Eastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada

Member church of the Lutheran World Federation

Adam Snook

Congregational Treasurer T3010 Workshop

Posted: | Filed Under: Uncategorised

MORE SPOTS NOW AVAILABLE FOR BOTH DATES!!!

*REGISTRATION LIMIT NOW SET AT 35 PARTICIPANTS PER SESSION*

Attention congregational treasurers! 

High on the list of tasks most dreaded by congregational treasurers is completing CRA’s annual Registered Charity Information Return (T3010).   Eastern Synod Treasurer, Keith Myra, isn’t promising to make this task any more fun, but he is offering a workshop that’s intended to provide you with some additional guidance when you complete this form on behalf of your congregation.  In addition to providing some tips, this session will include opportunities to ask questions about situations specific to your congregation that may affect how you complete your return.

The same workshop will be offered via Zoom on two separate dates/times.  In order to provide sufficient time for questions and discussion, registrations will be limited to 25 participants for each session.  To register, click on one of the following links and complete the form that is presented to you.  After submitting the form you will receive an email confirming that your registration has been received, followed by a second email with a Zoom link that will enable you to log into the session on the date that you selected. 

Click on this link to register for the session on Wed. April 6th (10-12 noon)   (Eastern Standard Time)

Click on this link to register for the session on Thurs. April 7th (6:30 – 8:30 pm)  (Eastern Standard Time)

To obtain the most value from this workshop, participants should bring:

Regardless of whether you decide to register for one of these workshops or not, keep in mind that CRA requires that your congregation submit its Charity Information Return no later than six months after your fiscal year-end.  Most congregations have a December 31st fiscal year-end, in which case the T3010 form for 2021 must be filed no later than June 30th, 2022.

If you have questions about this workshop, feel free to contact Keith Myra (kmyra@elcic.ca).  Any problems with your registration confirmation or Zoom link should be directed to Cindy Stubbs (cstubbs@elcic.ca). 

Ukraine Emergency Appeal CLWR

Posted: | Filed Under: News, Spotlight

Canadian Lutheran World Relief is calling on Canadians to pray for peace in Ukraine, and to give generously in support of the urgent humanitarian needs of all those affected.

CLWR joins its partners and millions around the world in calling for an immediate end to violence in Ukraine.

Early estimates are that millions of people could be rapidly displaced, leading to a widespread humanitarian crisis.

Our partners in Ukraine and in neighbouring countries are closely monitoring the situation and are preparing to respond to immediate humanitarian needs with food, shelter, emergency supplies and trauma support.

With your help, we can act quickly to protect families and communities threatened by this violence, keeping borders open and creating safe pathways, and providing refuge for those fleeing the conflict.

Please give what you can by donating at  clwr.org/ukraine   or by calling 1-800-661-2597 (Mon-Fri 8:30am-4:00pm CST) and pray for all those who are affected by this turn of events.

May God bless you and keep you safe.
Karin AchtelstetterExecutive Director, Canadian Lutheran World Relief 

COVID-19 Update (January 24, 2022)

Posted: | Filed Under: COVID

Dear Colleagues,

When I communicated with you at the beginning of this month, it was my counsel that all churches across our synod should pause their in-person worship until the end of January. I was encouraged to see that the vast majority of congregations chose to do so. Thank you for your continued commitment to the health and wellbeing of your neighbours and communities. This is, indeed, an act of love.

As the regulations within our four provinces begin to lessen, with children returning to school and businesses re-opening, I would encourage you to extend the pause of in-person gatherings for an additional two weeks. This will allow time for the projected peak of the Omicron Variant, and for the public health effects of the lessening of restrictions to become better known. As such, should current trends continue, I would recommend that congregations wishing to resume in-person worship consider doing so with a February 20, 2022 target date. As always, please be sure to consult with your local public health for regulations specific to your region.

Read more →

COVID-19 Update (January 3, 2022)

Posted: | Filed Under: COVID

Dear Colleagues,

The COVID-19 situation across our Synod continues to evolve on a near daily basis. Over the Christmas holidays we have seen the tightening of restrictions in all four of our provincial jurisdictions.

Since the beginning of this pandemic, I have urged you to do whatever is necessary to protect one another and safeguard the health and safety of our communities. We have done this as an act of love for, and a gift of service to, our neighbours. Twenty-one months later, this priority still stands.

