The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada’s (ELCIC) National Church Council (NCC) met March 3-5, 2016 in Winnipeg, M.B. During the meetings, council members participated in worship, Bible study, small group discussions and business. It is the responsibility of NCC to conduct the business of the church between National Conventions.

The following is an overview of highlights from the meeting.

ELCIC Strategic Plan
NCC members received an update on the work of the ELCIC 2013-2017 Strategic Plan. The strategic plan outlines the goals and directions of the National Church and focuses on four areas: Spirited Discipleship, Healthy Church, Compassionate Justice and Effective Partnerships.

At the March meeting, council members spent time in small groups reviewing in-depth the area of Spirited Discipleship. Council considered what parts of this area of the strategic plan “were exciting and that they wanted to share,” and “what was missing.” Over the next three NCC meetings, members will conduct a similar review with the remaining areas of the ELCIC Strategic Work Plan.

Group Services Inc.
Lisa Thiessen, Executive Director of ELCIC Group Services Inc. (GSI) was present for a portion of the NCC meeting to discuss a motion before council to approve a new participating employer the pension plan. Meeting as the sole member of GSI, NCC members approved a motion that will see pastors serving from Moravian Church Northern Province (MCNP) congregations being eligible as members in the Pension Plan for Clergy and Lay Workers of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada.

NCC members welcomed the motion as an exciting sign of ecumenical commitment and it was noted during discussion that welcoming new members to the plan helps share the overall administrative cost. It was also clarified that ELCIC retains the sole charge of governance for the pension plan.

United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
In June 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) issued its final report which included within it 94 Calls to Action.

At its March meeting, NCC members discussed Call to Action #48, “issuing a statement no later than March 31, 2016 from all religious denominations and faith groups, as to how they will implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.”

NCC members adopted the “ELCIC Statement on Implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.” This document will be available on the ELCIC website prior to the March 31, 2016 deadline. It was also noted that National Bishop Susan Johnson will be present with other church leaders at a gathering in Ottawa on March 30, 2016 where a joint statement will be shared.

Global Mission Task Force
In March 2014, NCC affirmed a motion to establish a task force on ELCIC Global Mission. In consultation with the National Church, synods, congregations, and key partners, the task force has undertaken a comprehensive review of current programs, partnerships (national and synodical) and commitments.

At the March 2016 meeting, NCC received an update on the task force’s work including an interim report outlining principles for global mission in the ELCIC, a theological exploration of global mission, and recommendations.

NCC members heard that the draft report would provide a basis for further consultations across the church to a wide range of groups. NCC will receive a final report from the task force at its next meeting.

The ELCIC Reformation Challenge
In 2017, Lutherans around the world will commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. In honour of the anniversary, ELCIC members, congregations, specialized ministries and synods are invited to join the ELCIC Reformation Challenge, which has set the following goals:

• Sponsor 500 new refugees;
• Support 500 scholarships for students of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL);
• Plant 500,000 trees in Canada, Palestine, Ethiopia, and around the world; and
• Donate $500,000 to The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Endowment Fund

To date, ELCIC members have made the following commitments to the ELCIC Reformation Challenge: 

• 89 Refugee sponsorships
• 17 Scholarships for ELCJHL schools
• 11,358 Trees planted
• $109,112 Donated to the LWF Endowment Fund

ELCIC members and congregations are encouraged to consider ways to get involved in the Reformation Challenge and to register their commitment to the challenge. Resources and further information are available online at: elcic.ca/ReformationChallenge.

Next Meeting
The next meeting of NCC will take place September 8-10, 2016 in Winnipeg, M.B.

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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.

Calling all young Anglicans and Lutherans! Registration is now open for the 2016 Canadian Lutheran-Anglican Youth (CLAY) gathering in Charlottetown, P.E.I. Running from August 17-21 at the University of Prince Edward Island, the event promises five days of fun, learning, worship, and spiritual growth.

