Throughout Friday’s agenda, delegates at the Eleventh National Convention of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) heard about the work of the church and that of its partners; the people who represent some of the major relationships in which the Bishop’s Office engages. What follows are highlights from the special guests who addressed convention delegates.

Rev. Dr. Ralph Mayan, President of Lutheran Church-Canada
Rev. Dr. Ralph Mayan brought greetings from the congregations, pastors and deacons of the Lutheran Church-Canada to delegates of the Eleventh Biennial Convention of the ELCIC at Winnipeg’s University of Manitoba.

He recalled the words of Paul in his letter to the Galatians (1:3-5) “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to set us free from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”

Mayan continued, “We rejoice with you that God has indeed delivered us from “this present age” according to the will of God the Father. Despite our diverging courses, we both stand beneath the cross, which keeps us helpful and hopeful in one another. There is a continued spirit of goodwill between the Churches.”

Mayan concluded with personal best wishes for National Bishop Schultz whom he has known since they both served pastorally in British Columbia. He added, “The West Coast gets in our blood.”

Rev. Canon Dr. Alyson Barnett-Cowan, Director – Faith, Worship and Ministry of the Anglican Church of Canada
Rev. Canon Dr. Alyson Barnett-Cowan greeted the members of the convention on behalf of the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC), and received laughter from those gathered when she commented that it was evident that the Anglicans and Lutherans were true kindred when it came to dealing with the intricacies of parliamentary procedure.

Barnett-Cowan expressed her appreciation for the vote that took place the previous evening to allow ordered ministers of the ACC who serve ELCIC congregations to have the same rights and privileges as the equivalent order of ministry in the ELCIC.

Noting that both the ELCIC and ACC are learning a great deal from this relationship, Barnett-Cowan posed the question “Is there more that we could be doing together?”

Dr. Dieter Kays, President and Chief Executive Office of FaithLife Financial
Dr. Kays brought greetings to convention delegates on behalf of the Board of Directors and members of FaithLife Financial. In his report, Kays noted that one million dollars had been contributed to the Christian community in the past year through programs such as scholarships, grants and disaster relief, although, when volunteer hours are accounted for, in total, the amount was actually closer to two million dollars.  

Kays offering thanks to the ELCIC and to Bishop Ray Schultz, and wished Bishop Schultz many blessings on his retirement.

Rev. Dr. Karen Hamilton, General Secretary of The Canadian Council of Churches
On behalf of the Canadian Council of Churches, Rev. Dr. Karen Hamilton greeted delegates. Acknowledging that the convention would be dealing with some difficult items during its time together, Hamilton noted that most church groups are doing exactly that these days. She observed that, from a historical perspective, churches have always had difficult issues that needed to be dealt with.

In describing the Canadian Council of Churches, Hamilton described the ELCIC as a vital part of the 21 denominations that make up this organization and spoke appreciatively of how the “evangelical” part of ELCIC’s name forms a kind of bridge between different denominations.

Dr. Hamilton shared examples of how the ELCIC is participating in significant international work through the Canadian Council of Churches in events such as the parallel meetings that were held in Germany during the G8 Summit with religious leaders from across the globe who came together to speak for the peoples of the world by working with the G8 agenda and challenging leaders to speak out on behalf of those whose voices were not being represented.

Mr. Carlos Peña, Vice President of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)
Mr. Carlos Peña began by thanking the ELCIC for all that it is doing, and offered official greetings from the Evangelical Church in America. Focusing on the many commonalities of the two: the same continent, the word “evangelical”, and the same baptism and faith, he noted that the ELCA is also sharing full communion with The Episcopal Church in the United States.  

Speaking about how the common worship resource was also a form of partnership between the two bodies, Peña shared that the ELCA would also be discussing issues around sexuality in their national gathering in August. He noted that just as they are praying for us in our process, he would ask for our prayers in their process later this summer.  

Peña concluded by giving thanks for Bishop Schultz and offered his gratitude for all the gifts that Bishop Schultz had brought to the ELCA and noted that he will be missed.

Mr. Robert Granke, Executive Director of Canadian Lutheran World Relief (CLWR)
Speaking to the partnership between CLWR and the Lutheran Church for more than 60 years, Mr. Robert Granke noted how the ELCIC and CLWR are embarking on new paths, based on collaboration. Granke highlighted a few of the areas of collaborating, such as: new placements in the Volunteers in Mission program; a capital and advocacy program, which has resulted in a total of $100,000 for the Augusta Victoria Hospital in Jerusalem; mechanisms that have been established for seminarians to gain exposure to international work; preparations to take on a new project which involves building a new resource generation plant; and finding more ways to reach out to the general public.

