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November 12, 2020

HEADLINES

“Immanuel” – God with us veterans of the past and present

You have probably heard the story about the series of temporary truces between British and French allies and German troops along the Western Front of World War I, around Christmas of 1914. Rev. Dr. Harold Ristau reflects on this in his short piece entitled: “Immanuel” – God with us veterans of the past and present.

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Padre's Corner - A Time To Lament

LCC Military Chaplain, Lt(N) David Jackson, discusses lamenting well in order to give full expression to our joy.

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COMMUNICATIONS

Colonel Harold Merklinger
(1912-1988)

Lest We Forget

Padre David Jackson, one of LCC’s military chaplains, shared this photo with me, along with some history:

Came across this photo of Lutheran Church–Canada Padre, the late Colonel Harold Merklinger (1912-1988). Padre Merklinger served in the Canadian Chaplain Service during WWII (technically at that time he would have been a pastor of the Ontario District of LCMS, which is now LCC’s East Region). Padre Merklinger's portrait hangs on the wall in the library at Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary in St. Catharines, ON. His widow donated much of his theological books to the seminary library after he passed.

MISSION MINUTE

NEW FREE RESOURCE FOR KIDS! Tiny Talks with Jesus – A devotional book for kids based on the Sundays and festivals of the church year!

"The great Christian reformer, Martin Luther, once advised that when we are preaching to children we must also talk like them. It is with those words in mind that I commend this new children's devotional book Tiny Talks with Jesus by Rev. Dr. Harold Ristau. Based on the Sundays and festivals of the church year, it should serve as an excellent resource for parents to do that of which the psalmist declares, "Teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom…Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children" (Psalm 90:12, 16)." - President Teuscher

Available for download on the Lutheran Laymen's League of Canada website via the button below. They also have a limited number of hard copies available – a great little booklet that could be given to little ones and their families at Christmas!
Download your copy here!

MISSION PRAYERS

Remember Lutheran Church–Canada's mission and ministry partners in prayer.

MISSIONS IN CAMBODIA!

Rev. Phough Mayavuth is the pastor of Garuna Lutheran Church. He is also a teacher at the Garuna Christian School in Pre Vey.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, as Your Son sent forth His Church to make disciples of all nations, we lift up before You Rev. Mayavuh, 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.

SERMON OF THE WEEK

Sermons for each remaining Sunday of the Church Year 2020 will be continually updated on our website. 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, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Each written sermon is accompanied by the Collect of the Day, appointed Scripture Readings, suggested hymns, and prayers. We hope that this resource will be a blessing to our small, isolated, and vacant congregations.
Written Sermons

THIS SUNDAY: 24th Sunday After Pentecost Sermon – ‘Good And Faithful Servants’

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VIDEO DEVOTION OF THE WEEK

CALLS & TRANSITIONS

Calls/Transitions updates can be accessed any time at www.canadianlutheran.ca/calls-transitions/
Rev. Aaron Astley Christ Our Saviour (Grimsby, ON)
Redeemer (Hamilton, ON)
Trinity (Fisherville, ON) CONSIDERING October 11, 2020
 
Rev. Adrian Kramer St. John's (Ballarat,
Victoria, Australia)
St. Peter (Oxbow, SK) St. John (Frobisher, SK) CONSIDERING October 18, 2020
 
Rev. Mark Ruf Grace (Calgary, AB) Calvary (Thunder Bay, ON) CONSIDERING October 28, 2020
 
Rev. Frederick Rink Bethlehem
(Vancouver, BC)
Zion (Prince George, BC) Vanderhoof (Vanderhoof, BC) DECLINED November 9 2020

PRAYERS

Heavenly Father, bless the work of all our Lutheran Church–Canada military chaplains as they serve the men and women of the Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Air Force and the Royal Canadian Navy with Your Holy Word and Sacraments.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

NATIONAL - LUTHERAN PASTOR'S DESK DIARY 2021
The Lutheran Pastor's Desk Diary for 2021 is now ready and available for purchase through Lulu Here. If you wish to print and bind the diary for yourself, the PDF source file is available for free directly from Pastor Alex Klages via email.

EAST - 170 LUTHERAN WORSHIP HYMNALS AVAILABLE TO A GOOD HOME
Grace Lutheran Church (Oshawa, ON) has approximately 170 Lutheran Worship hymnals to donate to any congregation free of charge, except for shipping costs. Please contact  the congregation at 905-728-4381 for more information.

