ELCIC News - Weekly Updates (Week Beginning October 4)

1. Order your 2020-21 ELCIC Canadian Church Bulletin Series

Deadline for orders is this coming Friday, October 9!

Congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) are encouraged to place their orders online for the 2020-21 ELCIC Canadian Church Bulletin Series. The series begins this year on November 29, 2020 (Advent 1). For more information and to place your orders, please click here.

2. 2020-21 Congregational Stewardship Resources

This year's stewardship materials focus on the theme Faithful, Loving, Hopeful, based on 1 Corinthians 13:13. This verse is often more commonly associated with weddings but generosity is indeed a matter of the heart and attitude. A good steward has a faithful, hopeful and loving heart.

The ELCIC National Office provides stewardship resources to congregations at no cost! Find out more about what's available and order your resources today by checking out the following link: https://elcic.ca/Stewardship/default.cfm

3. CLWR: Changes to We Care program

Canadian Lutheran World Relief (CLWR) released a message regarding its We Care program which will be fully closed by the end of 2021. In their message, CLWR expressed their gratitude to the many individuals and congregations who have supported the We Care program over the decades with quilts, various supplies and other donations, including countless hours of volunteer work, to help provide comfort and immediate relief to those in need in other parts of the world. As the work of this program evolves, your continued partnership is still very much needed. CLWR pledges to continue its commitment to do everything they can to be faithful and responsible partners in the ministry. To read the full message, please visit: https://www.clwr.org/news-events/update-regarding-we-care.

4. Call for photos!

We are looking for photos for our 2021 Eternity for Today cover series! Eternity for Today is a printed publication of daily devotions from rostered leaders across our church. For next year's covers, we are looking for ELCIC members to share their photos and selfies of them reading the Bible as part of our emphasis on the Living our Faith Bible Book Club. Please consider how you might be able to help and send your photos to info@elcic.ca.

5. Living our Faith - Read: Bible Book Club

You are invited to a year of reading the Bible!
ELCIC National Bishop Susan Johnson invites you to form a Bible Book Club with members of your church, your friends, family or others from your community as a way to study scripture and discuss the Bible together.

September 2020 marked the second year of the Living our Faith initiative, to which our emphasis has shifted from prayer to reading. Each month we will focus together on a different book of the Bible. Our first month, September, had us reading the book of Genesis. For the month of October we have moved to reading the book of Deuteronomy.

Did you participate in a Bible Book Club this month? We want to hear from you!

Participating in the Living our Faith - Bible Book Club is easy. Form your book club, use the introduction we provide from the Lutheran Study Bible, read the appointed book, download the prepared questions and join in the discussion!

We look forward to hearing about your year of reading the Bible!

6. Supporting students at schools of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land

As schools around the world are beginning a new academic year in very challenging circumstances, so too are the students at schools of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL). Earlier in the COVID-19 pandemic, the schools dealt with closures and lock down periods by embracing digital technology and distance learning. Sadly, the continued lock downs have impacted families served by the schools in many different ways. COVID-19 restrictions have meant further barricade closures and a significant loss of tourism for the region resulting in job loss and substantial reduction in income to household. Many families are now facing signifiant difficulties with paying tuition for the 2020-21 school year, which is on average $1,600/year per student.

To help support our Global Mission partner, the ELCIC has launched an ELCJHL Scholarship Appeal for the 2020-21 school year. You are invited to consider how you can financially support scholarships for students of the ELCJHL. Donate toda y and also consider how you can get your congregation and community involved.

Click the photo above to watch a video prepared by Bishop Ibrahim Azar of the ELCJHL.

7. One Body Working Together

Climate Justice with and for children and youth in churches: Get Informed, Get Inspired, Take Action
All churches are encouraged to promote education and action to address climate change, reduce CO2 emission, and protect the environment in their activities for and with children and youth. Climate change affects every aspect of child rights. The World Council of Churches provides a toolkit of resources for churches, church-run schools, and summer camps to support intergenerational climate and environmental justice. For more information and to download the toolkit, please visit: https://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/publications/climate-justice-with-children-and-youth .

Call for nominations for LWF General Secretary
Lutheran World Federation (LWF) member churches are invited to send in nominations for the post of the ninth General Secretary of the global communion. For more information, please click here.

In a letter to LWF's 148 member churches around the world, LWF President Archbishop Dr. Panti Filibus Musa formally issued the call for nominations on September 14. President Musa noted that the Council appointed a seven-member search committee, reflecting the key principles of regional and gender balance, as well as youth participation. The committee is chaired by ELCIC National Bishop Susan C. Johnson. For more information, please click here.

Anglican-Lutheran Cycle of Prayer
The following are the prayer petitions for Sunday, October 11.