Granke shared that, through the work of CLWR, 100,000 people are supported in one day and concluded by saying that there is a strong link between the mission of the ELCIC and CLWR, and spoke of his confidence of this partnership in the future.

Ms. Edelvis Iraida Rodriguez Cadillo, Treasurer of the Peruvian Lutheran Evangelical Church (ILEP)
Bringing greetings from the Peruvian Lutheran Evangelical Church, Ms. Edelvis Iraida Rodriguez Cadillo briefly outlined the structure of the church in Peru, and acknowledged the assistance of the ELCIC in the formation of the church in 1993.  

Cadillo noted that Peru is very poor, with a high level of malnutrition, and an overall lack of work. These factors have a significant impact on the lives of those in these congregations and consequently, there are programs to assist women and children through the church, to support their overall health and well-being.

Cadillo spoke of the importance of the partnerships they have formed with churches in continuing their work and read a letter from Rev. Pedro Bullon, Pastor/President of the ILEP, who offered his greetings to those gathered, and acknowledged the celebration of six years of full communion with between the ACC and ELCIC.

Oberkirchenrat Norbert Deneke , United Evangelical Lutheran Church of Germany (VELKD), and General Secretary of the German National Committee (DNK) of the LWF 
Bringing greeting from the United Evangelical Lutheran Church of Germany, Oberkirchenrat  Norbert Deneke expressed his gratitude for having the opportunity to learn about the ELCIC through his attendance at convention. He noted that he recognized many German surnames on delegates name tags and that it made him feel very much at home.  

VELKD is a communion of eight territorial churches with approximately ten million members and mission of the VELKD is realized through seven areas of focus: A common order of service for worship; A common position on theological questions, such as: how can Christ be confessed in a pluralistic society?; Promotion of congregational renewal through publications, etc.; Cultivation of relationships with the worldwide Christian community; Engaging in dialogue with other Christian denominations; Responsibility for common church law; and Collaboration with other member churches of the Evangelical Church in Germany, which includes a communion of the Lutheran and Reformed territorial churches in Germany.

Ms. Kathy Magnus, Regional Officer of Lutheran World Federation (LWF) – North America
Kathy Magnus brought greetings and information on the work of the Lutheran World Federation that celebrates its 60th anniversary this year and is recognized as the second-largest partner to the United Nationals High Commissioner for Refugees with direct care of over 400,000 refugees around the world. Some 140 member churches in 78 countries continue to champion the cause of displaced peoples. Highlights of the international successes prompted to an enthusiastic litany of sorts as Magnus led the delegates in repeated cheers of, "Sixty-Six Million Lutherans Do Make a Difference!"
 
Noting the maps and handout materials provided for delegates, Magnus encouraged their use at the parish level. She focused on Rwanda, just one of many vulnerable countries. In 2003, over the course of 100 days, over 800,000 people were massacred. In the aftermath, ninety-one of every one thousand babies will die at birth. One fifth of children will die before they reach the age of five. Immediately after the massacre, Magnus said simply, "LWF was there." She shared stories of the return of hope to people whose lives had been shattered and reminded the delegates that, "You are tangibly in mission for others around the world".

Bishop Dr. Munib A. Younan – Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (greeting was by video)
Rev. Paul Johnson provided introductory remarks prior to the tape of Bishop Younan being shown and indicated that in 2001, the ELCIC signed a bilateral agreement with the ELCJHL, making it a partner with that church. Earlier this year, the ELCIC becaome part of an organization called the Coordinating Commission for Palestine, which meets once a year to coordinate support for the Palestinian church.

In his video greeting, Bishop Younan expressed his gratitude for the ELCIC forming an agreement to stand together with their brothers and sisters in Jerusalem. He noted that the Palestinian church is strong in its witness, and seeks to work for justice and peace.  

Ms. Betty St. Onge, President of the Board of the Evangelical Lutheran Women (ELW)
Ms. Onge greeted the convention on behalf of the ELW and commented that this gathering was truly a family gathering, and that this convention was like a family reunion for 2007.  

Onge reported that the ELW celebrated their 20th anniversary in 2006 and that they have begun a discernment process to assist them in looking towards the future. As a part of this, they have constructed a congregational survey that has been sent out to their membership and are working with focus groups across Canada. Onge said that they are looking forward to seeing how the ELW will redevelop itself.

