The Canadian Lutheran May/June 2023

We've all likely heard the familiar refrain: “We need more young people in the church!” It seems fitting, then, to talk to the young people who are in the pews to learn more about why they're sitting there in the first place. This new project will explore the stories of the faithful young people in Lutheran Church–Canada congregations, and the one true faith that binds us all together— young and old—as one body under Christ! Submissions: communications@lutheranchurch.ca

ALBERT HO (AGE 22)

GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH (CALGARY, AB)

“Although I grew up in a Lutheran church and household, I would consider my upbringing marked by American Evangelicalism, having attended a non-denominational Christian school and with most of my childhood friends belonging to these traditions.

Great trials and suffering in my undergraduate years drove me firmly into Confessional Lutheranism. While I treasure my experiences with my non-Lutheran peers and while many popular preachers I was exposed to could raise good insights here and there, they lacked a real ability to confront suffering. Answers ranged from claiming God would give me power to overcome challenges like a cheerleader to downplaying suffering as not so bad. The problem of sin was reduced to a problem of mere distance from God, making sinners estranged and missing out, not lost and condemned.

Lutheranism acknowledges a real problem. It offers a real Saviour, bringing real comfort through real means. Lutheranism confesses Scripture whole in its truth and purity, not clever catchphrases and empty promises. We have sound Biblical doctrine, and I wouldn’t give this up for larger congregations, flashy outreach programs, or popular acclaim. Our church may have a humble outward form, but it is a great privilege and honour to be Lutheran.”

LESLIE DUNLOP (AGE 33)

GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH (OSHAWA, ON)

“I wasn't raised in a religious household and my family didn't attend church. For most of my life I considered myself ‘spiritual’ but definitely not Christian.

A friend would talk about Christianity with me but I never took her seriously. I thought Christianity was only for good people and was a life of strict rules; I knew I could never live up to that standard. Yet for the first time in my life I was given a desire to read Scripture, and the more I read, the stronger that desire became.

Eventually I knew I needed to find a church to help strengthen my faith.

I spent a lot of time researching denominations, trying to find one I believed to be biblically sound while also upholding traditional liturgy and values. When I discovered Lutheranism, it stood out to me because the doctrine is so firmly rooted in Scripture.

Lutheranism taught me that my previous understanding of Christianity was purely from the Law; and further, taught me the mercy and freedom of Christ and the Gospel.

I was given the honour of being baptized this past June, and becoming a baptized child of God has been the greatest gift I could ever receive.”

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.

©2023 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.

Cover design by Alex Steinke

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 Partner

416.869.7618

jkriwetz@garfinkle.com

advertiSe with us

The Canadian Lutheran sells advertising space to offset the cost of printing and shipping the magazine to subscribers. For more information, please contact:

Angela Honey, Advertising Manager

a.honey@lutheranchurch.ca

share it with a friend

All LCC congregations receive The Canadian Lutheran free of charge. When you ’re finished with your copy of the latest issue, rather than recycling it to the bin, consider sharing it with a friend and bookmarking an article that they might find interesting!

If you are not a member of an LCC congregation, subscriptions to the print magazine are available for $30/year or you can “Buy-One/Gift-One” for $50/year ($25 each). For subscriptions, please contact:

Angela Honey, Advertising Manager

a.honey@lutheranchurch.ca

SET APART

by mathew block

When God established Israel, He warned the people that they must not act like the nations around them. “You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived, and you shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you,” He said. “You shall not walk in their statutes. You shall follow my rules, and keep my statues and walk in them. I am the LORD your God” (Leviticus 18:3-4).

There is always the temptation to “do as the Romans do” when in Rome. But God calls His people to be different. “You shall be holy to me,” the Lord urged the Israelites, “for I the LORD am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be Mine” (Leviticus 20:26).

Of course, the Israelites did not manage to obey this commandment with any consistency. They fell time and again into the sins of neighbouring nations, worshipping their idols and abandoning the true God.

Nor do we do any better. St. Peter instructs Christians: “As He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy for I am holy’” (1 Peter 1:15-16). And yet we are not holy in and of ourselves. We fail to “be perfect, as [our] heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). We fail to be “in the world” but not “of the world” (John 17:14-16). We fail, again and again and again.

It is only through the mercy of Christ that we are forgiven of these failings. Morover, it is only by His bloody sacrifice upon the cross for our sins that we have even become His people in the first place. “Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people,” St. Peter explains. “Once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy” (1 Peter 2:10). Now, he says, “you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light” (2:9).

Through the cross, Jesus has rescued you from your sins. He has taken them upon Himself and given you instead His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). And this merciful exchange—Christ’s righteousness for your sins—grants you citizenship with the people of God. You belong to Him. And that’s what allows you to begin to be different in this world.

Living in the holiness of Christ, we strive to follow His commandments. Not that this is easy. The trajectory of our

culture today is strongly opposed to the teachings of Christ and His Word. Consider, for example, the issue of physician assisted suicide. This practice was legalized with purportedly good intentions—a misguided attempt at compassion for those suffering near the end of life. As time carries on, however, even the pretence of compassion fades. Now assisted suicide is not offered only to the dying but also to the disabled. In 2024, it will begin to be offered to those struggling with mental illness.

And the “good intentions” continue to decline. A recent study by Research Co. finds that an alarming number of Canadians now believe physician assisted suicide should be offered to those having difficulty finding medical treatment (51 percent); those who are homeless (28 percent); and those in poverty (27 percent). These are all people who could be helped in conventional ways, if we as a society only had the will. Instead, Canadians increasingly delude themselves into believing it is compassionate to kill the poor and homeless.

These are hard times. But the Church has the beautiful privilege to share the comfort of the Gospel for those living in hard times. As Christians, we are called to be different—to be advocates for true compassion and justice in this world, even as we long for the next. In this issue, we consider what that difference looks like in three areas. We consider the sorrow of childlessness, and how we can bring real compassion to people walking this difficult path (page six). We get a first-hand look at what it’s like to bring the mercy of Christ to people struggling with addiction and living on the street (page nine). And we consider the question of physician assisted suicide in greater detail (page twelve).

By responding to these issues in a way different than wider society does, we bear witness to the power of the Gospel. In fact, one reason why we have been set apart as a “holy nation” is in the hope that the difference in our lives will attract others to Christ. “Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honourable,” St. Peter writes, “so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation” (1 Peter 2:12). We are set apart, in other words, that others might ultimately join us in Christ.

O God, give us strength to live as You would have us live—to do as You would have us do. Set us apart, dear Jesus, and work through us, that Your light may shine in this dark world and so draw others to the mercy of the cross. Amen.

ON BARRENNESS AND ITS CONSEQUENCES

Thus says the Lord: “A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more.” |

JEREMIAH 31:15

There is a quiet, yet widespread dilemma afflicting North American culture and, therefore, our congregations. Birth rates have stagnated. One study suggests that five percent of women do not want children. But another recent study by Cardus suggests that more than fifty percent of Canadian women aged 44 and under have fewer children than they want.

Sadly, a significant percentage of these will remain childless—unwillingly. It’s a sorrow that has touched my own family, as well as those of my friends. This is a terrible burden for wives and husbands to bear, and one that is borne often in silence. The ramifications are truly painful: birthdays never celebrated, parents who never become grandparents, family lines that leave no legacy, congregations that do not grow, and a generation of believers that are missing from our midst.

Barrenness is a monster that attacks via a multitude of avenues. In some cases, barrenness occurs through the tragedy of miscarriage—in some cases, repeated miscarriage. Others go through the harrowing experience of stillbirth. Still others are afflicted with barrenness, and of that about a third are afflicted with barrenness with no clear underlying medical cause.

This reality leads us to a particularly hard biblical text. On the way to His crucifixion, Jesus says these words to the women who weep for Him: “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?” (Luke 23:28-31).

I do not like this text. But our Lord has said it, so I need to reckon with it. The problem is with me, not the words of Jesus. This text is easier to understand in times of great global crisis, such as pandemic, warfare, social unrest, and economic uncertainty. It is, in fact, easier not to have to navigate children through the multifarious malign influences in the world that are extant today. This, however, is the coldest of comforts to grieving potential parents—but it is comfort, nonetheless.

The struggle of barrenness forces husbands and wives to find contentment in the bonds of marriage. It also forces them to find joy in nieces and nephews, and to be a support to family and friends who are blessed with children. This is not an easy conclusion to arrive at nor are these always easy actions to undertake. However, the duties of these other vocations are clear, and we are called to the fulfillment of these duties to the best of our God-given abilities.

Barrenness is a consequence of the Fall into sin. It is my growing contention that, when God tells Eve that she will bring forth children in pain, He is not only referring to the pains of pregnancy and labour, but also the physical, emotional, and spiritual pain of a body that will not or cannot do what it is designed to do: bring forth children.

Medical intervention to overcome barrenness is sometimes effective—but only sometimes. Only thirty percent of all in vitro fertilization (IVF) sessions result in a pregnancy. And the toll it takes on the body of the

wife, and—depending on the circumstances—the husband as well can be brutal. And this assumes that a clinic will abide by the patients’ personal morality of only fertilizing as many eggs as are going to be transplanted.

The tragedy of infertility throws the wider crisis of declining birth rates into stark relief. To be sure, there is plenty of blame to go around. Yet this crisis—like all crises—is also for us a call to repentance. Repentance for our own anti-family and anti-life views. Repentance for the growing commodification of children through the fertility industry. Repentance for our refusal to stand up to the abortion industry. Repentance for our refusal to call out the adoption industry for their arduous rules, regulations, and costs. It is a call to repentance, in short, not only for our thoughts and the worldviews which we have accepted but also for our actions which have been born of these thoughts and worldviews.

Sorrow of this nature is a call to repentance. We see in the book of Revelation that, when our Lord breaks the seals and calls forth the horsemen of War, Conquest, Famine, and Death, He does so with the intention that His people, indeed that all people, would repent. Yet in Revelation, the people do not repent. Let it not be so for

us! In the face of barrenness in our lives, in our families, and in our congregations, we need to repent, receive the Sacraments, and be forgiven.

The damage which barrenness causes to individuals and marriages should teach us to refuse a world that celebrates careers and hobbies more than anything else. The affliction of infertility should give us pause as we look at a world that openly hates the biblical family, and consider that the world is dead wrong in its priorities.

Barrenness is truly a crisis, and a cruel one at that. Conducting funerals for the unborn, the miscarried, and stillborn is a terrible experience. Yet where else can a person turn? Only to Christ and His mercy, our Lord who has overcome sin and death.

And thanks be to God that our Lutheran doctrine of vocation rightly prioritizes the spousal relationship in a family before the parental relationship. Even for families with children, mother and father are obligated first to love each other as a way of ensuring a stable environment in which children may be raised. The relationship between mother and father also provides a model for children to emulate as they grow and one day marry. This essential priority of husband and wife in the family is a comfort to those facing infertility. It is a reminder that God has given the husband and wife to each other as a gift—and for support through better and worse, through sickness and health.

We must always fix our eyes on our crucified Lord, who died not only for original sin (which is the root cause of the curse of barrenness) but also for the committed sins that are sometimes a factor in barrenness. And we look forward to the Last Day where the curse will no longer afflict us and our bodies—the promise of eternity in which we will be given by God our risen and perfected bodies.

If you are afflicted with miscarriage, stillbirth, or barrenness, reach out to your pastor. He longs to share the comforting Words of Christ with you. He will pray with you and for you. He will give you the Sacraments, so that your faith can be strengthened in the midst of this terrible affliction.

Amen. Come quickly, Lord Jesus!

Note: Barrenness is a grief which some couples choose to share with only a small group of family, friends, and pastor—not because it is anything to be ashamed about but because the grief can be deeply personal in nature. In order to preserve the privacy of the author and their family, and at the author’s request, we have not included a byline with this article.

The damage which barrenness causes to individuals and marriages should teach us to refuse a world that celebrates careers and hobbies more than anything else.

The affliction of infertility should give us pause as we look at a world that openly hates the biblical family, and consider that the world is dead wrong in its priorities.

Barrenness is truly a crisis, and a cruel one at that.

