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LAST THINGS FIRST
by mathew block
In the weeks leading up to Christmas, the church observes Advent. In this season, we remember the waiting of God’s people in anticipation of the first coming of the Son of God in His incarnation. And we also look forward with hope towards the final return of Christ and the end of all things.
“The end of all things is at hand,” St. Peter writes. “Therefore be selfcontrolled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers” (1 Peter 4:7). During Advent, Christians have historically tried to put that admonition into practice, prayerfully meditating on death, judgment, heaven, and hell. By contemplating these “Four Last Things,” the faithful were reminded not to let worldly things distract them from also considering the state—and eternal destination—of their own souls. After all, this “world is passing away along with its desires,” St. John writes, “but whoever does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:17).
Of course, the opposite is also true; those who reject God, who refuse to believe in His Son will be condemned (John 3:18). All people must come at length to one end or the other—to heaven or hell. Advent encourages each of us to put these last things first, and to seriously reflect: where am I going?
Such questions can leave us fearful. We are sinners, after all. None of us keep God’s laws perfectly. And no matter how hard we try to put last things first—to remember that we will one day die and face God’s judgment—we never measure up to the exacting demands God places upon us: “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).
But the good news is that we believe in a God who also puts last things first. Go all the way back to the very beginning of the world—to before the beginning, in fact—and you’ll see that God was looking ahead to the end of all things. He foresaw the fall of our first parents, foresaw the whole long history of humankind’s sinful rebellion, foresaw even you and your sin. And before any of it ever happened, He planned your eternal salvation through Christ.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,” St. Paul exclaims, “who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:3-4). Yes, even before “the foundation of the world,” God had put the final touches on His plans for your salvation. He had plotted out your redemption through the blood of Christ, the forgiveness of your sins through the riches of His grace (1:7). From first to last, He had seen it all, and the ultimate goal was to save sinners—to save you.
Even from the beginning, then, God put last things first. He knew His good creation would be corrupted by sin before it was ever made. And yet He made it anyway, knowing that through the death and resurrection of Christ it would ultimately be redeemed—that “sinners ruined by the fall” (LSB 435) would at last be reconciled unto God in Jesus. Such is the “mystery of God’s will… set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time” (Ephesians 1:9-10). In Jesus, then, first things meet last things—for He is both the First and the Last, the
Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End (Revelation 22:13).
In this issue, we reflect on the miracle of Christmas—the moment when God’s eternal plan was revealed in the flesh. For here in the life and death of Jesus, we find the fulcrum of time, the moment which gives meaning to all of the past, present, and future. Our first feature comes from one of Martin Luther’s Christmas sermons (page six) Our second, by Rev. Dr. Alex Vieira, reflects on the revealing of God’s arm in Christ for the salvation of all people (page nine). LCC President Timothy Teuscher, meanwhile, encourages us to bring the good news of Christ to the world around us, much as the shepherds did so long ago (page 42)
Trusting in the mercy which Christ won for us at His first coming, we can look with joy and not fear towards His second coming. Dear Jesus, teach us to face the Last Things in the knowledge that You have loved us from the first, and that You will carry us through to the end. Grant us Your mercy, dear Lord, that we may face death in peace, knowing that—through Your death and resurrection—You have won for us eternal salvation and a place in heaven, where we will be with You forever.
“He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him.” - Hebrews 9: 26-28 -
A Saviour is Born
For You and Your Neighbour
by Martin Luther
Christ for You
It is of no value merely to believe that the story of the birth of Jesus is true as it is written. The right and gracious faith which God demands is that you firmly believe that Christ is born for you and that this birth took place for your welfare. The Gospel teaches that Christ was born, and that He did and suffered everything on our behalf, as is declared by the angel: “Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all the people; for there is born to you this day a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.” In these words, you clearly see that He is born for us
He does not simply say “Christ is born” but “ to you He is born.” Neither does he say “I bring glad tidings” but “ to you I bring glad tidings of great joy.” Furthermore, this joy “shall be to all the people.”
Christ has a pure, innocent, and holy birth. Man has an unclean, sinful, condemned birth. As David says: “Behold I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” Nothing can help our unholy birth except the pure birth of Christ. But Christ’s birth isn’t distributed to us in a material sense; it is instead imparted spiritually through the Word. It is given to all who firmly believe. This is the way and manner in which we are to be cleansed from the miserable birth we have from Adam. For this purpose, Christ willed to be born— that through Him we might be born again.
and made to rejoice. Out of this faith grow love and praise to God who in Christ has bestowed upon us such unspeakable gifts. This is what is meant by Isaiah 9:6: “Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given.” To us is born this Child. To us is given this Son.
Therefore, see to it that you do not regard the story of Christ’s birth only as a historical event. But see to it that you make this birth your own and that Christ be born in you. You must exercise this faith and pray continually during your life; you cannot establish it too firmly.
Behold here what the Gospel is: a joyful sermon concerning Christ, our Saviour. Whoever preaches Him rightly, preaches the Gospel of pure joy. How is it possible for man to hear of greater joy than that Christ has been given to him as his own?
Therefore, see to it that you do not regard the story of Christ’s birth only as a historical event. But see to it that you make this birth your own and that Christ be born in you.
We see here how Christ, as it were, takes our sinful birth from us and absorbs it in His birth; and how He grants us His birth, that in it we might become pure and holy as if it were our own. As a result, every Christian may rejoice and glory in Christ’s birth. This is the great joy of which the angel speaks. This is the comfort and exceeding goodness of God.
Christ must above all things become our own and we become His, before we can do good works. But this cannot occur except through a faith which teaches us how to understand the Gospel correctly and how to lay hold of it. This faith is the only way in which Christ can be rightly known, so that our consciences are satisfied
The Gospel does not only teach the history concerning Christ’s birth; but it further enables all who believe it to receive it as their own. Of what benefit would it be to me if Christ had been born a thousand times and the news were sung daily into my ears if I never further heard that He was born for me and was to be my very own? If the voice gives forth this pleasant message— even if it be in a simple way—my heart listens with joy, for it is a lovely sound which penetrates the soul.
Therefore, let us beware of all teaching that does not set forth Christ. What more do you want to know? What more do you need, if indeed you know Christ? He lies in the manger. And we are the beasts before this manger. Christ is laid before us, upon whom we are to feed our souls. Whosoever goes to hear true preaching must go to this manger: the preaching of Christ.
Christ for Your Neighbour
No one is to hear the Gospel for himself alone, but—like the shepherds—everyone is to tell it to others who are not acquainted with it. For he who believes for himself has enough, and should endeavor to bring others also to faith— so that one may be a shepherd to the other, to wait upon and lead him into the pasture of the Gospel in this world.
Christ has become your own, and you have by such faith been cleansed through Him. You have received your inheritance without any personal merit on your part but solely through the love of God, who gives to you as your own the treasure and work of His Son. It follows, then, that you ought to do good works, by serving your neighbour as Christ has served you. What are the good works of Christ? Is it not true that you call them “good” because they have been done for your benefit, God commanding Christ to do the works on your behalf? In this, then, Christ was obedient to the Father, in that He loved and served us. Therefore, since you have received so much from Him and become rich, you have no other commandment to serve Christ and render obedience to Him than to direct your works that they may be of benefit to your neighbour—just as the works of Christ are of benefit and use to you.
For this reason, Jesus said at the Last Supper: “This is My commandment: that you love one another, even as I have loved you” (John 13:34). Here it is seen that He loved us and did everything for our benefit, in order that we may do the same—not to Him (for He does not need it) but to our neighbour. This is His commandment. This is our obedience. It is through faith that Christ becomes our own, and His love is the cause that made us His. He loves and we believe—and thus our faith and His love are united in one. In the same way, our neighbour believes and expects our love, and we are therefore to love him in return and not let him long for it in vain. As Christ helps us, we in turn help our neighbour, and so all have enough.
Who is there upon earth who has no poor, sick, or sinful neighbours around him? Why do we not show our love for them? Why do we not do to them as Christ has done to us?
There are many who, enkindled with dreamy devotion when they hear of the poor circumstances of Christ’s birth, are almost angry with the citizens of Bethlehem and think, “If we had been there, we would have shown the Lord and His mother greater kindness!” But at the same time, we fail to look around us to see how many of our fellow men today need our help—people whom we let go on in their misery unaided. Who is there upon earth who has no poor, sick, or sinful neighbours around him? Why do we not show our love for them? Why do we not do to them as Christ has done to us?
If you see your neighbor going astray, sinning, or suffering in body or soul, you are to leave everything else and at once help him in every way in your power—and if you can do no more, help him with words of comfort and prayer. Thus has Christ done to you and given you an example for you to follow.
These are the two things in which a Christian is to exercise himself: first, that he draws Christ into himself, and that by faith he makes Him his own, appropriates to himself the treasures of Christ, and confidently builds upon them. And then, secondly, the Christian condescends to his neighbour and lets him share in that which he has received, even as he shares in the treasures of Christ.
This article is condensed from Martin Luther’s “Christmas Day” sermon in his Church Postils. It is lightly adapted from John Nicholas Lenker’s 1905 translation.
The holy Arm of The lorD
by Alex Vieira
““How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” The voice of your watchmen—they lift up their voice; together they sing for joy; for eye to eye they see the return of the LORD to Zion. Break forth together into singing, you waste places of Jerusalem, for the LORD has comforted His people; He has redeemed Jerusalem. The LORD has bared His holy arm before the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.”
- Isaiah 52:7-10 -
At Christmas, we often think of Jesus as a small, vulnerable baby in the manger, yet we are also reminded that He is far more than He appears: He is God’s Son and our Saviour. But the prophet Isaiah invites us to ponder another image of Jesus that we rarely consider: “The LORD has bared His holy arm before the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God” (Isaiah 52:10).
Do you see Jesus in this passage? Have you noticed how He is depicted here? To fully understand this image, we must examine the Old Testament’s imagery of the “arm of the LORD.”
The word translated as “arm” appears 91 times in the Old Testament, used both in its literal sense, as a part of the body, and metaphorically, to signify strength or power. The metaphorical use often refers to God’s power to both punish
His enemies and save His people. God Himself initiates this theological tradition of referring to His powerful actions using the word “arm,” during a crucial moment in Israel’s history: their slavery in Egypt. God declares to Moses that He will deliver and redeem them “with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment” (Exodus 6:6). Here, God’s “outstretched arm” will bring both redemption and judgment. After God accomplishes His work and the Israelites are safe, Moses sings of God’s deeds against the enemies: “because of the greatness of Your arm, they are still as a stone” (Exodus 15:16).
These references in Exodus provide the theological foundation for the recurring image of God’s arm throughout the Old Testament, recounting His victory in Egypt. Years later, in Deuteronomy, Moses reflects on Israel’s deliverance, often highlighting how “the arm of the L ORD ” saved them (Deuteronomy 4:34; 5:15; 7:19; 9:19; 11:2; 26:8).
Across the Old Testament, this imagery remains consistent, with the “arm of the LORD” representing God’s power to judge His enemies and save His people, most commonly referring to His “outstretched arm”.
Isaiah, too, employs the image of God’s “arm” to describe His power to judge and save, but he introduces a nuanced understanding, as seen in the context of Isaiah 52:10. A few verses earlier, in Isaiah 51:5, God comforts His people with this promise of salvation: “My righteousness draws near, My salvation has gone out, and My arms will judge the peoples; the coastlands hope for Me, and for My arm they wait.”
