Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) members are invited to explore the current reality for congregations in Canada with respect to Word and Sacrament ministry and reflect on how our Lutheran understanding of Word and Sacrament ministry might shape future options for the provision of ministry.

In the fall of 2012, the Faith, Order and Doctrine Committee (FOD) of the ELCIC’s National Church Council (NCC) was asked to consider the question of licensing lay people for sacramental ministry. The underlying concern was for under-served communities desiring more regular access to a full ministry of Word and Sacrament. The FOD terms of reference were later to “the study of Word and Sacrament Ministry in the ELCIC.”

This Word and Sacrament Ministry Study Guide (available online: https://elcic.ca/faithorderdoctrine) is designed specifically for small groups, and church-wide participation is encouraged.

Deadline for responses is Monday, December 15, 2014.

Further information on the work of the Faith, Order and Doctrine Committee – and a copy of the study guide – is available online: https://elcic.ca/faithorderdoctrine/default.cfm.

On the fourth ballot for Synod Bishop, delegates to the Saskatchwan Synod Convention elected Rev. Dr Sidney Haugen to a four-year term.

Bishop-elect Haugen has served as pastor of Our Saviour’s and Central Lutheran Churches, Regina, SK for 18 years. He has also served as chair of the Saskatchewan Synod Council.

The new bishop will take office on August 1, 2014. 

Incumbent Saskatachewan Synod Bishop Cindy Halmarson addressed convention delegates following the announcement.

"Great thanks for all those who have worked with me over the years to lead this synod in ministry. Thank you very much," said Bishop Halmarson. While her plans for the future are opened-ended at this time, Bishop Halmarson says that she and her husband are looking forward to their own time of rest and renewal.

Bishop Halmarson served as Saskatchwan Synod Bishop for 12 years.

The Saskatchewan Synod Convention met May 2-4 in Regina, SK.

ELCIC members and congregations are invited to celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Easter – May 11, 2014 – as a Day of Prayer for Vocations to Rostered Minstry.

A resource suitable for congregational bulletins to assist in your celebrations can be found here: https://elcic.ca/Leadership/VocationalSunday.cfm

Delegates to the ELCIC’s Manitoba/Northwestern Ontario (MNO) Synod Convention re-elected Rev. Elaine Sauer as Synod Bishop to a third term.

The MNO Synod met in convention April 24-26 at Epiphany Lutheran Church in Winnipeg.

The agenda for the business session of convention included the election of a Synod Bishop.

Bishop Elaine Sauer, elected to a four-year term in 2006 and re-elected in 2010, was re-elected to a third term on the second ballot.

National Bishop Susan C. Johnson of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) and Archbishop Fred Hiltz, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC), offer a joint Earth Day message to the two churches.

The text of the message follows:
 
“This fragile Earth, our island home”

At your command all things came to be:
The vast expanse of interstellar space,
Galaxies, suns, the planets in their courses, and this fragile earth, our island home;
By your will they were created and have their being.
Glory to you forever and ever.

This year’s observance of Earth Day follows immediately on the events of Good Friday and Easter Sunday.  In them we see movements from enmity to reconciliation, suffering to hope, and death to new life. They speak not only to humanity but also to the interconnectedness of all of creation.

The Scriptures tell us that our first vocation as human beings is to tend God’s creation.  An honest assessment of our diligence in that call inevitably leads us to confess “our waste and pollution of creation and our lack of concern for those who come after us.” ( Ash Wednesday Liturgy) 

Reports on the state of the environment as documented by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change are increasingly alarming.  Of particular concern is the global collapse of oceans and the serious consequences already borne by the poorest nations.  At a climate conference in Warsaw last November, there was an emotional outpouring from countries that face existential threats, among them Bangladesh, which produces just 0.3 per cent of the emissions driving climate change.

In the face of increasing concern and vulnerability in the world voiced especially by the poor and the young, what word does the church speak? What action do we take?

We learn from global partners.  A call from the Anglican Communion Environmental Network to a deeper commitment to the fifth Mark of Mission shared by Anglicans worldwide influenced the Anglican church’s recent decision to have candidates for baptism make an additional vow “to strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and respect, sustain, and renew the life of the earth.” (An Act of General Synod, 2013). A call from the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) delegation to COP 19 in Warsaw, Poland (November 11-22, 2013), which included seven young adults, led the Lutheran church to join a global monthly fast in prayerful solidarity with people affected by climate change (#fastfortheclimate). 

