The Canadian Lutheran September/October 2023

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VOLUME 38 NUMBER 5 - SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023

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CONTENTS

FEATURES

The Mind of Christ Lovers of Wisdom: Christians and the Right Use of Philosophy Connecting Faith and Mental Health

W W W.C A N A D I A N L U T H E R A N . C A Volume 38 Number 5 September/October 2023

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DEPARTMENTS table talk

More than Mindfulness

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regional pastors West: Hope Without Wavering Central: Why Liturgy?

East: Questions, Questions, Questions

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president’s PONDERINGS

Today’s Issues and the Church

El Greco, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons, altered.

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NEWS SECTIONS

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).

International news

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Appeal hearings held in Finland’s “Bible Trial” • LCMS Convention welcomes LCC president • New General Secretary for the ILC

national news

19 CAAT Pension Plan merger update • Nominations received for Director of Domestic Missions • LCC congregations reach out amidst wildfires

ISSN #0383-4247 Member: Canadian Christian Communicators Association

west region

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central region

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BUILDing a solid foundation on Jesus • Triune parish installation • Confirmation at New Beginnings Lutheran

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east region

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

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Farwell to Pastor Lam • Four pastors celebration ordination anniversaries • LWMLC luncheon honours women • Young adults hold retreat in Toronto

mission news

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Bringing the Bread of Life to children in Nicaragua • Nicaragua holds National Youth Gathering

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.

education news

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Call for nominations for honorary awards • CLS Interim President and CLTS prof installed • Dr. Gimbel accepts call

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Transitions

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©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. All rights reserved.

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN | September/October 2023

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Re: THE BANSHEES OF INSHERIN Rev. Giese concluded his review of The Banshees of Insherin (May/June 2023) with a challenge to his readers: “Viewers will have to provide their own hope of redemption.” That prompted this response.

When my daughter asked me to see The Banshees of Inisherin with her, I didn’t take much persuading.

Enticed by glowing reviews, I was loaded with expectations. I anticipated spicey dialogue from a director called the “poet laureate of profanity,” stunning cinematography, and great performances from the cast.

I love Brendan Gleeson and popcorn.

Neither disappointed.

My daughter and I also took to the theatre some ideas of what an Irish film might showcase: lyrical language, lilting accents and the beautiful landscape of one of the Aran Islands, where it was shot.

But on that chilly January night, I left the theatre puzzled. The movie wasn’t what I expected. The tragic events didn’t make sense to me on the micro level, as either individuals or as characters. I continued to think about the feelings the movie stirred up, but felt misled, thinking the story might contain some comedy. Based on the audience’s nervous and self-conscious tittering over the course of nearly two hours, I wasn’t the only one who didn’t find anything to laugh about.

Maybe the movie is a parable for Ireland, I thought, recalling conversations I had with an Irish friend. I think especially of a scene where two minor characters turn toward the mainland where an explosion has occurred. One person comments that he misses the war with England as it was easier knowing who the enemy was—who you were fighting.

Okay, that might be a slightly oblique clue, but it was there. Brilliant or bewildering? Today, it’s possible to find countless articles and reviews that explain the movie as an allegory for Ireland’s Civil War, for its history

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of colonization and oppression. But there were less of these in January, and none I’d encountered.

What surprised me was my daughter’s reaction when I suggested the movie was about Ireland. She shot me a blank look. Then, I realized that, as a Xennial (those born between 1977-1983), both her age and education had not provided her with a framework to understand the movie in any way other than at face value. That made me wonder: how many other movie goers might feel frustrated with a seemingly incomprehensible movie?

Rev. Giese’s review was a good fit for the May/June issue’s theme: A Gospel for Hard Times. But maybe a review of The Banshee of Inisherin requires a macro look. Consider the escalating violence between the two characters that eventually spills over to the entire Island from a historical vantage point—a viewpoint that casts light on the tragic effects of oppression and colonization, whether it be Ireland, Canada, or any other country which suppressed its original people and indigenous cultures. Similar films that tackle this subject include The Mission, set in South America, and The Rabbit-Proof Fence, set in in Western Australia.

The concept of redemption, which Rev. Giese raises in his review is important for individuals. I know God’s grace to be free and abundant.

What might a macro look at the movie and the idea of redemption mean for us as part of the Universal Church and as Canadians?

Does art imitate life or life imitate art? The film raised important and timely issues facing us as Canadians grappling with our past as settlers. Though the movie is dark and imperfect, it makes me think, and ask in a good Lutheran tradition: “What does this mean?”

Susan Beiderwieden

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN September/October 2023

SHARING

“Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”

1 Timothy 6:18-19 Have you considered sharing a portion of the blessings God has shared with you?

For a f ree seminar on how you can utilize your tax dollars as a gift to the church, contact:

www.lutheranfoundation.ca

TABLE TALK

MORE THAN MINDFULNESS I

by mathew block

n recent years, there has been a growing focus on “mindfulness” as a way of managing stress, anxiety, and other mental health concerns. The practice, which is derived from Eastern religions, encourages people to engage in a sort of self-aware meditation on the present—by focusing on one’s own breathing, for example—as a way of achieving greater calm and other psychological benefits.

I don’t pretend to know how effective the practice of mindfulness is for managing mental health. Some people seem to find it helpful; others may not. And there seems to be no consensus on its use among medical experts. But regardless of its potential health benefits, there is no denying the importance of mindfulness as a spiritual practice. Christians are called to keep their minds focused and attentive. The only question is this: on what exactly should we set our minds?

St. Paul gives us a clear and straightforward answer: “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:2). And the author of Hebrews is even more clear, telling us to keep our eyes focused on Christ (12:2).

When we look instead to the cares of this world, there are grave consequences for faith, as Jesus warns (Mark 4:18-19).

But keeping our eyes on our Saviour brings peace, even in the midst of pain and sorrow. “To set the mind on the flesh is death,” St. Paul writes, “but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace” (Romans 8:5-6). So too Isaiah says: “You keep him in perfect peace

whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You” (26:3).

And yet, we do not always feel that “perfect peace,” do we? Too often our minds are drawn away from Christ to focus on other needs and sorrows.

Personal tragedy, division in our society, and world events all seem conspired to draw our attention away from Christ.

It’s a situation Jochen Klepper describes all too well: “Nights will bring their sadness and rob our hearts of peace, and sin in all its madness around us may increase” (LSB 337).

No, we do not always feel peace in this world. Our minds wander all too often. All too often our eyes slip from Christ to settle on things below.

What good news it is then to know that our Saviour’s mind does not similarly wander! The Israelites, worried that God had abandoned them in the exile, were once comforted through the prophet Isaiah. “I will not forget you,” God promised the people.

“Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands” (49:15-16).

He makes the same promise to us today. Our God does not forget us; He remains deeply and intimately concerned with every aspect of our lives. He watches over us at all times (Proverbs 15:3). He is never far from any of us (Acts 17:27). Indeed, He is with us always and forever (Matthew 28:20). And even though our minds drift from Him, He keeps us ever in mind. For even “if we are faithless, He remains faithful” (2 Timothy 2:13).

The only thing He ever forgets is our sin (Isaiah 43:25; Hebrews 8:12). So

great is Jesus’ concern for you, so dearly does He bear you in mind, that He was willing to die in your place to save you from that sin—to put it out of mind once and for all through His death on a cross. What great love! What strange and wonderful miracle; God dies that we might live! Like the Psalmist, we cry in surprised delight: “What is man that You are mindful of him?” (Psalm 8:4).

In this issue, we seek to be mindful of the “mind”—both God’s mind towards us as well as the state of our own minds. Rev. Ling Pui Yeong unpacks what it means for us to have the “mind of Christ” (page six). Rev. Adam Chandler, meanwhile, encourages us to be “Christian philosophers” and use well the minds we have been given as we seek to understand the world God has made (page nine). Finally, Jennifer Kerr discusses mental health, drawing out the connections between the health of the mind and the teachings of our faith (page twelve). I pray their words help you to see Christ more clearly and fix your mind upon Him ever more.

Oh God, as a magnet draws iron, draw our wandering hearts and minds to You. Set our eyes upon Your Son. And when we fail to keep Him in mind, dear Father, remind us. Grant us Your Spirit, Lord, to comfort us with the knowledge of Your own vigilant watch over us—Your own mindfulness—and give us peace.

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

- Philippians 4:7 -

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN | September/October 2023

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THE M OF CH

by Ling P

W

hat is the mind of God? What does God think about? And, more specifically, what is the mind of Christ? Do you know? Can we know God’s mind in the first place?

Well, what does the Word of God say? Paul himself asks: “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct Him” (1 Corinthians 2:16, paraphrasing Isaiah 40:13).

And yet, right after quoting from Isaiah, Paul continues: “But we have the mind of Christ.”

Now, Paul is not making a distinction between the mind of God and the mind of Christ—as though they are two different things and we have one but not the other. In fact, we have the mind of God, through Christ, by the working of the Holy Spirit. It is true that we cannot know nor even get a glimpse of God’s mind, and we certainly cannot instruct Him. But Paul explains: “For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God” (2:11).

But this Spirit of God has been given to us! Paul continues: “Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God” (2:12). Finally, he says: “And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom

"We can k mind of because revealed His W

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THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN September/October 2023

MIND HRIST

Pui Yeong but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual” (2:13). This is why Paul can say at the end of the chapter “We have the mind of Christ.” We can know the mind of Christ because He has revealed it to us in His Word. Broadly speaking, God tells us what He thinks, through His written Word. To say otherwise is to deny the working of the Holy Spirit and the truthfulness of Scripture.

But what, specifically, is this “mind of Christ” that we have received? We find the answer in Philippians 2, in which Paul encourages Christians to have the mind of Christ. He begins the chapter by instructing the Philippians to “complete [his] joy by having the same mind, having the same love, same spirit, and the same thinking/attitude” (2:2). He then explains what this looks like in verses 3-4: “Do nothing from selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves, not looking at your own things/ interests, but also the interests of others.” Then he shifts the focus from what we are to have to what we have in Jesus: “Have this mind among yourselves, which is also in Christ Jesus…” And this mind of Christ is that, though He was in the form of God, He did not count equality with God, but humbled Himself by taking on the form of a servant, being born as a man so that He could be obedient to the point of death, even

Mosaic of Christ in Marijampolė: A. Matuliauskas, 1997. CC BY-SA 4.0.

know the f Christ, e He has it to us in Word."

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN | September/October 2023

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death on a cross. This is the mind or attitude we are to have, so that we may also humble ourselves and be fellow servants for the sake of our brothers and sisters, out of love.

But this is not the mind that we all have, at all times.

In fact, we often have a mind of our own that is contrary to Christ’s mind. So then how can we have this mind of Christ in ourselves, as Paul admonishes? Is Paul merely saying all this as accusatory Law just to show us our sins?

Does he not actually expect any humility and love from believers? Surely not!

So, if Paul does expect this mind of Christ to be at work in Christian, how do we get it? Is it produced by our own power, reason, or strength? Read in isolation, Romans 12:2 may seem to suggest that it is a work we effect on our own: “Do not be conformed to this world/ age, but be transformed by the renewal of the mind.” But this must be understood in light of verse 1, which is the key verse that connects the earlier chapters to the rest of the epistle.

Paul writes: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your reasonable/true worship/service.”

The key words here are “living sacrifice,” which, if you think about it, are something of an oxymoron. Generally speaking, a sacrifice is something that is offered to be killed. A sacrifice has to die. But Paul calls us living sacrifice. So, which is it?

Are we to be dead or are we to be alive? Of course, the good Lutheran answer is: “Yes!” We are to be both dead and alive.

How does this happen? Through Christ, as Paul tells us in Romans 6:10-11: “For the death He died He died to sin, once for all, but the life He lives He lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” And of course, this is what baptism effects for us as we are united with Christ in baptism—for we were buried with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as

Christ was raised from the dead, we too might walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4). In other words, the transformation and the renewal of our minds—the renewal of our entire being— begins and continues in Christ through baptism.

Going back to Romans 12, Paul calls this sacrificial living a “reasonable” or “true” service to God. When we talk about this “mind of Christ,” therefore, it is not merely an abstract idea about something that Jesus thinks, nor is it something that merely happens intellectually inside our heads, but it involves our entire being. For the mind of Christ, as explained in Philippians 2, is to live a life of servitude, serving God and serving our neighbours.

