A Statement on the Legacy of the Residential School System
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A few weeks ago, the devastating and heartbreaking news spread across Canada and throughout the world of the discovery of the remains of 215 children in unmarked graves at the site of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. What was revealed in Kamloops is not unique; many more indigenous children and their families suffered greatly as a result of the residential schools which were operated by various church denominations with support from the Canadian government.
We—the pastors, deacons and congregations of Lutheran Church–Canada—lament the tragic death of these children, and the devastation the residential school system has caused to so many indigenous families and communities. We acknowledge the grief, anger, and trauma that still prevails among many First Nations, Metis, and Inuit people as a result. And we lament that these atrocities were committed in the name of Christ, and yet are completely contrary to the work and teaching of Christ who suffered and gave His life for every sinner “from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages“ (Revelation 7:9) and who has commanded through His apostles that those who bear His holy name by virtue of their baptism are to “do good to everyone” (Galatians 6:10).
As President of Lutheran Church–Canada, I ask that our church family across the country call upon our gracious and merciful Father in heaven in prayer: that He would bestow the comfort and peace and healing of Christ upon our indigenous sisters and brothers who have been traumatized and impacted by the legacy of the residential school system; and that would He instil in us all the desire to seek opportunities to share the love of Jesus with those who suffer.
I encourage our congregations to regularly remember in prayer the ongoing pain and devastation which indigenous peoples in Canada experience as a result of the residential school system.
LCC President Timothy Teuscher
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Mathew Block, editor of The Canadian Lutheran discusses the desire for self-autonomy as the ancient inheritance of us all.
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Communications Director, here! Thanks to everyone who has applied so far! Friendly reminder that all applications must be submitted by June 15, 2021 (NEXT Tuesday!)
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KFUO RADIO TALKS LCC'S NYG!
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Rev. Eric Moffett, Associate Pastor of Foothills Lutheran Church in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and Speaker for the Lutheran Church–Canada National Youth Gathering in 2022, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the theme “In not Of” from Philippians 3:20, how this Gathering serves the youth of the Lutheran Church–Canada, what the youth will be doing during their time at the gathering in Winnipeg, and the people behind the scenes who make this event possible.
The Coffee Hour is underwritten by Concordia University Wisconsin.
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Remember Lutheran Church–Canada's mission and ministry partners in prayer.
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MISSIONS IN CANADA!
Rev. Dr. David Somers serves as Missionary at Large for Lutheran Church–Canada’s French ministries in the province of Quebec.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, as Your Son sent forth His Church to make disciples in all nations, we lift up before you Rev. Dr. David Somers in Montreal, Quebec, asking you to sustain him by Your Spirit and bless his labours for the sake of the Gospel; Lord in your mercy, C: Hear our prayer.
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 These weekly sermons, written by various LCC pastors, are primarily intended for congregations without a pastor and for those unable to provide online services during exceptional circumstances. Each written sermon is accompanied by the Collect of the Day, appointed Scripture Readings, suggested hymns, and prayers. The Scripture Readings are from the Three-Year Lectionary Series of the Lutheran Service Book (LSB). The suggested hymns are taken from Lutheran Service Book: Hymn Selection Guide – (OT) are hymns that fit with the Old Testament Reading, (E) the Epistle, and (G) the Gospel . |
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THIS SUNDAY: Third Sunday After Pentecost – ‘The Lord's Word Grows’
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DID YOU KNOW . . .
The convention logo was designed by Harrison Avery Prozenko, whose father, Philip Prozenko, actually designed the 2017 Synod Convention logo. They are both members of St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church of Atlantic Canada in Halifax.
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Calls/Transitions updates can be accessed any time at www.canadianlutheran.ca/calls-transitions/
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| Rev. Alexandre Vieira |
Emanuel
(Canoas, RS, Brazil) |
CLS (Edmonton, AB) |
CONSIDERING |
June 7, 2021 |
| Rev. Stephen Chambers |
Grace (Edmonton, AB) |
Our Saviour
(Parksville, BC) |
CONSIDERING |
June 8, 2021 |
| Rev. Lucas Albrecht |
Mount Olive (Regina, SK) |
Trinity
(Churchbridge, SK) |
DECLINED |
June 8, 2021 |
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As President of Lutheran Church–Canada, I ask that our church family across the country call upon our gracious and merciful Father in heaven in prayer: that He would bestow the comfort and peace and healing of Christ upon our indigenous sisters and brothers who have been traumatized and impacted by the legacy of the residential school system; and that would He instil in us all the desire to seek opportunities to share the love of Jesus with those who suffer.
I encourage our congregations to regularly remember in prayer the ongoing pain and devastation which indigenous peoples in Canada experience as a result of the residential school system, either with the following prayer or another:
Heavenly Father, You know the legacy of pain which continues to impact Canada’s indigenous people as a result of the residential school system. Be with all who grieve. Be with all who suffer. Grant comfort, peace, and the healing of Christ to our indigenous brothers and sisters. And move us all to share the love of Jesus with those who live in the legacy of the residential school system. Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer.
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REMINDER: DEADLINE TO APPLY FOR THE INTERNSHIP IS NEXT TUESDAY, JUNE 15, 2021
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WEST - KING OF KINGS IS GIVING AWAY CHOIR GOWNS
King of Kings Luthersn Church (Spruce View, AB) is giving away choir gowns. The COVID-19 Pandemic has brought us challenges but also blessings in that we’ve been able to do an extensive renovation in our sanctuary over the winter, and a massive spring clean up, sorting and discarding of many unused items and/or doubles of things that we have gathered together since the joining of Christ Lutheran at Craig and Bethany Lutheran at Dickson. We would like to give away our vintage wine coloured choir/confirmation gowns. There are five adult small size gowns, eleven medium gowns and one choir director gown. If interested, please email Donna Nelson.
