half years. of St. Paul led a devotion and read During the convention, LCC in Victoria, together with former congratulations from ABC District members also elected Rev. Robert members who now reside in Alberta. President Glenn Schaeffer. Paul Mohns as the Regional Pastor for Rev. Carlson spent all his ministry read a letter from Rev. G. Scholz of LCC’s new West Region. in B.C., graduating in 1955 from Waterloo, Ontario and also a lightConcordia Seminary, Springfield, hearted letter from Rev. and Mrs. Visit the ABC District website at Illinois. In 1961 he married Bernice Willie of Duncan, B.C. www.lccabc.ca Schneider of Nisku, Alta., and After the short program, about 80 the Lord blessed them with their guests gathered at the home of Rev. two sons. He was first assigned Carlson for a barbeque hosted by Send news, photos, articles to establish the parish of Hope sons Daniel and his wife Wendy, and and announcements to: Lutheran in Port Coquitlam, and Paul and his wife Rhea, together with then to Victoria for 25 years, and the grandchildren. Wife Bernice’s Laura Goerz, Regional Editor then to Oliver in 1986, for 7 years. family from Alberta was present, westeditor@lutheranchurch.ca Even after retirement, he continued along with former members from his to serve at least seven parishes, both first parish in Port Coquitlam, as well in Canada and Washington. as members from Hope Lutheran
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THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN November/December 2018
Central District News
Saskatchewan, Manitoba, NW Ontario Elaine Stanfel, editor
Southey celebrates Multi-Generation Day
No tricks, just treats at annual open house
VBS children sing Noah’s Ark-themed songs.
SOUTHEY, Sask. - On August 22, Emmanuel Lutheran Church hosted some residents from the Shalom Nursing Home in nearby Cupar to a home-style cooked meal. A program followed, based on the colors of the rainbow and God’s never-failing promise. The residents also enjoyed the antics of Blossom the clown, as well the dozen VBS children who sang and danced to some Noah’s Ark-themed songs. The children, who ranged from ages 5 to 11 also heard about Noah and the flood plus God’s promises! Participants thank the fellowship committee and other volunteers who made the day so special to all. Mary Massier
Mount Olive members carve pumpkins in preparation for open house
REGINA - Members of Mount Olive Lutheran Church once again hosted an open house on October 31. The annual celebration of the Eve of All Saints’ Day and the Reformation offers candy bags for the kids, a place to warm up, washrooms, hotdogs and hot chocolate, a chance to look around the church, and a display of carved pumpkins on the front steps.
Mission Festival draws a crowd INGLIS, Man. - Members of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church hosted a Mission Festival, September 9, joined by Lutheran C h u r c h – C a n a d a President T i m o t h y (l-r) Revs. Timothy Teuscher and Dan Moeller Teuscher and his wife, Paula. After the service, all moved to the Inglis Community Centre to enjoy a meal of Chicken Chef chicken, salads, and desserts of every description.
The results of their labour ready to welcome guests.
The congregation was blessed to host this special event, and members thank all 90 people who attended—members from the Assiniboine Circuit churches, and other guests. THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN November/December 2018
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Central District News
Saskatchewan, Manitoba, NW Ontario Elaine Stanfel, editor
Successful Halloween-themed fundraiser OXBOW, Sask. - The Hallo-Wiener fundraiser hosted by St. Peter & St. John Lutheran Parish was an amazing success again this year! Volunteers sold 160 hotdogs and received a pile of donations taking the total funds raised to more than $1,000 to go towards the new handivan for the local health centre. Organizers thank everyone for their support.
Ponderings from the president Auf wiedersehen fter roughly 135 of these columns for The Canadian Lutheran, it’s time to say, “auf wiedersehen.” Rather than translating the German as “good-bye,” I prefer, “until we see each other again.” As a new Church Year begins with the season of Advent, our focus turns to preparing our hearts for Christ’s arrival into our world. We prepare our hearts to remember His coming as a baby in Bethlehem. In addition, we prepare our hearts to celebrate His Second Coming. At the end of time, Jesus as our victorious King will lead the faithful to the joys of a life that never ends in heaven. We will see each other again, together with all the saints in glory! With my 65th birthday coming in about six months, it seems somewhat surreal that my life has reached this point. It seems like only yesterday I sat in my first class at our St. Catharines seminary. What a learning experience during my vicarage year to serve the saints at St. Peter’s, Port Colborne, Ontario. Today I think of all the folks I served in my first congregation: called by the Ontario District to start a new mission in Milton. I remember all the saints at Zion, Yorkton, Saskatchewan (many who have now preceded me into heaven), as well as those I was called to serve for a time at St. Paul’s, Springside and Saving Grace, Canora, Saskatchewan. It hardly seems that eighteen years have passed since
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THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN November/December 2018
I was elected as president of the Central District. Throughout my time of service to Christ and His Church, I have always marvelled that the Lord chose me to do His work. I ran across this quote from Dr. Martin Luther which sums up my feelings: “I know that I have often done many things foolishly and quite rashly, to the point where I have thought: Why did God call me into the ministry of preaching, seeing that I have not the knowledge, insight, and prudence the greatness of this office requires? For although I have done everything with a good and honest heart and with good effort and zeal, nevertheless much of it was tainted with foolishness and faults, so that it seemed that the heavens and the whole world come to ruin. Then I had to get down on my knees and beg God to give me strength and advice. He is mighty and can give a tragic offense a happy ending while we are sleeping” (Luther’s Works, Vol. 5, “Lectures on Genesis,” p.119). In retirement, I plan to continue preaching and serving wherever and whenever my Lord requires. At this moment, my plan is to stay in Winnipeg, but my Lord has a way of changing my plans for the better. So, “auf wiedersehen,” until we see each other again. Rev. Thomas Prachar
Central District News
Saskatchewan, Manitoba, NW Ontario Elaine Stanfel, editor
Closing convention highlights WINNIPEG - The 11 th (50 th ) Regular Convention of the Central District opened with worship based on the convention theme “O God, Our Help in Ages Past, our Hope for Years to Come.” District President Thomas Prachar preached on the theme of “Central District, This is Your Life,” drawing on Hebrews 13:1-8. He noted some of the high and low points of the district’s history while reminding convention-goers of the promise of Hebrews 13:5, where the Lord says: “I will never leave you or forsake you”—because, as Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today, and forever.” The guest essayist for the convention, Rev. Dr. Norman Threinen, began his presentation “A Review of the Origin and Development of the Central District” with a discussion of the formative years of the Missouri Synod in Western Canada. Exploring the various factors in the development of the congregations in Manitoba and Saskatchewan which led to the formation of the Manitoba and Saskatchewan District in 1922, he continued with a history of some of the issues of contention the district faced in its early years. He mentioned some of the highlights in the development of Lutheran Church–Canada in the 1950s and 1960s leading to the formation of the autonomous LCC in 1988. At that founding convention, the Northwestern Ontario congregations became part of the new Central District. The presentation ended with a tribute to the pioneers, early pastors, and their wives, the church leaders over the years, and the people of the Central District for their service, as the District winds down in favour of the development of the Central Region in LCC’s new structure. Throughout the business sessions, various “Mission Moments”
highlighted some by Beautiful Savior and their of the outreach pastor Rev. Cameron Schnarr, with activities taking place Rev. Richard Beinert (St. James, across the district. Winnipeg) and outgoing District Rev. Assefa Aredo, President Rev. Thomas Prachar Missionary-At-Large, serving as lectors. LCC President Central. Timothy Teuscher preached on District, talked the theme “The Kingdom of God about his work in the has come near to you” (Luke 10:1Oromo community in 9). During the service, the new Winnipeg. Michael Regional Pastor, David Haberstock Maunula of Lutheran and the new Circuit Counsellors Community Care were installed. Centre, Thunder Bay, presented on For more news on the convention behalf of the Street Reach ministry, happenings, go to lcccentral.ca and including a slideshow reflecting on click on the convention link under the work of newly-retired worker the Announcements tab. Rev. Neil Otke and looking forward with notes from the convention to the work of newly-installed Street newsletter, Rev. Alex Klages, editor Reach missionary Rev. Brad Julien. Rev. D.J. Kim of Street Reach, Regina, spoke about his work as a chaplain to the police in Regina and Moose Jaw, as well as working with gang members in Regina. He gave a compelling and emotional presentation as to the impact of his work. Rev. Cody Cooper discussed his work in the La Ronge Lutheran Fellowship parish in northern Saskatchewan, including the joys and challenges of the culture a n d t h e c o n t ex t o f ministry in a northern, LCC Regional Pastor David Haberstock being installed by LCC President Teuscher. isolated setting. The delegates and guests enjoyed a b a n q u e t e m c e e d by Rev. Arron Gust, the Central District’s First Vice-President, which included a humorous tribute to President Prachar, retiring at the end of this year, given by Rev. Daryl Solie (Prince of Peace, Regina). A closing Divine S e r v i c e w i t h H o l y President Prachar displaying the Constitution of the Central Communion was hosted District. THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN November/December 2018
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Central District News
Saskatchewan, Manitoba, NW Ontario Elaine Stanfel, editor
Learning opportunities at circuit convocation WARMAN, Sask. - St. John’s Lutheran Church hosted the Saskatoon & Northland Circuit Convocation on Wednesday, September 19. Participants were blessed with the opportunity to meet LCC President Timothy Teuscher, and congregational leaders received a learning opportunity in a walk-through of the Treasurers’ Training Manual by Christine Bradley, accountant for LCC Central District, an introduction to the work of the Lutheran Foundation by David Friesen, and a round-table visit with Rev. Teuscher.
