What began as a fundraising concert has turned into a year-long ELCIC Reformation Challenge project for a handful of Eastern Synod congregations this year. In September of 2016, the seven churches making up the Niagara Ministry Area hosted a free will offering at a concert featuring young local talent, a Niagara-based Lutheran choir, and Strong Water Women – hand drum singers from the Fort Erie Native Friendship Centre.

Niagara Ministry Area Dean, Thomas Arth is thrilled with how much has come out of this September event, and just how far the local congregations have been able to go in support of the Reformation Challenge.

“After our seven small-ish congregations chose to raise funds for planting trees, we knew that we would have to hold some sort of event as a way to promote our efforts,” Arth said. “Following the success of our concert, we decided that we would divide the funds three ways. We gave some to Canadian Lutheran World Relief for planting trees in Ethiopia, another portion went to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL) for their olive tree initiative, and the remaining money was given for the planting of trees in our local Heartland Forest.”

The Heartland Forest – situated near Niagara Falls, just southwest of Clifton Hill – will see those trees planted on Earth Day 2017, April 22.

According to Arth, there couldn’t be a better place for those trees to grow.

“It is just a beautiful place,” he said. “They have pathways through the forest, playgrounds for kids, and there is even a tree house. Also, everything is fully accessible for wheelchairs and those using walkers. One of their projects involves the planting of edible nut and fruit trees, so we decided that we would give to that aspect.”

On top of the nut and fruit trees, the Heartland Forest will also be planting another very important tree on Earth Day.

“Prior to our fundraising concert, the Strong Water Women requested that we include a white pine as one of our trees to be planted,” Arth said. The members of the Strong Water Women shared that the significance of the white pine is that it is often seen as a symbol of peace and a place to lay down weapons.

“Thankfully those at the Heartland Forest were able to fulfill our request,” Arth noted. The white pine will be planted along with the other trees later in April.

Currently, the Niagara Ministry Area is finalizing plans for a joint service in commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the reformation to be held this September.

“At first we figured that we would have to try to decide which of our seven churches we would use to host the commemorative event,” Arth said. “But after some thinking we determined that a neutral location would work quite well. And as it turned out, the Heartland Forest – where the trees will be planted – has a lovely building facility that we are able to use, so we will be holding it right there.”

The September joint service will include a free-will offering. For Arth, the plan for that money is quite simple.

“What we are looking into doing with the offering from this coming service is to put it towards another area of the Reformation Challenge, the ELCJHL scholarships.”

ELCIC National Bishop Susan C. Johnson shares an Easter message with the church. View the video here: https://youtu.be/RIMK7nnBan4

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) National Bishop Susan C. Johnson writes to the church, calling on members, "to stand up and speak out against all forms of racism, anti-Semitism and violence, and to stand in solidarity with anyone who is feeling unsafe, unwelcome or upset" following numerous attacks on Jewish community centres, synagogues and cemeteries in Canada.

The text of the letter follows. Access the pdf version here: https://www.elcic.ca/Documents/201703LettertotheChurch.pdf

March 15, 2017

Dear members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada,

For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light—for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. — Ephesians 5:8–11

Grace and peace to you.

In recent weeks, I have heard about numerous attacks on Jewish community centres, synagogues and cemeteries in Canada. Many of these incidents have come in form of threats, including bomb threats, and/or damage to property. Such attacks generate fear, disrupt community and seek to divide people. They are a form of prejudice and promote prejudice.

Freedom of conscience and religion is named first among the fundamental rights of the people of this land in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Intimidation and threats against people of the Jewish faith—of any faith—is completely unacceptable. As Christians, we do not seek religious freedom that is denied to others. We support an inclusive society, open to all.

I call on the members of our church to stand up and speak out against all forms of racism, anti-Semitism and violence, and to stand in solidarity with anyone who is feeling unsafe, unwelcome or upset by these incidents.

In 2015, the ELCIC National Convention endorsed the document Welcome the Stranger (www.lutheranworld.org/sites/default/files/Welcoming_the_Stranger.pdf). In this action, we affirm that our, “faith teaches that compassion, mercy, love and hospitality are for everyone: the native born and the foreign born, the member of my community and the newcomer.” We join with people of all faiths on a journey toward peace, respect and true community. We renew our commitment to seek greater understanding and cooperation between Lutheran Christians and the Jewish community in Canada.

Let us pray:

God of peace and God of hope, we pray for safety and respect for all people. Send your spirit of healing to all who feel violated and your spirit of courage to all who are afraid. Strengthen us to stand with the Jewish community across Canada and to speak out against all forms of anti-Semitism, intolerance and violence. In your holy name we pray. Amen.