SHARING JESUS ON THE STREETS OF CANADA'S MURDER CAPITAL

BY DANIEL W. BARR

SStreet Reach Ministries (SRM) is a ministry that operates in the murder capital of Canada: Thunder Bay, Ontario. More specifically, the organization is headquartered at 516 Victoria Avenue East (its original location closed in October 2020). After wholesales changes in geography, demographics, scheduling, and chaplaincy, SRM opened in its current location in September 2021. When I arrived in January 2022, it was a reboot project barely three months old.

During SRM’s transition, wider society was preoccupied with the pandemic, overt visuals of racial injustice, and protest. Canada was waking up to the discovery of unmarked graves and learning about events that took place in residential schools. In this context, the idea of evangelism had the potential to be a powder keg.

The work of Street Reach Ministries relies on a street chaplain. That’s me. But the street chaplaincy isn’t a Divine Call; instead, it’s a contract between Redeemer Lutheran

and Lutheran Community Care, a local organization which purchases my services. When I began this work, I didn’t know anything about chaplaincy. But given the absence of a Divine Call, I knew two important details about the people I would encounter: they aren’t asking for a chaplain themselves and they make me no promises. I resolved to spend a year earning the right to share the Gospel with people who owed me nothing.

Theirs is a neighborhood in flux due to challenges with housing, health problems, economics, and social issues. If you want to see what “loitering with intent” looks like, just take a stroll down the boulevard. The drug and sex trades thrive in this microcosm where the devious and the destitute converge to negotiate terms of survival. Some are treated like cattle or lab rats by local gangs. Others are the entrepreneurs. Most suffer a litany of afflictions that impede their problem-solving skills. All are treated like a blemish that wider society would rather forget.

Unto all of these, Street Reach Ministries offers respite from the chaos outside. Inside the building we offer simple services: a beverage and a snack; a clean place to sit and read and chat; laundry facilities; free telephone and internet. We provide a clean, safe, accessible, well-equipped bathroom. These are simple amenities. Some people on the street once had them themselves. Others were born without them.

There’s nothing distinctly Christian about these services on their own. A secular charity nearby offers something similar. But where there are choices, people return to the environment that they like best. I reckon church attendance has taught us that much.

A lack of volunteers for SRM meant the doors were only open for four hours on Tuesdays—hours which fell short of my obligation to Lutheran Community Care. Compelled to give them their money’s worth, I began walking the neighborhood alone in April 2022. This was an opportunity to interact with those who visit SRM outside the building, and to overlap with their social circles. It turned out to be a cool reception: “Are you lost, padre?” Those friendly familiar folks I saw on Tuesdays are hardened street dwellers. I was the vagrant in their domain.

Inside SRM’s building, I expect visitors to amend their behavior and language. Outside the walls, there is an equally rigid code of conduct that they expect me to honour. It’s not a place for the naïve. My only assumption is a soldier’s awareness that nobody has my six—nobody has my back. In all this, my wife, Connie, waits patiently for me to come home. I certainly don’t want her to have to come look for me.

These walkabouts didn’t increase visitor interest in SRM but I gained valuable insight. Outside the walls, people eventually softened. But not indoors. Why? The calm environment inside SRM makes it easy for others to eavesdrop. What you say has the potential to become

gossip. SRM has a glassed-in office but it’s an office; it’s not familiar and it’s not private. The question “Can we talk outside, padre?” became a familiar invitation to talk to people on their turf and on their terms. Serving tables indoors had run its course.

MERCY FOR THE BROKEN

I generally avoided walking in alleys because they can be volatile places; illicit consumption takes place there. But one day, somebody I haven’t seen in weeks heads down an alley. That persuades me to make the attempt. I take a deep breath and follow him in.

He’s picked a popular destination. The ground is sticky with evidence of prostitution and drug use. In fact, my path is flanked by both activities in full view. He sweeps the ground with his foot and sits down. When he notices me

approaching, he greets me with a toothless grin: “Excuse the mess, padre. My roommates are slobs. Pull up a stump.” I clear a place and sit down too.

He digs out his Bible, opens it to the middle, and thumbs back a few pages to Psalm 23. He speaks the Invocation and reads the Psalm out loud and says, “This is the Word of the Lord.” We respond in unison.

His face begins to strain and his conscience spills over into a familiar monologue: he hates his addiction. He hates his weakness. He hates his lot and the life he has made for himself. His confession crescendos and crashes to its logical conclusion: “I can’t do it, padre. I can’t do it, and I’m sorry.”

Amid acts of human depravity, two are gathered here in Jesus’ name. The Gospel moment unfolds. “Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office…” The same words of unconditional absolution that we hear in church puncture his despair, and he sobs bitterly. I slide over, drape an arm across his shoulders, and quietly sing “The King of Love My Shepherd Is” (LSB 709) into his ear. We hack through the Lord’s Prayer.

He prepares his potion, fills the syringe. His expression is a strange blend of resentment and shame. “Padre, you don’t have to stay for this part.” But I do.

Over the next few hours, he drifts in and out. I pray and watch for threat and crisis. Beat cops will be by soon. I ease him onto his side, and tuck a naloxone kit (in case of overdose), snack bars, and my calling card into his pantleg. Before he wakes up, his “roommates” will pick through his stuff and tear a few pages from his Bible.

On my way out, a woman says, “Hey, padre. Thanks for giving a shit about us.” Her face and neck are peppered with lesions. She has a fat lip, and her teeth are blackened and jagged. She’s sitting beside a puddle of puke. I crouch down, hold her hand, croak out the Benediction (Numbers 6:24-26), and take my leave. At the time it seemed so contrary: “The Lord bless you and keep you…” But am I so different than these? Are you?

My first memories of church are The Lutheran Hymnal pages 5 and 15, pump organ, pews near capacity with wellbehaved people in their Sunday best. By contrast, “Mean Streets Lutheran Church” is inelegant and pared back. It’s two or three in an alley or abandoned building adorned

REV. DANIEL W. BARR

with graffiti and smutty slogans. The scent of carrion, sour milk, and urine swirl there until freeze-up in winter. But in both settings—church in the pew and church in the streets—I count just two demographics: the triune God and everybody else.

In austerity or opulence, there is no distinction: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:23). Beggars all, sinners come seeking the good portion which will not be taken away from them.

By December of my first year, I had connected with 34 such beggars filled with regret for taking the path in life they are now on—paths which have now intersected with mine. They are welded to one choice they wish they could take back, and they have to make a Sisyphean effort to silence the cascading guilt, shame, and fear of eternal consequence. Frankly, a ministry of “presence” is worthless to these people; they don’t need a house pet. They need the proclamation of forgiveness. They need their eardrums to vibrate with the promise of God’s mercy in Christ again and again. We all do—because we are all beggars who share a common addiction called sin.

More than a year since beginning work with Street Reach Ministries, my insufficiency remains intact. Gospel opportunities pass by quicker than I can respond. Following up with a particular person can sometimes take weeks, when even two days is too late. Sometimes naloxone and CPR don’t work; nobody walks away from that unchanged.

Although these people owe me nothing, I receive a vagrant’s reward: “Hey, padre. Thanks for giving a shit about us.” Though incomplete, the work is not in vain.

STREET REACH MINISTRIES

is a program of Lutheran Community Care, a Listed Service Organization of Lutheran Church–Canada. For more information on Lutheran Community Care and SRM, visit lccare.ca .

is Pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Kakabeka Falls and Str eet Chaplain with Street Reach Ministries in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

Is Suicide Ever the Answer?

Suicide used to be one of the worst imaginable ends to one’s life. As military chaplains, despite all doctrinal difference, this was something that we could all agree upon: Christians do everything within their power to stop a suicide. I have personally “interfered” a number of times in a distraught soldier’s attempt to terminate his life. I have succeeded most of the time. And I have also never had complaint after such intervention. In light of the legalization of assisted suicide in Canada, however, it’s not clear if counselling someone out of suicide will one day become a criminal offense (or at least carry the same social stigma associated with attempts at counselling women out of abortion or those facing gender and sexual confusion).

But it has crossed my mind that suicide intervention might one day become a purported violation of human rights. One idolatrous belief in our rights-based society today is that our bodies belong to ourselves. This is why our government and courts are so adamantly pro-choice on abortion. Assisted suicide is a logical extension of this belief system. After all, if your body belongs to you, then nobody has the right to tell you how to live… or die.

Canada is once again on the cutting edge of antiChristian public policy. We boast the highest number

by Harold Ristau

of medically assisted suicides. Yet are we surprised? With the decline of Christianity in our country comes a decline of hope, faith, and even love for neighbour. Add the increased vulnerability of unbaptized unbelievers to the devil’s attacks and you have a recipe for moral and spiritual tragedy.

Governments and sadly even some mainline Protestant denominations are encouraging “dying with dignity.” Conveniently, this “dignified dying” rids society of those who are no longer “valuable contributors” to the economy or even a “burden” on the health of our health care system. The legal term for the practice is “Medical Assistance in Dying,” abbreviated as “MAiD.” There is some unintentional honesty here. After all, “maids” clean things up. They get rid of messes. The unspoken implication seems to be that the elderly, physically challenged, mentally challenged, and depressed are things from which our society requires sanitization.

Of course, many people truly believe that MAiD is offered not for selfish reasons but rather out of compassion—merciful Canadians seeking to release people from suffering. But this misplaced mercy confuses who is really in charge of life and death. God is the author of life. He brings us into this world, and

He determines when to take us home: “The LORD gave, and the L ORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the L ORD .” (Job 1:21). Again: “The L ORD kills and brings to life” (1 Samuel 2:6). And again: “I kill and I make alive” (Deuteronomy 32:39). Our almighty and Heavenly Father has a purpose for each one of us, even though we may never know what it is until we cross into heaven. And He knows best when that homecoming should take place, not us.

In a sense, then, suicide is theft—and the devil is the thief. Yet we belong to God. We are His possession. Martin Luther explains it eloquently in the Small Catechism: Jesus has “purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil; not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death, that I may be His own and live under Him in His kingdom and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, just as He is risen from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity.”

Whereas our Lord Jesus has come that we may “have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10), MAiD is a devilish agenda that kills. The devil is a murderer. He is also a liar. Indeed, his lies are intended to kill and destroy (John 10:10).

The question underlying the problem of assisted suicide is this: Does your body belong to you or God? As Christians we all know the answer, but sometimes we are reluctant to accept the consequences. Whether it concern questions as to what (and how much) we eat and drink; what kinds of medical care we opt for; the activities we participate in and personal risks we take; decisions regarding sexual activity and orientation; even funeral preparations, wills, and insurance policies—we

often behave as if we have divine right over our bodies. We do not always consult the Lord by letting His holy Word govern our choices. None of us is without sin when it comes to how we treat our bodies, which are temples of the Holy Spirit.

God has a purpose for us, and this includes our bodies. There is no such thing as a person without a body. Death, by definition, is the separation of the body from the soul—which is why it is so terrible. It is dreadfully unnatural. And that is why the miracle of the resurrection of Christ is so wonderful. For through His suffering, death, and glorious resurrection we encounter the reversal and restoration of what was once lost.

I recall a young woman in a parish in which I served, who was bound to a hospital bed for more than two years. She lay there day by day, with nothing to do but stare at the fluorescent lights on the ceiling and gaze out the same drab window for hours at a time. Whenever I would visit, she would lament how useless she felt that her life was. What purpose could there possibly be in her suffering? What use was she at all? One day, I said to her: “You undervalue your utility in the Kingdom of God. One thing you do more than others is pray. When you lay here, you pray for the help or salvation of other patients, and the nurses, doctors, and hospital staff. Now imagine if you weren’t here. Who would do that? Who would be there for them? I may be your pastor, but you are truly their priest.” Her eyes lit up and she smiled. “I never thought of it that way!” she said. That didn’t mean she no longer suffered. She did. But now she understood that suffering can have profound spiritual meaning for those who have faith.