Installation at Kakabeka Falls KAKABEKA FALLS, Ont. - An installation service for Rev. Brad Julien was held September 16 at Redeemer Lutheran Church. Rev. Julien also served his first day as new street chaplain on Tuesday, September 18, at Lutheran Community Care Centre’s (LCCC) Street Reach Ministries Resource Centre. The LCCC is a listed service organization of Lutheran Church– Canada located in Thunder Bay.
(front, l-r) Revs. Steve Bartlett, Ken Maher, Brad Julien, Brian Falkenholt, Tim Barone; (back) Revs. Dan Repo, John Kreutzwieser, Tom Prachar, Neil Otke, Keith Blom
Visit the Central District website at www.lcccentral.ca
Send news, photos, articles and announcements to: . Elaine Stanfel, regional editor, 509 Airport Road, Pembroke, ON K8A6W7 613-687-6620 centraleditor@lutheranchurch.ca (l-r) Michael Maunula (Lutheran Community Care Centre), Rev. Brad Julien and Rev. Neil Otke (retiring from Street Reach Ministries) *Photos by Gerianne Johnson
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THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN November/December 2018
East District News
Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia Ilene Fortin, editor
Bringing people to faith in Jesus PETERSBURG, Ont. - On July as well as all who 6, about 40 people gathered at were there, were Emmanuel Lutheran Church to hear encouraged by from Lutheran Bible Translators of that reminder. Canada Board Chairman, Tim Kuhl, And God about how their mission is being continued fulfilled. While Tim’s presentation to bring His gave a summary of LBTC’s history blessings to and current work, his main focus this project. was on telling the exciting news By the time about the building of Bible House in the estimated Cameroon, West Africa. cost rose to (l-r) Martin Weber, LBTC Missionary/Translator; Rev. David Federwitz, The Bible House project began $125,000, LBTC LBT/LBTC Regional Supervisor; Rev. Touka Daniel, EELC Supervisor for with a proposal put forward jointly h a d r e c e i v e d Translation and Literacy; and the construction site supervisor. by LBTC workers in Cameroon and some significant the Evangelical Lutheran Church gifts so that funds were available to Chairman Kuhl closed his of Cameroon (EELC) in 2016, give the green light to the project. presentation by asking all those though the idea for such a centre W h e n t h e L B T C B o a rd o f present to consider the following for translation work goes back years Directors determined that it would ways to support this ongoing work before that date. be beneficial to have some on-site of LBTC: The initial cost estimate was supervision for the construction, Bill PRAY: Pray for the Bible House $50,000. By 2017, the estimate and Frieda Klassen were approached project—the Klassens and all those had risen to $75,000. In early 2018 and eagerly accepted the opportunity involved in the construction; the the estimate had risen to $125,000 to give of their time and abilities in LBTC missionaries and translators, because of the inclusion of steel roof service to our Lord, His church, and their families, and all those involved support construction. This change His mission. They will be spending in the work in the field; the Board was deemed necessary due to the at least four months in Cameroon. of Directors, office staff, and the prevalence of termite infestations in A Memorandum of search for a new executive director; Cameroon which can quickly destroy Understanding has been worked and especially for those who read a wooden support structure. out between LBTC and the EELC and hear God’s Word in their heart While the rising costs were a regarding the building’s use. Once languages. concern, our Lord was at work in constructed it will be the property DONATE: Each financial gift ways that would be revealed in His of the EELC, and will be dedicated to plays an important role in bringing time. In 2015 and 2016, St. Peter’s the work of Bible translation. God’s Life-giving Word to the eyes, Lutheran Church (New Hamburg, Bible House will be a “bricks and ears, and hearts of the many who Ontario) was going through the mortar” testimony to our belief that have not yet heard of Jesus who died sad process of closing its doors the Bible is the inspired and inerrant and rose again so that they might be and disposing of its assets. LBTC Word of God and that God the Holy saved. was one of several beneficiaries of Spirit creates and sustains saving PROVIDE: Help with mass major gifts from St. Peter’s. At the faith through that Word. mailings at the Kitchener office. same time as LBTC received word Encourage your congregation to of the increase to $75,000 hold an LBTC special event, for the Bible House project, especially while the Kuhn God provided the $75,000 family is in Canada during through the congregation’s gift their furlough, May 20, 2019 to LBTC. through April 2020. In his presentation at GIVE THANKS: Join Petersburg, Chairman Kuhl with fellow Lutherans across emphasized how God brings Canada in praising God for all His good out of what we see the blessings He is working as negative situations. Many through Lutheran Bible of the people who attended Translators of Canada in that presentation were former general, and through the Bible members of St. Peter’s, New House project in particular. Hamburg. It is hoped that they, The work in progress. Rev. Ron Mohr THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN November/December 2018
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East District News
Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia Ilene Fortin, editor
From the president
Roundabouts “But they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and in the stubbornness of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward.” (Jeremiah 7:24) ne of the curious experiences I encounter as I travel the countryside of southern Ontario is the constant maneuvering through what are called “roundabouts” along the highways and byways. Not only are these roundabouts found on a number of the main roads of the municipality in which I live and work, but these “highway conundrums” are popping up throughout many rural areas across the province as well. I refer to them as “highway conundrums” half in jest, but for logical and well-intended reasons also. A roundabout is a circular plot of ground placed in the centre of the intersection of a highway or thoroughfare. I have it on good authority that these circular plots of ground or traffic circles first began appearing throughout the countryside of England, leading to their eventual title of “highway conundrums.” A second reason why some label them as such is that it can be vexing or frustrating to travel at the slow speed required to navigate these circular mazes in an attempt to get from point A to point B. Roundabouts demand almost a stop as one approaches the hub-like arrangement from which the various roadways branch out. Located at various intervals within this circular configuration are signs which direct the driver to exit the circle and enter the road which one wants to take or which lead to the location one is attempting to reach. This is where the term “conundrum” can also be applied. If you do not know where you are headed—when to make your exit—then you will end up right back where you entered the roundabout initially. Drivers must not stop to contemplate which roadway to take in order to exit the circle, either. Doing so could cause more than a conundrum. The result might be the sudden screeching of brakes, or even worse,
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THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN November/December 2018
the horrible sound of metal on metal In a roundabout, then, one not only has a choice to make but the added difficulty of making that choice while traveling in a circle. The wise traveler who enters the roundabout, however, already knows where he or she wants to go and is alert to the signs. This knowledgeable individual will have little difficulty in finding the way to his or her goal. For each of us there come times of slowing up. Some of these may be of our own choosing. Or God may allow us to be laid low for a while or to direct us onto a path or in a direction we had not thought of going. Illness may intervene to interrupt our plans. Even at times like this, the great mercy of God can be at work. It could be that at these moments our souls are much sicker than our bodies. But many of us do not realize this until the physical breakdown comes. As we are thus stopped while travelling on the “roundabout,” we are given time to consider the way that we are taking. Our celebration of Christmas can well be one of those times of the year when we find ourselves simply going in circles. We can get carried away in all the hustle and bustle and forget the real reason for the season! Whenever these moments come, let us navigate them rightly. There is a destination ahead. We were not meant to dream, drift, and wander aimlessly. Ours is a high and honoured calling to depart from those things that the devil, the world, and our own sinful flesh would have us do endlessly, going round in circles. The direction that God gives us is, “to go forward!” To live the redeemed life that God has come to give us in His coming in the flesh as the Christ-child who was born in a stable in Bethlehem, placed in a wooden manger, and whose goal was to die on a cross 33 years later to procure your and my salvation! Rev. Paul Zabel
East District News
Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia Ilene Fortin, editor
Eganville youth confesses Christian Faith
50th anniversary of ordination celebrated in Trenton
(l-r) Rev. Paul Zabel, Mrs. Beverly Maleske, Rev. Allen Maleske, Rev. Kevin Walrath
