Eastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada

Member church of the Lutheran World Federation

Local

Bethesda Sharecroppers

Posted: | Filed Under: Local

On July 8, a group of members from Bethesda Lutheran Church gathered at a distance at our Sharecropper Growing project  to share a blessing for a good harvest.  The crop, 50 acres of winter soft red wheat, will probably be harvested about two weeks on. The site is on the SW corner of Warden Avenue and the Stouffville Road in Whitchurch-Stouffville, ON. The crop and land are provided by Galten Farms operated by Arthur Schickedanz and his family and supported by the Bethesda Lutheran Church in Unionville.  We have also been supported by St. Johns United Church in Oakville over the past number of years.

   Pastor Roy Thakurdyal based his blessing on a scripture passage from Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, Chapter 9, including verses beginning at 6 “The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.  Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.  And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance so that by always having enough of everything you may share abundantly in every good work…. He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.  You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us.  For the rendering of this ministry not only supplies the needs of the saints but also overflows with many thanksgivings to God. …..Thanks be to God for his indescribable gifts!” 

   It was a beautiful but hot late afternoon as the group gathered to share this blessing. Those present were pleased to gather at a distance in the outdoors to share in this blessing at a time when the pandemic of COVID-19 is bringing great harm to the entire world. The need for aid has never been greater and we hope this project and the generous donations from members of the congregation will demonstrate the thankfulness of the members of Bethesda for the life of plenty we enjoy in Canada today.

Official Historian

Confirmation in a Pandemic

Posted: | Filed Under: COVID, Local

July 12 2020 was a special day for the South Grey Bruce Lutheran parish of Mildmay, Normanby and Neustadt as the congregation witnessed 6 young people affirm their baptism promise. After studying for two years, these young people and their families were not going to let something like a pandemic stop this celebration! Oh, and did I mention that I arrived as their pastor just weeks before Covid isolation began? The final confirmation class was an email assignment.
 

   Following heath guidelines, one family bubble at a time (up to 9 people) gathered in the church each week over 5 weeks to participate in the worship recording for that Sunday, and to celebrate with the young person as faith was professed. The parents or sponsors were invited to ‘lay on hands’ as the pastor spoke the blessing and prayer to “stir up the gift of the Holy Spirit”. It was a powerful moment.
   The congregation was represented by a ‘word cloud’ – an idea suggested by Sandra Powell, a friend from Resurrection Halifax. Members of the congregation sent words of welcome, faith and congratulations for each confirmand, so no two clouds were the same. These were put on a card along with a personal verse of scripture, and presented to each person. The family celebrated Holy Communion together and then photographs were taken
   Each confirmation was recorded and it is a sign of the connectedness of this community that the families wanted to have all of the individual affirmation events broadcast to the congregation on the same date. Thus followed several hours of learning how to edit and combine videos and the result was shared on July 12 as part of the South Grey Bruce worship broadcast. (www.sweetlutheran.com)A confirmation collage was created from individual photographs for the archives.
   We are excited and blessed to have these young people continue to grow in faith as part of this parish.

Rev Pam McNeil

A Web of Pandemic Prayer

Posted: | Filed Under: Local

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection in Halifax, Nova Scotia has been praying!

And what a web of prayers it has become!

Started by Rev. Dr. Kimber McNabb, the community has quickly joined in! She writes, “The tags have names on them for people, and congregation members, who have asked for prayer. There is a NS tartan ribbon woven in after the gun massacre in April. The red yarn represents the life of a RCMP officer who was shot in the line of duty. There are paper strips with words of prayer over #blacklivesmatter and reconciliation with Indigenous people’s. It is always interesting to see people stop and read what is in the web.”

What prayer would you add?

Youth And Young Adult Update

Posted: | Filed Under: Local

My name is Kristina Kuhnert. Emily Savage and I are young, Canadian, Eastern Synod Lutherans doing synod-wide and synod-supported Youth and Young Adult Ministry on the internet (for now!). You may have seen us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram (@ELCICyoungadults), on YouTube (on the “Young Canadian Lutheran” channel) or perhaps you have heard of the “35 Under 35” project about Young Adults in the Church.

**Here’s some of what’s happening for YOUNG ADULTS (17-35)

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In Mission for Others

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In order to be in mission for others we must have faith and a strong belief in our Saviour.  We must share our faith with others.  In order to do this we must know what faith is and how it came to be part of our life.

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New Partnership in Whitby

Posted: | Filed Under: Local

Christ the King is thrilled to be growing through their new partnership with Fairport Montessori Academy. This past spring, the Whitby Ontario church opened its doors to the Montessori school and underwent intensive construction to transform the traditional styled church into a space to share with the Montessori school. 

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