W W W.C A N A D I A N L U T H E R A N .C A
VOLUME 37 NUMBER 3 - MAY/JUNE 2022
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SEED INTO THE GROUND
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CONTENTS
FEATURES W W W.C A N A D I A N L U T H E R A N . C A Volume 37 Number 3 W W W.C A N A D I A N L U T H E R A N .C A
May/June 2022
A Tale of Three Trees Our Life in Christ: Vine and Branches On Vocatio
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VOLUME 37 NUMBER 3 - MAY/JUNE 2022
LIKE
SEED INTO THE GROUND
DEPARTMENTS table talk
Like Seed into the Ground
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regional pastors West: Sent by the Lord of the Harvest 20 Central: Is it all worth it 2.0—Reflections on three and a half years 24 East: Now what? 28
Cover Design 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 Christian Communicators Association 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 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. ©2022 Lutheran Church–Canada. Reproduction of a single article or column for parish use does not require the permission of The Canadian Lutheran. Such reproductions, however, should credit The Canadian Lutheran as the source. Scripture 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.
president’s PONDERINGS We Value Truth
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NEWS SECTIONS International news
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national news
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New President for Paraguayan Lutherans • South Sudan celebrates bishop’s consecration
LCC works with Plan To Protect® on Abuse Prevention Policy • Together, One: Advancing the Mission and Ministry of LCC
west region
Vancouver-area Spring Break youth retreat
central region
Central District LWMLC Convention
east region
125 years for Desboro congregation
mission news
Ukraine Update: A letter from Pastor Yuriy Popel
education news
First calls for 2022’s graduating pastors, vicarage assignments
19 23 27 31 34
announcements
41
supplement
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LUTHERANS FOR LIFE - CANADA THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN | may/june 2022
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TABLE TALK
LIKE SEED INTO THE GROUND by mathew block
J
esus told a parable: “A sower went out to sow…” And you know the rest. Some seed fell on the path and was eaten by birds. Some fell on rocky ground where it grew a little, before ultimately shriveling in the sun because of its shallow roots. Still more seed landed among weeds and was choked out. But some fell in good soil and there it brought forth a rich harvest. The seed, as Jesus explains, is the Word of God. It is planted in the hearts of those who hear it, just as seed is planted in the ground. But there are different kinds of soil, different kinds of environments in which seed may either thrive or perish. So too with the faith which springs from hearing God’s Word. The devil can snatch it away before it has time to germinate. Trials and suffering can kill it off if its roots are shallow. It can languish and die if we neglect it in favour of other things. But, in those who hear the Word of God and treasure it, faith can flourish and bear fruit. The parable is simple enough, but we can nevertheless be left with a question—not about what the passage means (Jesus has explained it) but rather what it means for us. What kind of soil am I? What kind of soil are you? Questions like this shouldn’t be our primary focus; the good news of the parable is that it is God who plants His seed in us! But it can also be healthy to reflect upon our response to God’s Word. Do we ignore it? Do we acknowledge it as true yet resist studying it more deeply? Do we spend our time on everything else rather than it? Or do we instead, as Martin Luther encourages us in the Small Catechism, seek to “hold it sacred and gladly hear and learn it?” If you have ever put in a garden, you know that there’s more involved than just popping seeds into the ground. The earth must be tilled. Weeds must be pulled. The soil might need amending to improve drainage. Fertilizer may be required to give plants the nutrients they need. Harmful insects need to be removed. Animal pests need to be deterred. There are many obstacles to remove so that seeds can do what they do best: grow. I confess, I have not always been the best gardener of my soul. I have let the ground grow hard. I have failed
to water as often as I ought. I have let the weeds grow rampant. And the seed suffers for it. But even so, God does not abandon us! No, “a bruised reed He will not break” (Isaiah 42:3; Matthew 12:20); He comes in mercy to nurse the sickly seed of faith back to health. He feeds us on His Word, the same Word through which He first planted faith in our hearts. He nurtures the seed and sends His Holy Spirit to make it grow—to make it fruitful (Galatians 5:22-23). For it is ultimately God, not us, who causes faith to grow (Mark 4:26-28). Good gardening is important; but it is God who gives the growth (1 Corinthians 3:6-7). That growth only comes, as Rev. Dr. Richard Beinert writes this issue, when we are connected to Jesus, as a branch is to a vine (page nine). And Rev. Ted Giese reminds us that the life we receive from Christ is itself fruit born from a tree—or rather, the Tree—which He embraced on our behalf (page six). Thus nourished, the seed of faith planted in each of us blossoms in different ways, depending on our vocations—something Rev. Dr. James Gimbel explains (page twelve). But we all have a role to play in the vineyard of the Lord. Friends share the Gospel with others, helping sow the Word of God in new soil. Parents nurture the seedlings of faith in their children. Pastors in particular play an important role in cultivating faith, and it is fitting therefore that we also celebrate the first calls of graduating pastors this issue (page 35). Finally, all of us, both church workers and laity, are called to pray for the fruitfulness of God’s Word in the mission field of this world (Matthew 9:37-38; Luke 10:2). “Almighty God, Your Word is cast like seed into the ground” (LSB 577). So begins a popular hymn based on the parable of the sower. God indeed casts His Word into this world, seeking a harvest of faith—and we know that His Word will not return to Him empty; it fulfills the purpose for which He sends it (Isaiah 55:11). Amen, then, Lord Jesus. Grant Your seed abundant growth—both in the world at large as well as in our own hearts. “Let it yield a hundredfold the fruits of peace and joy.”
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A TALE OF THREE TREES by Ted Giese
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n Romans 5, St. Paul puts Adam and Jesus side by side: Adam the first man and Jesus the new Adam. When we compare Adam and Jesus, we see that they both have a tree at the centre of their lives. From these two trees—the trees of Adam and Christ Jesus—we received fruit. The first fruit turned out to be sour and poisonous. It brought death. But the second fruit was sweet and holy—the antidote to the first. And through the power of this second tree, we will one day be welcomed into eternal paradise, where we will find a third tree: the Tree of Life.
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THE FIRST TREE: The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil “Out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil…. The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” - Genesis 2:9, 15-17 This command was given to Adam before Eve was formed and, ultimately, it was his command to keep. When Eve offered him the fruit, and he took it, it was his breaking of the command that opened the door to death and brought about original sin. This eating was the origin of sin, the first human sin. The blemish of this sin passes from father and mother to child down through history and we all share in it. What insights can we glean from the description of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil? First of all, God didn’t set Adam up to fail; the LORD gave Adam and Eve every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. He didn’t give Adam just one tree and then say don’t eat of it. They had choices, thousands of trees which were all good for eating set against one forbidden tree. It’s like taking a person to a grocery store and then saying, “Eat anything here you like except the kiwis.” You wouldn’t starve for lack of that one thing. The LORD is gracious and didn’t set Adam up to fail. We also read that, quite apart from the serpent’s temptation, the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil really did have its own allure. In examining it, Eve discovered that the “tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise” (Genesis 3:6). This tree, along with everything God had made, had been approved of and blessed by Him as “very good” (Genesis 1:31). God made nothing that was evil for there is no evil in God (1 Timothy 4:4; 1 John 1:5). Adam sinned not because the tree was evil but because he broke God’s command of how to live with the tree. Imagine a cheesecake sitting on a table. On its own, it has no power to cause you to gain weight. Tempting as it might be sitting there on the table, it cannot force you to eat it. If it gets into your body, it’s because you put it
there. This is the relationship between temptation and sin, a relationship which links us all to that first temptation and sin. Without Jesus we would be eternally stuck with the aftermath of Adam and Eve’s original sin. That sin didn’t end with Adam; it obstinately spreads through time to each of us. Humanity’s fall into sin under the leaves of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil would be dreadfully hopeless without Christ Jesus and His tree.
THE SECOND TREE: The Tree of the Cross We don’t often think of the cross on which Jesus was crucified as a tree. Sure, it’s made of wood and trees are made of wood, but we wouldn’t call a chair a tree just because it’s made of wood. On the surface, that doesn’t make much sense. But by His death, Jesus defeats death—and when you cut down a tree and build something out of the wood the wood itself dies. So, it’s rather poetic that Jesus defeats the power of death on a cross made of dead wood. Scripture speaks frequently of the cross as a tree. After Jesus’ ascension, the apostles were questioned by the Sadducees, who didn’t believe in the resurrection of the body. There they confessed: “We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging Him on a tree” (Acts 5:29-30). Later, while preaching to Gentile Greeks and Romans, St. Peter says: “We are witnesses of all that [Jesus] did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put Him to death by hanging Him on a tree, but God raised Him on the third day and made Him to appear, not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead” (Acts 10:39-41). Later still in Antioch, St. Paul and Barnabas preached to Jews and God-fearing Greeks and Romans: “For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognize Him nor understand the utterances of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning [Jesus]. And though they found in Him no guilt worthy of death, they asked Pilate to have Him executed. And when they had carried out all that was written of Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb. But God raised Him from the dead, and for many days He appeared to those who had come up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now His witnesses to the people” (Acts 13:27-31).
St. Peter writes: “[Jesus] Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24). Finally, Paul links the idea of the cross as a tree back to the curse of the law, writing: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree’” (Galatians 3:13). Is this some sort of coincidence? No. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, these men knew what they were saying. The Tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil was involved in Adam’s fall, and from its branches grew the fruit by which all mankind became cursed by sin and death. But a tree was also the instrument of our salvation: the cross, upon which Jesus received the wages for our sin—for Adam’s sin. From the branches of the cross hung our Saviour and in the fruit of His body we now find eternal life; His body and His blood, now tangibly received in Holy Communion, provide the antidote and cure for the terminal ailment of original sin. Our baptism connects us with Jesus’ suffering and death on that tree, as well as with His burial and resurrection from the dead. It gives us entrance to heaven, in which we will someday eat of the Tree of Life.
He too was tempted by the same serpent. But Jesus did not sin. He is the new Adam—the better Adam. He did for us all what the first Adam failed to do. This is why St. Paul writes, “For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous” (Romans 5:17-19). King Solomon tells us that “the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life” (Proverbs 11:30). By way of the Tree of the Cross—through His righteousness—Jesus leads you to the promised healing of the Tree of Life in eternity, “with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month” (Revelation 22:2). For all those redeemed and forgiven by Christ, eating from this tree will no longer bring death; it brings life—eternal life in Christ.
THE THIRD TREE: The Tree of Life Scripture teaches that the Tree of Life, that other tree which stood in the Garden of Eden, grows also in the New Heavens and New Earth. After their original sin, Adam and Eve were barred from eating from the Tree of Life; eating from it would have cemented them in their fall, bringing about eternal death. But will we never eat from this Tree of Life? Jesus promises: “‘Behold, I am coming soon, bringing My recompense with Me, to repay everyone for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.’ Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the Tree of Life” (Revelation 22:1214). In Adam, we lost that right. But by the work of Christ, the Christian no longer lives under the shadowy condemnation of the Tree of the Knowledge of God and Evil. Instead, we are made new in Jesus and stand under the blessed shadow of the cross of Christ. In the Garden of Eden, “that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan” (Revelation 20:2) tempted Adam and Eve into the first sin with his sly and deceitful words. After His baptism, Jesus went into the wilderness where
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Rev. Ted Giese is lead pastor of Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Regina.
OUR LIFE IN CHRIST:
VINE & BRANCHES I am the Vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.
