The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada’s (ELCIC) Program Committee for Worship is pleased to announce Robyn Simpson Mohr has been chosen as recipient of the 2010 Companion of the Worship Arts Award.

The Companion of the Worship Arts Award is presented biennially in recognition of significant contributions to the national worship life of the ELCIC.

In her work as assistant for Campus ministry at the Augustana Campus of the University of Alberta in Camrose, AB, Simpson Mohr has mentored hundreds of students in all aspects of worship. Former students praise her influence, noting:

“At the center of this (worship life) was Robyn, filled with creativity, filled with welcome, filled with a love of worship, and above all filled with a love for the students who came to her door.

“Robyn and her passion inspired me as I found myself being drawn back to church at a time when I found the church meaningless. She was influential, not only in my spiritual journey but in my call to ministry.

“From her I learned about attention to detail in worship planning and the importance of beauty in the worship experience. Robyn knows how to feed all the senses in her creative worship planning.

“In all things Robyn exhibits grace, dignity, and humility… Robyn Simpson Mohr is a woman of deep faith in Christ and commitment to the church. I am honoured to know her as a mentor, friend, colleague, and parishioner.”

Simpson Mohr has served on the worship committees of numerous national and synodical conventions, most recently as Liturgical Director for the 2009 ELCIC National Convention in Vancouver, and the 2010 Synod of Alberta and the Territories Convention in Camrose. She has also served on the worship committees of national worship conferences and youth gatherings, and as a synodical trainer for the introduction of Evangelical Lutheran Worship.

The 2010 Companion of the Worship Arts Award will be presented to Simpson Mohr by ELCIC National Bishop Susan C. Johnson at a public ceremony during the National Anglican Lutheran Worship Conference at the Vancouver School of Theology, Vancouver, BC, July 4-7, 2010. Further information on the event can be found online at: http://nationalworshipconference.org/

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The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada is Canada’s largest Lutheran denomination with 152,500 baptized members in 607 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
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) encourages its members to join with faith communities around the world in prayer, education and advocacy activities during World Week for Peace in Palestine Israel from May 29 to June 4, 2010.

Initiated by the World Council of Churches (WCC), of which the ELCIC is a member, World Week for Peace in Palestine Israel is a call for WCC member churches and related organizations to join in a week of advocacy and action for just peace in Palestine and Israel and send a clear signal to policy-makers, interested publics and communities about the urgent need for a peace settlement that secures the legitimate rights and future of both peoples.

The call for participation among ELCIC members comes following a motion passed at the 2009 ELCIC National Convention titled, "An ELCIC Convention Resolution on the Holy Land." The resolution encourages the ELCIC to, "call on its members to regularly pray for peace for all people in the Holy Land, especially the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land."

Further information on World Week for Peace in Palestine Israel is available on the WCC website (http://www.oikoumene.org/en/events-sections/wwppi.html) and through KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives (http://www.kairoscanada.org/en/rights-and-trade/news-list/news/archive/2010/05/article/world-week-for-peace-in-israel-palestine-may-29-to-june-4/?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=115&cHash=ffc847ca9c)

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The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada is Canada’s largest Lutheran denomination with 152,500 baptized members in 607 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
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 following is the text from a letter to the church from Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) National Bishop Susan C. Johnson:

Dear friends in Christ,

Grace to you and peace in the name of Christ our Saviour!

I am writing to encourage you to participate in the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC). The TRC is a component of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement with a mandate to understand the truth and inform all Canadians about what happened in Indian Residential Schools (IRS). On June 16-19, 2010, the TRC will host in Winnipeg the first of seven national events to promote awareness and public education about the IRS system and its impacts. In the coming years, the other six events will be held in different regions across Canada. The TRC will document the truth of survivors, families, communities and anyone personally affected by the IRS experience, and hopes to “guide and inspire Aboriginal peoples and Canadians in a process of reconciliation and renewed relationships that are based on mutual understanding and respect.”

Even though our church was not involved in the operation of residential schools, it is important that we participate in this process. It is important to support the healing process for survivors. It is important for us to participate so that we can support our sister churches, including our full communion partner, the Anglican Church of Canada, as they work towards healing and reconciliation. It is important for all Canadians to be honest about our history and to be renewed in relationship. And our participation will help us, as the ELCIC, to enrich and expand our relationship with Aboriginal peoples.

