The Canadian Lutheran March/April 2021

CANADIAN

The

LUTHERAN

W W W. C A N A D I A N L U T H E R A N . C A

VOLUME 36 NUMBER 2 - MARCH/APRIL 2021

Hope does not disappoint

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CONTENTS FEATURES www.canadianlutheran.ca Volume 36 Number 2

March/April 2021

Just Hoping is No Hope at All A Time for Renewal Always Lent but Never Easter

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DEPARTMENTS TABLE TALK Go in Hope

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REGIONAL PASTORS

Hope does not disappoint

Cover Art by Alex Steinke 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 Design: Alex Steinke Advertising: Angela Honey Subscriptions: $30/yr Or Buy-One-Gift-One: $50/yr Email: a.honey@lutheranchurch.ca All material and advertising should be in the office of The Canadian Lutheran five weeks prior to publication date. Advertising rate card available upon request.

The Canadian Lutheran 3074 Portage Ave. Winnipeg, MB R3K 0Y2 Telephone: 204-895-3433 FAX: 204-897-4319 Email: editor@lutheranchurch.ca

West: The Same But Different Central: The Gospel of Feet East: Abiding Peace

20 24 28

Comforted by Christ’s Descent into Hell

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INTERNATIONAL NEWS

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PRESIDENT’S PONDERINGS

NEWS SECTIONS

Philippines: Church planting in a pandemic • Ghana’s Lutherans reelect president

NATIONAL NEWS

Canada expands physician assisted suicide • WBS Responds to Challenges • LCC Budget 2021 • Synod offers website development for congregations

WEST REGION

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Sunday School continues during the Pandemic • Christmas Not Cancelled

CENTRAL REGION

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A busy Christmas Eve in Regina • Seniors make use of wonderful technology

EAST REGION

MISSION NEWS

Hymns for Lent • Clarington Lutheran Zooms together

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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.

No major damage after volcano eruption in Nicaragua

©2021 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.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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EDUCATION NEWS

LCC Seminaries Update • CLTS students remember Linda Lantz

SUPPLEMENT

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@thecanadianlutheran @lutheranchurchcanada THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2021

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25 AP R IL 2021 #G IVINGS U ND AY

SAVE THE DATE

Your gift will help our ministry share the Gospel with additional First Nations communities along the BC coast.

V IS I T B C MI S S IO N B O AT . OR G T O DO NA TE

Legacy Funds Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord. They will proclaim his righteousness, declaring to all people yet unborn: He has done it. Psalm 22: 30-31 Throughout our lives we are called to be good stewards of what we receive from God. Did you know you can continue this practice of stewardship even in death? Assets that God has blessed you with that have accumulated over time, can be left as a charitable legacy to support His church.

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THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2021

Establishing an endowment, a designated, or a donor-advised fund with Lutheran Foundation Canada, is an excellent way of ensuring your legacy gift provides ongoing resources to ministry for years to come. You can choose to support your home congregation or any combination of the members of the LCC synodical family.

Your fund can be established either while you are living, or through your estate when you die (second-to-die if married), with a minimum of $25,000.

Alternately, you can contribute any amount to one or more of the 75 funds currently managed by the Foundation.

Each year, the beneficiaries of these funds receive approximately 4% of the invested capital, thus creating a wonderful source of ongoing revenue for their ministry for many years.

To learn more about establishing your own legacy fund, please contact Lutheran Foundation Canada at 877-711-4438, or visit our website.

www.lutheranfoundation.ca

TABLE TALK

Go in Hope

by Mathew Block

“ T

BUT AFTER I AM RAISED UP, I WILL GO BEFORE YOU TO GALILEE. MATTHEW 26:32

hat was the promise of Jesus to the disciples shortly before His arrest. He would be killed and buried, but nevertheless He would rise again and go before His disciples to Galilee. Following the resurrection, He appears to Mary and repeats the message: “Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me” (28:10). And they do go; “the eleven disciples went to Galilee,” we read, “to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them” (28:17).

Now, the Gospels of Luke and John give us more details about what happened between Easter morning and the disciples’ arrival on the mountain. But this is not Matthew’s focus; he jumps straight from the resurrection appearance in the garden to the mountain in Galilee. The emphasis here is on going—Christ who goes first and the disciples who follow after.

What a comfort it must have been for the disciples to know that Christ went before them. Just days earlier they had all fled in terror. All hope was gone.

The way ahead seemed dark. But now Christ was alive again. Now He was with them, leading them on and calling them forward in faith.

If they thought the arrival at the mountain would mean an end to their journeys, they would have been surprised. For here, Jesus gives them

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the command to “go” yet again. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,” He says, “baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” And so they went, knowing that Jesus was with them even still.

Jesus goes before us too. Like the disciples, we have a journey to make.

And the knowledge that Jesus is blazing the trail—that He Himself is making the way ready for us—gives us hope for the journey of faith upon which He calls us.

And so we follow. We travel the road of life, never quite knowing what lies beyond the next turn. There may be joys. There may be sorrows. Indeed, Jesus tells us directly that following Him will mean taking up our cross (Matthew 16:24). But through it all, Christ is there, calling us forward, leading us onward to our ultimate destination: heaven and the joy of His eternal presence.

“I will go before you,” Jesus promised the disciples. The words draw to mind a similar promise God made to His people centuries earlier.

“It is the LORD who goes before you,” Moses assured the people as they prepared to enter the Promised Land.

“He will be with you; He will not leave

you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:8).

The journey we make through this life can be difficult at times. The way is hard and we stumble often. Brigands and dangers lie sometimes in wait.

But we need not for these reasons be dismayed. God Himself is with us.

When we fall, He lifts us up. When we are afraid, He promises to protect us. He will not fail to lead us home to Himself. We go forward in hope.

This issue we consider anew what “hope” really is—hope not in the sense of mere wishful thinking but rather hope placed in that which is certain: the promises of God (page six). This hope is not solely for our personal faith lives either; it also gives shape to congregational life too, as we reflect on the blessings God has bestowed on us in the past and trust Him also to lead us into the future (page nine).

All this hope is ultimately grounded in the certainty of Easter—the knowledge that Christ has come, that Christ has died to save us from our sins, and that Christ has risen again to life (page twelve). It’s the reason the disciples were willing to go to Galilee.

It’s the good news that keeps us moving forward too.

Go then after Jesus. Follow where He leads. And surely He will be with you always, even unto the end of the age.

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Just hoping is no hope at all “Hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.”

- Hebrews 10:23

by William Mundt

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e say it a lot—seriously, all of us do, and more often than we should. Two words, five letters, many meanings: “I hope” But what is hope?

It is one of the three—faith, hope, and love—that abide, according to St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 13. What he failed to mention is that all three are among the most misused and misunderstood words in the Christian vocabulary (“grace” being a very close fourth). All ought to be understood as gifts of God rather then viewed as human accomplishments. Faith is firm trust and confidence in God’s promises, not a feeling of being saved or a decision I’ve made. Self-sacrificing love is what Christ meant when He said, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).

It’s what He demonstrated in His own sacrificial life, suffering, and death for us as our substitute—not the self-seeking, giddy, can’t-live-

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without-him infatuation played out in the movies, and news headlines, almost everyday. To be sure, God wants us to love one another but some expressions of love are also labelled by Him as “off-limits” or “not allowed”.

In the same way, hope has more to do with Christ’s resurrection than with wishful thinking. With apologies to Elvis Presley, a more relevant version of one of his favourite refrains—We ain’t faking, A-whole lot of shaking going on (although not written by him or Jerry Lee Lewis)—might be “we’re still coping, a whole lot of hoping going on.” Especially in the last twelve months or so, there has been a lot of hoping going on. Phrases that come to mind: I hope I don’t get COVID-19. I hope I don’t lose my job. I hope I don’t go broke. I hope they find a cure soon. I hope the lettuce is not wilted when DoorDash delivers.

I hope my children don’t get sick. I hope I don’t die.

It seems everyone has hope. Or do they? Hope is a pretty common word and therefore liable to be commonly misused. Generally, it expresses wishes or desires ranging from favourite foods (I hope the pizza is still hot) to favourite people (I really hope she likes me). It may mean the feeling that what we want can be had, an optimism based on an expectation of positive outcomes. Hope is usually associated with realities in life, but that does not prevent one from wishing, “I hope it rains toonies all day!” (a rather unpleasant occurrence for golfers who already find hail a nuisance, and a very messy cleanup for street crews should neighbourhood children leave any lying around). As a verb, its definitions include: “expect with confidence” and “cherish a desire with anticipation.” Among its opposites are dejection, hopelessness, and despair. In psychology, it refers to goal-directed thinking, highlighting a motivated pursuit of goals, and the expectation that those goals can be achieved.

Such definitions have one thing in common: hope remains unreliable, unpredictable, because it is merely an extension of our personal (make that selfish) desires. Just as hoping for sunny days does not drive away clouds, so hoping for something beneficial or more fun does not make it so. The key to hope is the foundation for the expectation. As long as “hoping” refers just to an attitude of the heart and mind, then there can be no hope of fulfillment. True hope requires something with a guarantee, such as we find by grace through faith in Christ. “For in hope we have been saved,” the Bible reminds us, “and we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose…. If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:24, 28, 31-32).

The word “hope” has many different nuances and meanings in the Bible and in our Christian life. Misconceptions about hope have been around a long time. One old Greek fable tells us that hope is humanity’s only comfort because, when Zeus gave man a vessel full of all good things, that man, filled with curiosity, lifted the lid to take a peek and all the other good things escaped. The fable continues with that often-quoted encouragement: “As long as there is life, there is hope.” That is, the future is uncertain but if you can still breathe you may yet bend events to your will.

It is as unrealistic as the oft-repeated expression, “You can do whatever you set your mind to.” Both ideas overlook factors outside of our control.

The people of Israel were encouraged to “hope in the Lord, from this time forth and for evermore” (Psalm 131:3). Hope in New Testament THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2021

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times continues to have a connotation of positive expectation. While your average stoic might simply shrug his shoulders, saying “it is what it is” (remind you of anyone?), the Christian could instead live in the hope, in the certainty that what was once promised would be received. Roman gods were capricious (like Allah), so there could be no lasting or certain hope. The movies usually describe Roman lives as being dependent upon the will of the gods, but it is all so vague and uncertain that “hope” here can only mean a wish, want, or desire.

The Christians’ hope, on the other hand, gave them the courage they demonstrated in the colosseum and elsewhere under persecution.

When asked if they know they are going to heaven, many Lutherans might say, “I hope so.” Martin Luther would say such an answer is a result of the opinio legis (the opinion of the Law)—that little voice within us that keeps asking, “What must I do to please God so that I can reach heaven?” Luther knew well the terror of conscience such a nagging question can create. He was raised and trained in the Roman Catholic system of works righteousness, a kind of Jesus-plus system.