So, do we have the mind of Christ?

Most certainly! For the Holy Spirit has not only given His Word for us to know (1 Corinthians 2) but has also washed us through that Word (Ephesians 5:26)—a washing of regeneration and renewal (Titus 3:5). In this way then, as Luther explains in the Small Catechism, the Holy Spirit calls, gathers, enlightens, sanctifies, and keeps us in Christ.

By His renewal and transformation, we have the mind of Christ—a mind that desires the things of God, an attitude that desires to love and serve God and one another.

To sum it all up in one word, it is the cross. The mind of Christ is the cross—the service He performs for us by dying on the cross for the sins of the whole world. The mind of Christ that we have is also that cross, which we have received through baptism, through which Christ continues to serve us—that we may repent and believe, that we may die and rise with Him daily, and that we may be renewed and strengthened to also carry the cross.

The mind of Christ that we have is also the cross.

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Rev. Ling Pui Yeong is pastor of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Toronto, Ontario.

"The School of Athens": Raphael, 1509-1511.

LOVERS OF WISDOM CHRISTIANS AND THE RIGHT USE OF PHILOSOPHY

by Adam Chandler

“W

hat does Athens have to do with Jerusalem?”

This was a question posed by the early Christian theologian, Tertullian. Paraphrased, we can understand this to mean: “What does Greek philosophy have to do with Christianity?” Athens, after all, was the historic centre of Greek philosophical thought, while Jerusalem is the city where our Lord died and rose again.

The question is rhetorical. Tertullian was basically warning that Christianity should have no fellowship with non-Christian philosophy. The fear was that these Greek philosophies might confuse or even dominate Christian thought and life.

In fact, Tertullian saw this philosophy as the source for several heresies in the Church. For example, the theology of Platonism—the dominant philosophy in Tertullian’s day— eventually became confused with Christianity and helped give rise to a heresy in which the Father was seen as the source of all things, while the Son was understood to be a second god.

Later philosophical schools would similarly introduce other damaging heresies into the church.

Philosophy can be dangerous, but even Tertullian, for all his concern about philosophy, didn’t reject everything about it. He uses basic philosophical reasoning and argumentation to uphold Christianity in the very book in which he warned against using Greek philosophy. In the same way, we too rely on philosophical principles as we go about our lives and articulate our Christian faith. Whenever we try to make sense of the world and our place in it, whenever we use logic and reason, we are doing philosophy.

Over the centuries, Christianity has sought to discern which philosophy is helpful for developing theology and which is harmful. The Platonic theology in Tertullian’s day led to heresy; but Platonic approaches to logic and ontology (the study of being and existence) have proven helpful for Christians as we seek to understand certain concepts in THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN | September/October 2023

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Detail of Plato from "The School of Athens": Raphael, 1509-1511 (altered).

Scripture. The key is to remember who is in charge: we must let God’s Word be master over our philosophy, and not let philosophy dictate our understanding of who God is and what He says.

The Bible itself uses philosophical reasoning. For example, in Romans, St. Paul uses the argument of cause and effect to say that God’s attributes can be observed from the creation. This philosophical deduction is good! But St. Paul goes on to explain that people reject this logical deduction due to original sin (see Romans 1:18-21).

The word “philosophy” itself appears in Scripture only once, when St. Paul warns the Colossians: “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ” (Colossians 2:8). Taken in isolation, this paints philosophy in a rather negative light. Yet, like all Scripture, the verse must be read in context. In this book, St. Paul is using the word “philosophy” to refer to human traditions which denied Christ (2:18-23)— teachings which deny, in effect, what God says about Himself.

We must not let our personal understanding or worldly beliefs dictate our understanding of who God is or what He says. God shapes our theology, along with our philosophy,

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by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:13). We should therefore think and study in the earnest prayer that God will show us true wisdom. “For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding” (Proverbs 2:6).

In fact, that’s what the word “philosophy” literally means: “love of wisdom.” And why shouldn’t we be lovers of wisdom? Well, there is a big difference between the wisdom of God and the wisdom of the world. The wisdom of God appears to be foolishness to human beings. It might seem foolish to have your great and powerful Saviour die upon a cross. Yet this is how our Lord, in His wisdom, brought about salvation for the world. This “foolishness” of God is wiser than anything which humans have imagined (1 Corinthians 1:25). This is why, after warning against worldly philosophies, St. Paul says that these teachings have only “an appearance of wisdom” and “are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh” (Colossians 2:23). Human wisdom cannot stop sin and death, unlike God’s wisdom in Christ. We should aspire to love the wisdom of God which saves from death and establishes true righteousness—that is, we should aspire to be Christian philosophers.

A Christian philosopher considers how we ought to think about and proclaim the wisdom of God in Christ Jesus on the basis of Scripture. Consider the two natures of Christ. When we read Scripture, we find passages that identify Jesus with human attributes as well as divine attributes. As a result, we confess Christ is both God and man. Then, on the basis of Scripture, we can go further. This unified person of Jesus shed His blood on the cross; therefore, we can say that God bled on the cross for our salvation (Acts 20:28) although Christ’s divine nature does not bleed. The person of Christ, who is God, bled for our salvation.

Is this confusing? Yes. Can we explore all these mysteries of God using philosophy? No. What matters is that our minds are held captive to God’s Word and its truth, not inventing things which God does not say.

Worldly philosophy has its limits, then, but it also has its uses. In Scripture, we read: “The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding He established the heavens” (Proverbs 3:19). The Lord established His entire creation by His wisdom, and we can observe this design, this ordering truth, within the universe. Christ calls Himself the Truth (John 14:6) because He is the true light that brought life into the universe—and He still enlightens us (John 1:4, 9). If we pursue truth honestly, then, we will see the evidence of how God has structured the universe in His wisdom and power (Romans 1:20); this is the principle underlying Christian scientific endeavor.

A Christian p considers ho to think a proclaim th God in Chris the basis of

philosopher ow we ought about and he wisdom of st Jesus on f Scripture.

is gender just a word that can be socially constructed? Can “your truth” of how you see yourself disagree with the physical reality of your body? What is a woman anyway?

In the end, the pushback against objective truth today is ultimately a pushback against Christ. For He is Truth, and He created the objective truths which we see at work in the world.

He established this world with fundamental governing laws.

As we promote and defend Christianity, then, we inevitably will appeal to these truths, guided always by Scripture.

What, then, does Athens have to do with Jerusalem?

Quite a lot, it turns out. We live in Athens—in the world— and so we will always be with the secular philosophers.

But we need Jerusalem—Christian theology—to structure our philosophy. Without Jerusalem, Athens loses its way and cannot find true wisdom to love each other in Christ.

“Behold, the fear of the Lord: that is wisdom.

And to turn away from evil is understanding.”

Job 28:28

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

Detail of Jesus from "The Sermon on the Mount": Henrik Olrik, 19th century (altered).

These ordering truths are visible in the revelation of creation. You don’t need to look to Scripture in order to understand that chemicals react in certain ways, how light functions, or that mathematical equations are true. Scripture does not need to speak on these things in order for humanity to understand that they are true. But neither do these things deny God’s revelation in Scripture.

In the same way, we are able to observe that the basic principles of philosophy (on questions of being, existence, logic, and so forth) are true as well, in so far as they faithfully describe the world which God has created.

Philosophical ideas which oppose Scripture and nature itself, meanwhile, must be rejected. Learning to distinguish one from the other is essential for everyday life.

And yes, you are doing philosophy in your everyday life.

You might imagine that philosophy is something restricted to the alcoves of universities, or perhaps the dustiest bookshelves in a bookshop. But we all make basic philosophical assumptions all the time.

The most obvious are fundamental laws of logic. Consider the Law of Non-Contradiction: something cannot be both true and not true at the same time. For example, when you see the sun shining without a cloud in the sky, you likely don’t put on your raincoat. You know that, since it is true that it is sunny, the weather cannot also be not sunny at the same time. The weather being sunny and not sunny at the same time is a logical contradiction. In other words, you’re doing philosophy, even if you’ve never heard the term “the Law of Non-Contradiction.”

What other philosophy might we be doing without noticing? In truth, we are all driven by philosophical assumptions and worldviews. If people hold certain ideas to be true or wise, then these ideas will form the basis of their philosophical view of the world. Christians adopt a Christian philosophy in which we believe that there is real truth and wisdom in the world which comes from God. Therefore, we believe in objective truth. But many of those outside the Church reject objective truth; they create their own truth based on personal experience and preferences.

In this postmodern philosophy, truth is subjective; there is “your truth” and “my truth” but no objective truth that can prove your truth or my truth to be right or wrong.

People today are moving further and further away from belief in objective truth. Christians see this, of course, in the world’s abandonment of Christ and His Word. But we see it in other fields too. Consider contemporary questions of gender identity. Is gender real—an objective truth? Or

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Connecting Faith and Mental Health

by Jennifer Kerr

W

hen it comes to discussions of mental health, many Christians today aren’t sure how to respond. This summer, for example, I was invited to speak on mental health at the IMPACT Youth Gathering in Grand Forks, B.C. When my subject was announced online, a woman named Nicole asked how the talk would connect to the Bible and Lutheran faith. (I mention this story with her permission.) Nicole noted that mental health is a mainstream topic to which her kids were already well-exposed.

I appreciated her concern.

While we hear a lot of talk about mental health today in Canada, much of that talk does not honour God as the Way, the Truth, or the Life that we know Him to be.

I understand how that can make many Christians feel that the mental health conversation is not for them, or that it has nothing helpful to say to them. But we do not need to be wary or suspicious of mental health discussions as people of faith. In fact, as Lutherans, we are uniquely equipped to enter into the discussion to share, serve, and love.

I am a marriage and family therapist, and I studied at a Christian institution where each course of my degree integrated the history and practice of the counselling field with biblical concepts and a ministry focus. One of my goals in becoming a marriage and family therapist was to serve the mental and relational health of the Christian community, especially my Lutheran faith family. It is very important to me to ground my work in who God is and who He created us to be. I grapple with what that looks like and how it works every day, just as all of us do in our own vocations. It is not an easy journey, but I am so grateful for the chance to serve and care for others.

There are many points of connection between faith and mental health, which teach us how our faith can help us better understand and nurture our mental health experience—and how the wider conversation about mental health is better when God is the foundation. I have chosen three points of connection to share in this article.

The first point is that mental health is not simply an individual issue, but one best understood systemically.

Our faith can help us better understand and nurture our mental health experience.

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language, calling us to understand ourselves as part of a whole. Our God is a God of systems!

When the discipline of counselling began, it was very much seen in individual terms. The goal of psychoanalysis, the school of mental health work that started with Sigmund Freud, was to help people heal by exploring the content of the unconscious part of the mind and bringing it into our conscious awareness.

Psychoanalytic concepts and strategies are still used in certain kinds of counselling today, but many researchers and practitioners see their application as limited.

As a therapist, I can help clients connect their unconscious motivations with their conscious experience, and it may help them a great deal. But if they go home to parents who are fighting and to schools where they are bullied or ostracized, if they do not feel safe and cared for within the systems of their lives, they may still be in a lot of pain. As a systemic counsellor, I help clients explore the impact of systems like these, acknowledging that our systems make

The wider conversation about mental health is better when God is the foundation.

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Sunrise photo by Sallu7356816643 (CC BY-SA 4.0) combined with Puzzle overlay by Willi Heidelbach (CC BY 2.0), both via Wikimedia Commons.

Each of us lives within many different systems: family, culture, religion, economics, employment, education, social network, and more. Each of these systems impacts how our lives feel to us. If there is health, support, and opportunity within these systems, it impacts us positively. If there is abuse, isolation, lack of support, and by-products of sin, that hurts our overall mental health experience.

This systemic understanding of mental health is very much in line with who we know God to be and how we understand His creation. Our God is Trinity—God in Three Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, indivisible and irreducible. God created in the natural world all sorts of interrelated systems that cannot function without one another. Think of our solar system, our water, nitrogen, and carbon cycles, even the digestive, respiratory, and circulatory systems within our own bodies.

God also created us to be community, part of a system of believers. As Romans 12 reminds us, we are called to be the body of Christ, sharing our gifts and abilities with others and belonging to one another. This is connection

life beautiful in some ways and very difficult in others.