John 15:5 by Richard Beinert
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bout seven years ago, I finally figured out how to graft. I had read about it, fascinated with the wide variety of different apples, plum, apricots, and even pears that you can grow across the Canadian prairies. Why buy a tree when you can order a stick and then graft it onto an established stem? And as a bonus, once fully grown you could have a single tree with many different varieties of fruit, with apples ready to harvest from early August all the way into the later fall. Needless to say, one tree turned into several, and each spring offers a new opportunity to try adding a new variety or seven. There is something to be learned from this ‘hobby’ as we listen to the words of our Saviour in John 15. Sure, we know this passage and often quote it—but outside of an active interest in fruit tree grafting, the details sometimes blow past us without really sinking in. You see, without the Vine, the branches have no life. We know that; but how often do we live that in our spiritual lives? In a real sense, Jesus is talking here about the relationship between faith and works. Martin Luther picks up on this in his commentary on John 15, pointing out that works without faith are not really good works at all—and, more importantly, that works without faith can never save us. But the flip side is one that we ought to pay attention to as well. Faith without works is likewise dead. Certainly, this is what
James writes in his letter to the churches (James 2:26), but Luther emphasizes it here too—and rightly so. These are, after all, the words of Jesus. Faith blossoms in love to the neighbour, and where this love is absent, Luther writes, faith is likewise a dead thing. He even goes so far as to state that “in the absence of love, doctrine cannot remain pure, nor can hearts be held together in unity.” How’s that for a mouthful! Love and doctrine must go hand in hand, otherwise our Christian life is useless. “To be sure,” Luther writes, “the highest and foremost service of God is to preach and hear God’s Word, to administer the Sacraments, etc., as the works prescribed in the First Table of the Decalogue. But the works of the Second Table can also serve God, as, for instance, to honour father and mother, to be patient, to live chastely and decently. For he who lives such a life serves and honours the same God.” But we dare not put the cart before the horse. Fruit follows faith, never the other way around. And so, Luther writes: “We call upon all winegrowers, peasants, and gardeners to testify that the stem, the tree, and the stock must grow before one can produce a pear, an apple, a grape, or any other fruit.” He states this as a self-evident truth which applies to our spiritual lives as well. And yet, how often do we try to turn the thing around? “Only once I’m good enough should I go to the Sacrament.” “I’m not good enough to go to church today.” Or consider the perennial temptation to think of the church as a place for “us good Lutherans” and not “those sinners” out there. What would Jesus say? (Matthew 11:28-30 might be a good place to start looking!) As Luther writes, “Do you not hear Christ declare here that you are not to look at and judge by such external appearances of works but by the stem and the root from which they grow?” Expecting fruit first is like waiting for your cellphone to show signs of life before you will plug it in to charge it! This is why Jesus calls upon us to “remain” in Him like branches in a Vine— to “abide” in Him, as other translations put it. The image Jesus paints certainly
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“Jesus the Vine.” Romanian icon on glass, 19th century.
anchors us in His Word, but it is also much more organic. It involves physical contact, not only with the Vine but through Him also with all the other branches. There is fellowship with Jesus and through Him with the whole Church—and we leave the pruning to our Heavenly Father who is the Vinedresser. Our calling is to draw life from the Vine and then serve our neighbours through our vocations in Christian love. This sense of the Church has been captured in an iconographic tradition that comes to us from Romania. In it, we see Jesus seated on an Altar, in front of a cross with the instruments of His torture strewn behind Him. What is remarkable, however, is the way in which the Vine flows from Jesus pierced side, producing clusters of fruit. The Vine arches around the head of our Saviour, and He presses the fruit in His hands to give wine for the chalice. A picture is certainly worth a thousand words, and this is one to ponder. It captures the reality that we are joined with Christ in Baptism and are nourished by the lifeblood of the Vine in the Holy Supper of our Lord. Without Jesus, we can do nothing. And yet, grafted into Him, we grow and produce fruit according to His will and direction as the Holy Spirit teaches us in His Word. Good works that arise apart from Jesus, works that do not emerge from drinking deeply of our Saviour’s lifeblood in the Sacrament, are, according to Jesus’ own teaching, simply not good. What then does it mean to “abide” and “remain”? Certainly, it means immersing ourselves in the reading of God’s Word. It also means making diligent use of our Baptism to frame our daily lives, as well as maintaining a regular regimen of receiving Christ in the Lord’s Supper. This is where we have that direct connection with Jesus the Vine. But this is more than just a matter of study or works-righteousness on our part. It is a call to abide—or, as the Greek word underneath our English translations suggests, to wait, to linger, even to loiter in the presence of our Triune God as He feeds and nourishes us with the fruit of the cross. It involves pondering and meditating on the fullness of that gift which He gives to us there, to stand in wonder of the grandeur of it—but then also to consider how He feeds us so that our lives are likewise caught up in that flood of divine Fatherly love that comes down to us from the Godhead, in which we find our rest and life and peace. A big challenge that we face in learning how to “abide,” however, is that our lives are lived at a sprinter’s pace. Jesus calls us to slow down and savour His gift. Like branches grafted onto a fruit tree, we need to remain connected to Him, for it is only through this connection that the branch draws life from the tree itself. We need to abide in Him—to taste and see, as Jesus invites us, that He truly is good.
Rev. Dr. Richard Beinert is pastor of Saint James Lutheran Church in Winnipeg. THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN | may/june 2022
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On Vocatio by James Gimbel
T
he Latin vocare often refers to a naming or calling. From this root, we get the word vocatio (or “vocation”), which describes God’s call for His creation to serve Him with a distinct mission and purpose.
All of creation has a vocatio Psalm 19:1 begins, “The heavens declare the glory of God,” and Psalm 150:6 says, “Let everything that has life and breath praise the Lord.” God created the sun, moon, and stars with a vocation—a purpose: to provide light and mark days and seasons. God called a gourd into creation to provide Jonah with shade as its vocation and purpose. Water and wheat and grapes were created by God for a purpose; in connection with God’s Word and command, they have a vocatio with sacramental impact. God called loaves, fishes, wind from their natural created purposes to a greater vocatio of service to Him.
Each person has vocatio God called Jeremiah to be His prophet, Aaron to be His priest, David to be His king; each one responded to God’s calling. God called the Virgin Mary to be a mother, and Martha to serve food. A person’s vocatio is not exactly a career, job, or profession. A vocation is God’s design and calling toward a role of complementary service that carries out His plan of action.
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Of course, one of the primary outcomes of sin is disrupting unity and God’s plans. Christ and His power, through faith, restores wholeness and unity, partially now, and wholly in the realized next life. The Holy Spirit also enables us to serve God in our vocations as a response of faith. It may be helpful to note that non-Christians also have a vocation in God’s design, whether they realize it or not; a non-believer may raise vegetables or perform surgeries or collect garbage, all the while unknowingly serving God.
Vocatio’s Variety of Roles In the table of duties, Martin Luther encourages each person to consider his or her station in life. This is vocational language; most people have vocations in the plural, filling multiple stations in life. The same person may be a son, brother, student, and caretaker of the yard at the same time. Daily tasks may shift as they fall under different vocations. Roles may change over time, and there may be tensions between the functions of the roles.
Vocatio as the Masks of God God’s design is to provide, protect, rule and govern, and care for people, animals, and the whole of His creation. When Luther speaks of God’s design, he distinguishes between direct and indirect care. God can intervene miraculously, as we see in the famous biblical
and the Sacraments. Ordinary water, created for many purposes, is empowered in connection with God’s Word to bring spiritual rebirth in the sacrament of Baptism. Bread and wine are part of God’s ordinary providence for our sustenance. Through consecration with God’s Word in the setting of the Sacrament, these elements are Christ Himself for forgiveness, eternal life, and salvation. As God the Good Shepherd leads and feeds and calms and quiets, He also provides undershepherds to provide spiritual care for His Church. In the Office of the Ministry, which is God’s own design, a man who has other vocations as husband and father and citizen and diaper changer may also be trained and ordained and called to a unique vocatio as pastor of a church. God’s Spirit provides spiritual growth to His people through His means, administered by His called servant.
Abuses of Vocatio miracles. But in the vast majority of Scripture, God uses indirect and rather ordinary means to care for creation. God feeds the world through the vocatio of farmers, ranchers, butchers, canning factories, chefs and servers, grocery workers, and so forth. God heals through physicians, nurses, pharmacies, and even those who work with diet and exercise. God protects through peace officers, members of the Canadian Forces, and the RCMP… but also through security cameras and identity theft protection software developers. Whether or not we agree with them politically, Scripture is clear that God governs through the vocatio of Members of Parliament and legislators and premieres. In every case, each person (even the non-believer) is called to serve God’s purpose and is accountable to God to fulfill the vocatio according to His design, rather than their own. Luther affirms how every role (even the milkmaid) is a critically important part of God’s care for the world. The Christian is distinctly aware of God’s presence and design, and fulfills vocatio as part of the walk of faith.
Vocatio as God’s Work through People God provides for physical needs through the variety of vocations in the people around us. God also provides for spiritual needs through His means of grace: His Word
Part of our Lutheran understanding of the ministry is shaped by some of the abuses of the office in Luther’s day. By the sixteenth century, those who were ordained received an exclusive sacrament, which suggested they were “closer” to God than the non-ordained. The sacramental nature, they believed, gave them special privileges, like an extraordinary measure of forgiveness unavailable to the laity, as well as the right to receive the wine (the blood of Christ) in communion—something not offered to the laity at the time. They also believed that those who received the sacrament of ordination thereby received the power personally to retain and absolve sins (as opposed to this being a power which is instead granted to the Church as a whole, which it then entrusts to called ministers to exercise publicly on its behalf). Luther reacted against the elitism and abuses of power to which this understanding of ordination had given rise. A significant part of the Lutheran story is the reforming of the theology of ordination. Luther taught that ordination did not bring a priest or pastor closer to God than the laity, nor did it clearly promise an elevated reward in heaven. Nor should the reception of the wine (the blood of Christ) in communion be restricted only to ministers; it should be available also to the laity. The vocatio of ministry, Luther understood, did not allow the ordained to lord it over others. God wanted all people to understand the liturgy, to hear Scripture in their own language, and to sing in praise to God. Luther emphasized that the ordained were to represent, serve, and reflect Christ—to be “servants for Jesus’ sake,” as Paul explains (2 Corinthians 4:5).
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Vocatio of the Laity Luther recognized that God works under the “masks” of the laity and their ordinary vocations. He discussed the priesthood of believers, based on the broader principle of vocatio as service to God, but especially as presented in 1 Peter 2:4-5. Church treasurer, Sunday school teachers, organists, ushers, and acolytes all fill important roles in the Church’s life that God calls them to (their vocatio). As the roles play out, the laity and the ordained work together in God’s kingdom, rejoicing in the mutual opportunity to walk and talk together in the faith. In good order, the laity identify and encourage and support and send potential pastors and deacons for training and formation at seminary. In God’s design, some among the gifted disciples who have been identified and encouraged and prayed for and supported by their congregations and pastors have an increasing sense of God’s nudge toward ministry. They apply at a seminary, where they study academic coursework, serve in numerous roles that provide supervised contextual experience, and are individually formed to be eligible for call and ordination and service in Christ’s Church. This is part of their training for a pastoral vocatio. In Canada, we have two seminaries that are partnered with Lutheran Church–Canada through Memorandums of Understanding. Through these articulations of joint service, the Church identifies and refers prospective students, and the seminary recruits, receives, and trains enrolled students in the classroom and in field education and vicarage congregations for service to Christ’s Church. The seminaries take their purpose seriously; faculty and staff have a unique vocatio to form pastors and deacons for Christ’s ministry. The seminaries then return the students to the Church in sacred convocations, prepared for the Office of Word and Sacrament Ministry or the office of Deacon. The mission of each seminary is to serve Christ and His Church by preparing those servants to serve and live their vocatio for Jesus’ sake.
Vocatio and the Office of the Public Ministry Pastors serve in the Office of Public Word and Sacrament Ministry. They are trained, ordained, called, and empowered to use God’s tools, His means, as instruments through which God promises and pledges to
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work. Pastors are not lords over the Church, but instead have a vocatio to partner with the laity and lead with a servant heart. Ministry can be a challenging role; spiritual warfare is often intensely targeted toward Christian leaders and pastors and deacons. But God provides His promise and tools to guide, guard, and keep them in His grace and service. Ministry is also potentially one of the most rewarding of vocations imaginable. God is at work in and through the variety of ministry vocations, and it can be a joyful privilege to serve the noble tasks. All believers are encouraged to pray for family, government leaders, society, the poor and widowed and orphaned. But Christ also directs prayer for the ministry vocation distinctly. “The harvest is plentiful,” Jesus says. “Therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into His harvest” (Matthew 9:37-38). The Church and the seminaries partner in their distinct vocations as part of God’s answer to these prayers.
Vocatio and His Church God is always the author of faith who calls, gathers, enlightens, sanctifies, and keeps believers in the one true faith. God could work directly without means or people for this task. But God uses the Church and the seminaries to help fulfill the prayer for workers who will serve in His Church. God’s design is that we work together in this life for mission and ministry. May He lead us in His will and in His ways, to His glory and praise.
