Lutheran Church Canada

Can you guess the theme of the upcoming issue?? Coming soon to a church mailbox near you!

WILL IT ALWAYS BE LENT AND NEVER EASTER? If we are looking for an Easter marked by a bunny distributing chocolate to sweet-toothed girls and boys, then we could say that it happened. The normal commercial fanfare arrived in due season. Or if Easter is instead considered a time for family and friends to join together, then perhaps Easter is still another year or two off. Such togetherness is still restricted under social distancing regulations. But if we remember what Easter t...ruly is, then we will agree that Easter is not hindered or cancelled; it has come in power. On Easter, Christ burst forth from the tomb in glorious resurrection. Once dead and buried, Christ rose to life. In His flesh was the freshness of life, and in His blood coursed the new creation wherein death has no hold. No evil or threat of death could keep Him bound to the grave because He is life incarnate (John 1:4, 14; 11:25). Who is Christ but life itself? Easter marks how the corruption of naturesin and its consequence of deathfailed to overpower and consume the Creator of all things. Jesus is the source of all life, the One who created the life of the universe out of nothing. Therefore, the nothingness of death (an uncreation, if you will) has no ability to halt or hem Him in. It was so in the beginning. It will remain so in the end. NEW feature from The Canadian Lutheran written by Rev. Adam Chandler: https://www.canadianlutheran.ca/always-lent-but-never-east/

The last pages in the Holy Week booklet are available for download. There are 2 sheets and they are available in full colour or B&W https://lll.ca/lent-holy-week-easter-2021/

You can add the page for Good Friday to your Holy Week booklet. Download it at https://lll.ca/lent-holy-week-easter-2021/

NEW from The Canadian Lutheran... A Lamp To My Feet: Reading the Word of God Daily We need to be reminded always that tools are just tools. These are useful as long as they bring us into God’s Word. Jesus says: If you abide in My Word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free (John 8:31-32) Free printable resource included, providing a few helpful steps you may wish to follow as you dig deeper into God’s Word ... [You can download this resource directly from the article by clicking on the PDF link] https://www.canadianlutheran.ca/a-lamp-to-my-feet-reading-/

It's always nice to see confessional Lutheran Christmas ornaments LCC's office staff continue to add your ornaments to the tree each day! Have you spotted an ornament from YOUR congregation yet?? Monday's ornaments were courtesy of: Zion Lutheran in Yorkton, SK... Redeemer Lutheran in Vega, AB Redeemer Lutheran in Westbank, B.C. Christ Our Saviour Lutheran in Grimsby, ON First Lutheran in Lloydminster, AB Tuesday's ornaments were courtesy of: Immanuel Lutheran in Tomahawk, AB LWML St. James Lutheran in Winnipeg, MB Christ Lutheran in Craig, AB Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Calgary, AB Trinity Lutheran in Golden, B.C.

An update from Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary, St. Catharines on their recent call to Rev. Stephen Preus.

MISSION NEWS Roberto Jose at the Mission Centre in Chinandega provides an update in light of Hurricane Iota, translation and prayer by Rev. Mark Smith. I am pleased to inform you that the hand of God was protecting our beloved Nicaragua. The hurricane hit the Caribbean Coast fairly hard, and part of the regions of Jinotega, Matagalpa, and Rivas were impacted by minor flooding. Some hills collapsed and caused landslides, which caused the death of at least six people. In th...e region of León and Chinandega, it caused losses of crops. Somotillo and Villa Nueva were flooded and the road was completely covered with water. But after the storm comes the calm. Our pastors and deaconesses and mission workers are safe and sound, with God’s help. Since the rains throughout the country have decreased, the rivers are returning to their normal flow. We finally saw the beautiful sun warming us again, which we had not looked at for fifteen days. At last the calm arrived, but this season has not ended yet, and the weather forecast alerts us of another possible hurricane that will follow the same route as the previous one. Only God can help us. https://www.canadianlutheran.ca/hurricane-iota-impacts-nic/