Co-hosted by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) and the Anglican Church of Canada, CLAY brings together hundreds of young Anglicans and Lutherans from across Canada to participate in ministry and outreach projects, and also features music, drama, and a keynote speaker.

Youth participants 14 to 19 years of age from across both churches are invited to attend—though 13-year-olds may attend with the endorsement of their home team leader and local congregation and with the support of the CLAY registrar.

The 2016 event, built around the theme “Not For Sale,” marks the fourth CLAY gathering overall, taking place in a region with a significant Anglican population.

“Atlantic Canada is a stronghold in the Anglican Church, so it’s the first time that we have had to kind of step up and take ownership and make things happen,” local arrangements coordinator and youth and family coordinator for the Anglican diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island Allie Colp said.

“That’s really exciting, and it’s a really great sign that we are moving forward and doing ministry together with the ELCIC.”

The theme of CLAY 2016 reflects the theme chosen by The Lutheran World Federation for the upcoming commemoration of 500 years since the beginning of the Protestant Reformation, encompassing three sub-themes: Salvation—Not for Sale; Human Beings—Not For Sale; and Creation—Not For Sale.

Ministry projects and speakers at the event will explore the sub-themes in ways that resonate for both Lutherans and Anglicans, touching on issues such as the commodification of religion, the fight against human trafficking, and caring for the earth by moving towards a stewardship model of creation.

One of the biggest attractions at CLAY 2016 is its keynote speaker, Rev. Mark Ehlebracht, lead pastor at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Kitchener, Ont. Recognized for his new media savvy, Ehlebracht is known for his engaging web videos, patterned after the “rants” of TV host Rick Mercer, that relate to the church and current events.

“He was a really dynamic speaker who we thought did a good job of hitting on all of the key messages in ‘Not For Sale’ in a way that would resonate with young people,” national planning committee communications coordinator Hannah Shirtliff said.

Ehlebracht’s keynote presentation, along with performances by a music and drama team, is a highlight of the large group gatherings that take place throughout the week.

Ministry projects at CLAY will also give participants the chance to learn about different topics of their choice, and a “servant event” allows them to express their ministry by helping out the local community.

For this year’s servant event, participants will be working with the PEI Food Security Network on a food exchange, spending an afternoon gleaning produce in farm fields that remains after mechanical pickers have passed through, before donating it to local and regional food programs.

“A lot of produce … stays in the fields and without the work of gleaners, it just gets turned over back into the ground,” said Judy Steers, the Anglican Church of Canada’s coordinator for youth initiatives and staff support person for CLAY, noting that the exchange ties directly into food security initiatives by the Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund.

The week at CLAY can leave an indelible mark on participants, as Shirtliff, 21, recalled of her own experience as a young Lutheran.

“CLAY has incredibly influenced my faith journey,” she said. “I think if it wasn’t for CLAY, I wouldn’t be involved in the church still … Coming to CLAY and hearing messages about faith from maybe a slightly different perspective than you’re used to, being with lots of other young people your own age, I think is a really powerful and really wonderful experience.”

Registration for CLAY costs $350 at the earlybird rate, $375 at the regular rate and $400 if late. The earlybird deadline for registration is March 31, followed by the regular deadline on June 30 and final deadline July 31.

Youth who may be interested in future participation on the national planning committee are also invited to register for the Specialist Home Team, which offers a behind-the-scenes look at CLAY. The deadline for Specialist Home Team registration is March 25.

Register online for CLAY 2016.

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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.

National Office staff at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) joined with staff from Canadian Lutheran World Relief (CLWR) and Lutheran Church-Canada (LCC) late Tuesday night at the Winnipeg International Airport to welcome a Syrian refugee family to Canada.

The family’s sponsorship is a joint partnership between the three national offices.

Last fall, CLWR staff members began collecting pledges to sponsor one person. CLWR extended the invitation to the two churches to join the initiative, making it possible to bring an entire family to Canada.