 Yours in Christ,

Rev. Susan C. Johnson,
National Bishop,
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada

 

Leaders from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, Anglican Church of Canada, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and The Episcopal Church issue a joint Ash Wednesday message.

The text of the letter follows.

View a pdf of the letter here: https://www.elcic.ca/Documents/AshWednesdayStatement2017.pdf

Ash Wednesday, 2017

Remember the Refugees and Migrants

On this day many people will participate in a liturgy including the Imposition of Ashes.  Some presiders blot these ashes upon our foreheads and we are reminded that we are but dust and to dust shall we return. Others trace them upon our forehead in the sign of the cross, a reminder of the place to where the Lenten journey takes us.  Even at the outset of this holy season we are reminded that while for some the cross is a stumbling block and for others mere foolishness, it is for those who are being called, the power of God and the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:23). Remembering Christ crucified we are mindful not only of our personal need for repentance and renewal in doing the work of God, but indeed of the need of all humanity to repent of our indifference to the brokenness of our relationships, to the suffering of millions of people worldwide who are starving, oppressed, enslaved, or seeking sanctuary even if it be in a place far from their homeland.

This Lent we call our Churches to be continually mindful of the global refugee and migration crises, and the injustices and conflicts that have swelled the statistics to a number greater than ever in the history of the world. We acknowledge the good work done by so many of our synods and dioceses and parishes in sponsoring refugees, welcoming them, accompanying them and advocating for them as they settle in our countries. Similarly, we commend the compassionate work of our partner churches in other lands and intergovernmental bodies caring for migrants and refugees. We call on our Churches not to weary of this good work in the name of God.

Given the current political climate in the United States, it is important to say that while both our countries recognize the need for measures ensuring homeland security, we also stand up for the long established policies that welcome migrants and refugees. That is not to say any of them are not beyond reform. But it is to say that fair and generous policies strengthen the economy of our nations and enriches the economic, social and cultural fabric of our countries – a fabric woven by both the First Peoples of these lands and all those who have settled here through numerous waves of migration throughout our histories.  

Fair and generous action and deliberations are from our perspective, deeply grounded in the Law of Moses, in the teaching of the Prophets and in the Gospel of Jesus.  For some two millennia millions of people have found consolation in the suffering of Jesus upon the cross and in his holy name they have prayed for the compassion and justice of God in the midst of the terrible circumstances of their lives – circumstances that compel them to flee their homelands, making their way over dangerous treks of land. Sometimes they find refuge in new nations and frequently they make their way to ports where they can board vessels and make what are often treacherous voyages in the hope of reaching a land free of the oppression they have known.  Some make it.  Many don’t.

May this Season of Lent be especially marked by our prayers and advocacy for refugees and migrants – on the run, in United Nations camps, in waiting, in our communities… And let it be marked by a continuing resolve in welcoming the stranger in our midst, for such hospitality is in keeping with the faith we proclaim. (Matthew 25:31-40)

In Christ,

           
The Most Rev. Fred Hiltz Primate
Anglican Church of Canada

The Rev. Susan C. Johnson
National Bishop
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada

The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton Presiding Bishop
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry Presiding Bishop
Episcopal Church (United States

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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.

Material provided through ELCIC Information is intended for reproduction and redistribution by recipients in whatever manner they may find useful.

For more information, please contact:
Trina Gallop Blank, Director of Communications
600-177 Lombard Ave. Winnipeg MB R3B 0W5
204.984.9172
tgallop@elcic.ca

Subscribe or unsubscribe to ELCIC Information by emailing info@elcic.ca with a short message.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada’s (ELCIC) Eastern Synod is currently divided up into 17 different ministry areas – stretching from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario to Halifax, Nova Scotia. These ministry areas are select groupings of churches within a close proximity of one another. One of the many benefits of the ministry areas is that they can accommodate larger church group gatherings, much like the two seen in the Thames Ministry Area and the Ottawa Ministry Area in late 2016.

Churches and ministry groups alike have already been gathering across the country to show their support for the ELCIC’s Reformation Challenge. The Thames Ministry Area held a joint worship service with its congregations to begin the 500th anniversary year, with the offering set to go towards scholarships for students in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL), one of four areas of focus in the Reformation Challenge. The Ottawa Ministry Area held two services with the funds raised also going towards the Reformation Challenge.

Pastor Steve Johnston, of Trinity Lutheran Church in the Thames Ministry Area, spoke of how the event came to be.

