Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) National Bishop Susan C. Johnson has written a letter to the church on World Refugee Day 2018.

Download a pdf of the letter here: https://elcic.ca/documents/201806worldrefugeedaylettertothechurch.pdf

A text version of the letter follows:

Dear friends,

Today I am in Waterloo, Ont. taking part in Canadian Lutheran World Relief’s (CLWR) World Refugee Day Prayer Breakfast.

I am proud of the work being done in this area by our church and by CLWR. During the Reformation Challenge, we sponsored more than 500 refugees, offering generous support and friendship as these people settled in Canada.

And yet, I am aware of our society’s sometimes weak commitment to being a welcoming and safe community. Particularly distressing are stories emerging from the United States of intentional policy choices to separate families and criminally prosecuting people as they cross the border seeking asylum.

I urge you to read and share the letter I have written to Canada’s Prime Minister (elcic.ca/documents/201806worldrefugeeday.pdf) imploring him to uphold the rights of refugees in Canada, in North America and around the world. In the letter, I call on the Prime Minister to use whatever influence he has to ask the U.S. Government to reverse these policies that deliberately violate human rights.

I also urge you to pray for our sister church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and give thanks for their continued witness and support of refugees (elca.org/News-and-Events/7935).

On this World Refugee Day, I invite you to renew your commitment to upholding the rights of refugees, to learn and raise awareness about refugee issues, and to pray for peace, justice and safety for all people.

Each new dawn is a reminder that light arises from the darkness, providing an opportunity to follow Christ on the journey of living by grace. I am reminded of the parable of the great banquet, Then the master said to the slave, ‘Go out into the roads and lanes, and compel people to come in, so that my house may be filled (Luke 14:15–24). Our calling is not to separate families; our calling is to invite everyone to the feast, so that all may be fed, all may be welcome, the house may be filled, and God’s community may be complete.

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

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) and the Anglican Church of Canada (ACofC) have announced the 2018 recipients of the Companion of the Worship Arts (CWA).

The honour of Companion of the Worship Arts—a highly reputable recognition—highlights the immense gifts and offerings of a particular individual to the worship life of each church at the local and national level. The CWA has roots in the ELCIC and was first presently jointly in 2014. It is presented every two years to one Lutheran and one Anglican at the National Worship Conference, which this year will be held from July 16-19, 2018 in Victoria, B.C.

This year’s Lutheran recipient is Rev. Eric Dyck. Pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church, Montreal, and currently teaching liturgy and supervising seminarians with the Montreal Anglican Diocesan College. Rev. Dyck lectures on eucharistic development and history, oversees workshops on presiding, text delivery, movement in the liturgy, and offers extensive consulting on adapting appropriate liturgies into various settings.

His contributions to the worship life of his church, in all of its expressions, are well known and extend beyond his own Lutheran tradition. He has contributed to the worship life of the church in the local, synodical, national and even international levels.

Rev. Dyck’s list of contributions to the worship life of the ELCIC stretch exceptionally far. He served as a Sacristan and Worship Committee Member, Liturgical Director, and a General Consultant for The Lutheran World Federation from 1993-2004.  He held the seat of Co-Chair for Worship within the ELCIC for the 2013 Joint Assembly (ELCIC and ACofC in Ottawa), the Worship Design Team Chairperson for the 2005 and 2007 ELCIC National Conventions, Chair of the ELCIC Program Committee for Worship, as well as various roles within the National Worship Conference (Lutheran Co-Chairperson, Hospitality Suite, Liturgical Director, Sacristan, Chair, Local Committee Member).

Rev. Eric Dyck has had numerous pieces of his work published within the ELCIC. He was a valuable contributor to the Renewing Worship Project, which saw the development of Evangelical Lutheran Worship.(( He is currently working with Earth-World Collaborative in their liturgical products which design electro-acoustic music for liturgies while using the classic ordo, texts, rubrics, as well as sound-mapping and other new technology for the more traditional areas of the ordinarium. Rev. Dyck is also constructing and re-casting liturgies for international pilgrimages, based on the traditional/medieval liturgies, but focusing on contemporary situations.

This year’s Anglican recipient is Blanche Kate Gates. A longtime member of St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Nanaimo, B.C., where she is considered an Elder of the parish, Gates played a vital role in the development of contemporary liturgy in the Anglican Church of Canada as part of the task force that developed the Book of Alternative Services (BAS).