Christ’s death took away original guilt, Luther was told, but all actual sins require satisfaction through penance. Therefore, one can never really be sure of forgiveness and eternal life. Hope remains an uncertain but earnest desire; one can only keep hoping.

Yet the Bible promises there are definitely better times ahead for believers in Christ. Hope is not mere longing in the heart but rather the heaven prepared and waiting for us (John 14). The hope God offers us by grace through faith—but not yet delivered to us—is something guaranteed. It depends upon His mercy and might and not on our own sincerity, faithfulness, or love. As with faith, we tend to emphasize and define terms with a view to our piety/faithfulness rather than the object/content of that faith. Instead of adopting a “the heart wants what the heart wants” mentality, we need to reflect on how “the love of Christ compels us” (and our hearts) (2 Corinthians 5:14) while we are thanking God for a sure and certain hope.

God says to His people, “I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11). Hebrews 11:1 reminds us that faith is the substance of things hoped for. That means something real, tangible—not vague or nebulous or imagined. The Bible talks about our God being faithful, even if we are faithless (2 Timothy 2:13). All such reassurances about the true and triune God tell us that our hope is sure and certain too, because “all the promises of God find their “Yes” in Him. That is why it is through Him that we utter our Amen to God for His glory.” (2 Corinthians 1:20). Therefore, we are told, “rejoice in your hope, be patient” (Romans 12:12).

When discouraged, we should sing more often: “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness; No merit of my own I claim but wholly lean on Jesus’ name” (LSB 575). While there may be no coping without hoping for us sinful humans, there is definitely no hope without Christ crucified and risen again. All other hoping is no hope at all.

Rev. Dr. William Mundt is Professor Emeritus of Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary (St. Catharines, Ontario).

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A TIME FOR

RENEWAL

BY TERRY DEFOE & BRIAN WONNICK

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” - Philippians 4:8-9 (NIV)

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perfect storm. 2020 had it all—a pandemic, economic upheaval, and unprecedented political polarization—all merged into one. The church did not escape. Worship services were canceled or curtailed. Our ability to distribute the Sacrament was severely hampered.

Through it all, however, God’s people persisted, continuing to preach and teach and administer the Sacraments. And now, well into 2021, when we look back we realize that we’ve learned a lot. We recognize anew the value of prayer. We affirm the privilege of worshiping together and look forward to that time when corporate worship is the norm once again. It seems that we are now seeing the first glimmers of hope. God’s church wants to be prepared as the pandemic moves into its next stages. Many congregations are focused on establishing revised guidelines for the road ahead.

The church does not have the luxury of carrying out the Great Commission in exactly the same way as previous generations did. The Gospel does not change and neither do the Sacraments, but society around us certainly does. We need to regularly adapt our methodologies for preaching the unchanging Gospel to a changing world. We seek renewal that reaffirms our Scriptural heritage and actively engages the world as it is, not as we would like it to be.

Given that reality, what insights can we glean from God’s Word as we move into an uncertain future? A basic principle underlying renewal is laid out for us in God’s Word. Paul’s New Testament letters reveal a strategy that may be used to great benefit.

Consider Paul’s letters to the churches in Thessalonica and Corinth. Thessalonica was facing challenges, but the Apostle Paul puts a positive frame on the picture. He begins his letters with an emphasis on thanksgiving. He acknowledges their faith, their labor of love, and their steadfastness in hope. Only then does he mention the problems they faced.

The church at Thessalonica was tempted to give in to fear, but Paul wanted these believers to be positive and thankful as they move forward into a challenging time. He stresses that THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2021

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BY OUR GRACIOUS LORD’S ENABLING, WE CAN MOVE BEYOND A “FIXING PROBLEMS” MENTALITY TO A REDISCOVERY OF OUR STRENGTHS IN CHRIST—STRENGTHS WE CAN THEN APPLY AS SPECIFIC PLANS ARE FLESHED OUT AND WE EXPLORE TOGETHER GOD’S PLAN FOR HIS PEOPLE.

what was most needed in the current situation was already present among God’s people. So he first summarizes their strengths before presenting the challenges. Only in this context would his pastoral concerns be properly received.

Even a cursory reading of Paul’s first epistle to the Corinthians reveals that the church in Corinth was dysfunctional. But just like with the Thessalonians, Paul begins his letter to the Corinthian congregation with a gracious and optimistic greeting and prayer. He reminds the Corinthians that they belong to God. They are God’s own people. They are sanctified, called to be saints. Paul emphasizes the grace of God apparent in their speech, their knowledge, their testimony of Christ, and their possession of spiritual gifts. Again, his positive words set the tone for everything that follows.

Fast forward to our day. As our congregations make plans for an altered reality, it is clear that God wants to restore our sense of hope. As we update our plans, we do well to reflect on the blessings we have experienced in the past—the times we have spent studying His Word together; worship services that have encouraged us and strengthened our faith; and fellowship events that were a great blessing. God has blessed us as we shared His Word, administered the Sacraments, and nurtured the faith of His people.

These positive memories, however, often fade in the busyness of day-to-day life. As part of their planning, many congregations find it helpful to interview their members, encouraging them to recount stories of their personal faith journey. Every member has a story to tell, a blessing to recount, a friendship established, a life changed by the grace of God in Christ. These positive accounts, humbly told, bring glory to

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God and remind the church of the great things He has done among us.

Preparation for a new reality involves a look in the rearview mirror before we turn our attention to the road ahead. We can and we should build our future on the best of the past. We can ask our members what their Saviour means to them—not just on Sundays but every day of the week. When congregational leaders listen to these stories, they can identify common themes, and with permission, share those themes with the congregation at large. This process works best when everyone has an opportunity to participate. Every individual has something important to add to the congregational tapestry. The church truly is a body with many members, each with a part to play in the optimal functioning of the whole.

Storytelling links the mind and the heart, our rational self with our emotions. When another individual shares their faith story, our own experience is revisited as well. Long lost details related to our faith are re-lived vicariously. Storytelling disarms us; our mental defenses are lowered and we just listen. And when these accounts focus on blessings, we are reminded of the resources we possess both as individuals and as a congregation.

We face challenges—this is most certainly true—but we have more resources available to deal with these challenges than we often give ourselves credit for. Reflecting on our own congregation’s stories can help us to see ourselves and our abilities in a new light. We can more easily identify possibilities.

As an old friend once said, “I don’t have any problems. I just have a lot of opportunities!”

Positive storytelling can be a powerful catalyst for changing our attitude. Negativism, by contrast, saps our strength

and plays havoc with our motivation. Attention too often turns inward, encouraging the group to look for someone or something to blame. But we need not remain in such negativity. Consider the following words from the Stewardship Department of the Texas District of The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod: “What if we stopped this negative obsession and started paying attention to what and whom we appreciate, right now?

Our experience is a function of what we focus on. Each and every moment we have a choice—where will we place our attention?

It’s important that we are able to confront, face, and deal with

ship by the compass of God’s Word. There is no reason why we cannot enter the future focused on our strengths rather than weaknesses, on hope rather than despair, on unity rather than conflict.

These ideas may seem a little abstract. That’s because the story has not been fully told. Our goal has been to describe a foundation for congregations as they plan their future together. But that’s not where the process ends: the next step is to build a structure on that foundation, to add the “how” to the “what” and the “why.” We seek God’s will in these matters, expressed in His Word and implemented

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WE FACE CHALLENGES—THIS IS MOST CERTAINLY TRUE—BUT WE HAVE MORE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO DEAL WITH THESE CHALLENGES THAN WE OFTEN GIVE OURSELVES CREDIT FOR. REFLECTING ON OUR OWN CONGREGATION’S STORIES CAN HELP US TO SEE OURSELVES AND OUR ABILITIES IN A NEW LIGHT. WE CAN MORE EASILY IDENTIFY POSSIBILITIES.

difficulties. However, we don’t have to obsess about the bad stuff and let it ruin us. Each of us can consciously choose to focus on the good stuff in our lives, with others, and most importantly, towards ourselves. There are great things happening in your life and around you all the time—if you choose to look for them. Our words have the power to create, not just describe. Focus on what you appreciate about the people around you and let them know that.”

Our primary motivation for serving the Lord is Christ’s sacrifice of body and blood on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins and the promise of eternal life. By our gracious Lord’s enabling, we can move beyond a “fixing problems” mentality to a rediscovery of our strengths in Christ—strengths we can then apply as specific plans are fleshed out and we explore together God’s plan for His people. Positive, shared values provide God-pleasing motivation as we steer the congregational

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through the various spiritual gifts and natural abilities He has graciously given us.

We have stressed the importance of moving away from a planning paradigm based on “fixing” problems to one based on drawing upon the resources already present in our congregations. We praise God for making all things new, for making us His new creation, for putting a new song on our lips, and for putting new wine in old wineskins.

Change is not always God’s will—for example, when it comes to change in doctrine or confessional standards. But in other instances, change can be both good and right. As our congregations move forward with the Great Commission in a new world, may the Spirit of our Lord encourage us to use the gifts He has given us in new ways—with thanksgiving for the blessings of the past and hope for the future.

Rev. Terry Defoe, pastor emeritus, is a member of New Beginnings Lutheran Church (Regina). Brian Wonnick is a former Development Officer with Lutheran Foundation Canada, and a member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (Regina).

Featuring photo submissions from Rev. Glenn Worcester; Lisa Jackson; Alex Steinke; Trevor and Michelle Heumann; and Rev. Gerald Andersen.

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lways Lent but never Easter

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by Adam Chandler

n the much beloved tale spun by C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, the world of Narnia was in a state where it was always winter but never Christmas. Without Aslan the Lion present, the desolation of cold and snow lay upon the land. Christmas is prevented from coming for a whole century due to the influence of the White Witch, the pretender to Narnia’s throne. It is only once Aslan returns to Narnia that the snows melt away and the creatures imprisoned by the Witch are freed to celebrate.

When the great Lion comes, the evil of the world peels back and the joy of Christmas comes again.

The story of Narnia is, of course, mimicking biblical narrative. The world was once held captive by sin, death, and the devil, but Christ was born on Christmas Day to die on the cross and free us from our captivity to sin. The joy we experience in the Christmas story parallels the joy of the Narnians when Aslan returns to overthrow the White Witch.

For us, the joy of this past Christmas—much like the usual joy we have on Easter—has been dampened by a cold and sober atmosphere. December 25 may have come around, but our typical family celebrations were restricted in order to reduce transmission of the COVID-19 virus. Christmas Day came but festivity was in limited supply. And now what?

