The most memorable Easter ever was perhaps one that happened at Victory Lutheran in Medicine Hat. I was reading the Gospel lesson which I believe was the one from Mark. it says, “The angel said, ‘Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead!” At that moment the fire alarm went off in the building.
No one knew what to do precisely. Was there really a fire? If so, how do we evacuate a crowded building? It turned out that indeed there was a fire—a minor one mind you. (Someone put the sausage from breakfast back in the oven to keep them warm for the second serving not realizing that potholders were stuck to the bottom. These subsequently caught on fire). Fortunately, we had two retired firefighters in the congregation and the fire truck did show up. But the service continued.
The timing was superb, “He is risen,” then the alarm went off. You can imagine that the early disciples were alarmed as well. As the angel said, “Don’t be alarmed.” “He is risen from the dead.” This history changing, earth shaking news, still resounds through time right up to our very own day. There is no news bigger that the fact that death is conquered! We have eternal life! Death is not the end! Yes, we have hope.
I am praying for a memorable Easter for each and every one of you as we celebrate this good news!
Be strong in the Lord!
Pastor Jim
Registration Statistics Registrations as of March 2, 2024
Pastors' Study Conference: 4
Annual General Convention: 9 in-person
0 online.
WHAT IS YOUTH SURGE WEEKEND?
A weekend conference that provides teens and young adults the opportunity to meet new friends, grow in their faith, and see for themselves what Bible college is all about.
THE PURPOSE: To walk alongside youth & young adults in their faith, to show them how to live as disciples of Christ, and to help them to see the value of Bible college education.
THE AGE GROUP: This event is for all senior high youth (grades 9-12) and young adults desiring know Jesus more and maybe even considering attending CLBI (or Bible college in general).
THE EXPERIANCE: All are invited to join in on the Youth Surge experience with its fun activities, intentional worship times, and the genuine community that is CLBI.
MAIN SPEAKERS
DERRICK & LA DAUNA BOULIANNE
Derrick (originally from St. Paul, AB) and La Dauna (originally from Camarillo, CA) live and work in Minneapolis, Minnesota where they are Discipleship House Leaders at World Mission Prayer League (WMPL). Both being alumni of CLBI (’15-’17), they are passionate about empowering, encouraging, engaging, and enlightening the youth and young adults to be active participants in the mission of God. The Discipleship House aims to be a grand community that is faithful in fellowship, prayer, and gathered in service to the mission of God in the world.
Anglicans and Lutherans
Co-host a Bible Study in
Kitchener, Ontario
CALC and the Anglican Network in Canada (ANIC) are co-hosting a weekly Bible Study in Cambridge, Ontario. The study is led by Pastor Zena of ANIC. The group meets weekly on Wednesdays. The group is studying the Book of Daniel. If you can't be there - tell a friend you may know in the Kitchener area.
Wednesdays at 1:30 -3:30 PM
Sessions in March: 6, 13, 20, & 27
Location Hope Lutheran Church 30 Shaftsbury Drive Kitchener, ON, N2A 1N6
All are welcome! Any questions? You can contact Glenn Kahle (519) 616-3536 or Kahle123@rogers.com with any questions
GOAL: BUILDING COMMUNITY THROUGH THE WORD OF GOD
Book your Rooms for the Convention and Pastors' Retreat
Rooms (1 King or 2 Queen) must be booked by April 10 to receive the convention rate of $95.00 per night plus tax. You must register by phone at 1-780-979-0839 and use promo code “CALC” when registering.
