During a break from the business sessions taking place at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC)’s Eleventh Biennial National Convention, many delegates had an opportunity to hear more about the ELCIC’s work In Mission for Others in the world at the ELCIC Mission in the World (MIW) Luncheon which was held on Friday, June 22, 2007 at the University Club on the University of Manitoba campus. The event gave MIW coordinators an opportunity to highlight recent accomplishments and new initiatives in this important work which included Program Coordinator Kelvin Krieger’s announcement that Sr. Monica Denk has been appointed as International Volunteer Coordinator of the ELCIC and Canadian Lutheran World Relief.
International highlights on the work being done by skilled and gifted people of faith included: Erika Parker’s completing five years of service in Bratislava; Rev. Dale and Donna Finch will be working in Jerusalem at Augusta Victoria Hospital and within the school system in Jordan and the Holy Land; Margaret Sadler and Marcus Busch are working for a year in Cambodia with the Lutheran World Federation; and Fran Schmidt has just become a long term missionary in Peru.
Edelvis Iraida Rodriguez Cadillo, Treasurer of the Peruvian Lutheran Evangelical Church brought greetings and thanks from her church council and congregation in Peru. Many congregations have become established in Lima and as well as other communities. Through a translator, she extended particular thanks to Rev. Katherine Bergbusch for her mission work and she also expressed a wish to host more visitors from Canada in her homeland.
Rev. Bergbusch has announced her retirement after thirteen years of mission work in Peru, the last 3 years in the Amazon jungle. She was inspired to undertake the work by the efforts of others in the field and a desire to share a better awareness of the rest of the world. Rev. Bergbusch describes her work as "accompaniment – not ahead or behind but beside – arm in arm as a partner". She also clarified that she felt more appropriately in mission "with" others and cherishes the friendships she gained in Peru.
Kelvin Krieger and Rev. Paul Johnson, ELCIC Assistant to the Bishop for Ecumenical Relations, encouraged prayer for the partner churches around the world and the opportunity to live out Jesus’ call for the faithful.
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The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada is Canada’s largest Lutheran denomination with 174,555 baptized members in 620 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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