“Last summer our church adopted a policy on welcoming the stranger. It is so wonderful to put that policy into action,” says ELCIC National Bishop Susan Johnson. “As a church we have also committed ourselves to sponsoring 500 refugees in commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation. I’m delighted that myself and my colleagues at the National Office will get to participate in this commitment in a hands-on way!”

The husband and wife are in their early thirties, and they both worked as English teachers in Syria. They have two young sons under the age of nine. The family fled to Jordan after the Syrian conflict began and were living in the capital city of Amman before being connected to CLWR in Winnipeg. A relative of the family was also at the airport to greet them and provide them with a place to stay for their first night in Winnipeg.

With just a few days’ notice of the family’s arrival, there was a scramble over the weekend to make final arrangements for an apartment, furniture and household items, a phone and groceries to last for the first few days.

Arrangements quickly fell into place thanks to CLWR’s experience in this area. CLWR has been a Sponsorship Agreement Holder with the Canadian government since the 1970s and has been facilitating refugee sponsorships for decades for groups of private Canadians.

“My colleagues and I felt it was time to ‘walk-the-walk’ and become sponsors ourselves,” says Robert Granke, CLWR’s executive director. “I have visited Jordan and met Syrian mothers and fathers who are desperate to resettle in a safe place where they can work, educate their children and become part of a community. We knew we could support a family in this way.”     

This is the first time national office staff from the ELCIC, CLWR and LCC have joined together to sponsor a refugee family.

—————————————————————–
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.

In what has become an annual tradition, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada National Bishop Susan Johnson and Anglican Church of Canada Archbishop Fred Hiltz reflect on the Christmas Story and the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ in a joint Christmas video greeting.

The two leaders remind us to be mindful of the migrant refugee crisis and the need to respond with open hearts to those seeking refugee among us. “Let us be like the innkeepers who provide a warm and safe place for those in need," says Bishop Johnson.

View the video greeting here: https://elcic.ca/From-the-Bishop/default.cfm

National office staff from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC), Canadian Lutheran World Relief (CLWR), Lutheran Church-Canada (LCC) and the LCC Central District office are coming together for the first time to bring a Syrian refugee family to Canada.

The initiative will pool donations from individual staff members to raise the money needed to support a family for a year.

Earlier this fall, CLWR staff members agreed to begin collecting pledges to sponsor one person, most likely a Syrian living in Jordan, where most of CLWR’s overseas programming for Syrian refugees takes place. CLWR invited the churches to get on board, making it possible to bring a whole family.

While they have not connected with a particular family as yet, they do know that they will be able to sponsor a Syrian family of five. ELCIC, LCC and CLWR are headquartered in Winnipeg and that’s where they expect the family will live, so that staff members can provide emotional support and connect the family with settlement services like language training, job training and counselling.

CLWR is a Sponsorship Agreement Holder with the Canadian government, which allows them to facilitate private sponsorships for congregations, families and other groups, including their own. Once a family is identified, CLWR expects it will take approximately two to six months before they arrive in Winnipeg. They plan to put their expertise in refugee resettlement to use.

“Each day we work to support congregations who are acting as refugee sponsors in Canada,” says Robert Granke, CLWR executive director. “My colleagues and I are excited to come together as a team and welcome a family, together with colleagues from the ELCIC and LCC. We are looking forward to identifying a family and meeting them in the coming months.”

This sponsorship is on top of the refugee sponsorships individual ELCIC and LCC congregations undertake every year across the country.

ELCIC congregations have challenged themselves to sponsor 500 refugees by 2017 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation.  

"I’m so glad our staff are participating in this sponsorship and taking part in the ELCIC Reformation Challenge,” says ELCIC National Bishop Susan C. Johnson. “Our partnership with CLWR is such an important part of living out our call to be a church In Mission for Others. The refugee sponsorship between our national offices is especially timely given the fact that our government is committed to increasing the number of Syrian refugees to Canada. Together we are taking ‘welcoming the stranger’ very seriously.”

LCC President Robert Bugbee reflected on the decision of the LCC staff to support refugee resettlement.