God declares that His arms will “bring justice”, and the people will place their hope in His arm. This promise raises the expectation that God will act once again on behalf of His people, delivering them powerfully as He did in the past. The arm of the LORD will be revealed to bring both judgment and salvation. However, this promised salvation reaches beyond the immediate liberation from captivity and points to God’s ultimate act of redemption, an act that will extend His justice and salvation to all creation. The text continues with this broader perspective in mind: “Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and they who dwell in it will die in like manner; but My salvation will be forever, and My righteousness will never be dismayed” (Isaiah 51:6).
After God raises His people’s hope, they respond with a plea: “Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in days of old, the generations of long ago” (Isaiah 51:9). The people poetically address the “arm of the LORD,” asking it to awaken and act as it had in the past to bring salvation, recalling God’s mighty deeds of old. Their cry reflects a longing for divine intervention, but also reveals a misunderstanding. The arm of the LORD, God’s saving power, was not dormant or in need of awakening; it was not inactive but instead veiled, waiting for the appointed time to be revealed.
This sets the stage for Isaiah 52:10, where God’s response is not to “awaken” His arm but to bare it: “The LORD has bared His holy arm before the eyes of all the nations, and
The arm of the L ORD , God’s saving power, was not dormant or in need of awakening; it was not inactive but instead veiled, waiting for the appointed time to be revealed.
all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.”
God’s plan of salvation was already prepared; and now His power was ready to be unveiled. The baring of His “holy arm” signals not a sudden awakening but the deliberate and decisive revelation of His salvation before the eyes of all the nations. However, what God lays bare is not His “outstretched arm,” as the people likely expected based on earlier depictions of God’s power. Instead, God bares His “holy arm.” This expression is striking, as it appears only one other time in the Bible—in Psalm 98. That Psalm becomes crucial to understanding the theology of Isaiah 52:7–10.
Both Psalm 98 and Isaiah 52:710 expand the scope of salvation beyond Israel to the “ends of the earth” and “all the nations.” In the Psalm, God’s salvation is made known “in the sight of the nations,” and the earth is called to “make a joyful noise” in response. Similarly, Isaiah speaks of God revealing His holy arm before the nations, so that “all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God,” prompting His people to “break forth into singing.” Both passages call for a universal response of joy and celebration, reminding us of God’s ultimate act of salvation.
What does this have to do with Christmas? The answer lies in the overwhelming theology of human expectation and God’s response in bringing salvation to all nations. In the past, while God’s “outstretched arm” always manifested both judgment and salvation, the emphasis often lay on His power to destroy His enemies. There was deliverance for the people, but the context was
usually a showdown between God and the nations. In Isaiah 52:7–10 (and Psalm 98), the image of the “holy arm” transcends past events and reveals something far greater in the history of salvation. Yes, there will be judgment and salvation like before, but the image of God baring His “holy arm” points to a divine act of unlimited scope and eternal significance: this act of salvation will be for all people, and for all time. Now, all people and all creation are invited to sing with joy. This act of salvation is not merely God “bringing the people out” as in past exiles. This time, “Your God reigns” (Isaiah 52:7) not from a distance. The people “with their own eyes will see the return of the LORD to Zion” (Isaiah 52:8).
This Christmas, as we reflect on the baby in the manger, we remember that Jesus is far more than He appears. He is God’s “holy arm,” the ultimate manifestation of His power, who came to end the war against sin and the devil, and to bring salvation to the ends of the earth. Though we may not live in captivity like ancient Israel, we know the slavery of sin, feeling distant from God, and the fear of being forgotten in our struggles. Isaiah’s message calls us to wake up to a new reality: the King Jesus has come. So, let us give thanks and rejoice in the peace, hope, and salvation He brings to all creation.
Rev. Dr. Alex Vieira is Professor of Exegetical Theology at Concordia Lutheran Seminary in Edmonton.
The image of God baring His “holy arm” points to a divine act of unlimited scope and eternal significance: this act of salvation will be for all people, and for all time.
Be of
Good Cheer
by Steven Schave
When you think of the ministry that Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots (LAMP) does, you probably first envision the smiling faces of children at Vacation Bible School. You might think of snacks, crafts, giggling, and fun as well as teams traveling from across North America to spread joy and happiness during the beautiful summertime of northern Canada. And that is how it should be: that image truly exemplifies our mission to spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth.
However, spending time in the North in the dead of winter is also significant. Being in the height of coldness and darkness helps a person to fully understand, even if only for a glimpse, the experience of living in remote and isolated communities.
Winter trips can definitely start with the challenge of weather delays. Even when it is unseasonably warm, there can be fog or haze, and severe winter storms can strike unexpectedly. I experienced this firsthand earlier this year during a spiritual retreat that I was invited to participate in. I was asked to give words of encouragement and instruction, but given the weather and flight delays, it took me three days to travel there!
When I did arrive, the event had to be postponed for a day. Unfortunately, a 14-year-old girl had committed
suicide. They held her funeral that week, which rightly put a pause on everything else—especially since this was the second teen suicide in less than a month, in a village with a population of less than 500. The whole community was in mourning as I arrived.
My role changed from being just a guest speaker to also offering spiritual support. For example, there was a time of prayer for the community one evening. I was asked to pray for the chief of the community who was in attendance. He was deeply moved. In my prayer for him, I prayed for all who were grieving from the tragedy that had struck our First Nations friends, and I prayed for God to protect all the little ones on the reserve.
Afterward, I also prayed for the mother of the daughter who had taken her own life. The mother was visibly shaking as I gave words of comfort. At a hymn sing later on, there was a little girl, not more than six, going around sharing her Reese’s Pieces with everyone. And when she stopped next to me, she wanted to draw me a picture.
In her drawing was a girl in a box, and above the box, there was an angel. Next to the box was a heart that was broken in two. It was a drawing of the little girl’s sister, who had committed suicide and was now in heaven. The little girl even drew a cross beside her sister as an expression of her faith.
Regrettably, this is part of the story for everyone who lives in this community. And story is so important to all the people who live in the North. At one point during the hymn sing, the attendees stopped for a moment and had the translator help them tell me their individual stories.
One by one, I listened to the story of trauma and tragedy. I heard of families separated by residential schools, house fires that took the lives of loved ones, those who had frozen from falling in the ice, fatal hunting accidents, and addictions and diseases that resulted in the death of young adults in their families. It was difficult to hear all of these stories, but it truly helped me to appreciate all the more the importance of LAMP’s ministry in places just like this.
As much as I tried to sit and listen, and then minister to others, it was I who had been ministered to even more. After hearing of all that tragedy and trauma, trials and tribulations, what stood out the most was the strength of their faith. An elder told me how she responds to the younger members of her family during events that would test anyone’s faith. She tells them to not be angry at God and not to blame God for the results of a fallen world.
Instead, she spoke of how she lives her life guided by the words of Christ when He says, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you might have peace.
In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Even in the worst of daily tribulations, each day she lives in good cheer. Because on the cross, Christ overcame the world–overcame sin, death, and the devil. She taught me that we can always have cheer, because of the empty tomb and a risen Saviour.
Winter trips can be challenging to be sure, but they can also be so very rewarding. They allow us to truly share in the experiences of life, suffering, faith, and healing. For me, it serves as a reminder of just how significant our work is when we go in the summer to be with the children. Serving in the summer enables us to witness the joy and happiness, the fun and laughter, but it is also important to understand why our presence is so crucial. People are in need and are begging us to come, to visit, and to teach the Good News. Regardless of the time of the year, what a boost it is for our faith to witness the faith of those who live with so many afflictions and yet live a life of good cheer!
Rev. Dr. Steven Schave is Executive Director of Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots (LAMP).
Photo: Kavita, Adobe Stock.
British Lutherans hold Annual Synod, elect next chairman
UNITED KINGDOM – The Evangelical Lutheran Church of England (ELCE) held its 70th Annual Synod in London from November 1-2 under the theme “Always Courageous,” based on 2 Corinthians 5:6-7. Delegates and visitors from ELCE congregations and missions in England, Wales, and Scotland met together for fellowship and encouragement; to mark 70 years since the British church became autonomous; and for synodical business, including the election of the church’s next Chairman.
The ELCE is the oldest British Lutheran church body in the United Kingdom, having begun in 1896 and become autonomous 70 years ago in 1954. The ELCE marked this year’s anniversary with a range of photos and film clips which played on loop during breaks at the Synod. An evening event, “Celebration 70,” was also held which consisted of short contributions from congregations of reverie and memory,
words and song, describing the ELCE’s history since 1954. It was a warm and nostalgic time recalling family and friends, energy and effort, master plans and God’s plan, emceed by ELCE Chairman George Samiec.
The Pastors’ Choir sang “Thy Strong Word,” with everyone joining in for the final three verses—a symbolic reminder of those who have served the ELCE, and how the ELCE and its theological college, Westfield House, are linked together. [Martin Franzmann, who wrote “Thy Strong Word” (LSB 578) was a Tutor at Westfield House.] The highlight, however, was Rev. Didzis Stilve’s reworking of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” for the occasion, sung by Rev. Stilve and accompanied by Rev. Tapani Simojoki on piano, with the congregation singing the chorus.
At Synod, the ELCE established a Church Endowment Fund with the goal of supporting specific ELCE projects, endowing a Chair of Theology at Westfield House, supporting the ELCE administration, and providing support for the training of church workers.
The ELCE also elected its next Chairman. Rev. George Samiec declined to stand for another term as Chairman, and the church elected Rev. Tapani Simojoki to serve as his successor. The ELCE practises a year’s overlap between outgoing
and incoming Chairmen, to help the Chairman-Elect become acquainted with the role and work. Chairman Samiec’s service, then, will end at the conclusion of the ELCE’s 71 st Annual Synod in November 2025, at which time Chairman-Elect Simojoki’s will commence.
Rev. Samiec was first elected ELCE Chairman in 2019, after previously serving as Vice Chairman since 2010. He also served on the executive of the European Lutheran Conference from 2004-2018, and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the International Lutheran Council. Rev. Simojoki has served as pastor of Our Saviour Lutheran Church in Hampshire since 2010. In addition to serving the ELCE on commissions and committees, Rev. Simojoki is editor of the church’s synodical magazine, The British Lutheran , and host of “Sunday Cantata,” a programme on Lutheran Radio UK.
At the closing service, Chairman Samiec reminded participants that Jesus builds His Church, that Jesus provides the means, and that all aspects of ministry and congregational life, when good and healthy, keep the focus on Jesus. We live the 21st century version of the Great Commission, he said. The harvest is plentiful, the workers are few, but God always gives us courage to go forward with the Gospel in word and deed. “So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:6-7).
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of England is a member church of the International Lutheran Council (ILC), a global association of confessional Lutheran church bodies and groups which proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ on the basis of an unconditional commitment to Holy Scripture and to the Lutheran Confessions. ILC News
ELCE Chairman-Elect Tapani Simojoki and ELCE Chairman George Samiec.
Australian Lutherans vote to allow ordination of women
AUSTRALIA – The Lutheran Church of Australia/New Zealand (LCANZ) has voted to allow women’s ordination, affecting its relationship with confessional Lutherans worldwide.