As a member of the national Doctrine and Worship Committee in the early 1980s, Gates interpreted the work of the committee to prepare for the publication of the BAS. During this period, she read many liturgical texts and commentaries—including experimental liturgical texts developed in the 1960s and ’70s, the 1979 Book of Common Prayer published in the Untied States, and the Roman Missal as revised by Pope Paul VI—to expand her knowledge and facilitate the work of the task force. Instrumental in creating the BAS and specifically its revised funeral liturgy, Gates spoke about the BAS to the House of Bishops and, as a delegate to General Synod, seconded the motion by which the Anglican Church of Canada officially adopted the BAS in 1985.

During her tenure as President of the Anglican Church Women for the Diocese of British Columbia, Gates left a considerable impact on her counterparts from other dioceses at national meetings. As a member of the Altar Guild and talented seamstress, she has consistently offered valuable assistance with linens, vestments, and parish and diocesan fabric banners that today enhance the worship space of Christ Church Cathedral in Victoria and various parishes.((Reflecting her passion for quilting, Gates created the “Tree of Life” quilt for St. Paul’s, and sewed a stole and chasuble based on the same theme for the congregation. As she prepares to mark her 100th birthday, her contributions to worship and liturgy at the national level continue to influence the way Anglicans across the country interpret and practice their faith.

The CWA awards are to be presented at the 2018 National Lutheran & Anglican Worship Conference, Responding to Disaster: Prayer, Song, Presence, taking place from July 16-19 in British Columbia.

April 17, 2018

In recognition of Earth Day on April 22, 2018, we invite you to join us in praying for the humility and discipline to use Earth’s resources wisely and responsibly.

We begin by praying the rule of Life, from Gospel-based Discipleship of Indigenous Ministries of th Anglican Church of Canada:

    Creator God, we acknowledge and give thanks that:

In Jesus we know we belong to a Sacred Circle with the Gospel and Baptismal Covenant in the centre.

In this Sacred Circle:
We are all related;
We live a compassionate and generous life;
We respect all life, traditions, and resources.
We commit ourselves to spiritual growth, discipleship, and consensus.(1)
Amen.

As we read this prayer today, we are reminded of the importance of relationships, including our relationship with Mother Earth. We are also reminded that through prayer God calls us to action.

Consider what you might do to use Earth’s resources more responsibly. Some possibilities are:

• Being more mindful in your use of water;
• Eating locally grown food when possible and eating meat less often.Taking more trips by walking, biking, busing or car-pooling in order to reduce your carbon footprint
• Reducing your use of plastics by not taking a straw or a shopping bag. See 17 Tips to Use Less Plastic for more ideas; www.greeneducationfoundation.org/nationalgreenweeksub/waste-reduction-tips/tips-to-use-lessplastic.html.

Consider what your faith community might do to nurture responsible and sustainable relationships to water, land, home, and each other. Some possibilities are:

• Finding ways for your community to reduce its environmental footprint. Greening Sacred Spaces offers a variety of resources: www.greeningsacredspaces.net.
• Listening to children, youth, adults and elders to discover innovative approaches to the challenges that we share.
• Joining with partners in your community and neighbourhood who are inspiring and implementing
  new ways to care for the earth.
• Making safeguarding the integrity of creation a regular part of your worship life by using worship
  resources that celebrate God’s creation.

Consider what we all might do to advocate for a more equitable world that recognizes the need for communities to define their own development goals and objectives. Some possibilities are:

• Encouraging your Member of Parliament to support Bill C-262 which would insure all Canadian
  laws are in harmony with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
  www.anglican.ca/news/primate-endorses-bill-c-262-letter-prime-minister-trudeau/30020361/
• Upholding the principle of free, prior, and informed consent for all communities impacted by resource extraction.
• Commending the recent announcement of a new Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Business Enterprise. (https://www.kairoscanada.org/what-we-do/ecological-justice/open4justice)

Recent important legislative initiatives are a reminder for all of us to continue to work for human rights and to care for creation every day. As the recent collaborative report from Auditors General across Canada highlights, there is need for much stronger federal and provincial relations to meet important emissions reductions targets in order to begin addressing the very real impacts of climate change already being felt in Canada and around the world.(2)

On this Earth Day, let us pray together:

Creator, we stand in awe and wonder at God’s great creation, at the diversity of beings, and at the intricate balance of relationships that sustains life.

We recognize the need and basic human right for each person to have a place to which to belong.Inspire in us the will to live in responsible and sustainable relationships to water, land, home, and each other are part of realizing our full humanity.