EGANVILLE, Ont. - On October 28 (Reformation Day observed) confirmand Jacob Schroeder publically confessed the Christian faith as taught in Luther’s Small Catechism, at Zion Lutheran Church. During the Rite of Confirmation, Jacob and Rev. Daniel Barr stood facing each other with the font between them—the same font where Jacob was baptized 12 years ago. Rev. Daniel Barr
“Bells for Peace” rang out in Kurtzville KURTZVILLE, Ont. - As the sun set on November 11, the bell of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church started tolling out over the fields of Perth county. In keeping with the request
Gregory Taplay tolls the bell
TRENTON, Ont. - Quinte Lutheran Church hosted a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the ordination of Rev. Allen Maleske. Quinte joined forces with their sister church, Our Saviour in Kingston, for this special gathering of family and friends, both near and far. A special service with Rev. Paul Zabel, East District President, was held September 22,
followed by a dinner reception in the church hall. Rev. Kevin Walrath was liturgist and Mrs. Pat Geick was organist for the service. Since retiring as East District President in 2009, Rev. Maleske has served as a part-time district missionary in Kingston and area. Leif Laakso
Lively Lutherans hosts mystery dinner theatre S T R AT F O R D , Ont. - The Lively Lutherans group at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church began their fall schedule with a mystery dinner theatre where the audience was encouraged to guess the identity of the Mrs. R. Snick (Marlene Alles), Bishop Ortho Dox (Bob Schallhorn) “perpetrator.” Dinner and Dr. Quack (Susan McEwen) was pot luck, and invited members of surrounding group that was started 27 Lutheran Church–Canada churches years ago. Former Pastor Mayo also attended. As they say in the a n d Ad e l m a M e l l e c k e, a n d theatre, “It was a smashing success!” congregation member Marion (after all, we are home of the famous Kalbfleisch were instrumental in its Stratford Festival). founding. Lively Lutherans is a seniors Sharon Kearsey from the Royal Canadian Legion, the church’s youth took turns tolling the bell one hundred times to mark the 100th anniversary of the Armistice that ended the First World War. The
bell tolling was followed by the singing of “O Canada” and an Act of Remembrance with a moment of silence. The congregation then continued next page
THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN November/December 2018
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East District News
Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia Ilene Fortin, editor
2018 East District Convention East District President retires
Rev. Paul Zabel, East District President (2009-2018) will be retiring at the end of December 2018. Resolution 18-1-08 was adopted at convention to express thanks for Pastor Zabel’s service to God and His Church over many decades and in many locations, by many means.
First Regional Pastor elected
New Circuit Counsellors and RMMC
Newly-elected circuit counsellors: Revs. Kevin Walrath (Hamilton), Brian Dunlop (Hanover), Richard Orlowski (Kitchener), Kurt Lantz (Niagara), David Smilek (Ottawa), John Trembulak III (Stratford), Matthew Habermas (Toronto), and Kirk Radford (Windsor). The new Regional Mission & Ministry Council are Steve Otterman (Hanover), Gerrald Klages (Stratford), Stephen Klinck (Kitchener), Ron Groskleg (Ottawa), David Chant (Toronto), James Krestick (Windsor), Dan Putzman (Niagara), Paul Otterman (Hamilton), and an individual yet to be named for London circuit.
Newly Elected Board of Directors for East District Corporation [no photo available] Clergy: Revs. Milton Lam, Robert Morley, Richard Orlowski, Paul Schallhorn; Lay: Al Feth, Lois Griffin, Reg Tiegs, Robert Klages, Ray Taylor. Responsibilities for the new Board of Directors begins on January 1, 2019. Rev. Marvin Bublitz was elected as the first Regional Pastor for the newly-named East Region, effective January 1, 2019. Rev. Bublitz will hold ecclesiastical oversight for the East Region reporting to LCC President, Rev. Timothy Teuscher.
Visit the East District website at www.lcceastdistrict.ca
Send news, photos, articles and announcements to: Ilene Fortin, regional editor easteditor@lutheranchurch.ca
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The East District website (lcceast. ca) lists all 38 honourees remembered at the Jubilarian and Memorial Service (select Bulletin Board then District Convention). More convention information will be posted on the East District website once the convention Proceedings are published. Notice of these publications will also appear in the EN3. Bells for Peace, continued prayed the Service of Evening Prayer with special intercessions being made for world peace and for the protection and blessing of members of the Canadian Armed Forces. The bulletin listed the names of congregation members who served in the First World War. These names were gleaned from early board meeting minutes which noted the
THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN November/December 2018
East District Archivist retires
After 22 years (1996-2018) as archivist at the Malinsky Memorial Archives, Mrs. Carol Nagel is retiring—a fact that was recognized by Resolution 18-1-03 at the recent East District Convention. Beginning January 2019, Ms. Kim Teuscher will be the interim archivist.
congregation had decided to give each of the young men a New Testament and prayer book on their departure, and send them a 9-pound care box for Christmas when they were serving overseas. The prayer service was followed by a soup and chili supper hosted by the youth group. Rev. Kurt Reinhardt
Mission News www.canadianlutheran.ca
LCC International Mission Executive has a busy start WINNIPEG - After being installed as International Missions Executive of Lutheran Church–Canada, Rev. Mark Smith has jumped into the position with both feet. Smith was installed on Tuesday, September 11th, and then attended a forum in Honduras later the same week along with representatives f ro m T h e L u t h e ra n C h u rc h Missouri Synod (LCMS) and Iglesia Luterana Sínodo de Nicaragua. There, Rev. Smith met with church representatives from Nicaragua to discuss the current situation in their country. In October, following a meeting with Canadian Lutheran World Re l i e f ’ s B o a rd o f D i re c t o r s , Rev. Smith attended District Conventions in Winnipeg, S h e r wo o d Pa r k , A l b e r t a a n d London, Ontario. Rev. Smith then travelled to Costa Rica to officiate over the installation of Rev. Edmundo Retana as the Missionary at Large for Costa Rica. He also met with c h u rc h re p re s e n t a t i ve s f ro m Nicaragua and LCMS to discuss the future of the Costa Rica mission. While in Costa Rice, Rev. Smith also visited the Children of Love Orphanage in La Paz. I n N ove m b e r, Rev. S m i t h travelled to Cambodia and Thailand for several weeks where he attended a meeting with the Board of Directors of the Cambodia Lutheran Church. Rev. Smith, along with Dr. Leonard Harms, met with pastors of the Thailand Concordia Lutheran Church to discuss the mission in the south of Thailand. Rev. Smith also visited the Garuna Lutheran School in Kamot, Cambodia and Concordia Welfare & Education Foundation Daycare in Bangkok, Thailand, as well as congregations throughout both countries.
THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN November/December 2018
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CANADIAN
LUTHERAN.ca More than a magazine.
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www.canadianlutheran.ca
THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN November/December 2018
Education News www.canadianlutheran.ca
Annual Call for CLS Award Nominations EDMONTON - Concordia Lutheran Seminary in Edmonton wants to ask you a question: Do you know someone who has given greatly of themselves in service to the Church? This could be a dedicated pastor, deacon, or layperson who has done much for the Kingdom of God. In order to honor those who have been such dedicated servants for Jesus’ sake, the faculty and Board of Regents of Concordia Lutheran Seminary, Edmonton, invite individuals, congregations, and Boards of Lutheran Church– Canada to submit the names of persons to be considered for one of the seminary’s honorary degrees and awards. The purpose of these honorary degrees and awards is to acknowledge outstanding service to the Church, Lutheran Church– Canada, the seminary, and the
community. Available degrees are: Doctor of Laws (LL.D), Doctor of Letters (Litt.D.), and Doctor of Divinity (D.D.). Available awards
Contact: Dr. Jennifer Frim, faculty secretary Concordia Lutheran Seminary 7040 Ada Blvd. Edmonton, AB T5B 4E3 are: Faith in Life, Friend of the Seminary, and Doulos Dia Iesoun. These degrees and awards are intended to honor church workers
Annual Call for CLTS Award Nominations ST. CATHARINES, Ont. - Each May at the annual Call Service Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary has the opportunity to confer two major awards on worthy pastors or lay members of Lutheran Church–Canada. The recipient of the Friend of the Seminary award is nominated by the faculty or Board of Regents for making a significant contribution to the well-being of the seminary.
and laity who have served the Church in particularly meaningful ways. If you know of someone who you think deserves an honorary degree or award, please contact Dr. Jennifer Frim for a listing of the descriptions of the awards and nomination forms. Completed forms must be received by January 1, 2019, for consideration. Degrees and awards will be presented at the seminary’s Sacred Convocation on May 24, 2019.