We raise awareness. Anglican and Lutheran Youth have taken up the challenge of raising awareness of the “Right to Water” through a joint National Youth Project.  Our churches commend the UN effort to reach a global treaty in 2015 to secure a global agreement on a net zero emissions goal. Canada, with the second highest greenhouse gas emissions intensity per capita of the G8 countries, is expected to announce an emission-reduction target for 2030 that would be significantly lower than 2020 levels. While progress is being made, without new measures, absolute emissions in 2030 would be projected to reach 815 megatonnes — 81 megatonnes more than projected for 2020.

We act. As Full Communion partners, our churches are committed to learn about issues of resource extraction and the effects on environment, health, Indigenous peoples, communities and economies and to raise awareness within our communities and with policy shapers and decision makers.  We support our partners in defining their own development goals, including supporting Indigenous communities in Canada and elsewhere in exercising their right to Free, Prior and Informed Consent; and act to embed enforceable legal obligations based on FPIC in Canadian policies and practices with respect to resource extraction.  We advocate for responsible and ethical investment and actions by individuals, faith communities, corporations, and governments both in Canada and around the world.  And, we pray for the humility and discipline to use Earth’s resources wisely and responsibly.  These are commitments we are working to put into action.

With our ecumenical and interfaith partners – KAIROS; the Commission on Justice and Peace of the Canadian Council of Churches; the Canadian Interfaith Conversation — we are committed to act from “our faith traditions and sacred texts … to consider the spiritual dimensions of the crisis of ocean and climate change; to take stock of our collective behaviour; to transform cultures of consumerism and waste into cultures of sustainability; and to respect the balance between economic activity and environmental stewardship.” (Canadian Interfaith Call for Leadership and Action on Climate Change, 2011)

We encourage each other to act.  We invite individuals, parishes, congregations, dioceses and synods to increase their “stewardship of creation” through  green audits, greening strategies and practices that show how much “creation matters.” 

We pray. Good Friday reminds us that we have a Saviour who is able to sympathize with our weaknesses and the suffering of creation. Easter Sunday reminds us that we are witnesses of all God does for us, and that we begin each day forgiven and free. 

On this Earth Day, our hope is that we will rise up more conscious than ever of our first vocation as human beings caring for the Earth with the utmost respect for the Creator and the utmost regard for the generations of all those who come after us. 

From the primal elements
You brought forth the human race,
And blessed us with memory, reason, and skill;
You made us the stewards of creation.

Glory to you for ever and ever.

A pdf version of the joint message can be viewed here: https://www.elcic.ca/Documents/2014April-EarthDayMessage.pdf

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The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada is Canada’s largest Lutheran denomination with 145,376 baptized members in 594 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.

In a new online video, National Bishop Susan C. Johnson of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) and Archbishop Fred Hiltz, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC), offer a joint Holy Week and Easter message to the two churches.

The two leaders share their reflections as they attend the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Alberta National Event, March 2014.

The TRC gives survivors of the residential schools an opportunity to share their stories. Most of these stories are of pain, loneliness, and years of lost love.

The TRC also provides an opportunity for the churches and others to offer an expression of reconciliation and a commitment to healing and reconciliation. “We enter this Truth and Reconciliation work with heavy hearts but there certainly are indications that change is about to happen,” says Archbishop Hiltz.

“Holy Week is all about reconciliation,” continues Archbishop Hiltz. “As we make that journey to Good Friday and we see our Lord with arms outstretched on the cross, those are arms of reconciling love, bringing us all into relationship with one another in God who loves each and every one of us.”

Bishop Johnson notes that this year the two leaders will be especially mindful entering into Holy Week and journeying on to Easter because of the stories they experienced at the TRC. “As we celebrate our Lord’s passion and remember his death, we will hear the cries of pain and loss that we have heard these few days,” she says.

“As we prepare to celebrate the joyful celebration of Easter [we will] count on our Lord to bring us a new dawn, a new hope of a future that will take away this pain and lead us into right relationships,” says Bishop Johnson.

The ACC and ELCIC have enjoyed a full communion partnership since 2001. This relationship is lived out in many ways, including using each other’s liturgies and serving as clergy in each other’s churches. Several joint Anglican-Lutheran parishes and cooperative ministries have sprung up across Canada.

In July 2013, the ELCIC and ACC gathered together at a Joint Assembly of the ELCIC National Convention and the ACC General Synod in Ottawa, Ont.

This year, Lutherans and Anglicans will host a joint National Worship Conference (www.nationalworshipconference.org) and Canadian Lutheran Anglican Youth (CLAY) gathering (www.claygathering.ca).