“I am actually the Dean of the area, so I do know the eight collected congregations quite well,” he said. “Although belonging to the same Ministry Area, the geography actually works against us. We have about a two-and-a-half-hour drive from one corner to the other, so getting to the others is not the easiest thing. So after finding a date and planning the event with Eastern Synod Bishop, Michael Pryse, we all committed to it, and all of the pastors did what they could to get their churches involved.”

Planning a joint service, and carrying out with that service are two very different things. For Johnston, it was the time spent preparing the event that he believes really helped shape it into the gathering  that it became.

“The 500th anniversary of the Reformation only happens once,” Johnston said. “So we figured that we might as well have a great lead up to it with a 499th anniversary commemoration. The pastors got together and we planned out the service and talked it over with Bishop Michael. He preached on that day, and each of the pastors from the congregation added their own pieces to the service. It was our chance to get together and celebrate our Lutheran identity while observing some commemoration parts of it as well. It was a very traditional service, but we did have some contemporary music in there just for good fun; it was a good day.”

Although many of the Thames Ministry Area congregations had already contributed to the ELCIC’s Reformation Challenge, Johnston says that it “just made sense” for the money raised to go towards a scholarship for a student in the ELCJHL.

“For one, it was quite pragmatic, as it was easy to decide that the money made from our gathering could easily be given that fund,” Johnston said. “And two, we are all interested in education, so it just seemed like quite a natural fit.”

Meanwhile in the Ottawa Ministry Area, Miranda Gray – member of Resurrection Lutheran Church in Orleans, Ontario – provided some information surrounding a very similar setup by her local Ministry Area.

“We as the Ottawa Ministry Area wanted to do something with the group as opposed to individual projects,” Gray said. “So looking to the upcoming Reformation commemoration, we planned out what we could do as a part of the Reformation Challenge. It was determined that a worship event between the churches would be the best idea – we actually had two services. We were adamant that A.) we should have an offering, and B.) the money raised should be donated somewhere to a charity or a project related closely to the church, so that is how we chose a scholarship for the Reformation Challenge.”

On top of the worship services, it was also suggested to congregations in the Ottawa Ministry Area to consider working towards an area of choice within the Reformation Challenge. According to Gray, although some churches had already participated in the Reformation Challenge, others began shortly after that initial conversation.

For Gray, and countless others within the eight congregations of the Ottawa Ministry Area, the most exciting part of the worship services, was just that, the worship services.

“I think that what is so special about this time in our lives is that we’re now enjoying worshipping here together,” she said. “Although this gathering was focused on the Reformation Challenge, it was the only time that we all worshipped together this year. It also is the first time that we have decided to do an offering event with a goal for what we have collected. So the Reformation Challenge has helped restore new light in our communities.”

As we journey towards the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, ELCIC members and congregations have been sharing their stories of mission and hope through their involvement in the ELCIC Reformation Challenge.

One such missional story comes from Rev. Bruce Gelhorn and the congregation of Grace Lutheran Church in Winnipeg, of the Manitoba Northwestern Ontario Synod.

“When we first received the Reformation Challenge invite from the National Office, I felt as though this was something that our church would be able to really help support and embrace,” Gelhorn said. “I am pleased that in just a few months of time, we have been able to contribute towards three focal points: refugees, scholarships and trees.”

Contributing towards three areas of the Reformation Challenge is no easy task either. Under the guidance of Gelhorn, Grace Lutheran has already been able to sponsor three refugees, donate five scholarships and plant many trees in honour of the ELCIC’s latest project. One member – as Gelhorn pointed out – even took the initiative to dedicate the 24 saplings that he planted at his cottage towards the Reformation Challenge.

“I suggested to our members that they consider gathering together with family and friends and planting a tree,” Pastor Gelhorn said. “Then we would ask of them to take a picture beside it and we would post it up in an effort to raise awareness throughout the church. We actually had one member plant 24 saplings at his cottage. We popped his picture up on our slideshow before a service began back in late fall. It’s obviously winter now, so next spring we will encourage people again to gather family and friends together to plant more trees, and hopefully generate more in that regard as well.”

So how did all of this good work begin at Grace Lutheran Church?

“I lifted up the challenges to the congregation on Reformation Sunday through a pictoral sermon,” Gelhorn said. “We went to Europe a few years back, so I showed pictures and talked about where Luther was born and baptized. I ended up doing a bit of a Luther history in a sense. From there I continued on talking about the 500th anniversary and the Reformation Challenge, and then I lifted up the four areas to cover.”

But it wasn’t just in front of his congregation where Bruce urged action towards the ELCIC’s project. He made sure to stay adamantly involved behind the scenes as well.