This somber tone of celebration has extended towards Easter as well. Will Easter joy not come? Will the contemplative sobriety of Lent persist beyond Easter again, just as it persisted past the Easter of 2020?

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When shutdowns first began in Canada, we were in the midst of Lent 2020. And while time has marched on, the general atmosphere of sober thought, heightened prayer, and deep reflection over personal actions has remained.

Even people outside of the Church were caught up in sober attitudes as the sweeping fear of COVID-19 hung in the air. The Canadian Lutheran came out with an article about this “Long Lent” that marked our peculiar new mentality.

Even when shutdowns gradually gave way into reopening in

Will Easter joy not come?

Will the contemplative sobriety of Lent persist beyond Easter again, just as it persisted past the Easter of 2020?

some parts of the country, we still found ourselves in intense modes of thinking.

A year later and through a second season of Lent under COVID, the background intensity of devotional solitude and somber contemplation remains. Will it always be Lent and never Easter?

If we are looking for an Easter marked by a bunny distributing chocolate to sweet-toothed girls and boys, then we could say that it happened. The normal commercial fanfare arrived in due season. Or if Easter is instead considered a time for family and friends to join together, then perhaps Easter is still another year or two off. Such togetherness is still restricted under social distancing regulations. But if we remember what Easter truly is, then we will agree that Easter is not hindered or cancelled; it has come in power.

On Easter, Christ burst forth from the tomb in glorious resurrection. Once dead and buried, Christ rose to life. In His flesh was the freshness of life, and in His blood coursed the new creation wherein death has no hold. No evil or threat of death could keep Him bound to the grave because He is life incarnate (John 1:4, 14; 11:25).

Who is Christ but life itself? Easter marks how the corruption of nature—sin and its consequence of death— failed to overpower and consume the Creator of all things.

Jesus is the source of all life, the One who created the life of the universe out of nothing. Therefore, the nothingness of death (an uncreation, if you will) has no ability to halt or hem Him in. It was so in the beginning. It will remain so in the end.

Yet, what of our sorry state? Such Easter joy does not quite burst forth in the Lenten season, for Lent is instead given to sober reflection and denial of self. But if we spend Lent merely reflecting on ourselves and on our actions, then we have only observed half of Lent. Our penitential joy for Lent must be considered ultimately in light of what God does for us.

No confession of sins is complete without the absolution of our God. God is faithful and just, and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from unrighteousness upon our confession (1 John 1:9). Confession of sins, made in faith, will always be responded to with the absolution of the Lord. This is

Who is Christ but life

itself? Easter marks how the corruption of nature—sin and its consequence of death—failed to overpower and consume the Creator of all things.

why, immediately after the confession of the congregation in a church service, the pastor turns and proclaims to the people that in Christ the sins they have confessed are truly forgiven. Sin weighs people down to death, but Christ raises them up into a life of righteousness, placing His life within the penitent.

No, Lent is not simply about reflecting on ourselves; it is about reflecting on what God does for us. Even when we give things up for Lent, there is an implicit acknowledgement that

You do not live without the hope and promise of Easter.

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Sin and death could not

bind your Lord to His grave.

Nor can any sickness—viral or mental—keep Him from you.

God is the One who has given us all good things; we merely set these blessings aside temporarily in order to admire God as the supreme good who blesses us.

Lent is woefully incomplete without the promise and hope of God working within us. And no season of Lent is ever done outside of the knowledge and support of the resurrection of our Lord on Easter morning. Every “alleluia” gone unsaid, every food fasted from, and every extra devotional read is enlightened by the Light of Light and Lord of Lords who rose from the grave on Easter. There is no Lent without an Easter. For our Lord has already risen from the dead, risen on that Easter morning two millennia ago to live eternally.

All the faithful who perished before the resurrection, all who have fallen asleep in the flesh after Christ walked out of the tomb, will be raised from the dust of death on the Last Day when Christ reunites their spirits and their flesh. The Easter resurrection of Christ and the coming resurrection of the dead are fixed in the history of the universe and remain unmoved.

No virus or misfortune can change this. We might feel like we are in a perpetual Lent but we will never be without Easter.

In truth, our penitential joy in this “Long Lent” is more sober than joyful. You probably never wanted to give up hanging out, handshakes, and hugging for Lent. But we continue forward through this time with the life of Christ within us and the promise of the resurrection clinging to our flesh. There is a joy that remains despite the darkness of thoughts that may cloud your mind.

Anxiety and depression are real and present things. They should not be sloughed off as superficial or impious. Not all of us may have fallen into the depths of mental fatigue or illness, but we should be mindful that the fear and loneliness of this period still affects us to some degree. This is not quite the same world it was two years ago. It is possible to know

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intellectually that we have passed through the literal season of Lent to the joy of Easter, but for the emotional uplift of that knowledge to still lie dormant.

Job provides a grand example of what it feels like to be stuck in a Long Lent. Like us, Job was stuck in gloomy contemplation of the sorrows that had befallen him. It’s possible to misinterpret Job’s suffering as if it was a rather short affair. It was not. Job suggests several months of pain had passed before he let loose his first outcry of the book (cf. Job 7:3). His initial responses to his affliction are faithfilled and admirable (Job 1:21; 2:10), but the strain on Job deepened as time crawled along. Grief churned and ground itself within him for months so that, when he finally spoke, Job poured out a preference for uncreation and death rather than to remain in a life defined by suffering (Job 3). Yet, Job’s hope was not truly in death but in his Lord alone. For as Job remarks upon further reflection: “Oh that you would hide me in Sheol, that you would conceal me until your wrath be past, that you would appoint me a set time, and remember me! If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my service I would wait, till my renewal should come.

You would call, and I would answer you; you would long for the work of your hands.” - Job 14:13-15 Job’s ultimate hope throughout his suffering in a prolonged Lent was not death, nor was it even a restoration of the people and possessions he once had. Job’s hope is the Lord God Almighty Himself, who can call him up out of death and suffering, resurrect him from Sheol. Job desires new life. His hope and prayer is for the resurrection we have in Jesus Christ our Lord. In his misery, Job’s sober joy is in Easter.

The suffering of this world may afflict you. It may break you down, especially as time goes on. But you do not live without the hope and promise of Easter. No Lent has ever occurred without the promise of Easter. Every Lententide you have experienced is undergirded by the joy of Jesus’ resurrection. This Long Lent is no exception. You remain in the life of Christ and in the power of the resurrection which He won for you. Sin and death could not bind your Lord to His grave. Nor can any sickness—viral or mental—keep Him from you. We might be living in a world that is always Lent; but even now, it will also always be Easter.

Rev. Adam Chandler is pastor of Hope Evangelical Lutheran Church in Victoria, B.C.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS www.canadianlutheran.ca

Philippines: Church planting in a pandemic

Worship at COVID Lutheran Church in the Philippines.

PHILIPPINES - When pandemic restrictions hit the Philippines, Lutheran Church in the Philippines (LCP) President Antonio Reyes and his wife Arlene were caught in Tiaong, Quezon Province—a small town about 100 km away from the LCP’s main office in Manila. So he did what anyone would do: begin mission work.

Of course, that wasn’t the plan from the beginning. President Reyes had been visiting a property recently acquired by the LCP when the quarantine was instituted. Unable to return to Manila, he organized a local food-distribution ministry, providing

LCP President Antonio Reyes speaks to children at COVID Lutheran Church.

free rice to informal settlers living along the Philippine National Railway who were unable to work as a result of pandemic regulations. What began as a service to 12 families would eventually grow to reach 40 families.

That practical assistance led in time to Bible studies with local people, and eventually to regular worship services. Today, the LCP has a new mission congregation in the area with a unique name: “COVID Lutheran Church,” with “COVID” standing for “Christ Our Victorious Infinite Deliverer”—a deliberate reminder that God can use even the most difficult circumstances for good.

“Despite having to face the negative effects of the pandemic, we thank God for His grace and His mercy,” President Reyes says of the situation in the Philippines. “Even in these times, the Church prevails.”

Today, the LCP continues to provide rice to those in need, as funds are available. And the pandemic— which has resulted in job losses as well as an increase in the price of basic food commodities—has left many in need.

The Lutheran Church in the Philippines is a member church of the International Lutheran Council.

ILC News

Ghana’s Lutherans reelect president GHANA - From March 19-21, 2021, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana (ELCG) held its National Delegates Conference in Bawku in Ghana’s Upper East Region. During that time, the church reelected Rev. John Shadrack Donkoh to a second term as president of the ELCG. The election saw President Donkoh receive 98 percent of the vote. President Donkoh was first elected president of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ghana in 2018.

Also reelected during the 2021 National Delegates Conference were Rev. Dr. Ebenezer Boafo as 1st Vice President, Alex Lanbon as 2 nd Vice President, and Kwame Poku-Boah as 3rd Vice President.

ELCG President John Donkoh (second from right) with other participants in the 2021 National Delegates Conference.

The conference also saw the church receive nine preaching stations into membership as full congregations. In

addition, two former congregations were welcomed back into membership.

ILC News

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2021

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NATIONAL NEWS www.canadianlutheran.ca

Vulnerable groups at risk as Canada expands physician assisted suicide

CANADA - The move by Canada’s f e d e r a l g ove r n m e n t t o e x t e n d legal physician assisted suicide and euthanasia has been met with widespread concern that the most vulnerable in our society are being placed at risk.

On March 17, 2021, Bill C-7 received royal assent, following a vote in the Senate earlier that day. The House of Commons had earlier voted on March 11 to accept the bill. The new legislation allows those who are not nearing natural death to nevertheless seek assistance in ending their lives.

Previous safeguards intended to protect vulnerable people—such as the ten-day reflection period between requesting assisted death and receiving it, as well as the requirement that those receiving euthanasia be able to consent again at the time of death—have been removed.

In addition, the bill will allow those suffering from mental illness (and no other condition) to seek euthanasia as of March 2023.

Concern that the new legislation opens vulnerable groups to risk is widespread and transcends political ties: all members of the Conservative

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THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2021

Par ty of Canada and the New Democratic Party, along with several members of the Liberal Party and independents, voted against the bill in the House.

In 2020, Lutheran Church– Canada’s President Timothy Teuscher joined numerous other Canadian religious leaders in a joint letter opposing the bill. “Offering euthanasia or assisted suicide to those living with a disability or chronic illness, but who are not dying, suggests that living with a disability illness is a fate worse than death,” they write. “This will create certain pressures to accept such lethal procedures, putting the lives of these Canadians at risk.” Similar concerns were raised for those suffering from mental illness.

“We must embrace those who suffer,” the letter continues, “and offer exceptional care to those who are confronting illness and death; to deploy our expertise and resources in confronting complex cases of care, rather than choosing lethal procedures that are incompatible with the dignity of both the patient and the health-care professional.”

Among those lamenting the passage of Bill C-7 is the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, of which Lutheran Church–Canada is a member. “This bill changed Canada’s law on medical assistance in dying (MAID) in crucial and tragic ways,” they write. “We lament the devaluing of human life… We grieve, as well, that Canada is offering hastened death to people who are far too often not able to access the help and support they need to live.”

“Every national disability group in Canada, U.N. human rights experts, and countless others voiced objections and deep concerns,” they continue.

“In spite of this, the bill was not only passed, but provisions were added to extend its reach farther.

It is unconscionable that we would make it easier to access an assisted death in Canada than it is to receive quality palliative care, or than it is for individuals living with disability, chronic illness, or mental illness to access the medical and social supports they need to enjoy living on an equal basis with other Canadians.”

Lutheran Church–Canada has repeatedly reaffirmed its commitment to the sanctity of life, and encourages members wishing to learn more about life-issues to connect with Lutherans for Life-Canada at lutheransforlifecanada.ca.

“We must embrace those who suffer, and offer exceptional care to those who are confronting illness and death...”

NATIONAL NEWS www.canadianlutheran.ca

Bible Study Guide released to accompany CTCR document: “A Lutheran Response” ONLINE - The Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR) recently released a Bible Study to accompany the December 2020 CTCR document entitled: “A Lutheran Response to Contemporary Issues.” A Study Guide has also been released as a resource for leaders. Both of these documents can be accessed on Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC)’s website under Theological Documents, for “Study and Response”.

A powerpoint presentation for the study

is available upon request by emailing admin@lutheranchurch.ca.

When congregations, pastors, or other entities of LCC have questions of a theological nature, the CTCR is available to offer an opinion. Larger opinions can be developed on topics that may not have been answered before for discussion among the members of Synod.

The CTCR also works with the Synod President to maintain dialogue groups with different national and international

churches and denominations, to further understanding of one another and see if there are ways in which we can cooperate.

The CTCR is available to members of Synod (pastors, deacons, congregations, circuits, or regions) by contacting the Synod President. CTCR documents and opinions are available for anyone to read on LCC’s website.

Worker Benefit Services Board responds to challenges Multi Employer Pension Plan Status: In a major development, after years of work, the Worker Benefit Services (WBS) board was informed at its fall meeting, that the Alberta Pension Regulator had approved the request of LCC to have our defined pension plan designated as a “Non Collectively Bargained-Multi Employer Pension Plan” (NCB-MEPP). This designation clarifies that employers who are participating in the plan are responsible for funding the pension obligations for the church workers that are serving them and/or have served them in the past. The amended pension plan text is available on the WBS website.

While approximately 97 percent of all employers have signed Participation A g re e m e n t s w i t h LC C , w h i c h recognizes our mutual responsibilities as a multi employer plan, the Regulator has indicated they wish to see all remaining participating employers sign agreements or alternatively formally withdraw from the plan, and settle any outstanding obligations no later than December of 2021. This formal designation by the Regulator does not impact or change any of the contributions currently being paid by employers since the “going concern” funding is in excess of 100 percent based on the December 31, 2019 actuarial evaluation. Only employers exercising their right to withdraw from

the plan would be required to fully fund their share of the solvency deficit within the five year period required by pension legislation. The pension plan is currently funded 84 percent on a solvency basis.

Dr. Dieter Kays, WBS chair, said: “I am so very grateful that the leaders in our individual congregations have shown their support for the workers that God has called to serve us, by signing these participation agreements. This action by the Regulator is another milestone in clarifying the financial arrangements between the LCC as administrator and the churches as employers.”

Program (EAP) in place for many years, we have strengthened our ability to help during these times.

Our current EAP is a confidential support service provided by Morneau Shepell, which can assist in resolving all kinds of personal problems and challenges. WBS recognizes the importance of mental health counselling and within the past year, has increased the annual benefit within our Manulife group plan from $500 to $1,000 per person, as well as expanded the coverage to include not only counselling by a psychologist but also qualified psychotherapists.

Recognizing that in these challenging times some workers may still require more help, the WBS board at its last meeting, has established a contingency fund to provide additional support and counselling to our church workers in Responding to the Mental Health extraordinary circumstances. This fund Needs of Members: will be accessed in consultation with the Recruiting We have all read or heard about church worker’s Regional Pastor. While Corporate Director for prolonged the incredible toll the final approval in accessing the fund rests LCC - Worker BeneÞt Winnipeg, pandemic is having on Services the mental with Manitoba the WBS board, its decision will health of Canadians. Many people be based on the general description of Worker BeneÞt Services (WBS) isthe recruiting areThe experiencing extraordinary feelings need withfor thecorporate identity ofdirectors the workerto provide strategic and foresight for the BeneÞt Plans provide ofgovernance anxiety, stressoversight, and concern duringinsight remaining confidential. these difficult times—including our ChurchÐCanada.

In response to the creation of the to church workers within Lutheran church workers. Worker Benefit new support program, Dwayne Cleave, Services continues to aplace a top Administrator of Synod, said: “This will beneÞt The Plans consist of suite of traditional group beneÞts, a legacy deÞned priority on supporting our workers’ indeed be a great additional resource to plan and a deÞned contribution pension plan. The plan consists of approximately emotional and mental well being our church workers and Regional Pastors 250 employers Ð mostly congregations, and some 630 members, and has invested during these times. While we have had as they proclaim the good news of Jesus assets of $80 million. With its head ofÞce in Winnipeg, members and employers a an Employee and Family Assistance Christ during these difficult times.” located throughout Canada. The WBS board meets 3-4 times per year plus an THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2021 17 occasional conference call.

NATIONAL NEWS www.canadianlutheran.ca

LUTHERAN CHURCH–CANADA BUDGET 2021 “So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for the gift you have promised, so that it may be ready as a willing gift, not as an exaction.”

2 CORINTHIANS 9:5 OUR MISSION The mission of Lutheran Church–Canada is to organize, equip, and motivate its members to confess, proclaim, and give witness to the saving work of Jesus Christ, to the glory of God. We do this together in grateful response to God’s grace and empowered by the Holy Spirit through Word and Sacraments, so that believers may grow in their faith and unbelievers be brought into the body of Christ.

WALKING TOGETHER AS A SYNOD Committed to a common confession and mission, congregations of Lutheran Church–Canada join with one another as a Synod to share an ecclesiastical bond and to support and work with one another. In this way, we seek to serve our Lord Jesus Christ, the members of His body, and the world which stands in need of the Word and the impact of His redeeming love.

PUTTING OUR MISSION INTO ACTION The work of Lutheran Church–Canada is far-reaching but can only be accomplished with the generous financial support of our members. A portion of all gifts laid upon the altar of local congregations through your tithes and offerings, is remitted to LCC. In total, these gifts make up almost 65 percent of LCC’s overall revenue and are critical for funding the vital work we do together. Work such as: SUSTAINING AND REVITALIZING OUR CONGREGATIONS The strength of synod begins with the strength of our local congregations. Together we support and nurture Word and Sacrament ministry across our country, and especially in regions of greatest need.

SUPPORTING OUR MISSION WORK IN CANADA Identify, develop, and support mission efforts throughout the country; assist congregations to explore new opportunities for outreach; and provide works of mercy and relief to those less fortunate.

SUPPORTING OUR MISSION WORK INTERNATIONALLY Support mission work in Central America, SouthEast Asia, and Ukraine, including Gospel outreach; theological training; and social ministry efforts like children’s feeding programs and Christian education.

SUPPORTING THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION Provide funding to assist the work of our seminaries in training our pastors and church workers.

CARING FOR OUR LEADERS AND MEMBERS Provide ecclesiastical leadership and pastoral care through the work of the Synod President, Regional Pastors, and Circuit Counsellors.

BUILDING COMMUNITY Collaborate with Synod’s members and partners to enhance mission effectiveness through communication, promote stewardship in managing life’s resources for God’s purposes, and provide spiritual growth through the publication of The Canadian Lutheran and other media.

“The noblest and greatest work and the most important service we can perform for God on earth is bringing other people, and especially those who are entrusted to us, to the knowledge of God by the Holy Gospel.”

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THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2021

MARTIN LUTHER

NATIONAL NEWS www.canadianlutheran.ca

LOOKING AT OUR CURRENT YEAR Each year, we give thanks to God for the tremendous response from our congregations. With and through your commitment to provide LCC with a mission goal, we strive to establish a working budget that best provides for the many mission and ministry requests received annually, as well as the ongoing work we perform year in and year out. Together we have one focus, united in doctrine, and partnering as one church, ready, equipped, and acting to fulfill the Great Commission in Canada and around the world.

OUR BUDGET

Re v e n u e s

Budget 2021

Congrega(on Remit.

2,165,000

Specific Purpose

1,172,900

Endowment Income

38,000

Investment Income

34,800

Rental Income

9,300

As we move past 2020 and all the difficult and unusual circumstances it brought to our congregations, our members, and our synodical family, we look forward to 2021 with excitement and hope. Our Lord Jesus Christ remains the same yesterday, today and forever. What confidence that gives to His beloved children, no matter what changes we are facing.

To t a l R e v e n u e s

Domes&c Missions

880,862

Our operating budget for 2021-22 is a slight increase over the previous year. There are currently 286 LCC member congregations who have the potential to support the work we do together as synod. As of this printing, LCC has received mission pledges from 169 congregations totalling $1,830,392.

Our prayer is that the remaining 117 congregations who have not yet submitted a mission goal, consider the importance of doing so. The challenges we continue to face are not simple, yet the need for the work our church body does is significant.

Interna&onal Missions

681,023

Ecclesias&cal Services

579,100

Higher Educa&on

292,000

Communica&ons

221,440

Congrega&onal Services

185,000

Administra&on

578,170

In addition to mission remittances from congregations, LCC receives about 35 percent of its revenue from individual gifts, CLMS, LWMLC, CLWR, LCC Regions, and external foundations.

Expenditures

3,420,000 Budget 2021

To t a l E x p e n d i t u r e s

3,417,595

STEWARDSHIP OF GIFTS Although finances change, the mission of LCC remains clear and unwavering. The chart illustrates the percentage of revenue allocated to each area of work. We continue with your help, to carry out our common objectives of conserving and promoting the unity of the true faith; strengthening congregations in giving bold witness; extending gospel witness into all the world; training of pastors and deacons; and aiding congregations by providing resources for promoting, expressing, and conserving our confessional unity. Thank you for your prayers and offerings in support of this work we have committed to do together as one.