WEST - OLD HYMNALS AVAILABLE TO A GOOD HOME
Trinity Lutheran Church (Lacombe, AB ) have some 19 copies of the Blue Edition hymnal (1941) and 9 copies of the Green Edition that they are no longer using. For more information, contact Sonja Tweit, treasurer at 403-782-2487.

EAST - RESURRECTION LUTHERAN CHURCH MOVING, ITEMS AVAILABLE
Resurrection Lutheran Church in St. Catharines is moving to share space in the fully furnished, fully accessible building of Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary. If any church or mission is interested in the furnishings from the church proper, Sunday School, or offices of Resurrection’s old building, they can contact Nathan Lantz at nathanieljlantz@gmail.com (Pews, pipe organ, altar, pulpit, chairs, desks, outdoor nativity display, and more).

NATIONAL - NYG & IMPACT CAN HELP YOU WITH YOUR ONLINE YOUTH EVENT!
Want help with your online youth event? The National Youth Gathering and the IMPACT Youth Gathering are working together to provide virtual guest speakers to attend online LCC youth group events this summer and fall. Contact cochairs@impactyg.ca with details about your group, and they will help support your local youth ministry with a guest speaker from a team of pastors and church workers. 

GOVERNMENT EXTENDS CANADA WAGE SUBSIDY (CEWS) UNTIL JUNE 2021

INTRODUCES NEW CANADA EMERGENCY RENT SUBSIDY (CERS)

On October 9, 2020, the Government of Canada announced its intention to extend the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy ("CEWS") until June 2021. This announcement was detailed in a news release that also contained information on a new rent subsidy program (the "Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy"), which is intended to provide rent and mortgage support to qualifying organizations (which includes registered charities) affected by COVID-19. According to the release, the CEWS will remain at "the current subsidy rate of up to a maximum of 65 per cent of eligible wages until December 19, 2020." This announcement extending the current maximum CEWS amount represents a change from the current legislation, which gradually reduces the maximum CEWS amount available in respect of active employees to 45% in Period 9 (October 25, 2020 – November 21, 2020). Details regarding the maximum CEWS amounts for Period 10 were previously unavailable. The Government intends to introduce legislation to implement the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy and the CEWS extension in the near future.

We will keep congregations informed on future period wage subsidy amounts as those details become available. The initial letter from LCC Administrator, Dwayne Cleave, with more information can be downloaded as a PDF by clicking the button below:

Learn more on the gov't website here!
Full Letter from LCC Administrator



Executive Director for (LAMP) – Edmonton, AB.

WEST JOB OPPORTUNITY - The Executive Director opening for Lutheran Association of Missionaries & Pilots Inc. (LAMP) is a result of an upcoming retirement. With the head office located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and a satellite office in New Haven, MI, US, the Executive Director reports to two volunteer Boards of Directors (one Canadian and one US Board) that act as a single entity on matters related to the operations of L.A.M.P (Canada) and LAMP Ministry Inc. (US). The Executive Director is the Board’s single official link to the operating organization. S/he is accountable for all organizational performance and exercises all authority transmitted into the organization by the Board. 

The ideal candidate will have a strong Christian faith, a belief in the triune God and that the Bible is God’s inspired word in its entirety, possess a heart and passion for missions, significant experience in a leadership capacity, previously worked with Boards and volunteers, and have a track record in fundraising and development as it pertains to a not-for-profit organization. Experience working with the underprivileged, as well as Indigenous communities, would be an asset. A preference may be shown to practicing Lutheran candidates.

As the Executive Director, you will be accountable for:

• Advising the Board of Directors on all matters relating to the Operations of LAMP. 

• Fundraising and Resource Development.

• Marketing and Promoting of LAMP and its Mission.

• Leadership, Management, and Administrative Duties. 

• Building and Furthering Relationships with Indigenous Northern Communities.

• Financial Management and Strategic Planning.

For further information please visit www.lampministry.org, or www.daviescg.com for the complete job profile.

