ELCIC News - Weekly Updates (Week Beginning July 19)

1. Mark your calendars for Journey Interrupted - a special CLAY Online #EnRoute event - August 22

A special Canadian Lutheran Anglican Youth (CLAY) online #EnRoute event - Journey Interrupted - will take place Saturday, August 22, 2020. Please mark your calendars and join youth from across Canada on this special online event! For more details, please visit: http://claygathering.ca/interrupted/

Youth are invited to submit a video (due August 1, 2020) to be included in #JourneyInterrupted. Find out more.

2. World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, July 30

On Thursday, July 30, the ELCIC joins in lifting up World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. This international day was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2013, the same year the ELCIC National Convention committed to addressing human trafficking.

Our Full Communion partner, the Anglican Church of Canada, has a number of resources on addressing human trafficking, including Freedom Sunday.

Other resources to consider include the following:

The Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking - a national charity dedicated to ending all types of human trafficking in Canada.
KAIROS Spirited Reflection: Paper Dolls and the United Nations World Day against Trafficking in Persons – written by ELCIC Pastor, Rev. Karen Stepko
Canadian Council of Churches resource Sexual Exploitation in Canada: A Leadership and Learning Kit for Churches
Canadian Council for Refugees information on protecting trafficked persons in Canada.
RCMP information on learning to recognize human trafficking and how to help prevent and respond to it.

3. Season of Creation devotions offered by four heads of communion are now here

The 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 from September 1 to October 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, through Scripture, hymns, advocacy and action. The weekly devotional, which begins September 6, invites people to live out their vocation as stewards of creation.

To read the full news article and to avail of the Season of Creation devotions, please click here.

4. Anglican-Lutheran Cycle of Prayer

The following are the prayer petitions for Sunday, July 26.

ACC: Bishop Jane Alexander, the clergy and people of the Diocese of Edmonton
ELCIC: The dean, council, and congregations of the East Central Area of the Synod of Alberta and the Territories

5. Updates from KAIROS

KAIROS joins #StatusforAll and Landed Status Now campaign
KAIROS joins the Migrant Rights Network in calling on the federal government to provide Status for All and Landed Status Now. COVID-19 has exposed deep inequities including those faced by foreign migrant workers who are needed in Canada to care for children, the elderly and those with special needs, and to plant, harvest and process our food. Please join KAIROS in supporting this important campaign. Learn more and take action when you click on the following link: https://www.kairoscanada.org/what-we-do/migrant-justice/take-action

Ravens: Messengers of Change takes flight to foster
KAIROS Canada and the Legacy of Hope Foundation (LHF) are thrilled to launch Ravens: Messengers of Change, an educational resource for people of all ages that creates awareness and action for Reconciliation in Canada by calling everyone to become like Ravens, the messengers of change. KAIROS and LHF encourage schools, families, organizations, government officials and companies to participate in the resource's activities in the safety of their homes or outdoors during the pandemic. Access the resource when you click on the following link: https://www.kairosblanketexercise.org/indigenous-rights/

6. Sign-up for Hymns and Prayers from our National Bishop

Back in March 2020 when the first impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic were unfolding here in Canada, ELCIC National Bishop Susan Johnson began a daily practice of sharing a hymn and inviting all to join her singing and then followed in prayer. This practice is now being continued three times a week over the summer months. You are invited to join in song and prayer as these are posted to social media on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. You can now also receive these hymns and prayers directly in your inbox by signing up here.

7. ELCIC Summer Sermon Series

ELCIC Bishops and Assistants to the Bishops are preparing sermons for congregational use throughout the summer: June 14 to September 13. The sermons are available in both text (PDF and Word) and video format.

The following is the sermon schedule for the next two weeks:

Sunday, July 26: Rev. Dr. Michael Pryse, Eastern Synod Bishop
Sunday, August 2: Rev. Dennis Serfas, Saskatchewan Synod Assistant to the Bishop
Sunday, August 9: Rev. Dr. Greg Mohr, British Columbia Synod Bishop

For information on how to access these sermons for your congregation, please email Trina.

8. Live stream and worship resources

The following are a number of ELCIC online worship services and resources that may be helpful to you during this time of intentional physical distancing. Have something you think we should add to the list? Please email tgallop@elcic.ca with your suggestions!

9. Mark your calendars