Gather us together for the love of the world, and send us out, with patience and persistence, to act as your disciples. Amen.

We are confident that through your prayers and discernment you will discover a multitude of ways to learn, raise awareness and make difference for the Earth.

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

The Rt. Rev. Mark MacDonald
National Anglican Indigenous Bishop, Anglican Church of Canada

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

——
(1) https://www.anglican.ca/im/introgbd/
(2) http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/parl_otp_201803_e_42883.html

With thousands of other Canadians, we watched CBC’s coverage of the Vigil for all those impacted by the horrible Friday night crash that killed fifteen of the Humboldt Broncos Junior A Hockey Team and left the rest of the team with very serious injuries. As families grieve, a community grieves with them. As a community grieves, a nation grieves with them.

In the face of such tragedy as this people come together. In tears they embrace one another. They listen to messages of condolence and feel the sympathy offered. They join in prayer. Some bow their heads. Some lift their heads. Some close their eyes. Some look out as if to a distant horizon looking for the tender mercies of God. When invited to hold hands they do. They know their need for each other and for God. They share their pain and seek comfort through one another and in the balm of God’s kindness.

In all we see and hear and think and feel in a time like this we are reminded of the simplicity yet full measure of our faith in God and our care for one another. We have come to know that faith and care as The Summary of The Law. In response to a question concerning the greatest of all the commandments Jesus said, “The Lord our God, the Lord is one; and you shall love the Lord you God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this ,“you shall love your neighbour as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:29-31)

In these and all our days we pray,

“Lord, have mercy upon us and write both these your laws in our hearts.”

Set Free By Truth

Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop and Primate Michael Curry joined the leaders of the Anglican Church of Canada, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in preparing Lent Devotions for the upcoming liturgical season.

Named Set Free By Truth, the Lent Devotions begin with Ash Wednesday on February 14 and continue through Easter Sunday, April 1. Each segment of Set Free By Truth presents Scripture citations, a reflection, and a prayer.

Set Free By Truth is available for free downloading here. https://www.episcopalchurch.org/ecumenical-lenten-reflections

Ash Wednesday: “Return to me with all your heart”; by Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Lent 1: “An appeal to God for a good conscience”; by Archbishop Fred Hiltz,
Anglican Church of Canada.

Lent 2: “Take up their cross and follow me”; by National Bishop Susan Johnson, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada.

Lent 3: “But we proclaim Christ crucified”; by Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, the Episcopal Church.

Lent 4: “The LORD sent fiery serpents among the people”; by Presiding Bishop Eaton.

Lent 5: “Purge me from my sin”; by Archbishop Hiltz.

Palm/Passion Sunday: “Hosanna!” by Bishop Johnson.

Triduum: “Until he comes again”; by Presiding Bishop Curry.

Set Free By Truth can be downloaded for websites, bulletin inserts, church programs, and used as discussion points.

For more information, contact the Rev. Margaret Rose, mrose@episcopalchurch.org.

From February 1-7, 2018, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada will observe World Interfaith Harmony Week.

2018 will mark the eighth World Interfaith Harmony Week uplifted globally. The ELCIC will join with others around the world in this week of reflection and public witness on what it means to be people of faith, regardless of religious affiliation. Being in dialogue with people of other faith traditions enriches our own mission and ministry, and helps us create a climate where we can work together for peace and justice.

In 2012 ELCIC’s National Church Council endorsed a request from The Lutheran World Federation to observe World Interfaith Harmony Week. In Canada, World Interfaith Harmony Week has been observed by Lutherans, Presbyterians, Uniteds and Roman Catholics, together with Muslims, Jews, Baha’is and many others in secular, civic and religious contexts.

ELCIC congregations and worship leaders may choose to augment the Prayer of the Day or Prayers of Intercession in early February with the following: For the Human Family: “O god, you made us in your image…” (EvLW, pg 79) or A Prayer attributed to St. Francis: “Lord, make us instruments…” (EvLW, pg 87). Additionally, people may want to pray one of these prayers as part of their daily devotions.

Resources for World Interfaith Harmony Week can be found below:

• World Interfaith Harmony Week Website
• World Interfaith Harmony Week Facebook Page
• United Nations
• Global Dimension

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity begins January 18th and carries on through January 25th. This is a time of shared or personal prayer, reflection, and fellowship. Christians of all different traditions and practices are asked to consider praying on the theme of this week’s verse from Exodus 15:6, “Your right hand, O Lord, glorious in power”. The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is a time to deepen our relationships and to live as witnesses together throughout the year.