The video can be viewed from the National Bishop’s page: https://elcic.ca/From-the-Bishop/default.cfm
Download a copy of the video here: http://youtu.be/JvYGyGU3E84

—————————————————————–
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada is Canada’s largest Lutheran denomination with 145,376 baptized members in 594 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, 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.

Representatives from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) and its ecumenical partners were among thousands gathered to hear survivor testimonies, celebrate Indigenous culture and resilience and work towards reconciliation at the Truth and Reconciliation national event, March 27-30 in Edmonton, Alberta.

ELCIC National Bishop Susan C. Johnson presented an Expression of Reconciliation on behalf of the ELCIC at the gathering.

The ELCIC offered a copy of the 2011 ELCIC Resolution on Right Relationships with Indigenous Peoples and a clay pot as a symbol of, "all that we must give up for the sake of reconciliation."

View the text of Bishop Johnson’s presentation here.

Videos and other news from the TRC will be made available at www.trc.ca.

The April issue of E-Communique is now available.

E-Communique is an electronic newsletter full of timely information and resources from the ELCIC National Office.

• Please share this information widely.
• Forward this email to others in your congregation.
• Items can also be copy and pasted into worship bulletins, calendars and announcements.

View the April issue of E-Communique here: http://login.greatbignews.com/userfiles/246/AprilE-Communique.htm

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) National Bishop Susan C. Johnson invites members of the ELCIC to pray for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and for the Alberta National Event, which runs from March 27-30, 2014 in Edmonton, Alberta.

 “The call to listen to survivors of residential schools and to learn from history is of the utmost importance,” says Bishop Johnson. “Our church is committed to an ongoing process of finding truth and reconciliation together. We understand this to be both an urgent and a long-term commitment.”

TRC events provide an important opportunity for those affected by the legacy of the Indian Residential Schools to share their experiences with the Commission and the public. They also serve to educate Canadians about the country’s 130-year history of residential schools, and their legacy for Aboriginal communities and Canadian society as a whole.

National Bishop Susan Johnson will be present at TRC Alberta National Event. This event is the seventh and final National Event mandated by the 2007 Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. During her time at the event, Bishop Johnson will present an Expression of Reconciliation on behalf of the ELCIC as part of a ceremony that runs from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 29, 2014 in Hall A of the Shaw Centre. It’s a free public event and all are welcome.

The ELCIC’s gift will be a certificate bearing witness to the motion passed at the 2011 ELCIC National Convention on the Resolution on Right Relationships with Indigenous Peoples and a handcrafted pottery piece that was commissioned by the ELCIC.

The TRC welcomes Expressions of Reconciliation from individuals, organizations, and the parties to the Residential Schools Settlement Agreement who wish to publicly state their commitment to the journey of healing and reconciliation and speak to the ways in which they are contributing to that journey. A tangible gift is made to the TRC to accompany the statement of the Expression.

The ELCIC has prepared a prayer for use in congregations and personal devotions:

Creator, you make all people beautifully diverse in your image. As first peoples of this land and people from many nations and cultures, reform us into a united people that rejoices in our many different gifts. Bless the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Alberta National Event and all who participate on March 27-30 in Edmonton, Alberta. We pray that your Spirit of compassion, justice, forgiveness, and healing that Jesus gave to all will prevail, and that a new day of peace and hope will arise for first peoples and all people in Canada.

Additional information on the upcoming TRC Alberta National Event is available at:  http://www.myrobust.com/websites/alberta/index.php?p=766

For those not able to attend, the TRC Alberta National Event will be livestreamed at www.trc.ca.

—————————————————————–
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada is Canada’s largest Lutheran denomination with 145,376 baptized members in 594 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) National Church Council (NCC) met in Winnipeg from March 6-8. Council members conduct the business of the church between National Conventions. The following is an overview of highlights from the meeting.

Report of the National Bishop
ELCIC National Bishop Susan C. Johnson shared highlights of her work since the last NCC meeting. A significant part of the bishop’s time is devoted to representing the ELCIC, and through her position as vice-president North America region – also representing the Lutheran World Federation.

In her report, Bishop Johnson shared her experience of participating in the opening of a sports facility at Dar al-Kalima School, Bethlehem. The facility is the second largest in the West Bank and Gaza, and provided many jobs and economic opportunities during construction. Future uses of the facility include sports programs for young women and girls, and because the facility has been built to international football, volleyball, soccer, basketball and racquetball standards, it will host local and international teams. The commitment to empowering women through sports will make this facility and its programs a model that will put Palestinian women’s sports on the map. “This is just one example of the work that we in the ELCIC support through our partnership with Canadian Lutheran World Relief; made possible through the generosity of Lutherans across Canada,” said Bishop Johnson.