We will be looking at this more closely at the 2011 ELCIC National Convention which will be held in Saskatchewan, the province with the largest Aboriginal population in Canada. The theme of that convention will be “Covenant People: In Mission for Others.” It will be an opportunity to explore how our Baptismal covenant is at the root of our call to be In Mission for Others. In addition, the word “treaty” is a synonym for “covenant,” so the theme “Covenant People: In Mission for Others” gives us the opportunity to explore how we as a church and as Canadians are treaty people.

You can find more information about the TRC process at their website, www.trc-cvr.ca. The Anglican Church of Canada website also has information on IRS and the apology process: www.anglican.ca/rs. If you are in Winnipeg on June 16-19, I encourage you to attend at least a part of the event. If you are from a different part of the country I encourage you to watch for future events, and to take part in any local opportunity to engage the TRC process.

May God continue to bless you as we strive together to be a church In Mission for Others.

Yours in Christ,

ELCIC National Bishop Susan C. Johnson

A pdf version of the letter is available at the following link: https://www.elcic.ca/Documents/PastoralletterMay2010.pdf

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The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada is Canada’s largest Lutheran denomination with 152,500 baptized members in 607 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
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 to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada’s (ELCIC) British Columbia (BC) Synod Convention elected Rev. Dr. Greg Mohr to the position of Synod Bishop. The announcement came on Friday, May 14 following the third ballot for Synod Bishop. The BC Synod is meeting in convention May 13-16 at Lutheran Church of the Cross, Victoria, BC.

Incumbent BC Synod Bishop Gerhard Preibisch announced he would not be seeking re-election when his current four-year term was up at this year’s Synod Convention.

BC Synod Bishop-elect Mohr was ordained in 1983. He has served at Lutheran Church of the Master in Airdrie, Alberta, King of Life, Coquitlam, BC and most recently as Assistant to the Bishop of the BC Synod.

In accepting the convention’s call the sever, Bishop-elect Mohr thanked delegates for placing their confidence in him and noted, "I feel honoured, humbled, and a little bit scared."

Further information on the convention can be found on the BC Synod’s website: http://www.bcsynod.org/

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The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada is Canada’s largest Lutheran denomination with 152,500 baptized members in 607 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
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 Manitoba/Northwestern Ontario (MNO) Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) is meeting in convention April 22-25 at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Winnipeg. The 2010 MNO Synod Convention commenced on Thursday evening with opening worship.

On Friday, delegates had a full-day’s agenda of business before them, including the election of Synod Bishop. Bishop Elaine Sauer, elected to a four-year term in 2006, was re-elected on the first ballot.

On Saturday, delegates will participate in a day-long renewal event on the topic of the convention theme, "In Mission with Others – Led by God’s Word". Using the vision and mission articulated by the Synod’s council, delegates will be introduced to: new ways of engaging in the Book of Faith initiative and God’s Word, sharing their faith with one another, and being inspired to go out and serve.

Highlights from the MNO Synod Convention are available on online at: http://www.mnosynod.org/convention2010.html

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The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada is Canada’s largest Lutheran denomination with 162,100 baptized members in 611 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
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 following is the text from a letter to the Church from ELCIC National Bishop Susan C. Johnson:

Dear Members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada:

Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!

In September I wrote to you regarding National Church Council’s (NCC) evaluation of the 2009 ELCIC National Convention. For the majority of delegates the experience of convention was a positive one – the worship, learning, celebration and business contributed to their experience of a church In Mission for Others: Signs of Hope. Yet others expressed a very different experience of convention, one in which the business sessions of convention, and in particular the governance procedures used, left them feeling frustrated, isolated and silenced.   

At that time I informed you of NCC’s commitment to engage in a process to review Convention governance practices, in particular practices regarding petitions from congregations and the terms of reference for the Committee of Reference and Counsel, in time for implementation for the 2011 ELCIC National Convention.   

As part of their review, NCC noted that each Synod of our church uses a different procedure for their Reference and Counsel Committee which contributes to the confusion regarding National Convention governance. NCC affirmed that as per Bylaw Part VI, Section 8, convention petitions received will not be published in the Convention Bulletin of Reports, but will be referred to the Committee on Reference and Counsel. NCC also developed new guidelines for the work of Reference and Counsel including the options available regarding the presentation of petitions/resolutions to the convention. The most notable of these is removing the option of a recommendation of “no action”. For further information regarding the recommendations for Reference and Counsel please go to: https://www.elcic.ca/In-Convention/2010RC.pdf

I ask for your continued prayers for the leadership of our church as together we strive to be a church In Mission for Others. Let me again leave you with the blessing which was used as one of the theme verses for this past convention.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  (Romans 15:13)

Yours in Christ,

The Rev. Susan C. Johnson, National Bishop
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada – In Mission for Others

For a pdf version of this letter, please view online at: https://www.elcic.ca/From-the-Bishop/documents/2010April22BishopsLetter.pdf

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The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada is Canada’s largest Lutheran denomination with 152,500 baptized members in 607 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
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’s (ELCIC) Human Sexuality Task Force released on April 15 The First Draft of a Proposed ELCIC Social Statement on Human Sexuality for wide distribution and reflection by congregations and members throughout the church.