You can find resources and prayers for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity here:  https://www.weekofprayer.ca.

As seasons change, so do church attendance numbers. Over the past calendar year, the Manitoba/Northwestern Ontario Synod’s Sherwood Park Lutheran Church in Winnipeg, Manitoba put together an action plan to maintain member involvement, even when physically away from the church.

Led by Sherwood Park’s Family Ministry Coordinator, Candace Kostna, Flat Luther was born. In an attempt to remain ‘connected’ with other congregation members, a cross-generational activity, ‘The Adventures of Flat Luther’ kicked into high gear over the past summer months, ultimately concluding with a Reformation 500 social on October 14, 2017.

“This past spring, we talked about the challenge for all churches in summertime as attendance numbers go down.” Kostna said. “People are out and about, exploring all of God’s creation, so we wanted to do something that would highlight what the many members of our church are doing, while staying connected in our faith community.”

So how did that idea of remaining connected become ‘The Adventures of Flat Luther’?

“Simple,” said Kostna. “Believe it or not, this is all based off of a chapter book for kids – Flat Stanley. I had heard about something called Flat Jesus before, and that sounded appealing. We started talking about it and thought that we would incorporate Luther into this as we are Lutherans and celebrating Reformation 500 this year.”

Some may wonder what effective purpose a six-inch by three-inch cardboard cut-out would actually serve within the lives of congregation members who spent parts of their summers away from the church, but for Kostna, that thought never even crossed her mind.

“The goal was to help us stay connected over the summer months,” she reflected. “First we had to realize that we live out our faith all the time – not just that hour or so we spend in church on Sunday mornings. We wanted to find something fun for younger families to participate in, but something that would also draw full participation of members across the board.”

What started off as a cross generational activity to stay connected morphed into also being a way to commemorate Martin Luther and Reformation 500. For the members of Sherwood Park Lutheran, ‘The Adventures of Flat Luther’ opened up the opportunity for meaningful conversations inside and outside of congregational walls.

“People would take photos of them with Flat Luther and throw a hashtag on it and write a caption for posting on social media,” Kostna said. “That’s just how people stay connected nowadays. We actually started to use Flat Luther’s travels as a part of our Sunday morning announcements. We would show the weekly photos on slides and provide updates on what Flat Luther had been up to each week. It certainly led to many conversations even at coffee hour.”

Although some of the best pictures from ‘The Adventures of Flat Luther’ came from photoshoots in and around the city of Winnipeg, some members of Sherwood Park really embraced the challenge of taking Flat Luther nearly everywhere they went.

“It was incredible some of the places that Flat Luther went,” Kostna said. “Flat Luther had the chance to check out a bit of Norway as one congregation member took him with her when she went overseas to visit her granddaughter. He also went to Aruba and on a cruise. One member took him to New York.”

‘The Adventures of Flat Luther’ began on Mother’s Day 2017 and found itself extended through its original proposed conclusion of Back to Church Sunday, as many of the photos taken were featured in a joint Reformation 500 social hosted by the congregations of Sherwood Park, Abundant Life, Prince of Peace and St. Luke’s Zion.

“Our original plan was to share some of this at our Back to Church Sunday barbeque that we always host,” Kostna said. “But then we thought, “why don’t we tie it into our Reformation Sunday,” because it is Flat Luther after-all! We are definitely still looking for other ways to stay connected throughout the year, but this experiment has been a wonderful opportunity to build relationships throughout the church within all age groups and generations.”

In a letter from Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada National Bishop Susan C. Johnson, Anglican Church of Canada Primate Fred Hiltz, and Anglican Church of Canada National Indigenous Anglican Bishop Mark MacDonald, the leaders lift up National Housing Day and call on the two churches, "to reflect on our calling, as Christians, to care for our neighbours and to offer prayers for affordable housing for all."

The full text of the letter follows. Download a pdf version here.

November 2017

November 22 marks National Housing Day in Canada, an opportunity for Canadians to reflect on the need for safe, adequate, and affordable housing, and to learn about the social, economic, and health impacts of homelessness in our communities. National Housing Day is also an occasion for members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada and the Anglican Church of Canada to reflect on our calling, as Christians, to care for our neighbours and to offer prayers for affordable housing for all.

More than 235,000 Canadians experience periods of homelessness every year, with as many 35,000 people finding themselves homeless on any given night. Thousands of others live in precarious housing, struggling month after month to pay rent or remaining in unsafe or inadequate housing because of a lack of appropriate options.