LCC Board of Directors

INTERNATIONAL MISSIONS - $681,023 DOMESTIC MISSIONS - $880,862 ECCLESIASTICAL SERVICES - $579,100 CONGREGATIONAL SERVICES - $185,000 COMMUNICATION SERVICES - $221,440 HIGHER EDUCATION SUPPORT - $292,000 ADMINISTRATION - $578,170

17%

26%

5% 6% 9%

20% 17%

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2021

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NATIONAL NEWS www.canadianlutheran.ca

LCC releases special publication: Together, One CANADA - Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) has released a onetime special publication, entitled “Together, One” which highlights the people and organizations collectively serving as the body of Christ across the Lutheran landscape in Canada. This publication is designed not as a report describing the work of a corporate entity but, rather, as an LCC family album to remind our members of the various services available across the country, and beyond.

LCC’s Communications team prepared questionnaires to gather information from entities across LCC, encouraging them to consider how they might describe the work they do to a close friend. It is our hope that this publication will provide a highly visual overview of how we are walking together as a Synod, sharing an ecclesiastical bond, to serve our Lord Jesus Christ; the members of His body; and the world which stands in need of the Word and Christ’s redeeming love.

This special publication was shipped to congregations with their usual shipment of the January/February issue of The Canadian Lutheran magazine.

Synod offers website development services for LCC congregations

NATIONAL - Lutheran Church– Canada (LCC) is now offering website development and hosting services for LCC congregations.

This service is free and includes a customized domain under LCC’s Network of Sites. Congregations who have already purchased a domain for their congregational website can also choose to have their site linked to that domain.

The service was officially announced in the Communications

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THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2021

Section of the InfoDigest, LCC’s weekly e-newsletter. This service has been in the works for some time now, with several congregational websites already published online.

LCC Communications Director, Alex Steinke, explains in the announcement that, “It has been a slow roll out to ensure this service could be effectively managed and sustained on a national level.” She further expressed that the communications department looks forward to working with congregations

to support and equip LCC members in their communications initiatives.

Congregations will work with the Communications Director to establish their initial site, incorporating select features according to the needs of their members. Features available include a customizable calendar, video gallery capabilities and the option to display written sermons for download. A full breakdown of the service is available among the resources on LCC’s website under LCC’s Congregational Site Toolkit.

Members of the congregation will then participate in a training session to learn how to manage and update the content on their website. Resources and detailed instructions will be available in the online “Site Toolkit” for reference, and Alex Steinke can be contacted to assist with any technical issues that might arise. It is recommended that more than one member attend the training session and get set up with a user profile. Previous WordPress experience can certainly help, but it is not required.

You will be supported and equipped to confidently manage your website.

Congregations interested in signing up for this service are encouraged to read the “How does it work?” section on the page for LCC’s Congregational Site Toolkit for instructions.

WEST REGION NEWS

Alberta and British Columbia - Michelle Heumann, editor

Sunday School continues during the pandemic CALGARY, Alta. - It has been a year since a pandemic was declared and church life changed. At Foothills Lutheran Church, members remember having a conversation about whether or not to cancel the order for palm branches for Palm Sunday 2020, thinking surely by then this would have blown over. It did not, and ministry efforts have had to be adapted.

For Foothills, Christian Education is understood as a support to what already happens at home as families share God’s Word, have family devotions, pray together, and engage in everyday faith conversations. For the past ten years, Christian Education programs have encouraged parents to take to heart what God says to them in Deuteronomy 6:4-9. They are the primary teachers of the faith of their children, and the church supports them in that godly role. What a blessing to see parents embracing this holy task!

However, children and youth programs, including Sunday School, remain an important way to maintain contact and support families. Parents in the congregation were able to provide

Christmas Not Cancelled NANAIMO, B.C. - Because there could not be in-person services for Christmas Eve, St. Paul’s Lutheran in Nanaimo planned a special online service.

The difference between this service and the ones recorded and posted to YouTube since the pandemic began could be measured by the number of participants. Recorded services each Sunday feature Rev. Fraser Coltman leading a devotional service with two hymns played by one of the organists or a musically gifted couple from the congregation.

home Sunday School using the OneRoom Classroom resource provided by Concordia Publishing House for free last spring, with weekly encouragement emails being sent to families with the resources. In-person Sunday School was able to resume in September 2020, meeting Alberta Health protocols for pandemic safety. Some parents chose to continue home Sunday School and were provided with materials. Their feedback prompted a Zoom Sunday School opening so the children could see each other, and to let them know that it was time for Sunday School even though they were home.

When case numbers rose in late November, restrictions required a return to home Sunday School only. The Zoom opening continued, where children help with a Bible reading, hear an introduction to their lesson, and (with microphones muted) say the Apostles’ Creed and Luther’s Morning Prayer together. The opening is early enough that those who wish to attend in-person worship have time to get there after.

The congregation’s dedicated Sunday School teachers continue to

meet monthly for Bible Study, prayer, and planning. Neither they nor the families wanted to forego the annual Children’s Christmas Service, so they presented a recorded account of Jesus’ birth, with segments in a question-andanswer format recorded at home with parents and children. Some families with musical gifts recorded Christmas carols. One of the technologically gifted youth took on the job of editing the segments together. The recording was presented during the worship service on December 20.

Throughout the year, Sunday School families have been provided with kits with seasonal resources and activities with the help of a well-stocked resource room, some generous donations, and volunteer delivery people.

“God is gracious, and has taught everyone much during this past year,” notes Dcn. Mariam Winstanley.

“The ministry has been stretched in unpredictable ways, but what a privilege to support the families as they walk in faith through these days.”

Dcn. Miriam Winstanley

For Christmas Eve, a soloist, a trio, and a quintet all agreed to provide recordings of Christmas carols. A special collaborative contribution was also made by the children of the congregation: a music video of “The Friendly Beasts”! To improve the service’s sound and video quality, a trio of technically-minded people teamed up to arrange the recording’s logistics.

On two evenings they met to record all the parts of the service. It was a blessing to be together, even if just as a small group, after so long a time apart.

The final result was a beautiful recording made possible by a crosssection of God’s people at St. Paul’s:

God’s gift to the participants and to all those who tuned in to watch, listen, sing, pray, and celebrate the good news of great joy.

Rev. Fraser Coltman

WEST REGION Contact Rev. Robert Mohns, Regional Pastor | rmohns@lutheranchurch.ca | 1. 855. 826. 9950 |

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2021

21

WEST REGION NEWS

Alberta and British Columbia - Michelle Heumann, editor

FROM THE REGIONAL PASTOR, REV. ROBERT MOHNS

The Same But Different Lord God, heavenly Father, as we struggle here below with divisions among us, searching for peace among men, remind us daily of the peace of heaven purchased through the bloody death and triumphant resurrection of Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who with You and the Holy Spirit is one God now and forever. Amen.

I

n the last chapter of his Gospel, John records the third appearance of the Lord to His disciples. From all external appearances, it seems as though everything is back to normal. John tells us that after the resurrection of Jesus, seven of the disciples returned to the Sea of Tiberius. Peter restarts his fishing vocation and the others join him.

As it happened, they were skunked.

This is a familiar fishing experience for me, but I am not sure whether it would also be familiar to those seasoned commercial fishermen. The night came to an end. At the break of day, Jesus appears and instructs them to cast their nets in a different direction. You know the story. The nets were filled.

John, the beloved child of the Lord, recognizes Him first and announces to Peter and the others that “it is the Lord.” Immediately upon hearing the Gospel announcement, Peter climbs out of the boat and rushes to meet Jesus.

A fellowship meal follows, and then the blessed restoration and commissioning of Peter to be a shepherd of Christ’s flock takes place.

Though the disciples’ lives appeared to be ordinary, they were different. This last chapter of John reminds us that

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THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2021

amid the ordinary, Jesus is present with His people, providing for us, feeding us, forgiving us, sending us.

I am particularly aware that among the disciples present that day was believing Thomas. He is the disciple who, at one time, had broken fellowship with the disciples and disbelieved in the resurrection. The Lord appeared to Thomas in the very midst of his doubts.

In the presence of the resurrected Christ, at the Lord’s command, Thomas was given to believe.

Now in this Gospel text we hear Thomas abiding in the fruits of the Lord’s resurrection. Restored to fellowship with the disciples and the Lord, he is present to witness the signs of Jesus’ gracious and merciful presence.

He sees firsthand the Lord’s restoration and commissioning of Peter. I cannot imagine what must have been going through Thomas’ mind as he witnessed the depth of the Lord’s love!

We should not miss the significance of Thomas’ presence here. This man was once separated from the Lord and the disciples by unbelief; but here he is included in the joyous work of Jesus restoring a fallen brother. I don’t know if Thomas’ life ever returned to the ordinary, but I do know his life was different because of Jesus.

In our longing to return to the ordinary there is a temptation to hope that our lives will be better. We hope that when our lives return to normal we will experience rest—perhaps healing, hope, health, and all the rest of what we hold to be valuable. Instead, the Lord directs our focus to Himself and to His

promises. We know that Peter’s life did not return to the ordinary: called to be a fisher of men, the Lord commissioned him to be a shepherd to His flock.

When the Lord’s Church was driven from Jerusalem, the city of peace, and into the world where they suffered persecution, when it seemed that their whole world had come to an end, the Lord raised up Peter to proclaim the Lord’s promise once again. They might have longed for a return to the ordinary lives they enjoyed in Jerusalem, but the Lord, through His servant Peter, called His Church in diaspora to cast the net of their eyes in a different direction, to look to the promised blessing of a new home, a heavenly home: “But according to His promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by Him without spot or blemish, and at peace.” - 2 Peter 3:13-14 I pray we would take these words to heart. Whether the Lord will grant us a return to the ordinary, I don’t know, but I know that our lives are different now. May our eyes and hearts remain focused on Jesus and rush to meet Him where He bids us to find Him: in His Holy Word and blessed Sacraments, in the communion of His people. May the fruits of our Lord’s bloody death and triumphant resurrection bring healing, unity, and peace in and among us, and peace at the last with all the saints in His heavenly Kingdom which has no end.

CENTRAL REGION NEWS

Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and NW Ontario - Michelle Heumann, editor

A busy Christmas Eve in Regina

Preparing for the candle-light portion of the service.

REGINA, Sask. - “Silent Night” is not the best way to describe Christmas Eve 2020 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Regina. For the first time, Good Shepherd offered four services on Christmas Eve! Due to government restrictions, only 30 people were permitted at each service, and Rev. James ChimirriRussell said that he “did not want to turn anyone away who wanted to hear the Gospel.” Therefore the normal

Rev. James Chimirri-Russell speaks to the congregation following the service.

number of services that would be held was doubled.

Services were held at 3:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m., and 9:00 p.m., with the 5:00 p.m. service also livestreamed on Facebook and later made available to view on YouTube as well. The first two services featured contemporary music while the two later services were accompanied by the organ.