It may seem discouraging to acknowledge the complexity of mental health, because it means there are few simple fixes. But learning to view our mental health systemically can help us be more compassionate to ourselves and others, to work together to realize healing and growth in our systems, and, above all, to trust in the presence, peace, and power of God to work in this complexity in ways we never could on our own.

A second connection point between faith and mental health is related to this systemic understanding, but it takes our systemic awareness from what surrounds the human self to what makes up the human self. As intricate and beloved human beings, created by God, each of us is an incredible system of systems, all working together to live the life God has given us. Each of us is a body, a mind, and a spirit, all in one. All our self-systems are impacted by one another.

Have you ever been stressed and experienced muscle tension or a stomachache? Have you ever gotten some physical exercise and felt calmer and more positive? Or received Word and Sacrament in a wonderful worship service, and felt worry and pain melt into the background? Proverbs 17:22 says: “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” What happens in one part of the self-system impacts the whole.

Even though I am a mental health counsellor, I recognize that what happens in the minds or spirits of my clients affects their bodies. It is very important to realize that care for our spiritual and physical health is also care for our mental health; the systems are indivisible from one another as part of our human self—a self that is wholly created, beloved, and redeemed.

The third connection point is the concept of both/ and. This is a simple way of expressing how complex our experience of human life is. When it comes to our emotions, we can be both happy and sad at the same time, or frustrated and grateful, or excited and anxious.

When it comes to a person who has hurt us, we can both have compassion for them and their struggles while also being deeply angry for the pain they have inflicted. When it comes to personal growth, we can both be proud of ourselves for where we are and still challenge ourselves to learn and be accountable.

As helpful as holding a both/and can be, it can also be difficult. We often experience cognitive or emotional tension when we are trying to hold a both/and, as we feel a pull or pressure to simplify the experience into an either/ or. This is a concept I discuss and practice with many of my clients, and it can be quite difficult for them at first. As Christians, however, I believe we are primed to understand this idea more than most.

As Lutherans, we encounter many both/ands. In his commentary on the epistle to the Romans, Martin Luther reminds us that we are both saints and sinners.

We believe that the Kingdom of God is both here now and also not yet fully realized, as that will finally happen at Christ’s second coming.

Perhaps the most integral both/ and is the complete divinity and complete humanity of our Lord and Saviour— something so important to our faith that the Apostles, Nicene, and Athanasian Creeds were all developed to help the Church hold this truth well. As Christians, we accept both/ands all the time—and that practice can aid us in applying the concept to our mental health.

These three connections are not the only ways we can bring our faith and mental health together, but they are a great place to start. It is my hope that, as with many challenging cultural topics, we can reflect on how our faith gives us important wisdom to share. May God give us the words to say, the heart to love, and the Spirit to sit with God’s children in their difficulty.

It is very important to realize that care for our spiritual and physical health is also care for our mental health; the systems are indivisible from one another.

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THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN September/October 2023

Jennifer Kerr, MAMFT, works with Regina-area clients at The Caring Place, a mental health notfor-profit, as well as virtually with clients across western Canada as part of the Through Therapy Counselling Collective (www.throughtherapy.ca).

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Appeal hearings held in Finland's “Bible Trial”

Bishop Juhana Pohjola (left) and Dr. Päivi Räsänen (right) at the appeal hearings in Helsinki. Photo: ELMDF. FINLAND – The latest round of hearings in Finland’s “Bible Trial” have now come to a close. Hearings were held August 31 to September 1 at the Helsinki Court of Appeals.

Bishop Juhana Pohjola of the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland (ELMDF) and Finnish Member of Parliament, Dr. Päivi Räsänen, have been charged with hate crimes for their articulation of historic Christian teaching on human sexuality. The statements objected to by the prosecution include a 2004 booklet authored

by Dr. Räsänen and published by Bishop Pohjola, a radio discussion

by Dr. Räsänen, and a tweet by Dr. Räsänen which included a picture of a Bible verse.

The trial has drawn international concern over the state of freedom of religion and freedom of speech in Finland. The International Lutheran Council is urging continued prayer for the defendants.

“I’m overwhelmed by the support and prayers pouring out from all over the world,” said Bishop Pohjola.

“This is very encouraging for us in the ELMDF, and for Dr. Räsänen and me personally.”

The two were first investigated in 2019, charged in 2021, and put on trial in 2022. They were ultimately acquitted by a three-judge panel who declared: “It is not the role of the district court to interpret biblical concepts.” The prosecution appealed the decision, however, leading to the new hearings in Helsinki.

“This has been a tiring process— already four years since its beginning—and in many ways the process itself is punitive,” noted Bishop Pohjola. “But it is also an opportunity for us to give good witness to biblical truth, to God’s created order, and to His grace in Christ Jesus.”

The appeal hearings did not see the prosecution present any substantial

new evidence, instead arguing that the judges in the district court failed to apply the law appropriately. The appeal centered, as the initial trial did, on the religious beliefs of the defendants and the public expression of their faith.

“In the court today, although the prosecutor said that this is not about theological issues, the case nevertheless dealt with many basic questions of Christian doctrine: what is creation, what is the Bible, what is God’s love, what is sin,” Bishop Pohjola remarked. “That is what is shocking: the prosecution is arguing that such religious and biblical teachings should not be protected in and of themselves, and that restrictions should be put on our speech. But in a free society, there must be room for religious groups to publicly teach and confess their faith.”

A judgment from the Helsinki Court of Appeals is due by November 30.

ILC News

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN | September/October 2023

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INTERNATIONAL NEWS CANADIANLUTHERAN.CA

LCMS convention welcomes LCC president

LCMS President Matthew Harrison and LCC President Timothy Teuscher greet one another during the convention. Photo: LCMS Communications/Frank Kohn.

USA – The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod (LCMS) held its 68 th synodical convention July 28 to August 3 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, during which time the church newly recognized or affirmed fellowship with five church bodies: the Evangelical Lutheran Church of South Sudan/Sudan (ELCSS/S); the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland (ELMDF); the Lutheran Church of Uganda (LCU); the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ukraine (ELCU); and the Ceylon Evangelical Lutheran Church (CELC).

Lutheran Church–Canada President Timothy Teuscher was present as a guest at the convention, which also featured for the first time an International Church Relations Forum for representatives

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of LCMS partner churches. The forum brought together more than 40 representatives of international church bodies each morning for four days to hear and discuss issues related to interchurch relationships.

“It was an honour to represent LCC at the synodical convention of our mother church, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod,” said President Teuscher. “The international forum was also a valuable opportunity to meet with representatives of other confessional Lutheran church bodies in order to discuss possible areas of cooperation and reflect on our mutual witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Four papers were presented during the forum: Rev. Michael Frese, Assistant to the LCMS Director of Church Relations, spoke

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN September/October 2023

on “Unity in Christ and Unity in Confession.” Rev. Dr. Peter Scaer of Concordia Theological Seminary (Fort Wayne, Indiana) presented “Excursus on Unity in the Church— Life Ministry as Confession of Christ.” Rev. Dr. Rick Stuckwisch, President of the LCMS’ Indiana District, addressed “Unity in the Way of Worship: Altar and Pulpit Fellowship Practices and Liturgical Integrity. Lastly, Rev. Dr. Jonathan Shaw, LCMS Director of Church Relations, gave an address on “The Kerygma of Christ Crucified: Uniting the Church in Working Together.”

INTERNATIONAL NEWS CANADIANLUTHERAN.CA

New General Secretary for the ILC WORLD – The International Lutheran Council’s (ILC) Board of Directors has appointed Rev. Dr. Klaus Detlev Schulz to serve as the ILC’s new General Secretary.

“I am honoured to have been asked to serve as General Secretary of the ILC,” Dr. Schulz said. “Today, the task of promoting and nurturing Confessional Lutheran identity worldwide is as important as it has ever been, and I am proud to do my part in that endeavor.”

Dr. Schulz is Professor of Pastoral Ministry and Missions at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and further serves the seminary as Dean of Graduate Studies; Director of the PhD in Missiology program; and Director of International Studies. Dr. Schulz will continue to serve in these positions even as he takes on his new role as ILC General Secretary.

Dr. Schulz succeeds Rev. Dr. Ti m o t h y Q u i l l , w h o p u b l i c l y announced his decision to step down as General Secretary in early October.

Originally from South Africa, Dr. Schulz holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Natal in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa; a Master of Divinity from the Lutherische Theologische Hochschule in Oberursel, Germany; a Master of Sacred Theology from Concordia Theological Seminary (CTS) in Fort Wayne, Indiana; and a Doctor of Theology from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri.

Dr. Schulz began serving as a professor at CTS in 1998. Previously, he served in parish ministry in Germany, as well as in Botswana as a missionary.

He has published widely in the areas of missions and systematic theology.

Dr. Schulz brings to his new role extensive experience in international church relations, having travelled and taught extensively throughout Africa, South America, Europe, and Asia. In his role as Dean of Graduate Studies at the Fort Wayne seminary, Dr. Schulz has also cultivated relations with many

Rev. Dr. Timothy Quill (right) welcomes new ILC General Secretary Klaus Detlev Schulz. leaders of confessional Lutheran church bodies across the world.

The installation of Dr. Schulz as General Secretary was scheduled to take place on October 14 during ILC anniversary celebrations in Wittenberg, Germany.

Dr. Quill notified members of the ILC’s board of directors earlier this year of his intention to step down as General Secretary.

“We feel deep gratitude and appreciation for Dr. Quill’s leadership over the past four years,” said ILC Chairman Juhana Pohjola. “He has an unwavering commitment of service to the Gospel of Christ Jesus and His Church. We thank our Lord for our dear brother and his faithful service.”

In a letter to the board, Dr. Quill notes that he accepted the position of General Secretary with the intention of helping the ILC through a significant transitional period, a period he anticipated would take about three years. “Where has the time gone?” he writes. “As I write this letter, my tenure with the ILC is one month short of four years. I still consider it a joy and privilege to serve

as General Secretary. However, it is time for me to step aside and for a new General Secretary to be appointed.”

Dr. Quill was appointed General Secretary in 2019 during a meeting of the ILC Board of Directors in Baguio City, Philippines. His tenure over the past four years has seen the ILC continue to grow as an important voice for confessional Lutheranism on the world stage. Activities which took place during Dr. Quill’s service as General Secretary include the development of the ILC’s Accreditation Agency; the graduation of the first students from the ILC’s Lutheran Leadership Development Program; major activities in defense of religious liberty; the authorization of continued dialogue with Roman Catholics on the international level; and the 2022 World Conference in Kenya.

“I want to express my sincere thanks to the International Lutheran Council for allowing me to serve our Lord as General Secretary of this marvelous confessional Lutheran association,” Dr. Quill writes in his letter. “You will always be in my thoughts and prayers.”

ILC News

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN | September/October 2023

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INTERNATIONAL NEWS CANADIANLUTHERAN.CA

ILC holds European regional conference

GERMANY – The European Region of the International Lutheran Council (ILC) held its 2023 Regional Conference from June 13-14 in Essen, Germany. Representatives from most member churches in the region were able to attend but work, visa issues, and deaths in the family prevented representatives from the Norwegian churches and from

Siberia from being present.

The main topics for discussion were: the latest news from the churches; the situation in Ukraine and Russia, which led to a wider discussion of church life w h e n o n e ’s country is at war, as well as questions around church relations when other churches are designated ‘friend’ or ‘foe’ because of the conflict; a review of the ILC’s 2022 World Conference in Kenya; a discussion of ecumenism in representatives’ respective countries, and whether member churches were finding themselves increasingly isolated or drawing together where

possible with other church bodies; and reflection on the COVID-19 pandemic and how it has changed congregational and synodical lives, particularly noting what was not ‘changing back’.

The war in Ukraine has affected the region variously—some specifically (as in Russia) while for other churches it has raised past tensions and fears, with all churches, to varying degrees, seeking to support refugees. As always, there are opportunities presented about how to serve in specific situations, and sadly lots of hardship, but throughout the two days there was a strong confidence that Jesus never abandons His people. Members agreed that all need to keep reconciliation—the Gospel—in focus as churches deal with the many levels of hostilities and fears arising out of the situation, being aware that the effects of this war will be generational.

ILC News

German and Latvian Lutherans declare fellowship GERMANY – The Independent Eva ngelical L uther an Ch u r ch (Selbständige Evangelisch Lutherische Kirche – SELK) of Germany held the first meeting of its 15 th Synod in Gotha from June 13-17, during which time the church declared fellowship with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia (Latvijas Evaņģēliski Luteriskā Baznīca – LELB).