Homelessness and a lack of affordable housing affects every community in this country, from large urban centres to remote northern communities, and is experienced by diverse populations including young people, seniors, families, veterans, and more. Indigenous people are disproportionately represented among homeless populations in Canada, and many Indigenous communities continue to experience acute housing crises such as overcrowding, lack of sanitation, and poor condition of existing housing stock. Many Indigenous people in urban contexts also continue to experience discrimination in access to housing.

Canada remains a wealthy country, with the capability to eliminate homelessness in our communities and to ensure access to safe, adequate, and affordable housing for all. Meeting this challenge requires collaboration between all levels of government, faith communities, the private sector, and civil society organizations. The upcoming release of a national housing strategy by the federal government will be an important step in insuring this collaboration. We encourage you to lift up National Housing Day in your communities, to advocate for improved access to housing for those in need, and to pray for the action necessary to address this need. Toward this end, we commend to you the following prayer:

Creator,
You give us land and neighbours and all our relations to provide for all our needs.
We give you thanks.
You give us land and neighbours and all our relations that we might demonstrate your love through kindness, care and service.
Inspire our hearts and minds that we may discern where and how we can make a difference.
You give us land and neighbours and all our relations that we might live in justice and peace.
We ask for courage and wisdom to transform unjust structures of society and to work for reconciliation.
Inspire our actions, that we may promote equitable and innovative approaches to the challenges that we share.
We remember before you the homeless, the under housed and refugees.
We pray for safe, affordable and adequate housing for all.
You give us land and neighbours and all our relations to teach us to rely on you.
Bless us with faith and hope.
In Jesus name we pray, amen.

Fred Hiltz, Primate, Anglican Church of Canada
Susan C. Johnson, National Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada
Mark L. MacDonald, National Indigenous Anglican Bishop, Anglican Church of Canada

In a letter from Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada National Bishop Susan C. Johnson and Anglican Church of Canada Primate Fred Hiltz, the leaders lift up National Housing Day and call on members of the two churches, "to reflect on our calling, as Christians, to care for our neighbours and to offer prayers for affordable housing for all."

The text of the letter follows. A pdf version can be downloaded here.

November 2017

November 22 marks National Housing Day in Canada, an opportunity for Canadians to reflect on the need for safe, adequate, and affordable housing, and to learn about the social, economic, and health impacts of homelessness in our communities. National Housing Day is also an occasion for members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada and the Anglican Church of Canada to reflect on our calling, as Christians, to care for our neighbours and to offer prayers for affordable housing for all.

More than 235,000 Canadians experience periods of homelessness every year, with as many 35,000 people finding themselves homeless on any given night. Thousands of others live in precarious housing, struggling month after month to pay rent or remaining in unsafe or inadequate housing because of a lack of appropriate options.

Homelessness and a lack of affordable housing affects every community in this country, from large urban centres to remote northern communities, and is experienced by diverse populations including young people, seniors, families, veterans, and more. Indigenous people are disproportionately represented among homeless populations in Canada, and many Indigenous communities continue to experience acute housing crises such as overcrowding, lack of sanitation, and poor condition of existing housing stock. Many Indigenous people in urban contexts also continue to experience discrimination in access to housing.

Canada remains a wealthy country, with the capability to eliminate homelessness in our communities and to ensure access to safe, adequate, and affordable housing for all. Meeting this challenge requires collaboration between all levels of government, faith communities, the private sector, and civil society organizations. The upcoming release of a national housing strategy by the federal government will be an important step in insuring this collaboration. We encourage you to lift up National Housing Day in your communities, to advocate for improved access to housing for those in need, and to pray for the action necessary to address this need. Toward this end, we commend to you the following prayer:

Creator,
You give us land and neighbours and all our relations to provide for all our needs.
We give you thanks.
You give us land and neighbours and all our relations that we might demonstrate your love through kindness, care and service.
Inspire our hearts and minds that we may discern where and how we can make a difference.
You give us land and neighbours and all our relations that we might live in justice and peace.
We ask for courage and wisdom to transform unjust structures of society and to work for reconciliation.
Inspire our actions, that we may promote equitable and innovative approaches to the challenges that we share.
We remember before you the homeless, the under housed and refugees.
We pray for safe, affordable and adequate housing for all.
You give us land and neighbours and all our relations to teach us to rely on you.
Bless us with faith and hope.
In Jesus name we pray, amen.

Fred Hiltz, Primate, Anglican Church of Canada
Susan C. Johnson, National Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada