Eastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada

Member church of the Lutheran World Federation

News

Friendship Gardens

Posted: | Filed Under: Feeding the Soul, News

This past summer the Congregational Council of St. John’s, Petawawa applied for, and received, a grant from Renfrew County to construct a Community Garden at St. John’s. The application was for 12 raised planter boxes, fence enclosed, located behind our church building. Our Property Committee has done a wonderful job this summer of constructing these gardens and the fencing – not a small task. Because of the lateness of the grant application, we planted 4 of the 12 boxes this summer.
   It is our intention to grow vegetables in these gardens in the coming years, and to donate them to our local food banks and others who may appreciate receiving fresh vegetables during growing season. We would also like to integrate the gardens into our Youth and Sunday School programs. At least a few of these planter boxes will be planted and cared for by our youth and Sunday School participants.
   On Sunday, September 6, we held our first service since March, an outdoor service. Here we blessed our Friendship Gardens and presented the first fruits of our gardens to a representative from the Petawawa Pantry Food Bank.

Welcome to our Newest Congregation

Posted: | Filed Under: Feeding the Soul, News

Peace Christian Church: A Lutheran Fellowship, of Chatham, Ontario, one of the newest congregations of the Eastern Synod, celebrated “Membership Sunday” on August 23. The outdoor Service at the home of Daniel Whittal and Rachel Schwarz allowed family groups to keep physical distance. Interim pastor Paul Sodtke presided over the celebration which received one youth and two adults by Affirmation of Baptism, and then invited the entire assembly to renew their commitment.

The Service was the culmination of a series of steps, in which the congregation became incorporated as a not-for-profit, applied for charitable status, adopted a constitution that was later approved by Synod Council, and was formally accepted as a congregation of the Eastern Synod. Confirmation instruction plus a series of online studies about the basics of Lutheranism were also part of the preparation.

Following the Service and lunch, the first official congregational meeting as an ELCIC congregation was convened. People who wished signed on as charter members, and a Church Council was elected. We are a small but enthusiastic group, and grateful for the support of the bishop and the Eastern Synod Council.

St. Philip’s Lutheran Church receives $37,500 to address COVID-19 food insecurity in Toronto

Posted: | Filed Under: Local, News

Emergency Community Support Fund grant provides fresh food to 75 families in need

St. Philip’s Lutheran Church is thrilled to receive a grant of $37,500 through United Way of Greater Toronto. This funding means St. Philip’s can provide fresh food to 75 families once a week for two months through its Neighbourhood Table @ Home program.

“We are blessed and overjoyed to be amongst the recipients of this generous grant,” says Pastor Tuula Van Gaasbeek. “Timing is everything, and now we can keep supporting our neighbours through the fall. With more money, we’re adding 10 families to our roster of participants for a total of 75.”

Securing this funding will allow St. Philip’s to help families in central Etobicoke—serving vulnerable Canadians amidst the COVID-19 pandemic—by delivering produce boxes and fresh bread.

“We are also grateful to our volunteer drivers, who are playing an integral role in the program’s success,” says Van Gaasbeek.

Fall programming is aimed at parents and developing their food skills.

“We will have weekly themes supported by Zoom sessions on food preparation and loot bags with tools or products related to the theme,” says project coordinator Eunice Hogeveen.

The grant is funded by the Government of Canada; the $350 million Emergency Community Support Fund aims to help community-based organizations that serve a pressing social inclusion or well-being need caused by COVID-19.

The demand for fresh, nutritious food remains high in central Etobicoke as the pandemic drags on.

“The Neighbourhood Table @ Home was our way of pivoting during the coronavirus lockdown—normally, we’d host families at our church through a summer program called The Neighbourhood Table,” says Hogeveen. “Our congregation put our heads together and quickly found a way to continue nurturing relationships in the community. We’re feeding families and planting seeds of love and hope right at their doorstep.”

Season of Creation 2020

Posted: | Filed Under: News

National Bishop Susan Johnson, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC), and leaders from the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC), The Episcopal Church (TEC), and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) have prepared a series of devotions to observe the Season of Creation 2020, Sept. 1–Oct. 4.