James Davies, Managing Director   |  DCG Executive Search Services Ltd.  |  (780) 758-9796  |  james@daviescg.com. |

UPCOMING EVENTS

ONLINE - November 14, 2020
LLL/LHM- Canada Annual General Meeting - 
We want to hear your voice! While the ongoing COVID-19 situation prevents us from assembling in person, it presents us with the unique opportunity to hear from our members all over Canada, online – and that includes you! Our meeting will take place November 14th at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time. We will be conducting this year’s AGM over Zoom Video/Voice Chat, but if you would prefer, or don’t have access to a computer, we can give you instructions on how to call-in over the phone. Please register by November 9, 2020 via email or by calling 1-800-555-6236.

ONLINE - November 22, 2020
Annual General Meeting for Concordia Lutheran Mission Society: Due to Canada experiencing the 2nd wave of the Coronavirus, please be advised that we will hold our AGM via Zoom on Sunday afternoon of November 22, 2020: BC 2 p.m., AB 3 p.m., SK/MB 4 p.m. and ON/QC 5 p.m. If you wish to attend please e-mail us, so CLMS can send you the link. We are looking forward to having Rev. Mark Smith give a short talk on missions following the business portion of the meeting. 

NATIONAL - ONGOING
Lutheran Foundation Canada continues to provide "seminars" on Estate Stewardship, however, in light of the various COVID-19 restrictions placed on public gatherings, all in-person seminars have been temporarily put on hold. The Foundation continues to work with members and congregations virtually, to encourage the support of their church through planned giving and the development of gifts in Wills and through other means. We can also deliver our presentations online through webinars. Please contact us for further information. As restrictions are lifted, we expect to begin in-person seminars once again. 

WEST - July 1-4, 2021
IMPACT Youth Gathering 
- The registration package and poster for the IMPACT Youth Gathering are available for download at www.impactyg.ca. All LCC youth and leaders are invited for a weekend of community, growth, and equipping centered on Christ at Pines Bible Camp in Grand Forks, BC. If it’s still not possible to gather in person by then, there will be a virtual youth gathering on those dates instead.

LUTHERAN FOUNDATION CANADA



Give to Caesar and to God

“Then he said to them, 'Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.'” - Matthew 12:21
    
So what is Jesus saying? Doesn’t everything belong to God? Yes, and God has a place for everything. Some of what He gives us goes to Caesar. Some must come back to the work of His Church. And some goes to support the families He has given us. All belongs to God, and He has work for us to do with what He has given us in the home, in the Church, and in society.

Of course, we all want to support our family and give less to “Caesar”. But what about remembering our church family, especially when we die? Imagine how blessed your congregation, or a ministry of LCC would be, upon receiving a charitable gift from your estate. The wonderful thing is, implementing a gift in your will has zero impact on your daily life today, but will have a significant impact on the work the church can do in the future.

Lutheran Foundation Canada can help you create wonderful plans that include a charitable gift. For more information, please visit www.lutheranfoundation.ca or speak to one of our regional Gift Coordinators.

www.LutheranFoundation.ca

If you make a charitable gift, the value of the tax benefit in most provinces averages 45% of the value of the gift. That means a $10,000 gift only costs you $5,500 to make. In some cases, you can receive up to 53% of the value back! That’s a lot of value you or your estate will receive with your generous gift.

ANSWERS TO YOUR FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

LECTIONARY SUMMARY FROM THE LCMS
3-year and 1-year Series available Here.

TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
(November 15, 2020)
Zephaniah 1:7–16
1 Thessalonians 5:1–11
Matthew 25:14–30

God’s Gift of Forgiveness Engenders Our Forgiveness of Others

The Day of the Lord is “near and hastening fast,” and it will be “a day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation” (Zeph. 1:14, 15). The Lord will search out and punish “the men who are complacent” concerning His Word, “who fill their master’s house with violence and fraud” (Zeph. 1:9, 12). Then all their works and efforts will be for nothing: “Though they build houses, they shall not inhabit them; though they plant vineyards, they shall not drink wine from them” (Zeph. 1:13). But those who fear, love and trust in the Lord are “good and faithful” stewards of His property (Matt. 25:21). They live by faith in His free gift of forgiveness, and they multiply His goods in the loving forgiveness of their neighbor, and “the master of those servants” settles His accounts with them by the gracious reckoning of His Gospel (Matt. 25:19). Likewise, “God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thess. 5:9). Therefore, let us also “put on the breastplate of faith and love” in our dealings with one another (1 Thess. 5:8). 

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