Rev. Dr. James Gimbel is President of Concordia Lutheran Seminary in Edmonton.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS CANADIANLUTHERAN.CA
New President for Paraguayan Lutherans PARAGUAY - The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Paraguay (Iglesia Evangélica Luterana del Paraguay - IELP) has elected a new president. Rev. Alceu Alton Figur was elected to a three-year term during the church’s 40 th Ordinary General Assembly, held March 1213, 2022 in Santa Rita. “It is a joy to congratulate you on your election to serve the church in Paraguay,” said General Secretary Timothy Quill of the International Lutheran Council (ILC) upon President Figur’s election. “May God bless you with His love and patience as you undertake this important work on behalf of His Church.” President Figur is originally from Brazil and studied for the ministry at Concordia Seminary in São Leopoldo. He spent the first three years of his ministry serving in Brazil. Since then, he has spent thirty years serving in Paraguay. He currently serves as
pastor of Cristo Rey Lutheran Church in Asunción, Paraguay’s capital city. President Figur succeeds Rev. Eugenio Wentzel, who served five terms as President of the IELP: from 1992-1998, from 2007-2010, and from 2016-2022. President Emeritus Wentzel had earlier announced he would not be seeking reelection. In addition to serving as president of the IELP, Rev. Wentzel served the International Lutheran Council as a member of its Board of Directors. Rev. Wentzel served as the representative for the ILC’s Latin America World Region from 20162018, and again from 2019-2022. “I am very grateful to God for the opportunity to have served Him, recognizing my limitations, as one of the ILC’s regional directors,” President Emeritus Wentzel said. “I have learned a lot during these years. I thank God for this rewarding experience. May God continue to bless the work of the International Lutheran Council.”
South Sudan celebrates bishop’s consecration
Bishop Nathaniel Bol (centre left) is invested as bishop of the SSELC. KENYA - On April 24, 2022, Rev. Nathaniel Bol Nyok Apar was consecrated as Bishop of the South Sudan Evangelical Lutheran Church (SSELC). The consecration took place at Kakuma in northwestern Kenya. Kakuma is the site of a United Nations refugee camp which hosts refugees from Sudan. The church has four congregations in the camp (three South Sudanese and one Sudanese). Archbishop Joseph Ochola Omolo of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
in Kenya (ELCK) presided over the consecration service, and Bishop Charles Bameka of the Lutheran Church of Uganda (LCU) preached for the event. Also participating in the consecration were Bishop Emmanuel Makala of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania - South East of Lake Victoria Diocese (ELCTSELVD), Bishop Robert Kaumba of the Lutheran Evangelical Church in Africa—Zambia Diocese (LECA), and diocesan Bishops William Lopeta and Titus Okoda of the ELCK.
IELP President Alceu Anton Figur. “I want to thank Eugenio Wentzel for his service on the International Lutheran Council’s Board of Directors,” said ILC General Secretary Quill. “And we look forward to working together with President Figur moving forward.” Because the International Lutheran Council elects church bodies and not specific individuals to serve as representatives for World Regions, this means that Rev. Figur automatically succeeds Rev. Wentzel on the ILC’s Board of Directors as representative for the Latin America World Region. ILC News “I want to congratulate Bishop Bol on his formal consecration,” said General Secretary Timothy Quill of the International Lutheran Council (ILC). “He has served the South Sudanese church for many years already, and I pray that God will continue to bless him in his ministry.” Bishop Bol was elected in December 2011 but attempts to hold a formal consecration service in South Sudan were complicated by civil war which raged in the country from 20132020. The conflict led approximately 2.5 million people to flee the country as refugees, primarily to Kenya, Uganda, and Sudan. An earlier attempt to hold a consecration service in Kenya in 2021 was also delayed. The South Sudan Evangelical Lutheran Church is an observer member church of the International Lutheran Council, a global association of confessional Lutheran church bodies. ILC News
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NATIONAL NEWS CANADIANLUTHERAN.CA
EDITOR's NOTE
This issue of the magazine went to press in advance of the 2022 synodical convention. Current news on this topic will be available at www.canadianlutheran.ca or via www.lutheranchurchcanada.ca.sc2022. Further coverage will also be included in the July/August 2022 issue of The Canadian Lutheran.
LCC works with Plan To Protect® on Abuse Prevention Policy
CANADA - Lutheran Church– Canada (LCC) has a responsibility, especially as a community of faith, to provide a safe environment for the vulnerable sector, ministry staff and volunteers. Iris Barta, Human Resources and Administration Manager, along with the LCC Board of Directors Personnel Committee, has been working with Plan To Protect® to create an Abuse Prevention Policy for Synod Office and template policies for congregations. Together,
we are committed to achieving the highest standard of abuse prevention and protection of the vulnerable sector. We believe this work with Plan To Protect® will be of great benefit to all congregations and members of our Synod. Congregations will receive a Plan to Protect ® Guide which consists of 289 pages of best practices and policies and 44 appendices with form and guideline templates. Each congregation or parish representative attending our upcoming Synodical Convention can pick up their guide at registration. Those not attending Convention can request their copy via email at officemanager@ lutheranchurch.ca. Not only has Plan to Protect ®
created policy templates for LCC congregations that will be available from Synod Office, congregations will also have access to resources and support that will enable them to create strong Abuse Prevention Policies and training resources that support our spiritual and moral obligation to protect our community of faith, as well as meet legal obligations and requirements for insurance coverage. Charlie Smith-Brake, Director o f P o l i c y, C o n s u l t i n g a n d Communications at Plan to Protect® will be at convention to provide information at a breakout session and at an exhibit table with materials to answer your questions. In the meantime, visit plantoprotect.com to learn more.
Canadian Lutheran designer receives CCCA Award CANADA - The Canadian Christian Communicators Association (CCCA) held its annual awards ceremony on May 11, 2022, during which time The Canadian Lutheran’s Alex Steinke received an award. Steinke, who provides design work and layout for the magazine, received a third-place award in the “Front Cover – Magazine (Circulation Over 10,000)” category. The award recognizes her work on the March/April 2021 issue of The Canadian Lutheran, which features an origami dove patterned from a passage of St. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans. The cover title, drawing on the same passage in Romans, proclaims: “Hope Does Not Disappoint.” “This cover has bold typography, smart colour scheme, and great illustration,” noted the category judge in her remarks. “A really strong and joyful cover which communicates very effectively. Well done!” This was Steinke’s second year in a row to place in the same category. “Alex has done an incredible job on layout and design since beginning work on the magazine in 2020,” said Mathew Block, editor of The Canadian Lutheran. “I’m thankful for all that she does to make the magazine such a success and am delighted to see her talents being recognized in this way. Congratulations!”
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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
NATIONAL NEWS CANADIANLUTHERAN.CA
Busy first quarter of 2022 for the NYG team
NATIONAL - As the National Youth Gathering this summer draws closer, the NYG team gets busier. They started off 2022 with three virtual events for leaders and youth, and also held an in-person committee meeting in Winnipeg. On January 15, the NYG hosted the third of four round tables for youth leaders. LCC West Regional Pastor Robert Mohns led a Bible study on “Mind Matters,” with time for group discussion. “Mental disorder is part of the chaos of broken people living in a broken world,” Rev. Mohns said. The leaders discussed a biblical understanding of mental health and mental resilience, and how God is both the author and preserver of mental wellness. Caring for young people and their mental health involves being empathetic, compassionate, and present. The NYG team is thankful for Rev. Mohns’ leadership on this important topic. The NYG committee has met regularly via Zoom over the last two years, but from February 11-12, 2022 they were able to meet in person in Winnipeg for the first time since November 2019. It was a very cold weekend (-27° on Saturday!), but they visited the Assiniboine Zoo to plan a scavenger hunt, and had a lot of very productive meeting time. A highlight of the weekend was receiving a grant
for the NYG from Lutheran Women’s Missionary League –Canada; they have been very supportive of the NYG for years, and the committee is thankful for their gifts. The committee is also very thankful for synod’s office staff and their help hosting the meeting (and printing things!). On March 4, the committee, with help from former committee member Dcn. Amanda Hastings, hosted the first-ever virtual pre-gathering gathering, “LCC Youth Assemble.” Several churches that are planning to attend the NYG gathered on Zoom for a devotion and games, and a chance to meet each other before getting to Winnipeg. It was a great opportunity to build some community. If there is interest and, if time allows, the team hopes to hold another one later in the spring. Another youth ministry round table was held on March 19, with a discussion led by Dcns. Michael Gillingham and Miriam Winstanley
on responding faithfully and in love to questions around gender and identity. This short time together only scratched the surface of this important topic but a resources list was provided, and there was good, supportive conversation about Law and Gospel and their importance in youth ministry. There is one more event for youth leaders scheduled for this spring: on Saturday, June 4, the NYG will offer a Zoom meeting to all of the 7+1 leaders who are registered to attend the gathering. This will give them an opportunity to receive information and ask questions ahead of time, and will be another first-ever event for the NYG! The NYG committee is looking forward to seeing youth and leaders from across LCC in Winnipeg on July 15. Submitted by the NYG Committee
THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN | may/june 2022
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NATIONAL NEWS CANADIANLUTHERAN.CA
Together, One: Advancing the Mission and Ministry of LCC “I left home with the prayer that God would use us for His good purposes, and I believe that my prayer was answered. Thanks be to God!” CANADA - You may have read in previous issues of The Canadian Lutheran, that Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) is working on creating a shared vision of the future for our Synod. This important work, dubbed the Purpose & Priorities Planning Process, has involved many voices across our church body over the past ten months. This process has provided exceptional feedback and direction on our challenges and our opportunities. The purpose is to develop a strategic framework enabling us to boldly fulfill our mission and ministry today and into the future. The latest step was an in-person retreat held on April 7-8, 2022 in Winnipeg. Representation from pastors, deacons, and laity, together with LCC’s Board of Directors and synodical leadership, gathered to discuss the distilled feedback generated from the online survey and virtual focused leadership sessions. Our goal was to establish clarity around LCC’s mission, vision, and values and to focus on areas of need to position LCC for mission expansion and congregational vitality. Based on the group’s response, the retreat
accomplished what it set out to do. Our thanks to all the participants. The next step is to share this framework and vision at LCC’s Synodical Convention in June. As the inaugural convention of our new structure, where all of our congregations or parishes will come together, it presents an excellent opportunity to highlight the passion our church body has for its future and bring forward the excitement of expanding our mission. There is much work to do in the coming months as we are just forming the foundation. Our next four years will be significant, and our hope is that together as one synod, we strengthen our unity in proclaiming the Gospel and bringing glory to God through this effort. We ask that you continue to keep this process and our synod in your prayers. We recognize that by ourselves we can accomplish nothing, but in Christ “who makes all things new,” we are able to fulfill our mission. For further information or if you have questions, comments, or input, please contact David Friesen, LCC Director of Advancement, at dfriesen@lutheranchurch.ca.
“With the Lord begin your task; Jesus will direct it. For His aid and counsel ask; Jesus will perfect it. Ev’ry morn with Jesus rise, And when day is ended, In His name then close your eyes; Be to Him commended.”
LSB 869
Synodical staff; Regional Pastors & members of LCC's Board of Directors.
The opening devotion led by LCC's Central Regional Pastor David Haberstock began fittingly with the singing of "With the Lord Begin Your Task" (LSB 869).