The Delta Chi Medal, by contrast, is awarded by the seminary on behalf of the wider church. This “highest and most distinguished award” is “presented to an individual, either clergy or lay, whose life exemplifies service to Christ in his/her everyday living and vocation.” In nominating, one should consider the person’s service to the local congregation, the community, the synodical d i s t r i c t , t h e c h u rc h a t l a rg e, church service organisations, and educational institutions. Delta Chi refers to the initials of the Greek expression διάκονος χριστοῦ “servant of Christ”. Anyone in LCC may nominate a candidate for the Delta Chi award. No current faculty or board member is eligible. Please submit your nomination in writing to the seminary or via e-mail to concordia@brocku.ca. The deadline for nominations is January 10, 2019.
Phone: 1-780-474-1468 ext. 223 Fax: 1-780-479-3067 Email: jfrim@concordiasem.ab.ca
In Case You Missed It: CLS Reformation Day Chapel Service EDMONTON - Concordia Lutheran Seminary in Edmonton hosted its annual Reformation Day Chapel Service on Wednesday, October 31. The service commemorated the 501 st anniversary of the onset of the Reformation; October 31, 1517 marks the date when Martin Luther sent his works to the Archbishop of Mainz as well as the date when he nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg. If you missed attending the Reformation Day Chapel Service. you can still watch it by going CLS’ YouTube page at: www.youtube.com/user/ ConcordiaLutheranSem.
THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN November/December 2018
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Education News www.canadianlutheran.ca
Advent Lessons and Carols Service 2018
Accreditation Visit to CLTS
ST. CATHARINES, Ont. - The seminary community warmly invited members of the public to their service of Advent Lessons and Carols. This treasured annual event took place this year on the Second S u n d ay i n Ad ve n t o n December 9, 2018. The seminary faculty, staff, and students were joined by the choirs of Grace and Resurrection Lutheran churches, together with their own Seminary Chorus. As members of the seminary community read lessons from the prophets that prepare for Christ’s coming, the congregation and choirs sang beloved Advent hymns and carols. The service
S T. CAT H A R I N E S , O n t . Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary in St. Catharines is undergoing a review of its accreditation with the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) in the US and Canada. An evaluation c o m m i t t e e f ro m AT S w i l l b e visiting the seminary on January 21-24, 2019. Those who wished to comment on the seminary’s qualifications for accreditation were invited to do so in written form. These comments, which were due by December 14, 2018, will be passed on to the evaluation committee.
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culminated with the announcement of the Christmas Gospel, by which the students anticipate Christmas just before leaving for the holidays.
THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN November/December 2018
MEDIA in Mission
News from Lutheran Laymen’s League of Canada and Lutheran Hour Ministries Partnering with You in HIS mission
www.LLL.ca
2018
Reaching out in Fort McMurray Media that is above board
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ecently we have been partnering with some mission-minded pastors and church workers who are looking for ways to breach the mission field here in Canada. It has become increasingly difficult to be a witness to others—and yet there are brothers and sisters in Christ who have sought out ways to share God’s love in unique ways. One such situation is in the remote oil and gas city of Fort McMurray Alberta, where Pastor Keith Haberstock has found a way to grab people’s attention and invite them to come and ask him: So What?
LHM RESOURCES at your fingertips! Free APPS are available for Daily Devotions, The Lutheran Hour , video-based Bible studies and more. Visit lhm.org/apps or download from the app store for your device. ©
www.LLL.ca
Reaching out with billboards in Fort McMurray.
Pastor Keith provides the text and together we work with a young designer to find the right image for his intended message. The finished product is then projected on a 10’ by 20’ digital billboard for two weeks each month. Pastor Keith’s billboard always includes the congregation’s website and an invitation for passersby to logon, visit him and ask questions. On the Trinity Lutheran Fort McMurray webpage there is a greeting specifically for people who have landed there after seeing
From Trinity’s website.
the billboard. There is an invitation to meet face to face, a message on the monthly theme, and links to resources such as the new Project Connect booklets Who is Jesus? and
Why did Jesus die? You can check it out yourself at www.trinitylcfm.org. Drop Pastor Keith a note, let him know you are praying for him, his congregation and their active ministry.
An exciting time for outreach in print and on-line
I
t’s an exciting time to be working in outreach, both in Canada and abroad. The emergence of technology in all aspects of our lives provides many new ways to reach the lonely, hurting, lost and alone. It is exciting to partner with you in His ministry, and we are blessed to be part of Lutheran Hour Ministries and all the tools and talents they are willing to share with us. Check out the new Project Connect booklets; Who is Jesus, Why did Jesus die and What is faith in Jesus. These new resources written by Lutheran Hour Ministries, and available through LLL Canada, are designed to support your outreach efforts by answering the most basic
questions of Christian faith. These three new booklets pair nicely with the Christian Foundations category of online courses available through LHM Learn. Haven’t heard about LHM Learn yet? Go to www.lhm.org/ learn to create your free account. Once set up you will have access to devotions and studies created by our trusted partners from Lutheran Hour Ministries. LHM Learn is a multimedia on-line resource available
for anyone to use—anytime and anywhere. New courses and materials are constantly being added and are optimized for use on your laptop, tablet or even your phone. The courses were designed for both independent reflection and group study. Even if you have never led a Bible study before the courses walk themselves through
each section—telling you when and where to stop for discussion— and provide all the tools needed to make you feel comfortable leading a group through each section. There are instructions on how to prepare to lead a group, self-reflection worksheets and external resources for further study. Along with Christian Foundations, LHM Learn offers courses in the areas of Cultural Concepts, Everyday Insights, Outreach Essentials and Spiritual Reflections.
The choice is yours
LLL Canada
Partnering with You in HIS mission Media in Mission is published by Lutheran Laymen’s League of Canada and its Lutheran Hour Ministries. LLL Canada’s mission is to assist in the proclamation of the Gospel by creating, distributing and promoting resources through various media and equipping Christians for outreach. Board of Directors: President, Ian Adnams, Richmond, BC; Directors Gord Schoepp, Onoway, AB; Marilyn Jacobi, Kitchener, ON; Joel Haberstock, Coldstream BC; Stephen Braaten, Regina, SK. Lutheran Laymen’s League of Canada 270 Lawrence Ave. Kitchener, ON, N2M 1Y4 1-800-555-6236 • www.LLL.ca
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ur commitment to being good stewards of your gifts means we are always looking for ways to improve and make sure the money you donate for ministry and outreach is being used effectively and responsibly. As a part of that effort we are excited to offer e-receipting starting in January 2019. We encourage everyone to participate in the manner you are most comfortable with. Whether that means moving to annual receipts,
THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN November/December 2018
e-receipts or even choosing for all your communication from us to arrive electronically, there are many ways you can help keep administrative costs down and ensure ministry dollars are being spent to bring Christ to the nations. The opportunity to indicate your choice will be outlined in upcoming communications or let us know your preference right away by contacting us at 1-800-555-6236 or helpful@lll.ca.
Cristo para todos las naciones (CPTLN) working hard in Nicaragua
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s you may have heard, things are not quite right in Nicaragua. On April 18, this mostly peaceful country erupted in violence as students, pensioners and workers in Nicaragua protested changes to the social security system. There are varying reports on the number of people killed by police and military— ranging anywhere from 500 to 2,000. The country is now a “mess” as reported by some, and “stable” as described by others. One thing is certain—with the travel advisory by both the American and Canadian governments the number one employer—tourism— has seen job loss in the tens of thousands. In the midst of all this, our faithful servant Ricardo Arguello—
director of Cristo para todos las naciones (CPTLN)— continues to CPTLN team lead his team of staff and volunteers to reach out to those who are seeking CPTLN classes for students comfort in these turbulent times. Literally the riots, roadblocks translated as Christ for and threats to safety. all Nations, the Lutheran During the month of Hour Ministries office in April—the early days of Nicaragua is busier than protesting and attacks on ever. Ricardo tells us civilians—Ricardo shared that their office is being with us how he had been asked to come and speak taking precautions and at schools now more ensured that travel by than ever. Their biblical representatives was kept context is invited as they to a minimum. provide workshops on While the main moral living. The team of streets and highways staff and volunteers barely were impassable due to slowed down despite blockades, the team was
out working in rural areas, doing home visits and distributing lessons. The Bible course was started for the new fiscal year where enrolment and participation remain steady. Once the initial demonstrations of violence had ceased the team was back out visiting all the congregations and schools. The pastors and deaconesses of the Nicaraguan Synod received their supply of booklets for outreach at the monthly check-in at the synod office in Chinandega.