The popularity of suicide today for those undergoing trials of all sorts comes down to the belief that there is

The popularity of suicide today for those undergoing trials of all sorts comes down to the belief that there is no value in suffering.

no value in suffering. This is a temptation of the devil—a temptation that our Lord Himself knew well. During His fasting in the wilderness, the devil tried his best to divert Jesus from pursuing the path to the cross (Matthew 4:1-11). Likewise, when Jesus’ friends sought to prevent His suffering at any cost, Jesus responded: “Get behind me, Satan!” (Matthew 16:23). Even in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus begged his Father to take away the cup of suffering (Luke 22:42).

No one wants to suffer. We have a hard time seeing any value in it. Certainly, Jesus’ suffering was unique. But we abide in Him, and He in us (John 15:4), which means we bear the marks of our Lord in our lives, our experiences, and even our bodies (Galatians 6:17). Suffering for the sake of the advancement of the Gospel is natural to the Christian human condition (Galatians 2:20). But God is powerfully at work through suffering, not only for your own sake but also for the wider Church and the world around you, as He “works all things according to the counsel of His will” (Ephesians 1:11). God can transform even the worst kinds of evil for His holy plans.

Suffering hurts. But just as gold is refined in fire, our lives of faith are readied for greater purposes through suffering (1 Peter 1:7). Terminal illness is horrific. Aging is painful. Depression is real. Demonic struggles are authentic. Temptations to suicide, fueled by the devil’s lying whispers, are all too persuasive, even among Christians. As a Church we must take these trials seriously. And we do so by carrying our crosses together (Galatians 6:2) as the Body of Christ that we are. The solution to the darkness of suffering is not to end our lives. Suicide is never the answer. Instead, the Church is in the business of rescuing lives, for all lives are valuable.

That goes for those in wider society too. As Christians, we should pray that our civic leaders would enact laws which respect the sanctity of life. But we can also do more than that. As citizens, Christians have the vocation of encouraging government to behave in God-pleasing ways. This happens in elections, of course, but it can also take place in other ways: reaching out to your elected representatives, signing petitions, peacefully protesting, and exploring legal options are all ways in which you can aid the lives of people for whom our loving Saviour died. We can open our mouths and speak the truth. In our modern age, can we imagine a greater good work than advocating for life, both temporal and eternal?

In the midst of our current darkness, we are called to proclaim Jesus, who is true life and true light: “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4). Indeed, Jesus says: “I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in Me may not remain in darkness” (John 12:46). The darkness of the devil resides in the hearts and minds of the world around us, but we are called to be “the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). So then, “let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

For more information on life issues, visit Lutherans for Life - Canada (lutheransforlife-canada.ca) and its American counterpart Lutherans for Life (lutheransforlife.org). Additional resources on life issues are available from Lutheran Church–Canada’s website (lutheranchurchcanada.ca/resources/for-life/).

Rev. Dr. Harold Ristau is an Adjunct Professor of Theology with Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary (St. Catharines, Ontario), currently deployed with Lutherans in Africa.

But God is powerfully at work through suffering, not only for your own sake but also for the wider Church and the world around you, as He “works all things according to the counsel of His will”

(Ephesians 1:11).

German pastor reflects on Christian witness in a dictatorship

Rev. Bartmuss reminded the students that, while the communist state organized elections of sorts, they were sham events. A government agency presented a list of suggested candidates, and voters were pressured into approving the list by simply folding the ballot and dropping it into the box. People who entered the voting booth to make a personal decision were looked upon with suspicion.

GERMANY - At the invitation of the Ursula-Schule, a Roman Catholic High School in the city of Osnabrück in northern Germany, Rev. Hartmut Bartmuss of the Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church (SELK) presented on his life and pastoral service under the communist regime of East Germany. SELK is a partner church of Lutheran Church–Canada.

Rev. Bartmuss grew up in East Germany and served there as a Lutheran

minister before accepting a call to serve a congregation of the SELK in West Germany. Practicing Christians in communist East Germany usually were not admitted to college or university and their professional advancement was severely limited. This applied especially to the children of pastors. Missionary outreach was not permitted, and church leaders were pressured publicly to support the socialist ideology and government measures.

ILC urges prayer for Sudan

ILC General Secretary Timothy Quill. “We encourage our member churches around the world to name the Sudanese people in prayer, beseeching God for the reestablishment of peace and safety.”

Rev. Bartmuss, now living in retirement in the city of Bielefeld, left this reminder for the assembled students: be grateful for the rights you have, and never take for granted your involvement as a citizen in a democratic state and your support for the ministry of the church.

Wilhelm Torgerson Assistant Pastor First Lutheran (Windsor, Ontario)

SUDAN - The International Lutheran Council (ILC) is urging prayer for Sudan after armed conflict broke out in the country earlier this month. As of early May, the World Health Organization had reported more than 600 dead with more than 5,000 injured, with numbers likely to increase.

“Our hearts grieve for those caught in the midst of this terrible crisis,” said

In addition to the threat of violence, the turmoil has also led to critical shortages of necessities like food, water, fuel, and medicine. Even before the current conflict began, the people of Sudan faced serious hardship, with more than a third of the population considered to be in need of aid. The country was also home to more than one million refugees.

The International Lutheran Council has two observer member churches with ties to the nation of Sudan: the Evangelical Lutheran Church in South Sudan and Sudan (ELCSS/S) which has congregations in Sudan, and the South Sudan Evangelical Lutheran Church (SSELC).

“Although our headquarters is in Yambio, South Sudan, we also have churches within Khartoum, Sudan where there is serious fighting at the moment,” explained ELCSS/S Bishop Peter Anibati Abia. “Many people have been displaced or wounded, and others killed. Many are also stuck in their houses with no food, water, or electricity, and are in need of humanitarian support.”

“Please commend these suffering brothers and sisters into the Lord’s care as they endure the pains of this senseless war,” the bishop continued. “Pray for peace to prevail in Sudan. Pray for the bereaved, the homeless, the wounded, and the hungry. And pray also for the ELCSS/S as she ministers to these people.”

ILC News

Rev. Dr.

Rev. Hartmut Bartmuss

Ten years for the Evangelical Lutheran Diocese in Norway

NORWAY - On the weekend of April 21-23, the Evangelical Lutheran Diocese in Norway (Det EvangeliskLutherske Stift i Norge – DELSIN) marked ten years since its formal organization as an independent diocese. A series of commemorative events were marked in Balsfjord, Nordkjosbotn, and Storsteinnes, and featured a Bible study, anniversary celebration, and commemorative service. Bishop Emeritus Roland Gustafsson (Mission Province in Sweden) gave an address at the anniversary celebration, while DELSIN Bishop Thor Henrik With led the Bible study and preached for the commemorative service. The anniversary celebration also featured music as well as a tribute on the late Bishop Børre Knudsen’s service in Norway.

The Evangelical Lutheran Diocese in Norway initially began as a confessional movement within the national Church of Norway, eventually becoming a “Church of Norway in Exile” under Bishop Knudsen. Bishop With succeeded Bishop Knudsen in 2012, and DELSIN formally organized as an independent diocese in 2013.

Today the Evangelical Lutheran Diocese in Norway enjoys communion with the Mission Province of Sweden and the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese in Finland through the Communion of Nordic Lutheran Dioceses. It has also entered into fellowship with the Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church in Germany (SELK) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of England (ELCE).

Bishop Emeritus Roland Gustafsson of the Mission Province of Sweden speaks during an anniversary celebration.

In 2018, the Evangelical Lutheran Diocese in Norway was accepted into membership in the International Lutheran Council (ILC), a global association of Lutheran church bodies dedicated to proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ on the basis of a shared-commitment to the authority of Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions. ILC

What is the International Lutheran Council? Lutheran Church–Canada is a member of the International Lutheran Council (ILC) which, is a growing worldwide association of established confessional Lutheran church bodies which proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ on the basis of an unconditional commitment to the Holy Scriptures as the inspired and infallible Word of God and to the Lutheran Confessions contained in the Book of Concord as the true and faithful exposition of the Word of God.

News

DELSIN Bishop Thor Henrik With preaches during a tenth anniversary commemorative service in Storsteinnes.

LCC/LLL-C gearing up for its paid, part-time internship

for summer 2023

in any way at all—whether it be in communications, graphic design, donor retention, office management, or even through music or art—to get in touch with us.

Applicants have been invited to tell us about how they think they might get involved in church work in their cover letters.

This paid, part-time internship will provide the chance to young Lutherans to explore their God-given gifts and employ those skills in service of your brothers and sisters in Christ.

CANADA - Exciting News! Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) and Lutheran Laymen’s League of Canada (LLL-C) are teaming up again to offer a paid, part-time internship opportunity for the third summer in a row.

For the summer of 2023, the internship will focus on inspiring young people to consider their gifts and how they might be used in service of God’s people. We are encouraging those interested in serving the church

More information about those selected will be availale in the next issue of The Canadian Lutheran.

CCCA Awards for The Canadian Lutheran

CANADA - The Canadian Christian Communicators Association (CCCA) held its annual Awards of Excellence on May 26, 2023, and The Canadian Lutheran received two awards: Third Place (Feature) and Third Place (Media Review).

The Canadian Lutheran ’s editor, Mathew Block, received third place in the Feature category for his article “Decline in Growth: A Look at the Lutheran World Today.” The story provides a glimpse at the changing Lutheran world in our time, as churches decline in the West but

expand dramatically in places like Africa. This article was also previously highlighted as one of The Canadian Lutheran ’s most popular reads online for 2022.

“I found myself completely drawn in by the writing and the content,” the category judge wrote of Block’s article. “Current, lots of takeaway for readers, well-written, and wellsourced. Very interesting.”

Rev. Ted Giese received third place in the Media Review category for his review of the film Top Gun: Maverick . Rev. Giese has been a

frequent winner in this category, taking an award home five times in the last seven years.

“This fascinating review contains a number of well-thoughout points for a Christian audience to consider,” the category judge noted. “A captivating and brilliantlywritten review that centres its insightful analysis on theological reflection.”

C.T. Wetzstein Donor Advised Fund grants over $9,000 for Christian education in Canada for 2023

grades; Sowing Seeds Preschool (Surrey, B.C.) for classroom materials; and Lutheran Church–Canada French Ministries (Montreal, Quebec) for a Francophone liturgical training event (read about how the event went in the Mission News Section).

REGINA - The C.T. Wetzstein Donor Advised Fund in Support of Christian Education has granted over $9,000 in funding to a variety of educational ministries across Canada this year.

Recipients in this yearly round of funding are: First Lutheran Christian Academy (Windsor, Ontario) for curriculum materials for primary

This is the seventh year that the C.T. Wetzstein Donor Advised Fund in support of Christian Education has financially supported confessional Lutheran education projects through Lutheran schools and other ministries in Canada.

The C.T. Wetzstein Donor Advised Fund honors the legacy of the Rev. Dr. C.T. Wetzstein, a long time pastor of the Lutheran Church in Canada. All of Rev. Wetzstein’s children continued in a life of service to the Gospel, including his youngest son, Ralph ‘Mickey’ who served as a Lutheran

school teacher and in refugee settlement with Canadian Lutheran World Relief. Upon Mickey’s death in 2008, the C.T. Wetzstein Donor Advised Fund was established by his widow, Aileen Wetzstein, as a means of making good on her husband’s longtime commitment to Christian education. The Wetzstein family administers the fund, in coordination with Lutheran Foundation Canada.

Donations to the Fund are gratefully received and may be made through the Lutheran Foundation Canada offices.

For further information about these grants, please contact Lutheran Foundation Canada or: Rev. James Wetzstein at james.wetzstein@ valpo.edu.

LCC encourages prayer for King Charles III in light of coronation

CANADA - In the lead-up to the coronation of King Charles III on May 6, 2023, Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) President Timothy Teuscher encouraged members and congregations in the synod to lift up the new monarch in prayer.

A prayer option for congregations and individuals wishing to pray for King Charles III comes from the Litany on page 289 of the Lutheran Service Book

“To give to all peoples concord and peace; to preserve our land from discord and strife; to give our country Your protection in every time of need; To direct and defend King Charles III and all in authority; to bless and protect our magistrates and all our people: We implore You to hear us, good Lord.”