“So after already agreeing to put money aside for a refugee family and talking about the importance of planting trees, I decided to look into how we might be able to support the other areas,” Gelhorn said. “I knew that we had some money sitting in our memorial fund, so at our November council meeting I proposed that we give 15 percent of that money to the Reformation Challenge. Originally I suggested that we split it evenly between the scholarships portion and the Lutheran World Federation. But we ultimately decided that we felt that the scholarships area could use the most help, so we decided to put all of our money into scholarships for five students.”

Although still waiting upon the arrival of their refugee family, Grace Lutheran Church can be joyful in the fact that they have already contributed five scholarships towards students in the ELCJHL, and are actively pursuing the planting of trees for the Reformation Challenge. And if Rev. Bruce Gelhorn gets his way about it, donating to the LWF isn’t as much of a longshot as it may have initially appeared.

“I still would like Grace to be able to contribute towards all four areas, but for now we are really pleased with what we have been able to accomplish so far.”

In a message to the members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) and Anglican Church of Canada (ACC), National Bishop Susan Johnson and Primate Fred Hiltz share an update on 2019 gathering plans and look forward to a Joint Assembly in 2022 where the two churches will celebrate over 20 years of Full Communion.

The text of the letter follows. View the pdf of the letter here.

A message from National Bishop Susan Johnson and Primate Fred Hiltz

To Members of the Anglican Church of Canada and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada

As you may know, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) National Church Council (NCC) and the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC) Council of General Synod (CoGS) passed resolutions in support of a Joint Assembly of our two governing bodies—the ELCIC National Convention and the ACC General Synod—in 2019. Building on our 2013 Joint Assembly, we have been looking forward to another opportunity to be together as two churches living out our Full Communion relationship.

Our staff teams have been working hard to realize this intention. Early on, a decision was made to plan the Joint Assembly in Vancouver, and at its 2016 General Synod, the Anglican Church of Canada announced the Diocese of New Westminster as the host of General Synod 2019.

One of the realizations that has come to light is the challenge around aligning our two gatherings in a way that feels meaningful and in the best spirit of Full Communion. Part of this is simply the mass of work before our two national bodies in the governance of each of our churches. There are also logistical concerns—finding venues that work for both our churches simultaneously has proven to be a real challenge. And then attention must be made towards ensuring that all of this works within the financial constraints of the ELCIC and the time restraints of the ACC.

The prospect of a Joint Assembly where we are each hurrying through agenda and scrambling on and off buses to commute to one another’s venue in order to accommodate time together was not a prospect that we welcomed. We are both very mindful of the need of both our churches to have adequate time to do the work they must do. Both of us would also want the maximum amount of time together in Joint Assembly.

In light of this, we proposed to NCC and CoGs that Joint Assembly be rescheduled for 2022, in a venue that will accommodate the national bodies of both our groups together, as well as providing separate meeting places for the work unique to each of our churches and that planning for such a gathering begin immediately. Both bodies affirmed this proposal by a majority of their members in a ballot conducted by e-mail.

We believe a Joint Assembly in 2022 will be a really fine celebration marking more than twenty years of Full Communion. In the meantime, we continue to give thanks to God for all who are at work in hundreds of places across our two churches to realize the Full Communion relationship that has been written so deeply on our hearts.

Yours faithfully,
Rev. Susan C. Johnson
National Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada

The Most Rev. Fred Hiltz
Primate, Anglican Church of Canada

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) National Bishop Susan C. Johnson writes to the church following the fatal attack last night at le Centre Culturel Islamique de Québec.

"Our hearts and prayers reach out to the families of those who were killed, those who were hurt, their families, and all who feel the impact of this terrible act of violence. We extend our commitment to stand with Muslims across Canada," says Bishop Johnson.

Text of the letter follows. Read the full letter here: https://www.elcic.ca/Documents/20170130LettertotheChurch.pdf

Inshallah, a 130-plus member choir – based out of Waterloo Lutheran Seminary (WLS) at Wilfrid Laurier University – found its origins during a study tour to Palestine and Israel in 2007. Now it is giving back to that same community through the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada’s (ELCIC) Reformation Challenge.

During the seminary’s study trip, Debbie Lou Ludolph, who is now the choir director for Inshallah, was tasked with coordinating worship. She, along with 20-30 other travellers, sang and worshipped daily, listening to the stories of the Palestinian people.

“At one of the Palestinian churches in Beit Jala, the women gave us 20 song books of music that they had collected from their community for us to take back home to Canada,” Ludolph said. “They told us to go home and continue to sing their songs as a way to help tell their story. So with the help and support of Eastern Synod Bishop Michael Pryse and David Pfrimmer, the Dean of the seminary at that time, we were able to put together the 20-member choir, Inshallah upon our return.”