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THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN | may/june 2022
FIND
lcc ON social
media
WEST REGION NEWS
ALBERTA AND BRITISH COLUMBIA - MICHELLE HEUMANN, EDITOR
Pastors’ Respite Retreat
EDMONTON - “Rest for your Soul” (Matthew 11:29) was the theme of the Respite Retreat held at Providence Renewal Centre in Edmonton from January 31 to February 2, 2022. There were 21 attendees, which was a great size to foster collegiality and mutual care, and the cost to participants was very
affordable thanks to a grant from the West Region Mission and Ministry Council. Each day began and ended with worship to saturate attendees with God’s Word. Sessions were aimed at caring for those in attendance and equipping them for ministry in these challenging times. Participants also
enjoyed extended time on the second day of the retreat for personal rest and relaxation. Each person had their own quiet, comfortable room, and the meals were very satisfying. This kind of retreat is needed even in “normal” non-pandemic times. It differs from the regular church workers’ conferences because the aims are different. Conferences are necessary and welcomed, but they are mainly about the business of the church. Quite often the schedules are filled with sessions and reports; there is little time for rest. Another aspect where they are different is the comfort factor: the accommodations are quite often shared, and it is difficult to get a good sleep. Respite retreats are meant to be smaller and more intimate, with a more relaxed schedule, in a comfortable, quiet setting. The vast majority of reviews after the event were extremely positive. Many of the pastors are already talking about the possibility of holding another retreat next year if God wills it. Rev. Jonathan Kraemer
Singer-songwriter writes tune for Reinhardt poem
C A L G A R Y, A l t a . - S i n g e rsongwriter, Shayleigh Sihlis—a member of Peace Lutheran in Calgary—has put Rev. Kurt E. Reinhardt’s poem, “Their Stolen Children Have Been Found,” to music. The poem was featured in the June
2021 issue of The Canadian Lutheran, as Rev. Reinhardt shared his reflections on the discovery of the mass burial of Indigenous children beside the former residential school in Kamloops, B.C. “The song came to me as I was listening to the story on the CBC
while driving north to our cottage with my youngest daughter in the backseat of the car,” Rev. Reinhardt said. “Having my own young child with me as I heard about the children’s unmarked graves caused me to feel the plight of their poor parents and people all the more deeply.” Shayleigh Sihlis, who graduated from Rosebud School of the Arts in 2020, was impacted by Rev. Reinhardt’s poem, leading her to set it to music. “I pray that God will continue to move and that this can be an opening to conversation about what the church can do, and how it can connect with the Indigenous community as the loving hands and feet of Jesus,” says Sihlis. You can hear her rendition of “Their Stolen Children Have Been Found” on LCC’s YouTube Channel.
THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN | may/june 2022
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ALBERTA AND BRITISH COLUMBIA - MICHELLE HEUMANN, EDITOR
SENT BY THE LORD
OF THE HARVEST from the regional pastor | rev. robert mohns
And Jesus said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few. Therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into His harvest. Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.” | Luke 10:2-3
W
hile the Northern Hemisphere busies itself for the seasonal change from spring to summer, there is something else that is happening, something not noteworthy to the world but of high importance to the Lord’s Church. Spring is typically the season during which the church assigns pastoral and diaconal candidates to their first calls and placements. It is a season when men are ordained into the Office of Holy Ministry and deacons are commissioned into the various auxiliary offices of servanthood in the Church. This is no small thing. The Lord of the Church commanded His Church to pray for Him to send out workers because the harvest is plentiful. St. Paul reminds us that the Lord regards church work as a noble task worth aspiring to: “The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task” (1 Timothy 3:1). It is a noble calling because it is concerned with souls. In older times, pastors were called “caretaker of souls.” It is the highest reward of the pastor when a soul is brought from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. What more noble task can there be than this? The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few. In this world there will be no shouts or cheers of “Pastor!
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Pastor!” or “Deacon! Deacon!” The tasks of preacher and deacon are often treated with disdain. The Lord reminds us that an abundance of pastors or deacons is not an easy thing. Ever so quickly, the aspirations to serve as a pastor or deacon are quenched by the world and all its cares, by self-doubts, and the attacks of Satan, sin, and the weakness of the flesh. It is not human will, desire, fortitude, scheming, or cunning marketing that will supply workers for the kingdom. It is the Lord who calls whom He desires to serve as His pastors and deacons. Therefore, He commands His church to pray that He would send out workers, trusting that because He has commanded, so He will do it. What I have come to appreciate about the Lord’s command to prayer is its enduring nature. This prayer is for new workers but also for those who continue to serve. It is for workers, pastors, and deacons who day after day get up and go to serve God’s people. It seems no small miracle to me that there are and continue to be pastors and deacons serving the Church. The Lord was not kidding when He told the appointed seventy-two that He was sending them out as lambs in the midst of wolves, with nothing but His Word to accompany them. No earthly recruitment campaign would succeed if that were its pitch to potential workers.
THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN | may/june 2022
As for all Christians, the life of a pastor or deacon is one lived under the cross, bearing the ills that are common to all humanity—for all humanity is under the curse of sin. There are the daily cares of seeking daily bread, raising families, dealing with illness and disease, conflict, and even the threat of war. And then there are constant struggles with self—the battle of sin within the heart and the weakness to resist. There is no Christian who has not experienced it. So long as the Spirit of God is present the battle rages. Do not think that a pastor or worker has no besetting sin, no weakness, and that they are not often thoroughly ashamed of the poor fight they have put up. Do not believe that a preacher or worker has no dark hours, no periods of gloom and even despondency, no horrible thoughts, or satanic suggestions. In fact, for preachers and church workers these temptations are often intensified. Preaching Christ brings with it a clear testimony against sin and the proclamation that Christ is the world’s only Saviour. The preacher knows that the greatest desire of a repentant sinner is forgiveness, and he also knows that nothing forgives but the blood of Christ. But such a message elicits fierce opposition. I think the saying is true that, “No pastor has so many friends and no man has so many enemies as the pastor.
WEST REGION NEWS
ALBERTA AND BRITISH COLUMBIA - MICHELLE HEUMANN, EDITOR
No man is loved more than he and no man is hated worse.” Many pastors and deacons have found themselves on their knees, earnestly praying, “O God, why have you sent me?” It is no small thing that the Church has pastors and deacons and that they continue to faithfully serve. St. Paul certainly knew struggles in his calling. While in prison and expecting that his earthly life was coming to an end, he cast a sweeping look backward, writing, “I have fought the good fight of faith, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). But turning toward the future, he sees the crown, writing, “Therefore there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous judge shall give me at that day” (4:8). This is the hope that carried him forward. The crown was always the symbol of victory and honour. It was sign of distinguished service, and no price was too great to give in exchange for it. For Paul, it was enough. It is what picks pastors and workers up from their knees to serve another day. It is the Lord of the Church who sends labourers out. He puts men into the preaching office, He supplies workers to serve in the auxiliary offices. He is the one who supplies them with the one thing necessary to fulfill their calling: His Word. Happy is the worker whose heart has been cleansed by the Word and to whose soul it has become the highest treasure. God grant us to pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out His labourers.
Vancouver-area Spring Break youth retreat
RICHMOND, B.C. - On Friday, March 18, fifteen youth from six different churches gathered for a retreat at Trinity Lutheran Church in Richmond. The retreat began with an opening devotion led by Rev. Steven Harold, after which the group videocalled a group from Ontario that was having a retreat at Holy Cross in Kitchener. During this time over Zoom the two groups raced against each other in a scavenger hunt using Bible verses to find objects around the churches, with the B.C. group proudly winning the race. After lunch and fellowship, there was a main session about Martin
Luther’s teaching on vocation and the concept of “Masks of God,” in which God uses our vocations to love and serve our neighbours as His masks. The group finished the day by packing 325 Easter kits that the BC Mission Boat Society will distribute to seven different First Nations along the coast of B.C., as well as some families who live outside of those communities. It was a wonderful opportunity to be able to have youth from multiple churches gather and grow in relationship with God and each other. Samantha Neeb, Youth Director
THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN | may/june 2022
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WEST REGION NEWS
ALBERTA AND BRITISH COLUMBIA - MICHELLE HEUMANN, EDITOR
Would you try this with your congregation? Grace Lutheran Ramblers PORT ALBERNI, B.C. - For almost a year now, congregational members of Grace Lutheran Church have been hiking the trails in and around Port Alberni on Vancouver Island. Port Alberni and the valley area have scenic trails through majestic forests,
gurgling creeks, over bridges, and with views of the mountains. The hikes, which are easy to moderate, occur once a month and take on average about one and half hours. At the halfway point of the hike, a short devotion is shared, one for
the adults and one for the children. It is an opportunity to hear God’s Word in His beautiful creation and to enjoy fellowship with one another. Members are encouraged to invite friends and neighbours. Terry Zibin and Elizabeth Platz
What is Regional News? Regional News can include a congregation’s significant anniversary or other landmark occasion, a mission or outreach event, a retreat or special event hosted by an LCC organization or by the circuit, or other church involvement in the community. Regional News can ALSO be something unique that your congregation is doing for its members, like hosting a hiking club, mentoring younger members into leadership positions, or preserving a heritage church building. Sharing our news is one way our geographically widespread Synod can stay connected, and if you're not sure if a story qualifies as news, please ask!
www.canadianlutheran.ca/editors-and-submissions
SHARE YOUR STORIES Contact Michelle Heumann, Regional News Editor | regionaleditor@lutheranchurch.ca |
WEST REGION Contact Rev. Robert Mohns, Regional Pastor | rmohns@lutheranchurch.ca | 1. 855. 826. 9950 |
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CENTRAL REGION NEWS
SASKATCHEWAN, MANITOBA, AND NW ONTARIO - MICHELLE HEUMANN, EDITOR
Central District LWMLC Convention REGINA - The 2022 Convention of the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League–Canada’s (LWMLC) Central District took place May 27-29 at Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Regina. The event, which was hosted by the LWMLC Central District’s Capital and Southwest Zones, met under the theme “Bread of Life,” based on John 6:35—“Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life.’” Rev. Dr. John Nunes served as guest speaker and preacher for the event. Dr. Nunes is a graduate of Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary in St. Catharines, Ontario, and the former president of Concordia College New York. The convention was hybrid in nature, with opportunities for both in-person and online attendance. Events included a tour of Souls Harbour Rescue Mission, a mission walk around Wascana Lake, and a visit to Camp Lutherland.
Regina congregation helps feed the hungry
Preparing supper at Souls Harbour Rescue Mission REGINA - On May 17, members of New Beginnings Lutheran Church cooked up supper for people in need. Congregation members volunteered at Souls Harbour Rescue Mission, where they prepared a meal of shepherd’s pie. More than 300 people were fed through their work. The congregation has volunteered with and raised money for Souls Harbour Rescue Mission for many years. In recent months, the congregation has assisted in a variety of ways, including serving another meal of shepherd’s pie in April, preparing more than 500 cupcakes
Volunteers peel potatoes
for Souls Harbour’s Easter Dinner, and sponsoring additional meals such as a February meal of pork loin, mashed potatoes, and vegetables. “We are so blessed to be able to share the gifts God had given us,” the congregation writes in a social media post about May’s meal. Souls Harbour Rescue Mission is a Regina-based organization which seeks to “rescue people from poverty and addiction by offering the Gospel message through emergency help, such as food, clothing, and shelter,” as well as through recovery programs.
Shepherd’s pie
Some of the cupcakes prepared by New Beginnings Lutheran Church for Easter Supper at Souls Harbour Rescue Mission
THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN | may/june 2022
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CENTRAL REGION NEWS
SASKATCHEWAN, MANITOBA, AND NW ONTARIO - MICHELLE HEUMANN, EDITOR
IS IT ALL WORTH IT?
2.0
Reflections on three and a half years
from the regional pastor | rev. DAVID HABERSTOCK
I
n January 2019, the second phase of Lutheran Church–Canada’s new structure rolled out as the District corporations stopped providing ecclesiastical oversight and three newly elected Regional Pastors took up the task. In my first column as Regional Pastor, I asked, “Is all this worth it?” regarding the time, energy, and emotional labour that has gone into this. As I write this, our first everycongregation Synod Convention is weeks away, and it is a good time to reflect on this. I speak primarily from what I see in the Central Region, as well as from conversations with the President’s Ministry Council (the President of Synod, Vice President, and three Regional Pastors). Our term of office began in 2019. That year was a whirlwind for me as I tried to visit the churches and pastors of Central Region, and tried to get the Regional Mission and Ministry Council together for its inaugural meeting. I did okay at the visitation and really enjoyed it. I posted on Facebook pictures of the congregations I visited during that first year. I got to exactly two-thirds of our congregations that year (56 out of then 84 congregations), plus three old churches, five installations, two pastors’ conferences, two combined ordination-installations, to StreetReach in Thunder Bay, the synodical office in Winnipeg, Concordia Lutheran Seminary in Edmonton, an LWML convention, a 100 th anniversary, and Bethany Pioneer Lodge in Middle Lake, Saskatchewan (which was started by Faith, Middle Lake).