In order to comply with government restrictions that discouraged shared

surfaces, each person in attendance received their own personal candle kit, complete with candle, drip guard, and personal snuffer, which had been prepared in advance. Although the services were smaller and more plentiful, it was comforting to hear the Christmas message, sing “Silent Night” by candlelight, and loudly proclaim that Christ, the Saviour, is born.

Amanda Hastings, Deacon

Seniors make use of wonderful technology SASKATOON, Sask. - For years, seniors at Faith Lutheran in Saskatoon gathered monthly for a home-cooked lunch and entertainment. COVID-19 put a stop to it. So now what?

Having used Zoom successfully during narthex chats, it was arranged that up to ten people would receive

an invitation to chat on Thursdays at 1:30 p.m. Some seniors embraced it whole-heartedly, while some were reluctant to try something new. With the help of Rev. Rudy Pastucha as host and trouble-shooter, several sessions have been successfully held, and most participants enjoyed seeing each other’s smiles sans masks.

Typically, the group would introduce themselves and encourage questions. Everyone was called up in alphabetical order and allotted five

minutes, and couples seven, so that everyone had a chance to participate.

Once most people who can avail themselves of an electronic device and the courage to use it have had a chat, the Caregiving team will introduce other items of interest such as educational speakers and perhaps armchair travel: whatever the majority find enjoyable.

Until pandemic restrictions are lifted, the group will be zooming along.

Renate Bishopp and Gaile Abel, Caregiving Directors

CENTRAL REGION Contact Rev. David Haberstock, Regional Pastor | dhaberstock@lutheranchurch.ca | 1. 800. 663. 5673 |

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CENTRAL REGION NEWS

Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and NW Ontario - Michelle Heumann, editor

FROM THE REGIONAL PASTOR, REV. DAVID HABERSTOCK

Christ is risen !

He is risen indeed !

D

i r t y, d u s t y f e e t . O n Ho l y Thursday—the night on which He instituted His Supper—Christ our Lord washed His disciples’ dusty, dirty feet (John 13). We usually understand this as Him taking the role of the servant and setting an example for His disciples by taking the lowest place, for the servant is not greater than his master (John 13:14-17). The works the Master does, the servant will also be sent to do.

But why foot washing? And if Christ our Lord ordered His disciples to do this, why don’t we have a ceremony or sacrament of foot-washing?

Well, in a sense, we do. Once Christ our Lord bathes us in Holy Baptism His servants regularly wash the grime of our daily lives off us (John 13:9-10).

For He sends His disciples to do as He did (John 13:16), to forgive sins (John 20:21-23). On the cross He paid for the sins of the world, and now pastors distribute that forgiveness publicly each week in the Divine Service, and privately for those sins you know and feel in your heart. And sins can’t be forgiven without feet.

When Adam and Eve sinned, the sneaky snake was cast to the ground by God’s Word to munch dust (Genesis 3:14). He would dwell in the lifeless dust to which Adam would return.

He would be underneath us mortals, where the foot of a son of Eve would one day crush all his works and all his

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The Gospel of Feet ways (Genesis 3:15). That surreptitious serpent would pierce the hands and feet of Christ while the wounded Christ would crush his head, breaking his power forever.

When one has been washed by Christ with the laver of regeneration (Titus 3:5), he is completely clean (John 13:10). He has no need to be washed again, except for his feet! You, oh baptized one, have no need to be washed again in Holy Baptism, for you are clean.

But it is good to regularly rinse off the dust of death that clings to your limbs

by Christ’s Word of forgiveness.

And how does this Word of forgiveness come to you? By the feet of one sent to preach the good news (Isaiah 52:7; Romans 10:14-15)! And how beautiful are those feet! Those dirty, dusty feet! For those foot-washing foot soldiers of the Gospel are cleansing you who hear and believe in our risen Lord.

Christ works by sending preachers!

And preachers come by feet—although nowadays they may travel by car. But feet are symbolic. For the Sons of Israel would inhabit, hold, and inherit “every place on which the sole of your foot treads” (Deuteronomy 11:24).

Remember when Moses was called, he had to take off his what? His sandals.

For the place on which he was standing was holy ground (Exodus 3:5). It was holy not because of the land itself, but because of the sanctifying presence of the Holy God.

And what does Christ our Lord equip Christians’ feet with? The readiness of the Gospel of peace (Ephesians 6:15). He binds His forgiveness to your feet so you can stand on and hold holy ground, so that you can advance when your Captain calls you to march. Christ readies your feet with His Gospel forgiveness.

Then in triumph you and I—washed by our Lord in baptism, cleansed by His foot-washing forgiveness—“will soon crush Satan underneath [our] feet” (Romans 16:20)! Then we righteous ones of the Righteous One “will bathe [our] feet in the blood of the wicked” (Psalm 58:10) as we follow our Captain who has “[trodden] down our foes” (Psalm 60:12). For in Christ, death cannot defeat you, sin cannot defile you, Satan cannot claim you. Clothed in Christ’s Gospel armour of light, you “will tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot” (Psalm 91:13).

And not only that, but every place that the Lord has planted your feet is holy ground, for He goes with you (Joshua 1:9; Matthew 28:20). He will not leave you nor forsake you. He will make you able to stand (Ephesians 6:11, 13). And “He will not let your foot be moved” (Psalm 121:3), for your dirty, dusty feet are cleansed and ready in His Gospel grace (Ephesians 6:15) for this world and for the next.

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!

Alleluia!

The Cross: God’s love for us

EAST REGION NEWS

Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic Canada - Michelle Heumann, editor

Hymns for Lent

Lenten Hymn Devotions 2021all started WATERLOO, Ont. A.D. - It on a cold winter night. Four singers and an organist gathered at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Waterloo to record

some hymns for members of their congregation before the province-wide stay-at-home order came into effect, and no one knew exactly how long the order would last. As a result, five Lenten hymns were recorded.

After recording, the thought came to include a small write-up with each of these hymns to give them a little more context. From there, the idea for a small devotional came into being. At first, it was only to cover the five hymns that were originally recorded, with one assigned for each week that would normally have had a midweek service.

However, as the ball got rolling, more hymns were added until it reached its

Clarington Lutheran Zooms together

BOWMANVILLE, Ont. - For this Lent season, as a result of restrictions imposed by the pandemic, Clarington Lutheran Church developed a hybrid approach to offering opportunities for worship.

The congregation does not have the capacity for livestreaming, so while Sunday services are held in accordance with the local health guidelines, they are in-person only. However, the church has held Bible studies and services via Zoom in the period when in-person services have not been possible. The recent broadcast of an in-person baptism

as well as a wedding to the rest of the congregation via Zoom inspired the idea of holding midweek Lenten services on Zoom as well. Music is provided by gifted members, live from their own homes. Individuals read on behalf of the whole congregation those parts that would otherwise have been spoken in unison (confession of sins, Apostles’ Creed, Lord’s Prayer, Psalm of the Day).

This also allows for congregational participation that doesn’t happen in a one-way streamed or livestreamed service.

Rev. Larry Flohr, who regularly leads services for Clarington, reflects

final form: a devotion for each week in Lent, plus one for each day of Holy Week, including Easter Sunday.

Each devotion expounds upon a hymn and has an uploaded recording to accompany it (either for listening or to sing along with). In addition, a prayer and Scripture passage have also been provided for each devotion. The latter are drawn from the antiphons for the Magnificat that have traditionally been sung on these days at Vespers. The devotion The Cross: God’s Love for Us” may be found at www.lutheranchurchcanada. ca/resources/devotional-resources/.

Kevin Lee that, “It’s not quite the same as in person, but it’s nice to see familiar faces and hear familiar voices.”

“Singing together doesn’t work very well,” he notes, “but we can sing along at home with the mute button on.” He points out that this way of worshipping means that “we are together—sort of— and more importantly, God’s Word is in our midst.”

“St. Paul did his most enduring ministry by means of his letters,” Rev. Flohr encourages. “Small groups, gathered in homes, read them, cherished them, and passed them along. They also looked after each other and understood the responsibility they had for one another.” Today, he says, “our common biological enemy has encouraged us to look after and look out for our neighbours,” and gathering together online has allowed the congregation to do that.

For members of Clarington Lutheran, using Zoom to meet for worship during Lent has provided an opportunity to see familiar faces and hear each other’s voices, and has been a blessing to everyone who has participated.

With notes from Alex Steinke and Rev. Larry Flohr

EAST REGION Contact Rev. Marvin Bublitz, Regional Pastor | mbublitz@lutheranchurch.ca | 1. 855. 893. 1466 |

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EAST REGION NEWS

Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic Canada - Michelle Heumann, editor

FROM THE REGIONAL PASTOR, REV. MARVIN BUBLITZ

Abiding Peace I

missed in-person midweek Lenten services this year. I have always deeply enjoy leading and attending those evening services. In the parish, I would use the Service of Compline (LSB 253).

Coming before the Lord in the still of the evening gave such a peace to my soul. The opening versicle sets the tone so well: “The Lord Almighty grant us a quiet night and peace at the last.”

That quiet peace is something my soul has been missing this past year. I can imagine each one of you saying, “Me, too.” We have not been in the quiet peace of the still evening, but rather in the dark loneliness of a pandemic. And so we pray: Be present, merciful God, and protect us through the hours of this night, so that we who are wearied by the changes and chances of life may find our rest in You; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

There is much discussion as to what things will look like on the other side. How many will come back to worship services? How many congregations, stores, and the like will close permanently? How has the added strain affected our marriages, families, and other relationships?

If you dwell on such matters, you can soon find yourself spiralling down into a pit of despair. Our old adversary, the devil, would love to lead us and keep us there, but there is One Who is our Light. And so we pray: Be our light in the darkness, O Lord, and in Your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of Your only Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

It is easy to be consumed by the challenges of the present. It is too easy

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THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2021

to think and act like this moment is the only moment in all of history that matters. Too often we forget all those who have gone before us. We forget the troubles God’s people have faced throughout history and dwell only on ourselves. We forget that there is nothing new under the sun.

We are suffering as people have suffered in this sinful world since our parents were banished from the garden paradise. Just as the devil attacked that first family, so he attacks every family and person ever since. He does not want us to know peace, true peace in Christ.