Retired Managing Director Stephen Klinck recognized by LLL Canada
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ctober was a busy month in the LLL Canada office as the annual board meeting and Annual General Meeting (AGM) were held in Kitchener. New members were installed to serve on the five-member board of directors at the AGM, held at Faith Lutheran Church. Joining the board are Marilyn Jacobi (Kitchener) and Joel Haberstock (Coldstream, B.C.). Stephen
Braaten (Regina, Sask.) was also installed, filling the vacancy left by Stan Diehl (London, Ont.), who resigned from the board in September. Continuing, are Ian Adnams (Richmond, B.C.) as president and Gordon Schoepp (Onaway, Alta.), who serves as treasurer. The new members replace Ed Tiefenbach (Regina) and Clarence Elle (Calgary).
Stephen Klinck addresses group.
New managing director, Lisa Jackson, shared an update on the ministry and outreach
projects underway in Canada. Lisa invited questions, asked for prayers and encouraged attendees to get involved in the new league initiatives. Prior to the meeting LLL members, supporters and friends honoured Stephen Klinck at a luncheon meet-and-greet. Stephen served the LLL for over 30 years—most recently as Managing Director.
Both new and familiar voices heard on The Lutheran Hour
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raditionally we have been given the airtime to have a Canadian speaker share the Lutheran Hour message to Canadians for Canada Day and Canadian Thanksgiving. This year we were blessed with the opportunity to have our Canadian Speaker heard by all listeners of the Lutheran Hour, wherever it is being broadcast. In the October 7 message titled “God Created,” Rev. Perry Hart of Bethel Lutheran Church in Kitchener, Ont., challenged listeners to respect the “Precious Gift
of Life.” Listeners from as far away as California reached out to let us know how much they appreciated Rev. Perry Hart and his family the message Lutheran Hour Ministries from Pastor Hart. (LHM) and more. If you missed the Shortly after the message, you can hear Canadian broadcast it on-line at www.lll. and coinciding with the ca under MESSAGES 501st celebration of the OF HOPE, an online Reformation, Dr. Michael destination housing Zeigler made his debut archived messages, French as the ninth man to be resources, podcasts from
called The Lutheran Hour Speaker. Dr. Zeigler brings a vibrant new style in his delivery of the message that has amazing outreach potential. On any given Sunday you might hear him singing, quoting movies in his illustrations and sharing personal reflections related to the text. His energy reaches out across the airwaves and knocks me out of my comfort zone. Gone are my lazy Sunday mornings of listening to the soothing voice of Rev. Klaus as I get ready for church.
Lisa Jackson
Congregation partners with LLL Creative thinking assists with outreach effort
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ne of LLL’s mandates is to assist in telling the Good News of Jesus Christ by creating, distributing and promoting resources through various media and equipping Christians for outreach. Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, in London, Ont., is planning an ambitious outreach initiative in their community and asked LLL for help
in creating the right resource. Creative thinking and help from our partners at LHM in St. Louis has facilitated the creation of a customized version of the pamphlet What Lutherans Believe. Using the relatively empty spaces on the LHMproduced brochure we were able to incorporate specific details about the Good Shepherd congregation and service times. The congregation will work with a direct mail ad company to get a copy of their customized version of What Lutherans Believe into 40 000 mailboxes. The congregation prays that those who receive the brochure will see a personal connection and have somewhere they can call or visit when the spirit calls them. Customizing this brochure is a great way for any congregation looking for unique resources to help inform and welcome people to their church. If you would like to do something similar—or have an exciting outreach initiative and would like to collaborate with us, please reach out. lll.ca, www.facebook.com.LutheranLaymensLeagueCanada/, helpful@lll.ca or 1-800-555-6236
In Review: Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald Losing the magic
by Ted Giese
F
antastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is the second Harry Potter prequel by director David Yates under the Fantastic Beasts title penned for the screen by J.K. Rowling. It continues the story started in 2016’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them which introduced audiences to the character Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne), a mild-mannered wizard and cryptozoologist with an interest in mythical and fantastical magical beasts who reluctantly finds himself drawn into a byzantine plot to stop the dangerous Voldemortesque Gellert Grindelwald (played by Johnny Depp). Rowling and Yates set these films in the 1920s, the first in New York City providing an American flair to the Harry Potter Universe, and this new entry around Paris, France adding a continental European side to this ever-expanding world. Gone are the days when Harry Potter films were confined primarily to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. While the first Fantastic Beasts film was light on Harry Potter crossover content and tidbits, The Crimes of Grindelwald is bent on cramming in as many Harry Potter reminders as possible including a much younger and more dapper Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law)—a character that emerges as a key part of the developing plot. As a result, The Crimes of Grindelwald expects a lot of its viewers; casual viewers may not fully grasp the importance of certain details and how characters are connected. There are familiar names and places mentioned but unless viewers do a little digging, they may miss the fact that the circus performer who transforms into a snake (Claudia Kim) and who will be doomed to eventually live permanently as a snake is actually Nagini, Voldemort’s pet python from the Harry Potter films. They may also miss that Leta Lestrange (Zoë Kravitz) is some
kind of great aunt by marriage to Bellatrix Lestrange, one of Voldemort’s “Death Eaters.” Are any of these details important to the Harry Potter story? Time will tell. But it isn’t just internal story details the film expects viewers to keep in mind. Audiences are also expected to remember that in 2007 while in New York City’s Carnegie Hall at a public reading of her book Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in front of around 1,600 young fans someone asked Rowling, “Did Dumbledore, who believed in the prevailing power of love, ever fall in love himself?” to which she replied, “My truthful answer to you... I always thought of Dumbledore as gay.” Rowling and Yates expect viewers to know about this because they provide no clear exposition to explain it in this film. Knowing this tidbit helps make sense of some dialogue between London’s Ministry of Magic head, Torquil Travers (Derek Riddell), and Dumbledore. Travers, while seeking to enlist Dumbledore in a campaign against Grindelwald, says, “You and Grindelwald were as close as brothers,” to which D u m b l e d o re re p l i e s , “ O h we were closer than brothers.” In addition, flashbacks show teenaged Dumbledore and Grindelwald making a blood pact, and Dumbledore seeing Grindelwald
while staring into the Mirror of Erised, which, according to Albus Dumbledore in 2001’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, shows the “deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts.” Ian McKellen, an openly gay actor who played another famous fictional wizard, Gandalf, in The Lord of The Rings films, expressed his disappointment that Dumbledore isn’t presented as “explicitly” gay in The Crimes of Grindelwald. U n d o u b t e d l y there will be many in the LBGTQ community equally disappointed that audiences didn’t see a teenaged Dumbledore and Grindelwald kiss to make it abundantly clear the nature of their relationship. Ro w l i n g a n d Ya t e s f i n d themselves in a bit of a pickle; on one hand they want to appease social justice warriors and be seen as landing on “the right side of history,” while on the other hand they want to maximize the earnings of this and subsequent films. Due to Harry Potter’s very broad appeal, including openly gay content could potentially lose them revenue and may impact their film’s MPAA rating, skewing it towards an older audience. It might even lose some of their family audience demographic. Christian families and viewers will want to consider this when a p p ro a c h i n g The Crimes of Grindelwald and future Harry
THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN September/October 2018
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Potter film projects. With this new film, Dumbledore’s gay sexuality moves from a side comment at a public Q&A with the author to a plot point in one of the films—and not a small part of the film either. This character trait becomes the driving force at the heart of this and any future films. The revelation about the past relationship between Dumbledore and the villain Grindelwald will potentially impact the whole Fantastic Beasts franchise. All the characters in the film are essentially now forced to pick sides in a proxy war between gay ex-lovers who promised not to fight each other: Newt Scamander on the side of Dumbledore and the Magical Establishment versus the ever-evolving character Credence Barebone (Ezra Miller), the tragic lost soul of a villain from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, on the side of deceptive Grindelwald a n d a re b e l l i o n s e e k i n g to overthrow the Magical Establishment and its rules. The film provides additional social commentary in the form of a prohibition against marriage between Magical people and Muggles, No-Maj’s and Can’t-Spells (people outside the Magical World). Grindelwald’s revolution promises to do away with this prohibition, but at the same time Grindelwald expresses his desire to use non-magical people as simple labourers in an aristocratic world run by Magic over and against the human sciences. The returning characters Queenie Goldstein (Alison Sudol) the mind reading witch, and her boyfriend the affable baker and Newt Scamander’s NoMaj side kick Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler), who for reasons of love end up on opposite sides of the conflict, are most obviously impacted by this prohibition. This marriage prohibition, even when the couple are deeply in love, is part of the
traditional order within the Harry Potter Universe and could be an analogy to the question of samesex marriage in today’s world. This circles back on itself, suggesting that this same way of thinking in Rowling’s and Yates’ fictional 1920s Harry Potter Universe kept Dumbledore and Grindelwald apart when they were younger, although this is not explicitly stated in the film. This leads to bigger questions: Is this film about upholding traditional values (the good guys are aligned with them) or is it about bringing social justice to people who are “oppressed” by a system that doesn’t care about their feelings?