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Of course, no one knew what would descend upon us mid-March 2020, but prior to that, I visited five more of our congregations, plus one old church building, and presented at the Sabbath Conference for deacons held at Concordia Lutheran Seminary. During the rest of 2020, I made it to six more of our unvisited congregations (and nine old buildings and/or cemeteries), three combined ordination-installations, and three more installations. In 2021, I presided at one church closing, got to six more unvisited congregations, presided at two installations, and visited two out of three Bible camps in the Central Region. Of course, by this time, there were countless online meetings, and I’d visited more than 90 percent of our congregations, so visiting more unvisited congregations was getting rarer, despite travel restrictions. Another focus of my work in the last year has been pre-call meetings, and helping congregations through the call process (and there are several pastoral installations coming up this summer!) But these details illustrate the difference. With nearly five months of 2022 in the bag, I have visited only one unvisited church, and not been getting out much in the Region both due to COVID and my father’s death. Many in the Region are aware that my father died in January. I’ve been working from his house in Edmonton since last August, as my wife, daughter, and I helped my siblings take care of him here in Edmonton for his last six months. I want to say a massive thank you to Synod’s staff and to the members
THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN | may/june 2022
of Central Region for allowing me to serve my father and family in this way, and allowing me to be less accessible to the Region throughout this year. But I return to the question: has it all been worth it? It’s been an adventure these last three and a half years. But what I have seen, other than that the RMMCs are still a work in progress—especially in Central, in part due to my not being an organizer—is that this position is accomplishing what we hoped! The lessened focus on administration of the District and the expectation of visitation of pastors and congregations has been really positive. I have received a lot of feedback of appreciation for the availability I have to pastors. The fact that this position is called Regional Pastor has been a net positive. I still tell people outside of LCC that I am “like a bishop” because that is a word they know and understand. But a number of pastors have commented that the name change for this position (from president to pastor) has caused them to interact with me as a pastor rather than as an administrative official. This is excellent. The President’s Ministry Council and the Regional Pastors have also forged a real bond where we collaboratively discuss what is best for the whole of LCC, rather than just what is good for just one Region. This renewed focus on our life together as Synod has been a blessing to me, and I pray it will bear much fruit in the days to come. Our church has ongoing challenges that can be addressed in another column, but at the present time, has it been worth it? I would say yes.
CENTRAL REGION NEWS
SASKATCHEWAN, MANITOBA, AND NW ONTARIO - MICHELLE HEUMANN, EDITOR
Wascana Circuit Easter Vigil REGINA - Good Shepherd Lutheran Church was pleased to once again host the annual Wascana C i r c u i t E a s t e r Vi g i l s e r v i c e . This service commemorates the movement from the mourning of Good Friday through to the celebration of the resurrection with a movement of the service from a darkened sanctuary through to the joyful reillumination and the return of the hallelujahs. The circuit pastors joined together in leading the service, with host pastor Rev. James Chimirri-Russell delivering the sermon which was comprised of excerpts from sermons by Dr. Martin Luther. Dcn. Amanda Hastings
Participants in the Easter Vigil service: Dcn. Amanda Hastings, Rev. Ted Giese, Rev. James Chimirri-Russell, Rev. Daryl Solie, Rev. Arron Gust, Rev. Lucas Albrecht, Rev. Paulo Brum, and Martin Jagnow (cellist and lector) THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN | may/june 2022
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SASKATCHEWAN, MANITOBA, AND NW ONTARIO - MICHELLE HEUMANN, EDITOR
Living Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church closes its doors
LIPTON, Sask. - Living Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church began on January 1, 1997, through the amalgamation of Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lutheran Church–Canada and St. Johns Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada. The congregation was accepted into membership in LCC in March 1997. On August 10, 1997, a new building was dedicated to the glory of God under the leadership of Rev. R. Zimmerman, followed by Rev. Wood and then Rev. Koch. The Gospel was proclaimed and the Sacraments administered here for 25 years. However, for several reasons it became obvious that it was no longer viable to continue. At
a congregational meeting on March 14, 2021, it was decided, with heavy hearts, that it was necessary to begin working towards disbanding the congregation and selling the building. In view of this decision, all the church records dating back to the early 1900s would need to be sent to the respective synodical offices. The furnishings, Bibles, hymnals, and other items that could be used in the mission field would be sent to the office in Winnipeg. The closing date was set for January 9, 2022. At that time, attending members received the furnishings and sacramental vessels and took them out of the church. The baptismal articles, the Bible, lectionary, and garments from the lectern and pulpit
were removed. Then the missal stand, altar book, candle sticks, communion vessels, altar linens, paraments, and the crucifix were all removed from the building, and the congregation left the church. Rev. Koch then declared that the church building was closed as a place for divine worship services in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and the doors were closed. In his closing message, Rev. Koch encouraged the congregation to remain faithful to their Lord, and reminded them that even though they are no longer a congregation that worships together, each of them is still a part of the Lord’s church, and can go out into the community and shine, to be a beacon for Him as God enables them. Anita Reisdorf
SHARE YOUR STORIES Contact Michelle Heumann, Regional News Editor | regionaleditor@lutheranchurch.ca |
central REGION Contact Rev. david haberstock, Regional Pastor | dhaberstock@lutheranchurch.ca | 1. 800. 663. 5673 |
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EAST REGION NEWS
ONTARIO, QUEBEC, AND ATLANTIC CANADA • MICHELLE HEUMANN, EDITOR
125 years for Desboro congregation DESBORO, Ont. - Faith Lutheran Church in Desboro, Ontario, celebrated its 125th anniversary in a special service on August 29, 2021. The congregation was first formed in 1896. “Faith in Jesus, who died, but rose to life again, saves us,” Rev. Brian Dunlop said in a sermon marking the anniversary. “This Gospel message was preached, taught, and believed by Christians at this church 125 years ago—like a light shining in a dark place. 125 years later, the same Gospel is now preached, taught, and believed by Christians here in 2021. His light still shines.” The anniversary celebration adhered to pandemic safety protocols, with the congregation holding its celebratory potluck outdoors. A brief program followed, which included the cutting of a special cake by the church’s oldest member, Morley Kaufman, and youngest member, Nash Beckett.
The anniversary cake with Faith Lutheran’s oldest and youngest members
New Brunswick congregation moves buildings
Riverview, N.B. - On May 1, the congregation of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Moncton said goodbye to one building and hello to another in a special service of disposition and moving. Since 1987, Good Shepherd has resided at 25 Hildegard Drive in Moncton. “We are so grateful to the former Easter District in convention and through its various entities; the LWML; the former East District CEF, Rev. Bruer; the founding members of our congregation and so many self-sacrificing volunteers since; our sister congregations across Lutheran Church–Canada; and all our generous and active partners in the Gospel over
the years… who have provided us such a beautiful and useful church building,” wrote Rev. David Milette. The building, he said, has been an important “launching place and a resource for ministry and mission throughout Atlantic Canada over the years.” But changing circumstances made the move necessary. “All things are sanctified by the Word of God and prayer—even a hard day like this,” Rev. Milette said. “God knows how to care for us.” On May 1, the church held its final service in Moncton, during which the congregation observed a modified Rite of Disposition of a Church Building. The congregation
removed articles from the church during the service but, without ending the service, the congregation got into their vehicles and drove a few minutes away to the community of Riverview. There they received the items and placed them into their new church home with Scripture, prayer, the benediction, and a closing hymn. The congregation’s new address is 28 Woolridge Street in Riverview. The congregation is renting space from St. John the Baptist Anglican Church, where they will now hold Divine Service and Bible Study on Sunday afternoons. A French-language Vespers service will continue to take place on Tuesday evenings. The schedule for other activities will vary. The building will also provide Rev. Milette with office space. “Please remember us in your prayers for a smooth transition and many blessings,” said Rev. Milette, “since God is happy to be at work in our midst and for the sake of the world through His Word and Sacraments. God be gracious to us and continue His work of gathering, renewing, and preserving us in the true faith also in our new location.”
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NOW WHAT? from the regional pastor | rev. marvin bublitz
N
ow what? That is a question that often gets asked when life happens. A young couple finds out they are expecting a newborn… now what? How do we prepare? What needs to be done? Who do we tell? The doctor calls you in to her office to “give you the news”... now what? The phone rings and you hear that a loved one is gone… now what? A terrible pandemic is starting to wind down… now what? Now what? It can be a cry of helplessness or hopelessness. It might be a shout of desperation. I imagine the disciples spoke those words to each other in the upper room. “They killed our Rabbi… now what?” Then the Risen Lord Christ came to them and bestowed His peace. Now what? We learn in Acts 1:6 that the disciples asked the Risen Lord: “Now what?” Well, put more accurately, they said, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” It was not so much an open question as a directed question—a question that implies the desired answer. It seems the disciples still did not fully appreciate that His kingdom is not of this world. Jesus redirects them to leave to God the things and times of God. Then He directs them to the forthcoming outpouring of the Holy Spirit who will empower them to be His witnesses. Now what? Jesus ascended into heaven. As they stood staring into the clouds,
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I wonder if they thought, “Now what?” Then the angels of the Lord asked them why they were just staring into the sky. Just as Jesus left, so He will return. It is interesting that the disciples so often got it wrong: doing the wrong thing, saying the wrong thing, thinking the wrong thing, and looking in the wrong places. And each time it was the Lord who refocused and redirected them. As we examine ourselves, are we any different? A pandemic strikes, and we strike back—albeit at each other. So now what? Now what do we do? Well, as Jesus would have us, we drop to our knees and repent. We are seemingly coming out of the pandemic, and now what? We drop to our knees in repentance. As we honestly look back over the last two years, we must confess that we have so often lost our focus. Satan has convinced us to see our brothers and sisters as the enemy. “They just don’t get it. If only they would see things my way.” But no! If only we would see things the Lord’s way. So, we are guilty. Now what? Repent. Return to the Lord your God and seek His forgiveness. Will it take an angel from heaven to get us to see things His way? As we emerge from the doubt and fear of the last two years, some may feel embarrassed or ashamed of how they handled it. Some may feel that others owe them an apology. Can
THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN | may/june 2022
broken relationships be restored? God knows. And God can. Satan will use any means to drive a wedge between the people of God, and between us and the Lord. He will do all he can to create doubt, fear, and blame. The last two years have given him ample opportunity. Now what? Now we do what the Lord has always told His people to do. Repent. We look within and see the sin lurking there. We expose and confess it. Only the Lord can forgive and restore. Only the Lord can heal and save. As we move forward, our only hope is Jesus. Our only way to come back together as the people of God is Jesus. Our only way to be what He has made us—baptized, blood-bought children of the Father—is Jesus. We are sinners. Now what? Jesus. We have not acted as children of God. Now what? Jesus. We confess our sin. Now what? Jesus. We desire to be with Him at the eternal banquet feast. It is only through Jesus we will be. So now what as we move forward? We do so gathered around the Word and Sacraments, for it is there that the Lord bestows His divine gifts of faith, forgiveness, and salvation to us. We gather at the foot of the cross with our fellow sinners and receive His forgiveness. Now what? Now we live and love and work together as the Holy Spirit empowers us.
EAST REGION NEWS
ONTARIO, QUEBEC, AND ATLANTIC CANADA • MICHELLE HEUMANN, EDITOR
Dual parish holds Ukraine Day
STRATFORD, Ont. - The dual parish of 1st St. John’s, Seebach’s Hill and 2nd St. John’s, Wartburg, held a Ukraine Information Day on March 20, 2022. The membership in both churches were very distressed with the destruction there, which aroused a deep desire to help. The question was, “What is the best way to help?” Seebach’s Hill’s assisting pastor, Rev. William Ney, has a relationship with Ukraine and so the churches asked him for assistance. What an eye-opening experience that proved to be! Rev. Ney suggested that the churches consider raising funds for the Synod of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Ukraine (SELCU), initiated by Lutheran Church–Canada. On Sunday, March 20, both churches heard Rev. Ney deliver a message on his own experiences in the missionary establishment of the new Lutheran Church in Ukraine. He discussed the relationships he developed in Ukraine and the anguish he now feels when witnessing the tragedy taking place there today. The appeal for funds for the Lutheran Church in Ukraine was greeted with a heartfelt response over the following two Sundays. The two rural congregations raised more than
$11,000 for the LCC Ukraine Aid Fund. Further activities are being discussed as the pandemic allows. The parish extends its deepest appreciation to Rev. Ney for not only his informative message but for enabling the parish to feel connected to the Ukrainian people and their suffering—and the parish hopes that they will never take for granted the freedoms and blessings they enjoy in Canada.