ACC: Bishop David Lehmann, the clergy and people of the Diocese of Caledonia
ELCIC/ACC: People and ministries working to address issues of poverty, homelessness, and affordable housing.

8. Child of God you are growing up - a book for parents to read to their children will be given away

We have received a limited number of new, never used copies of the book Child of God you are growing up written by the Rev. Don Johnson and illustrated by Friedrich Peter here in the National Office. We would like to make these available to individuals and/or congregations who might be interested. The suggested retail value of the book is $10.95 plus tax. We are willing to mail these out and ask you to consider a donation to the ELCIC Praise Appeal. Please send your requests to tgallop@elcic.ca. Limited copies only.

Child of God you are growing up is intended to be given to children and their parents at baptism, or on the occasion of the anniversary of their baptism. It is also written so that congregations might invite children, parents and God parents to a special day in the church to renew their baptism and give a copy of this book. The book is to be read by children and their parents together. It is hoped that both will grow together in their understanding of the gifts that are theirs.

9. Reconciled Relationships

World Mental Health Day - October 10
You are invited to pray for all who are affected by mental health issues.

August 2019 Letter of ELCIC National Bishop Susan Johnson to the Prime Minister of Canada re: Access to Mental Health Care Services: https://elcic.ca/From-the-Bishop/documents/20190807MenatalHealthServicesletterfromLutheranBishop.pdf

World Council of Churches: Youth and Mental Health Toolkit: https://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/documents/wcc-programmes/youth/iyd-2020-toolkit/

World Food Day - October 16
Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB) gives you Your Kingdom Banquet Come - a worship resource for World Food Day. In this worship package, you'll find resources to give, pray, learn and advocate for an end to global hunger. CLWR if a member of CFGB. To avail of this free worship resource, please visit: https://foodgrainsbank.ca/resources/world-food-day-your-kingdom-banquet-come/ .

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty - October 17
Chew on This! is an annual campaign inviting people from across Canada to call for an end to poverty. Dignity for All campaign is calling on the Government of Canada to:

Fulfill the legal obligation to protect people's rights to an adequate standard of living and end poverty to Canada by 2030.
Set specific targets to end poverty and improve measures of well-being and equity among communities experiencing systemic oppression.
Prioritize funding for strategies that reduce poverty and improve measures of well-being and equity among communities experiencing systemic oppression.

For more details and to take action, please visit: https://dignityforall.ca/chew-on-this-2020/

World Day of Prayer Canada NOW
In anticipation of World Day of Prayer 2021, the Women's Inter-church Council of Canada (WICC) invites you to participate in World Day of Prayer Now on Facebook. Twice a month, on the first and third Fridays at 1:00 p.m. (EST), WICC will be hosting a 15-minute Facebook Live event highlighting and praying for World Day of Prayer-related prayer concerns such as Vanualu (the WDP writing country for 2021), Zimbabwe (the 2020 WDP writing country), social justice issues, and global concerns like COVID-19. The next FB Live will be on October 16. Events are recorded and posted on wicc.org. For more information, please visit https://wicc.org/get-involved/events/ and https://www.facebook.com/WICCanada .

10. Courageous Innovation

The time is now
If you only try something innovative once in a blue moon, October is your month. This year, there are two full moons in October, giving the second full moon of the month the classification of a 'blue moon'. Just in case you doubt the importance of this for courageous innovation, the blue moon is on Halloween - October 31. For more information, please visit: https://www.almanac.com/content/full-moon-october .

11. Seminaries and Schools

Glebe Centre Breakfast event goes online on October 21
Join the 5th annual Delton Glebe Counselling Centre Breakfast via Zoom on October 21 with the theme: Grief, loss, ritual and hope in the time of COVID. This online event will consist of an online panel discussion and with a time for Q&A. Panelists will include Susan Cadell, PhD (grief and loss); Rev. John Lougheed (rituals); and Matthew Bailey-Dick, PhD (hope). Tickets cost $50 each or $360 for a group of eight. A charitable tax receipt will be issued for a portion of the ticket price. For more information and to register, please click here.

The Rev. Dr. Marc Jerry to be installed as eight President of Luther College

In Photo: The Rev. Dr. Marc Jerry, eighth President of Luther College.

For over a century, Luther College has provided quality education in a Christian context to hundreds of thousands of secondary and post-secondary students. There have been seven Presidents of Luther College during this time, each making their own unique contribution. Their strong leadership and dedication have helped shape the College into what it is today - a well-respected institution that is distinguished by the Lutheran heritage of excellence in scholarship, freedom to pursue the truth, and an awareness of living in God's grace.

The Rev. Dr. Marc Jerry will carry on this proud tradition as he is installed as the eighth President of Luther College on October 18, 2020 at 3:00 p.m. (Saskatchewan time). The link to the live streamed service will be available soon when you click here.

12. 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!

13. Mark Your Calendars