The decision came during the LCANZ’s Convention of General Synod which met in Adelaide from October 4-7. On October 5, the church voted to accept a proposal altering the LCA’s Theses of Agreement, removing the paragraph which restricted women from serving in pastoral ministry on the basis of the teaching of Scripture. It comes after decades of internal debate and disagreement over the issue. Five previous attempts since 2000 to introduce women’s ordination in the LCA had failed.
The decision to allow women’s ordination will affect LCANZ’s relationship with Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC). In 1994, the Canadian and Australian churches signed a confessional agreement which allowed for fellowship, the shared recognition of each other’s ministry, and other areas of cooperation. The LCA’s decision to approve women’s ordination has undermined the doctrinal unity which serves as the basis of that agreement.
LCC President Timothy Teuscher was present for the LCANZ’s Convention of General Synod, and addressed the assembly a day after the vote. “While your decision yesterday to implement women’s ordination might bring an end to the constant discussion and debate here among you,” he said, “such is likely to lead to some internal ruptures and a new set of tensions that will not be easily healed.”
“‘Do not two walk together unless they are agreed?’” President Teuscher continued, quoting Amos. “Since LCC and the LCA are no longer in agreement on this matter
pertaining to the office of the Holy Ministry, we in Lutheran Church–Canada will have no other option than to recognize that your action yesterday has severed the bond of fellowship between us. At the same time, we will do all in our power to support the faithful remnant here in the Lutheran Church of Australia.”
In Lutheran Church–Canada, formal recognition of dissolution of fellowship must take place during a synodical convention, the next of which is scheduled for 2026.
The LCA’s status in the International Lutheran Council (ILC) has also been affected as a result of its recent vote, with the LCA being reduced to Observer Member status from its former Associate Member status. Full and Associate membership in the ILC is restricted to churches which maintain the doctrinal positions of the ILC as spelled out in the council’s bylaws; a departure from these positions results in an automatic reduction to observer member status.
“We grieve the decision of the LCANZ to depart from the clear teaching of Scripture on ordination and the historic practice of the Church,” said Rev. Dr. Klaus Detlev Schulz, General Secretary of the ILC. “We pray for those who have faithfully resisted this change in doctrine for so many years. And we encourage those who have rejected the historic practice of ordination to return to the teaching of Scripture.”
Many Australian Lutherans have opposed the move by their church body to adopt women’s ordination. That resistance recently led to the formation of the church organization Lutheran Mission – Australia (LM-A), which was accepted into membership in the ILC as a Recognized Organization in September. LM-A seeks to “ensure Confessional Lutheranism has a home in Australia for generations to come.” It arose out of a confessional movement within the LCANZ which was concerned that the church was declining from historic Lutheran teaching and practice—visibly on the issue over women’s ordination but even more fundamentally on the nature of the authority of Scripture. The LM-A is led by President Matthew Anker, who formerly served as the LCANZ’s Assistant to the Bishop for International Mission. LCC President Teuscher held introductory meetings with LM-A while he was in Australia.
The LCANZ’s resolution authorizing women’s ordination calls on the church to finalize a doctrinal statement on ordination for 2025, to be approved during online meetings of the General Pastors’ Conference and Convention of General Synod. With files from ILC News
LCC President Timothy Teuscher addresses the Australian convention.
LCC chaplain receives doctorate
CANADA – Maj. Rev. Dr. Vic Morris, a Lutheran Church–Canada chaplain serving with the Canadian Armed Forces, has successfully defended his doctoral thesis and is graduating with a doctorate from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri.
Maj. Morris serves as Senior Chaplain at the 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group Headquarters. His thesis for the Doctor of Ministry program was entitled “Preparing Spiritually Resilient Warriors in the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM).”
“The Canadian Armed Forces has outcomes and expectations for warriors to be spiritually resilient but does not have a training program that has been researched, tested, and validated to achieve this,” Maj. Morris explains. “This study investigates how chaplains can prepare spiritually resilient warriors in CANSOFCOM.
A chaplain-led spiritual resilience course was created and delivered to CANSOFCOM members.”
“The course was aligned with the holistic wellness strategy of the command, and designed as an inductive,
experiential learning experience,” Maj. Morris continues. “An active research model was employed, with focus group participants helping to shape the content and delivery. A mixed mode research methodology was used to measure the effectiveness of the training; quantitative surveys were conducted after each learning module, and qualitative interviews were conducted with each participant following the course. The analysis has shown an increase in understanding and a strengthening of spiritual resilience. I conclude that a chaplain led spiritual resilience course is an effective way to increase the spiritual resilience of warriors in CANSOFCOM.”
Maj. Morris was commissioned as a full-time chaplain with the Regular Force in 2012, after previously serving eight years as a chaplain with the Reserve Force.
info@concordiasem.ab.ca
1-780-474-1468
New shoes for school
DRUMHELLER, Alta. – For ten years, Grace Lutheran Church has been involved in helping kids go back to school. A decade ago they tried a new idea called “new shoes for school” where the church offered a new pair of running shoes to any child in the town of 8,000, as well as in the surrounding area, whose parents were struggling with the cost of back to school supplies. They began the program with a lot of trepidation and a little bit of faith. They wondered if they could meet the needs of the community. What if they had overwhelming requests and had to turn kids away? How could they determine if these families were really in need? Would there be enough funds?
Like so many issues with our faith, God multiples, supplies, provides, and ensures that His grace is sufficient. The first year, the church provided about 25 pairs of shoes and had wonderful feedback from families who were grateful for the assistance. The church saw how the program gave them opportunities to connect with some of the most vulnerable families in their community and pray for these people. And they still ended the program that first year with a surplus of money.
WEST REGION NEWS
The congregation is now providing about 60 pairs of shoes to their community each year, and has expanded their contact with families by encouraging children to attend monthly spaghetti suppers for kids at the church, as well as Vacation Bible School and Sunday School. Church members praise God that every year they have been able to raise more than enough funds to cover the costs and have not had to turn a single child away.
The church thinks of the miracle of the fish and the loaves and how Jesus generously poured out His blessings to ensure that there was enough to fill the need. That is what He has done with their small offerings.
One mother whose children received shoes this year sent a touching thank you, saying that she had been extremely stressed about being able to afford all
New Assistant Pastor in Red
Red Deer, Alta. – On August 4, 2024, the congregation of Mount Calvary Lutheran Church received an answer to prayer and gladly welcomed Rev. Scott Brayall as the new Assistant Pastor. The church is delighted to welcome Rev. Brayall, his wife Becky, and their son Herschel into the congregation, and looks forward to the many blessings the Saviour will pour down upon the congregation through the Word preached and Sacraments administered through Rev. Brayall.
The congregation gives thanks that West Regional Pastor Robert
Deer
Mohns (liturgist), Rev. Sye Van Maanen (preacher), Rev. Brian Amison, Rev. Robert Clifford, Rev. Don Hennig, Rev. Russ Howard, Rev. Al Lewis, Rev. Eric Moffett, Rev. Don Schiemann, and Rev. Mark Schultz all attended this joyous occasion.
The congregation’s many musicians and singers also contributed to the service, including Rev. Clifford, who offered to God the beauty of the trumpet.
The service was followed by lunch in the Fellowship Hall.
Rev. Don Hennig
the supplies needed for back to school for her two children but the church had given her renewed hope along with “new shoes for school.”
Lynn Hemming
The West Region of Lutheran Church–Canada is composed of 115 congregations, with roughly 30 (about 25 percent) vacant. About half of those are in the process of calling a pastor; the other half are, for various reasons, not calling.
In an average year, about 3 to 5 workers retire, and every year the number of emeritus/retired workers called to glory increases. These are daunting statistics. They can overshadow any good thing that the Lord of the Church is doing among His people.
In his All Saints’ Day sermon this year, my pastor reminded me of the importance of the many genealogies recorded in Scripture. These genealogies proclaim that the Lord is at work in every generation to fulfill His promise to save lost and condemned people from every tribe and nation and peoples. The genealogies all point to the promised fulfillment when God sent His Son in human flesh, born of the virgin Mary, to be our Saviour.
You too are a part of that genealogy of Jesus. In Holy Baptism, you have been made children of God. You see how deep your family tree goes! In the last book of the Bible, John writes about that day when what we believe by faith in the Word of God will be made visible. That gives us hope and courage to meet the days ahead.
The last quarter of the church year is filled with feast days, observances of the saints, and other festivals. These are all opportunities for God’s people to remember His continuing, ongoing
SO GREAT A CLOUD OF WITNESSES
from the regional pastor | rev. robert mohns
fulfillment to save lost and condemned sinners. All of this leads up to the last Sunday of the Church year, the Sunday of the fulfillment—the awesome and great day of the resurrection of all flesh, the day when the perfect fulfiller of God’s promise, Jesus, shall appear with His holy angels, and the graves will be opened and all the redeemed, the whole genealogy of God’s people, will be raised in their flesh to everlasting life before the face of our victorious Saviour, the King of kings and Lord of lords. What a day that will be!
Every day until that Final Day, the Lord is at work adding more and more saints—folks just like you—to His family tree. Yes, despite the daunting context we face—struggles are not new to the Lord nor His Church. The Lord Himself speaks to His Church concerning these last days, with words of warning and encouragement and promise. The defeated enemies of our God continually rail against the saints but they cannot harm us. Their demise will be revealed on that last and terrible day of judgement. We are surrounded by the evidence as more and more of the saints finish their race and join that great cloud of witnesses.
In this season of remembrance, I am particularly mindful of the faithful pastors God has called to preach His Word of promised redemption through the crucified and risen Christ and administer His life-giving Sacraments even unto death. I am mindful that many of our pastors and workers have taken on more souls to care for in communities beyond their own congregation. Some
have added additional congregations to their parish work. I am mindful of the many emeritus pastors and workers, veterans of the cross, who, as God enables, continue to support their congregations and pastors, and who continue to provide for the needs of our vacant congregations so that no congregation goes without. Indeed, the workers are worthy of double honour.
I am mindful of our faithful fathers of the faith, who bore witness to Christ and preached God’s Word to us; who poured over us in Holy Baptism God’s gift of Word combined with water, by which we became children of God; who counselled us, warned us, pleaded with us, encouraged us, prayed for and with us; who heard our confession and absolved us; who fed us the bread of life; and who now have been called to the Lord’s nearer presence. We do not worship them, but we remember them as servants of the Word, redeemed in the blood of Christ, and given to the Church to serve His people.
In this past year we remember the following workers: Lester Carlson; W. James Anderson; Margaret Towriss; Leander Arndt; Alan Visser; Alvin Oberhammer; Bokman Hwang; Roger Humann; and Bob Willie. This is by no means a complete list, but let it spur us on in remembrance of the mercy God has shown to our own generation.
We give thanks to God our Father through Jesus Christ, our Lord, for our workers who faithfully shepherded Your flock here on earth. Grant that we, too, may be faithful until death and receive the crown of life. Amen.
ALBERTA AND BRITISH COLUMBIA • MICHELLE HEUMANN, EDITOR
Annual block party in Dickson
DICKSON, Alta. – King of Kings Lutheran Church in Dickson had a great turnout for its annual community block party on August 24.
