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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada is Canada’s largest Lutheran denomination with 145,376 baptized members in 594 congregations. It is a member of the Lutheran World Federation, the Canadian Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches.

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

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

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

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

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

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

View the text of Bishop Johnson’s presentation here.

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

The April issue of E-Communique is now available.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada is Canada’s largest Lutheran denomination with 145,376 baptized members in 594 congregations. It is a member of the Lutheran World Federation, the Canadian Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches.

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

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

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

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada’s (ELCIC) National Church Council (NCC) met in Winnipeg from March 6-8. Council members conduct the business of the church between National Conventions. The following is an overview of highlights from the meeting.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada is Canada’s largest Lutheran denomination with 145,376 baptized members in 594 congregations. It is a member of the Lutheran World Federation, the Canadian Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches.

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

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

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

Leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, Anglican Church of Canada, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and The Episcopal Church issued a call to peace and prayer for Ukraine.

View the letter online: https://www.elcic.ca/Documents/documents/2014PrayersUkraine.pdf

The text of the letter follows.

A call to peace and prayer for Ukraine
from the heads of The Anglican Church of Canada, The Episcopal Church, The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada

Ash Wednesday 2014

We have watched with dismay, along with the rest of the world, as tensions rise and peace is jeopardized in Ukraine. Recent dangerous developments in the Crimean region of the country put the lives of many innocent people at risk, and threaten peace and security far beyond that region of the world.

As Christians in the western tradition, Anglicans/Episcopalians and Lutherans today enter the season of Lent, a time of repentance. In the Ash Wednesday liturgy we repent of our blindness to human need and suffering, and our indifference to injustice and cruelty. We cannot remain indifferent in the face of the injustice befalling the people of Ukraine, nor toward the potential suffering and cruelty further military intervention might bring.

In the name of the churches we serve, we join our voices in solidarity with those of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches in pleading for an end to military aggression in that land. We call on all of those involvedwhether governments, movements, or individualsto repent of aggression and violence, and turn instead to the way of peace through dialogue.

We also call upon the faithful people of our churches to pray throughout the season of Lent for wisdom, peace, and justice to prevail in Ukraine.

Bishop Elizabeth Eaton
Presiding Bishop Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori
Presiding Bishop and Primate The Episcopal Church

The Most Rev. Fred Hiltz Primate
Anglican Church of Canada

Bishop 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 145,376 baptized members in 594 congregations. It is a member of the Lutheran World Federation, the Canadian Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches. Material provided through ELCIC Information is intended for reproduction and redistribution by recipients in whatever manner they may find useful.

For more information, please contact:
Trina Gallop Blank, Director of Communications 600-177 Lombard Ave. Winnipeg MB R3B 0W5 204.984.9172 tgallop@elcic.ca Subscribe or unsubscribe to ELCIC Information by emailing info@elcic.ca with a short message.

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) National Bishop Susan C. Johnson invites ELCIC members to observe World Interfaith Harmony Week, February 1-7.

“We join with others around the globe in this week of reflection and public witness on what it means to be people of faith, regardless of religious affiliation,” says Bishop Johnson. “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.”

World Interfaith Harmony Week was proclaimed by the UN General Secretary on October 20, 2010 as a way to promote harmony between all people regardless of their faith.

At it’s September 2012 meeting, the 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. This year, there will be Canadian public observances at many locations throughout the country.

ELCIC congregations and worship leaders may choose to augment the Prayer of the Day or Prayers of Intercession on February 2 (Epiphany 4/Presentation of Our Lord) with one of the following:

• For the Human Family: “O god, you made us in your image…” (EvLW, pg 79)
• A Prayer attributed to St. Francis: “Lord, make us instruments…” (EvLW, pg 87)

Additionally, people may be invited to pray one of these prayers as part of their daily devotions.

For further information on World Interfaith Harmony Week, visit: http://worldinterfaithharmonyweek.com/

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The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada is Canada’s largest Lutheran denomination with 145,376 baptized members in 594 congregations. It is a member of the Lutheran World Federation, the Canadian Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches.

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

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

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

The February issue of E-Communique is now available!

Access your copy of this resource online: February E-Communique

On February 23, 2014 congregations and members of the ELCIC are invited to celebrate Diaconal Sunday and raise awareness of diakonia (service) as a vital dimension of the church’s witness and of rostered diaconal ministry as a valuable expression of church leadership.

Resources for worship and study are available on the ELCIC website and include a new hymn written by a diaconal candidate and generously shared with the church for this occasion.

Since 2012, the ELCIC National Church Council has designated the last Sunday of February to be celebrated as Diaconal Sunday within the church.

View the resources for Diaconal Sunday 2014.

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) National Bishop Susan C. Johnson invites church members to join a Monthly Day of Fasting for the Climate on the first of each month.

“This fast is a simple, regular and spiritually renewing expression of solidarity with those most vulnerable to climate change and prayerfully connects me to the global Lutheran family,” says Bishop Johnson.

The Lutheran World Federation (LWF), together with many other global organizations, launched a Monthly Day of Fasting for the Climate on January 1, 2014. The LWF encourages member churches to be advocates for climate justice in the context of climate change and says the fast is a way for Lutherans to express their common faith, spiritual and ethical values.

The call for fasting for the climate comes as a lead up to the Conference of the Parties (COP 20) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change negotiations in Lima, Peru, in December 2014.

The LWF delegation to COP 19 in Warsaw, Poland (November 11-22, 2013), which included seven young adults, initiated a fast that was supported by many different faith representatives.

“It is inspiring that it was Lutheran young adults who led this call to pray and fast,” says Bishop Johnson. “Their witness points us to the profound importance of relying on our faith in God as we face all of life’s challenges.”  

“For me, fasting is something new,” says Bishop Johnson. “As I participate in the fast on the first of each month, I will be learning what it means to embark on this discipline in the name of prayer and solidarity. By focusing on this new practice for spiritual renewal, it will serve as a reminder to me of the importance of climate justice issues.”

The fast takes place on the first day of every month until December 1, 2014 when the COP 20 meetings begin. To follow and support the campaign, use the hashtag #fastfortheclimate.

Fasting may take a number of different forms, depending on an individual’s context. Fasters who refrain from food for one day are advised to continue drinking water. Some may choose to fast for one or two meals, or limit food intake to a simple diet such as rice or bread. Others may consider a “carbon emissions” fast, choosing to not take a car or not using electronic devices, or by intentionally choosing to consume eco-friendly products and food.

Climate change is an ongoing concern of the LWF and the ELCIC. In 2007, the ELCIC committed to intentionally working on a Stewardship of Creation initiative. In 2013, the ELCIC and the Anglican Church of Canada adopted the Joint Assembly Declaration, which begins by stating that, “Responsible and sustainable relationships to water, land, home, and each other are part of realizing our full humanity.”

For more information on the Monthly Day of Fasting for Climate, visit: http://www.lutheranworld.org/news/lwf-launches-day-fasting-climate

For more information on the ELCIC’s Stewardship of Creation activities, visit: https://elcic.ca/Stewardship/Stewardship-of-Creation/default.cfm

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The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada is Canada’s largest Lutheran denomination with 145,376 baptized members in 594 congregations. It is a member of the Lutheran World Federation, the Canadian Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches.

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

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

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