"I’m deeply grateful to our friends at CLWR for inviting us to take part in this project,” President Bugbee said. “There are few better ways to come to grips with the worldwide plight of refugees than to spend concrete time with real individuals, and I believe that we ‘longtime Canadians’ will be the first to benefit when we seek to show this sort of love to others. It will be a great thing if the commitment of our national staff people to address this need encourages local congregations across the country to consider refugee sponsorship in their own communities."

—————————————————————–
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.

In a letter issued today, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) National Bishop Susan C. Johnson encourages individuals and congregations, "to work with our full communion and ecumenical partners and to get involved in the 2016 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity."

The text of the letter follows. A pdf version can be viewed here: https://www.elcic.ca/Documents/201511WeekofPrayerletter.pdf

November 21, 2015

Dear members of the ELCIC,

Every year, between January 18 (The Confession of St. Peter) and January 25 (The Conversion of St. Paul), Christians around the world are invited to celebrate a week of prayer for the unity of all Christians, reflect on scripture together, participate in jointly organized ecumenical services, and share fellowship.

This year, during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Christians around the world will reflect on what it means to be the people of God, and on how we are called both to proclaim and to respond to God’s activity in the world.

This year’s resources for the Week of Prayer were prepared by an ecumenical team in Latvia and adapted for use in Canada. The theme is “Called to proclaim the mighty acts of God”, inspired by 1 Peter 2:9—You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

I want to encourage you as individuals and as congregations to work with our full communion and ecumenical partners and to get involved in the 2016 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Many communities are already giving expression to such spirited discipleship:

• In Victoria, the University chaplains gather for worship and a noon meal to honour the Week of Prayer.
• In Winnipeg, ELCIC National Office staff gather with the staff of other churches for joint worship and lunch while our MNO Synod partners gather for a week-long festival of prayer.
• In Kitchener, the community gathers for special services at the beginning and end of the week and a six-way Sunday pulpit exchange.

The entire 2016 Week of Prayer starter kit, together with preaching resources, hymn suggestions, Bible Study material and much more, is available from the Canadian Council of Churches at: www.councilofchurches.ca/our-faith/week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity/.

Please consider joining me this year in celebrating the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Lift up, act upon and even take the lead in the celebration of the Week of Prayer in your community.
Already participating in the Week of Prayer? See whether you can expand the circle! Considering something new? Knock on your neighbour’s door and invite them into the journey. You won’t regret it!

As we gather to celebrate the Festival of the Reign of Christ, and one church year’s yielding to another, I look forward to your companionship in the journey we share.

Yours in Christ,

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

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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.

Follow us on Twitter: @ELCICinfo
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In a letter issued today, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada National Bishop Susan C. Johnson invites individuals and congregations to join in intentional prayer for climate justice and for world leaders who are working to forge a new international climate agreement at the upcoming UN Climate Conference (COP21) in Paris, November 30-December 11, 2015.

The text of the National Bishop’s letter follows. A pdf version can be found here: https://www.elcic.ca/Documents/201511PrayersforParis.pdf

Dear members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC):

Grace and peace to you.

The earth is the LORD’s and all that is in it,
the world, and those who live in it;
—Psalms 24:1

As we lead up to the UN Climate Conference (COP21) in Paris, November 30 to December 11, 2015, I invite you to join me in intentional prayer for climate justice and for world leaders who are working to forge a new international climate agreement.

In recent months, I have had a variety of opportunities to hear people express concerns regarding the reality of climate change, including a cross-Canada Justice Tour, a Future of Life in the Arctic conference on Sami Territory in Sweden, and Lutheran World Federation council meetings.

At the 2015 ELCIC National Convention, our church affirmed the urgent need to address climate change and committed us to joining the global Christian community, people of all faiths and all people of good will on the journey for climate justice.

All of these voices have deepened my monthly participation in prayer and fasting with #fastfortheclimate. COP21 is a critical junction and has the potential to be a real turning point for the fate of creation. As people of faith, our prayers encourage leaders in their work and responsibility and they help us to discern our own opportunities to address climate change.