C.T. Wetzstein Donor Advised Fund in support of Christian Education

New members in Trail

TRAIL, B.C. - On Judica Sunday (the fifth Sunday in Lent), the congregation of Peace Lutheran Church in Trail was happy to receive into membership Mike and Riitta Piva, and Micah and Liisa Beatty and their two children, Ezra and Peter. The congregation hopes to be a blessing to them in the years ahead. It’s great being at Peace!

Rev. Ron Abresch

Walking in the Light: Young Adult Retreat

MISSION, B.C. - On the weekend of May 5-7, 2023, Trinity Lutheran Church (Richmond) hosted a Young Adult Retreat at Camp Luther, with invitations to young adults in the Lower Mainland and beyond. Twentyfour people attended the retreat and gathered under the theme of “Walking in the Light” based on Ephesians 5:8—“For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.”

Dr. Alex Vieira, professor of Exegetical Theology at Concordia Lutheran Seminary, Edmonton, was the main session speaker on the theme of “Walking in the Light.” The first session focused on discovering what the Bible means when it speaks of light and more specifically walking in the light. The second session focused on the practical side of what it means to walk in the light as young adults today and the challenges that the

world, the church, and our own sinful nature pose to that walk.

Lisa Jackson, Managing Director of Lutheran Laymen’s League/ Lutheran Hour Ministries Canada, also presented at the retreat on the newest research from the partnership between Lutheran Hour Ministries and the Barna Group called “Discover Your Gifts.” These materials were used on Sunday morning, before the worship service, when attendees broke into small groups based on their top gifts as identified by the

EveryGift™ Inventory to spend time in conversation with others about how their gifts could be used at work, school, church, and in society.

This retreat was made possible thanks to a grant from the West Region Mission and Ministry Council.

If you are a young adult, in the West Region or beyond, who would like to attend a retreat in the future, watch Lutheran Church–Canada’s InfoDigest for news when dates are announced or follow @yaretreat on Instagram.

Samantha Neeb

P.D. Eastman once wrote a classic children’s reader entitled Are You My Mother? Perhaps you are familiar with the work. It’s about a newly hatched bird whose mother left him for a time. The story follows the little chick’s adventure to discover who his mother is. The story ends on a happy note with mother and chick reunited.

The Apostle Paul came across a Christian community in the province of Galatia that seemed to be suffering from identity dysphoria. At first, they had heard and received the Gospel, but then they returned to their former slavery under the Law. In the fourth chapter of his letter, Paul uses the allegory of Abraham’s wife Sarai and his concubine, Hagar, and the child each bore to explain the disconnect.

St. Paul writes: “These women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother” (Galatians 4:24-26).

St. Paul wanted the Christians of his day, and us in our day, to know that our true spiritual mother is the Holy Christian Church. Martin Luther, in his Lectures on Galatians, reminds Christians that “Sarah, or Jerusalem, our free mother, is the church, the bride of Christ who gives birth to all. She goes on giving birth to children without interruption until the end of the world, as long as she exercises the ministry of the Word, that is, as long as

ARE YOU MY MOTHER?

from the regional pastor | rev. robert mohns

she and propagates the Gospel; for this is what it means for her to give birth.”

These are timely words for us in our day and our struggles with identity dysphoria. We are not to look to the base things of this world for our identity. Again, Luther teaches in his Sermons on the Gospel of St. John : “If you want salvation, you need different parents, who will bring you to heaven. This Christ does. By means of Baptism and the Word of God He places you and your Christianity into the lap of our dear mother, the Christian Church. This He accomplished through His suffering and death that by virtue of His death and blood we might live eternally.”

Are you my mother? The question is profound, as is the answer. Against the great plague of identity dysphoria we live in today, and the tremendous anxiety and despair it has wreaked upon us, Christians bear witness to a true and certain hope: “I know who my mother is.” She is the One, Holy Christian Church. She has given birth to me, through Holy Baptism and sustains me with the pure spiritual milk of the Gospel throughout all the days of my life. Though I cannot see her now, for she is spiritual and invisible, my Lord has provided physical and real signs of her presence in Holy Baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and the communion of the saints so that even the youngest one of us can see and understand.

In Jesus Christ and His Holy Bride our identity is made clear and certain. We are God’s holy children. We live and move and have our being out of

our identity as God’s children. We grow up from childhood, go about our various vocations, and marry and beget children out of this identity, baptizing them that they too may be children of God. And so, the generations pass one after another with one Lord and Father of us all and one mother, the Holy Christian Church. And the family of God grows and expands.

In this life, and with our earthbound eyes, we see crumbling church spires, and declining, decaying, and failing churches. We see our earthbound identities challenged and attacked, and eventually the earthbound things of our identity will disappear. But our identity as God’s children remains.

The Scriptures urge us to keep our eyes focused on things above and not on earthly things. They warn us not to become distracted or confounded; nor to walk away from our Lord Jesus Christ or our mother, the Christian Church; nor to forsake our identity as God’s children. We need not seek after another mother or another identity. We have our true mother, the Holy Christian Church, and our true identity is found in Christ alone. He now lives in us and we in Him.

With our Saviour and with His bride, the Holy Christian Church, we offer up endless songs of praise and fervent intercession that we might be kept in true faith in Christ and live in the womb of our mother, the Church. We pray that many more brothers and sisters might be born anew into a living hope and eternal life as children of God, within the womb of the Christian Church.

Learning new ways to reach out

such as Magnet vs. Missional, Your Oikos Prayer Map, the Power of the Everyday Believer, Listening to Your Community, and Engaging with Your Community.

There were 40 to 50 in-person participants, and another 20 to 25 viewing the livestream. The recording is available both as a three-part video conference video and an eight-session podcast on the church’s YouTube channel (youtube.com/@walnutglc).

LANGLEY, B.C. - From January 27-28, 2023, Walnut Grove Lutheran Church hosted the Missionary Pathway Experience to help and encourage Lutherans in the lower mainland of B.C. and beyond to grow

in making disciples for Jesus in the places where they live, work, learn, and play.

Rev. Matt Peeples from the Kairos Network was the presenter for the event, speaking on such topics

Palm Sunday procession

The congregation’s prayer is that this event and the video produced from it will be a blessing to the entire church as we seek to grow God’s Kingdom in the midst of complex and challenging times.

Rev. James Paulgaard

VICTORIA, B.C. - On Palm Sunday (April 2, 2023), Hope Lutheran Church had its third annual Palm Procession around the neighbourhood. The newborn tradition began when COVID-19 shutdowns prohibited inperson worship on Easter Sunday in 2021. Distanced outdoor gatherings were still allowed for small numbers. Therefore, a handful of members from the congregation had a small

procession around the block with palm fronds to have fellowship with each other. Palms were handed out to a few members of the congregation who lived next to the church building and to some passersby who were curious about the occasion. The second year, a few more people joined in than the previous year.

This third annual procession featured Hope Lutheran’s chime

choir playing music during the march. The choir itself became wellknown to the neighbourhood for playing music during the shutdown on the front steps of the church on Sundays. The hope is to make our congregation visible in the neighbourhood with joy of Christ in our midst.

Rev. Adam Chandler

Photos by Nicole Novakovics

40 Years Sharing the Pageant of Christ’s Birth

ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOUSE, Alta. - The 2022 Christmas season found Immanuel Lutheran Church present the Pageant of Christ’s Birth for its 40th year.

The church is humbled and honoured to be able to share God’s amazing story of His love over these

New pastor in Campbell River

past decades. The outdoor evening pageant included a cast, crew, and live animals performing on Saturday and Sunday evenings the second weekend in December. The pageant has become a Christmas tradition for many families in our church and community, and many fond memories

have been made participating and attending this blessed event.

More detail regarding the early beginnings of the pageant and reflections from the past 40 years may be found at rockylutherans.com.

Janice Sulek and Karen Stelmaschuk

CAMPBELL RIVER, B.C. - On March 26, the members of Bethany Lutheran Church gathered with pastors from Vancouver Island and Regional Pastor Rev. Robert Mohns for the installation of Rev. Alex Timm as their new shepherd. They gratefully rejoice in God’s gift, and they are happy to welcome Rev. Timm’s wife, Marion, and their children, Caleb, Boaz, and Lydia, to be part of their congregational family.

Rev. Fraser Coltman, Circuit Counsellor

Back: Rev. Kevin Platz, Rev. Colin Liske, Rev. Richard Klein, and Rev. Adam Chandler; Front: Rev. Al Dudiak, Rev. Fraser Coltman, Rev. Alex Timm, Regional Pastor Mohns, and Rev. Tom Kruesel

Adult confirmation in Kakabeka Falls

At some point last fall, the three of them agreed to meet on Wednesday mornings and the Third Article adventure began.

Dialoguing with God’s Word can be a bit like chewing tinfoil when the Lord’s yes or no clarifies water muddied by external influence. However, when teacher and student learn “Thus saith our God,” the Word of Truth always bears fruit for both. “It’s Third Article stuff,” says Rev. Barr.

KAKABEKA FALLS, Ont. - When Rev. Daniel W. Barr met Marj Ellis and Joni Gale just over a year ago, they seemed like two peas in a pod— the best of friends. In his early days

at Redeemer Lutheran, he wondered if they might be sisters. When he discovered they weren’t catechized, he quietly offered to walk with them through Luther’s Small Catechism.

Lent in the Wascana Circuit

On March 12, 2023, Marj and Joni publicly confessed the Christian faith as taught by the Lutheran Confessions. The Rite of Confirmation occurred across the font during the Divine Service, and these two sisters in the faith were formally received into Redeemer’s communicant family.

Rev. Daniel W. Barr

REGINA - The season of Lent provided an opportunity for the congregations of the Wascana Circuit to join together in worship. Pastors from each of the congregations in Regina participated in a preaching exchange, with each pastor preaching at a different congregation each week for the midweek service. The theme of this year’s Lenten preaching exchange was “The Searching Questions of

Lent,” with each pastor preaching on a different question found in the readings of the Passion.

The circuit’s observance of the Lenten season concluded on Holy Saturday with a joint Easter Vigil held at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. The service highlighted the light of Christ being present even through the darkness, as the flames of candles lit from the fire of the

Easter Vigil illumined the church while the pastors read assorted lessons from the Old Testament. The transition from darkness to light was completed as bells rang, the lights were lit, and, after a long Lenten season, God’s people joined at last in exclaiming, “Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Hallelujah!”

Dcn. Amanda Hastings

We all love to complain about aches and pains as we age, at least until the aches and pains are strong enough that we say with the author of Ecclesiastes that the days are such that “I have no pleasure in them” (12:1). As we age and our capacities decline we feel increasingly fragile. This is true of our bodies, our institutions, and nations. And both Canada and the world are rapidly aging right now.

Many congregations also feel fragile right now. I believe that this is due to the relative age of most of our congregations and the people who keep them going. In recent years many have looked at those trends and wondered if we are failing or why the Lord has removed His blessing from us.

However, I want you to look at the graph that accompanies this article. It is from Statistics Canada and is based on 2021 census data. In it, you can

AGE & FRAGILITY

from the regional pastor | rev. DAVID HABERSTOCK

clearly see that the birth year 1965 (the end of the baby boom in Canada) is still—despite attrition—the largest age cohort in our nation. Since then, we have never had as many babies. These figures include all residents or citizens of Canada, regardless of birthplace. That means that year by year, as immigration has increased, our country has seen even fewer babies born in Canada than the figures since 1965 suggest.

If not for newcomers fleshing out those smaller age cohorts, what might Canada’s age pyramid look like?

My suspicion is that Canada would look like most of our congregations. A lot of grey hair, with a few singles and families of varying ages. To be sure, secularism and a falling away from faith and an active practice of faith in the last 50 years causes many of our congregations to look leaner too. If all our members attended regularly, the age pyramid of our congregations

would be a lot closer to that of the graph. But if you’ve been wondering why your Sunday School and pews aren’t as full as they once were, consider this graph and how it reflects our own life choices individually and as a society.