And so we pray: Visit our dwellings, O Lord, and drive from them all the snares of the enemy; let Your holy angels dwell with us to preserve us in peace; and let Your blessing be on us always; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

The Lord has raised up people to care for His children in these days of distress. He has given skills to some to be doctors, nurses, and other first responders. Some work in grocery stores, in delivery chains, and in manufacturing to ensure food and supplies for us. There are so many ways the Lord has raised up others to help in this time of need. And so we pray: Eternal God, the hours both of day and night are Yours, and to You the darkness is no threat. Be present, we pray, with those who labor in these hours of night, especially those who watch and work on behalf of others. Grant them diligence in their watching, faithfulness in their service, courage in danger, and competence in emergencies. Help them to meet the needs of others with confidence and compassion; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Yes, the Lord raises up those who care for your needs of this life in these dark days, but, more importantly, He cares for your soul. Those needs are even more important. Remembering that He not only cares for our body but also our soul, we pray: O Lord, support us all the day long of this troubled life, until the shadows lengthen and the evening comes and the busy world is hushed, the fever of life is over, and our work is done. Then, Lord, in your mercy grant us a safe lodging and a holy rest and peace at the last; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

As we celebrate the joy of Easter, we are reminded that one day this pandemic will end. One day this sinful world will end. One day we will be taken from this life to the next. He sustains us through this life in faith unto life everlasting through His Word and Sacraments. And so we pray: Abide with us, Lord, for it is toward evening and the day is far spent. Abide with us and with Your whole Church.

Abide with us at the end of the day, at the end of our life, at the end of the world. Abide with us with Your grace and goodness, with Your holy Word and Sacrament, with Your strength and blessing. Abide with us when the night of affliction and temptation comes upon us, the night of fear and despair, the night when death draws near. Abide with us and with all the faithful, now and forever. Amen.

The prayers above all appear in the Service of Compline (LSB 257). I encourage you to use those prayers as you prepare for bed each night that you may rest in peace.

MISSION NEWS www.canadianlutheran.ca

from Nicaragua

No major damage after volcano eruption in Nicaragua

San Cristobal Volcano erupts (Photo: ILSN Dcn. Mayra Lara).

A

n eruption at Nicaragua’s San Cristobal Volcano on March 9, 2021 showered the nearby area, including the city of Chinandega, in ash but otherwise caused no major damage.

Following the eruption, Nicaragua’s National System for the Prevention, Mitigation, and Attention of Disasters encouraged locals to remain calm but stay two kilometres from the crater of the volcano. San Cristobal is Nicaragua’s largest volcano and is considered moderately active.

The Lutheran Church Synod of Nicaragua (Iglesia Luterana Sínodo de

Nicaragua - ILSN) is headquartered in Chinandega, and Lutheran Church– Canada (LCC) has a mission centre in the city. Following the eruption, ILSN President Marvin Donaire confirmed that people in the area were doing fine despite a bit of ash in the air, and that they are grateful the eruption proved to be minor. Staff at LCC’s mission centre also wrote that the volcano had returned to its normal state.

Rev. Mark Smith, Lutheran Church–Canada’s Missions Executive, expressed thanks that the situation in Chinandega has returned to normal. He also encouraged Lutherans around the

world to remember their Nicaraguan brothers and sisters in prayer: Almighty God, whose loving care is everlasting, with relieved hearts we are grateful that the latest volcano eruption of San Cristobal in Nicaragua wasn’t as severe as first feared. We implore You to continue to watch over and protect Your people in Nicaragua, especially those faced with dangerous ash and debris in the air. We also pray that You strengthen the faith of Your Church through Your Life-giving Word that she may bring comfort and aid to those in need; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Ash falls in Chinandega (Photo: ILSN Rev.Luis Turcios).

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2021

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EDUCATION NEWS www.canadianlutheran.ca

LCC Seminaries Update

CANADA - Lutheran Church– Canada (LCC)’s two seminaries are both in the final stretch of the Winter Semester, with finals approaching towards the end of April and into early May. Concordia Lutheran Seminary (CLS) in Edmonton and Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary (CLTS) in St. Catharines, Ontario are sharing the May term class, “Theology of Mission and Evangelism,” being taught online by CLTS Professor Harold Ristau.

The seminaries have been working recently to coordinate their academic calendars for next year, aligning start, break, and end dates to allow some course sharing for each of the schools.

In addition to the physical calendars, each of the seminaries have also mapped out the specific courses being taught next year and the faculty members assigned to teach them. Current proposals are exploring six shared courses for next year.

Each of the seminaries is located close to a university. CLTS is located

CLTS students remember Linda Lantz ST. CATHARINES, Ont. - On March 15, 2021, Concordia Lutheran T h e o l o g i c a l Se m i n a r y ( C LTS ) dedicated a new icon in memory of Linda Lantz, the seminar y’s administrative assistant who passed on to glory in November 2019.

L a n t z s e r v e d C LT S a s a n administrative assistant at the seminary for a decade. She is remembered by the school community as a deeply affectionate second mother to the students.

To memorialize Lantz’ service, the Concordia Seminary Students Association (CSSA) commissioned a hand-painted icon of St. Mary with the child Jesus in her arms. The icon was painted by Avery Prozenko, a brother of student Nigel, who specializes in religious art in a uniquely confessional Lutheran style. For more information on his artwork, visit www. righthandkingdom.weebly.com.

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On Monday, March 15, 2021, the Lantz family and Lutheran Church–Canada’s East Regional Pastor Marvin Bublitz joined the seminary community for Morning Prayer in the chapel, with the service led by CSSA President Jason Gillard. At the end of the service, CLTS President Timothy Winger blessed the new icon. He remarked how fitting it was to recall Lantz’ mothering of the students with an image of the Lord’s Mother. Additional members of the Lantz family were able to participate by watching the service and dedication of the icon online.

Following the service, the icon was hung in the student lounge, where it will serve as a daily reminder to students of their sainted matron.

From a CLTS release

on the campus of Brock University; Brock officials are reviewing the curriculum and programmes under the umbrella of the embedded school model. CLS is across the street from Concordia University Edmonton, which has recently announced the termination of all shared library, educational software, and groundskeeping services to CLS. CLS is therefore exploring alternative sharing options.

Budgets and revenue flow are always a consideration at both seminaries; the good news is that some expenses are lower because of COVID-19. Both seminaries are diligent about keeping costs reasonable, and are deeply thankful for support from across Canada.

The application deadline for new students is approaching quickly; both seminaries are hopeful that God will continue to raise up students from across Canada willing and eager to serve Christ as pastors or deacons.

Thank you for encouraging those prospective students in your midst to get connected.

Rev. Dr. James Gimbel

Lutheran Women’s Missionary League–Canada Growing in God’s Word, Sharing God’s Son, Serving God’s People

Our Motto: Called to Serve!

Deuteronomy 10:12 (NIV): “And now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.”

We are God’s women in mission and service!

Our Pledge In fervent gratitude for the Saviour’s dying love and His blood-bought gift of redemption, we dedicate ourselves to Him with all that we are and have; and in obedience to His call for workers in the harvest fields, we pledge Him our willing service wherever and whenever He has need of us. We consecrate to our Saviour our hands to work for Him, our feet to go on His errands, our voice to sing His praises, our lips to proclaim His redeeming love, our silver and our gold to extend His kingdom, our will to do His will, and every power of our life to the great task of bringing the lost and erring into eternal fellowship with Him. Amen.

Rev. Harry Fricke

LWML–Canada — the same — but different Just like many service organizations, LWMLC gathers funds to support those in need (mites for missions). But what makes LWMLC different from other charitable organizations is that we have always encompassed our motto of “CALLED TO SERVE” with a dominant component that others often miss— the study of God’s Word.

When COVID-19 became a reality for all our members across Canada we quickly realized that, though the mite gathering might be a challenge, it was still do-able with encouragement. But how could the LWMLC sisters be built up in Bible study? President, Linda Long, reached out to VP of Christian Growth, Patti Kreutzwieser and, with that conversation, Bible and a Beverage LWML–Canada

online study was conceived.

This 30-minute study uses the Go-to-Meeting platform and is free of charge to attendees. Every month and a half a callout to attend is posted through LWML–Canada Update and Facebook. A request for the link can be made to vpchristiangrowth@ lutheranwomen.ca. On the designated Saturday morning attendees grab their Bibles and their favourite beverage,

find a quiet room to boot up their computers and spend time with their sisters across the country.

The first topic was fittingly titled Social Distancing, but we have explored themes of Circuit Training for the Human Race, Worry Lines—Time for a Facelift and Always Time to Party.

There have been up to 70 attendees at these studies and, though we cannot be together around a table and offering to top up each other’s coffee as we delve into the study of God’s Word, it is a thrilling time to retreat with sisters in the faith.

To be part of these events visit our Facebook page or subscribe to the LWML–Canada Update via our website lutheranwomen.ca under publications/forms.

Patti Kreutzwieser ready to lead another Bible and a Beverage study.

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2021

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The Canadian Lutheran March/April 2021

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Lutheran Women’s Missionary League–Canada Growing in God’s Word, Sharing God’s Son, Serving God’s People

Our willing service Serving in His strength!

Zoom rally – a first for women

Member Development

A Christian faith journey has many joys and triumphs, trials and sorrows.

Serving our Lord with gladness can be a struggle. Where do we turn on those days? The answer is the Word of God. There we find encouragement, strength and inspiration to move forward. Moses encouraged the Israelites to teach their children the law of God and to retell the stories of the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt. For this very reason we search the Word of God for direction. It is full of faithful servants from whom we can gain encouragement.

The LWML–Canada blog “Serving in His Strength” (servinginhisstrength.wordpress.com) is your blog. The purpose is to give our sisters in Christ an opportunity to give thanks and praise to God for His many blessings. It is an opportunity to encourage others as we, in Christ, meet life’s joys and challenges.

Search the blog, read the faith journeys of our sisters. Respond by sharing your comments on what has been posted. Sign up to follow the blog. Share it with others. Share your own story of thanks and praise as you encourage one another.

Do the latter by sending your story to vpmemberdevelopment@ lutheranwomen.ca and watch for it to be posted.

Zone meets online

The Capital Zone of LWMLC’s Laurentian District held their fall rally on Saturday, October 24, 2020. It was held online through Zoom, a first for the zone.

The Zoom group was blessed with the attendance of eight participants who all helped make this unusal rally a success! For those who were unable to attend, organizers produced a newsletter including the Bible study and other resources and activities which could be shared in print form.

National convention online ABC District to play host

The LWMLC ABC District is assisting with the planning of this year’s national convention which has moved online.

The district’s convention committee has been working closely with the LWMLC executive in the organization and planning of this event. Thinking outside the box on how to offer programs and services in a new and different for format has been challenging but also exciting. God has provided us with the tools and

this convention is an opportunity for all members from across Canada to participate from the comfort of their own homes.

Planning begins for next district convention The LWMLC ABC District convention will be held June 2-4, 2022, at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church in Red Deer, Alberta. The convention theme is “One in Him” from Galatians 3:28b: “For you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Proposals for mission grants this convention are being accepted until January 31, 2022.