SELK Bishop Hans-Jörg Voigt greeted the fellowship declaration with joy. “Such ecclesial communion is a gift that we can only gratefully state and accept,” he said. “The relationship between our churches has grown steadily over the past three decades. We are united in our commitment to the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, as well as to the Book of Concord, because in

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it the doctrine of the Lutheran Church is faithfully presented.”

Bishop Voigt went on to say that SELK wants to continue working to deepen ecclesiastical relations between the two churches, particularly by bringing congregations and church ministries into greater contact with one another than has been the case in the past.

Rev. Andris Kraulins, head of the LELB’s department for international affairs, was also present as a guest at SELK’s Synod in Gotha. “Our relationship with SELK began almost 30 years ago,” he noted. “During these years, we have been by each other’s side in joys and sorrows. We have learned from each other and strengthened each other in faith.”

“We at LELB are very happy because we are united with our

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN September/October 2023

brothers and sisters of SELK in an even deeper sense,” Rev. Kraulins continued.

“Our Lord Christ is pleased that a t a t i m e Rev. Andris Kraulins. when many are divided and the world emphasizes only the individual needs of each, we are united in Him!” This was the inaugural meeting of the SELK’s 15th Synod. Additional meetings are scheduled to take place in 2024 and 2025, with the former being an online consultation and the latter being an in-person gathering.

ILC News

NATIONAL NEWS CANADIANLUTHERAN.CA

An update on the CAAT Pension Plan merger CANADA – Worker Benefit Services, (WBS), is pleased to report that the Alberta Pension Regulator has formally approved the transfer of the Defined Benefits (DB) pension assets (and liabilities) held in the LCC Pension Plan to the CAAT Pension Plan (“Plan Merger”).

WBS expects that the transfer of DB assets will be completed by mid-November 2023. Once the assets are transferred to the CAAT Pension Plan, CAAT will assume responsibility for the payment of pensions that were earned under the LCC plan prior to the effective date of the merger, April 1, 2023.

As of April 1, Active members have been earning their future pension benefits under the CAAT DB plus pension plan.

As previously communicated, only the DB assets of the LCC Pension Plan are being transferred to CAAT. So the next step in the process of winding up the LCC pension plan will be the dispersal of member assets held in the DC component of the pension plan.

Each member with a DC account

will have a choice from several options in terms of how they would like to handle their DC account balance, including: • Using their DC account balance to purchase additional pension under CAAT’s DB plus plan for eligible periods of employment.

• Using their DC account balance to purchase an annuity from an insurance company.

• Transferring their DC account balance into other eligible registered retirement vehicle such as a Locked-in

Retirement Account (LIRA), with another financial institution.

• Transferring their DC account balance to Sun- Life’s Group Choices Plan where they can continue to invest their funds.

More detailed information on these options will be circulated to members in later communication.

CAAT will also be conducting a few webinars in November to explain DB plus purchases.

Nominations received for Director of Domestic Missions CANADA – Lutheran Church– Canada (LCC) is reporting progress on its search for a Director of Domestic Missions.

A request for nominations for the position of Director of Domestic Missions was emailed to the pastors and congregations of Lutheran Church–Canada, and was also included in the InfoDigest newsletter.

The Director of Domestic Missions will lead and manage LCC’s Canadian missions and works of mercy outreach.

In consultation with the President and Director of International Missions,

he will develop and maintain an overall mission and works of mercy plan and philosophy for LCC that reflects the strategic directions and priorities of the LCC Board, and remains faithful to Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions.

As of the deadline of September 30, ten nominations for the position had been received. All nominees have since been contacted for their consent to be considered for the position.

Upon their reply, interviews will be held with the intention to have the position filled by January 1, 2024.

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN | September/October 2023

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NATIONAL NEWS CANADIANLUTHERAN.CA

LCC congregations reach out amidst wildfires

Rev. Jonathan Asmus of Redeemer Lutheran shares a message of comfort under the smoke-filled skies of West Kelowna.

CANADA – As Canada experiences its worst wildfire season on record, Canadian Lutherans have been reaching out with comfort, prayer, and support to those affected. In total, more than 18 million hectares (44 million acres) have burned this summer.

The extent of the crisis became palpably clear when the capital city of one of Canada’s territories was evacuated. The situation facing Yellowknife in August led Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) President Timothy Teuscher to issue a call to prayer for wildfires across Canada.

Many other communities throughout Canada have faced evacuation orders this year, including several served by LCC congregations.

The wildfires which threatened the Kelowna, B.C. area earlier this summer are a key example. As fire encroached, LCC congregations in area reached out with comfort and support to local residents.

About a quarter of the members of Redeemer Lutheran Church in West Kelowna suddenly found themselves under evacuation orders, including members from both West Kelowna and Kelowna. The church building itself

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as well as the home of Rev. Jonathan Asmus remained a few kilometres outside the evacuation zone, but he and his wife stayed in close contact with members to ensure everyone had a safe place to stay and to keep aware of other needs as they arose.

The situation led the congregation to offer a special “Time for Sharing, Comfort, and Prayer.” The event featured Scripture readings, hymns, prayer, and an opportunity for all those present to voice their own personal needs and concerns, as well as to hear words of comfort.

“Lord, grant rejoicing in Your grace and deliverance,” Rev. Asmus wrote at the time. “And may the reality of Your eternal promise touch people in the now as well, especially for those who are facing the devastating loss of their homes. Praise God for the extensive efforts and significant work of numerous firefighters, the RCMP, emergency services volunteers, and also the Canadian military, as well as the many local residents who have opened their arms and hearts to assist.”

Meanwhile in Kelowna, the congregation of First Lutheran Church was likewise affected by the situation.

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN September/October 2023

About 22 households were forced to evacuate or were otherwise displaced, representing about ten percent of the congregation—including the families of two church staff. Evacuated members stayed with family, friends, other congregation members, or in campers.

For Rev. Keith Reisdorf, the call of the church in situations like this is clear. “Pastoral care revolves around encouraging those who are anxious, traumatized, and fearful,” he explains, as well as providing help “to those who remain displaced or are experiencing property losses.”

As with other grief ministries, the church must offer a “listening ear, empathy, compassion, encourage lament, and provide hope according to the promises found in God’s Word.”

The continuing ministry of the church and the proclamation of God’s Word can be an anchor to people who have felt their world shaken by wildfires. “We attempt to keep as many things as normal as possible within the parish,” Rev. Reisdorf noted at the time, “to provide stability and security in a very abnormal situation.”

No r d i d t h e s i t u a t i o n end immediately even after the initial danger had passed. Crews needed to assess damage, clear roads, and remove dangers before many displaced people were able to return home and see what damage, if any, they had suffered.

Locally, Rev. Reisdorf and Rev. Asmus encouraged members to volunteer with and donate to established emergency services in the region. And, of course, they encouraged continued prayer.

“God’s care remains, also in these trials and tough times,” Rev. Asmus said. “May His peace abide among us, and His gracious will be done among us, even as He provides for people in their needs in this place and time—all according to His promise, in the victory of Christ Jesus, our Lord.”

WEST REGION NEWS

ALBERTA AND BRITISH COLUMBIA • MICHELLE HEUMANN, EDITOR

Sabbath retreat in Edmonton E D M O N TO N – T h e S a b b a t h Conference is an annual conference that serves an important role in connecting non-pastoral church workers and volunteers from across Canada in a way that is tailored to their unique calling.

This year’s Sabbath Conference was held May 2-4, 2023, and welcomed Rev. David Fleming and Dr. Beverly Yahnke from Doxology: The Lutheran Center for Spiritual Care and Counsel as presenters for the retreat. The theme was “Take Heart! Renewed to be a Blessing.” The retreat offered sessions on topics pertaining to spiritual rest and refreshment, including putting the best construction on everything; the cost of caring; spiritual self-care using prayer, meditation, and lamentation; and promoting peace in your home and church.

The conference was held inperson as well as online, thanks to the generous offer of meeting space and

Photo by Danielle Glubish. technology from Concordia Lutheran Seminary. The ability to use this platform enabled the group to not only welcome six online participants, but to also have greetings from Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary.

The planning committee is grateful for the support of synod and the synod family, including Synod VicePresident Rev. Michael Schutz who served as chaplain for the conference.

The next conference will be held in the spring of 2024. If you are a nonpastoral church worker or volunteer and would be interested in learning more about the Sabbath Conference, please contact sabbathconference@ gmail.com.

Samantha Neeb Sabbath Planning Committee

100 Years Young: Celebrating a servant of God NANAIMO, B.C. – May 6 was an exciting day for St. Paul’s Lutheran Church as they celebrated the 100th birthday of their dear sister in Christ, Cathy Armstrong, with a strawberry tea.

Cathy grew up in a Christian home in Ontario. She was the second of nine siblings: seven sisters and two brothers.

Cathy joined the Royal Canadian Navy on the East Coast and was then transferred to Victoria to attend Royal Roads University. She enrolled as Evelyn Catherine Litt, soon to become “Cathy,” and met Phil Armstrong, who was also in the service. They married and were blessed with a daughter and a son. A few years later, they moved to Nanaimo, so their son could attend a special school for challenged children.

However, there was no facility to meet the needs of challenged adults.

So, in 1957, the Armstrongs, along with other parents, opened a workshop

called the Clay Tree. Cathy was hired as the administrator and worked there for more than 20 years. Two of the main activities were making ceramic articles and the production of many tables, benches, and other wood products.

These items were sold in a store manned by a volunteer with the assistance of clients. After Cathy retired, she created a weekly class of Bible lessons, songs, and prayers which is still known as the Sonshine Class.

The name Clay Tree is based on two Bible verses: “But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay and you are our potter; we are all the work of your Hand” (Isaiah 64:8). And: “He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all he does, he prospers” (Psalm 1:3).

Cathy is a founding member of St Paul’s LWMLC and has held numerous

positions over the 60 years of the society. She also served on the Church Council, and knew everyone who celebrated her special day with her!

Elaine Murphy

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN | September/October 2023

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WEST REGION NEWS

ALBERTA AND BRITISH COLUMBIA • MICHELLE HEUMANN, EDITOR

HOPE WITHOUT WAVERING from the regional pastor | rev. robert mohns

I

recently visited Grace Lutheran Church in Port Alberni on the occasion of their 75th anniversary.

I should have been out there in June, but fires prevented the celebration from taking place at that time.

The congregation chose Hebrews 10:23 for their anniversary: “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” As it turned out, it is a very fitting verse. The hoped-for celebration did not go forward as planned.

The very nature of things that we hope for is that they tend to be out of our control. We have no power to make them happen. The congregation had no control over the disaster which blocked the only way in and out of the community for weeks.

We are used to a world where we are often disappointed. And where hope is disappointed, fear takes up its dwelling place. We fear for our safety amid growing violence in our communities.

We fear food and shelter insecurity in the midst of disaster and rising costs. We live in fear of one another so much so that we fear gathering. And we fear for our future wellbeing, with the shortages of health services.

And there is fear in our congregations too. We fear shrinking congregations and their longterm viability. We fear worker shortages and whether our congregation will receive a pastor to provide Word and Sacrament ministry.

At the heart of our fears, whether in the community or in the congregation, is that what we want, what we hope for, isn’t going to come true. What happens when this kind of fear drives us? We

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lash out at one another. We go around finding people and things to blame. Or we can let fear paralyze us, believing that there is nothing we can do. Or we take it upon ourselves to make things happen, look within ourselves to be an agent for change and a catalyst for transformation. But does any of that work? Does it produce real hope—hope that endures forever?

The book of Hebrews was written to a people who had been driven off their land and stripped of their language and culture, first by Greeks and then Romans. They were constantly harassed, humiliated, and disrespected.

But the writer of this epistle, writes to them of God’s Word of hope: “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23).

Has God promised that we will get everything we want? No. Has He promised that we will always get our way in this life? No. Has He promised that His Word will be accepted in every nation? Has He promised that we will never suffer because of that Word?

And has He promised that He will fill up your pews, that our congregations would be filled with faithful, perfect, holy, loving, self-sacrificing Christians?

The answer, of course, is no. Life here is dirty and messy.

But He did promise to send us His Saviour—a Saviour who would deal with our sin and the sins of all people, even those who have rejected His Word. He kept that promise at the cross. He further promised that His Saviour would rise from the dead.