The draft social statement follows a churchwide initiative that saw ELCIC members participating in an ELCIC Study of Human Sexuality. The study, also prepared by the task force, engaged members of the church in dialogue and respectful conversation as part of a consultation process to generate feedback and inform the process of drafting a social statement.

Over 500 responses to the study were received. Following the review of all of the responses to the study, task force members used the feedback to write The First Draft of a Proposed Social Statement on Human Sexuality.

“Engaging the prayerful consideration and feedback of as many people as possible in the development of the draft statement is essential to creating the social statement that God wants the ELCIC to make,” says Judy Wry, chair of the ELCIC’s Human Sexuality Task Force. "The ELCIC is seeking the wisdom of many, as we search for words of faith by which we might inspire each other to be a church in mission for others in matters of sexuality."

There are three key sections to the draft social statement. “Encountering the World in Which We Live” identifies current issues of sexuality. “Facing God and Being Church” seeks to find common language to articulate the faith and theology which guide our life together. “Doing Ministry” informs conversation about mission and ministry at the local and global levels in matters relating to human sexuality.

According to ELCIC guidelines, a social statement is a theological and ethical document that provides a foundation for understanding God’s living word in light of changing realities of the modern world, and seeks to provide the social analysis and theological basis for the collective ELCIC understanding of a continuing crucial issue that arises out of the mission of the ELCIC. A social statement usually focuses on a broad social theme rather than a specific issue.

The first draft is intended to be reviewed by individuals and congregations. Feedback from this first draft will be carefully reviewed by the task force and used to make further revisions. The revised document will be submitted to National Church Council (NCC) in March 2011. Following a review of the statement, it is intended that NCC will present it to the 2011 ELCIC National Convention. Delegates to the 2011 ELCIC convention must endorse the final draft if it is to become a social statement.

"I encourage all members of our church to participate in the review of this draft social statement," says National Bishop Susan C. Johnson. "The process of developing a social statement depends on the input of as many members of our church as possible."

Access a copy of The First Draft of a Proposed Social Statement on Human Sexuality online by viewing the following link: https://elcic.ca/Human-Sexuality/default.cfm.
(Note: If you are unable to access the document via the above link, go the ELCIC website at www.elcic.ca and view the document by going to the drop-down menu for Resources and clicking on the Human Sexuality webpage.) A hard-copy of the study will be mailed to all ELCIC congregations, as well as ELCIC partners.    

All feedback to the draft social statement must be submitted by August 31, 2010. Feedback can be submitted via online, email and post. All details are posted on the above link.

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The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada is Canada’s largest Lutheran denomination with 162,100 baptized members in 611 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
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) calls on its members to include in their prayers all who are affected by the situation in Thailand amid media reports of political unrest and instability.

Reports out of Thailand have shown anti-government demonstrations and rallies mainly centering around its capital city, Bangkok. Thousands of protestors have, "brought Thailand’s capital to a standstill," according to CNN.com, as they seek to unseat the leadership of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. Media images show protestors, who are identified by their red shirts, collecting their own blood and splattering it on the gates of the Prime Minister’s residence and other government buildings.

The ELCIC has one missionary in the region, Lori Endress, who has been serving for 10 years as a missionary in Thailand. For the past eight years, Endress has been based in Thailand’s northern ‘second city’, Chiang Mei, at Payap University, Thailand’s first Christian university and an institution of the national Thai Church, The Church of Christ in Thailand.

ELCIC Assistant to the Bishop for Global Mission, Rev. Carla Blakley, is in continued contact with Endress and reports that she is safe. "Chiang Mai [where Endress is based] is in the Northern part of Thailand, away from the centre of activity and protest, although Chiang Mai has had isolated incidences of violence as well," says Rev. Blakley. "Lori is safe and we will keep monitoring the political situation as it unfolds."

In this dominantly Buddhist country, Lori’s work in leadership training and English upgrading has enabled the diverse faculty to become leaders at Payap University. Her particular focus has been enabling the Thai faculty, as well as Thai and international seminarians, to become leaders for McGilvary College of Divinity (Payap University), for the national Thai Church, its congregations, and for the Churches of Southeast Asia.