two fun, fantastic beasts like the Zouwu, a gigantic five-coloured elephant-sized cat lifted from Chinese mythology, overall The Crimes of Grindelwald is rather drab and listless, sometimes fun while watching, but kind of dreary and confused upon reflection. Some people find the whole Harry Potter franchise suspicious due to its focus on magic, witches, and wizards. These same people— and now more—have additional reason to take pause as J.K. Rowling appears to have joined those desiring to infuse every story with LGBTQ content. Even if the story’s magical elements are less occult and more make-believe faux-Latin wand-waving, this new content with its implications for the Dumbledore/Grindelwald relationship is more serious. Casual viewers may miss exactly what seeds are being sown as audiences are left to piece it together as they watch. It seems a losing proposition to attempt to capture the “magic” of a previous franchise with a sequel, prequel, or spinoff. Star Wars has struggled with this challenge, as have many others in the current Hollywood frenzy to remake or repurpose every franchise available. After watching two Fantastic Beasts films, it appears that no amount of hocus-pocus can conjure up the same magic audiences experienced the first time around with the original Harry Potter films and books.
Is this film about upholding traditional values or is it about bringing social justice to people who are “oppressed” by a system that doesn’t care about their feelings?
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Or is it just a commentary on the current real-world times that form the backdrop for these films and their audiences? Viewers may well leave this film confused as to what is truly going on. This may be by design; perhaps the only ones who really know are Rowling and Yates. In the end, the film has a little too much going on and needs a narrower focus. Newt Scamander and his fantastic beasts along with his potential romance with American Auror Tina Goldstein (Katherine Waterston) end up taking a back seat. Much of what the previous film set up is set aside. While it does have some entertaining moments and one or
THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN November/December 2018
Rev. Ted Giese is lead pastor of Mount Olive Lutheran Church, Regina; a contributor to LCMS Reporter; and movie reviewer for the “Issues, Etc.” radio program.
Transitions
Transitions
Transitions
ABC DISTRICT
Deacon Leanne Zimmer, resigned and removed from roster, November 2018.
EAST DISTRICT
Rev. Ron Abresch to Emeritus, January 2018. Rev. Forrest Stroup to Emeritus, January 2018. Holy Cross Lutheran Church (Kimberly, B.C.), resigned and removed from roster, April 2018. St . Pe te r ’s L u t h e ra n M i s s o n (Invermere, B.C.), resigned and removed from roster, April 2018. Trinity Lutheran Church (Fernie, B.C.), resigned and removed from roster, April 2018. Mount Zion Lutheran Church (Cranbrook , B.C.) resigned and removed fro roster, April 2018. Rev. Daniel Kitsch to Candidate Status, June 2018.
Deacon Alyx Quinlan, resigned and removed from roster, 2018. Rev. Scott Lyons, Hope Evangelical Ltheran Church (Victoria, B.C.) to Bethlehem Lutheran (Edmonton, Alberta). CENTRAL DISTRICT Rev. James Schnarr to Emeritus, February 2018. Rev. Dr. Leonardo Neitzel to Emeritus (ABC District), April 2018. S t . Pa u l ’s L u t h e r a n C h u r c h (Springside, Saskatchewan), disbanded and removed from roster, April 2018. Rev. Neil Otke to Emeritus, June 2018.
Rev. Lorne Manweiller, removed from roster, September 2018.
Rev. Bryan Rosnau to Emeritus, June 2018.
Rev. Jay Holdner, removed from roster, November 2018.
Deacon Kari Otke to Emeritus, June 2018.
Rev. Thompson Mok, removed from roster, November 2018.
Rev. Mark Just, Candidate, to Immanuel Lutheran Church (Winnipeg, Manitoba).
Rev. Jeffry Nilsson, resigned and removed from roster, November 2018. Deacon Ralph Arndt, resigned and removed from roster, November 2018. Deacon Susan Bernhardt, removed from roster, November 2018. Deacon Chelsea Chapman, removed from roster, November 2018.
Rev. Geoff Johnston, Holy Trinity ( L u t h e ra n C h u rc h o f A u s t ra l i a ) (Hampstead, South Australia) to Trinity Lutheran (Churchbridge, Saskatchewan).
Rev. Larr y Gajdos to Emeritus, January 2018. Rev. Ralph Schmidt to Emeritus, March 2018. Rev. Gary Weber (Reinstatement Pastor) to Emeritus, April 2018. Rev. Daniel Kitsch to Emeritus, June 2018. Rev. Gary Kuenzel, resigned from roster, June 2018. First Lutheran Church (Kingsvile, Ontario), resigned and removed from roster, June 2018. Rev. Kevin Walrath to Emeritus, August 2018. Rev. WIlliam Choul, Pastor, Hope Lutheran (LCMS) (Kitchener, Ontario) to Assistant Pastor, Holy Cross Lutheran (Kitchener, Ontario). Installation: November 18, 2018. Rev. Dr. Wilhelm Torgerson, Professor (Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary, St. Catharines, O n t a r i o ) t o A s s i s t a n t P a s t o r, First Lutheran (Windsor, Ontario). Installation: December 14, 2018. David Faerber to Lutheran F o u n d a t i o n ’s E a s t R e g i o n G i f t Coordinator, January 15, 2019.
Rev. Paulo Brum, Campus Chaplain/ Professor (Lutheran Church in Brazil) to New Beginnings Lutheran (Regina, Saskatchewan).
Deacon Shelaine Clasper, removed from roster, November 2018. Deacon Nicole Colban, removed from roster, November 2018. Deacon Michelle Gehring, removed from roster, November 2018. Deacon Laura Goerz, resigned and removed from roster, November 2018. Deacon Keith Kruse, resigned and removed from roster, November 2018. Deacon Cynthia Weitzel, removed from roster, November 2018.