INSTITUTE of LUTHERAN THEOLOGY
NEWS & EVENTS
Epaphras Prayer Letter
Third Sunday in Lent March 3, 2024
Jesus removes neutrality. You cannot claim a middle position between faith and no faith. Among the crowd surrounding Jesus, each person is either for him or against him. The authority of his words and actions leaves no room for the non-committed. You are either “all in” or “not in.” In today’s religious Christianity, faith is treated as a personal virtue, something like the theological virtues of “faith, hope, and love” given by Paul in 1 Corinthians 13:13. That faith, however, remains a virtue you possess. You are in charge of it. You desire to grow it… increase it… and avoid its diminishment. Like those disciples of Luke 17 pleading, “Increase our faith,” Jesus exposes you in your lack of faith… no faith, not even faith as great as a mustard seed (Lk. 17:6). The faith given by God as a gift… faith in Jesus Christ as worked by the Holy Spirit… this faith is not a faith you possess. It is not a human virtue but rather a work of God. As a work of God, it is given in its entirety, or it is not. This faith possesses you; you do not possess it. There is no middle ground: you have it or you don’t. In being possessed by this faith, God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit are totally and completely faithful and trustworthy. And you? You are exposed in the inconsistency and fallibility of your human virtues, even the virtue of faith.
Prayers from those confessing the need to be possessed by God-given faith in Jesus Christ…
Father in heaven, you have given your Son Jesus Christ for me. Grant that he exchange his true faith for the fallible and fickle virtue of my human faith. For Jesus’ sake. Amen
Father in heaven, you have given your Son Jesus Christ for me. Grant that I live from your Word which comes to possess me in such faith. For Jesus’ sake. Amen
Father in heaven, you have given your Son Jesus Christ for me. Grant me the blessing of a preacher who is bound to speak your Word to me, that in hearing it, I would be possessed in faith. For Jesus’ sake. Amen
Father in heaven, you have given your Son Jesus Christ for me. Grant me the blessing of neighbors gathered into a congregation that calls such a bound preacher that together we would be possessed by such faith. For Jesus’ sake. Amen
Father in heaven, you have given your Son Jesus Christ for me. Grant that we, the gathered congregation, would be sent out into the world bearing the life that has come to possess us. For Jesus’ sake. Amen
Father in heaven, you have given your Son Jesus Christ for me. Grant that the Institute of Lutheran Theology would provide such preachers bound to God’s Word. For Jesus’ sake. Amen
Father in heaven, you have given your Son Jesus Christ for me. Grant that I am under the care of such a servant of the Word throughout these days of my baptism that I may enjoy the faith of Christ given to me through the preaching of Christ alone. Amen
ILT Table Talk
By: Rev. Timothy J. Swenson, ILT Dean of Chapel
Third Sunday in Lent March 3, 2024
No middle ground. In Jesus' ancient Mediterranean society, neutrality was not permitted. One had to be for or to be against ... with Jesus or against Jesus ... either "gathering" or "scattering" (vs. 23). Jesus has become suspect. He does not speak and act as a carpenter's son, a lowly profession at best. He does not speak and act as a product of Nazareth, suspect city of origin. Because he acts so out of context with his origins, he is accused of receiving power from Beelzebul (vs. 15). Others demand a sign from him that would ratify his heavenly origins or authority (vs. 16). Those who bring such accusations and demands against Jesus attempt to tag him with "deviant labeling." That is, Jesus's words and actions run counter to his lowly origins and that means they deviate from the expectations of the cultural milieu. Jesus, in his words and his actions, demonstrates he is not part of the "in-group." Instead, his counter-cultural message and his acts of authority prove that he does indeed "deviate" from the humility of his cultural origins.
Jesus pushes back against the deviant labeling with his rhetorical ripostes (vs. 17-26). In response, a woman from the crowd speaks perhaps echoing the sentiments of many, "Blessed Is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed" (vs. 27). Her words give voice to the support Jesus has among the many in the crowd who are not threatened by him but rather heartened by him in his words and his actions. Jesus, while accepting the support displayed by the woman, presents a life that lies outside of the deviant labeling required for Ingroup/out-group distinctions. Jesus speaks of a life given by the Word of God. .. a Word that comes from outside of oneself and is authoritative in itself without the need for any additional authority such as social status or the honor provided by exalted origins (vs. 28).