You are encouraged to participate in Prayers for Paris—prayers and action for climate justice, a collection of resources and activities to support faith action on climate change. Prayers for Paris includes worship materials (in particular, designed for November 29, 2015—the first Sunday in Advent and the eve of the Paris negotiations), a cross-Canada prayer chain, and a call for climate action. Find these resources and further information here: www.cpj.ca/climate.

I signed up for the prayer chain on Wednesday, December 2, 2015 at 1:00 p.m. EST. I invite all members of the ELCIC to join me in praying during this time. I invite you to add your own name or the name of your congregation to the prayer chain.

Thank you for your deep love for God’s world and for your partnership in our church In Mission for Others. May God bless us and guide us during this time of prayer.
Yours in Christ,
The Rev. Susan C. Johnson
National Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada

—————————————————————–
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.

In an open letter to newly sworn-in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada National Bishop Susan Johnson and Archbishop Fred Hiltz, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada extend their heartfelt congratulations and describe some of the pressing issues that call for visionary leadership in Canada and the world.

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

November 4, 2015

The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau
Prime Minister of Canada
Office of the Prime Minister
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A2

Dear Prime Minister:  

On behalf of the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC), we extend our heartfelt congratulations to you as our new Prime Minister.

You have set a bold vision for our country. The times in which we live call for visionary leadership in Canada and in the world so that we may build a truly just, healthy and peaceful world.

We welcome your approach to governance and your commitment to work closely with all levels of government on issues such as homelessness, lifting children and seniors out of poverty, improving our welcome of refugees, and refocusing development assistance to the poorest and most vulnerable. Anglicans and Lutherans from coast to coast to coast share a deep concern and profound hope for justice, peace and the well-being of creation. Your invitation to Provincial Premiers and to representatives of other political parties to participate in the Climate Change Conference in Paris is an important sign of the kind of partnership needed to address critical issues.

We support your commitment to implementing the Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action. We share the goal to build and strengthen relationships across Canada—with Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians—grounded in right relationships, compassion and justice.

We assure you that week by week, members of our churches are praying for you, for all Members of Parliament, and for the Government of Canada. May your service to this country be a blessing to many, and may God guide us in the better future we intend to foster together.

Yours in Christ,

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

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

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The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada is Canada’s largest Lutheran denomination with 121,000 baptized members in 533 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 letter issued today, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) National Bishop Susan C. Johnson invites the members of the church, "to consider the richness of diversity which is Canada" and "include prayers for those who suffer for their differences and for the whole human family with whom we share God’s image and the fullness of God’s creation."

The National Bishop’s call for respecting the dignity of every human being comes from concern for the recent tone of national debate regarding the right of Muslim women in Canada to choose to wear the niqab. Bishop Johnson lifts up the declaration of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees on Welcoming the Stranger, affirmed at the 2015 ELCIC National Convention, which calls for the commitment to "treat the stranger to our community as we would like to be treated, and challenge intolerance."

The text of Bishop Johnson’s letter follows. A pdf version can be viewed here.

October 9, 2015

Dear members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada:

Grace and peace to you.

‘I was a stranger, and you welcomed me.’ (Matthew 25:25)

I am troubled by the recent tone of national debate regarding the right of Muslim women in Canada to choose to wear the niqab. At times the discourse, especially online, has been derogatory, prejudiced, and characterized by a suspicion or downright fear of the other in our midst. Such rhetoric has consequences.

Last week in Montreal a pregnant Muslim woman was knocked to the ground when two passers-by grabbed her by the hijab she was wearing. Some days later, a Toronto woman wearing a niqab was physically assaulted in front of her children. These are vivid and near-to-home examples of how easily hostile thoughts and words can morph into hostile acts, often directed at the most vulnerable. This demeans us all.