NEW ISSUE! Coming soon to a church mailbox near you! PS. Did you know that you can read The Canadian Lutheran on your phone or e-reader?? Check out the FULL magazine here: https://issuu.com/thecanadianlutheran/docs/cl3506-web

Looking ahead... What's new at Concordia Lutheran Seminary?? CLS eagerly anticipates the arrival of their new professor, Rev. Dr. Sam Thompson, whose travel from India has been delayed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. CLS will have five full-time students on campus and two on vicarage in the Spring, and has also had significant conversations with six others who plan to begin in the Fall.... CLS is nearing the end of the seven-year accreditation cycle (the longest term possible for a small school) and is gearing up with a 96-page report and other details for the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) reaccreditation visit from February 8-11, 2021. Please remember the seminary’s faculty in prayer, as well as everyone who helps support, teach, and uplift students. Pray that God would grant the board, faculty, and staff wisdom and insight as they continue to form servants for Jesus’ sake; and that He would open doors for Dr. Thompson to travel to Canada soon https://www.canadianlutheran.ca/looking-ahead-whats-new-at/

LCC welcomes a new administrative assistant to the team, Angela Honey! "[My husband and I] were both excited by the opportunity for me to work for Lutheran ChurchCanada and after much prayer decided to make the move to Winnipeg, Angela said. While we are sad to leave our seaside friends we look forward to the many opportunities that God will provide in this new adventure. https://www.canadianlutheran.ca/lcc-welcomes-new-administr/

#ThrowbackThursday to LCC's National Youth Gathering! Featuring a bunch of Youth-erans... I mean, young Lutherans... from 1998

What’s the difference between a rut and a ditch? About six feet. New column from our West Regional Pastor, Rev. Robert Mohns in The Canadian Lutheran https://www.canadianlutheran.ca/its-good-to-be-in-a-rut/

New West Regional Pastor Column from The Canadian Lutheran Amid all of this "New Normal" talk, Pastor Mohns asks: What’s normal anymore? And why should it matter? "In a few weeks, our congregations will observe Reformation Day. The Reformation restored the Word of God to the Church at a critical time. The Reformation happened during another pandemic, the Black Plague which decimated the world. It happened during a period of social upheaval. Luther’s world was chaotic and ...filled with challenges to the life and faith of God’s people. It was filled with war, uprisings, and revolts. It was filled with new thoughts, new inventions, and new social relationships. Historians have often pointed to the development of the printing press as the reason why the Lutheran Reformation took off. Some today have also begun to suggest that equally important was the Black Plague pandemic. Whatever the case may be, it is evidence that our God continues to act to keep His Word front and center in the midst of His people, yes, even in the midst of the overwhelming chaos of our day." Read the full column here https://www.canadianlutheran.ca/whats-normal-anymore/

With our world-renowned health care system now endorsing euthanasia as a 'solution' to human suffering, we will be undermining the creativity and resolve that is needed to confront some of the most complex cases of care. We are, in effect, imposing the institutional taking of human life as a solution to human suffering. LIFE NEWS LCC President Timothy Teuscher is a signatory to an open letter by Canadian religious leaders opposing Bill C-7. Bill C-7 seeks to expand acc...ess to euthanasia and assisted suicide in Canada. The letter is clear that there is no wish to increase pain and discomfort for the dying, with the signatories instead calling for a robust palliative care system available to all Canadians as a much more effective response to suffering and to protecting the sacred dignity of the human person. The full letter can be viewed via the article here: https://www.canadianlutheran.ca/lcc-joins-letter-opposing-/

#flashbackfriday from LCC NYG - Lutheran Church-Canada National Youth Gathering featuring some 'vintage' articles from The Canadian Lutheran