The season, which begins with the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, is a time to join with the global Christian community in renewing, repairing and restoring commitments to God, to one another and to all of creation. For the four churches, it is also a time for strengthening relationships with one another. Through Scripture, hymns, advocacy and action, the weekly devotions, which begin Sept. 6, invite people to live out their vocation as stewards of creation.

The devotions were contributed by the leaders of the four churches including: ELCIC National Bishop Susan Johnson; the Most Rev. Linda Nicholls, archbishop and primate of the ACC; Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, ELCA; and the Most Rev. Michael B. Curry, presiding bishop and primate, TEC.

“We pray that our actions as stewards of God’s good creation will continue to deepen not only in this season, but for all time,” said Eaton. “Even as our relations as churches are not bound by national or ecclesiastical borders, neither is our witness to the One who came to redeem all of creation.”

“I pray that these reflections will open hearts and minds to experience our relationship in and with all of creation in new ways,” said Nicholls.

In the opening devotion, the leaders stress the significance of a collective responsibility in caring for creation. “Waking up to matters of climate justice and environmental stewardship are among the most important callings people have today. Over many years, through many voices, our churches have come to a growing conviction that loving our neighbour includes loving Mother Earth as a neighbour.”

“It is timely, relevant and exciting for our churches to join together in prayer, worship and reflection during the Season of Creation,” said Johnson. “With open hearts, minds and souls may we discern new actions and practices to show love for God’s creation.”

“In this season of activism as we seek God’s liberating, life-giving love for all, may these prayers and devotions inspire us to care for a world in which all creation can flourish,” said Curry.

The relations among the four churches have moved more closely toward “mutual recognition,” bringing into mutual relation the two churches of “Called to Common Mission” in the United States and those of the Waterloo Declaration in Canada. One notable feature of the agreement is that it cites the experience of Indigenous people “not divided by national borders established by colonialist power” as grounds for expanding shared life among the churches. A Memorandum of Mutual Recognition (MMR) was approved by both Canadian churches in July 2019. The 2019 ELCA Churchwide Assembly adopted constitutional changes embracing the Anglican Church of Canada, and in November 2019 the Church Council adopted the MMR. Once The Episcopal Church acts, the mutual recognition of the four churches will come into full effect.

National Indigenous Peoples Day

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

Dear People of God,

We are all created in the image of God.

When we can recognize our equal humanity and worth our attitudes and behaviours are motivated by compassion and the common good. The disheartening aspect of recent reports of police violence against Indigenous Peoples is that it is neither unusual nor uncommon. We are quick to respond with disgust and anger when we see instances of racial violence and injustices, and yet as the Toronto Star’s editorial board writes, “Let’s save some outrage for treatment of Indigenous people.”¹

In response to the racial violence in Minneapolis, Ontario Regional Chief RoseAnne Archibald writes,

“Indigenous Elders have said, this coronavirus has come for a reason, it has come to teach us something. One thing is obvious; this pandemic has reminded us of our shared humanity. As the world experienced lockdowns, the majority of us stayed home and expressed a collective concern for our fellow humans’ health and well-being. Perhaps for the first time in our modern human experience, we understood we are truly in this together. As such, it was especially shattering to watch a fellow human killed when we were all working toward preserving health and saving lives. George Floyd became ‘everyman,’ who was experiencing real anguish, and when he cried out for his mother, we all understood.”²

Read more →

Justice Storytelling Quilt

Posted: | Filed Under: News

The Church Council on Justice and Corrections is so very excited to announce the creation of the online, interactive Justice Storytelling Quilt. It can be found here: https://ccjc.ca/current-projects/

The original quilt was created in 2005 and debuted during National Restorative Justice Week at the Ottawa Courthouse, Ottawa City Hall and Saint Paul University.  We couldn’t wait to debut this version of the quilt until National Restorative Justice Week!

The 40 quilt blocks tell the stories of victims and offenders in two minute clips.

We would appreciate receiving comments about your experience with the quilt; there is a pop-up feedback form on the quilt site but you can also email me at info@ccjc.ca

Help us to promote this meaningful project by sharing the link with your networks. The original quilt remains available for events in Canada. 

Contact info@ccjc.ca for more information.

Bonnie Weppler
Executive Director
The Church Council on Justice and Corrections