Eastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada

Member church of the Lutheran World Federation

Adam Snook

CRJ Book Study – Five Little Indians

Posted: | Filed Under: Circle for Reconciliation and Justice, Spotlight

Circle for Reconciliation and Justice – June book study

The Circle for Reconciliation and Justice will coordinate a Synod-wide book study for the month of June, National Indigenous History Month. 

We have chosen the book Five Little Indians by Michelle Good.  It can be bought in bookstores, ordered online in ebook or paperback, or borrowed from your local library.  It is available through Goodminds, an Indigenous independent outlet.

Michelle Good is a writer of Cree ancestry and a member of the Red Pheasant Cree Nation in Saskatchewan.  Five Little Indians, released in April 2020, is her novel about five young people emerging from a remote residential school where they had been sent as small children. 

The book has been recognized with several honours including the Governor General’s Literary Award. It was chosen by Amnesty International Canada for their Book Club Readers’ Choice of 2021. 

Here are two suggestions for participating in the book study:

  • Form a group from your congregation, Ministry Area or community to get together one or more times in June to discuss the book — and let us know about your experience!

We have made available a jotform with questions that you can answer online, and share with us.  

Stories, thoughts or photos can be sent by email to Rev. Christie Morrow-Wolfe (cmorrow-wolfe@elcic.ca)  

  • Join two Zoom sessions that will be held in June.  Before reading the book, you can attend a kick-off session “Introduction to Five Little Indians Book Study” on June 2, 7 to 8 pm EDT, that will give some background about the book and the author, and why it has been chosen for study. 

The concluding session “Book Study Wrap-up” will be held on June 20, 7 to 9 pm EDT.  In the first part we will ask participants to share what they found to be most meaningful and important about the book. The second part will be devoted to a discussion of the meaning for our congregations as we seek to live into truth and reconciliation moving forward.   

Some suggestions of questions for discussion in the book groups are available from London Public Library and from Amnesty International Canada.

The links to the Zoom Book Study sessions: 

June 2nd, Kick-Off Event, 7-8 pm –

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwrd-6srT0vHNPAwvIT1ilof7diKR6eT_3Z

June 20th, Wrap-Up Event, 7-9 pm –

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUlcOGoqz8pHt0OdN73AeLoRQ6w06N_JIQ4

Red Dress Day – Resources & Ideas

Posted: | Filed Under: Circle for Reconciliation and Justice, Spotlight, Uncategorised

May 5 marks Red Dress day in Canada, a day of remembrance for the 1200+ missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and two spirit individuals across the country. Beginning over 12 years ago, the initiative was born out of Métis artist Jaime Black’s REDress art installation wherein hundreds of red dresses were displayed in public spaces to raise awareness for the missing women. 

The colour red was chosen based on the traditional knowledge that it is the only colour spirits can see and it is used as a means of calling the spirits of these lost loved ones home. In line with Black’s vision, every year red dresses and ribbons are hung nationwide in remembrance of these women and to symbolize what has been declared an ongoing genocide. 

#WhyWeWearRed #NoMoreStolenSisters

Red Dress Day – Resource ListDownload
Red Dress Day – Eastern Synod PrayerDownload
Red Dress Day – Prayer CardDownload

Synod-Wide Palm Sunday Worship

Posted: | Filed Under: Uncategorised

This year, the Eastern Synod will be partnering with St. Peter’s, Kitchener to provide a Palm Sunday worship opportunity. This televised service will be available to those who may choose to participate on Sunday morning via the live broadcast, as well as to those who may wish to view the recording at a later date. Please note, that this worship opportunity will be in addition to local services (we are not asking you to cancel your local Palm Sunday services).

Leading the service will be Bishop Susan Johnson, Bishop Michael Pryse, Pastor Mark Ehlebracht, Bishop Sani Ibrahim Azar (Evangelical Lutheran Church In Jordan and the Holy Land), President Conrad Plummer (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana), as well as rostered and lay participants from across our Synod.

In place of palm branches, we invite you to wave textile items which can then be donated to local agencies in your community. Wave socks…receiving blankets…washcloths…bedsheets…towels…or even underwear! We encourage you to make arrangements for donations to a local agency in advance.

You can PVR or tune in to this special, live, national CTV broadcast on Sunday, April 10, at 10AM ET (Bell Fibe: 201/1201  Bell Satellite: 584, 1505; Rogers Cable: 12/109/518;  Shaw Direct: 67/369 *Local listings across the province and country may vary). Subscribers can also access the CTV-SWO live feed online. The service will be posted by April 12 to stpeterskw.ca and easternsynod.org.

For The Love Of Creation

Posted: | Filed Under: Climate Justice, News

Tell us what God’s Creation means to you! Get messy…have fun! Take a picture of your creation or send us a video! 

Theme: For The Love Of Creation
Categories: 12 and Under OR 13+
Submission Examples: Paintings, Drawings, Sculpture, Poetry, Song, Dance. Story-Telling/Writing
Deadline: March 31, 2022

Winning entries will be featured on the Eastern Synod and the Youth and Young Adult website for the month of April. All submissions will be available for congregational use in worship and/or for the celebration of Earth Day. Art Consent form required. CLICK HERE to learn more!

COVID-19 Update (March 10, 2022)

Posted: | Filed Under: COVID

Dear Siblings in Christ,

In a few days we will mark two years since our regular church routines were first disrupted as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In those earliest days, we committed ourselves to doing whatever was necessary to love and care for our neighbours by protecting their health and wellbeing. It hasn’t always been easy, but we’ve done just that! I am so proud of how our church has responded to these unprecedented challenges.

While the risks associated with COVID-19 remain, we are beginning to see wonderful signs of hope in the world all around us. Restrictions are lessening, mandates are ending, and we can look forward to resuming some of our most cherished activities and traditions.

Across our Synod congregations are returning to in-person worship, we are cautiously planning for some physical meetings and gatherings, hymns are being sung again, and we look forward to enjoying those long-awaited sips of coffee during fellowship hour. Be assured that our ability to do each of these things is a direct result of the collective efforts which have guided us through these past two years.

To that end, I would encourage continued caution as we enter this ‘endemic’ phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Our commitment to the health and safety of our neighbour remains. These acts of love have guided us thus far and will continue to mark our ministry as we move into the weeks ahead. Please continue to adopt a measured approach, follow the guidance provided by local public health units, and gauge the comfort level of your congregation. Regarding the removal of mask mandates in some areas of our Synod, I would encourage all congregations to continue using masks for the time being. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. I, and my colleagues in the Synod Office, are eager to support you as you resume in-person practices.

We have learned a lot over these past two years. I am inspired by the resiliency and determination shown by our church! The Good News has been, and continues to be, proclaimed with a profound clarity. God is with us.

Thank you for your faithfulness.
Thank you for your creativity.
Thank you for your partnership in ministry.

May God be with you today, and always!
Bishop Michael