Further information on the ELCIC’s Global Mission work can be viewed online: https://elcic.ca/Global-Mission/default.cfm

In addition to a call for prayers for the safety of those affected by the situation in Thailand, ELCIC members are asked to include ELCIC Missionary Lori Endress in their prayers; for her safety during this period of unrest but also she continues to recover from a mild stroke experienced in December.

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The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada is Canada’s largest Lutheran denomination with 162,100 baptized members in 611 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
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.

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) National Bishop Susan C. Johnson’s 2010 Easter message is now available in video format for personal or congregational viewing.

In her 2010 Easter message, Bishop Johnson shares her reflections on John 20 and the joy Mary experienced upon her encounter with the resurrected Jesus in the garden. Noting the privilege Mary had of sharing the good news with the disciples, Bishop Johnson invites members of the church to join her in this season of Easter, "in sharing good news with others around us who are in desperate need for [this] message."

Watch the video message here: https://elcic.ca/From-the-Bishop/default.cfm

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The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada is Canada’s largest Lutheran denomination with 162,100 baptized members in 611 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
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.

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) National Bishop Susan C. Johnson is employing a new model of staffing that lifts up the ELCIC’s priorities of effective partnerships and focused framework.

Three new senior staff members have joined the National Office in a part-time deployed capacity and were introduced at the recent National Church Council meeting. The new model, "will help to balance our budget, but will also bring a multiplier effect with the addition of these new staff members who all bring expertise, creativity and enthusiasm in their focused areas," says Bishop Johnson, who also notes that, "the new model allows for an effective partnership with congregations. The National Office has used part-time deployed staff before, but never to this extent."

Rev. Carla Blakley has been appointed to the position of Assistant to the Bishop, Global Mission. She assumes this role in a part-time capacity while maintaining her current call as senior pastor at Bread of Life Lutheran Church, Regina, SK. She brings many gifts to this new position, including international experience, creativity, and a commitment to and passion for the mission of the church around the world. Within this portfolio, Rev. Blakley is responsible for coordinating ELCIC Global Mission with the work of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Global Mission staff, supervising deployed staff of the ELCIC Global Mission program, assisting in the development and maintenance of Companion Church relationships, and assisting with the ELCIC Companion Synod Program.

Rev. Lyle McKenzie has been appointed to the position of Assistant to the Bishop, Worship. Rev. McKenzie assumes this role in a part-time capacity while maintaining his current call as pastor at Lutheran Church of the Cross, Victoria, BC. With a passion for worship, Rev. McKenzie brings many gifts to this new position, including his experience as chair of the local worship planning committee for the 2009 ELCIC National Convention and 2000 National Worship Conference, and as chair/co-chair of several synod convention worship committees. Within this portfolio, Rev. McKenzie is responsible for relating to the Program Committee for Worship, the National Worship Conference, and worship at the National Convention, along with responsibilities for maintaining and building relationships with the worship expressions of the ELCA, Anglican Church of Canada and Augsburg Fortress.

Rev. André Lavergne has been appointed to the position of Assistant to the Bishop, Ecumenical and Interfaith. Rev. Lavergne also assumes this role in a part-time capacity while continuing his current call as pastor at Trinity Lutheran, New Hamburg, ON, where he works in a team ministry. In addition to his passion for the ecumenical and interfaith relations of the church, Rev. Lavergne brings to the position his previous experience of working in a deployed staff position for the National Office which enabled him to develop and foster many ecumenical relationships. Some of the partners Rev. Lavergne is responsible for relating to include The Lutheran World Federation, World Council of Churches, Canadian Council of Churches and interfaith relations.

In September 2009, the National Office refocused its work and staffing levels to reflect current resource and programmatic challenges. While ensuring a commitment to priority areas such as Global Mission, Ecumenical Relations and Worship, the changes allowed the National Office to explore the possibility of new staffing models. This new model enables flexibility as the church undertakes a Structural Renewal Process heading towards the 2013 ELCIC National Convention.

The three new staff members join the existing senior staff of Rev. Paul Gehrs, Assistant to the Bishop in the areas of public policy, youth, and leadership for ministry, Trina Gallop, director of communications and stewardship, and Gloria McNabb, director of finance and administration.

A directory of National Office staff members, along with contact information, can be viewed online at: https://elcic.ca/National-Church-Council/Staff.cfm

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The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada is Canada’s largest Lutheran denomination with 162,100 baptized members in 611 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
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.