ELCIC News - Weekly Updates (Week Beginning August 16)

1. CLAY 2021 Update: A special message to CLAY members

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) National Bishop Susan Johnson and Anglican Church of Canada (ACC) Archbishop Linda Nicholls share a message regarding CLAY 2021. To watch this message, please click here.

Join this Saturday, August 22 for our Special CLAY Online #EnRoute Event
A special Canadian Lutheran Anglican Youth (CLAY) online #EnRoute event - Journey Interrupted - will take place this coming Saturday, August 22, 2020. Please plan in joining youth from across Canada on this online event! For more details, please visit: http://claygathering.ca/interrupted/

2. ELCIC members encouraged to respond with prayers, financial support following devastation in Lebanon; donations made before August 24 will be matched

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada's (ELCIC) National Bishop Susan C. Johnson urges members to prayer for all who have been affected by the recent devastation in Lebanon and to support relief efforts.

In a video release, the National Bishop says 'thank you' for the incredible generosity in response to the #LebanonCrisis appeal. To see the video, please click here.

The Government of Canada announced that the matching funds designated for the Lebanon crisis has just been increased to $5 million. If you haven't had the chance to respond yet, double your impact through the generous matching fund before August 24 and give whatever you can to the people of Lebanon who are facing this crisis.

ELCIC members can donate in the following ways: a designated offering for "Lebanon Crisis" through any ELCIC congregation and through ELCIC's partner Canadian Lutheran World Relief.

3. KAIROS Summer Sabbath Series: an at-home retreat

The Summer Sabbath Series is a place-based series making room for contemplation, exploring the geographic location of the participants, theological reflection, and creative responses. Programming will take place from August 24 to 28, 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (PDT) and will include group time over Zoom and individual time with activities. For more information, please click here.

4. Reconciled Relationships

New Sacred Teachings podcast episode available
Sacred Teachings Podcast Series brings you the wealth of the Land which lies in the wisdom of the Indigenous Elders all across Turtle Island. Highly respected Indigenous speakers are featured in this series, with a different theme for each season. Including the sacredness of Creation and finding meaning in a global crisis.

In the episode "Haudenosaunee (Part 1)", renowned Mohawk lawyer Dr. Beverley Jacobs talks about Haudenosaunee Law. To listen to this and other episodes, please visit: https://www.anglican.ca/im/podcasts/.

ELCA webinar: Advocacy Tools for Loving Your Neighbour
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and The Episcopal Church (TEC) hosted a webinar on advocacy in July. An online training event, this webinar explores the nature of faith-based advocacy, the issues to which we can speak, and the ways we can make our voices heard. Anyone who watches this will leave with tools and inspiration to make a difference. To watch this program, please click here.

5. Working Together

Waterloo Ministries Directory
A newly-updated directory of communities where Anglicans and Lutherans engage in ministry together may be downloaded here: https://elcic.ca/ecumenical/anglicans.cfm.

Anglican-Lutheran Cycle of Prayer
The following are the prayer petitions for Sunday, August 23:

ACC: Bishops Michael Hawkins and Adam Halkett, the clergy and people of the Diocese of Saskatchewan
ELCIC: The dean, council, and congregations of the South West Area of the Synod of Alberta and the Territories

6. In solidarity with people and churches of Zimbabwe

Joining in prayer with the people of Zimbabwe, The Lutheran World Federation, the World Council of Churches, the World Communion of Reformed Churches, and the World Methodist Council expressed solidarity of their "yearning for the realization of their human rights, for justice and for physical and economic security" in an open pastoral letter to the churches and people of Zimbabwe.

Condemning the use of violence against those protesting the "failure of governance structures" to protect the Zimbabwe people from "deteriorating" conditions, the four church organizations say they have heard Zimbabweans' cries for justice. They also strongly condemn "sexual abuse and violence against women activists."

To read the ecumenical letter, please click here.

7. ELCIC Summer Sermon Series

ELCIC Bishops and Assistants to the Bishops continue to prepare 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 three weeks:

Sunday, August 23: Rev. Jason Zinko, Manitoba/Northwestern Ontario Synod Bishop
Sunday, August 30: Rev. Jerry Borkowsky, Saskatchewan Synod Assistant to the Bishop
Sunday, September 6: Rev. Dr. Larry Kochendorfer, Bishop of the Synod of Alberta and the Territories

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