This inverted age pyramid means that the church is not alone in this feeling of fragility. All of Canada is rapidly aging, and institutions and organizations that depend on volunteers are, across the board, having a much harder time finding those volunteers. This impacts the job market also.

As the chart notes, in the last fifteen years the birthrate in Canada has plummeted further. Look how many fewer children there are compared to adults, let alone compared to their grandparents! We are a society swimming in grandparents these days.

Has that feeling of fragility in your congregation begun to be a

Statistics Canada. “A generational portrait of Canada’s aging population from the 2021 Census,” April 27, 2022.

generalized feeling in society as well? If it hasn’t yet, it soon will, as fewer and fewer people are available to do all the jobs that need doing. The days may come to our nation in which we say, “I have no pleasure in them.”

As our whole society ages and contracts, there will be economic and institutional aches and pains. It will hit all sectors in the days ahead. Universities, which are bigger than they’ve ever been, will contract. Schools, which generally have been amalgamating and getting bigger, will be emptier and may downsize in the future. The emptying pews are merely the canary in the coal mine.

We are going back to a time that is similar to our founding era as a country, and as a church—though for opposite reasons. In the founding of Lutheran Church–Canada’s (LCC) Central Region, pastors often tended to vast swaths of the countryside, pulling together small groups of Lutherans newly settled in disparate fledgling towns. Now pastors are beginning to do the same again, tending to vast swaths of the countryside, gathering together and keeping spiritually fed small groups of Christians who remain in declining towns.

Of course, there are instances of the other trend too: for example, our Oromo brothers and sisters who are gathering together as churches where they settle and often turn to LCC congregations for places to worship, for pastoral training, and for spiritual community. But generally speaking, what lies before us is the decline that you see written in the demographic (inverse) pyramid of Canada.

As this demographic shrinkage hits our society, it will bring with it a lot of angst on top of the cultural decay we’ve all witnessed. This is an incredible opportunity for the Church to share the Gospel! For Jesus will guide us through this moment too, just as He has guided and shepherded His Church of every age. Our present fragility He meets with His enlivening Spirit.

Appreciation day for police and first responders

REGINA - An opportunity to learn, talk, hear stories, and share a meal together: this was again the aim of Mount Olive Lutheran’s annual appreciation meal for the city’s police and first responders, fire and emergency medical services (EMS), hosted on Wednesday, April 12, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

During the course of the twelvehour shift, dozens of police officers and first responders came into the church building to enjoy coffee, treats, and good conversation. Many retired officers also joined in this event of appreciation for

their service to the community. The appreciation meal this year was hosted as part of the celebration events for Mount Olive’s 70 th anniversary.

It is always a special occasion for the church to provide this space for recognition, friendship, and interaction. Those assisting with the event were encouraged by the words an officer once said: “It is good to come to a place where people receive you with a smile and appreciation!”

Rev. Lucas Andre Albrecht, Associate Pastor

Churchbridge installs new pastor

In

were (from left): Rev. Lucas Albrecht (Mount Olive, Regina), Rev. Laverne Hautz (emeritus, Regina), Rev. Daryl Solie (emeritus, Regina), Regional Pastor Rev. David Haberstock, Rev. Adrian Kramer (St. Peter/St. John, Oxbow/Frobisher), Rev. Arron Gust (Grace, Regina), Rev. Ted Giese (Mount Olive, Regina), Rev. Airton Glitz, Rev. Kai Buck (Zion, Yorkton), Rev. Timothy Schneider (Holy Trinity/Hope, Inglis/Grandview), Rev. James Chimirri-Russell (Good Shepherd, Regina), Circuit Counsellor Rev. Barry Wood (St. Matthew Roblin/Grace, Zorra), Rev. Paulo Cesar Fernandes Brum (New Beginnings, Regina)

CHURCHBRIDGE, Sask. - Rev. Airton Glitz was installed as pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Churchbridge on March 19, 2023, a beautiful, warm Sunday.

Twelve pastors participated in the installation service. Rev. Lucas Albrecht from Mount Olive Lutheran (Regina) and a fellow Brazilian preached for the event. A song was

sung by the Sunday School and senior choir called “A Long Time Ago,” for which two members had written a couple of verses. The communion service was followed with a potluck supper and fellowship. Rev. Glitz, his wife Andreia, and their sons Anthony and Arthur arrived in Churchbridge on March 11 from Leme, Brazil. They also

have a daughter, Andressa, who has stayed in Leme.

The church praises and thanks our Lord and Saviour for keeping His promise of sending Rev. Glitz to Trinity, which had been vacant for four of the last five years.

Ellen Spilchen

Photo:

attendance

Cards for seniors in Goderich

GODERICH, Ont. - Berea-by-theWater Lutheran Church is putting a focus on ministry to seniors in their community. The Ladies Group at Berea started making greeting cards to give to residents in local seniors’ homes. Last spring they contributed 100 cards to one home—enough for one per resident. There’s a welcoming spring/summer visual on the front of each card, and

inside a caring Bible verse and a warm hello greeting from the ladies of Bereaby-the-Water Lutheran. The plan is to distribute one card per resident late each spring to each of the seniors’ homes in Goderich, as there are a few in town. The group is happy to report that the first distribution was welcomed.

The ladies at Berea-by-the-Water were pleased to host the LWMLC

Laurentian District LWMLC news

On February 25, the Atlantic Region hosted an online chat with LWMLC President Linda Long and Rena Detlefsen, Vice-President, District Administration. The group, which included women from the Good Shepherd (New Brunswick) and St. Andrew’s (Nova Scotia) parishes, discussed some realities of being part of LCC’s most easternmost Lutherans. One of the outcomes was a desire to connect more often online using LWMLC’s theologically reviewed resources.

(Lutheran Women’s Missionary League – Canada) society gathering at the end of April. The roads were perfectly clean for those driving from the Dashwood area and they were able to create more handmade cards for future distribution to a seniors’ home in town. They also spent part of the time planning for upcoming events.

Heather Ball

Another result of the February conversation is the planning of the 2023 LWMLC seminar, “Oaks of Righteousness,” in the Atlantic Region. Arrangements and an LWMLC mission opportunity grant are under way to cover the weekend expenses and seminar presenter travel costs. As a first in LWMLC and with LWMLC’s grant help, this seminar will allow distant Atlantic region members to convene and receive many spiritual and physical benefits.

EAST REGION - In the Laurentian District of the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League – Canada (LWMLC) that spans 3,000 kilometers and six provinces, the desire to meet one another, whether online or in person, increases as the members talk together about Christ’s love and His Word.

On April 24, therefore, the Laurentian District hosted an online Bible study: “Bible & a Beverage: What is in a Name?” In addition to two members of the Laurentian District’s Board of Directors, attendees came from Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. It was refreshing to be reminded of how God injects meaning and purpose into the names and lives of those He has chosen to accomplish His will.

Fun fact: A new LWMLC seminar is produced and presented every three years. The “Oaks of Righteousness” seminar has been and is being presented in other locations across LWMLC’s four geographical districts.

The members of LWMLC are excited to explore and continue joining together in Word and Spirit in the many ways possible with the Laurentian District members.

Rena Detlefsen, Vice-President, District Administration

Alittle while ago I had the joy to install the new Assistant Pastor at Holy Cross, Kitchener. As I sat in the chancel, I looked out at full pews. The saints were sitting shoulder to shoulder. It was a great sight after years of pandemic social distancing. In the chancel sat 28 pastors. I could not help but consider that the number of people in the chancel was more than some congregations had in service that morning.

After the service, congregational leaders spoke of the length of time since the previous pastor retired. It had been 1,000 days. As I listened to that and saw the joy in the face of the members, I pondered who was the happiest. Was it the members? Was it the senior pastor? Was it his wife?

Each of these had their reasons to be overjoyed. The members had waited 1,000 days and issued several calls before this day. The senior pastor had been looking for assistance. His beloved had wanted respite for her husband. Perhaps it was the Circuit Counsellor and Regional Pastor, as they would now be free of future call meetings there.

But there will be other congregations and other call meetings. Sometimes the first call issued in vacancy is accepted. Sometimes it takes two or three years. As the church experiences pastoral shortages, it is no surprise that the call process may take longer. After a number of declined calls, congregational members are

HOW LONG, O LORD?

from the regional pastor | rev. marvin bublitz

anything but happy. They cry out, “How long, O Lord? How long do we have to wait?”

We must remember that the Lord’s timing is perfect. The Lord of the Church knows our needs. He knows His servants. He knows who He intends to shepherd His flock in any given place at any given time.

If you are in vacancy and struggling with numerous calls, trust the Lord of the Church. He who gave His life for you wants only the best for you. If the shepherd He intends to come and serve you is in a situation that means it may be six months before he is able to move, what will happen to the next six months of calls you issue? The Lord will move His servants to decline. That does not mean He does not care. Rather, it means quite the opposite.

The Lord’s timing is perfect. His choice for your shepherd is perfect. His love for His Church is divine. In that love He bestows faith, forgiveness, and salvation.

Who is the happiest at an installation? It is the Lord of the Church. For He who has divine gifts for His people delivers them through His Word and Sacraments.

“Our churches teach the people cannot be justified before God by their own strength, merits, or works. People are freely justified for Christ’s sake, through faith, when they believe that they are received into favor and that their sins are forgiven for Christ’s sake”

(Augsburg Confession IV.1-2).

“So that we may obtain this faith, the ministry of teaching the Gospel and administering the Sacraments was instituted. Through the Word and Sacraments, as through instruments, the Holy Spirit is given (John 20:22). He works faith, when and where it pleases God (John 3:8), in those who hear the good news that God justifies those who believe that they are received into grace for Christ’s sake” (Augsburg Confession V.1-3).

At an installation, the Lord of the Church is the happiest because it means His chosen servant is being placed among His saints so that they may receive His divine gifts through Word and Sacraments. An installation is all about the Lord serving His people with His gifts of faith, forgiveness, and salvation.

Rev. Roggow installed in Kitchener

KITCHENER, Ont. - “Can we nominate someone?” In the process of calling a new Associate Pastor after the retirement of Rev. Roland Syens in 2020, youth from Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Kitchener approached Dcn. Lenora Simpson with a suggested name: Rev. Paul Roggow, a pastor they had met during the 2022 National Youth Gathering (NYG) in Winnipeg.

After review by the Nomination Committee, youth were invited to speak to the Voters’ Assembly about the suggested pastor, along with an adult NYG chaperone, who added, “Pastor Roggow was great with us older youth too.”

Holy Cross is grateful the Lord moved Rev. Roggow to accept the call extended to him by the Voters’ Assembly and rejoiced together

with the Roggow family during the installation service held on Sunday, March 19, 2023.

The Pastor-Elect’s father, Rev. Gerald Roggow, Rev. Dr. Dieter Kays, and Rev. Dr. Robert Bugbee shared selected scripture readings with the congregation while Rev. Nolan Astley, Senior Pastor of Holy Cross, served as Officiant, and East Regional Pastor Rev. Marvin Bublitz presided.

In an inspiring message, Rev. David Fleming, Executive Director for Spiritual Care at Doxology, spoke on the joys of the pastoral ministry based on John 15:1-11, “That Your Joy May be Full.” The bulletin artwork by Edward Riojas underlined the relationship between the Shepherd (Jesus), and—for the purposes of his illustration—His sheepdog (the pastor).

Rev. Paul Roggow is joined at Holy Cross by his wife, Jackie, and children Micah, Evan, Abi, Lucia, and Kai. Rev. Roggow received his M.Div. from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, in 2006, and a bachelor’s degree in Vocal Music and Human Psychology from Concordia University in Seward, Nebraska. He has shared music and God’s Word through Lutheran Youth Encounter in the United States and Europe; served at LCMS congregations in Cabot and Beebe, Arkansas, and as Missionary-at-Large in Denver, Colorado and Vancouver, B.C.; and most recently as pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Duncan, B.C.

The members of Holy Cross thank their youth for demonstrating that you are never too young to participate in the life of the church.

