Eastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada

Member church of the Lutheran World Federation

News

All About Relationship

Posted: | Filed Under: From the Bishop's Desk, News

For most of my time in ordained ministry, I have been privileged to participate in efforts to build and nurture our Full Communion relationship with the Anglican Church of Canada.  Through this work I have been blessed beyond measure!

During my term as co-chair of the Anglican Lutheran International Coordinating Committee I was privileged to experience how Lutheran-Anglican partnerships were, or were not, being lived out around the globe. And I can say, with more than a little pride, that our international partners consistently marveled at the scope and breadth of how Full Communion was being lived out here in Canada. Joint National Assemblies. Full recognition and transmutability between traditions for orders of ministry. Joint Lutheran Anglican congregations.  They wondered how any of this was possible. In response I would say that anything we’d accomplished was fully dependent on the depth of our lived relationships.

Our 2001 Full Communion declaration did not fall out of the sky “fait accompli”. It was proceeded by an 18-year process of careful and conscientious relationship building across various expressions of our respective churches.

 In 1988 Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Burlington, Ontario, where I then served as pastor, was one of dozens of Lutheran and Anglican congregations across Canada that were asked to engage a designated local partner. In our case, we were partnered with St. Luke’s Anglican Church and thus began a wonderful and enlightening series of shared worship, learning and fellowship gatherings. Neighbourly relationships were established.

In 1989 our respective churches chose to enter into an experience of interim eucharistic sharing; wisely recognizing that unity at the Lord’s table would be the means, rather than the end, of experiencing deeper unity. And so, across the nation, Lutherans and Anglicans gathered at one another’s altars to share Christ’s body and blood. Sacred relationships were nurtured.

In 1991 National Bishop Telmor Sartison and Primate Michael Peers made a commitment to hosting an annual gathering of our church’s bishops in a retreat setting for the next ten years. Telmor and Michael knew that if full communion were to become a lived reality it would all depend on having established real person to person relationships with one another. Collegial and trusting relationships were forged. 

By 2001, all that remained was for our two churches to publicly acknowledge what we had already experienced in relationship; that we, in fact, were churches whose relationship was one of Full Communion in Christ. And so that relationship continues to grow and deepen today.

As I reflect upon my own experience working with the Joint Anglican Lutheran Commission, it is not the countless conversations, papers, negotiations and meetings that stand out for me. Rather, it is the deep friendships that were established and nurtured; relationships whose strength provided the means by which we were able to engage the important work that our churches had set before us. Like most everything in life and discipleship, it’s really all about the relationships. And how could it be otherwise?

From left: Archbishop Fred Hiltz, Very Rev. Peter Wall, Bishop Michael Pryse and National Bishop Susan Johnson at tree planting to commemorate 10 years of Full communion in 2011.

Building a Better Budget

Posted: | Filed Under: News, Newsletters

Every three years, several hundred rostered ministers, lay delegates and visitors, representing congregations across the territory of the Eastern Synod, gather over several days for inspiring worship, stimulating educational experiences, highly valued fellowship and to conduct the Synod’s business.  One of the important business matters that delegates to this year’s online event, Assembly 2021, will consider in late June is the adoption of budgets for the next three year period.

   Since the early 1990s our Synod has experienced a slow, but steady, decline in benevolence offerings received from congregations.   Given the financial and other challenges that many congregations have been facing, this isn’t surprising news.  This downward trend is worrisome, nonetheless, since the ministries that are supported by the synodical budget are funded primarily by benevolence offerings.  The past year has introduced an additional, potential concern – what longer term impact might the pandemic have on congregational (and hence synodical) finances?  With these concerns about to confront us head on, one of the initiatives in the Synod’s strategic plan included a review of the budget setting process, followed by a rigourous review of the dollar amounts that are allocated to fund each of the synodical ministries.  

   Many aspects need to be considered when developing budgets for the Synod.  How do we strike the most appropriate balance between providing sufficient funding for the many traditional forms of synodical ministry that we have valued so highly for many decades now, while ensuring that exciting new forms of ministry that are emerging also receive their share of diminishing resources?  It takes many hands and a variety of perspectives to build budgets that identify, evaluate and weigh all of the possibilities! 

   The process to build a better budget started last fall when Synod Council members held a working session to develop high level budgetary principles, to suggest ministries that should be considered for new or additional funding and to identify lower impact areas where it might be possible to consider funding reductions.  The Deans, representing each of the seventeen different geographic areas across the Synod, were also invited to provide their input.       