That trip transformed the ideas of worship and prayer in song for the members of the choir. This continues to brew deep within Inshallah as the choir has since transitioned to become an ecumenical group, even hosting members without a faith background. Inshallah currently gathers once a week at WLS and has travelled and performed across most of synod.

Just this past November, Inshallah celebrated 10 years of singing together. Throughout those years, Ludolph says that the Palestinian Church and, in particular, Bishop Munib Younan of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL) have been extremely important and supportive to Inshallah and its singing.

“When we started getting closer to November and began to wonder what we would do to honour our ten-year anniversary, we thought back to Palestine and them giving us the 20 music books – a commissioning of sorts,” Ludolph said. “So we figured that when we go back on our next study trip this coming May, that we would bring them copies of our new song book, Sing the Circle Wide – a collection of songs that have really impacted us.”

But that wasn’t all that Debbie Lou Ludolph and her choir were able to provide. One objective of the ELCIC’s Reformation Challenge is to raise funds for scholarships to help send children to school in the ELCJHL. As a group, Inshallah embraced that goal and came together to donate money for a cause very close to home.

“We have done fundraisers before for the church, but this one was very different,” Ludolph said. “We ended up collecting enough money for two scholarships. The funds came from an offering that we took from those in attendance on the night of our ten-year celebration. We thought about it carefully and decided that putting the money towards scholarships would be the best thing for us to do.”

Even Ludolph – a seasoned choir director – admits that she is always learning something new from Inshallah. Whether it is something musical, emotional, or even geographical, the experience of Inshallah is ever-changing.  

“It is very transformative experience,” she said. “Sometimes it is very much about how we can equip the church to sing this song, while other times it is very much about how we can partner in the public square towards the human flourishing of being a community. It is not always easy, as it challenges who you are and what you believe, but it is always very rewarding.”

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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.

Material provided through ELCIC Information is intended for reproduction and redistribution by recipients in whatever manner they may find useful.

For more information, please contact:
Trina Gallop Blank, Director of Communications
600-177 Lombard Ave. Winnipeg MB R3B 0W5
204.984.9172
tgallop@elcic.ca

Subscribe or unsubscribe to ELCIC Information by emailing info@elcic.ca with a short message.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) is encouraging congregations to participate in the Reformation Challenge throughout the coming year.

As explained by Rev. John Polacok, of St. Matthew’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hanover, Ontario, one of the best ways to keep members engaged in the Reformation Challenge is by setting goals.

“What has worked well so far for our congregation, is to set attainable objectives,” the Eastern Synod pastor says. “For instance, our St. Matthew’s Evangelical Lutheran Women have raised $234 for tree planting in Ethiopia. Their goal is $500. We are also planning to plant five fruit trees here on the property. We don’t have a ton of room here, but we will be helping take part of the program through Canadian Lutheran World Relief. We too hope to help them plant as many trees as they can, but it is really our women’s group and their goals that are helping drive this.”

Polacok has already seen his congregation both answer the call of the ELCIC Reformation Challenge, and deliver on multiple fronts.

Not only has St. Matthew’s contributed to the planting of trees, but they have already put together funding for scholarships, sponsored refugees – who are to be arriving very shortly – and have plans in store to donate financially to The Lutheran World Federation Endowment Fund.

“I am really excited about our planned commitment to the scholarships,” Polacok said. “We are hoping to raise enough money through fundraisers for more than just one scholarship. As one scholarship is $1,400, it would be nice if we could provide two of those; that is our goal right now.”

For a congregation that sees roughly 105-120 members on Sundays, Pastor John Polacok is very pleased with his church’s efforts thus far. But at the same time, he knows that there is the potential for a greater response right down the road.

“We are hoping to kind of piggyback on the joint Lutheran/Catholic commemoration service that had been done in Lund,” Polacok said. “We are working along with our Roman Catholic brothers and sisters here in Hanover to see if we can do a very similar service to that one sometime this coming spring. We would hope to have a free-will offering, in which our half could be used towards scholarships and help with The Lutheran World Federation Endowment Fund. We are really trying hard to embrace all areas.”

Although this potential service is still up in the air, Polacok and his congregation in Hanover have truly embraced the purpose of the Reformation Challenge, demonstrating their thrill towards the theme of being Liberated by God’s Grace.

“We are just really, really excited about this coming year,” he said. “We will be doing some other events as well for the upcoming anniversary, and hopefully if everything goes well, we will be able to provide even more money for the scholarships, and other areas; that is something that we all think is really important.”