Behind these heated debates—and these veils—are individual human beings whose human dignity and human rights must be respected and protected. For Christians, human rights are grounded in the dignity accorded each human being by virtue of having been made in the image and likeness of their Creator.

Members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada affirm this in a variety of ways. Earlier this year our Church endorsed Welcoming the Stranger, a declaration of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees that includes a commitment that we “should treat the stranger to our community as we would like to be treated, and challenge intolerance.” When we affirm our baptism, our people vow “to serve all people, following the example of Jesus, and to strive for justice and peace in all the earth.”

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms names freedom of conscience and religion first among the “fundamental rights” of the people of this land. As Christians, we do not seek religious freedom that is denied to others. Rather, we support an inclusive society, open to all.

I call on the members of our church, our civic leaders, those currently seeking federal office, and all the citizens of this land to treat the strangers in our midst—and those whom we will welcome as refugees—as we would like to be treated, and to respect the dignity of every human being.

One way of challenging negative stereotypes of others from whom we differ is to get to know them personally, rather than to rely on caricatures that are sometimes generated by ulterior motives. I therefore also encourage everyone to seek out opportunities to meet for themselves their neighbours of other faiths and cultures, to do so in a spirit of openness and welcome, and in recognition of our common humanity.

This Thanksgiving, I invite all of our people to consider the richness of diversity which is Canada and to include prayers for those who suffer for their differences and for the whole human family with whom we share God’s image and the fullness of God’s creation.

Yours in Christ,

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

—————————————————————–
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada is Canada’s largest Lutheran denomination with 121,000 baptized members in 533 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 an open letter, ELCIC National Bishop Susan C. Johnson, Archbishop Fred Hiltz, Primate of The Anglican Church of Canada, and National Indigenous Anglican Bishop Mark MacDonald encourage Anglicans and Lutherans to write letters to the federal government expressing solidarity with the northern community of Pikangikum, Ont.

A pdf version of the letter can be viewed here.

The text of the letter follows:

September 24, 2015

Dear Friends in Christ,

We wish to share with you our concerns regarding the water situation in Pikangikum and invite you to consider writing a letter to the Federal Government.

Through the 2016 National Youth Project, Lutheran and Anglican youth have been lifting up the Right to Water and walking in solidarity with the people of Pikangikum through our partnership with the Primate’s World Relief Development Fund (PWRDF) and the Pimatisiwin Nipi (Living Water) group. This has included raising funds to support providing potable water to homes in the community.

Writing letters to elected representatives is one way to express solidarity. It is also an opportunity to deepen understanding of our democratic processes. The government is elected to represent the people and hearing from one’s constituency is an essential element of decision making and democracy.

We have including a sample letter you may use as basis for crafting your own letter to your government officials. You may wish to write to the Honorable Bernard Valcourt, MP, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, and/or to your own MP. (And a full list of list of Members of Parliament can be found at: http://www.parl.gc.ca/Parliamentarians/en/members.)

Additional things to consider when you write your letter:

1. Think about who should receive your letter. Writing to the minister responsible for an issue can be as effective as writing to the Prime Minister. Writing to your local Member of Parliament is always appropriate, as they are your direct representative.
2. Focus on one issue—you can always write another letter in support of something else.
3. Include relevant information.
4. Tell elected leaders what action you think should be taken.
5. Ask for a response.
6. Make sure to sign your name.
7. Postage to Members of Parliament is free.

Don’t worry if you aren’t an expert. What matters is that you let them know this is something you care about and that you want to see them do something about it.

The mission of striving for justice and peace in all the earth is a life-long calling that we receive in our Baptism. We are inspired by the leadership in promoting the Right to Water that is being offered by youth through the National Youth Project. It is an important expression of the Full Communion partnership between Lutherans and Anglicans and a valuable contribution to the witness of the church.

Yours in Christ,

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

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

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

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The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada is Canada’s largest Lutheran denomination with 121,000 baptized members in 533 congregations. It is a member of the Lutheran World Federation, the Canadian Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches.

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