The parish prays that God will bless the pastors and their families in Ukraine who continue their humanitarian work, and for their spiritual guidance of their flock under extraordinarily difficult circumstances. And they encourage everyone to pray for peace to be restored in Ukraine so that the ongoing work of sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ might once again move ahead unhindered. Marjorie Brickman
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ONTARIO, QUEBEC, AND ATLANTIC CANADA • MICHELLE HEUMANN, EDITOR
East District young adults gather
EAST REGION - On Saturday, March 5, for the first time in more than two years, East District Lutheran Young Adults (EDLYA) gathered in person again, testing the waters with a single-day event. Young adults gathered for a time of fellowship and Bible study—but in two different places. Participants from Ottawa were not able to make the trek to Wellesley, Ontario for a one-day event. Instead, they gathered in their own location and joined the Bible study via livestream.
Many young adults were excited to see their friends again after two long years, and there were lots of hugs, handshakes, and some tears. The pandemic and isolation has been hard for young adults, and they ask for continued prayer but are greatly encouraged for the future. The group received an update from Lisa Jackson, a good friend of EDLYA, on how the Lutheran Laymen’s League is changing and facilitating evangelism in Canada and
around the world. Then Rev. Larry Gajdos spoke, reminding the group how much of God’s Word they know. Knowing that God’s Word completes the purpose He intends, Rev. Gajdos went through the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds, showing the Bible verses that comprise each line. After the session, young adults had the opportunity for further fellowship, games, and sharing a meal. Everyone is very thankful for the work of Jackson and Rev. Gajdos in helping make this young adults’ retreat as edifying spiritually as it was encouraging to be able to gather again. Plans are already underway for future events. To receive updates, join the EDLYA Facebook group or email edlya101@gmail.com. Josh Gajdos
Laurentian District LWMLC holds online convention ONLINE - The Laurentian District of the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League of Canada held its convention virtually from April 29 to 30, 2022. The convention met under the theme “Taste and See,” based on Psalm 34:8—“Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.” Rev. Bryan King of St. Luke Lutheran in Ottawa led an opening worship service, with online opportunities for fellowship
following afterwards. Rev. Ron Mohr, Executive Director of Lutheran Bible Translators of Canada (LBTC), served as guest speaker for the event. The ingathering offering for the event was to be designated for LBTC’s Nuer language project. Mission grant projects adopted for the new triennium will go to support “Atlantic Canada Ministry Support” as well as “Outreach and Support to Recent Immigrants in Northern Ontario.”
SHARE YOUR STORIES Contact Michelle Heumann, Regional News Editor | regionaleditor@lutheranchurch.ca |
EAST REGION Contact Rev. marvin bublitz, Regional Pastor | mbublitz@lutheranchurch.ca | 1. 855. 893. 1466 |
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MISSION NEWS CANADIANLUTHERAN.CA
in Ukraine
Ukraine Update: A letter from Pastor Yuriy Popel
UKRAINE - Rev. Yuriy Popel, a pastor of Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC)’s partner church, the Synod of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Ukraine (SELCU), sends the following letter: My dear brothers and sisters of Lutheran Church– Canada: peace be with you all in our Lord Jesus Christ. I want to thank all of you for your prayers and for donating so generously to our church. Your support has been a great blessing to my ministry. Unfortunately, I had to sell my car due to the economic challenges we are facing here. This car was primarily used for my ministry, allowing me to visit my parishioners and to minister at our local boarding school and nursing homes. It became increasingly difficult to address the growing needs of my community during this war. There are so many people here in need of food, clothing, hygiene, and medical supplies. Our SELCU leaders recognized the great needs of my ministry and appealed to LCC to use funds from the Ukraine Aid Fund to purchase a vehicle. Thanks to the Lord and all of you we have purchased a van, which we are now using to deliver humanitarian aid to my community and the surrounding area. This great blessing allows me to visit my members and to offer pastoral care to various people in my community. We are so very happy that the Lord has opened your hearts to support such a need. May God continue to bless you for your generous hearts. This vehicle will bring many benefits to the Church and help to people in need. “And my God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our
God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.” – Philippians 4:19-20 With great gratitude and respect, Rev. Yuriy Popel UPDATE: As of June 1, 2022 the people of LCC have raised a total of $521,406.69 for the LCC Ukraine Relief Aid Fund. For those who would like to direct financial support to the pastors and people of the SELCU, you can do so through LCC’s Ukraine Aid Fund via LCC’s website. REMINDER: Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC)’s Ukraine Aid Fund directly supports our partner church, the Synod of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Ukraine (SELCU) during this current crisis. Another aid fund for Ukraine established by Concordia Lutheran Mission Society (CLMS) will contribute to rebuilding efforts and other expenses, anticipating the significant financial need that will arise in the aftermath of the current conflict. As auxiliaries of LCC, the funds raised through CLMS, and Lutheran Women’s Missionary League of Canada (LWMLC) to name another example, will be directed to our partner church in Ukraine through LCC. This is just one of the ways that the various auxiliaries, listed service organizations, and people of our synod are working together, as one body under Christ in support of humanitarian works of mercy. Canadian Lutheran World Relief (CLWR) is also working to provide general humanitarian relief in Ukraine through the help of their partner organizations. THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN | may/june 2022
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The Watts' Family (L-R: Micah, Susan, Alma, Matea, George—Not photographed: Jonah)
Being Missionary Parents
W
by Garry Dombrosky
hen we think of missionaries, we picture those servants of God who hear the call of God to carry out their calling as servants of God in places far away. When my wife and I went to our first parish, mission work involved being eight hours away from our families—still easily accessible by car and phone. When our three girls were young teenagers, our ideas of mission work changed. A young man knocked on our door and asked to stay with us. He was with Lutheran Bible Translators and was raising money to go and do full-time translation work in Liberia, Africa. He made a great impression on our family, and so it was no wonder that years later our two eldest daughters asked me to help them (as well as our middle daughter’s new husband) get involved with a short-term mission project. With the help of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, they were soon planning to depart for Japan and Kazakhstan (a country that until then we had not heard of). Saying goodbye was hard. Those times were just before the world wide web and video calls. Would they be safe? Where would they stay? Where was the city they were going to? (It was hidden under the staple in our family atlas).
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We missed them a lot but had the resources to visit them both over the next few years. In Kazakhstan, we learned what the return of the Gospel meant to people who had survived, cut off from any resources for their faith, for nearly one hundred years by Communist Russia. We learned that missionaries get sick and have to deal with bureaucracy. We laugh now, but when our eldest daughter flew from Japan (her mission site) to Almaty, we lost track of her for 24 long hours when she was held in a Moscow airport because of minute details and, of course, corruption. We are so thankful that the system of missionaries in the world is ready to help—and help they did. Three and a half years later they were all back in Canada and we rejoiced in being together again for Christmas, birthdays, and special events—even Canada Day. But when God calls us to mission, He can be persistent. Not many years later we were saying goodbye again to our middle daughter, her husband, and their three (soon to be four) children as they were off to France to learn French and finish a university program. We hoped they would return after their studies but they told us they were planning to go to Burundi to teach at an African Christian university that needed a professor in business to help rebuild a country torn by genocide and political unrest. They left but things didn’t turn out the way we thought. Within a few months of arrival, they had to flee to Rwanda,
MISSION NEWS CANADIANLUTHERAN.CA
because of riots and uprisings. In Rwanda, they helped a Christian hospital. Eventually, they returned to Burundi, but rather than going back to the university, they went to the mountains, one of the poorest areas on the planet, where they worked with young Christian doctors to build a hospital. There they served, adding their needed skills. The population was already Christian which reminds us that missionaries are not always just those who preach; it can include those who proclaim the love of Christ to those in need through their care and love. We are so proud of what God is doing through our children but it comes at a price most don’t always see. When God calls our children to serve elsewhere, He also calls us as well. Missionaries need support in many different ways. We provide financial support, look after houses while they are away, deal with mail and bank accounts, and a multitude of other things. A great blessing for missionary parents today is the ability to use email, texting apps, and video messaging programs with our children on a regular basis. To be able to see our grandchildren grow and to get to know them, even at a distance, is a blessing we cherish. Being missionary parents gives us a different understanding of God’s world. We are Canadians and so
are our grandchildren. But though they may carry Canadian passports, their lives have been lived in other places, like Africa, which to them is home. They see the world in much larger ways than their cousins here in Canada. They have seen things, done things, and met people that have changed them and called them also to serve. Being missionary parents changes our lives as well. We have been blessed to see places whose names we might only otherwise hear of—places like Almaty, Kigali, and Kibuye—and to meet God’s people who share the same hope and victory we have in Christ. We have come home to ministry here changed: to see the work of the Lord more broadly, and to realize that missionaries come in many varieties, from evangelists, to translators, to doctors, engineers, and administrators. The opportunity to see missionaries in action is a marvelous thing, and helps us understand how God uses His people, many different people, to touch the world with His Grace. We miss our kids. We cherish the time with them. But we rejoice that through them, God has chosen to bless us with a vision of ministry beyond our local church and country.
Garry and Janet at Lake Kivu Rwanda Rev. Dr. Garry L. Dombrosky served parishes in Drumheller (Grace) and Camrose (Grace) He also served as Campus Chaplain/Assistant Professor of Applied Religion at Concordia in Edmonton. Dr. Gombrosky has been married to his wife, Janet, for 50 years. They have three daughters, all involved in church work. THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN | may/june 2022
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Dr. James Kellerman to join the faculty at CLTS
ST. CATHARINES - Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary (CLTS) recently announced that Rev. Dr. James A. Kellerman has accepted the call to join the seminary faculty.
CLTS’ Board of Directors (Regents) prayerfully extended the call, upon recommendation of President Thomas Winger after interviewing candidates on April 28, 2022. In an article announcing the call, the seminary explained that the process began after Rev. Dr. John Stephenson announced his intention to retire at the end of this year, having served the seminary as a scholar, writer, and teaching theologian for 33 years. Dr. Kellerman, who has served as pastor of First Bethlehem Lutheran Church (Chicago, Illinois - LCMS) for nearly 30 years, plans to move to St. Catharines in August. Dr. Kellerman is a graduate of Concordia
Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne (M.Div. 1988) and Loyola University Chicago, with two degrees in Classics (M.A. 1992; Ph.D. 1996). In its announcement, CLTS w r i t e s : “ Wi t h [ K e l l e r m a n ’s ] specialisation in Classics, he will teach in the areas of early church history, New Testament, biblical languages, and, considering his lengthy parish experience, pastoral ministry. All of the CLTS faculty are expected to teach across multiple disciplines and to bring a theological approach to practice and a practical approach to theology.” The seminary is requesting prayers for Dr. Kellerman as he departs from his congregation and prepares for his move to Canada.
First calls for 2022’s graduating pastors, vicarage assignments CANADA - Lutheran Church– Canada’s two seminaries held Call Services on May 27 and 28 respectively, in-person and via livestream, announcing the first calls of two graduating pastors as well as the vicarage placements of four students in preparation for the pastoral ministry. Concordia Lutheran Seminary (CLS - Edmonton) announced Kyle Eddy’s call to Zion and Vanderhoof Lutheran Churches (Prince George/Vanderhoof, B.C.); Connor Buck’s placement at Redeemer Lutheran Church (Waterloo, Ontario); and Henock Teklemariam’s placment at Trinity Lutheran Church (Golden, B.C.). Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary (CLTS - St. Catharines) announced Chad Miller ’s call to Grace Lutheran Church (St. Catharines, Ontario) as Assistant Pa s tor; Daniel C u n n in g h am’s placement at Redeemer Lutheran Church (Kitimat, B.C.); and Trey Doak’s placement at Grace Lutheran Church (Parker, Colorado).