Many people were able to hear God’s Word and get information on the services that the church provides to the community year-round. It is particularly rewarding to see folks who are returning every year for the event and familiar faces from the Vacation Bible School held in July. It is heartwarming and a blessing to be able to share God’s Word with not only people in the community but others as well.
The church’s Education and Evangelism committee looks forward to putting on the block party every year. There is tremendous community support for this event in the way of corporate sponsorship, grants, and donations of equipment and materials. The church would also like to thank the many volunteers who work to make this event such a success every year.
Lona Fawcett
DPS intern installed in Dickson
DICKSON, Alta. - On August 18, 2024, Rev. Russ Howard had the honour of installing Samantha Neeb as a Director of Parish Services student intern at King of Kings Lutheran Church in Dickson.
Neeb began her service on August 19, although she has been involved with the church for longer. The congregation assisted her in going on a mission trip to Nicaragua this past winter. Neeb also paid an overnight visit to the congregation on March 16. She also helped with Vacation Bible School during the week of July 15-19.
Neeb’s ministry since August 19 has consisted of a number of things. She leads most of the children’s messages and helps with Sunday School and confirmation. As of this writing, Neeb has also led one event called Junior Youth, for kids in grades 4-6, with 20 in attendance. She has gone on two visits with the pastor, and has prepared to assist with another youth Bible study and the midweek Bible study. Neeb has also done preliminary work on some youth retreats, and has helped to promote the ministry of the Lutheran Women's Missionary League-Canada in the congregation.
The congregation thanks God for Neeb’s ministry at King of Kings!
Rev. Russ Howard
WEST REGION NEWS
Rev. Wayne Lunderby retires
CHILLIWACK, B.C. – Rev. Wayne Lunderby has retired as pastor of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church after serving the congregation for 27 years.
Rev. Lunderby graduated from Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in May 1981, and did his vicarage at Lutheran Church of the Triune God, in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota. He was ordained on June 21, 1981, at his home congregation of Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in Littleton (now Centennial), Colorado, by his home pastor, the now sainted Rev. Henry Fingerlin.
His first parish was Unity Lutheran Church in Virden, Manitoba from 19811984. He next served the three-point parish of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (Hudson Bay, Saskatchewan);
Shepherd of the Prairie Lutheran Mission (Prairie River, Saskatchewan); and Zion Lutheran Church (Mistatim, Saskatchewan) from 1984-1990. Then he served at Emmanuel Lutheran Church (Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan) from 1990-1997, and finally at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Chilliwack and Holy Cross Preaching Station in Hope, British Columbia from 1997-2024.
Rev. Lunderby has served the broader church as Chairman of the Manitoba and Saskatchewan Department of Social Ministry; Chairman of the Manitoba and Saskatchewan Youth Department; and as Circuit Counsellor for the Humboldt, Cyprus Hills, and Greater Vancouver Circuits during the course of his career. He was also pastoral advisor for the
Humbolt Circuit LWML-C.
In recent years he served on Lutheran Church–Canada’s Board for Missions and Social Ministry Services; as Secretary for the Alberta-British Columbia (ABC) District Board of Directors; and as Chairman of the ABC District’s Department of Outreach. His service to the broader community also included time on the Board of Directors for Camp Luther at Mission, B.C.
Even in retirement, Rev. Lunderby continues to serve as the Greater Vancouver Circuit Counsellor and on the West Region’s Regional Mission and Ministry Council, as well as on the board of the BC Mission Boat.
The congregation of St. Paul’s hosted a retirement lunch following Rev. Lunderby’s final service and offered praise to God for the blessing of such a faithful pastor. This was also an opportunity to thank Rev. Lunderby and his wife Cindy, who both showered the congregation with love and service for over a quarter century.
Barb Schmidt
CENTRAL REGION NEWS
Pastors’ wives hold retreat
QU’APPELLE VALLEY, Sask. –
From Sept 13-15, ten pastors’ wives gathered at Camp Lutherland, in the beautiful Qu’Appelle Valley about an hour northeast of Regina, for their second in-person retreat. There’s nothing like getting away from regular routines and gathering faceto-face in a retreat setting to refresh the soul! The group laughed together, cried together, and supported and encouraged each other. They sang, prayed, worshipped, studied God’s Word, and sat by the campfire.
The theme was “Count It All Joy,” using two LWML studies: “God’s Joy is Our Joy” by Rev. Jim Keller, and “The Peace That Passes Understanding” by Christine Pollex. Rev. Ken and Bernice Keller, who are the Support Couple for the pastors’ wives in the Central Region, were in attendance, and Rev. Keller served as chaplain for the weekend.
The group is grateful for the support of the Central Region’s Regional Mission and Ministry Council (RMMC), Lutheran Women’s Missionary League –Canada (LWML-C), and Lutheran
Back row, left to right: Deanna Hautz (Regina, SK), Diane Vint (Middle Lake), Silvana Brum (Regina), and Regan Schultz (Moose Jaw, SK). Front row, left to right: Joyce Magnus (Humboldt, SK), Tarja Kleemola (Estevan, SK), Annette Borchardt (Winnipeg, MB), Kristin Schneider (Inglis/Grandview, MB), and Bernice Keller (Bruno, SK). Not pictured: Rebecca Kramer (Oxbow/Frobisher, SK) and Rev. Ken Keller (Bruno, SK).
Church of the Good Shepherd in Winnipeg for financially supporting this event. The funds kept the registration cost low, and enabled
Vacation Bible School in Oxbow
OXBOW, Sask. – St. Peter Lutheran Church held their annual Vacation Bible School (VBS) from August 1923, with the theme “SCUBA - Diving into Friendship with God.”
Approximately 40 children attended throughout the week, and ten youth served as group leaders. A fun night for the youth was held on August 21, and the week ended with a hotdog lunch for the children and their families on Friday. The VBS was free of charge, but a freewill offering was collected. This year, $565 was raised and donated to Lutheran Bible Translators of Canada.
Sharon Frith
the pastors’ wives to attend what is becoming an annual event.
The Central Region Pastors’ Wives Leadership Team
CENTRAL REGION NEWS
“The times they are a-changin’.” Over the last 20 years, most every pastor has had people come with complaints of strange phenomena occurring in their home, especially at night. It seems since the advent of Rationalism and the scientific method, we all forgot that Satan and his minions are out there. However, in the last 50+ years, as Western society has broadly turned away from the Lord and His Church, the days are such that the Word of God and the name of God (through Holy Baptism) are no longer in the ears and hearts of people. This affords the evil one the opportunity for mischief, mayhem, and misery.
When people have come to me with such concerns, I often introduce them—after exploring whether there are not obvious physical causes of these issues—to the morning and evening prayer in Luther’s Small Catechism. For lesser affliction, invoking God’s name, confessing the Creed, and praying the Lord’s Prayer is often enough to drive demons away. This helpful daily practice (along with Luther’s Morning and Evening prayers) tends to give people increased peace and rest.
However, the next step in such situations, and also a regular tool in normal pastoral care, is the House Blessing. This was always a fairly normal part of pastoral practice, especially in the past, but it is becoming common again!
Scripture tells us that everything created by God is good, especially when sanctified by the Word of God and prayer (1 Timothy 4:4-5). Just as
BLESSING A HOME
from the regional pastor | rev. DAVID HABERSTOCK
our physical bodies and physical places can be tainted by sin and evil, so our bodies, homes, and churches can be set apart and sanctified by the Word of God and prayer. That is the basic outline of a house blessing. The name of God is invoked in blessing upon a home and all who dwell there. Then, going room by room, Scripture is read in the hearing of those dwelling there, and prayers are offered for the consecration of the home to the Lord.
Historically, this often happened during the season of Epiphany (after Christmas) in remembrance of the wisemen visiting the home of the infant Lord Jesus. A priority was placed on home blessings during this season and was part of the pastoral rounds in a parish during that time of year. As such, a practice of “chalking” the door began. “Chalking” was a simple way of marking that that home had been annually blessed.
“Chalking” refers to taking a piece of chalk and marking the door or door frame with 20+C+M+B+24. The first numbers are for the number of centuries since Christ our Lord came to earth in our flesh as a baby. The last numbers are for the actual year within the century. The CMB (interspersed with crosses) stand for the Latin words Christus Mansionem Benidicat (“May Christ bless this house”). The numbers indicate that this is done at least annually!
It makes sense, of course, that our homes be blessed regularly—just like we repent of and receive forgiveness of sins corporately every Sunday, and receive the Body and Blood of Jesus weekly. Why not also bless the places
where we sleep through the dark hours of the night?
People’s mileage can vary, but such house blessings often remove chronic temptations from your life. Or as one prayer in the rite says: “Drive far from here the snares of the evil one and send Your holy angel to guard, protect, visit, and defend all who dwell in this home.” Other Christians find that more common afflictions—where they feel ill, or discouraged from attending Divine Service on Sunday morning— are lessened or removed.
And if these afflictions return, it is always valuable to ask your pastor to bless your house again. As Scripture says, “Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). Blessing your home—setting it aside to the Lord and His purposes in your family—is a fine way of submitting to the Lord and resisting Satan.
There are, of course, other steps (including increasing your devotional life so that your home is filled with the Word of God and prayer, which drives away the evil one—see Luke 11:24-26) that can be taken if spiritual oppression persists. But blessing a home is a normal part of the pastoral care that Christ’s ministers are to provide to Christ’s sheep. The practice of blessing a home with God’s Word and prayer is one that creates great peace and assurance for us Christians.
NOTE: The Rite for Blessing of a Home and its rubrics (which include the important use mentioned in this article, among others) begin on page 313 in the LSB Agenda.
Longtime servant in Saskatoon honoured
SASKATOON, Sask. – St. Paul’s Lutheran Church recognized longtime member Art Timm for his many years of faithful and dedicated service to Christ and His Church.
Art became a member of St. Paul’s in 1955 and soon began teaching Sunday School and became Superintendent. Art recalls that his first Sunday School class was held in the furnace room in the church basement. When the congregation moved to its current building in 1961, he was thankful to have an actual classroom to teach in without the distraction of a furnace interrupting his lessons.
Over the years, Art has been active in many areas of congregational life, including serving as President, being a long-standing member of the church choir, and serving for decades on the Board of Elders/Lay Ministry as a member, chair, and co-chair until his recent “retirement.”
large, including supporting the work of the Malabar Mission Society, Lutheran Laymen’s League, and on Lutheran Church–Canada’s former Central District Board of Directors.
Church workers’ conference on prayer
KENORA, Ont. – The Manitoba/ Northwestern Ontario church workers’ conference took place October 7-9 at Luther Village under the theme of “Prayer.”
Thirteen church workers gathered to pray and study prayer together, charting the use and form of prayer from the Psalms and Collects, through our Lord’s Prayer, the development of Lectio Divina, and into postReformation prayer forms with Johann Gerhard and Johann Starck. The group marvelled at how the basic form and teachings of Luther’s Small Catechism were threaded throughout the entire history and practice of prayer, and how the Lord helped the faithful grow in faith through meditation and prayer in these central seeds.
Participants left the conference refreshed and attuned to the great
heritage of faithful, daily prayer which the Church has inherited, and honoured to stand together
with all the saints of past, present, and future.
Art has also served the church at
A celebration lunch was held for Art and he was presented with a certificate of appreciation.
