Thanksgiving  Edition

 

President's Thanksgiving Message 
 

While we modern-day believers may prefer to hang out with a better sort of person, Jesus spent quite a bit of time with the undesirables or deplorables of his time. He had supper with tax collectors, the virtual symbol of the hated Roman oppressors. He spent way too much time with “sinners,” the non-religious or not religious enough sort. Centurions often featured in his life story. And then there were the Samaritans. Samaritans were roughly the equivalent of our Metis people. They were a mixed people both ethnically and religiously.
 

Samaritans, however, feature prominently in the New Testament in parable and interaction. One such episode is described in our Gospel lesson for Thanksgiving Sunday. Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem for his date with destiny as it were, on Calvary. This road to the cross led through borderlands both spiritually and literally.
 

As he passed through, 10 lepers stood at a distance, both metaphorically and in actual fact. Metaphorically because they were separated from family, culture, and faith. They were isolated. They cried out to Jesus, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” Jesus looked at them and simply said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy.”
 

But the lesson here is less about the power of Jesus and the demonstration that he was the messiah, as it is about thanksgiving. One of the lepers when he realizes that he was healed came back to Jesus, praised God, and fell at Jesus’ feet.
 

In response, Jesus said, “Stand up and go. Your faith has healed you.” All 10 had been healed. All 10 exhibited faith as they immediately set off to show themselves to the priests. But only one had saving faith. The word “healed” can also be translated “saved.”
 

Thanksgiving is part and parcel of saving faith.
 

It is also good to thank others for the service they have rendered. And so, I would like to thank Pastor Ed Skutshek for his many years of service to CALC. These years were formative and not easy, but he gave of himself sacrificially for the good of the Kingdom of God.

Covid made it difficult to adequately thank him at our convention and so I borrow the words of Jesus to say to Pastor Ed, “Well done good and faithful servant.”

Helping Hand at Thanksgiving 

God has reached down in the person and the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus and blessed us in so many ways. He calls us to reach out and share what we have with others. Share the joy of Thanksgiving with our brothers and sisters who have so little. 

Help our brothers and sisters in the Reformed Lutheran Church of Rwanda (RLCR) who are burdened by the lockdowns imposed as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Give to Victory Lutheran Church's Rwanda Relief Fund.   Click here to access Victory Lutheran's donation page. Be sure to note that the donation is for the Rwanda Fund. 

Canadian Lutheran World Relief (CLWR) provides relief in the face of disasters, including, in the aftermath of the Hattian earthquake. Click here to access CLWR's website and how to donate. 

World Missions. The missionaries of the World Mission Prayer League - Canada (WMPL-C) are serving in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Africa and in Bangladesh. Click here for more information and how to donate. 

New Contact Information for CALC 

Helen Zacharias, Treasurer  
890 Gilmour Street,
Morden, MB, R6M 1R9

e-Transfers 
 

Our Treasurer requests that the following email address be used to make e-transfers to CALC: treasurer@calc.ca