NATIONAL - NEW FOR THE 2022 CONVENTION: SUBMIT YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR NOMINATION ONLINE!
For the first time, you can submit your recommendations for nominations online through LCC's website! Pastors, deacons and individual communicant members of congregations of Lutheran Church–Canada are invited to go to www.lutheranchurchcanada.ca/synod-convention-2022/ and use the SUBMIT YOUR RECOMMENDATION FOR NOMINATION ONLINE HERE button to access the electronic version of the form that was recently mailed and emailed to all congregations. Descriptions of the positions that are included in this process are available on the convention web page above. Note: A different process is used for the positions of President, Vice-President, Regional Pastor and Circuit Counsellor. A separate mailing will be sent to all congregations in accordance with the Synodical Bylaws.
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NATIONAL - REMINDER TO CONGREGATIONS TO SUBMIT YOUR T3010 CHARITABLE RETURN BY JUNE 30, 2021
For congregations with December 31st year ends, your T3010 Charitable Return are due June 30th. You must file your return no later than six months after the end of your fiscal period. You could lose your charitable status if you file your return late. As this date approaches, we’ve compiled some useful tips to help you file electronically from the comfort of your home.
Online filing: what’s in it for you
We encourage all charities to file their annual information return through My Business Account (MyBA). Many registered charities filed online for the first time in 2020 and found several benefits to online filing:
- Our online return identifies all the forms, sections and schedules that you need to complete and reminds you to attach required documentation such as financial statements.
- MyBA provides immediate confirmation that your return has been filed. There is no need to mail or fax additional copies.
- The date you submit your return through MyBA is the date we officially receive it.
- Online filing ensures your charity’s information is displayed the following day on the List of Charities.
If you haven’t done so already, sign up for MyBA or, if you are an authorized representative, sign up for Represent a Client. You can also get step-by-step help to register and access your charity’s online account by consulting our MyBA Reference Guide. Need help? We’re standing by If you require assistance using digital services or completing your return, please reach out to our client service section at 1-800-267-2384. Our representatives are standing by to help you Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm, local time.
ONLINE - July 8-10, 2021 - LWMLC NATIONAL CONVENTION
The LWMLC Convention will be online and can be attended from your home, church, or wherever you may be. Registration is now open and is only $80 per person. Please check the LWMLC website for more Convention information as well as how to register: www.lutheranwomen.ca/events/national-convention-information
ONLINE - September 10, 2021 6:30 p.m. PDT
Youth and leaders, join us for IMPACT...but shorter! It’ll be lots of youth gathering fun in 120 minutes, with speakers, games (including a chance to win a registration for the National Youth Gathering), and more! Check out the details and register at: www.impactyg.ca/impact-but-shorter. For more info, watch this short video with our hosts for the evening.
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Doing God's Will
“Whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.” - Mark 3:35
What does it mean to do the will of God? Being a Christian presents a huge challenge for us. As Luther states “If we would be Christians, therefore, we must surely expect and reckon upon having the devil with all his angels and the world as our enemies who will bring every possible misfortune and grief upon us.” Being Christian means the world is not our friend, yet our old Adam constantly pulls us away from doing God’s will.
Doing the will of God starts with trusting in His Son Jesus Christ. Once we have faith in Him and have been reborn as new creatures through Holy Baptism, we strive to grow in this faith and in a life that agrees with our faith. We should strive to grow in generosity, in kindness, and in love across our callings, which include the home, church, and society while growing in the family of God. For all who do His will are his brothers, and sisters, and mothers.
Lutheran Foundation Canada encourages generosity in all LCC members, especially in support of the great commission, which is in part, carried out by the local congregation. If you would like more information on how you can be a blessing to your congregation through your estate, please contact the Foundation or visit us at www.lutheranfoundation.ca.
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Joint ownership of property is not always a good thing. Joint ownership with right of survivorship with your spouse on certain property has its benefits. However, this isn’t always the case. If you are a blended family with children from a previous marriage, you may unintentionally be disinheriting your own children if the property passes to your spouse. Adding adult children as joint owners can have equally serious consequences. Most parents consider adding a child because doing so eliminates probate on that property but in fact it is only delaying probate, not eliminate it. If you place a non-spouse on your property as joint owner, you may be incurring current and future capital gains tax. Your right to sell or mortgage your property could be in jeopardy as both parties have to be in agreement. You may be placing your property at risk if the joint owner falls into financial difficulty or goes through a divorce. Finally, if the joint owner becomes incapacitated and doesn’t have an Attorney for Property, the court must give its approval before any property transaction can occur. This applies to a spousal co-owner as well. To learn more about this or other estate questions, click on the link below or contact Lutheran Foundation Canada.
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The Cross of Christ Is the Tree of Life, Which Bears Abundant Fruit after Its Own Kind
The parables of our Lord convey the mysteries of the kingdom of God to those who are “able to hear it,” that is, “to his own disciples,” who are catechized to fear, love and trust in Him by faith (Mark 4:33–34). He scatters “seed on the ground,” which “sprouts and grows” unto life, even as “he sleeps and rises” (Mark 4:26–27). “On the mountain height of Israel,” He plants a young and tender twig, and it becomes “a noble cedar.” Indeed, His own cross becomes the Tree of Life, under which “every kind of bird” will dwell, and in which “birds of every sort will nest” (Ezek. 17:22–25). His cross is our resting place, even while now in mortal bodies, we “groan, being burdened” (2 Cor. 5:1–4). Yet in faith, we live for God in Christ, who for our sake “died and was raised” (2 Cor. 5:15). We know that, in His resurrected body, “we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (2 Cor. 5:1).
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