Rev. Murray Keith
Rev. Cam Schnarr
CENTRAL REGION
Circuit-wide worship service
REGINA – On September 29, Mount Olive Lutheran Church hosted the Wascana Circuit’s Feast of Saint Michael and All Angels. Before the Divine Service, pastors and members from local congregations enjoyed a catered dinner and a presentation on missions from Lutheran Church–Canada’s new Director of Domestic Missions, Rev. Jacob Quast, who was also the guest preacher for the evening. The Circuit was also pleased to have the Central Region Regional Pastor, Rev. David Haberstock, in attendance following the Regional Mission and Ministry Council (RMMC) meetings that weekend. Rev. Ted Giese
Above: Attendees of the Wascana Circuit's Feast of St. Michael and All Angels service.
Left (left to right): Rev. David Haberstock, Rev. Paulo Brum (New Beginnings Lutheran Church), Wascana Circuit Counselor Rev. Arron Gust (Grace Lutheran Church), Rev. Jim ChimirriRussell (youcanbarelyseehisnosebut he’sthere! ) and Dcn. Amanda Hastings (Good Shepherd Lutheran Church), Rev. Nigel Prozenko (Prince of Peace Lutheran Church), and Rev. Ted Giese (Mount Olive Lutheran Church).
Photos by Rev. Jacob Quast.
Vacation Bible School at First Lutheran in Logan
LOGAN, Ont. – First Lutheran Church held a Vacation Bible School from July 2-5. This year’s theme was “Tell It on the Mountain,” with an enrollment of 24 children.
There were mega-sized Jenga blocks that the children had fun building up and tearing down, a wiener roast, and a bouncy castle that the children thoroughly enjoyed.
Singing, crafts, and Bible stories kept all the children entertained and eager to come back each day.
Organizers thank all who helped with the event. Vacation Bible School would not be possible without the help of many volunteers to keep things running smoothly!
Darlene Nater, Sunday School Superintendent/VBS Coordinator
Anniversary at Christ Our Hope Lutheran Church
COLLINGWOOD, Ont. – On September 15, 2024, members past and present, along with friends and family, joined together to celebrate Christ Our Hope Lutheran Church’s many blessings during a special anniversary event.
Those blessings span 35 years of ministry in Collingwood, Ontario, and 25 years in the current church building.
East Regional Pastor Marvin Bublitz preached on “Anniversary Perspectives” at the 3:00 p.m. service, which was led by the congregation’s fourth called pastor, Rev. Ken Maher. After the service, memories were recalled, pictures perused, and a meal was shared by all.
Ruth Klages
It’s that time of year when many homes are filled with the aromas of the season. I remember being a child when both our house and Grandma Schmidt’s house were filled with the wonderful aroma of baking. Mom would usually include us kids in the process. Sometimes she would follow a recipe and have us measure out the ingredients exactly. Sometimes she would let us choose what to put into the cookies—but we quickly learned that adding all of our favourite ingredients into the same cookie did not make for a good outcome. Still, the idea of being the one in charge and telling Mom what you wanted in a cookie was enticing to a mischievous young boy.
When you use a cookie cutter, there is always some dough left unused around the edges. Oh, sure, you can gather the scraps and make another cookie. Still, there’s always some left out—the dough that does not fit your desired mould.
For some people, Christmas is nothing special. For others, it is just about family, gifts, and decorations. For the people of God, though, it is all about the Word made flesh—about a loving God who saved His creation. Sadly, some see only the Babe in the manger, forgetting the shadow of the cross.
Just as different people look at Christmas differently, some look at God differently. Shortly after my ordination, I received a phone call from a woman who asked if we could talk about God from a Lutheran perspective. I was overjoyed. I had heard of such a
DO YOU HAVE A “COOKIE GOD”?
from the regional pastor | rev. marvin bublitz
thing happening, but never imagined experiencing it. So I worked through the catechism and Scripture passages on God. She listened intently and asked follow-up questions.
For a while she seemed genuinely interested. Then her tone took a sudden change as she proceeded to tell me how wrong I was. She explained that, in her search for God, she had explored all sorts of different religions and denominations, choosing different attributes from each to develop her own personal understanding of God.
Before I could say anything, she laid out her view of God—and it did indeed draw from many religions and denominations. She even mentioned teachers from various religions, quoting them as authorities. But still, she refused to accept the teachings of any one of them in full. Instead, she mixed together ingredients from different ideas she liked.
I was reminded of 2 Timothy 4:3-4: “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” She was clearly following such leaders.
After trying to discuss this with her to no avail, she said, “Well, that is the god I worship.” I responded: “So, really, you worship yourself. You created a god in your own image. You formed him as you wanted, discarding what didn’t fit your narrative.”
In essence, she had a “cookie god.” She determined the ingredients that fit her chosen mould. It reminds me of the children of Israel at Mount Sinai and the creation of the golden calf. It’s easy to point out the error into which the Israelites and this woman fell, but we should also look at our own hearts. We need to ask ourselves too: do we pick and choose what we are willing to accept about God? Do we choose which parts of His Word we like and leave the rest outside our mould? Do we listen to those teachers who tell us what we want to hear and satisfy our itching ears?
Ever since the Garden, Satan has been hounding the people of God. He whispers his lies, and our Old Adam listens. We listen to the wrong teacher. We hear the father of lies, and doubts rise within us: “Did God really say?”
Like the children of Israel, we get impatient with the Lord. Satan convinces us that God is taking too long in giving us what we want. The father of lies entices us to desire what was in Egypt instead of thanking the Lord for what He has given us now.
It was for these and all our sins that the Babe came. In the manger, we see not merely a cute and cuddly baby, but rather a Saviour and King who willingly allowed His crucifixion for us. Christmas is all about the gift our God gave us. In Christ, we have forgiveness and salvation.
To see the manger without the shadow of the cross is to pick and choose what we want. Thankfully, in Christ, God has given us what we need.
EAST REGION NEWS
Book launch for The Christmas Elephant story book
ST. CATHARINES, Ont. – At Heritage Christian Book Store on October 19, it was like “Christmas in July” in October. People came in wearing short sleeves and sandals to meet author Maria Antonia and hear her read from her first children’s book, The Christmas Elephant: a Nativity Story , published by Paraclete Press.
Antonia has drawn on her experiences as a stage manager, teacher, and sibling to create the story of two sisters: Ellie, who wants to be an elephant in the Christmas pageant and Piper, her exasperated big sister who’s sure “there were no elephants in Bethlehem!”
As the Christmas play is about to begin, Piper shoos Ellie offstage, only to discover Baby Jesus is missing from the manger. Can the little elephant remember where He is? Or will the pageant be ruined?
The unusually warm October air continued to waft in as the author read from page after page, pointing to the love of our Saviour, and what it means to belong in the family of God, even when you may feel like the odd elephant out.
When asked which sister she would be, Antonia replied: “I’m Piper.” But the inspiration for the story actually came from two nieces, one with a fondness for elephant costumes. Antonia went on to explain how pleased she was that she was able to help choose the artist who would illustrate her book (Laura Zarrin), and highlight her favourite illustrations.
Antonia is a member of Grace Lutheran Church in St. Catharines, a member congregation of Lutheran Church–Canada.
The sunshine and record heat took nothing away from the festive mood of this early Christmas event, complete with elephant-shaped sugar cookies and kids’ craft table.
Maria Antonia reads from TheChristmasElephant:aNativityStoryat the launch party.
The only thing that might be harder to imagine than an elephant in Bethlehem on that summer-like day was that Christmas was only two months away!
Sylvia Das
Breakfast Bible Study: Feasting on the Word of God
PETERSBURG, Ont. – More than ten years ago, Rev. Richard Orlowski wanted to start a monthly Saturday morning men’s breakfast and Bible Study. The idea received minimal support until the church ladies suggested he combine it with cooking classes, as he had done several meals for various events.
Rev. Orlowski agreed to do one event each for the ladies and for the men called “Come and Get It.” People would come to be fed physically with a great meal and spiritually with the Word of God. The two sides united so that men and women met together, and it has been a success ever since, drawing up to 15 people from an average Sunday attendance of 30.
Rev. Orlowski supplies the recipe and the ingredients as well as directions, but attendees do the work. Three hours later, the meal is eaten, cleanup is finished, and the study is done too. One day it may mean preparing a casserole and putting it in the oven and having Bible study while it bakes. Another day it may be Bible Study first and then a stove-top meal afterwards. The church only has one stove, so it is nothing fancy, but the pastor tries to plan meals that the attendees may not know about—for example, one recent meal was “Rustic Chicken Mushroom Stew.”
Rev. Richard Orlowski
Two decades of faithful ministry in Thailand
THAILAND – Thailand Concordia Lutheran Church (TCLC) recently celebrated its 20th anniversary with a special conference spread over three locations: from October 8-9 in Bangkok, from October 10-11 in Phang-Gha, and from October 12-13 in Chiangmai.
The celebrations brought together members from various sister churches across Asia, as well as representatives from partner churches and organizations that were instrumental in founding the church body. Thanks to the devoted mission work that started many decades earlier in different parts of the country, TCLC has become a spiritual home for first-generation Christians, many of whom converted to Christianity from Buddhism.
The origins of TCLC are rooted in the mission work of three church bodies: Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) in the northern region of the country; The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) in the central region; and Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) in the south. Prior to LCC’s involvement in Thailand, home churches were established by a devoted Lutheran layman, Dr. Herb Gernand, who moved to the south of Thailand for work and desired to bring confessional Lutheranism to the country. Recognizing the need to train men for the ministry, Dr. Gernand reached out to Lutheran Church–Canada for assistance. A formal relationship with LCC was established in 1989, and soon after Rev. Dr. Leonard Harms, Director of International Missions, developed a curriculum and LCC began training pastors and evangelists in this new mission field.
As LCC was assisting with the mission work in the south, WELS started doing mission work in the northern region, training church
The organizers of TCLC's anniversary conference. Photo: David Friesen.
workers and planting congregations. Although Lutheran Hour Ministries and other organizations were active in the country years earlier, the LCMS itself formally began work in Thailand in 1986, sending missionaries to Bangkok and establishing social-service programs. One of the missionaries sent was the adopted son of Dr. Herb Gernand: Rev. Dr. Pornprom (Ted) NaThalang, who studied at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri.
As a convert from the southern region, Rev. NaThalang was able to build upon the work that his father started in that area, and was instrumental in helping to bring the central and south region churches together in one body. As this was happening, WELS began to wind down their mission activity among the Thai in the north, shifting their focus to the various Hill Tribes near the Laos boarder. This led the established mission congregations in the north to reach out to Rev. NaThaland and begin dialogue with the newly united Lutheran congregations in the central and south regions. In 2004, the mission
congregations in all three regions united to form Thailand Concordia Lutheran Church, electing Rev. Ted NaThalang to serve as their bishop.
“When I look back at my life, I see how the Lord has worked in planting a Confessional Lutheran church in Thailand,” Bishop NaThalang stated at the anniversary celebration. “In my stepfather, God sent a messenger to bring the Gospel to me and my family and then to our neighbours. And then I along with so many other converts were able to bring the same Gospel message to other people across Thailand, establishing congregations along the way.”
The anniversary celebrations featured many similar reflections from pastors, evangelists, former missionaries, and other members of TCLC, as they visited all three regions during the week-long event. Lutheran Church–Canada was represented by two members of Concordia Lutheran Mission Society (a devoted supporter of the mission work in Thailand), Marilyn Witte and Anita
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Thailand, cont.