To that end, and with the information we have today, I feel that it is both prudent and responsible for Eastern Synod congregations to suspend all in-person worship services and other gatherings effective immediately and for a period of at least four weeks.  I commit to reviewing this advice and communicating an updated recommendation to you by the end of January 2022. Likewise, a decision regarding the Spiritual Retreats scheduled for the month of February will be made and communicated to you as soon as possible.

I remain encouraged by the resiliency and faithfulness with which our leaders and faith communities continue to engage these challenges. Your actions are a clear proclamation of the gospel that extend far beyond the brick and mortar limits of our physical buildings. I am deeply grateful and inspired by each of you.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to my office if we can offer support to you in these days. In the meantime, please take a moment to check in with one another, support one another, and make use of the Resource Library which is available for your use.

I am praying for you, dear partners in ministry. May God bless and keep you.

Bishop Michael

January “Close-Of-Books”

Posted: | Filed Under: Spotlight

Perseverance seems to be a good word to sum-up the year, 2021. A great
amount of perseverance has been needed as we continue to live in and with the Covid-
19 pandemic and the disruption it is causing in the lives of many, including the
congregations of the Eastern Synod. Thank you for your willingness to serve as
Treasurer over the past year(s). Thank you for your ongoing perseverance and
commitment. You play a vital role and represent a key link between your congregation
and the Synod. As the New Year dawns, we will continue to walk this road together in
steadfast hope and faith in the love of God, and we pray, onwards to brighter days
ahead.

Back in October, you should have received a letter from Bishop Michael and
Synod Treasurer, Keith Myra, asking your congregation to remember the Synod in the
development of your 2022 budgets, and in the making of your annual benevolence
commitment. Thank you for taking this request seriously and for your continued effort to
remit your benevolence offerings in a consistent and timely manner. This has been so
appreciated. Some of you have also gone above and beyond your commitment goal
and the Synod is humbled and deeply grateful for the ongoing partnership with the
people of God who make up the family that is the Eastern Synod. Thank you for being
such generous givers and for supporting the ministry of the wider church.

This letter is meant to provide a gentle reminder to you to remit your 2021
benevolence offerings as soon as possible. The Synod will be closing its financial
books on January 21 st , 2022 and it is critical that we are able to include all offerings in
the 2021 totals. Observing this deadline is good and important for everyone as it keeps
your records in sync with the Synod’s records. There is also a tremendous amount of
work that takes place once the books are closed to prepare the Synod for its annual
financial audit. The timely remittance of your year-end offerings is key to the smooth
operation of these Synod processes. Again, the Synod is so grateful for your
attentiveness to these details and deadlines.

If you receive this letter having already put your final remittance cheque in the
mail, please accept our deepest thanks for your ongoing diligence. If you haven’t
already written and mailed the cheque, we would be most grateful if you could please
post it no later than January 14th, 2022 so that it can be received by the Synod Office in
Kitchener no later than January 21st .

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)

We wish you God’s richest blessings for a safe, happy and healthy New Year!
 
Sincerely,
Rev. Christie Morrow-Wolfe
Assistant to the Bishop

PS – If you are not the treasurer of your congregation, you are receiving this because
we don’t have an email address in the ELCIC database for the treasurer.  Would you
pass on this message to the treasurer and send their name and email address, plus
your congregation name and city/town, to ezehr@elcic.ca so Liz can update our records? 
Thank you for your help with this!

A Christmas Story & Greeting

Posted: | Filed Under: Spotlight

“The world was about to change forever. And it almost went by unnoticed…”

In this special recording, Bishop Michael is joined by Pastors Christie, Doug and Adam (as well as the Morrow-Wolfe & Snook kiddos) in a reading of “Song of the Stars: A Christmas Story” by Sally Lloyd-Jones and illustrated by Allison Jay.

Bishop Michael also brings Christmas Greetings as he reflects on, “the hopes and fears of all the years.” Bishop’s Christmas Greeting begins at 4:47.

Multiple versions of this resource (video and print) can be accessed through our Eastern Synod Resource Library. The full video is also available on our YouTube Channel, and linked to our website and social media accounts.

PERMISSIONS
HarperCollins Christian Publishing grants permission to the Eastern Synod for the reproduction of this story and its artwork for the purpose of supporting churches during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“O Little Town of Bethlehem” by user: Markbodino is used with permission. Licensed through AudioJungle.