The Right Rev. Jordan Cantwell, moderator of the United Church of Canada, issued an invitation to the fullness of life that the Gospel offers in her sermon at the closing service of the 16th Biennial National Convention of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC).
In her message to convention delegates, she observed that this invitation involves relinquishing status and power that actually holds us captive to that which is not gospel. “And when we let it go, we discover the life that God intends for us,” she said.
“A message of liberation is only received as good news by those who know themselves to be in need of liberation,” she explained. “It is only those who recognize their own captivity who embrace a message of liberation as a good thing.”
Action needs to be rooted in love
Cantwell spoke about her own experiences of trying to do something about injustice being done to others and explained how easily one experiences anger and hatred. “The kind of anger that just wants to tear people down, and the kind of hatred that just wants to destroy is not the right footing for justice,” she said.
She shared that a lesson that has taken her most of her life to learn is, “The only place from which to work for justice, and the only place from which anything good could be birthed was a place of love. Action needs to be rooted in love.”
Her message gave fresh insight to the theme Liberated by God’s Grace at a convention where action was taken to engage ELCIC members and congregations “in developing respectful, meaningful and mutual relationships with Muslims;” to “learn, pray, connect and act” through a new resource Encouraging People of Other Fiaths – Interfaith Guidelines;” and to be a church In Mission for Others.
View the recording of the Closing Worship service and Rt. Rev. Jordan Cantwell’s message here: https://youtu.be/vrnCRTCddfc
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The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada is Canada’s largest Lutheran denomination with 114,592 baptized members in 525 congregations. It is a member of the Lutheran World Federation, the Canadian Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches.
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