Dagge, as well as LCC’s Director of Advancement, David Friesen and LCC’s Director of International Missions, Rev. M.L. Smith.
The celebrations highlighted the special relationship between TCLC and LCC. This relationship was solidified in 2011 when the two church bodies signed an Agreement of Relationship. This relationship calls for LCC to continue its participation in assisting TCLC in training church workers and to support them in mission work and church planting. It also calls for TCLC to assist LCC with its outreach to new Canadians from Southeast Asia.
Bishop NaThalang also expressed his appreciation to LCC for supporting the ministry of Rev. Suchat Chujit, a missionary pastor in the south region; for training four deacons in the south of Thailand; and for expanding their mission support to the Hill Tribes in the north of the country. He also gave thanks to God for all the seminary professors and pastors that LCC has sent to Thailand to teach over the years, and prayed that the Lord will continue to bless the work that the two churches do together in the country.
The anniversary celebrations were filled with worship services, fellowship gatherings and outreach activities, giving thanks to God for all the blessings He has lovingly bestowed upon His Church in Thailand. These events not only celebrated the church’s history but also reaffirmed TCLC’s commitment to the mission of Christ: spreading the Gospel, nurturing the faith of its members, and serving their communities with works of mercy.
As TCLC and her partners in the Gospel look forward to the future, their focus will be the same as it was when the mission work started in the country: to be a beacon of faith and love, shining the Light of Christ in a region where Christianity remains a minority religion. We pray that the next 20 years will be as fruitful as the first, as TCLC continues to live out its mission in harmony with God’s will.
LWMLC seeks seminar working group members
CANADA - Each triennium, Lutheran Women’s Missionary League–Canada (LWMLC) provides
a seminar by women for use by the women of the church. The purpose of these seminars is to encourage women as they “grow in God’s Word, share God’s Son and serve God’s people.”
The LWMLC Member Development Committee is currently searching for several women to work together in establishing a theme and creating
the new seminar. This triennium’s seminar will be ready for use in 2026. If you enjoy working with others to create Bible studies, vignettes, related activities and choosing related music, and so on, this may be for you. To learn more or to express your interest in serving, contact Ruth Coe, Vice-President Member Development at vpmemberdevelopment@ lutheranwomen.ca or call 1-905383-0366.
TCLC Bishop Ted NaThalang speaks during the convention. Photo: David Friesen.
New professor for Edmonton seminary
EDMONTON – Rev. Michael Kuhn has accepted the call to serve as Professor of Theology at Concordia Lutheran Seminary (CLS) in Edmonton.
“Please join us in prayers of thanks and in welcoming Rev. Michael Kuhn and his family,” CLS said in an announcement. “We look forward to all the gifts and graces he will bring to the seminary community, and especially to the students in their formation.”
Rev. Michael Kuhn will begin teaching in the 2025-26 Academic Year. Rev. Kuhn has served as a missionary with Lutheran Bible Translators in Canada since January 2012, working on the New Testament translation project with the Nizaa people of Cameroon. Since 2020, he has also served as Lutheran Bible
CLS issues call for new president
EDMONTON – Concordia Lutheran Seminary (CLS) has issued a call to Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Kloha to serve as the seminary’s new president.
Dr. Kloha served as Chief Curatorial Officer with the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C. from 2017 until 2024. He previously spent 18 years as a Professor of Exegetical Theology at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, including four years as Provost.
At time of publication, CLS had not yet announced a response from Dr. Kloha. For the latest information, see CLS’ website at www.concordiasem.ab.ca.
CLS is currently being served by Interim President Joel D. Heck.
Translators’ Program Director for Cameroon.
In announcing his acceptance of his call, Rev. Kuhn expressed his gratefulness to LBTC for the past twelve years of service with them. “Please pray for LBTC… as they make plans for continuing the important work that they are doing in Cameroon and around the world,” he said. “Please also pray for our family as we close this chapter of service and open a new one.”
Prior to service with LBTC, Rev. Kuhn served as a pastor at Foothills Lutheran Church in Calgary, Alberta, from 2004-2011. Rev. Kuhn received a Master of Divinity from CLS in 2004 and a M.A. in Linguistics from the Canada Institute of Linguistics in 2016. He is currently pursuing
doctoral
CLTS marks passings of Founding Professor and Exegetical Professor
ST. CATHARINES,
Ont. – Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary (CLTS) is marking the death of its Founding Professor as well as a second Professor Emeritus.
Rev. Dr Roger J. Humann, founding professor of CLTS, was called by the Lord to his eternal rest on October 13 at the age of 88.
entered into glory on November 24, 2024 at the age of 90.
A full story on Dr. Humann’s service to the church appears in this issue’s “In Memorium” section (see page 38).
Shortly before this issue went to press, CLTS also announced the death of Rev. Dr. John Wilch. Dr. Wilch
Dr. Wilch served as Professor of Exegetical Theology at CLTS from 1980-1999. A full story on Dr. Wilch’s service will appear in a 2025 issue of The Canadian Lutheran
studies through ACTS Seminaries in Langley, B.C.
.
Rev. Dr. Roger J. Humann. Rev. Dr. John Wilch.
New issue of Lutheran Theological Review
CANADA – The 2024 volume of Lutheran Theological Review (LTR) has now been released, and is available to read for free online.
“This new volume of LTR has coalesced around historical themes,” Rev. Dr. Thomas Winger notes in a foreword. “This did not happen by design,” he continues, “but the working theologians of [Lutheran Church–Canada] have independently turned to history to resource the Church to
answer the pressing questions of this hour.”
The theme is introduced through an essay by Rev. Dr. John R. Stephenson entitled “The Value of History.” Rev. Dr. Joel D. Heck of Concordia Lutheran Seminary (Edmonton) writes on “The Genesis Genealogies.” Rev. Dr. William F. Mundt contributes an essay entitled “Just Us, Just Jesus: Racially Specific Christianity in Germany, 1933-48,” while Rev. Dr. Thomas Korcok writes on “Weaponizing the Word: A Lutheran Look at Christian Nationalism.” Rev. John P. Hellwege, Jr., meanwhile, writes on “What Are They Thinking and How Do We Respond? Understanding the Mind
and Values of the Woke and Speaking to Those Affected by This Movement.”
Rev. Dr. Richard Beinert contributes a review of Stephen M. Saunders’ book Martin Luther on Mental Health: Practical Advice for Christians Today. The volume ends with Rev. Dr. Winger’s sermon from the 2024 Call Service of Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary.
Lutheran Theological Review is jointly produced by Lutheran Church–Canada’s two seminaries: Concordia Lutheran Seminary in Edmonton and Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary in St. Catharines, Ontario. You can read the new volume of LTR and previous volumes online for free at www.concordia-seminary.ca/ltr.
Nominations for seminary awards due soon
CANADA – A reminder that nominations for awards at Concordia Lutheran Seminary (CLS – Edmonton) and Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary (CLTS –St. Catharines, Ontario) are due in early January 2025.
Each year, Lutheran Church –Canada’s (LCC) two seminaries present honorary awards to those who have made a difference in the life of the seminary and the church at large. See the details below:
Concordia Lutheran Seminary
Every spring at its Sacred Convocation, CLS grants honorary awards and degrees based on nominations received from people like you. CLS is currently accepting nominations for 2025’s honorary awards and degrees which will be presented at its Sacred Convocation on May 23, 2025. Nominations close on January 1, 2025.
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 1-780474-1468 ext. 230 or by email at avieira@concordiasem.ab.ca.
Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary
Each May at its annual Call Service, CLTS has the opportunity to confer two major awards on worthy pastors or lay members of LCC.
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 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 organizations, and educational institutions. Delta Chi refers to the initials of the Greek expression διάκονος χριστοῦ which means “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 is January 15, 2025.
Rev. William James “Jim” Anderson entered into glory on January 10, 2024 in Hamilton, Ontario. He was 65 years old.
Rev. Anderson was the son of the late Arthur and Elva Anderson, of Blenheim, Ontario. After finishing an undergraduate degree at the University of Waterloo, he went on to pursue pastoral training at Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary, graduating with a Master of Divinity in 1987.
Rev. Anderson served many communities over the years, including the dual parish of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Vega and St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Mellowdale, Alberta; the dual parish of First Lutheran Church of Mitchell and Redeemer Lutheran Church of Monkton, Ontario; and St. Peter’s Lutheran Church of Delhi, Ontario. He leaves behind a profound legacy of love, Christian faith, and unwavering service to his Lord.
Jim was a gentle and humble man who touched the hearts of many through his outpouring of kindness and strength. He was loved dearly by his daughter Daina (Rob); sister Lori (Howard); nieces and nephews, Tiffany (Real), Arron, Amanda, Tamara; and great nieces and nephews Aiden, Jazzy, Addy, Keira, Bentley, Ava, and Brooklyn. He is survived by his aunt Sandy Harrison (Bill). Rev. Anderson was predeceased by aunts, Brenda, and Connie Prevett (Tom).
A memorial service was held for Rev. Anderson at Pilgrim Lutheran Church in Hamilton, Ontario on January 17, 2024. In lieu of flowers, the family encouraged memorial donations be made in Rev. Anderson’s honour to Myeloma Canada, Lutheran Church–Canada’s Missions, or to a charity of your choice.
Rev. Leander Arndt entered into his heavenly home on May 16, surrounded by his family. He was 95 years old.
Rev. Arndt was born at Leader, Saskatchewan, on January 29, 1929, and baptized on February 12 of the same year. In preparation for the Holy Ministry, he attended Concordia College in Edmonton and Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri.
His vicarage year was spent in Dryden, Ontario. At that time, Dryden was a mission station, which also served Dinorwic and Waldhof. It was in Dryden that he met his future bride.
Rev. Arndt began his parish ministry at Oakshela, Broadview, and Windthorst, Saskatchewan, where he served from 1956-1960. From 1960-1965, he served congregations in Bateman and Kelstern and later preaching stations in Mankota, McCord, and Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan. From 1965-1970, he served congregations in Hudson Bay and Mistatim, Saskatchewan. From 1971-1979, he served Trinity Lutheran in Neudorf, Saskatchewan. From 1981-1989, he served Fairview and Hines Creek, Alberta. And from 1989-1994, he served St. Matthew in Milk River, Alberta—his last congregation before he retired on May 1, 1994.
Rev. Arndt married Elfriede Burgstaler on June 12, 1957, in Dryden, Ontario. The Lord blessed their marriage with four children— Ralph, Helga, Pamela, and Timothy— and 14 grandchildren and 15 greatgrandchildren.
Rev. Arndt enjoyed gardening in his younger years. He also enjoyed reading and looking at the stars. But most of all, Leander loved to share his faith in Jesus with everyone he encountered.
The Lord granted Rev. Arndt and Elfriede a long life of retirement in Penticton, B.C. Rev. Arndt preached
IN MEMORIUM
in many different congregations while Elfriede took on various jobs in the congregation.
His last major service was in 2006 at Bethel Lutheran Church (Kitchener, Ontario), where Rev. Arndt helped the vacant congregation by conducting German services over a period of almost five months.
A funeral service was held for Rev. Arndt on May 24 at Concordia Lutheran Church in Penticton, B.C. In lieu of flowers, the family encouraged donations to The Lutheran Hour or Canadian Lutheran World Relief.