A summary of the Report of the National Bishop can be viewed online: https://www.elcic.ca/Documents/documents/201403SummaryoftheReportoftheNationalBishoptoNCC.pdf

ELCIC National Office Strategic Plan
NCC members received an update on the progress of the ELCIC National Office Strategic Plan 2013-2017. This plan was developed following a visioning session with NCC members. It was reported to and affirmed by the National Convention in July 2013. The strategic plan outlines the goals and directions of the National Office and focuses on four areas: Spirited Discipleship, Healthy Church, Compassionate Justice and Effective Partnerships.

NCC approves in principle a Joint Assembly in 2019
In December, the Joint Planning Committee for the 2013 Joint Assembly – a national gathering of the ELCIC and Anglican Church of Canada (ACC) – met to evaluate the July 2013 gathering in Ottawa. The Joint Assembly received very positive feedback, along with suggestions for future consideration.

At its March 2014 meeting, council approved a motion that will see the ELCIC and ACC consider the possibility of holding a second joint assembly in 2019. This is the next opportunity that gathering dates for the ELCIC and ACC occur again in the same year.

NCC members also approved in principle a joint meeting with the ACC Council of General Synod in 2015. The National Bishop reported to NCC that program staff at the National Office and ACC General Synod have plans to meet semi-annually to discuss work that has natural synergies for collaboration.

ELCIC to commemorate 500th anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation
In 2017, Lutherans around the globe will mark the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. The ELCIC will designate 2015 to 2017 for the commemoration of this significant anniversary. The theme the Lutheran World Federation has adopted for the commemoration, “Liberated by God’s Grace,” will also be used by the ELCIC. Resources will be developed for use across the church.

The goal of the ELCIC commemoration of the anniversary is to encourage all groups within the ELCIC that meet in this time period to consider using the theme and sub- themes as the basis for their gatherings. The ELCIC will seek to commemorate the anniversary in an ecumenical spirit, inviting partners, in particular Anglicans and Roman Catholics, to participate with wherever possible.

Faith, Order and Doctrine Study Materials for Congregational Use
The committee for Faith, Order and Doctrine (FOD) has created a four-session study guide on Word and Sacrament Ministry for congregational use. This resource was prepared with careful consideration following over 275 responses to a 2013 online survey, reflections from synod bishops, and contributions from throughout the church. This churchwide study will be distributed at all 2014 Synod Conventions and made available online in April.

Sunday, May 11: Day of Prayer for Vocations to Rostered Ministry
NCC members approved a motion that will acknowledge Sunday, May 11 as a day of prayer for vocations to rostered ministry. This is an opportunity to emphasize the role congregations play in the formation of leaders and in helping individuals discern a call to rostered ministry. The National Office will prepare resources for congregational use.

Easter 7 designated as the Day of Prayers for Peace in the Holy Land
NCC members approved a change to the ELCIC’s annual Sunday for Prayers for Peace in the Holy Land. This amendment from our current practice of using Lent 2 comes following a meeting among the four presiding bishops of the ELCIC, Anglican Church of Canada, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and The Episcopal Church in December 2013 and puts the ELCIC in line with similar observances by our partners. At this meeting, leaders discussed the importance of offering a united voice in times of need and what it meant to offer a common witness together across the four churches.

ELCIC brings expression of reconciliation to Truth and Reconciliation Commission
National Bishop Susan Johnson will be present at the March gathering of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. On behalf of the ELCIC, Bishop Johnson will bring an expression of reconciliation to the event. This gift will include a certificate bearing witness to the motion passed at the 2011 ELCIC National Convention on the Resolution on Right Relationships with Indigenous Peoples and a handcrafted pottery piece which was commissioned by the ELCIC.

Worship, Bible Study, Spiritual Renewal
NCC members begin and conclude each day of the council meetings with worship. Cynthia Haines-Turner, Anglican Church of Canada COGS appointment to NCC, served in the role of chaplain for this meeting. Communion took place at the opening and closing of the council meeting with Saskatchewan Synod Bishop Cindy Halmarson presiding.

Rev. Jeff Smith, rostered member from the Eastern Synod, presented a Bible study on Friday for NCC members. National Bishop Susan Johnson led NCC members in a spiritual renewal exercise on Friday evening that had the council sharing faith stories with one another.

Next Meeting
The next meeting of NCC will take place September 4-6, 2014 in Winnipeg, MB.

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The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada is Canada’s largest Lutheran denomination with 145,376 baptized members in 594 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.