And He did, three days later.

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN | September/October 2023

God promised that His Saviour would reign over all creation—over the entire world. And He is. The Saviour promised us that He would be with us always, to the very end of the age. And He is.

He has also promised us that He is coming again—and that on that last and glorious day He will make us all heirs of His kingdom. And He will.

You and I are caught up in this promise: “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” I wonder, if the walls of your church building could talk, what would they say? Would they not speak of the faithfulness of God to fulfill His promises?

This God who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also along with Christ graciously give us all things (Romans 8:32)? By the power of His word of promise, we hope beyond hope. We trust, we believe, and we live, confident in Him. And so we do not give up gathering together for worship to receive the promises of forgiveness, life, and salvation which He fulfills in us. We gather for worship, and all the more so as we see that final day coming (Hebrews 10:25).

Do not turn away from this hope but persevere. Bear up under all things. Know that the Lord, He is God, and it is He who has you and will not let go of you—in life and in death. May He who began this good work in us bring to completion in that great and awesome Day of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

WEST REGION NEWS

ALBERTA AND BRITISH COLUMBIA • MICHELLE HEUMANN, EDITOR

St. Matthew Lutheran grows on Pentecost CALGARY, Alta. – St. Matthew Lutheran Church is celebrating its 110th anniversary this year, and is becoming a multiethnic congregation with God’s blessing.

On an especially joyful Pentecost Sunday, May 28, little Sara was baptized and welcomed into God’s family. The baptism ceremony was held in both English and Portuguese, since Sara’s family and godparents are from Brazil. Some of the godparents were participating online from Brazil, answering the questions asked of them. Technology allowed them to witness the precious moment from a distance of 10,900 kilometres!

On the same day the congregation also welcomed into membership a group of 28 Eritrean Lutheran

brothers and sisters. They sang two hymns in their native language, Tigrinya. The congregation thanks God for these new members of their church family.

That Pentecost Day, God was worshipped in four languages— English, German, Portuguese, and Tigrinya—all under one roof.

Rev. Markus Zeuch

First-ever IMPACT Youth Gathering GRAND FORKS, B.C. – The firstever IMPACT Youth Gathering was held June 30 to July 3 in beautiful Grand Forks at Pines Bible Camp. A total of 58 youth and 37 adults (many of whom were young adult volunteers) converged to be fed by God’s Word, grow together in fellowship, and be encouraged by the church body at large.

The IMPACT Youth Gathering succeeds the ABC District Youth Gathering. This year the gathering got away from university campuses and went to summer camp. It also changed from having one main session speaker to having five speakers (one for each main session) so that attendees could gain multiple perspectives.

Youth from four provinces (including an Ontario youth who flew across the country) came together to learn about how God has made an incredible impact in their lives and how they too can impact their congregations, families, friends, and communities. Main sessions were on God’s impact, mental health, prayer, conflict resolution, and pop culture,

followed by Bible studies that allowed for smaller groups to look in-depth at the session’s subject matter.

Attendees participated in various activities including a high ropes course, bazooka ball, archery, water games, yard games, campfires, wide games, and arts and crafts times. There was also a time to give back to camp staff and to help Pines Bible Camp prepare for their summer day camps.

The gathering featured a Q&A panel where youth could ask anything and have it answered, from questions on mental health to theology to sexuality to ethics to friendship. A

worship service was graciously hosted

by Christ Lutheran Church in Grand Forks on the Sunday evening.

It was an incredible weekend, and the IMPACT team is already looking forward to 2026 and beyond. Serving on the team are: Rev. Eric Moffett (co-chair), Michelle Heumann (cochair), Sonja Bland (registrar), Rev. Scott Brayall (chaplain), Kayla Moffett, Samantha Neeb, and Rev. Glenn Worcester.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact the IMPACT team at cochairs@impactyg.ca.

Rev. Eric Moffett

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN | September/October 2023

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WEST REGION NEWS

ALBERTA AND BRITISH COLUMBIA • MICHELLE HEUMANN, EDITOR

VBS trains young leaders

STONY PLAIN, Alta. – 2022’s Vacation Bible School at St. Matthew Lutheran was out of this world. Students learned about God’s Miraculous Mission—from the creation of the world to the death and resurrection of Jesus, followed by His ascension into heaven with the promise He will return.

Each morning, the group gathered in church, sang songs, heard a message

f r o m R e v.

Rod Buck, and prayed together. By the second day, the kids were already humming the catchy songs like “M-I-S-SI-O-N.” Typically, the church has seen larger numbers of younger children (ages 3-9), but, in 2022, children aged 10-11 made up the largest group. The enthusiasm of these older kids led the VBS team in 2023 to create a Leaders in Training program to assist these young leaders in learning to share the message of God’s love and the power of Jesus.

The St. Matthew VBS Team

Ordination anniversaries WEST REGION – A number of pastors in Lutheran Church– Canada’s West Region are celebrating important ordination anniversaries this year. Some of these pastors include: Rev. Michael Schutz - 10 years Rev. Jonathan Kraemer - 25 years Rev. Robert Marshall - 25 years Rev. Richard Brown - 50 years Rev. James Fritsche - 50 years Rev. Wayne Jensen - 50 years Rev. Paul Eiffert - 65 years Full stories on each pastor listed above will appear at: www.CanadianLutheran.ca.

Playschool graduation ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOUSE, Alta. – On May 28, Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church celebrated the graduation of twentythree students from playschool with a little ceremony and luncheon.

The church is thankful for the opportunity the Lord gives them each year to share His Gospel with the families He brings to the playschool.

The church offers a play-based program where students learn about the love of God and are celebrated as a blessing

from the Lord. The children especially love monthly visits with Rev. Brian Amison. “Pastor Brian” is a rock star to the children.

The congregation also tries to connect with families through afterhour events like the Christmas program, movie nights, bring your family to playschool days, and the graduation program—all under the capable and loving care of the playschool’s faithful teacher, Miss Amy. Deanna Friesen

SHARE YOUR STORIES Contact Michelle Heumann, Regional News Editor | regionaleditor@lutheranchurch.ca |

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

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THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN September/October 2023

CENTRAL REGION NEWS

SASKATCHEWAN, MANITOBA, AND NW ONTARIO • MICHELLE HEUMANN, EDITOR

BUILDing a solid foundation on Jesus

WINNIPEG – When you have more than 19,000 pieces of LEGO, a church interior brimming with bricks, and a life-size LEGO figure, you might not think faith-building would be part of things, but you’d be wrong.

From August 14-18, Peace Lutheran Church welcomed 46 kids (ages 5-12) to their brick-building themed Summer Kids Camp called BUILD. Each day, kids were introduced to a new piece that would build a complete six-foot-tall LEGO figure by week’s end, and each piece was tied to a Bible story that allowed kids to build a solid foundation on the teachings of Jesus.

Thanks to an amazing group of youth and adult volunteers, BUILD was able to keep kids moving and engaged with many activities. There were Bible adventures, LEGO stop-motion movie-making, a Master Builder Room for LEGO build challenges, LEGO-themed crafts in the Creation Station, NINJAGO outdoor games, Build-A-Snack, and a high-energy Praise Party to close each morning.

Like the LEGO Movie says: “Everything is Awesome.” That’s especially true when we help kids in the church and community build their life, brick by brick, on the solid rock of Jesus. What a fun way to build up kids’ faith in Jesus!

Sara Gerullis Kids' Ministry Director THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN | September/October 2023

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CENTRAL REGION NEWS

SASKATCHEWAN, MANITOBA, AND NW ONTARIO • MICHELLE HEUMANN, EDITOR

WHY LITURGY? from the regional pastor | rev. DAVID HABERSTOCK

W

hy do Lutherans do liturgy?

To answer the question, we first have to define what we mean by the word “liturgy.”

It’s usually used by Lutherans in two ways: first, to mean the way in which Lutherans worship (with an orderly set of words for both pastor and parishioners rooted in Scripture).

Secondly, it’s used to refer to the specific services in our hymnals.

Many pastors refer to the Divine Services in our hymnals as the “Historic Liturgy” of the Church. This distinguishes them from the tendency in recent decades to vary the text of the service from week to week (for example, in what Concordia Publishing House calls “Creative Worship”).

Creative Worship is certainly liturgical in the first sense above because it is an orderly outline with responses. But when I ask why Lutherans “do liturgy,” I mean the second sense: the Historic Liturgy”—that is, the liturgies in our hymnals which Lutheran Church– Canada congregations in convention have accepted, recommended, and agreed to use.

Why do we do these historic liturgies? There are many reasons but here are just a few: 1. Because they are solid and unchanging in a world which is constantly changing. Scholars, of course, would point out that the liturgy has changed over time. But generally, this change has been gradual, with changes and additions made bit by bit over the centuries. Divine Service Settings 1 and 2 in the Lutheran Service Book represented a departure from this

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slow and gradual process when they were introduced nearly fifty years ago, because they introduced a lot of change all at once. But even they follow the general outline of the older Setting 3.

Once learned, Settings 1 and 2 also become a solid and stable thing you can hold onto in an ever-changing world.

2. It is Scriptural. Almost all of the words in the liturgy are straight out of the Bible or are a summary of things in the Bible. I remember being shocked in my teen years reading 1 John and realizing that those words we say in Setting 1—“If we say we have no sin…”—were straight out the Bible.

3. Repetition is the key to learning.

You learn, grow to understand, and remember the things you repeat regularly. Repeating things together until they are learned by heart is the best way to serve the aged, the very young, and the parent with a crying child in service. It keeps us all together supporting each other as no other technology can.

4. It is orderly. St. Paul says of worship that things need to be done in good order, “for God is not a God of confusion, but of peace” (1 Corinthians 14:33). Order is something that young people raised in our present world of endless variety are drawn to and are actively seeking. Order gives them an anchor, a stable thing to connect to and root their lives in (Hebrews 6:19).

5. It teaches the most important things you need to know. The core teachings and practices of the Christian faith are included in the liturgy. From the very first Easter Sunday, Christians have always gathered for God’s Word,

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN | September/October 2023

prayer, and the Lord’s Supper (e.g., John 20; Acts 2:42; 20:7). From there, the liturgy developed by adding the most important things we need to know.

For example, when the creeds were written to clarify who our Triune God is and what He does, they were then added to the weekly liturgy so that we would learn them by heart.

6. It connects us to the whole church throughout the ages. When we use the liturgy handed down to us, we are being truly democratic and inclusive in that we are allowing the whole Church throughout the ages to have a say in how we do things! Not that it’s about voting; it’s about the teaching of Scripture and how all the saints of all the ages have handed this blessed faith on to us.

We worship in the same patterns and traditions they used and passed on. We sing the very songs of the saints who have gone before and of heaven itself.

Most canticles we sing in the liturgy are songs of the angels (the Gloria and Sanctus) or of the saints in Scripture (Kyrie, Agnus Dei, Magnificat, Nunc Dimittis, Benedictus, and so on.)

7. It is evangelistic. “Evangelistic” simply means Gospel, and the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16)! When a pastor fails to preach the Gospel with clarity, the liturgy does. I have heard sermons that were all Law and no Gospel, and left us in dread of our sins.

But then the Offertory (“Create in Me” – Psalm 51) immediately followed, applying the balm of God’s forgiveness to our hurting hearts, pointing us to Jesus. Pointing sinners to Jesus is true evangelism!

CENTRAL REGION NEWS

SASKATCHEWAN, MANITOBA, AND NW ONTARIO • MICHELLE HEUMANN, EDITOR

Annual barbeque brings congregations together GRENFELL, Sask. – Go Forth in Peace Lutheran Church held its thirteenth annual barbeque this year on August 27 after a joint Divine Service. Go Forth in Peace is made up of three congregations: Peace Lutheran Church in Grenfell, Zion Lutheran Church in Wolseley, and St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Broadview.

The annual barbeque is a way to bring members from all three churches together every year for a fun social afternoon. Broadview brings the buns, Wolseley brings the meat, and Grenfell provides coffee, condiments, deserts, and salads.

In the past, the barbeque has been held at Peace Lutheran Church and featured a missionary guest speaker from Lutheran Bible Translators, Lutheran Laymen’s League of Canada, and others. The past two years have instead seen the barbeque held at Grenfell’s new Legacy Inn and just featured a fun social afternoon.