Rev. Alvin Richard Borchardt passed away peacefully on July 3. He was 89 years old.
A man of faith and service, Rev. Borchardt touched countless lives with his compassion, wisdom, and unwavering commitment to the communities he served over the years. His contributions as a pastor and his kindness will forever be remembered by those who had the privilege of knowing him.
Rev. Borchardt will be dearly missed and lovingly remembered by his wife of 65 years Jean; sister Florence; and children Alvin, Brian (Lori), Pamela (Rick), Harold (Annette), Jim (Kelly), and Jeanette (Marshall); 16 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents Alvin and Anna, brothers Paul and Carl, and great grandson Henryk.
A funeral service for Rev. Borchardt was held at Christ Lutheran Church in Neepawa, Manitoba on July 8. In lieu of flowers, the family encouraged donations be made to Christ Lutheran Church in Neepawa, Manitoba or Lutheran Hour Ministries in Rev. Alvin Richard Borchardt’s memory.
Rev. Lester
Marvin Carlson departed this earthly life on December 3, 2023. He leaves a legacy of faith, service, and love that has touched the lives of many in several communities and beyond.
Born on August 2, 1928, in Marcus, Iowa, Rev. Carlson devoted his life to serving the Lutheran faith, exemplifying the teachings of Christ through his words, actions, and unwavering commitment to the spiritual well-being of his congregation. His profound impact on the lives of those he shepherded will forever be remembered as a testament to his dedication to the Lutheran ministry.
Rev. Carlson earned his Bachelor of Theology from Concordia Theological Seminary in Springfield, Illinois in 1955, where he cultivated a deep understanding of theology and pastoral care. In 1997, Lester was nominated for the Emeritus Crucis award from Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary (St. Catherines, Ontario).
On July 6, 1961, Lester married Bernice (Schneider) and with her by his side he served faithfully at Hope Lutheran Church in Port Coquitlam, B.C.; Hope Evangelical Lutheran Church in Victoria; and later retired from St. Paul Lutheran Church in Oliver, B.C. He also served numerous vacancy congregations over the years.
Lester is survived by his sons, Daniel (Wendy) Carlson, and Paul (Rhea) Carlson; grandchildren and great-grandchildren: Adam, Miranda, Lillian, Brooke, Audra, Del, Emily, Ty, Michael, Shantel, Avery, Colby, Mark, and Paige; sisters, Charlene (Gerry) Letsche, and Gladys Myers; brotherin-law, John (Lorraine) Schneider; and countless nieces and nephews.
A service of remembrance was held at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Oliver, B.C., on February 10. Another service was planned for the spring at St. Peter’s Church in Leduc, Alberta. Rev. Carlson was laid to rest with his dearly beloved
wife Bernice, in Nisku, Alberta. In lieu of flowers, the family requested that memorial donations be made in memory of Lester and Bernice Carlson to Lutheran Church–Canada.
Rev. Lester “Les” Hohner passed away peacefully in his sleep on August 11 in Petrolia, Ontario, surrounded by family. He was 75 years old.
Rev. Hohner was the devoted husband of Lynn (Parker) Hohner for 30 years; loving father of Mike and Evelyne Hohner, Cyndie Hohner, Steve Hohner, and Dave Hohner and step-father of Jenilyn Sheppard, and the late Jillian Sheppard; and grandfather of Cecillia, Dakota; Amber, Nikki, Amanda; Emery, Shelby, Gavin, Hannah; Chloe, Landon; Austin, and Trevor; and great-grandfather of 13. He was the dear brother of Catherine, Paul, Grant, and Ernie, and brother-in-law of Alan. He will be fondly remembered by many nieces and nephews.
Rev. Hohner was predeceased by his first wife Jackie (Peck); greatgranddaughter Kinsley; parents Clarence and Vera; and brother Donald.
Rev. Hohner devoted more than 35 years to serving as a Lutheran minister. He touched the lives of many people in various communities.
A funeral service for Rev. Hohner was held at Zion Lutheran Church in Dashwood, Ontario on August 16. In lieu of flowers, the family invited memorial donations be made to Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots (LAMP) or another charity of your choice.
in St. Catharines, Ontario, entered into glory on October 13. He was 88 years old.
Dr. Humann was born on May 18, 1936, and was baptized on June 21, 1936. He studied at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, where he received both a Master of Divinity degree and a Master of Sacred Theology degree. He was further awarded an honorary doctorate by Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Dr. Humann was ordained on July 30, 1961. He served as a pastor at Faith Lutheran (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan); Trinity Lutheran (Haultain, Saskatchewan); campus pastor at the University of Saskatchewan; and as pastor of Resurrection Lutheran (St. Catharines, Ontario).
When The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod agreed to found a new seminary in Eastern Canada, the Canadian districts decided to establish Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary in St. Catharines. Dr. Humann served as the seminary’s first full-time professor, and his church served as the seminary’s first home. Dr. Humann’s contacts led to an arrangement with Brock University that allowed a new seminary building to be erected on campus in 1983.
Dr. Humann would serve for thirty years with the seminary from its founding in 1976 until his retirement in 2006, teaching biblical interpretation, New Testament studies, preaching, and worship to more than 200 students. Affectionately known as Dean Humann, he served both as Dean of the Seminary in CLTS’ early years, and then as Dean of Students and Dean of Chapel throughout the rest of his service.
Rev. Dr. Roger James Humann, founding professor of Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary (CLTS)
Both Dr. Humann and his wife Dianne filled the seminary with their love of music. They ensured the seminary chapel was designed with chamber music in mind, and inaugurated a series of concerts that lasted for many years. They procured the gift of a fine pipe organ, ran a choir school for children, and organised regular conferences with musical and
liturgical themes. Dr. Humann also supervised installation of a stainedglass window and beautiful wood carvings behind the altar.
In addition to his service to the Canadian church, Dr. Humann also spent a year teaching and assisting in setting up a formal overseas theological studies programme at Westfield House in Cambridge, England. He was also instrumental in establishing the seminary training programme for pastors, deacons, and deaconesses of Lutheran Church–Canada’ s daughter church in Nicaragua, teaching there regularly over the years.
Dr. Humann will be missed by his wife of 57 years, Dianne. He is survived by son Joel (Megan); daughter Deborah Braun (David); grandchildren Matthew (Alicia), Clara, Nicholas, Rachel, Jessica, and Veronica; sister Judy Harman (Doug); and niece and nephew Sarah and Gregory. He was preceded in death by his father Julius A. Humann and mother Irene (Ellithorpe) Humann.
A funeral service for Dr. Humann was held at Grace Lutheran (St. Catharines) on October 23. In lieu of flowers, the family encouraged donations to Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary.
Rev. Bokman Hwang was called to be with the Lord on March 11 in Seoul, Korea, at the age of 75.
Born in 1949 in South Korea, Rev. Hwang earned a Ph.D. in Business Administration and led a successful CPA practice while serving as a finance professor at several prestigious universities and institutions. However, God’s calling led him to forsake worldly success and devote his life to His service. At 41, Rev. Hwang relocated with his family to Edmonton to begin his ministry.
Rev. Hwang earned his M.Div. from Concordia Lutheran Seminary and faithfully served several Lutheran congregations, including Redeemer
Lutheran Church (Edmonton); Bethlehem Lutheran Church and Korean Brethren Lutheran Church (Vancouver, B.C.); and Saviour Lutheran Church (Ladner, B.C.). Even after retirement, he continued as honorary pastor at Bethlehem Lutheran in Vancouver.
Deeply touched by God’s love and grace, which he tirelessly shared throughout his life, Rev. Hwang led choirs, visited hospitals and hospices, cared for the needy, and worked closely with Indigenous communities. He also supported many missionaries around the world, extending his impact far beyond the congregations he served. His contributions to the Korean immigrant community and mentorship of many pastors left a lasting impact.
Rev. Hwang is survived by his beloved wife of 53 years, YoungSoon, their four children, and eight grandchildren. His family, along with the virtues of faith, hope, and love, brought him the greatest joy. Though his family mourns his passing, they find comfort in knowing he is now in the presence of his Saviour.
Rev. Marcus Daniel Kuehn was called home to God on October 10 following a short illness. He was 90 years old. The family is grateful for the extra time they had together with Rev. Kuehn following his cardiac issues a year and half before his death. He was surrounded by family at the end of his life.
Rev. Kuehn was the beloved husband of Barba for 63 years; the loving father of Timothy, Deborah, Benjamin (Lisa Gillissie) and Rebekah (Rev. Kenneth Voege); cherished grandfather to Paul and Peter; and dear brother to Miriam Hitzman (late Gene), Lois Eickstadt (late Bob), Esther Droege (late Tom), the late Paul Kuehn (Arlene) and Judy Kuehn.
Rev. Kuehn was predeceased by his parents, Henry and Mary ( née Hennig), and siblings: Ruth Olsen
(Tom), Rhoda Aloy (Dick), Beata in infancy, and Hanah in infancy.
A funeral service for Rev. Kuehn was held on October 16, 2024 at Messiah Lutheran Church in Waterloo, Ontario. The family invited donations in memory of Rev. Kuehn to be made to Messiah Lutheran Church or to Lutheran Bible Translators Canada.
Rev. Alvin Laverne Vince Oberhammer passed away on August 4 with his wife, Nanette, at his side. He was 81 years old.
Rev. Oberhammer was born on April 5, 1943, on a farm in Pashley, Alberta—the youngest of eight children of Harold and Lydia Oberhammer. His early years were spent on the farm and attending school in Clearwater and Irvine, Alberta. In 1961, he married JoAnn Wilson; they were blessed with four children.
Rev. Oberhammer began his 20year career in the funeral business at Cook Funeral Home, Medicine Hat, and then in Olds and Red Deer, Alberta. In 1976, the couple purchased Eventide Funeral Chapels in Lacombe, and renamed it to Oberhammer Funeral Homes. In addition, they owned and operated Alert Ambulance Services. His children were greatly influenced by his dedication to the funeral business with all of them following in his footsteps at various times, either working in, or owning, their own funeral homes. He sold the businesses in 1980.
In 1983, Rev. Oberhammer and JoAnn moved to Saskatoon, where he pursued a new calling, attending the Lutheran Theological Seminary. He graduated in 1989, with a Bachelor of Theology degree. His first pastoral call were the congregations of Duchess and Iddesleigh, Alberta. Over the years, Rev. Oberhammer served as pastor to numerous Lutheran Church–Canada congregations in British Columbia and Alberta, before retiring to Red Deer.
Giving to his community was always important to Alvin. He was involved with the Jaycees in Red Deer and then the Lacombe Lions Club, where he held various positions. He organized and participated in the annual Lacombe Lions Club Father-Daughter and Father-Son Dinners and chaired the club’s annual baseball tournament for many years in Lacombe.
During his retirement, Rev. Oberhammer kept busy attending Mount Calvary Lutheran Church in Red Deer. He also organized and participated in dances and other social functions at the Three Robins Retirement Community, where he and Nanette resided.
Rev. Oberhammer found joy in many activities, including snowmobiling, golfing, fishing, dancing, and listening to old-time country music. He especially enjoyed travelling and exploring new places. Following his marriage to Nanette in February 2024, the two enjoyed a trip through northern British Columbia and Vancouver Island, meeting Nanette’s family and friends.