   In March, the four synodical officers along with synod office staff, met on several occasions to assess all of the ideas that were generated, to review historical spending patterns and to finalize budgetary principles and assumptions that could be used as a foundation for budgets over the next triennium.  Next, Kim Marcy (Director of Finance and Administration) and Keith Myra (Treasurer) forged the output from these sessions into draft versions of budgets for 2022 – 2024.  These drafts were subsequently reviewed by Synod Council’s Finance Committee (Rev. Davis Kaneps, Anne Drouillard, David Wilk, Kim Marcy and Keith Myra) prior to being finalized and approved by the entire Synod Council. 

   The next step of the budgetary process is the upcoming opportunity for Assembly 2021 delegates to discuss, possibly amend and then adopt Synod Council’s recommendations.  The proposed budgets that are being recommended include modest increases to bursary/internship support for seminary students, increased funding for several social justice initiatives, as well as reduced funding in several areas.  It goes without saying that any reductions, especially when they directly affect people, are difficult and not made without considerable thought and discussion.

   It’s virtually impossible to develop 100% realistic budgets several years in advance. As such, even though the Synod’s budgets have been developed for the upcoming three year period, it is expected that the budget for each specific year will be reviewed and fine tuned, as necessary, by Synod Council at the start of each year. 

   Thank you, in anticipation of your continuing partnership and your generous offerings that support all of our vital and vibrant synodical ministries! 

Keith Myra
Eastern Synod Treasurer

St. Peter’s Lutheran Church Property Redevelopment Will Include Affordable Housing

Posted: | Filed Under: Local, News

St. Peter’s Lutheran Church congregation recently voted to alter their land holding in support of redeveloping their property at 49 Queen St. N, Kitchener. The redeveloped downtown Kitchener site will include up to 40 single, affordable housing apartments on the second and third floors of their existing building. The church’s distinctive sanctuary with stained-glass windows and soaring ceiling will undergo renovations but remain in its historic location. This project will continue St. Peter’s legacy as a centre of spiritual and community well-being in the Waterloo Region. 

   “I commend St. Peter’s congregation for embarking on this courageous and faith-fueled partnership to bless and serve our neighbours!  This is a timely and much needed expression of contemporary discipleship that will extend blessing upon blessing within our community,” says Bishop Michael Pryse of the Eastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada. 

    The need for affordable housing became real for the downtown congregation when they discovered a family of three living in an air vent behind their building. “Three people experiencing homelessness were living directly behind our altar as we worshipped in comfort,” says Pastor Mark Ehlebracht.

    Founded in 1863 to meet the spiritual needs of German Lutherans who migrated to Kitchener from Europe, St. Peter’s has a long history of collaboration with the community. After dialogue with a variety of community partners, the congregation decided to collaborate with Indwell on this supportive housing project.

    Indwell is a Christian charity that creates affordable housing communities for people seeking health, wellness and belonging. They serve people experiencing poverty due to a disability, often impacted by mental health, and sometimes complicated by addictions. Founded in 1974, Indwell has been constructing new affordable housing since 2006. They have buildings across Southwestern Ontario in London, Hamilton, Woodstock, Simcoe, and new projects in Kitchener and Mississauga. Indwell is currently repurposing the former St. Mark’s Lutheran church property beside Grand River Hospital to create 43 apartments.

   “People speak very highly of Indwell as a provider of supportive housing. We hear that they engage meaningfully with their partners, the community, and the municipality as they plan their projects,” says Mayor Berry Vrbanovic, who is excited about the St. Peter’s project in the heart of Kitchener.

    Work towards this new vision for St. Peter’s ministry will begin this spring, with design, costings, and community engagement. Once an implementation strategy is in place, construction could begin in 2022. Indwell will implement passive house standards to curtail greenhouse gas emissions and reduce utility costs—savings that are passed on to tenants. St. Peter’s and Indwell would operate their programs independently, but envision shared spaces including a community kitchen, programming and social facilities, and an enhanced outdoor courtyard at the heart of the project. 

   Indwell will manage the affordable housing units and provide mental health and practical supports to the tenants. “Loving our neighbours as ourselves is fundamentally at the heart of our faith, and of our organization’s culture,” says Jeff Neven, Executive Director at Indwell. “We are inspired by St. Peter’s overwhelming decision to reach out in love to their neighbours, to practically invest in sharing life with people right next door who may have been homeless.  We’re excited to be taking these next steps towards realizing this vision together.” 

   “Almost 6,000 people are on the list for affordable housing in the region…Government can’t provide for this need on our own. We need to create significant partnerships with the private sector and non-profit organizations like Indwell and St. Peter’s Church to solve this problem,” says Regional Councillor Jim Erb. 

“St. Peter’s has been blessed to be part of downtown Kitchener for more than 158 years. This redevelopment project is rooted in our commitment to continue giving back to the amazing Waterloo Region community,” says St. Peter’s Pastor Mark Ehlebracht. The project reinforces the church’s motto “there is a place for you here” as they continue widening their welcome to the community.

Sandra Reimer

The writing below was found on the back wall of St. Peter’s.