The Inn has kindly offered the use of the site inside and outside for free.

Last year, the church mainly made use of the inside as there had been two inches of rain the night before.

This year, however, the barbeque took place on a beautiful day. The kids made use of the mini-putt, and the

adults relaxed outside before coming inside for the meal and fellowship.

The church gives thanks to God for the beautiful day, the meal, the fellowship, and the generosity of the Legacy Inn. Rev. Gerald Andersen

Triune Parish installation LANGENBURG, Sask. – On Sunday, June 25, Rev. Sheikh Leif Mauricio was installed as pastor of Triune Lutheran Parish, serving Christ Lutheran in Langenburg, Christ Lutheran in MacNutt, and Immanuel Lutheran in Landestreu.

Nine pastors participated in the installation service and a delicious potluck was held afterward, giving the three parishes and visiting pastors a wonderful opportunity for fellowship and a few laughs.

R e v. M a u r i c i o a r r i v e d i n Langenburg at the end of May and, once his belongings finally arrived, set up residence in the local parsonage.

The members of Triune Lutheran Parish praise and thank God for keeping His promise to provide for His flock by sending Rev. Mauricio.

Jo-Anne Roulston

Back row (l to r): Revs. Ted Giese, Airton Glitz, Kai Buck, Arron Gust, and Laverne Hautz, emeritus. Front: Revs. Joshua Kurtenbach, Timothy Schneider, Sheikh Leif Mauricio, Regional Pastor David Haberstock, and Circuit Counselor Barry Wood.

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN | September/October 2023

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CENTRAL REGION NEWS

SASKATCHEWAN, MANITOBA, AND NW ONTARIO • MICHELLE HEUMANN, EDITOR

Confirmation at New Beginnings Lutheran

The confirmands pose with their families and Rev. Paulo Brum following the service.

REGINA – Confirming the faith out loud is always emotional, a responsibility, and a great privilege.

Being able to speak with our own mouth what our godparents said in our place at our baptism is a double blessing.

This is what happened for Danica Wilson and Rebekah Warren on June 11, 2023, at New Beginnings Lutheran Church (NBLC) in Regina, where all attending rejoiced over the personal confession of faith of two more communicant young people in NBLC and Lutheran Church– Canada (LCC).

As is often the case in confirmation services, the students

were nervous, the parents thrilled, and the congregation happy to help keep these young people steadfast in the path of the Saviour Jesus. The biblical text chosen by Danica was: “Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them” (Joshua 1:6). The text for Rebekah was: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6-7).

The confirmation service came as the culmination of two years of

meetings to study the Bible and the Catechism, permeated with prayers, songs, biblical stories, didactic games, activities, and good conversations about life and the Christian faith. It was an amazing journey together, growing in faith and knowledge about Christian principles from the Bible and the Catechism.

The congregation asks the Lord to bless the students and all believers in Christ in LCC and the world. May the Lord continue to give you His Holy Spirit, “the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord” (Isaiah 11:2).

Rev. Paulo Brum

SHARE YOUR STORIES Contact Michelle Heumann, Regional News Editor | regionaleditor@lutheranchurch.ca |

central REGION Contact Rev. david haberstock, Regional Pastor | dhaberstock@lutheranchurch.ca | 1. 800. 663. 5673 |

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THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN September/October 2023

EAST REGION NEWS

ONTARIO, QUEBEC, AND ATLANTIC CANADA • MICHELLE HEUMANN, EDITOR

Timmins bids farewell to Pastor Lam and family TIMMINS, Ont. – On June 1, over twenty members of Christ Lutheran Church (including some from Kirkland Lake and Rev. Smilek from Sudbury) gathered for a farewell luncheon held in honour of Rev. Milton Lam, his wife Marideth, and their son Matthias. Rev. Lam was ordained and installed in this congregation on August 14, 2016, and after seven years of faithful service, he has accepted a call to Christ Risen in Kanata.

The luncheon included a wonderful meal, songs, presentation of a framed photo of the church building, and an album of special moments in Rev. Lam’s ministry thus far.

Rev. Lam commented in his parting words: “Looking back at it all, I give thanks to God and am grateful to you for ensuring that Word and Sacrament ministry continued here in peace and quiet over the past seven years. Thank you for being patient with me and bearing up much in love.

As it is written: ‘Love covers over a multitude of sins’ (1 Peter 4:8).”

Looking to the future, he exhorted the congregation to “let our brotherly love for one another not grow cold, but may God fan it into flame so

that we may be an effective witness of Christ’s love in and to our c o m m u n i t y. ” He reminded that “our Lord grants us intrepid hearts. He causes His Word to be preached among us in season and out of season.

This implanted Word takes root in our hearts and opens our mouths to sing His praise.

He emboldens us to confess that Jesus is Lord in all the earth. He shall never leave nor forsake us, His children.”

Rev. Lam conducted his final service in Timmins on July 30. The church continues to gather weekly and anticipate regularly receiving the Lord’s Supper through the vacancy pastor (and any other pastors who might like to visit and experience some northern hospitality, should the

vacancy pastor approve!). The church also heartily welcomes members of other congregations to consider making this city your home, so that together we can call another faithful shepherd to help shine God’s love in this strategic location, sending out ripples of the Gospel into communities all throughout Northern Ontario!

Francine VanWoudenberg Sikkema

Four pastors celebrate ordination anniversaries

Revs. Adrian Kramer (Oxbow, Saskatchewan); Alex Klages (Morden, Manitoba); Ken Maher (Collingwood, Ontario); and Richard Juritsch (St. Catharines, Ontario).

COLLINGWOOD, Ont. – On July 8, a special celebration occurred at the home of Bob and Ruth Klages, members of Christ our Hope in Collingwood. They were able to celebrate special ordination anniversaries of their pastor, their son, and two sons-in-law! A celebratory cake was made in honour of the occasion.

Rev. Adrian Kramer is marking 15 years since his ordination, Rev. Alex Klages 20 years, Rev. Ken Maher 25 years, and Rev. Richard Juritsch 30 years.

Rev. Alex Klages

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN | September/October 2023

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EAST REGION NEWS

ONTARIO, QUEBEC, AND ATLANTIC CANADA • MICHELLE HEUMANN, EDITOR

QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS from the regional pastor | rev. marvin bublitz

I

t seems that very often there are a flood of questions which come your way. An interesting thing about questions though is that sometimes they can reveal more about the person asking them than the answers do. Sometimes the questions people ask are less of an attempt to gain information than they are a revealing statement about what those people think—and an attempt to get others to support their position.

Consider some of the questions asked in Holy Scripture. When Cain was confronted by the Almighty regarding his brother, Abel, Cain asked: “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

(Genesis 4:9). Cain sought to cover his misdeed by deflecting with a question.

Then there was the time the rich young man approached Jesus and asked, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17). In his question he revealed that he thought eternal life was something he could earn on his own. He came at Jesus with a Law question. But salvation is of the Gospel. It is God’s gift—His work. All who seek to earn their salvation will forever go away sad, like that rich young man.

Even the disciples of Jesus revealed their heart at times in their questions. “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (John 9:20). It must be someone’s fault, they reasoned.

And another time they asked Him: “Who is the greatest in the kingdom

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of heaven?” (Matthew 18:1). Jesus still had more to teach those closest to Him. What about us? What does Jesus need to teach us?

The two questions asked most of me are these: “Who is in charge here?” and “Whose fault is it?”

Let’s examine those questions and see what they reveal. When someone asks who is in charge, it is often more of a statement. Usually, it is asked when there is conflict. It reveals the heart. It is not so much a question as a declaration that the one asking feels they are in charge and simply want me to confirm that.

But there is really only one answer to the question of who is in charge: the Church belongs to Jesus.

He is the Lord of the Church.

Let’s look at that other common question: “Whose fault is it?” Who’s to blame?” We want to blame someone, anyone, just as long as it is not us.

When you consider these questions, I encourage you to consider the source. Consider who is really asking the question, and who is answering. Is it the Old Adam or the New Man in Christ? If the Old Adam—our sinful nature—is asking who is in charge, then it becomes an attempt to exert power and control over the situation. And if the Old Adam is answering the question, then the answer becomes another way to try to wrestle control away from others.

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN | September/October 2023

If, on the other hand, the New Man in Christ is asking who is in charge, he or she is trying to redirect everyone’s thoughts to Christ—to remind everyone that it is Jesus who is in charge. It is more of a rhetorical question. Who is in charge? The New Man in Christ answers: “Clearly, the Lord is in charge!”

In the same way, we should consider who is asking whose fault it is. The Old Adam asks this question in order to redirect blame to others. And the Old Adam answers the question with more deflection: “Who’s to blame? Surely anyone but me!” It’s like Judas asking the Lord: “Is it I?” But the New Man in Christ confesses his or her own sin. “It is my fault, my own fault, my own most grievous fault.” Then he or she turns to Christ for forgiveness and the removal of the guilt and sin of the Old Adam within.

So, before you ask a question, first ask yourself who is asking. Is it the Old Adam within me or is it the New Man in Christ? This is the self-examination we each must undertake. Too often sin is crouching at our door desiring to have us.

And so daily we must return to our Baptism and the drowning of the Old Adam, in order that the New Man in Christ may arise anew.

EAST REGION NEWS

ONTARIO, QUEBEC, AND ATLANTIC CANADA • MICHELLE HEUMANN, EDITOR

LWMLC luncheon honours women COBOURG, Ont. – On June 3, the local LWMLC society hosted a spring luncheon hosted for the women of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church.

Like many LWMLC societies, the ladies had gathered to plan their end of year get-together—but trying to come up with a location, menu, and budget for an event that will interest the greatest number of members can feel like a lot of pressure. Sadly, the excitement of planning the event had faded over the years.

This year, two people stepped up to help, and their excitement and enthusiasm was contagious. “We should have a theme,” they said.

Without skipping a beat, a garden/ flower motif was suggested. From there, they chose Psalm 92:13—“Those who are planted in the LORD shall flourish”—as a theme verse, and so the theme became “Planted in the Lord.”

A daughter of one of the planners was in the stages of opening a plantbased restaurant and offered to cater the luncheon with a selection of plant-

based delicacies. The ladies were encouraged to wear floral attire, hats, jewelry, and so on in support of the theme. The space would be decorated with flowers and, as an activity, there was a planting bar where the ladies could plant a flower to take home with them. As the planning continued, the enthusiasm rose. It was contagious.

A poem entitled “God the Gardener” was also written to mark the

event. In the end, women aged seven to eighty came out for the luncheon.

Thanks be to God for the fresh energy and ideas from these two sisters, for the perfect timing of the daughter wanting to practice her business concept while serving the ladies, and for the helping hands that brought it all together. The day was a great success!

Karen Kuehn

Author Katie Schuermann visits Burlington BURLINGTON, Ont. – Prince of Peace Lutheran Church was pleased to welcome LCMS author Katie Schuermann to speak at the church on June 24.

Schuermann’s books include the popular Anthems of Zion series, as well as Pew Sisters, He Remembers the Barren, and He Restores My Soul. Schuermann spoke on a variety of topics, including suffering as a Christian, how her writing career began, and art in the church. Her presentation included congregational singing, a question-and-answer session, and even a teaser for a forthcoming book.

Once the presentation concluded, Rev. David Zakel led the congregation in a vespers service. The ladies of Prince of Peace provided refreshments for the event and participants were invited to spend time visiting with each other.

Mrs. Schuermann happily spoke with everyone as she signed books. More than seventy brothers and sisters in Christ attended the event.

Stephanie Zakel THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN | September/October 2023

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EAST REGION NEWS

ONTARIO, QUEBEC, AND ATLANTIC CANADA • MICHELLE HEUMANN, EDITOR

Young Adults hold retreat in Toronto

TORONTO – East District Lutheran Young Adults (EDLYA) hosts four retreats a year at various churches in the East Region to encourage fellowship, new relationships, and growth in Christ.

This year’s Spring Retreat was hosted

by Trinity Lutheran Church in Toronto, and was the group’s best attended retreat post-pandemic with 26 people in attendance—some joining from as far as Moncton, New Brunswick!

Rev. Dr. Kevin Fast of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Cobourg, Ontario, served as the main session speaker, presenting on the topic of Holy Communion and also providing an opportunity for a theological Q&A.

The young adults offered up questions on a variety of topics, including the Lord’s Supper; ethical dilemmas in the modern age; church history; and the Lutheran Confessions.