Rev. Oberhammer will be lovingly remembered by his second wife, Nanette, of Red Deer; his son, Laverne (Michelle) of Rimbey and their children, Mandy and Allie (Jeff); his son, Keith (Jane) of Calgary and their children, Calvin (Joane) and Cedrick (Glicee); Ralph (Sherry) of Lethbridge and his children, Chad (Sarah), and Travis (Kinga); his other grandchildren, Kaitlyn (Dean), Rob (Chelsea), Megan, and Natasha; and his twelve great grandchildren; as well as numerous family members and dear friends. Rev. Oberhammer was predeceased by his parents; all his siblings; his first wife, JoAnn in 2021; his son, Harold in 2019; and his daughter, Faith Ann in 2015.
A funeral service was held at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church in Red Deer on August 21. The family encouraged memorial donations in Rev. Oberhammer’s honour be made to Mount Calvary Lutheran Church.
Dcn. Margaret Rose Towriss was called to be with the Lord on February 5. She was 81 years old.
Dcn. Towriss was born in Edmonton to Rev. Albert and Margaret Maschmeyer on October 7, 1942. She was received into the kingdom of God through Holy Baptism on October 18, 1942. She was the third of four children (Martin, Lorraine, and Irene).
In her youth, Dcn. Towriss attended school at the Lutheran church where her dad was both pastor and schoolteacher. As a young teenager, she taught Vacation Bible School in the parsonage attic, and played music with her father when he led church services.
Growing up, Dcn. Towriss enjoyed playing basketball and outdoor activities, with a particular love for fishing and duck hunting with her dad.
Dcn. Towriss was passionate about teaching. She began her postsecondary education at Concordia College in Edmonton, where she met her future husband, Ronald Towriss, who was studying to be a Lutheran pastor. After one year, she continued her studies at Concordia Teachers College in Seward, Nebraska, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Education. During this time, she and her future husband wrote letters to keep in touch—letters which she kept throughout their whole lives.
In 1964, Dcn. Towriss accepted her first call to teach grade one at Holy Cross Lutheran School in Collinsville, Illinois. Dcn. Towriss and her husband Ronald married in 1966, and they lived in Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri while he finished seminary.
In 1969, they moved to Swift Current, Saskatchewan, where Ron was called to serve as pastor. There they welcomed their two children, Jeffrey and Carmen. Their second call was to Cranbrook, before they took their final call to Hope Lutheran Church in Port Coquitlam, B.C. in 1986. Rev. Towriss feels truly blessed to have received the
greatest gift he could have asked for in his wife; she was a true partner in team ministry. Throughout their calls, she taught Sunday School, directed and sang in choir, held ladies Bible Study, and assisted in youth ministry. She was instrumental in the beginning of contemporary worship services at Hope. You would often see Rev. and Dcn. Towriss on guitar and keyboard leading worship.
In 1988, Dcn. Towriss was called to teach Kindergarten at Zion Lutheran School in Cloverdale. She accepted her final call in 1996 to be principal-developer and grade one teacher at Hope Lutheran School where she retired in 2008.
After retirement, Dcn. and Rev. Towriss travelled across North America by RV, and took cruises around the world. She loved watching her birds, tending her garden, and caring for the many dogs in the Towriss home. Margaret seemed to have endless creativity. She finished furniture, did quilting, sewing, painting, paper tole, and crafts with various mediums. When she couldn’t use her own hands because of Parkinson’s, she used her husband Ron’s. She had a passion for decorating, particularly for Christmas.
She was a loving wife, a doting mother, and a devoted grandmother. She was a passionate teacher, loyal friend, gracious mentor, and dedicated child of God.
Dcn. Towress is survived by her college sweetheart and husband of 57 years, Ronald; her children, Jeffrey (Sara) and Carmen (Wade); and her six grandchildren: Rebekah, Morgan, Nathan, Jared, Isabella, and Lauren. She is also survived by her sisters-inlaw, Dianne (Irvin), and Dorothy, as well as many nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by her parents, siblings, and her sister-in-law Louise.
A funeral for Dcn. Towress was held on February 24 at Hope Lutheran Church in Port Coquitlam, B.C. The family expressed their gratitude to Hope Lutheran School, which has named their bursary in Dcn. Towress’ honour. The family invites those who wish
to remember Dcn. Towress to make a donation to the Margaret Towriss Bursary via Hope Lutheran Church.
Rev. Alan Garritt Visser was called to be with his Lord on June 23.
Rev. Visser served the congregations of Zion Lutheran Church (Schickley, Nebraska); Resurrection Lutheran Church (Revelstoke, B.C.) and Christ the King Lutheran Church (Nakusp, B.C.); and Zion Lutheran Church (Prince George, B.C.) and Vanderhoof Lutheran Church (Vanderhoof, B.C.). He also served in vacancies in Kitimat and Terrace, and Quesnel, B.C.
Rev. Visser served as vicarage supervisor to many men entering into the Holy Ministry, and further served as a guest instructor at the Odessa seminary of Lutheran Church–Canada’s partner church in Ukraine. Remembered in the prayers of the faithful are Rev. Visser’s wife, Christine, and his children.
A funeral service for Rev. Visser was held at Trinity Lutheran Church in Quesnel, B.C. on July 6.
Rev. Robert Allan Willie was granted a holy and peaceful death on October 15 after years of failling health.
Rev. Willie was born on December 18, 1944, in Edmonton. He was the child of Robert George Willie and Noreen Maxine Mary O’Hunter. On January 28, 1945, he received the gift of Holy Baptism at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Edmonton. On April 9, 1961, he publicly confessed his faith and was confirmed at Magnus Kirche in Worms, Germany. His confirmation verse was: “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life” (Revelation 2:10).
On July 29, 1972, Robert received the gift of a beloved companion in his wife, Joann Loppnow. This union was blessed with the gifts of Julie and Jennifer, his beloved daughters. God blessed his life with many special people as he served 41 years in the ministry, including as pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Glendale, Wisconsin; St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Van Horne, Iowa; and 31 years as pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Duncan, B.C. He was also blessed to serve the Vancouver Island Circuit as Circuit Counsellor for 20 years. His greatest joy was to preach the Gospel and to bring God’s Word to his members in times of sorrow or joy.
Those who mourn Rev. Willie’s departure but rejoice in his entrance into eternal life are his wife Joann; his daughter Jennifer; his daughter Julie and her husband Paul, and three precious grandchildren, Paige, Alexander, and Ethan; his sister Sandra Trot and her husband Robert; his sister, Patricia O’Keefe, his sister-in-law, Sandra Amundson; and numerous nieces and nephews, and many friends.
A funeral service was held at Trinity Lutheran Church in Duncan on October 25. In lieu of flowers, the family encouraged donations be made to Concordia Lutheran Seminary in Edmonton.
TRANSITIONS
Rev. Lowell Guebert, Emeritus (Saskatoon, SK), called to glory on November 23, 2024. Funeral: November 26. A full obituary will appear in next year’s issue.
Rev. Roger Humann, Emeritus (Fonthill, ON), called to glory on October 13, 2024. Funeral: October 23.
Rev. Marcus Kuehn, Emeritus (Kitchener, ON), called to glory on October 9, 2024. Funeral: October 26.
Rev. Michael Kuhn, Lutheran Bible Translators of Canada, called to Professor of Theology at Concordia Lutheran Seminary (Edmonton).
Rev. Dr. John Wilch, Emeritus (Surrey, BC), called to glory on November 24, 2024. Funeral: December 12. A full obituary will appear in next year’s issue.
Rev. Robert Willie, Emeritus (Duncan, BC), called to glory on October 14, 2024. Funeral: October 25, 2024
And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”
“Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labours, for their deeds follow them!”
- Revelation 14:13 -
THEN WITH THE SHEPHERDS LET US GO
by president timothy teuscher
In the familiar account of the nativity of our Lord from St. Luke’s Gospel, we come across a number of individuals. First and foremost, of course, is the “Babe lying in a manger” (Luke 2:7), our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Then there are Caesar Augustus, who issued a decree for taxation purposes “that all the world should be registered” (2:1), along with the Roman governor of Syria by the name of Quirinius (2:2); Mary and Joseph who “went up from Galilee to Judea, to the city of David” (2:4); angels who proclaimed Jesus’ birth and sang His praises (2:9); and the shepherds who “were keeping watch over their flock by night” (2:8).
It is among this last group where we are all numbered and find ourselves today, and become participants with them of what took place on that first Christmas many centuries ago. And this is so not just once a year when Christmas rolls around, but in the Divine Service on every Lord’s Day throughout the year.
The heavenly messenger—for that is what the word ‘angel’ means— announced to the shepherds “good news of great joy that will be for all the people” (2:10). This news: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord” (2:11). The angel is then joined by “a multitude of the heavenly host” (2:13) who break forth into that joyous song of praise: “Glory to God in the highest, and peace to His people on earth” (2:14).
And do you know what? Such still takes place every Lord’s Day in the Service of the Word. We sing that same
song of the angels—called in Latin the ‘Gloria in Excelsis’—in anticipation of hearing anew in the appointed Scripture readings and the sermon the same glad tidings of great joy from God’s earthly messenger: the pastor. And this is so whether it be Christmas Eve or the Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany. After all, as Jesus Himself declares: “The Scriptures bear witness about Me” (John 5:39). Or, as St. John puts it: “These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:31).
St. Luke’s account of our Lord’s nativity continues: “And [the shepherds] went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger” (Luke 2:16). And so also today. For what comes next in the Divine Service? Why, the Service of the Sacrament where we not only go with haste joyfully and frequently to ‘see’ Jesus’ very body and blood lying in and with the bread and the wine, but then even partake of the same. So, the Lord’s Supper hymn puts it: “The infant Priest was holy born For us unholy and forlorn; From fleshly temple forth came He, Anointed from eternity. The body of God’s Lamb we eat, A priestly food and priestly meat; On sin-parched lips the chalice pours His quenching blood that life restores” (LSB 624:1, 6).
We’re not quite done with the shepherds yet; for as St. Luke continues: “And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning the child” (2:17). And further:
“And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them” (2:20). And so also for us today. “Lord, lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace,” we sing at the conclusion of the Divine Service. And where do we depart to? Why, like the shepherds we return to our sheep—that is, we go back to our various callings and stations in life no matter how mundane and ordinary they might seem… even if it be working the night shift in the hills outside of Bethlehem (or Calgary, Regina, Kitchener, or elsewhere). Think of the Small Catechism’s ‘Table of Duties’ here: citizens, husbands and wives, parents and children, workers and employers, and so forth. It is in these various callings that we, like the shepherds, glorify and praise God in word and deed, and in the course of which tell others what we too have seen and heard in God’s life-giving Word concerning the Word who became flesh. We speak of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, so that others, too, might “Come to Bethlehem and see Him whose birth the angels sing. Come, adore on bended knee Christ the Lord, the newborn King” (LSB 368:3)
“Then with the shepherds let us go To see what God for us has done In sending us His own dear Son” (LSB 358:6). So Martin Luther wrote in one of his Christmas hymns. And not just once a year when Christmas rolls around, but every Lord’s Day. Every time God’s people gather together around His Word and the Sacrament in the Divine Service, it is, in effect, Christmas.