Since the inception of the ELW, members have donated more than 2 million dollars to the work of the national church. In looking forward, the ELW will be putting out a publication called, No Place Like Home, which is a new resource about homelessness. They are also looking forward to their next convention in July where they will gather under the theme: “Be not afraid”.  Onge concluded by reminding the convention to “be not afraid” and to “be in mission for everyone, everywhere.”

Sister Anne Keffer, Head, Deaconess Community of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in American (ELCA)
Sister Keffer offered greetings to the convention from the Deaconess Community of the ELCA and noted the history of the Deaconess Community for delegates which began 120 years ago and was originally a part of the Lutheran Church in America (LCA). There are currently 75 women in the community of deaconesses, and 4 more candidates have come forward.

Keffer noted several examples of how deaconesses are serving in communities: offering hospitality to immigrants as they arrive, caring for special needs children, coordinating international volunteers and working for peace in areas of conflict. Keffer indicated that these deaconesses were serving in communities around the world, and through this work, they were seeking to make a difference.

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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.

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, Manager of Communications
302-393 Portage Ave. Winnipeg MB R3B 3H6
204.984.9172
tgallop@elcic.ca

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

The strength of the ELCIC’s Global Hunger and Development Appeal (GHDA) is in its holistic approach to addressing issues of justice in the world according to Ryan Anderson, Assistant to the National Bishop for Stewardship and Public Life. Anderson addressed the GHDA luncheon for delegates attending the Eleventh Biennial National Convention of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) who had an interest or curiosity for the church’s work for justice and care for the neighbour in need.
 
By holistically addressing issues of emergency relief and long-term development while also advocating for change and offering education, lasting transformation can be achieved. Not only are immediate needs met, but also structures are changed that lie at the root of problems like poverty, hunger and human rights both in Canada and abroad.
 
Partnerships were lifted up as an integral part of this holistic approach. GHDA’s primary partner, Canadian Lutheran World Relief (CLWR), offers channels for effective delivery of emergency relief and long term development programming. KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives is instrumental in coordinating the ecumenical voices of Canadian churches to advocate for public policy that protects the needs of the marginalized. The organization also provides a wealth of educational resources. Synods of the church implement domestic projects that address issues of need in communities throughout Canada.
 
The “Signs of Hope, Practices of Love” campaign is GHDA’s framework for engaging members of the church in this wide array of initiatives. Attendees were encouraged to look at ways in which they can personally engage in practices of love for one’s neighbour to be a sign of hope in this broken world that can be so overwhelming. The Stewardship of Creation initiative, adopted by the convention on Friday, June 21, is the first of many ways this will be promoted and acted upon.
 
Anderson also formally introduced the group to the new GHDA logo. The logo is segmented into 3 parts and centres around the cross. As a symbol of not only the saving death and resurrection of Christ and the identity of the church, the cross reminds Christians of the injustices or crosses that people bear in the world every day. The shared waters of baptism are the background for a rising sun of hope. Out of the baptismal waters, Christians are called to be a light unto the world, a sign of hope and new beginnings.  An unfurling leaf points to concern for creation as well as the abundance of life breaking forth from the church’s work in long-term development, including the alleviation of hunger.

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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.

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, Manager of Communications
302-393 Portage Ave. Winnipeg MB R3B 3H6
204.984.9172
tgallop@elcic.ca

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

The Anglican Church of Canada has chosen Bishop Fred Hiltz of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island as its 13th Primate or national leader.

Bishop Hiltz was elected by the church’s General Synod, meeting in Winnipeg, on the 5th ballot, from among four bishops nominated last April by a gathering of all Canadian bishops.

Bishop Hiltz, 53, will succeed Archbishop Andrew Hutchison, elected three years ago, who announced earlier that he would retire at the end of the General Synod gathering now underway.

Bishop Hiltz was elected assistant bishop of the diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island in 1995 and elected diocesan bishop in 2002. He was a member of the Council of General Synod from 2001 to 2004 and, since, 2006, has served as the Anglican Co-Chair of the Anglican-Lutheran International Commission.

In a statement after his nomination for the primacy, Bishop Hiltz described the Primate as "a servant of the people of God (whose) ministry is the gather the Church, to unite its members in a holy fellowship of truth and love, and to inspire them in the service of Christ’s mission in the world."

He is married to Lynne Samways and they have one son.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada is currently proceeding through the balloting process for the election of a new National Bishop as well. For information and balloting results, please view the following link: https://www.elcic.ca/In-Convention/2007-Winnipeg/Friday-Highlights.cfm

As of the dinner break on Friday, delegates at the Eleventh Biennial National Convention of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) had not yet elected a new National Bishop. Just prior to the two-hour break, delegates cast their fifth ballot for Bishop.