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In Memorium Rev. Lawrence Rudolf Koehler entered into glory on February 17, 2018 in Maple Ridge, British Columbia. R e v . Koehler was born on September 21, 1942. He was predeceased by his loving wife of 51 years, Caroline. Lawrence is survived by sons John (Jennifer) and Darren (Cara), daughter Janet (Alois), grandchildren Matthew, Kristen, Estelle, Evan, Grace, and Brett, sister Joan Striha, niece and nephew Caroline (Brent) Rieu and Mike (Donna) Striha and their families, and his church, curling, and lawn bowling families. A funeral was held at St. Luke Lutheran Church in Surrey, B.C. on February 27. In lieu of flowers, memorials were requested to be made to the St. Luke Memorial Fund. Rev. Mayo Erwin Mellecke, emeritus pastor, died in his residence at Highland Place in K i t c h e n e r, Ontario on April 12, 2018 at age 85. R e v . Mellecke was born on October 27, 1932 in Stillwater, Minnesota, the only child of Herman and Mabel Mellecke. He was baptized December 4, 1932 and confirmed August 1, 1946. Rev. Mellecke married Aldema Lillian Heintz on August 12, 1956. They were blessed with five sons and two daughters. Mayo was predeceased by his wife, Adelma; son, Peter; and his parents. He is survived by his children; David (Donna), Daniel (Elizabeth), Jonathan (Pauline), Judith, Rachel (Tim Kuhl) and Paul (Jennifer); grandchildren Melissa (Derek
38
Millar), Charleen (John Rapp), Adam, Allison, Elise, James, Christopher, Christina, Sara, Peter, Sophie and Kaitlyn ; and great grandchildren Jasmine, John J, Alexander. Rev. Mellecke served Lutheran Church–Canada churches in all three Districts and five provinces (Manitoba, Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Ontario) following his ordination in 1957. A funeral service was held at Historic St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Kitchener on April 27, 2018. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations were requested for Lutherans for Life-Canada or Diabetes Canada. Rev. John Stefan Obeda went to be with his Lord and Saviour on November 9, 2018 at the age of 89. J o h n leaves behind Marian, his faithful wife of 61 years, sons John (Suzanna), Stephen (Heather), Paul, and his five grandchildren: Michael (Dena), David (Mikaela), Kristen, Katie, and Grace. He is survived by his sister-in-law Ann DeLuca, his cousins, nieces, and nephews. Preceding him are his dear parents, sister Mildred, brother-in-law Elmer Slabon, and nephew Wayne. He attended worship services at Faith Lutheran Church, London. Among other passions, he was an avid rose gardener, a member of the William Saunders Rose Society and the Lambeth Horticultural Society. A funeral service was held at Faith Lutheran Church in London, Ontario on November 16, 2018, with internment taking place at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church Cemetery in Rhineland, Ontario where John served as pastor in the early 1970s. In lieu of flowers, donations were invited for Faith Congregation’s Memorial Fund, Lutherans for Life-Canada, the London Area
THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN November/December 2018
Right to Life, and the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition. Rev. Dr. Andres Taul, Archibishop Emeritus of the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran C h u r c h ( E E L C ) , passed away in Haliburtons, Ontario on April 23, 2018 after a long illness. The EELC congregations of expatriate Estonians worldwide elected Dr. Taul as their archbishop in 2007. He helped restore unity of the EELC abroad with the historically ruling Archbishopric in Estonia which the Iron Curtain of World War II had separated in 1944. This significant unification was celebrated in November of 2010. Dr. Taul was honored with the title of EELC Archbishop Emeritus upon his retirement. In recognition of his many contributions, he received in 2009, the Degree of Honorary Doctor of the University of Tartu. He had been honoured with the EELC First Order of Achievement Medal; the Estonian President’ s IV Order, Red Cross Medal; and the EELC Lifetime Achievement Award. A funeral was held at St. Peters Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church in Toronto on May 26, 2018. Rev. Donald Erwin Unterschultz was embraced into the arms o f h i s L o rd and Saviour Jesus Christ on November 6, 2018. R e v . Unterschultz was born December 5, 1931. His love for God, his family, and the church were central to his purpose in life. Don will be lovingly remembered by his
The Canadian Lutheran 2018 Index beloved wife of 58 years, Doreen (née Schneider), his children Brian (Heather), Donna, Eleanor (Ken) Benterud; his grandchildren, Hannah and Emily Unterschultz; Alexander and Nathan Benterud. A funeral service was held November 10, 2018 at Grace Lutheran Church in Calgary. Interment was held November 12 at St Peter’s Lutheran Cemetery in Nisku, Alberta. Donations were invited for Grace Lutheran Church, The Lutheran Hour, Heart and Stroke Foundation, or another charity of one’s choice. Rev. Harold John Ziprick passed away at the age of 91 on J a n u a r y 10 , 2018, following a courageous battle with cancer. R e v . Z i p r i c k wa s born October 4, 1926 in Inglis, Manitoba. He married Loleta (“Lollie”) Litzenberger in 1950, and called that the best event of his life. He and his family moved to attend seminary in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in in 1967. He subsequently learned sign language, and served as a pastor of Lutheran Church to the Deaf in Calgary, Alberta for decades. A funeral service for Rev. Ziprick was held at Foothills Lutheran Church in Calgary on January 13, 2018. In lieu of flowers, the family encouraged donations be made to Canadian Lutheran World Relief.
“And I heard a voice from heaven saying, ‘Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ‘Blessed indeed,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labours, for their deeds follow them!’” - Revelation 14:13
Table Talk
Bible-reading Habit by Lenora Buffi Vol. 33 No. 1 January/February Choose Life by Adrian Rhodes Vol. 33 No. 2 March/April When We Grieve by Darren Dressler Vol. 33 No. 3 May/June A Light in the Darkness by Mathew Block Vol. 33 No. 4 July/August That’s too Catholic! by Mathew Block Vol. 33 No. 5 September/October Draw us up, O Lord by Mathew Block Vol. 33 No. 6 November/December
Cover Stories & Features
A Reformation Unleashed by John R. Stephenson Vol. 33 No. 1 January/February Observing Lent in an Impenitent World by Kelly Klages Vol. 33 No. 1 January/February Meet the President Vol. 33 No. 1 January/February Back to the Catechism: Daily Prayers by Edward Kettner Vol. 33 No. 1 January/February The True Cross and the Truth by Stephen Chambers Vol. 33 No. 2 March/April S h a l l We g a t h e r a t t h e Gathering? by James Morgan Vol. 33 No. 2 March/April Back to the Catechism: Table of Duties by Edward Kettner Vol. 33 No. 2 March/April Indigenous People and the Christian Faith: A New Way Forward by Bill Anderson Vol. 33 No. 2 March/April An Oasis of Peace for Neighbours in Need by Ted Giese Vol. 33 No. 2 March/April Doing the Rite Thing by Michael Keith Vol. 33 No. 3 May/June
Humboldt – Still Strong by James Morgan Vol. 33 No. 3 May/June LWMLC: A Silver Celebration by Eloise Schaan Vol. 33 No. 3 May/June Back to the Catechism: Christian Questions & Answers by Edward Kettner Vol. 33 No. 3 May/June Lutherans and the Benedict Option by Esko Murto Vol. 33 No. 4 July/August Trust Not in Princes by John Hellwege Vol. 33 No. 4 July/August A Defense of Beauty by Kelly Klages Vol. 33 No. 5 September/October With Angels and Archangels by Thomas Winger Vol. 33 No. 5 September/October Lutherans and Sacraments by Edward Kettner Vol. 33 No. 5 September/October A Knife, a Sheepskin, Sandals, and a Flute: Shepherds at Work in the Fields of Bethlehem by Hans-Jörg Voigt Vol. 33 No. 6 November/December Singing the News of Christmas by Jonathan Kraemer Vol. 33 No. 6 November/December
International News
LCC, LCMS, and NALC Partner to Encourage Bible Reading Vol. 33 No. 1 January/February LCC Signs Fellowship Declaration with Finnish Confessional Lutherans Vol. 33 No. 1 January/February Situation for Converted Asylum Seekers Intensifies Vol. 33 No. 2 March/April Mission Society sets 2018 Agenda Vol. 33 No. 2 March/April Special Convention for German Lutheran Church Vol. 33 No. 3 May/June LCC Suspends Work in Costa Rica Vol. 33 No. 3 May/June LWF Unilaterally Suspends Regular Meetings with the International Lutheran Council Vol. 33 No. 4 July/August
THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN November/December 2018
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2018 Index (cont.) ILC Prepares for 2018 World Conference Vol. 33 No. 4 July/August Australian Pastors Conference Rejects Draft Doctrinal Statement on Women’s Ordination Vol. 33 No. 4 July/August New President for Ghana’s Lutherans Vol. 33 No. 4 July/August Malagasy Lutherans to Seek Fellowship with the LCMS Vol. 33 No. 4 July/August Fourth & Fifth Meeting of ILC & PCPCU Dialogue Group Vol. 33 No. 5 September/October ILC World Conference welcomes 17 new Member Churches Vol. 33 No. 5 September/October LWF Unilaterally Suspends Regular Meetings with the ILC Vol. 33 No. 5 September/October India Evangelical Lutheran C h u rc h l e a d e r s h i p d i s p u t e resolved Vol. 33 No. 6 November/December Darin Storkson named ILC Deputy General Secretary Vol. 33 No. 6 November/December Australian Lutherans reelect Bishop Henderson, decline women’s ordination Vol. 33 No. 6 November/December
National News
New LCC President Installed Vol. 33 No. 1 January/February Government Employment Program Creates Firestorm of Criticism Vol. 33 No. 1 January/February President Bugbee Sends Farewell Letter to Synod Vol. 33 No. 1 January/February New Executive Director for CLWR Vol. 33 No. 1 January/February Change Ahead for LLL-Canada Vol. 33 No. 1 January/February LCC Benefits & Pension Services Transform for the Future Vol. 33 No. 1 January/February LCC Board of Directors begins Transition Work Vol. 33 No. 2 March/April Planned Gifts Benefit LCC Constituents Vol. 33 No. 2 March/April