NEW HYMN: Good Shepherd Shelter Now Your Sheep Lyrics by Rev. Kurt E. Reinhardt (One of our LCC pastors!) Performed by Beatrice M. Reinhardt (Pastor Reinhardt's 19 year old daughter!) Accompanied by Mr. Douglas Bulmer, organist at Trinity Lutheran Church in Gowanstown, Ontario.... DID YOU KNOW? Pastor Reinhardt wrote the lyrics to this hymn in response to the unprecedented situation brought about by the COVID-19 crisis. The hymn came to him on the day he found out that their congregation would have to suspend the public Divine Service. He and his family began singing it nightly as an intercession for the Lord’s people in these difficult days. Pastor Reinhardt would like to encourage people to print or disseminate this hymn for devotional use during these trying days, and a link to the music and lyrics is available for download in the YouTube description, as well as in the comments below https://youtu.be/BbiR5cLWaV4

EDUCATION NEWS LCC seminaries issue respective calls for nominations: Honourary awards and degrees. Information from both Concordia Lutheran Seminary and Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary, St. Catharines can be accessed in the article below: https://www.canadianlutheran.ca/lcc-seminaries-issue-respe/

: The WASCANA circuit's St. Michael and All Angels Divine Service on September 29, 2020. : LCC Central Region

Have you ever been to an LCC National Youth Gathering?? Bonus points if you can still remember the theme verse : LCC NYG - Lutheran Church-Canada National Youth Gathering

LCC SPECIAL CONVENTION October 17, 2020 at 12 p.m. Central Time. RESOLUTION COMMITTEE MEETING October 15, 2020 at 7 p.m. Central Time. For LCC members interested in tuning in live, the Special Convention’s livestream will be made available on our website. Details and further updates included in the article below:... https://www.canadianlutheran.ca/lcc-sc2020-update/ See more

Love casts out fear. But how do you get a big dose of love? In his latest column, Central Regional Pastor Haberstock discusses the topic of fear and God's love. "The most powerful way to receive His love and comfort for you is by confessing your fears. You can do so in your daily prayers, but there is no more powerful way to receive the love of Christ that casts out fear than through private confession and absolution, which applies the peace and comfort of Christ’s salvatio...n to you personally, and after that to quickly receive the very presence of your loving Saviour in His Body and Blood." Read the full piece here: https://www.canadianlutheran.ca/the-epidemic-of-fear/

East Region celebrations REMINDER: You can submit your regional news stories to The Canadian Lutheran's Regional News Editor, Michelle Heumann, via [email protected]

Video devotion for The Commemoration of Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, Pastor, led by Rev. Timothy Teuscher, Lutheran ChurchCanada President.

Editor of The Canadian Lutheran, Mathew Block, discusses the central theme of the latest publication: Bearing witness to the Word! FEATURES INCLUDE: The Enduring Word - This reflects on the recent publication of a complete translation of the Bible into its 700th language. As part of the context of that piece, and in honour of the Reformation anniversary, we also consider Martin Luther’s landmark translation of the Bible into German, as well as the work of modern-day Luthe...ran translators of the Bible. Find out why Bible translation mattered so much to Lutherand why it matters today too. Gentleness and Respect - This piece encourages us to approach the discussion of controversial subjects in a scriptural manner. Our society is increasingly polarized and unwilling to engage in civil discussion. So how do we break that pattern and share the Word of God in ways that honour and respect one another? What does Scripture have to say about how we should handle difficult conversationswhether within the church or without? Called During COVID - This piece highlights the challenges of beginning pastoral ministry in the midst of the pandemic. The current moment has forced all of our pastors to rethink the basics of how to reach troubled people with the Word of God; imagine now the uncertainty of beginning that ministry for the first time during COVID. We share one new pastor’s journey into pastoral ministry here. Block's message to readers is as follows: I pray that these reflections on the Word of God, as well as our other articles and columns this issue, will be a blessing to you in this time, whatever trials you may face. Remember: God is with you in your sorrows. He is with you in His Word. Let that Word be your peace. https://www.canadianlutheran.ca/a-word-of-peace-in-trouble/