The fifth ballot for Bishop included the following three nominees:
– Bishop Cynthia Halmarson
– Rev. Susan Johnson
– Rev. Edward Skutshek

In order to declare the election of a Bishop on the fifth ballot, a majority of votes need to be received for one individual.

Information on the balloting process, which began on Thursday evening, is available on the ELCIC website: www.elcic.ca (click on the link to Convention 2007)

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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.

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, Manager of Communications
302-393 Portage Ave. Winnipeg MB R3B 3H6
204.984.9172
tgallop@elcic.ca

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

Delegates at the Eleventh Biennial National Convention of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) have elected Rev. Susan Johnson, Assistant to the Bishop of the Eastern Synod, as the new National Bishop of the ELCIC. The election occurred on the sixth and final ballot for Bishop.

Bishop-elect Johnson will succeed National Bishop Raymond Schultz who announced in January of this year that he will retire as of September 1, 2007. Bishop Schultz has been serving as National Bishop for six years. He was elected for a four-year term at the 2005 Convention but announced his retirement half-way through the term due to personal and health reasons.

Bishop-elect Johnson is not new to the work of the National Office, from 2001-2005, she served as Vice-President of the ELCIC. In addition to her role as Assistant to the Bishop of the Eastern Synod (which she has served since 1994), Bishop-elect Johnson has served as an advisor to The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Council since 1998, as a member of the North American Regional Committee for LWF since 2005, on the Leadership Development Task Force from 2005-2006 and on a variety of boards and committees both at the national and synodical level.

"I’m just overwhelmed and honoured by this incredible honour," said Bishop-elect Johnson upon the announcement. "I promise to be all that I can to help us together to be In Mission for Others."

Delegates have been deliberating on the election of the National Bishop for most of Friday; business sessions on other matters, such as the introduction of a new Stewardship of Creation Initiative (an environmental action plan for the church) and greetings from a number of international partners and guests have been interspersed between ballots.

Further information of the Eleventh Biennial National Convention is available online at: https://elcic.ca/In-Convention/2007-Winnipeg/default.cfm
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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.

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, Manager of Communications
302-393 Portage Ave. Winnipeg MB R3B 3H6
204.984.9172 / 204.782.8618
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) has set the stage for its next 10 years In Mission for Others by renewing its commitment to one of the church’s foundational documents, Evangelical Declaration, at its Eleventh Biennial National Convention, which is taking place in Winnipeg, June 21-24. The convention of clergy and lay delegates voted overwhelmingly in favour of renewing the document which included a title change to reflect the church’s mission strategy, In Mission for Others: An Evangelical Theology of Mission – Evangelical Declaration.
 
The declaration was originally adopted at the ELCIC’s 1997 National Convention as a statement of mission for the decade ending 2007. Ratifying it again reaffirms the church’s theological foundation for the coming decade, said Bishop Ray Schultz. The statement was adopted with very few changes from the original 1997 wording.
 
Schultz said he took the near-unanimous approval of the declaration as a strong motion of confidence. “I interpret it to mean that the direction by which we’re defining mission and the strategies we’re defining around it are strongly appreciated by this delegation,” he said.
 
“We understand that the present reality of the world involves significant changes in our society, economy and culture,” the declaration reads. “Technological innovations, globalization, economic and political uncertainties and shifting morals and values have increased the sense of insecurity for many people. We further understand that the needs of the world and our opportunities for mission are found on our doorsteps and not simply at a distance.”
 
The document goes on to say: “We believe that the reality of Christ is that God promises to be with us unconditionally in the midst of the changes of our world. The church is called to name those things that cause us to be less than human. The church is called to proclaim the truth of the gospel to others and to live according to it as a community. The church is called to stand in solidarity with, and to welcome into its midst, all those who are marginalized because of sin and who experience injustice. The cross of Christ stands opposed to any ideology that treats people as commodities or proclaims that people can earn salvation by hard work or positive thinking.”
 
The declaration commits the ELCIC over the next decade to: discerning means of faithful living, equipping people to be members in mission, encouraging advocacy for the unjustly treated, sharing gifts with the whole people of God, communicating with others and responding to opportunities for mission.

Calling on all members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) to take actions to reduce their environmental footprint and to create "greening congregations", the ELCIC took steps towards becoming a green church by adopting an environmental stewardship initiative, Stewardship of Creation, during its Eleventh Biennial National Convention which is taking place in Winnipeg, June 21-24.
 
“We commit ourselves as a church to answer the call to respect the integrity of God’s creation through an environmental stewardship initiative engaging our national, synodical, congregational and individual member expressions,” the statement adopted by delegates read in part.
 