In the afternoon, the group was also treated to some videos of Rev. Fast’s strongman feats. Rev. Fast is the holder of thirty-three Guinness World Records to date.

The group was able to join Trinity’s regular Saturday evening young adult Bible study group, led by Rev. Ling Pui Yeong, as they continued their study of the Book of Concord.

Attendees enjoyed the chance to get to know other young Lutherans

over meals, through games, and in conversations.

One longtime EDLYA member, currently serving as an organizer, said: “Following in the wisdom of our better-travelled mothers and fathers is important, and the vertical connection between us and God is essential, but it’s also important for us to experience that horizontal connection with people our age—it really helps us to feel that we’re part of the body of Christ.

That’s what EDLYA is all about, really—we try to make that space for the young demographic to connect and realize they’re not the only ones.”

Alex Steinke

SHARE YOUR STORIES Contact Michelle Heumann, Regional News Editor | regionaleditor@lutheranchurch.ca |

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

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THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN September/October 2023

MISSION NEWS CANADIANLUTHERAN.CA

in Nicaragua

Bringing the Bread of Life to children in Nicaragua NICARAGUA – One of the most powerful programs Lutheran Church– Canada (LCC) offers is its feeding program for children in Nicaragua, now called Pan de Vida (Bread of Life). Far more than just a feeding initiative, Pan de Vida offers nourishment for both body and soul, addressing the physical and spiritual needs of disadvantaged children and their families in some of the most economically depressed areas of Nicaragua.

For many years, LCC has operated this program in three of the most impoverished communities in Nicaragua, where access to a healthy meal is a rare luxury. Several times a week, children come together to receive what might be their only nutritious meal of the day. The largest site within the program is in the community of Rancheria, where the church feeds more than 130 children three days a week.

But the program is not just about providing nutritious meals; it also gives our sister church, the Lutheran Church Synod of Nicaragua (Iglesia Luterana - Sínodo de Nicaragua) the opportunity to share with children and their families the greatest gift of all: the Bread of Life, our Lord Jesus Christ and His saving Gospel. With the dual purpose

of providing spiritual sustenance alongside physical nourishment, pastors and deaconesses are feeding children with the Living Bread from heaven.

Thanks to the generous support of partner organizations, congregations, and individual donors, LCC has successfully expanded this program into five additional communities. The Pan de Vida program is now being offered alongside a Christian Education program in eight congregations.

As the children in these communities gather together for daily catechesis, they are now also receiving meals, giving the church the opportunity to care for both their spiritual and physical needs.

At the core of this program’s success are local volunteers, especially the women of the congregations, who understand what a blessing Pan de Vida has become. These dedicated volunteers help to prepare and serve meals for the children. Their inspiration comes

from recognizing that by serving these children they are also serving our Lord Jesus, who says: “For I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me drink... Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers, you did it to Me” (Matthew 25:35, 40).

Nicaragua holds National Youth Gathering NICARAGUA – At the end of August, the Lutheran Church Synod of Nicaragua (Iglesia Luterana Sínodo de Nicaragua - ILSN) held its National Youth Gathering at the Mission Centre in Chinandega.

Despite a tropical storm that prevented some members from attending, more than 200 children from across the country were able to gather together for the event.

Thankfully the weather cleared up and the youth were able to enjoy a time of worship, fellowship, study, and other activities. Several pastors and deaconesses were involved in

the three-day gathering, and Lutheran Church–Canada’s (LCC) Director of Missions, Rev. Mark L. Smith, was one of the keynote speakers.

The members of the ILSN and the organizers of their National Youth Gathering are grateful to LCC for helping to organize and fund this event.

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN | September/October 2023

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EDUCATION NEWS CANADIANLUTHERAN.CA

Call for nominations for seminaries’ honorary awards ST. CATHARINES, Ont. – Each May at the annual Call Service, Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary (CLTS) has the opportunity to confer two major awards on worthy pastors or lay members of Lutheran Church–Canada.

The recipient of the Friend of the Seminary award is nominated by the faculty or Board of Directors (Regents) for making a significant contribution to the well-being of the seminary.

The Delta Chi Medal, by contrast, is awarded by the seminary on behalf of the wider church. This “highest and most distinguished award” is “presented to an individual, either clergy or lay, whose life exemplifies service to Christ in his/her everyday living and vocation.”

In nominating, one should consider the person's service to the local congregation, the community, the synodical district, the church at large, church service organisations, and educational institutions. Delta Chi refers to the initials of the Greek expression διάκονος χριστοῦ “servant of Christ.”

Anyone in LCC may nominate a candidate for the Delta Chi award. No current faculty or board member is eligible. Please submit your nomination in writing to the seminary or via e-mail to reception@concordia-seminary. ca. The deadline for nominations is December 31, 2023.

EDMONTON – Every spring at its Sacred Convocation, Concordia Lutheran Seminary (Edmonton) grants honorary awards and degrees based on nominations received from people like you. Though spring seems a long way off, the time to start thinking about those award nominations is now! CLS is now accepting nominations for 2024’s honorary awards and degrees which will be presented at its Sacred Convocation on May 24, 2024. Nominations close on January 1, 2024.

The recipients of these awards and degrees are selected by the faculty and Board of Regents after prayerful consideration of all nominations received. Through these honorary awards and degrees, CLS recognizes the outstanding contributions of our clergy, deacons, and lay people.

Nominations may be made for the honorary degrees of Doctor of Laws (LL.D.), Doctor of Letters (Litt.D), and Doctor of Divinity (D.D.). In addition to these degrees, the seminary also invites nominations for the Faith in Life, Friend of the Seminary, and the Doulos Dia Iesoun awards.

The specific criteria for each award or degree and nomination forms are available from Rev. Dr. Alex Vieira. Please contact him for more information by calling 1-780-474-1468 ext. 230 or by email at avieira@ concordiasem.ab.ca.

INSPIRE> EDUCATE> SHINE THE LIGHT OF GOD’S LOVE! 34

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN September/October 2023

Lutheran Laymen’s League of Canada is not just a charity nor are we like any other organization! We are your partner. Join us on our mission to equip Christians to share the hope they have in Jesus.

Our mission is ambitious, but with YOU alongside us, it's attainable. Together, we can inspire, educate, and shine the light of God's love for families, friends, and neighbours through action.

Join us on this journey of nurturing the faith for this generation and the next!

Visit our website at lll.ca or call us at 1-800555-6236 to learn more about how you can become a part of this unique partnership.

Together, we'll share God's HOPE!

EDUCATION NEWS CANADIANLUTHERAN.CA

CLS Interim President & CLTS prof installed as school year opens CANADA – Early September saw the opening services for the new school year at Lutheran Church–Canada’s (LCC) two seminaries. The joint theme for the seminaries this year is Exodus 4:12—“Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.”

Concordia Lutheran Seminary (CLS) in Edmonton held its opening service on September 5 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church. The service also saw the installation of Rev. Dr. Joel D. Heck as Interim President of the seminary by LCC West Regional Pastor Robert Mohns.

“I have not been so moved since the day my father preached a sermon on the day of my ordination and installation,” noted Dr. Heck following his installation. “My mind goes back to my parents as well as to all those who formed and equipped me for the service I now engage myself in.”

“It is our mission at Concordia Lutheran Seminary to ‘form servants for Jesus’ sake,’” he continued.

“That is the function and purpose for all we do at this seminary, to the praise of God.” In advance of the opening service, the faculty and staff of CLS met August 31 through September 1 for a retreat. The school currently has six full-time students taking pastoral and diaconal studies, in addition to several part-time students. One student in the pastoral program is entering his final year of studies, while the first-year class is welcoming two full-time students and one part-time student in pastoral studies.

Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary (CLTS) in St. Catharines, Ontario held its opening service in the seminary chapel on September 10, during which time Rev. Kirk Radford was installed as Assistant Professor of Theology by LCC East Regional Pastor Marvin Bublitz.

Rev. Dr. Joel D. Heck (third from left in front) following his installation as Interim President at CLS.

Rev. Dr. Kirk Radford (third from left in front) following his installation as Assistant Professor of Theology at CLTS. Rev. Radford will take up his teaching responsibilities in September 2024, as he is completing a Master of Sacred Theology degree this academic year.

CLTS held its retreat for students and faculty from September 5-6.

This year, the seminary has seven students taking pastoral studies and eight pursuing a Master of

Theological Studies degree, as well as three pre-seminary students.

Another two pastoral students are expected to begin classes in January. One student at the seminary is beginning his final year of pastoral studies. The first-year class meanwhile is welcoming two new students to the pastoral program.

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN | September/October 2023

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EDUCATION NEWS CANADIANLUTHERAN.CA

Dr. Gimbel accepts call as Academic Dean and Professor at CLS EDMONTON – Concordia Lutheran Seminary (CLS) in Edmonton has announced that Rev. Dr. James Gimbel has accepted the call to serve as Academic Dean and Professor of Theology at the seminary.

The Board of Regents extended the call to Dr. Gimbel during meetings on September 6.

CLS’ Interim President, Rev. Dr. Joel Heck, welcomed the news of Dr. Gimbel’s acceptance. “Dr. Gimbel and I will work together well, having done so in the past,” he said. “He brings a rich, institutional memory of the seminary and an innovative style in addressing the issues t ha t a seminary f aces in

these unsettling times. I look forward to his contributions to the seminary and to the church at large.”

“May God continue to bless seminary education in Lutheran Church–Canada, and Dr. Gimbel’s service to Concordia Lutheran S e m i n a r y, ” D r. H e c k continued.

D r. G i m b e l s e r v e d as President of Concordia Lutheran Seminary in Edmonton for the past nine years. He announced in 2022 his intention to step down as president of the institution.

Quest Course: Reclaiming Lutheran Spirituality ONLINE – Concordia Lutheran Seminary (CLS) in Edmonton will offer its latest Quest Course this fall, with Rev. Dr. Richard Beinert (St. James Lutheran, Winnipeg) discussing the subject of “Reclaiming Lutheran Spirituality.”

Promotional material for this free course notes that it will “emphasize historic and contemporary aspects of an authentic discipleship under Christ.”

Classes will take place on Tuesday evenings, with the first two sessions taking place October 17 and October 24.

The following week, October 31, will be skipped so as not to interfere with Reformation Day commemorations, with the final two sessions instead taking place November 7 and 14. Each session will be broken into two parts, with the first taking place at 7:00 p.m. (Mountain Time) and the second at 8:00 p.m.

Information on how you can participate in this free online course will be made available at CLS’ Facebook page and website at www.concordiasem.ab.ca.

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THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN September/October 2023

LAMP

Sharing Jesus Christ in remote areas of Canada

Making a Lasting Impact

W

hile in B.C. for summer ministry, I searched for a gift for a volunteer who has completed his fifteenth year of serving with us. When the young woman behind the counter asked what I was looking for, I mentioned it was for a volunteer who has served for some time. She questioned whether it was for the group in town (the LAMP team) to which I confirmed it was. She responded, “Oh, is this for Tony Harman?”

I was taken aback that not only did she know it was for Tony, but she also knew his last name! I mentioned that

this trip would be his last one. She commented how she always enjoyed going to the VBS programs he led.

I had to go outside for a few minutes to deal with an issue. This is where the Holy Spirit was working because while I was gone, the young woman wrote a card and placed it on the counter to give to Tony with the gift I purchased. She had left, and I never saw her again.

After Tony let me read the card, I asked for his permission to share it with all of you, especially our volunteers who question whether the mission trips and continued next page

The

LAMPlighter

by Nathan Schmidt, staff missionary vicar

VOLUME 55 NO. 2 FALL 2023

LAMP 4966 – 92nd Avenue NW, Edmonton, AB T6B 2V4 1-800-307-4036 ext. 1

www.lampministry.org

LAMP Ministry Inc.

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THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN | September/October 2023Haven, MI 48048 Email: office@lampministry.org Box 480167, New Fax: 1-780-466-6733 1-800-307-4036 ext. 2

www.lampministry.org

Lasting impact, continued

Welcome Michael Rev. Dr. Steven Schave, executive director

O

Tony Harman, 15-year volunteer.

their message of God’s saving grace yield fruit. The piece of art gifted to Tony for his service does not compare to the encouraging words this young woman wrote on the card: “Greetings from an old friend, I would like to thank you for the services you’ve provided to this community over the years.

