For more than two decades, Rev. Dennis Becker has served as the editor of the ELCIC’s daily devotional publication, Eternity for Today (EFT).
With the arrival of the April-May-June 2025 issue, his service to the church in this way will come to an end.
“You know what, it’s a rather funny story,” Becker said when asked about how and when he began with the publication. “To be one hundred percent honest with you, I can’t quite recall what year it was exactly; it was a long time ago. It was close to 2000, either a couple years before or after. I was taking a creative writing course through the University of Toronto when I saw the advertisement pop up. I figured it might be something I could do. So, I stuck my name in the hat – I think it was the only name – but anyway, I got the job and have enjoyed it ever since.”
Having recently retired from his call to Faith, Oshawa, ON., Becker felt “the time was right” for a new editor of the national publication.
“When I retired at the end of 2023, I was planning on keeping this role for maybe a year or two more,” he said. “But over the past year, I have slowly been learning how to do this whole retired life thing. I’ve been doing it a long time, maybe it’s time for somebody else to lead EFT in a different direction.”
The daily ELCIC devotional follows the lectionary of the church and provides day-by-day reflections and prayers from ELCIC members, for ELCIC members from all across Canada. “Plain and simply, EFT is a resource to be used to help a Christian person in their daily walk,” Becker specified.
“I look at it as a spiritual food or guide that just helps people get the jump that they need to start – or end – their day on the right note. These days people don’t have much time to read. This is a very gentle way of getting people to read a bit more. Much like in all the good things that we do in the Church, we should stem them from what we are reading, grounded from the Scriptures at the very base.”
Becker shares that he has gained a lot from the experience, as well. “I’ve really grown a lot as an editor,” he says. “I’ve found that many readers have different ways of looking at things nowadays. Our society is changing so much, and the church is changing with it. There’s a new focus coming through that.”
Juggling his duties as editor while managing a congregation for roughly 40 years required strong time management skills. Becker has always ensured members of the ELCIC were taken care of – whether it be by way of his Sunday morning sermons or the daily devotional booklet.
“I really appreciated my congregation’s understanding of my work with EFT, because it does take quite a bit of my time,” Rev. Becker reflected. “They truly realized that it’s work for the wider church, and it is important work. They gave me leeway when things piled up. I often found that deadlines tended to come right when I was busiest. Whether it’s a funeral on the day we get proofs back from the printer, or something like that, the deadlines were always there. Diane Ward [EFT’s editorial assistant] always helped alleviate the load. She’s great and I really appreciate her work and keen eye for details.”
Now staying busy with the hobby of carving, Rev. Becker is well over one full year into retired life – minus the time he still spent working on Eternity for Today up until his final issue. He remains in Oshawa with his wife Wendy where the two continue to soak up every minute they can with their seven grandchildren.
Moving forward, Rev. Clifford Reinhardt will assume the role of editor for the next few issues. A formal posting of the job description will be coming soon.
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