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Lutheran Women to Gather in Winnipeg Vol. 33 No. 2 March/April L a t e s t S t a t s S h ow D i p i n Membership, Rebound in Adults Confirmed Vol. 33 No. 3 May/June New Managing Director for LHM Office Vol. 33 No. 3 May/June New Director of Communications for LCC Vol. 33 No. 3 May/June Awards for Lutheran Publications Vol. 33 No. 3 May/June New Names for LCC Districts, Provisions for Diaconal Training Vol. 33 No. 4 July/August LCC Board Approves Framework for Election of Regional Mission and Ministry Council Vol. 33 No. 4 July/August LW M L - C a n a d a C e l e b r a t e s Anniversary with Introduction of a New Logo Vol. 33 No. 4 July/August Supreme Court Rules Against Trinity Western University Vol. 33 No. 4 July/August Worker Benefit Services Board Plans Future Strategic Planning Session Vol. 33 No. 4 July/August LWML Canada Leaders Meet in Calgary Vol. 33 No. 5 September/October A Christian Response to the Legalization of Marijuana Vol. 33 No. 5 September/October District Convention News and the Election of Regional Pastors Vol. 33 No. 5 September/October Transition to New Structure Continues at LCC Vol. 33 No. 6 November/December Changes to District News Vol. 33 No. 6 November/December Request for Participants in Worker Benefit Services Strategic Planning Workshop Vol. 33 No. 6 November/December
Mission News
Ukrainian Lutherans Celebrate Blessings Vol. 33 No. 1 January/February
THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN November/December 2018
Greek Classes Continue for Nicaraguan Pastors Vol. 33 No. 1 January/February Re b u i l d i n g C o n t i n u e s i n Cambodia Vol. 33 No. 1 January/February Seminar & Retreat for Central American Deaconesses Vol. 33 No. 2 March/April Giving Thanks in All Circumstances Vol. 33 No. 2 March/April Liturgy Workshop Inspires Nicaraguan Church Workers Vol. 33 No. 3 May/June L C C t o We l c o m e N e w International Mission Executive Vol. 33 No. 4 July/August LCC Seeking Domestic Mission Executive Vol. 33 No. 4 July/August LCC Responds to Situation in Nicaragua Vol. 33 No. 4 July/August Odessa Seminary Celebrates Graduation Vol. 33 No. 4 July/August New LCC International Mission Executive Installed Vol. 33 No. 5 September/October L C C ’ s Wo r k i n C o s t a R i c a Resumes Vol. 33 No. 5 September/October Crossroads 2018: Nigeria and Bible Translation Vol. 33 No. 5 September/October LCC International Mission Executive has a Busy Start Vol. 33 No. 6 November/December
Education News
Canadians Eligible for Financial Support at U.S. Concordia Vol. 33 No. 1 January/February New Book: Atheism and the Christian Faith Vol. 33 No. 1 January/February Open House Planned Vol. 33 No. 1 January/February LCC Seminary Regents Hold Joint Meeting Vol. 33 No. 2 March/April Reformation History Series Continues Vol. 33 No. 3 March/April
2018 Index (cont.) The Role of the Hymnal in Worship Vol. 33 No. 2 March/April Seminaries Celebrate Graduations & Placements Vol. 33 No. 3 May/June 2 0 1 8 Pa s t o r a l C a n d i d a t e Placements Vol. 33 No. 3 May/June Vicarage Assignments Vol. 33 No. 3 May/June N ew Te s t a m e n t G re e k v i a Distance Education Vol. 33 No. 4 July/August F O R E ! A n n u a l C LT S G o l f Tournament Vol. 33 No. 4 July/August A Lesson in Practical Evangelism Vol. 33 No. 5 September/October LCC Seminaries Welcome new Students to 2018-19 School Year Vol. 33 No. 5 September/October CLTS Begins Search for New Professor Vol. 33 No. 5 September/October Annual Call for CLS Award Nominations Vol. 33 No. 6 November/December Annual Call for CLTS Award Nominations Vol. 33 No. 6 November/December In Case You Missed It: CLS Reformation Day Chapel Service Vol. 33 No. 6 November/December Advent Lessons and Carols Service Vol. 33 No. 6 November/December Accreditation Visit to CLTS Vol. 33 No. 6 November/December
Presidential Perspective by President Timothy Teuscher
Doing Nothing? Vol. 33 No. 1 January/February On the First Day of the Week Vol. 33 No. 2 March/April What Does the Church Do? Vol. 33 No. 3 May/June Consider All the Works Thy Hand Has Made Vol. 33 No. 4 July/August Our Great and Priestly Commission Vol. 33 No. 5 September/October Putting Christ back into Christmas Vol. 33 No. 6 November/December
Supplements
Lutheran Bible Translators of Canada Vol. 33 No. 1 January/February Mission Update Vol. 33 No. 2 March/April Concordia Mission Society Vol. 33 No. 3 May/June Lutheran Women’s Missionary League-Canada Vol. 33 No. 4 July/August Lutheran Association of Missionaries & Pilots Vol. 33 No. 5 September/October Lutheran Laymen’s League of Canada Vol. 33 No. 6 November/December
In Review
Star Wars: The Last Jedi Vol. 33 No. 1 January/February 12 Rules for Life Vol. 33 No. 2 March/April Paul, Apostle of Christ Vol. 33 No. 3 May/June
Ant-Man and the Wasp Vol. 33 No. 4 July/August Crazy Rich Asians Vol. 33 No. 5 September/October Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald Vol. 33 No. 6 November/December
In Memorium
Vol. 33 No. 6 November/December
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“Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.” Psalm 34:8
Great is the glory of the Lord! THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN November/December 2018
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Presidential Perspective
Put Christ back into Christmas
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President Timothy Teuscher
t’s a familiar exhortation we often hear at this time of year—and for good reason. After all, “Happy Holidays” rather than “Merry Christmas” has become the socially accepted and politically correct form of greeting this time of year. And for an increasing number of people, Christmas is nothing more than a winter break from work and school, a time to buy things and exchange gifts, a time for Santa Claus parades in our communities, a time to be with family and friends—a time to eat, drink, and be merry. No, there is not much of Christ left in our modern-day celebration of Christmas, is there? But, then, how exactly is this to be done—this putting of Christ back into Christmas? There’s more to it than simply playing a few Christmas carols on your CD player or whatever new-fangled gadget is being used these days, or putting up a nativity scene in your home. After all, one can still hear and see these things in shopping malls (though one wonders how long our society will put up with that). There’s more to it than going on some antiSanta Claus crusade. More to it than sending out religious Christmas cards to family and friends. No, in order to put Christ back into Christmas, we need, above all, to put the “Mass” back into Christmas. After all, that is what the word “Christmas” literally means: “the Mass of Christ.” To be sure, the word “Mass” is not used much, if at all, in our churches today. Yet, it is a word that our Lutheran Confessions use regularly in referring to what our Lutheran Service Book calls the “Divine Service.” For example: “The Mass is held among us and celebrated with the highest reverence. Nearly all the usual ceremonies are also preserved…. For
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ceremonies are needed for this reason alone, that the uneducated be taught what they need to know about Christ” (Augsburg Confession XXIV.1-3). And further: “We do not abolish the Mass, but religiously keep and defend it. Masses are celebrated among us every Lord’s Day and on the other festivals. The Sacrament is offered to those who wish to use it, after they have been examined and absolved. And the usual public ceremonies are observed, the series of lessons, of prayers, vestments, and other such things” (Apology XXIV.1). But what exactly is the Mass? Many people will think automatically of the Roman Catholic tradition, in which the priest offers Christ as a sacrifice anew. This is not what our confessions teach! Instead, the “Mass” in the Lutheran Confessions is another term for the Divine Service. “Christmas”—or the “Christ-Mass”— then is simply the Divine Service celebrating the nativity of our Lord. It is in the Divine Service, that, like the shepherds, we too hear the Word of God that the angel first proclaimed at Christmas, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). It is in the Divine Service that we, like the shepherds, hear the heavenly host sing their beautiful Christmas carol and even join with them in singing, ”Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will toward men” (Luke 2:14). It is in the Divine Service that, like the shepherds, we too “find the Babe lying in a manger” (Luke 2:16); that is, find Him lying in and under the bread and wine of the Holy Sacrament. It is because of what we have seen and heard in the Divine Service that, like the shepherds,
THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN November/December 2018
we too are moved to “make known the saying that has been told [us] concerning this Child” (Luke 2:17). It is because of what we have seen and heard in the Divine Service that, like the shepherds, we can also return to our homes and various stations or callings in our lives “glorifying and praising God for all [we] have heard and seen, as it has been told unto [us]” (Luke 2:20). Just think of it! To receive God’s peace of Christmas in the Absolution of the Divine Service; to hear in the reading of God’s Word in the Divine Service the glad tidings of great joy concerning the birth of our Savior from sin and death; to not only see the Christ Child lying in the bread and wine of the Divine Service, but to even partake of His very body and blood for the forgiveness of our sins; to join in the Divine Service with the angels and archangels and whole company of heaven, as well as with the whole Christian church here on earth, in singing those joyous Christmas carols. What earthly Christmas gift, what family Christmas dinner in your home, what celebration of Christmas can top that? “O come, all ye faithful, Joyful and triumphant! O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem; Come and behold Him Born the king of angels” (LSB 379:1). So that familiar Christmas carol calls out to all of us again this holy season to come to the Divine Service—the “Christ-Mass”—and behold in Word and Sacrament the Christ Child, your Savior and King. And do you know what happens when you put the “Mass” back into Christmas in this way? Yes, it is then that you are also putting Christ back into Christmas.
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THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN November/December 2018