A key part of the initiative is the establishment of an accreditation process for congregations wanting to be recognized as “green congregations.” The National Office will create the accreditation process after hosting a consultation meeting in the spring of 2008. The initiative will be promoted through local or regional Stewardship of Creation groups and congregations will carry out “green” activities through their own groups and individual members.
 
Ryan Andersen, Assistant to the Bishop for Stewardship in Public Life, said it was his hope that, "congregations will designate persons to lead them in environmentally sustainable practices, suggest options for such practices and share their experiences with other congregations."
 
“What it means is that we’re going to be more self-disciplined as a community of church members across Canada to attend to these issues and to develop the kind of practices that will give us a credible voice,” Bishop Raymond Schultz said in an interview following the introduction of the initiative. “We’re expecting that, by engaging the church beginning with grassroots congregational members, this will heighten awareness so that at regional conferences and synod conventions initiatives will begin to arise.”

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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.

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, Manager of Communications
302-393 Portage Ave. Winnipeg MB R3B 3H6
204.984.9172
tgallop@elcic.ca

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

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.

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, Manager of Communications
302-393 Portage Ave. Winnipeg MB R3B 3H6
204.984.9172
tgallop@elcic.ca

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

The Anglican Church of Canada has chosen Bishop Fred Hitz of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island as its 13th Primate or national leader.

Bishop Hiltz was elected by the church’s General Synod, meeting in Winnipeg, on the 5th ballot, from among four bishops nominated last April by a gathering of all Canadian bishops.

Bishop Hiltz, 53, will succeed Archbishop Andrew Hutchison, elected three years ago, who announced earlier that he would retire at the end of the General Synod gathering now underway.

Bishop Hiltz was elected assistant bishop of the diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island in 1995 and elected diocesan bishop in 2002. He was a member of the Council of General Synod from 2001 to 2004 and, since, 2006, has served as the Anglican Co-Chair of the Anglican-Lutheran International Commission.

In a statement after his nomination for the primacy, Bishop Hiltz described the Primate as "a servant of the people of God (whose) ministry is the gather the Church, to unite its members in a holy fellowship of truth and love, and to inspire them in the service of Christ’s mission in the world."

He is married to Lynne Samways and they have one son.

—————————————————————–
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.

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, Manager of Communications
302-393 Portage Ave. Winnipeg MB R3B 3H6
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), along with representatives of eight other Canadian church denominations reaffirmed a covenant recognizing the rights of the nation’s Aboriginal peoples during a ceremony which took place following a full day of worship and conversation between delegates and members of the ELCIC’s National Convention and the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC)’s General Synod.

Titled, Towards the Constitutional Recognition and Protection of Aboriginal Self-Government in Canada, the covenant reaffirmed a previous statement by the leaders of Canadian Christian Churches on Aboriginal Rights and the Canadian Constitution which was signed 20 years ago on February 5, 1987.
 
During the ceremony church leaders repeated a pledge committing to “the vision of a new relationship between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples based on sharing, respect and the recognition of rights and responsibilities.”
 
The rededication ceremony occurred during a joint all-day liturgy service held by the ELCIC and ACC. Both churches are holding their national conventions in Winnipeg this week. The ceremony also coincided with National Aboriginal Day.
 
The 1987 covenant marked a major step forward in reconciliation between Canada’s Aboriginal peoples and the church, and recognizes Aboriginals’ rights to be distinct peoples, to an adequate land base and to self-determination.
 
Following the ceremony, at news conference held by KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives, leaders praised the rededication. “This is a spiritually significant event,” said The Rt. Rev. Mark MacDonald, the first-ever national indigenous Anglican Bishop, noting that the ceremony took place on the first day of the summer solstice.
 
Representatives at the news conference expressed confidence that covenants, such as the one with the churches, will help in making constitutional advances for Aboriginal people.
 
“It gives us hope and keeps our faith alive that some day we will succeed,” said Clement Chartier, president of the Metis National Council. “Our people are a spiritual people, by and large. We believe it’s important to work with the churches and move forward.”
 
ELCIC National Bishop Raymond Schulz said his church urges an early resolution to native land claims, many of which have dragged on for years.
 
Archbishop Andrew Hutchison, primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, said progress has been made since the 1987 covenant was issued. The Anglican Church has formally apologized for its role in residential schools and reached a financial agreement on compensation to those affected.
 
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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.

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, Manager of Communications
302-393 Portage Ave. Winnipeg MB R3B 3H6
204.984.9172
tgallop@elcic.ca

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