On Sunday morning, the 2025 ELCIC National Convention concluded with a closing worship service.
Delegates, visitors, and special guests gathered to rejoice, pray and sing all together, one final time before departing home.
Outgoing National Bishop Susan Johnson served as the presiding minister for the service, and Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and longtime friend of Bishop Johnson, preached the sermon. Readings from Deuteronomy 30:9-14 and Colossians 1:1-14 were read, along with the Gospel, Luke 10:25-37, delivered by Deacon Sherry Coman.
The Gospel reading, the parable of the Good Samaritan and Bishop Eaton’s message, uplifted Jesus’ important and wonderful question, “Who is my neighbour?” A familiar question, a frequent question.
“Who is my neighbour? How far must I extend my totality, my care, my compassion, my resources?” Bishop Eaton asked.
Offering delegates a parting reminder of unexpected hope, and mercy, she proclaimed that “who we were expecting was not the one who actually showed up,” and that God used this unexpected person (the Samaritan) to come along and bring wholeness and peace.
“Every one of us is a member one of another, so the suffering that people are enduring in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land is our suffering as well, and we dare not distance ourselves from that, or from missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, or anything that is happening out of climate change,” she preached, encouraging the gathering to journey with Jesus down difficult roads and continue to embrace the call to action, to propel ourselves to be healed, with the reminder that Jesus might also use us to bring others from death to life.
Closing worship included a blessing of the Bishop-elect Rev. Dr. Larry Kochendorfer, in which the gathering extended hands as the conference of bishops offered words of blessing. The installation of Officers and the National Church Council also followed.
Throughout the service, joyful music was heard through various musician and instrument accompaniment for hymns, including the violin, piano, shakers, and a djembe, along with choir performances. The instrumentals for worship were led by musicians Sarah Harrington and Melissa Gingrich.
The offering hymn, “God, Who This World Created,” was commissioned by Canadian Lutheran World Relief (CLWR) as a resource for the Friends of Creation initiative, in memory of Daniel O. Schickedanz, a faithful companion of the mission of CLWR. Sunday’s offering was designated for CLWR.
After Holy Communion, the service concluded with a parting blessing from Bishop-elect Kochendorfer, rooted in the words of Romans 15:13.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may have hope for the power of the Holy Spirit,” he spoke, concluding the gathering with a resounding reminder of hope, and why we rejoice.
“In this new moment we can hear God calling; in this new time, all shall work together. In this new moment we learn to change what is wrong, though no one is able to do this alone,” the first verse of “Momento Nuevo” (English: In this New Moment) rang out, as those gathered joined in song one last time as they prepared for the journey back to their home communities, invigorated, inspired, and hopeful for the future ahead of us, and ready to continue in the work and mission of the ELCIC.