COMING SOON - COVID-19 changed plans for LWMLC’s triennial in-person convention to a virtual one. Developing the means to do so has been a challenge that national leaders and the convention committee have met head on. Many things will not change, just how they are carried out. For up-to-date information, visit https:// lutheranwomen.ca/events/conventions/information.

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The Canadian Lutheran March/April 2021

Melissa Henke-Lambert LWMLC Social Media Coordinator

Look for us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!

LWML–Canada

Lutheran Women’s Missionary League–Canada Growing in God’s Word, Sharing God’s Son, Serving God’s People

Our hands, our feet, our voice Ontario District holds board meeting Updates and planning ahead

The ladies of the LWMLC Ontario District board met in January via Go-to-Meeting due to the lockdown caused by the COVID-19 virus. Reports were given on what has been happening within the district. Proposals for mission grants for the 2022 district convention are now being requested.

Societies have made considerable effort to continue gathering and sending in their Mites to support current mission grants putting the district is in a good position to fulfill all of these grants for this triennium.

Ladies of the district, despite many challenges, are still doing Bible studies, mostly online, and participating in a variety of webinars. Many societies have found ways to continue supporting local charities during these trying times.

Alberta zone meets online

“Celebrate Life” proves a valuable theme Parkland Zone of the ABC District, LWMLC, hosted their annual fall rally on September 26, via the video conference platform Zoom. It was a new experience for the fifteen women who participated.

Pastoral Counsellor, Rev. Mark Shultz, led the opening prayer and devotion and also closed the rally with a benediction and the Lord’s Prayer. Business was conducted and elections held. A Bible study, “Celebrate Life,” was led by Melissa Henke-Lambert.

During the study a young daughter was listening in while her mom was participating which led to the daughter asking questions about what she was hearing—a great teachable moment for mother and daughter.

MISSION FROM HOME - Women of LWMLC and their friends are invited to walk for missions (other less strenuous activities will be converted to distance). Funds will support the Wagner Hills Farm women’s program. In place of the usual ingathering where items are collected for agencies in the hosting community, socities will organize ways to support organizations in their local communities. Details at https://lutheranwomen.ca/events/conventions/information.

LWML–Canada

The Canadian Lutheran March/April 2021

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Lutheran Women’s Missionary League–Canada Growing in God’s Word, Sharing God’s Son, Serving God’s People

Our silver and our gold to extend His Kingdom The Mite

LWMLC grants assist French ministry around the world

But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. Calling His disciples to Him, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on” (Mark 12:41-43).

According to Rev. Dr. David Somers, LCC’s missionary-at-large, French ministry in Canada is growing as God provides many unexpected opportunities, Because they cannot be planned for, LWML–Canada has provided funds for a number of projects from its Mission Opportunity Fund grant established for that purpose.

Lutheran resources in the French language are scarce, not just in Canada, but around the world.

Grants from LWML–Canada have

helped develop and distribute French language materials such as a children’s devotional book.

LCC has developed the largest internet portal in the world making French-language Lutheran materials available. LWML–Canada has provided a substantial grant for the maintenance costs of this site.

To learn more about LCC’s French ministry, email dod@lutheranwomen. ca to order a one-hour video of a recent webinar with Dr. Somers.

Mites helped two congregations hire a youth worker

Women in LWMLC societies and their friends throughout LCC, collect money in Mite Boxes or Mite Envelopes. These contributions amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars that fund missions in Canada and abroad through district and national mission grants selected in convention each triennium. These Mites also implement the LWMLC program.

Recently Trinity Lutheran in Richmond, B.C., and Killarney Community Lutheran in Vancouver, were able to hire youth director, Samantha Neeb, thanks to the blessing of a mission grant using Mites from women across Canada. They felt doubly blessed because this youth director is active in LWML–Canada.

Allen Schellenberg of Trinity says, “I believe the encouragement Samantha received from the women of LWMLC since she first began attending meetings after her confirmation at St. Paul’s, Wellesley, Ont. in 2007, through to her involvement at Faith in Desboro, Ont., has been instrumental in her faith journey, not only nurturing her own faith, but

leading her to be involved in nurturing the faith of others— children, teens and adults wanting to learn Samantha Neeb more about Jesus.”

Many families involved in the daycare, Sunday school and youth programs at Trinity are unchurched and/or relatively new to Canada.

Samantha has found many ways to touch them with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, even during the restrictions of COVID-19.

Tapestry

a magazine for women of Lutheran Church–Canada

Subscribe today!

LWML–Canada Resources resourcecentre@lutheranwomen.ca dod@lutheranwomen.ca

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For details ~ visit lutheranwomen.ca/publications-and-forms/tapestry email datamanager@lutheranwomen.ca call Samantha at 1-519-703-0448

The Canadian Lutheran March/April 2021

LWML–Canada President Linda Long president@lutheranwomen.ca 1-519-666-3915

LWML–Canada www.lutheranwomen.ca www.facebook.com/LWMLC twitter.com/LWMLC LWML–Canada

TRANSITIONS Rev. Walta Clercius of Sainte-Foy, Quebec has successfully completed the requirements for the Pastoral Colloquy Program of Lutheran Church–Canada and is eligible to receive a call in LCC. - Rev. Tom Kruesel, Chairman LCC Colloquy Committee. lcc.colloquy@gmail.com Rev. Daniel Kitsch, Candidate, Brockville, ON, Resigned from Roster.

Rev. Randall Kleemola, St. Peter’s, Estevan, SK, to Emeritus.

Rev. William Rose, Candidate, Neepawa, MB, Transfer to Texas District, LCMS. Rev. John Schmidt, Emeritus, Thunder Bay, ON, Called to Glory.

Up-to-date Calls/Transitions information can be accessed any time at: www.canadianlutheran.ca/calls-transitions

www.lutheranchurch.ca www.canadianlutheran.ca Lutheran Church–Canada @thecanadianlutheran @lutheranchurchcanada @CanLutheran @canlutheran @lcc_missions

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COMFORTED

PRESIDENT’S PONDERINGS

BY CHRIST’S DESCENT INTO HELL

W

by President Timothy Teuscher

eek after week and year after year we confess in the Divine Service these words from the second article of the Apostles’ Creed: “He descended into hell.” But what do those familiar words mean? What comfort do we find in this rather mysterious work of our Lord?

If you have no idea, then you are probably not alone. There are a few reasons for this. First, this work of Jesus is explicitly mentioned in only one place in the Scriptures (although other passages allude to it). So St. Peter writes: “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which He went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison” (1 Peter 3:18-19). Second, various conflicting opinions regarding Christ’s descent into hell have been floating around the Church for the past 1,500 years or so. And third, along with Christ’s incarnation, death, resurrection, and ascension, His descent into hell is also included in what St. Paul calls “the mystery of godliness” (1 Timothy 3:16)… which is why he says in another place, “Now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face” (1 Corinthians 13:12).

Perhaps a better way to understand our Lord’s descent into hell is to consider what it doesn’t mean. This does not refer merely to His going to the realm of the dead—a place where, as some falsely teach, the souls of all people, believers and unbelievers alike, go at the time of death. After all, as Jesus said to the thief on the cross: “Today, you will be with me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43). Rather, at death there are two and only two places where the souls of the dead go: unbelievers to Hades, to hell; believers to Paradise, Abraham’s bosom, heaven.

Nor did Jesus descend into hell in order give those who had already died in unbelief another opportunity to be saved. For, as the writer of Hebrews states, “it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). That is why there is an urgency for everything the Church does, because this life is the only opportunity anyone will ever have to hear the Gospel, believe it, and be saved. There are no do-overs, no second chances.

Nor did Jesus descend into hell in order to suffer some more and so complete the payment price for sin. After all, it is while hanging from the cross that He suffers the agony of hell for bearing the sins of the world, and so cries out: “My God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46).

And when He then says, “It is finished” (John 19:30), He is proclaiming that sin is now completely and fully paid for.

Nothing more needs to be done. There is nothing you can

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THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2021

do or must do to atone for your sins because He has done it all for you on the cross.

In the above-cited passage, Peter makes two things clear.

First, between the time of His death on the cross and burial in the tomb and His subsequent resurrection Easter morning, Jesus went in body and spirit (“quickened” or “vivified” are words used to express this mystery) to the ‘prison’— the abode of the devil and his demons and the place where the souls of unbelievers are held until the Last Day. Second, He went there to make a proclamation, the content of which is alluded to by St. Paul in these words: “(God) disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in (Christ)” (Colossians 2:15).

Or as Jesus Himself says in speaking of His casting out demons: “How can someone enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man?” (Matthew 12:29).

Our Lutheran Confessions summarize this mysterious, often-ignored article of the Apostles’ Creed in these words: “We simply believe that after the burial the entire person, God and man, descended into hell, conquered the devil, destroyed hell’s power, and took from the devil all his might. We are not to concern ourselves with exalted and acute speculations about how this occurred. With our reason and five senses this article cannot comprehended any more than the preceding one, how Christ has been made to sit at the right hand of the almighty power and majesty of God. We must only believe and cling to the Word. Then we shall retain the heart of this article and derive from it the comfort that neither hell nor the devil can take us or any believer in Christ captive or harm us” (FC SD IX.2-3).

What is especially significant and comforting in all this is that Peter speaks of Jesus’ descent into hell in the context of his hearers undergoing great sufferings, especially hatred and hostility from the world and persecution from the government.

And although “the devil (still) prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8), he has now been defanged and declawed. He can tempt you, hound you, accuse you, even take your life from you—but he cannot take from you the crown of eternal life that Christ has won for you.

And while the battle rages on, the war is over. Satan is defeated.

Christ’s descent into hell proclaims that truth.

This is why we sing boldly and confidently the words of the Easter hymn: “Now hell, its prince, the devil, Of all their pow’r are shorn; Now I am safe from evil, And sin I laugh to scorn. Grim death with all its might Cannot my soul affright; It is a pow’rless form, Howe’er it rave and storm” (LSB 467:4).

Learning how to love your neighbours and your neighbourhood is the final focus of the research partnership between Lutheran Hour Ministries and Barna Group. Once a Reluctant Witness, who worked hard at Building a Spiritually Vibrant Home you will now be guided by research backed by scripture on making a loving difference right in your own community.

Prepare your heart to be a better neighbour with these Project Connect booklets. In Everyone is a Gift we are reminded that all people are a part of God’s creation, while Love Thy Neighborhood shares practical advice on caring for and helping our neighbours right where we live. You can also encourage children to love and take care of their neighbours.

I Love My Neighborhood and Precious in His Sight are new booklets to help show children how we should be mindful and respectful of differences in others.

To order these and other Lutheran Hour Ministries resources contact us at Lutheran Laymen's League of Canada info@lll.ca www.lll.ca 1-800-555-6236

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and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

Romans 5:5

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