Sylvia Das

Celebration of organists

CLIFFORD, Ont. - On April 30, the members of St. John’s honoured two retired organists, Marya Pinder and Janet Huth. Between the two they served the congregation for almost 70 years. Chairman Rick Hill gave a talk thanking them for sharing the gifts God has given them and providing beautiful music that helped the church worship and praise the Lord. Janet and Marya shared some stories about their many years playing the organ, and everyone then enjoyed an hour of cake and fellowship.

Henny Derbecker

Pastors of Holy Cross (past and present): Rev. Paul Roggow (Associate Pastor), Rev. William Chuol (Nuer Language Pastor), Rev. Lloyd Wentzlaff (Emeritus), Rev. Nolan Astley (Senior Pastor), and Rev. Dr. Robert Bugbee (former Senior Pastor)

Rev. Roggow and youth: Isaiah Bridgemohan, Rev. Roggow, Justus Schafer, and Max Wentzlaff

Rev. Mark Koehler retires

married in 1981. He graduated and was ordained on August 7, 1983. Barb graduated as a registered nurse from the Lutheran Hospital School of Nursing, St. Louis.

HAMILTON, Ont. - After more than 39 years in the ministry, Rev. Mark Koehler retired from full-time parish ministry on February 26, 2023.

“Pastor Mark” was born in New Westminster, B.C., son of Rev. Wilbur and the late Marilyn Koehler. They moved to Ontario when his father accepted a call to Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Burlington. He graduated from Concordia College in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1979, and then attended Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. There he met his wife, Barbara, and they were

Rev. Koehler’s first call was in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) as evangelistic missionary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana among the Wassa Fiase people (19841989). He returned to Canada as a missionary-at-large in Collingwood, Ontario (1989-1995), then accepted a call to be pastor of the Slovak Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Ascension in Montreal, Quebec (1996-2001). Later he accepted a call to First St. Matthews Lutheran Church in Hanover, Ontario (20012012). While in Hanover, he was involved in a radio ministry program, “Take God’s Word for It,” and was an on-call chaplain for a local hospital. In 2012, Rev. Koehler accepted a call to Pilgrim Lutheran Church in Hamilton, Ontario and was installed on September 9. Pilgrim’s first pastor was his uncle, the late Rev. Edward Koehler.

While serving as a full-time parish pastor, he also served on the Luther Bible Translators board, as a circuit counsellor, and for many years as Pastoral Counsellor for the Ontario District of Lutheran Women’s Missionary LeagueCanada. He recently served as

vacancy pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Fisherville for almost three years. At Pilgrim, Rev. Koehler has been an integral part of the Sudanese mission and ministry with Rev. Peter Gatluak.

During his final service, a hymn and the Kyrie were sung in Nuer, and a Sudanese elder read one of the lessons in Nuer. Afterward, a potluck lunch was held for family, congregational members, and guests in celebration of his retirement. Following the delicious meal, various people shared greetings and memories, including Rev. Eric Betsch, who attended college with Rev. Koehler.

Rev. Koehler’s two sisters from Wisconsin were present, but, unfortunately, his father was hospitalized and unable to attend. The Koehler’s children, Ann Marie, Sarah, Michael, Natalie and her husband Josiah, and Matthew were all in attendance. Barb recently retired from her position at a nearby nursing home, and together they hope to enjoy some well-earned time for camping, maybe fishing, and welcoming their first grandchild in May.

Pilgrim’s congregation is extremely thankful and praise God for Rev. Koehler’s pastoral ministry during the last ten years he has served them and pray for God’s blessings as he begins his retirement.

Diane Ebert

Rev. Mark and Barb Koehler greeting the congregation following his retirement service (Photo by Gloria Nielsen)

in Canada

A cup overflows: French Liturgy Workshop brings abundant blessings from God

by David Somers

MONTREAL, QC - Members of Lutheran churches and beyond were invited to attend a workshop on the basics of the Lutheran liturgy in the French language in Montreal from May 17-21, 2023. Such teaching is crucial at a time where new francophone Lutherans are increasingly springing up as never before. The group gathered for the launching of the abbreviated version of Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC)’s French hymnal: Liturgies et cantiques luthériens - Édition africaine (LCL-ÉA).

The workshop opened with LCC’s President Timothy Teuscher bringing greetings on behalf of Lutheran Church–Canada and the International Lutheran Council, and calling the group to consider the essential necessity of right worship.

The LCL-ÉA is a fruit of the collaboration of LCC’s Institut liturgique luthérien francophone (the Francophone Lutheran Liturgical Institute - ILLF) team comprised of Rev. Dr. David Saar (Pastor, St. John’s Lutheran Church in Mount Forest, Ontario); Rev. Dr. David Somers (LCC Missionary-at-Large, French Ministries); and LCMS Cantor Phillip Magness—the main presenter at the

workshop. Rev. David Milette (Pastor, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Moncton, New Brunswick) served as liturgist throughout the workshop.

The development of the French hymnals is a significant element of LCC French ministries and a major contribution to the worship life of the francophone Lutheran world. The gathering itself saw participants from nine countries. In addition to LCC members, the workshop included representatives from Lutheran churches in Haiti; five new African francophone congregations of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod; the Evangelical Luthern Church - Synod of France ( Église évangélique luthérienneSynode de France); Lutheran churches in Burundi and the Democractic Republic of Congo); Lutherans in Africa; and an African Pentecostal church body considering the adoption of Lutheran teaching. Students of the Concordia Theological Seminary of Haiti - Laotchikit Centre Séminaire Théologique Concordia d’Haiti - Centre de Laotchikit) joined online for the Saturday session.

Beyond the presentation of the LCL-ÉA, this event provided an opportunity to showcase French Lutheran

ILLF constituting members and LCC President with new French hymnal.

(Left to Right) Cantor Phillip Magness, Rev. Dr. David Somers, LCC President Timothy Teuscher, and Rev. Dr. David Saar

materials, many of which are available through LCC’s French Ministries such as the new Viens et vois Jésus (“Come and See Jesus”) Sunday school curriculum and accompanying lectionary-based children’s activity pages based on those done in English by Lutheran Laymen’s League of Canada.

Finally, the workshop provided a unique and heretofore unavailable opportunity for confessional francophone Lutherans from three continents to get to know each other and become familiar with the work and challenges of the reality of the world’s burgeoning French-language Lutheranism.

Support for the workshop was provided by the International Lutheran Council; the C.T. Wetzstein Donor Advised Fund in Support of Christian Education; Lutheran Women Missionary League - Canada (LWMLC) and the LWMLC’s Laurentian District; the Lutheran Heritage Foundation; Lutheran Laymen’s League of Canada; The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod; and Lutheran Church–Canada.

Rev. Dr. David Somers serves as Missionary-at-Large for Lutheran Church–Canada’s French ministries.

Participants pictured from Haiti, Congo, France, the USA, and Canada. Rev. David Milette (fourth from right) served as liturgist for the workshop.

Rev. Walta Clercius, Assistant Missionary-at-Large for LCC French Ministries.

First calls for 2023’s graduating pastors

CANADA - LCC’s two seminaries held Convocation and Call Services on May 26 and 27 respectively, announcing the first calls for four graduating pastors, as well as the commendation of one colloquy pastor, Ephrem Fikru Gemta (CLS) who is now eligible for a call in LCC.

Henock Teklemariam (CLS) Trinity Lutheran Church (Abbotsford, BC)

Henock Ghebreyesus Teklemariam and his wife, Fedait are from Eritrea (East Africa), and have three children.

Growing up, Henock attended the Evangelical Lutheran Church and Swedish Lutheran Mission School in Asmara. During youth activities in his church, he developed a sense of pastoral calling. Noticing his inclination to the ministry, his parents (especially his father, a pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Eritrea), friends, and siblings encouraged and supported him to pursue theological study. Henock holds a Bachelor of Religious Education, Minor in DCE (Director of Christian Education) and Sociology from Kuyper College in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Henock served his vicarage at Trinity Lutheran Church (Golden, B.C.) and St. Peter’s Lutheran Church (Invermere, B.C.) under the supervision of Rev. Mark Lobitz of Shepherd of the Valley (Canmore, Alberta). He also did field work at Redeemer Lutheran Church (Edmonton) under Rev, James Fritchie. Henock is extremely grateful to these pastors, congregations, and the seminary faculty for their work shaping him as a servant of the church for Christ’s sake.

Placement pending in the LCMS

Trey Doak grew up in Wyoming, USA. He studied at the University of Wyoming where he majored in History. It was there he became a Lutheran and married Emily. Trey and Emily have three children.

Before seminary, Trey worked as an accountant. He has been working toward the M.Div. degree since 2013 and has been a full-time student since 2019. In 2022, Trey served his vicarage year at Grace Lutheran Church (Parker, Colorado).

Trey looks forward to serving Christ and feeding His people with His Word and Sacraments. He enjoys teaching, studying, history, apologetics, and classical music. Trey likes to play sports and games especially with his family.

Prozenko (CLTS) Prince of Peace Lutheran Church (Regina, SK)

Nigel Prozenko is from the East Coast of Canada, where he has been a member of St. Andrew's Lutheran Church in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He has been a Lutheran since his Baptism almost 29 years ago.

Prior to attending seminary, Nigel earned a Bachelor’s of Engineering in Electrical Engineering from Dalhousie University. While completing his seminary studies, Nigel feels privileged to have served as vicar of Trinity Lutheran Church (Winkler, Manitoba) and Zion Lutheran Church (Morden, Manitoba) under the supervision of Rev. Alex Klages.

Nigel enjoys tropical places and weightlifting in his free time.

Christ Our Saviour Lutheran Church (Grimsby, ON) / Redeemer Lutheran Church (Hamilton, ON)

Jason Gillard was raised in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, where he resided until his vicarage in 2021. His vicarage was at Redeemer Lutheran Church (Waterloo, Ontario) under the supervision of Rev. Joel Kuhl. While there, he met his wife, Camille, a native of Kitchener, Ontario. They were married in 2022. Jason and Camille are currently members of Grace Lutheran Church (St. Catharines, Ontario), where Jason was baptized and confirmed.

Before seminary, Jason studied History at Brock University. During his time in seminary, he was a fieldworker at a number of congregations across the Niagara and Hamilton circuits.

He thanks God for all those who have supported him in his formation, and he looks forward to continuing to serve the Lord’s church.

Nigel

Jason Gillard (CLTS)

Trey Doak (CLTS)

LCC seminaries present honorary awards

CANADA - Lutheran Church–Canada’s (LCC) seminaries presented several honorary awards during their respective call services this year.

Concordia Lutheran Seminary (CLS - Edmonton) presented the Friend of the Seminary award to Beverly (and Bryan, posthumously) Adam.

Beverly and her late husband, Bryan, shared a top priority commitment to walk with Jesus in their everyday life and as dedicated members of St. Matthew Lutheran Church (Stony Plain, Alberta).

Beverly and Bryan have built a legacy of support for Christian mission through church, school, university and seminary, and beyond. They have always generously given of their time and were benefactors of the church and the seminary and regularly attended placement services for vicars and pastors.

CLS presented the Faith in Life award to Dwayne Cleave, a faithful servant of the Lord in his work for Lutheran Church–Canada.

Dwayne goes about his service as a good listener and with a humble attitude, promptly responding to requests by congregations, church members, and church workers. Besides

being a regular attendee at his home congregation of Saint James Lutheran Church (Winnipeg) since 1988, Dwayne has served in the roles of elder, treasurer, member of the education committee, president, vice-president, and youth leader. Having been trained in management at the University of Manitoba and certified by the General Accounting Program (CGA), Employee Benefit Specialist Program (CEBS), and Canadian Securities Institute (CSI), Dwayne has employed his skills and knowledge in the service of the Synod. In his twenty years of service in LCC, he has been the Treasurer and Chief Administrative Officer (his current position) of LCC, and since 2010 has also been the Executive Director of LCC’s Worker Benefits Services Inc.

CLS presented the Doulas Dia Iesoun award to Rev. Roland Kubke. In his almost thirty-five years as an LCC pastor, Rev. Kubke has served congregations in Maple Creek and Fox Valley, Saskatchewan; Simcoe, Ontario; Medicine Hat, Alberta; and Beach Corner, Alberta. In his work as a pastor, Rev. Kubke has demonstrated the depth of his theological convictions through solid pastoral practice, teaching, and preaching. His spirit of sacrifice is evident as he uses his many gifts in various areas of service. He was on the Board of Regents of Concordia University Edmonton and on the Board of Directors of the ABC District.

Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary’s (CLTS - St. Catharines) Call Service honoured Rev. Warren Hamp , pastor of Faith Lutheran Church (Kitchener, ON) with the Delta Chi (Servant of Christ) award, the seminary’s highest honour. Rev. Hamp graduated from CLTS in 1990 and has served LCC in a variety of ways, including as Chairman of the Commission on Theology and Church Relations and as a member of LCC’s Board of Directors.

New Interim President announced for CLS: Dr. Joel Heck

announced at their Sacred Convocation on May 26, 2023, that Rev. Dr. Joel D. Heck has accepted the Call to serve as Interim President of the seminary.

In a Facebook post, CLS shared: “The CLS Board of Regents extended a Divine Call to Rev. Dr. Joel Heck on May 18 to serve as seminary President for a twoyear interim while significant conversations unfold between the Lutheran Church–Canada President’s Ministry Council and the leaders from both seminaries explore what the future of ministry formation will work best for LCC.”

In the past, Dr. Heck has served on faculties and administrative posts at Concordia University Wisconsin and Concordia University Texas. He is also an Old Testament exegete and a worldclass C.S. Lewis scholar. He previously taught at CLS as a Visiting Professor from January to May of 2017.

CLS shared that Dr. Heck and his wife, Cheryl, are expected to arrive in Edmonton in late July of this year and that an installation is scheduled to take place on the occasion of CLS’ Opening Service on Tuesday, September 5, 2023 at 4:30 p.m. at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Edmonton.

EDMONTON - Concordia Lutheran Seminary (Edmonton - CLS) publicly

FOR LIFE - CANADA

WHAT EXACTLY IS A GOOD DEATH? | by

For many decades my congregation had very few funerals. Today over half are senior citizens and funerals are now more frequent. A long time member who was 86 years old, passed last month to join her husband who passed away 4 years ago. As I write this, two members, both of whom are 97, are currently struggling in their very last weeks, one with colon cancer, the other with viral pneumonia and a heart issue. Both of these gentlemen lived outstanding lives with successful careers, great men in service to God and family. They were engaged and participated fully in it. One key hallmark to a long healthy life.

As such, I am increasingly reminded of how we used to die and how increasingly both secular society and confused Christians might be agreeable to a new so-called “healthcare” option for end-of-life issues. Its generic term is euthanasia. We all knew that in British murder mysteries that the butler did it. But for euthanasia, it is now common knowledge in Canada that the MAiD1 did it.

WHO2 in 2023 has ranked Canada 32nd in medical efficiency and cost, which is far behind other peer nations such as most of Europe, Japan and Taiwan. Annual costs are escalating at runaway rates with Canadian provinces petitioning the federal government to contribute more funds. We know that the bulk of healthcare is in the last few months of life, which means that has become a key demographic for controlling and reducing costs. That challenge was met a few years ago by a very narrow euthanasia program which has now become the proverbial slippery-slope superhighway to death-on-demand rivalling the Dutch euthanasia program. In 2023 Canada wrestles with guidelines for euthanizing the mentally ill. This too was what Nazis did almost 100 years ago and was commonly considered as unimaginable evil and on a par with their genocide program. How soon we forget. History once again, doomed to repeat itself.

As believers having the Holy Spirit and a renewed nature, we have the opportunity to decide on a course of action in keeping with His holy will. We receive guidance by The Word and our pastors. We know that the bible is loaded with examples of people of little faith who did not wait on God, and instead did it their own way. Further

John Krim

guidance is offered by the sixth commandment, “thou shalt not murder”, which includes self-murder (suicide and euthanasia). As free-will individuals, we too can act on our own understanding at our own peril. As one televangelist often says sarcastically to those who choose their own understanding, “Don't let the bible get in the way of what you believe!”.

Consider that lethal injection was once reserved only for putting down pets and death-row prisoners alike. MAiD proponents try to spin it as “death with dignity”, nothing could be further from the truth. Honestly, there is no dignity in dying like a dog or a criminal, only shame.

A mere 30 years ago, pain management was hit or miss, but huge advances in recent years have made palliative care the more viable and preferred course. “Most Canadians do not receive palliative care, when they would benefit from it”3 Improvements in traditional palliative medicine brings comforting care in the last days. Let all end of life be peaceful and natural, this is the real "death with dignity". We are not to play god but let life take its course.

A good death, like a good birth, is on God's timing not on ours.

References:

1 MAiD – Medical Assistance in Dying, Canada's euthanasia program

2 WHO -World Health Organization

3 C.D. Howe Institute

LUTHERANS FOR LIFE-CANADA

THE GIFT OF NATURAL DEATH?

The title sounds cruel for anyone who has seen death up close and personal. “The gift of natural death?” It would seem to be more of a curse – and death is a curse. God has said, “The soul who sins shall die.” (Ezekiel 18:20)

Death is lousy.

However, by faith in the promises of God there is another perspective and it is a blessed one. Death has lost its sting. “Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:57) We look forward to God’s heavenly welcome.

But who wants to die?

Comedian Woody Allen is quoted as saying, “I'm not afraid of death; I just don't want to be there when it happens.” Coupled with the dread of possible suffering and loss, there can be the appeal of having control over the event, which has been made possible through the introduction of “Medical Assistance in Dying” (MAiD). Westerners are used to having things go according to their own desires and feelings, so why not control the circumstances of our death? “As God wills” has been rejected or forgotten as an expression of faith.

But what if God’s will included a natural death? When our proper human efforts to preserve life have run their course and are no longer effective, might God have a salutary use for this final time in our earthly life? The

|

by Rev. Kevin Walrath

Bible would say “Yes, by the grace of God!”

I think of the palliative people I have ministered to over the years. As the physical body slowed down and the frequency of my pastoral visits increased, there was time to think and speak about the end of this temporal life.

A metaphor I came to use was the Christian life being similar to a long international flight. Imagine family and friends at the airport gathered to greet and embrace you at the terminal – such anticipation! Likewise, the Christian has been on this long flight we know as the life on earth. As a believer, this life-long flight has had its ups and downs, both ‘smooth sailing’ and ‘frightening turbulence’, but always with faith that there would be a safe and joyous landing at our heavenly destination.

We take God’s promises on faith all these years, and then, on a sick bed – and finally death bed – we anticipate a realization of all that we, by faith, have hoped for.

It would seem contradictory to suddenly think, “Oh. I don’t like the end of the flight – the descending and sounds of the aircraft landing are scary. Let’s just avoid that by suddenly crashing the plane and getting it over.” That’s how I feel when I hear of a person requesting MAiD.

At the end of my life I hope to have enough time, when all the earthly priorities are put out of mind, to consider

Unfortunately, MAiD in Canada has rejected purpose in illness and natural death by suggesting that a person’s feelings and experience matter most.

with undeterred devotion, the sober reality of my sin and the joyous certainty of my Saviour. It would seem to be a holy time – not to be shunned and avoided, but rather coveted and embraced.

For sure, there are concerns over pain and awkwardness before others. But how could that possibly compare with the pain and awkwardness Jesus suffered dying out of love and service for us upon the cross?

The devil is a liar and a murderer. (see John 8:44) He would like nothing better than for our life to end sooner and in despair. Satan would distract us from God’s promises in Christ Jesus and have us terrified of facing the holy God alone in our sins without a Redeemer, or worse, to quietly go into the night thinking that all is well imagining no judgment to come no matter what we have done or where we have placed our trust.

Would ancient Job have qualified for MAiD? He lamented, “Let the day perish on which I was born. … Why is light given to him who is in misery, and life to the bitter in soul, who long for death, but it comes not, and dig for it more than for hidden treasures, who rejoice exceedingly and are glad when they find the grave? … I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest, but trouble comes.” (Job 3:3, 20-22, 26)

If he got what he longed for, Job would have missed on many things.

Job would have missed God’s instructive rebuke. “And the Lord said to Job: ‘Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? … Will you even put me in the wrong? Will you condemn me that you may be in the right?’” (Job 40:1-2, 8)

Job would have also missed his opportunity to be humbled and repent before the Lord. “I have uttered what I did not understand. … Therefore I repent in dust and ashes.” Job 42:3,6

Job would also have missed out on the love and comfort of others. “Then came to him all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before. … And they showed him sympathy and comforted him for all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him.” (Job 42:11)

And finally, Job would have missed out on the “death with dignity” for which all people long. “And Job died, an old man, and full of days.” (Job 42:17)

Yes, I am a foolish man for writing about something I’ve never experienced. I might have sounded like one of Job’s miserable friends (see the dreadful middle chapters of Job).

But I believe that’s why the Lord saw fit to have the book of Job included in the biblical canon. People in every generation go through horrible experiences. The Lord God Almighty would have us know that we are not alone, others have experienced it, there is an enemy who seeks only our destruction, and God knows – and cares – and is our ultimate help. He even sent His Son in order to go through the Job-like catastrophe in order to become our Redeemer.

At the last, Christ is our temporal and eternal hope. Whatever each of us is to endure, He will bring us safely

through. You can believe it! We look to Him for deliverance – not necessarily some quick fix.

Unfortunately, MAiD in Canada has rejected purpose in illness and natural death by suggesting that a person’s feelings and experience matter most. A person in a painful and discouraging moment may well come to feel that life is not worth living.

Sometimes pastors minister to a lifelong pagan who when terminally ill suddenly gets interested in spiritual things and there comes the opportunity for the Redeemer to be proclaimed. If that process were short circuited by a desire to avoid decline and agony, how grievous it would be to God who has said, “As I live, … I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. (Ezekiel 33:11)

Old Testament King Saul and Jesus’ betrayer Judas both committed suicide out of despair. In that moment, faithful hope in a gracious God was lost and so were they. Let us not be so, but let us commit our way to the Lord as God wills. May God grant us a prayerful conclusion to our final days within God’s grace and also a loving heart toward those without Christ before their final hour comes.

Rev. Kevin Walrath Pastor Emeritus, Prince of Peace, Burlington ON

“For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.” — 2 Timothy 4:6–8

LUTHERANS FOR LIFE - CANADA

Sanctity of Life from Womb to Tomb

LIFE IS GOD'S GIFT | by Tracey Juritsch

Life is God’s gift. God creates each of us as a genetically distinct individual from the moment of conception. God loves and knows each one of us, from conception until the moment of death and to eternal life. To God, no one is just a statistic. God created a sinless world, and, in love, God gave our original parents, Adam and Eve, the ability to think and choose. When tempted with the twisted phrase of “Did God really say…?”, they chose to disobey. Since then we are all sinful. No matter how much we want to choose and do the right thing, sin taints our actions and decisions. God commands “…‘you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength,’” and, “‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself’….” (Mark 12:30-31a). God calls each person our neighbour. We all fall short of loving God completely, and loving our neighbour as ourselves. Yet God did not leave us condemned in sin. He sent His son, Jesus, true God and true man, born of a woman, Mary. Jesus fulfilled the law completely for us, atoned for our sins by His death on the cross, and announced that He had conquered sin and death by His Easter resurrection.

How does this affect life and life issues? While still sinners, we are called to love our neighbours, young and old, able and infirm, and throughout all stages of life as we journey to eternal life. As God’s uniquely made and beloved children, each of us has abilities, resources, and roles in life that we can use to share God’s victory over sin and His love for the world as we support the unborn and vulnerable persons of all ages. You can pray, thanking God for giving you life and all your abilities. Pray for guidance as we encounter people affected by abortion, assisted suicide and the devaluation of human life. Pray for the unborn, the weak, the vulnerable, the lonely, and the ill. Pray for care agencies that support the needs of these individuals. Pray for our healthcare system, our government, and all authorities that all life may be affirmed instead of being considered an inconvenience. As well, you can be a supportive listener and friend to your neighbours at church, work, home, neighbourhood,

community centre, etc. Look out for the lonely and vulnerable in your community whom our world may value less, ignoring them. According to your skills and resources, you can aid local life supporting agencies, such as a life affirming crisis pregnancy centre or a local hospice. Talk to your Pastor. Share your concerns about life, and how your congregation can support God’s gift of life. Confess how you have sinned against life, because Christ’s forgiveness covers these sins as well. Or, if you are not sure where to turn and need additional help in healing from sins against life you can reach out to Word of Hope, online at wordof-hope.org or call them at 888-217-8679. There are many ways to care for, learn about, and support life and life issues, so be creative!