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EDUCATION NEWS CANADIANLUTHERAN.CA
First Calls for Graduating Pastors
Vicarage Placements
Chad Miller (CLTS)
Assistant Pastor, Grace Lutheran Church (St. Catharines, Ontario)
Trey Doak (CLTS)
Chad Miller is originally from London, Ontario. He is married to Mizué, a native of Osaka, Japan, and has four children: son Takayuki (8), daughter Yukino (5), son Masayuki (2), and son Yoshiyuki (4 months). Chad, Mizué, and family moved to St. Catharines from Winnipeg in 2018, where their home congregation is Beautiful Saviour Lutheran Church. Chad is a Captain in the Royal Canadian Air Force, previously serving as an Air Combat Systems Officer on board the CC130 Hercules aircraft, amongst other roles. He will be returning to military life as a chaplain after completing two years of pastoral service in an LCC parish. Chad looks forward to serving the Church both in the congregation and in the Canadian Armed Forces.
Grace Lutheran Church (Parker, Colorado)
Daniel Cunningham (CLTS) Kyle Eddy (CLS)
Redeemer Lutheran Church (Kitimat, B.C.)
Zion Lutheran Church (Prince George, B.C.) / Vanderhoof Lutheran Church (Vanderhoof, B.C.) Kyle Eddy was born and raised in Quesnel, British Columbia. He and his wife, Natasha, have four children: one girl and three boys (ages 2-13). Kyle’s undergraduate degree is a Bachelor of Religious Education with a major in Pastoral Ministry. Before attending seminary, Kyle worked as a journeyman plumber in Alberta. He enjoys making and playing musical instruments, art, and gardening. Kyle served his vicarage year at Faith Lutheran Church in Middle Lake, Saskatchewan, under the supervision of Rev. Clint Magnus of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Humboldt, Saskatchewan. His pastoral training at the seminary also included field education at All Saints under Rev. Jonathan Kraemer and Concordia Lutheran Church under Rev. Mark Hennig in Edmonton, Alberta. Kyle is extremely grateful to these pastors, their congregations, and the seminary faculty for their work in shaping him as a servant of the church for Christ’s sake. Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary (CLTS - St. Catharines, Ontario) Concordia Lutheran Seminary (CLS - Edmonton)
Henock Teklemariam (CLS) Trinity Lutheran Church (Golden, B.C.)
Connor Buck (CLS)
Redeemer Lutheran Church (Waterloo, Ontario)
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LCC seminaries present honorary awards CANADA - LCC’s seminaries presented several honourary awards during their respective call services this year. Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary’s (CLTS St. Catharines) Call Service honoured Rev. Dr Wilhelm Torgerson, Assistant Pastor at First Lutheran Church (Windsor, Ontario). The faculty and the Board of Regents at CLTS chose him to receive the seminary’s highest honour: the Delta Chi (Servant of Christ) award. His church ministry began at St. Paul’s Lutheran (Medicine Hat, Alberta) in 1971. He went on to serve for 36 years in LCC’s sister church in Germany (SELK). In 2011, he returned to Canada and taught seminary students for eight years in St. Catharines before accepting the call to Windsor.
Dr. Thomas Winger with Dr. Wilhelm Torgerson. Concordia Lutheran Seminary (CLS - Edmonton) presented Rev. Timothy Teuscher with a Degree of Doctor of Divinity (honoris causa) for his forty-two years of service as a pastor in Lutheran Church–Canada, including his time as a parish pastor in Mississauga, Petawawa, Palmer Rapids, and Stratford, Ontario; for his twelve years of service on the Board of Directors in LCC’s East District as first and second Vice President; for his leadership on the East District’s 125th Anniversary committee and the East District’s Pastors and Deacons conference planning committee; for his commitment to sound Lutheran theology through his work with LCC’s Commission on Theology and Church Relations and the LCC Doctrinal Review Committee; for his willingness to provide pastoral care and guidance beyond his own congregations as he served as circuit counsellor in the Toronto and Ottawa circuits and as pastoral advisor to the Toronto Zone LWMLC; and for his leadership as President of Lutheran Church–Canada and his guidance in implementing the new structure adopted at the 2017 LCC Convention. Concordia Lutheran Seminary also presented Rev. Thomas Prachar with the Friend of the Seminary Award for his twenty years of service as a parish pastor in LCC, including congregations in Milton, Ontario, and Springside, Canora, and Yorkton, Saskatchewan; for his service as circuit counsellor for the Assiniboine Circuit; for his eighteen years of faithful service as LCC’s Central District President,
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during which time he also served as a member of the LCC Placement Committee; for his leadership in Lutheran higher education through four years of service on the Board of Regents of Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary and fourteen years of service on the Board of Regents and later Board of Governors of Concordia University College of Alberta; and especially for his dedication to helping form servants for Jesus’ sake through his ten years of chairmanship and service on the Ministerial Program Committee of Concordia Lutheran Seminary. Concordia Lutheran Seminary also presented Sharon Beyak with the Faith in Life Award for her commitment to walk with Jesus in her everyday life through prayer, devotion and faithful worship attendance; for her dedication to serve at Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church in Atikokan, Ontario through her leadership in the church office, Bible studies, altar guild, children’s and confirmation programs, and music ministries; for her representation of her church in the local community through hospital devotions, Christmas parades, and the community’s Good Friday march; for her leadership in her congregational women’s group and the wider church through leadership at the LWMLC zone, district, and national levels; and for her willingness to be a strong servant-leader in her congregation during times of pastoral vacancy.
Rev. Timothy Teuscher Degree of Doctor of Divinity (honoris causa)
Rev. Thomas Prachar Friend of the Seminary Award
Sharon Beyak - Faith in Life Award
Sanctity of Life from Womb to Tomb
LUTHERANS
FOR LIFE
- C A N A DA HOW IT ALL BEGAN |
by Judy Obelnycki
U.S. Vision: Lutherans For Life started as the vision of a handful of Lutheran leaders in 1976. This initial work grew to the official launch of Lutherans for Life (LFL) in April of 1979. Since these humble beginnings God has richly blessed the work of LFL and created opportunities that the founders could not imagine when they first started. Through the years Lutherans for Life has seen its work spread across the United States, in local LFL chapters, in Lutheran congregations throughout the U.S. and on college campuses with the Campus Life project. LFL has also spread the For Life message across the globe, assisting in the development of Lutherans for Life Australia, Lutherans for Life-Canada, and Lutherans for Life – Latvia. LFL has also partnered closely with Pro-Vita, a Romanian Christian For Life group. In Canada: The very first whisper pertaining to sanctity of life began in Locksley (Pembroke) in 1982 with Mrs. Shirley Witt—a retired nurse, the wife of a dairy farmer, and mother of four sons. According to Mrs. Shirley Detlefsen, Shirley Witt and some other ladies were attending the Renfrew County Right to Life Catholic group prior to the start of Lutherans for Life. Shirley Witt would regularly consult with her pastor, Rev. Deane Detlefsen. They collaborated together and encouraged one another with materials to create awareness to the sanctity of life, especially the lives of the preborn. Shirley Witt had a talent for getting information publicized, and soon a small group was formed there, followed by another in Elmira, Ontario. And the movement grew. Over the years the By-Laws of LFLC have been On February 7, 2004, forty people met at Our Saviour amended to accommodate changes such as the name Lutheran Church in Etobicoke, Ontario to celebrate the change to Lutherans For Life-Canada. Our website formation of Lutherans for Life: Canada, a pro-life, prolutheransforlife-canada.ca has been updated and you can family life ministry with a mission to “Witness to the find us on Facebook as well. We hope to continue to grow Sanctity of Human Life through education based on the Lutherans for Life-Canada across our nation so that all Word of God.” Lutherans for Life: Canada is registered as Lutherans are better informed on life issues from the a not-for-profit organization with Industry Canada. It had womb to the tomb. applied for charitable status, but to date that status has not been granted by the Canada Revenue Agency.
www.lutheransforlife-canada.ca
HOSTING A LIFE EVENT? ... CAN I (WE)? | by Glenn Kahle You've come to an Annual General Meeting of Lutherans For Life-Canada, been to a Life Chain, or just looked up all the resources available on the Lutherans for Life Canada website and are moved by the Holy Spirit to share this wondrous topic of life with fellow parishioners, family, and even your community. But how? I contacted my LFLC Life Ministry Coordinator who not only helped me with suggestions of venues, topics, speakers, handouts and videos but methods of advertising, what I would need, and ways of support/means to minimize costs of such an outreach. With the help of our congregation, pastor and fellow members who are like-minded we hosted a two-part evening video series inviting both our local circuit congregations and even the public via bulletin announcements, posters and a local newspaper advertisement. Our members provided coffee, water and sandwiches/squares for fellowship during and after. My pastor did opening devotions and a gave a short account of personal experiences he had in his ministry
with life issues. Lutherans for Life-Canada sent us display materials and suggestions for videos to use as main topics. The LMC Coordinator for LFLC shared some of her background and hosted audience participation in Question & Answer sessions after the video each week. The local district Right to Life organization also brought their baby development display, additional resources, and their testimony. There are so many great video topics to choose from (one-off topics and series too). Lutherans for Life also have contacts and suggestions for live guest speakers who can give presentations, instead of having a video. Such events can be small group Bible study sessions; after worship gatherings; separate afternoon or evening events; circuit-wide events or as ambitious as community outreach events (one-offs or weekly events for two, three, or more dates depending on what you plan to do). Be sure to include contact info for your pastor/congregation for attendees to follow up on with questions and Lutherans For Life-Canada’s website in advertising posters and advertisements.
THE DEVELOPMENT, GROWTH, AND MILESTONES OF THE UNBORN HUMAN A baby's fingers and toes begin to form at about 6 weeks after conception. 6 By week 7 the tiny fingers and tiny toes are clearly visible and distinct. Four weeks later the fingerprints begin their seven-week formation. 7 The placenta, along with the umbilical cord, does an amazing job of transferring nutrients and oxygen from the mother's bloodstream to the baby's body. The baby has her own blood and internal organs to process the supplies. From the moment of conception, the colour of the baby's eyes was decided by his unique genetic code. The physical eyes begin to develop just 22 days after conception. 8 Around 18-20 days the foundations for the brain, spinal cord, and nervous system are laid. 9 At 6 weeks the brain is divided into three parts—one to experience emotion and understand language, one for hearing, and one for seeing. 10 Brain activity by at least 10 weeks and brain waves have been detected at 17 weeks. 11
LUTHERANS FOR LIFE-CANADA What to do about MAID? | by Pastor Richard Juritsch, President of LFLC Medical Assistance In Dying (MAID) – What to Do? And he said, “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD" (Job 1:21). These well known words of Job are often cited by Christians as they suffer, recognizing that God, as He guided St. Paul to write in Romans, will work all things to our good. This was a bold confession of faith by Job after suffering the loss of his wealth and, even worse, the death of his children. He held on to that faith, even when all this loss was compounded by horrific sores all over his body. Such was Job’s misery, that we hear this exchange: “‘Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.’ But he said to her, ‘You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?’ In all this Job did not sin with his lips” (Job 2:9-10). In essence, Job’s wife counselled him to die in order to escape his misery and helplessness. MAID is offered to people in all kinds of circumstances to escape not just present misery and helpless but also future possible misery and helplessness. But Job did not give in—not at first. Only when some well-meaning but misguided friends, believers in God, came to comfort him. Their comfort drove Job to despair of God ever showing him any mercy. Why? All they did was hammer him with the
Law, badgering him to admit the great sins he must have committed to receive such suffering. All too easily, are we tempted to focus on what others ought to do in obedience to God’s Word, so that we forget the gifts God has graciously given us. Already to Adam and Eve, in the face of suffering and death in this life, God gave hope in the person of a descendant of Eve who would crush the devil’s head. Job confessed his faith in this Redeemer whom he would see alive on the earth with his own eyes even after he himself was dead. Jesus came and died and rose again to give hope of an eternity free from suffering. And He also washed His disciples feet and fed the hungry. We cannot heal the sick and dying as He did. However, as we were reminded by Dr. Leah Koetting Block, when she spoke at our Annual General Meeting several years ago, with MAID now legalized, one of the most important things we can do is to care for the suffering. Show love to our family and fellow congregants so that the temptation to escape by suicide has nothing to grab hold of. Is there a place for speaking to our Members of Parliament and doing other things to encouraging the changing of laws? Yes. But even more important is loving the neighbour whom God has placed in our midst with the Good News of hope and life in Christ, the victor over sin, suffering, and the grave.
Human fetuses can hear low-frequency sounds as early as 17 weeks after conception. 1 At 26-30 weeks, an unborn baby responds to music, 2 and by birth, she will know her mother's voice. 3
A baby's heart starts beating just 21 days after conception. 4 The heartbeat starts just 3 weeks into the pregnancy, which is before most women even know that they are pregnant. 5 The uterus, also known as the womb, provides a home for the baby for the rest of the pregnancy. It will grow with the baby and then will help the baby to be delivered. REFERENCES: 1. Hepper, Peter G., and B. Sara Shahidullah. "Development of fetal hearing." Archives of Disease in Childhood-Fetal and Neonatal Edition 71.2 (1994):F81-F87. | 2. Kisilevksy, Barbara S., et al. "Effects of experience on fetal voice recognition." Psychological science 14.3 (2003): 220-224. | 3. Kisilevksy, B.S., et al. "Maturation of fetal responses to music." Developmental Science 7.5 (2004): 550-559. | 4. Carlson, B., Human Embryology & Developmental Biology, Toronto: Mosby Publication; 3rd edition, (2004): p. 117. | 5. Jeffery, B.S., et al. "The impact of a pregnancy confirmation clinic on the commencement of antenatal care." South African medical journal=Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir geneeskunde 90.2 (2000):153156. | 6. Moore, K. and Persuad, T., The Developing Human, Clinically Oriented Embryology, 6th Edition, Philadelphiia: W.B. Sanders, 1998, p.437. | 7. Tsiaras, A. and Werth, B., From Conception to Birth, a Life Unfolds, Neew York: Doubleday, 2002, p. 206. | 8. Carlson, B., Human Embryology & Developmental Biology, Toronto: Mosby Publication; 3rd edition, 2004, p. 292, 308. | 9. Mitchell, B and Sharma R., Embryology, New York: Churchill Livingstone, Dec. 2004, p. 4. | 10. Tsiaras, A. and Werth, B., From Conception to Birth, a Life Unfolds, New York: Doubleday, 2002, p. 102, 114, 119. | 11. Lopes da Silva, F. H., and Ernst Niedermeyer. "Electroencephalography, Basic Principles, Clinical Applications and Related Fields." 5th edition (2005).
LUTHERANS
FOR LIFE
- C A N A DA
Sanctity of Life from Womb to Tomb
WORD OF HOPE | by Linda Welke and Tracey Juritsch Word of Hope is a ministry of Lutherans for Life in the United States of America but also available as a service to Canadians and Lutherans for Life-Canada as the toll free is operational in Canada as well as the U.S.A. Word of Hope is a Lutheran hotline that offers confidential services available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and can be accessed by telephone, text, email, or video chat. It imparts the value of all human life as divinely created and redeemed by Jesus. It provides prevention, intervention, and healing resources for life issues. Spiritual guidance and referrals are offered for numerous life issues, including, but not limited to: abortion; suicide; shame and doubt; loneliness and isolation; physical and sexual abuse; forgiveness and reconciliation; depression and anxiety; surprise pregnancies; and end of life decisions. Pastoral contacts can be made, if needed, for personal Confession, Absolution, and Holy Communion. “At Word of Hope, we respond to suffering with love, mercy, and confidential support, guiding each person with the Word toward reconciliation with God by the gift of faith in Christ alone,” quoted from Word of Hope (LifeDate Fall 2019).
Deaconess Chrissie Gillet, Psy.D., is the Director of Word of Hope. Last year, Deaconess Pamela Buhler became a part-time assistant. There were well over 1,200 contacts last year with 31 calls from Canada. In 2022, they are averaging almost 200 contacts per month. These many contacts served through the Word of Hope hotline were from a large range of people, male and female, from children (5 years and younger) through to older adults (over 65 years) and addressed a broad variety of life issues. This ministry is primarily an intervention service, providing care through spiritual guidance, particularly for life issues that pose an imminent threat to life (e.g. abortion, suicide, end of life decisions, and doubting salvation).
“He heals the broken hearted and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to born again to a living Hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” 1 Peter 1:3 We at LFLC are very grateful and blessed to be able to be connected with and included in this vital ministry. Donations to help fund this important ministry can be made to LFLC and designated to Word of Hope.
Contact Word of Hope
888-217-8679 info@word-of-hope.org
TRANSITIONS
This summer when in
CANADIANLUTHERAN.CA/CALLS-TRANSITIONS
CANMORE-BANFF
Rev. David Ramsey, Emeritus, called to glory.
join us for worship at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church!
Rev. Deanne Detlefsen, Emeritus, called to glory.
Rev. Jon Estes, Emeritus, called to glory.
Rev. George Reinhart, Emeritus, called to glory. Rev. Edivar Govaski, St. Luke (Surrey, BC), Candidate. Rev. Scott Gamble, Grace (Drumheller, AB), Candidate. Rev. Dr. James Kellerman, First Bethlehem (Chicago, Illinois) accepted a call to Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary (St. Catharines, ON). Rev. Kyle Eddy (CLS), Candidate to Zion/Vanderhoof (Prince George/Vanderhoof, BC).
sundays • 10 am
Rev. Chad Miller (CLTS) Candidate to Assistant Pastor, Grace (St. Catharines, ON).
Canmore, Alberta
CONCORDIA LUTHERAN MISSION SOCIETY
Want to express your mission heart?
WWW.HOPELCS.CA
Through your directed donations CLMS supports pastoral care, humanitarian aid and theological education in Ukraine, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Thailand, Cambodia and Canada. Contact Pastor Mark Lobitz for the 2022 CLMS Project Poster mclobitz@gmail.com
WE'RE HIRING A PRINCIPAL FOR THE
2022-23 SCHOOL YEAR!
Trial and Appellate Counsel – Commercial Litigation Garfinkle | Biderman LLP 801-1 Adelaide Street East, Toronto, ON M5C 2V9 Tel 416.869.1234 Fax 416.869.0547 www.garfinkle.com
Jeffrey A.L. Kriwetz
Learn more about this exciting opportunity and how to apply by contacting Mr. Carl Schmidt at: Partner
416.869.7618 jkriwetz@garfinkle.com
cschmidt@hopelcs.ca PORT COQUITLAM, BC
PRESIDENT’S PONDERINGS
WE VALUE
TRUTH
by president timothy teuscher
A
t our 2022 synod convention, we are sharing with delegates our proposed Strategic Framework for Lutheran Church–Canada. This came about through a survey of many pastors, deacons, and lay members from our congregations, as well as from the resulting Purpose, Priority, and Planning retreat held in Winnipeg back in April. Through this process, some common, recurring themes were identified—value statements, as they are called—things which define who we are and inform and direct what we strive to do. The first one is Truth. More specifically: “We value Scripture as the inerrant, written Word of God and the only rule and norm of faith and practice.” But why do we hold the Bible in such high esteem? Our Lord Jesus Christ—“the Word who became flesh” (John 1:14) and who alone is “the Way and the Truth and the Life” (John 14:6)—answers: “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about Me” (John 5:39). Or as St. John puts it: “These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:31). Or as the apostle Paul says: “The sacred writings… are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15). But how can this be? How can a mere book—66 books actually—written thousands of years ago by mere human beings have the power to do this? St. Paul explains: “All Scripture is breathed out by God” (2 Timothy 3:16). Or as St. Peter declares: “No prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21). What does this mean? Just this: since the Bible is not man’s book but God’s Book, it is thus infallible and inerrant, entirely reliable, giving us everything we need to know and believe for our faith, teaching, and life. Jesus Himself puts it simply and clearly: “Your Word is truth” (John 17:17). The Formula of Concord summarizes it this way: “We believe, teach, and confess that the prophetic and apostolic writings of the Old and New Testaments are the only rule and norm according to which all doctrines and teachers
42
THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN | may/june 2022
alike must be appraised and judged, as it is written in Ps. 119:105, ‘Thy Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path’” (FC Ep I.1). Sadly, however, in many parts of Christendom the Bible is no longer valued in this way. Some have rejected what the Bible says about such things as marriage, the sanctity of life, the office of the holy ministry, the purpose and mission of the church, and even the person and work of Jesus Himself. They have swallowed the lies of the devil which go all the way back to the Garden: “Did God actually say?” (Genesis 3:1). But let’s not be too quick to cast stones at those who have departed from God’s Word in these ways. To be sure, our synod and all of our congregations have in their constitutions a statement similar to this: “We accept without reservation the Scriptures of the Old and the New Testament as the written Word of God and the only rule and norm of faith and of practice.” But do we really value the Scriptures as we claim to do? Or, to borrow St. Paul’s words from Colossians 3:16, does the Word of Christ really dwell in us richly? How necessary it is that we all—pastors, deacons, and lay members alike—commit and dedicate ourselves to the precious, life-giving, truthful Word of God: to hear it read and proclaimed more frequently, to study it more diligently, to meditate upon it more devoutly, to preach and teach it more clearly, to sing it more fervently, and to support the spread of that Word to others more generously. To that end we pray in the Collect for the Word: “Blessed Lord, You have caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning. Grant that we may so hear them, read, mark, learn, and take them to heart that, by the patience and comfort of Your holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life” (LSB 265). Or as we sing in the hymn: “God’s Word is our great heritage And shall be ours forever; To spread its light from age to age Shall be our chief endeavor. Through life it guides our way, In death it is our stay. Lord, grant, while worlds endure, We keep its teachings pure Throughout all generations” (LSB 582).
Custodial Fund Investments
How Your Congregation Can Benefit! Many congregations across Synod have reserve or gifted funds set aside in various financial institutions and may not realize that Lutheran Foundation Canada provides an investment option for these funds. Currently, the Foundation has approximately $20 million in assets under management, with $10 million invested as ‘endowment’ funds and another $10 million invested as ‘custodial’ funds. Endowments a re e s ta b l i s h e d w i t h f u n d s gifted to the Foundation and typically invested into perpetuity, with annual distributions that support the LCC synodical family. Custodial funds however, are not donated but only transferred to
the Foundation for investment purposes, and remain the property of the organization that transferred them. These funds may be returned to the investing organization at any time. Both types of funds are invested using similar strategies as outlined in the Foundation’s Investment Policy Statement. As a service to member congregations and organizations of Lutheran Church–Canada’s s y n o d i c a l f a m i l y o n l y, t h e Foundation accepts funds ($25K min.) for investment purposes. These funds are pooled with other similar funds and placed in the Foundation’s Custodial Investment Accounts. The Foundation uses
When comparing these returns to a typical GIC where rates are usually below 2%, the overall value to a congregation can be significant in the long term. Further information is available on the Foundation’s website at www.lutheranfoundation.ca, or contact Allen Schellenberg, Foundation Executive Director, at 877-711-4438. You can download our Custodial Fund Agreement and Investment Policy Statement through our website’s Resources section.
the same investment consultant (Ellement Consulting) and some of the same investment managers (TD Asset Mgmt, Romspen Commercial Mortgages, and Mawer Investment Mgmt.) as LCC’s pension funds. This approach creates substantial economies of scale, reducing investment management fees, and providing access to investment options typically unavailable for smaller investment amounts. Investment returns for Custodial Funds have averaged 6.42% in the Balanced Mandate and 4.50% in the Conservative Mandate, NET of fees. The chart below shows annual performance by year. (Note: Past performance is no guarantee of future returns.)
ALMIGHTY
GOD YOUR WORD IS CAST LSB 577
ALMIGHTY GOD, YOUR WORD IS CAST LIKE SEED INTO THE GROUND; NOW LET THE DEW OF HEAV'N DESCEND AND RIGHTEOUS FRUITS ABOUND. LET NOT THE SLY SATANIC FOE THIS HOLY SEED REMOVE, BUT GIVE IT ROOT IN EV'RY HEART TO BRING FORTH FRUITS OF LOVE. LET NOT THE WORLD'S DECEITFUL CARES THE RISING PLANT DESTROY, BUT LET IT YIELD A HUNDREDFOLD THE FRUITS OF PEACE AND JOY. SO WHEN THE PRECIOUS SEED IS SOWN, LIFE-GIVING GRACE BESTOW THAT ALL WHOSE SOULS THE TRUTH RECEIVE ITS SAVING POW'R MAY KNOW.