As a child, I was learning my way through faith. One day, you showed up at my doorstep to invite me to VBS, and that has stayed with me into my adult life. You and your crew were always so kind and welcoming to a new face. I appreciate that you introduced me to God in a fun and memorable way. The skits and stories sparked an interest. When I got older, as a teen, I continued praying and following Him. Rock Nest Ranch was my next step. Today I still give thanks and look back to the love provided. You are one of the biggest reasons I believe. For that, I will always be grateful.

Thank you, Tony.”

Emily (name changed) 2

n July first, L.A.M.P. Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots Inc., welcomed Michael Gillingham to serve as Missionary Deacon following a call extended by the LCC Board of Directors on June 22. Michael comes to L.A.M.P. after serving as Director of Youth Ministry at Bethel Lutheran Church in Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada.

As part of his role at Bethel, Michael was responsible for planning and leading mission trips and servant events for Bethel youth in various locations: LaRonge, Saskatchewan; El Paso, Texas; Juarez, Mexico; innercity Los Angeles, California and Barranquitas, Puerto Rico. His trips to LaRonge also allowed him to do basic work with children’s ministry at the nearby Bigstone and Far Reserves. Michael firmly believes in the importance of learning to serve God and others through missions and servant ventures. He looks forward to helping support this kind of work through the L.A.M.P. teams serving in various parts of Canada’s North.

Before Bethel, Michael served as Director of Youth, Music, and Young Adult Ministry at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Rocky Mountain House, Alberta. While serving in Rocky Mountain House, Michael completed the colloquy

Michael and Lynne Gillingham

requirements for consecration as a deacon (DPS) in Lutheran Church–Canada. He also did some work on the local O’Chiese and Sunchild reserves. Before this, Michael served as Director of Parish Ministries at Hope Lutheran Church and School in Port Coquitlam, BC. Michael recently celebrated thirty years of service as a full-time church worker. He is thankful to God and his family for reaching this milestone!

Michael is in the final stages of completing a Ph.D. in Religious Studies at the University of Alberta. He has taught courses at the Canadian Lutheran Bible Institute in Camrose, Concordia University of Edmonton, Concordia Seminary, St. Joseph’s College, and the University of Alberta. Michael’s hobbies include reading, writing songs, continued next page

The

LAMPlighter Welcome, continued playing guitar, and watching movies. He has enjoyed serving as a co-coordinator for the local Nashville Songwriters chapter and volunteering with the Edmonton Folk Music Festival.

Michael is married to Lynne, and they have two grown sons: Joshua and Matthew. Joshua is married to Melinda, and they have a daughter. Matthew is married to Bailey, and they have two sons.

Michael loves spending time with his family and being a grandfather very much!

Regarding this new opportunity to serve with L.A.M.P., Michael wrote, “I am very thankful to be joining the team as they continue to foster and develop relationships and ministry moments with the indigenous peoples of northern Canadian communities where L.A.M.P. is invited to lead VBS. As a church worker, I’ve appreciated

the advice received from L.A.M.P. staff about various ministry opportunities and the example they provide of strong, thoughtful, and committed work in the communities they serve. I hope and pray that my background and experiences can be helpful to L.A.M.P. even as I look forward to learning more about the work of this organization and meeting the people that L.A.M.P. serves in various ways.”

L.A.M.P. executive director, Steve Schave, expressed his gratitude to God for leading Michael to L.A.M.P. now that outgoing missionary, Gord Gilbey, has retired. According to Schave, “We are so thankful to God for the ministry that Gord provided, even during the challenging years of the pandemic, and the many needs of the communities we serve. And now, as L.A.M.P. looks ahead to the future and our 55 For 55 initiative

Michael leading VBS in Hall Lake, SK.

to reach 55 communities by our 55th anniversary in 2025, we are excited to have Deacon Gillingham join us. It is great timing for our hopes of engaging more laypeople to serve in mission with us and to extend the reach of the Gospel to the ends of the earth.”

Welcome Anytime Over the years, we have stopped in the band office to say thank you or ask a question, but I never got past the person at the “front desk.” This time, I specifically set out to see the chief, Jonas Sewap. We were led into a meeting room where the chief was with other male leaders of the community of Brochet, MB. Gary and I had homemade jam and a thank you note. We expressed our gratitude for the VBS meeting space (pre-arranged

by LAMP’s staff missionary) and especially

for the joy of working with the children.

Jonas introduced us to his “elder councillor” among the men in the meeting room who said, “You are welcome in our community anytime.”

Those welcoming words of affirmation from the leadership meant so much to us!

We had many more words of affirmation from so many people this year after four years of absence. We were wondering how it would be post-pandemic, but it was better than we ever could have imagined. ~Ellen, Brochet team leader

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN | September/October 2023

39

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www.lampministry.org

Relationships

by Mark Meyer, volunteer serving Garden Hill, MB

T

welve years ago, my wife Marti and I went on our first LAMP mission trip to Garden Hill, Manitoba. Our “trainer” was Evelyn Fisher, and she guided us through that first year, teaching us that it was all about forming relationships. People need to know you before they trust you.

That year, we noticed that while walking on the roads, we’d wave to folks but received little response. They might raise a hand as they drove by. Years later, they wave like crazy, smile, and the kids holler. We even got rides back to the school after walking out of the Northern Store carrying water and groceries.

One of the 8-year-old boys made a connection in Vacation Bible School with Marti that first year. Winston had an older and a younger brother who also attended VBS. After VBS classes, some children would play outside (at the teacherages where we stayed) until we were done supper and prep for the next day. Then we often played catch outside with the kids with either the ball or a Frisbee.

Above: Winston (age 17) with Marti; Winston when he was 8.

Winston and his younger brother, Brassy, were just two of the many kids who hung out with us. I remember Winston was in the house a few evenings while we did our nightly devotion, pits ‘n’ peaks, and prayers. He just sat quietly and patiently waited for

us to finish so we could go back outside to play.

As the years went on, Winston attended VBS nearly every day during the week of our summer ministry. When he became a teenager, he still came to some VBS classes and helped with the games. He would also participate in the teen nights our team held.

Marti stayed in contact with Winston on social media and, of course, during the COVID years.

In the summer of 2023, we returned to visit our northern community after missing three years. Winston and his girlfriend, Lakeisha, attended our Monday and Wednesday teen nights. They played cards with us for a while on both days, and we had a great visit!

Winston posted a picture on Facebook of us with him and labeled it “My Kookoom and Goomsoom, so glad I got to see them.” God has blessed us with another “adopted” grandson through Christ Jesus. We have many other acquaintances in Garden Hill but none like Winston.

LAMP Mission Statement

LAMP is a cross-cultural ministry sharing Jesus Christ with God’s people in remote areas of Canada.

4966-92 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T6B 2V4 Box 480167, New Haven, MI 48048 tel 800-307-4036 x fax 780-466-6733

Donations can be made at our website

www.lampministry.org

Individual gifts are acknowledged with an official receipt for income tax purposes, and are tax deductible as allowed by law. Each gift designated toward a board-approved program will be used as designated, with the understanding that when any given need has been met, designated gifts will be used where needed most.

4

TRANSITIONS

CANADIANLUTHERAN.CA/CALLS-TRANSITIONS

R e v. L u c a s A l b re c h t (Mount Olive, Regina, SK) accepted a call to Hope (Port Coquitlam, BC).

Rev. Dr. James Gimbel (Outgoing President, Concordia Lutheran S e m i n a r y, E d m o n t o n ) accepted a call as Academic Dean and Professor of Theology at Concordia Lutheran Seminary (Edmonton).

Trial and Appellate Counsel – Commercial Litigation Garfinkle | Biderman LLP

Jeffrey A.L. Kriwetz Partner

801-1 Adelaide Street East, Toronto, ON M5C 2V9

416.869.7618 jkriwetz@garfinkle.com

Tel 416.869.1234 Fax 416.869.0547 www.garfinkle.com

Rev. Richard Mensch (Redeemer, Prince Albert, SK) to Emeritus (Prince Albert, SK).

Rev. Michael Montague (Christ, Red Lake, ON) accepted a call to Our Saviour (Dryden, ON) / St. Mark (Vermillion Bay, ON).

Rev. C. Ward Stewart (Emeritus) called to glory.

YOUR FAITH. GOD’S LEGACY.

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PRESIDENT’S PONDERINGS

TODAY'S ISSUES AND THE CHURCH by president timothy teuscher

D

iversity… Inclusiveness… Social Justice… Woke Culture… Critical Race Theory… Gender Identity…

Cancel Culture. We’ve been inundated with these terms over the past few years by the media, politicians, educators, advertisers, the sports sector, businesses, entertainment industry, and, yes, even religious leaders. Many have jumped on the bandwagon, not only promoting such things but condemning those who do march in step with what is currently deemed socially and politically correct.

It’s tempting to throw up your hands in despair over the promotion of ideologies which are contrary to God’s Word.

But St. Peter reminds us that, as “sojourners and exiles” (1 Peter 2:11) in this sinful and unbelieving world, we should “not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you” (1 Peter 4:12). In fact, all such confusion ultimately has its origin in the devil, whom Jesus calls “a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).

And notice what the apostle goes on to say: “Always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15). What defense—the Greek word is apologia or apology—what answer can the Church, can we as individual Christians, give to these things? I would suggest that one way is to turn the tables, so to speak, on these words and phrases that are tossed about so glibly, so falsely, and so carelessly.

After all, is not Christ’s Church the true ‘cancel culture’?

Peter declares: “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out” (Acts 3:19). Or, as Paul writes: “God made (us) alive together with (Christ), having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This He set aside, nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:13-14).

Is it not in the Church where ‘critical race theory’ is a reality? Peter says: “You are a chosen race” (1 Peter 2:9) to all believers in Christ, whether they be Jews or Gentiles. We are, as St. John describes the vision given to him of Christ’s Church, “a great multitude from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages” (Revelation 7:9).

Is not the Church the true ‘woke culture’? Jesus says: “Stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man” (Luke 21:36). Likewise, Paul

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THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN | September/October 2023

writes: “So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober” (1 Thessalonians 5:6).

Is it not the Church where true, God-pleasing ‘inclusiveness’ and ‘diversity’ is manifested? “Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all,” Paul says (Colossians 3:11). And further: “For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given us, let us use them” (Romans 12:4-6).

Is it not Christ’s Church which proclaims and reflects the truth regarding ‘gender identity’ and related issues? That, when it comes to our redemption and our relationship with God, it is indeed true that “there is no male or female, for you are all one in Christ” (Galatians 3:28); but, at the same time, that this does not negate God’s original creation of male and female and His institution of marriage between one man and one woman, as Jesus Himself makes quite clear in Mark 10.

The apostle Paul brings both of these truths together in these words: “As the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:24-25).

Is it not members of Christ’s Church who are concerned about and engaged in bringing real ‘social justice’ or, more accurately, ‘works of mercy’ to others? The apostle puts it very simply: “As we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone” (Galatians 6:10).

Instead, therefore, of bemoaning this proverbial walk of so many on “the way that leads to destruction” (Matthew 7:13), the apostle Paul encourages us in these words: “Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person” (Colossians 4:5-6).

And let us do so by praying ever more fervently: “Dear Father, Your will be done, not the devil’s will or our enemies’ or anything that would persecute and suppress Your holy Word or hinder Your kingdom. Grant that we may bear with patience and overcome whatever is to be endured because of Your Word and kingdom, so that our poor flesh my not yield or fall away because of weakness or sluggishness” (Large Catechism 3:67).

CONCORDIA LUTHERAN MISSION SOCIETY

Join us in moving forward with another year of God’s giving grace!

Supporting Christ’s Mission Work In:

Nicaragua Ukraine Thailand

Cambodia Costa Rica Canada

Donations may be sent to: Concordia Lutheran Mission Society Box 455 Water Valley, Alberta T0M 2E0 Online Donations: canadahelps.org Website: www.concordiamissions.org

Email: partners@concordiamissions.org

CONSIDERING CHURCH WORK?

Contact LCC’s seminaries today.

Concordia Lutheran Seminary

Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary

Edmonton, Alberta

St. Catharines, Ontario

Web: www.concordiasem.ab.ca Email: info@concordiasem.ab.ca Phone: 1-780-474-1468

Web: www.concordia-seminary.ca Email: reception@concordia-seminary.ca Phone: 1-905-688-2362