Additional resources from a Lutheran perspective:

Lutherans for Life - Canada Website lutheransforlife-canada.ca

Lutherans for Life - Canada Substack lflc.substack.com

Life Issues Podcasts

www.kfuo.org/category/friends-for-life

Other online resources at our American partner: lutheransforlife.org

Online resources and library at LCMS Life Ministries: lcmslife.org

Lutherans for Life - Canada has additional print resources available. If you would like to learn more, have suggestions or wish to share information of an agency or other resources, contact us at:

contact@lutheransforlife-canada.ca

THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN

by Ted Giese

Near the end of the Irish civil war in the 1920s, just off the west coast of Ireland on the island Inisherin, two long time friends suddenly become estranged when folk musician Colm Doherty stops talking to the affable but somewhat oblivious Pádraic Súilleabháin. Pádraic is flummoxed by this abrupt rebuff and has no idea why his friend won’t talk to him. The mystery of why Colm stopped talking to Pádraic and the disturbing events that unfold as a result is the driving force undergirding this dark comedic tragedy.

Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell, portraying Colm and Pádraic, turn in tremendous performances full of tension, suspense, and poignant melancholy. Kerry Condon and Barry Keoghan provide equally strong supporting performances as Pádraic’s well-read sister Siobhan Súilleabháin and the socially awkward simpleton Dominic Kearney.

The Banshees of Inisherin depicts small town life in an island community with one pub and one church—meaning everyone knows everyone’s business, making the need for a good reputation paramount. As such, the film provides viewers an excellent meditation on

the Eighth Commandment: “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbour.” Luther reminds us that this means “we should fear and love God so that we do not tell lies about our neighbour,

feeling time slip away—sacrifices the reputation of his friend Pádraic in order to gain more time to himself to write music—which in turn will improve his own reputation as a fiddle player. Colm’s change of attitude and the local gossip call into question whether Pádraic is nice or dimwitted, throwing the man into a state of existential crisis.

betray him, slander him, or hurt his reputation, but defend him, speak well of him, and explain everything in the kindest way.” By contrast, Colm—struggling with despair and

Cut off from Colm, Pádraic ends up spending more time with Dominic whom he nevertheless considers poor company due to Dominic’s dimwitted nature. But beggars can’t be choosers, so Pádraic makes due with this questionable friendship. For his part Dominic, is happy to grow closer to Pádraic, as he hopes to form a relationship with Pádraic’s sister Siobhan. Pádraic and Dominic’s strained shallow ‘friendship’ is a kind of reflection of Colm and Pádraic’s prior friendship; the dramatic irony is that the audience can see this but poor Pádraic cannot. Betrayed, hurt, and slandered, Pádraic still seeks to reconcile with Colm—but matters grow worse when Colm threatens to cut off a finger from his left hand, his fiddle hand, with a pair of shears each time Pádraic bothers him.

Colm claims all he wants from Pádraic is silence, to which Siobhan responds, “One more silent man on Inisherin, good-oh! Silence it is, so.” Colm returns: “This isn’t about Inisherin. It’s about one boring man leaving another man alone, that’s all.” In a fit of exasperation, Pádraic’s sister replies: “One boring man! You're all... boring! With your piddling grievances over nothin’! You're all... boring! I’ll see he doesn’t talk to you no more.” The Banshees of Inisherin deals with the flipsides of humility and pride, what people think of themselves and what they think of others, and how they are tempted to puff themselves up by tearing others down.

A claustrophobic cloud of despair hangs over all Inisherin. This is represented in a way by the island’s crone, Mrs. McCormick, whose presence and words often portend tragedy. McCormick also acts as a kind of warning of what Siobhan’s future life will be like if she doesn’t escape the island. But how does anyone truly escape the island? In good-humoured days of pints and songs at the pub with friends, like Colm and Pádraic formerly enjoyed? Or in death? The theme of suicide looms over this film, and the temptation to suicide is amplified by hopelessness and loneliness. Having friends or a spouse, having the gift of a good reputation, even having a rewarding job can help provide a remedy for the sort of despair The Banshees of Inisherin digs into. But when the folks on Inisherin lose hope, their minds turn to death. Suicide becomes the pestilence that stalks in darkness, the destruction that wastes at noonday (Psalm 91:6).

The Christian faced with these temptations is best served by retreating to the community of the church and turning to God for comfort and peace. And while the film depicts a local Roman Catholic congregation in Inisherin, it’s mainly there for laughs

not for solace. The character of the parish priest says Mass and hears confession, but the church is not really a beacon of forgiveness and comfort; it’s just another local source for gossip. Colm and Pádraic and Siobhan and Dominic do not find peace in the chalice of the Lord’s Supper any more than they find it in the sherry or pints served at the pub.

While Christian faith is part of life for the folks of Inisherin, filmmaker martin McDonagh seems to have a pragmatically low opinion of it. And

aren’t wholly aware of. In Irish folklore, banshees were female spirits whose wailing presaged the death of a family member. Winks and nods to this belief are peppered throughout the film, but Colm’s idea of the silent banshee finds confirmation in the final scene of the movie, just before McDonagh cuts to one last aerial shot of the island.

yet, this film notwithstanding, there is inestimably more consolation available in a congregation where the Word of God and the means of grace in the Sacraments are provided than will ever be found at a pub. If Colm and Pádraic and Siobhan and Dominic, or even Mrs. McCormick for that matter, all found their peace in Christ— and by extension in each other as brothers and sisters in Christ—then The Banshees of Inisherin would be a different kind of film. But this film is a tragedy.

What should we make of the film’s title? In a pivotal bit of dialogue, Colm says this is the name of a tune he’s writing, but Pádraic is incredulous, believing there are no banshees on Inisherin. Colm replies: “I don’t think they scream to portend death anymore, maybe they just sit back, amused, and observe.” This suggests that there may be a spiritual dimension to the oppression and despair plaguing the folks of Inisherin—one that they

For adult viewers tired of trite agenda-driven spectacles, The Banshees of Inisherin provides a thoughtful introspective experience. It takes friendship and loneliness seriously, and provides an honest exploration of how “desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death” (James 1:15). This is not light escapism. Peel back the surface of humour and lurking beneath the placid waters and green pastures of Inisherin is the fallen nature of mankind deeply in need of redemption. But viewers will have to provide their own hope of redemption; McDonagh gives no reprieve from the despair. Consequently, The Banshees of Inisherin may be too dark for those already struggling to cope with the harshness of life.

Rev. Ted Giese is lead pastor of Mount Olive Lutheran Church, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada; a contributor to The Canadian Lutheran and the LCMS Reporter; and movie reviewer for the “Issues, Etc.” radio program. For more of his TV and Movie Reviews, check out the Lutheran Movie Review Index.

Peel back the surface of humour and lurking beneath the placid waters and green pastures of Inisherin is the fallen nature of mankind deeply in need of redemption.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Rev. Ephrem Gemta of Calgary, AB has successfully completed the requirements of the Pastoral Colloquy Program for Lutheran Church–Canada and is, therefore, eligible to receive a call in LCC. Any communications about this can be directed to Rev. Michael Schutz, Chair, LCC Colloquy Committee, c/o 2800 South Main Street, Penticton, BC or by email at vicepresident@lutheranchurch.ca.

FIND ON G IVING

TRANSITIONS

First calls for graduates from Concordia Lutheran Seminary (Edmonton) and Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary (St. Catharines, Ontario) are noted on page 33 of this issue.

Rev. Shiekh Lief Mauricio accepted a call to Triune Lutheran Parish – Christ/Immanuel/ Christ (Langenburg/Landestreu/MacNutt, SK).

Acts 20:35

With hearts overflowing with gratitude are we able to give a legacy gift for the mission and ministry of His church.

To arrange a seminar at your congregation to learn how you can establish a legacy gift, contact:

lcc social media

Rev. Robert Clifford accepted a call to Faith/ Trinity (Sylvan Lake/Lacombe, AB).

Rev. Craig Tufts to Emeritus (Summerland, BC).

Rev. Donald Koch, called to glory.

Rev. Timothy Graff to Emeritus (Edmonton, AB).

Dcn. Tingyu Wilch accepted a call to Faith (Surrey, BC).

Rev. John Blum accepted a call to La Ronge Lutheran Fellowship (La Ronge, SK).

Rev. Dr. Joel Heck accepted a call to serve as Interim President at Concordia Lutheran Seminary (Edmonton, AB).

“In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

WE VALUE RELATIONSHIPS

by president timothy teuscher

We value relationships; that is, respecting one another as children of God, demonstrating love in all things because He first loved us.” This is the seventh and final value statement identified by pastors, deacons, and lay people from across our synod as part of the Strategic Framework process presented at last year’s synodical convention. It flows, in effect, from all the previous values: Truth, Grace, Unity, Vocation, Sanctity of Life, and Trust.

In other words, if we value the Scriptures as the only rule and norm of our common faith and practice… if we value grace as the undeserved gift of God in Christ to all people and which is to be reflected in our dealings with others… if we value unity and oneness in our teaching and practice… if we value each person’s unique talents as God’s gifts in all stations in life in which He has placed him or her… if we value our life and the lives of others as precious gifts of God… if we value trusting others and striving to also do what we say we will do… then how can we not show respect to others as fellow children of God and reflect His love in our relationships with them?

At times, however, the opposite is the case, isn’t it? Relationships become strained. Disagreements arise. Unkind words are spoken. Divisions take place. It happens in our homes, in our congregations, and also in our synodical family. This is not something unique to us and the times in which we are living—although it may have been exacerbated in recent years by the pandemic, coupled with the contemporary pursuit of individual rather than collective interests, be they in the church or in society in general.

In fact, we see this tendency already in the New Testament churches to whom the apostle Paul writes. Such division was often the catalyst for his epistles. And if there is one common word that underscores his various exhortations to the churches of his day—and, as such, also our day—it is the Greek word allelon, which means “one another.” It is a word that expresses the mutual and communal nature of our faith and life in the church.

What is needed if our congregations and synod are to function effectively and grow spiritually? How do we

show love to others because God “loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10)? When it comes to our relationships with others in Christ’s church, what does it mean that, as St. Paul puts it, “There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all” (Ephesians 4:4-5)? The apostle answers, and notice those relationship words “one another.”

We read from Romans: “We, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another” (12:5). “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honour” (12:10). “Live in harmony with one another (15:5). “Welcome one another” (15:7). “Instruct one another” (Romans 15:14). “Greet one another with a holy kiss” (16:16).

From Galatians: “Through love serve one another” (5:13). “Bear one another’s burdens” (6:2).

From Ephesians: “With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bear with one another in love” (4:2). “Speak the truth in love to one another” (4:25). “Be kind and compassionate to one another” (4:32). “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (5:21).

From Colossians: “Bear with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgive each other; as the Lord has forgiven you” (3:13). “Teach and admonish one another in all wisdom” (3:16).

In short, when it comes to the body of Christ there is no focus on second and third pronouns (i.e., “you” or “they”); when it comes to Christ’s Church, there is instead “we” and “us.” Churches and pastors are “diligently joined together in unity of doctrine, faith, sacraments, prayer, works of love, and the like” (SA II, IV.9), is how the Smalcald Articles of our Lutheran Confessions puts it. To that end, let us pray often these words from the Formula of Concord: “May Almighty God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ grant the grace of His Holy Spirit so that we may all be one in Him and steadfastly remain in this Christian unity, which is well pleasing to Him. Amen.” (FC Ep XI.22)

What is Regional News?

Regional News can include 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!

regionaleditor@lutheranchurch.ca

TOGETHER, ONE