Table Talk: Discuss "deviant labeling," how it is used today, and how the Word of God delivers a life outside of such labels.
Pray: Heavenly Father, hold me in your Word and give me its life. Amen
ilt.edu - PO Box 833 Brookings SD - (605) 692-9337
Featuring
St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church
Sullivan Twp., Ontario
Here we are into a brand new year again.
And with it, hopes and dreams.
Our Congregation of over 135 years has voted to make some changes to our building into 4 phases:
1. A set of stairs to the basement which will allow a future chairlift to be installed.
2. Renovating the basement washroom so it is handicapped accessible.
3. Purchase and install the chairlift.
4. Construct a main floor washroom
Hopefully these 4 projects will be completed within a year or two.
We will again be jointly hosting an Alpha course, April through June, with the Chesley Community Church.
Without a permanent pastor for 3 years now, we continue with myself as 'interim pastor' and Marilyn Schmitt as our half-time parish worker.
Where: CALC's 2024 Annual General Convention will be held at the Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Edmonton Airport Conference Centre, 1100 4th Street, Nisku, AB, T9E8E2. Holiday Inn Edmonton Airport hosted our convention for the past two years. They will also be hosting our pastors' retreat for the first time.
When: Friday April 19th and Saturday April 20th. The convention activities begin on Friday morning at 9:00 AM and conclude Saturday afternoon at 2:00 PM.
Hybrid event: Delegates and visitors can register to participate in person or online via ZOOM.
In person registration fees includes lunch, refreshments and supper on Friday and breakfast, refreshments and lunch on Saturday. Accommodations are separate.
Accommodations: Holiday Inn is offering a block of rooms for our pastors' conference and convention at a group rate. The rooms are a mix of rooms with two queen-sized beds or one king-size bed. These rooms will be offered at the rate of $95.00 per night plus applicable taxes. The convention rate will be available for April 17 to 20. Rooms must be booked by April 10 to receive this rate. You must register by phone at 1-780-979-0839 and use promo code “CALC” when registering.
Airport Transfer: The Holiday Inn runs a shuttle to and from the Edmonton International Airport 24 hours a day.
Financial Assistance. If your congregation requires financial assistance in order to send a delegate to convention 2024, please make a request for financial assistance to the National Council. Individuals are eligible for up to $750.00. Applications for more assistance will be given special consideration on a case-by-case basis. Please email requests for financial assistance to: sarahdunphy@calc.ca.
Keynote Speaker/Topic: Dr. Leon Miles is this year's keynote speaker. The world around us seems to be going the wrong direction in many ways. This may lead us to wonder where God is in the middle of all these things which seem to be getting worse each day. God does have a plan for these things, however. As the world seems to get worse, the message of God’s love and forgiveness shines even more brightly. In Dr. Mile's presentation, we are going to discuss how the ways in which the world is turning away from God right now are going to give us the opportunity to speak the gospel in new and distinct ways to a new generation of people who do not know the love that God has for them. Through the inevitable hardships and suffering coming into the world through the evils we see all around us, we can share the love of God with them. We are going to look at the opportunities we have and what it will mean for us to take them.
Dr. Miles (EdD, Dr. of Education, South Dakota State University), pictured above, is the Executive Vice President and a member of the faculty of the Institute of Lutheran Theology. His responsibilities center around business management, including, finances, reports, analysis, forecasting, budgeting, and the yearly audit. In addition to teaching, he also works on institutional assessment, vendor relationships, human resources, and financial aid for students. Recently earned a Doctor of Education degree. Dr. Miles has often attended CALC conventions and pastors' retreats as a representative of the Institute of Lutheran Theology.
NOMINATIONS. An election will be held on Saturday April 20 to fill two vacancies on National Council: one position on the Board of Elders (four year term) and one position on the Board of Trustees (four year term). To nominate a candidate for a vacant position on the National Council. click here.
When: Thursday April 18, 2024, from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Where: Glacier Room at the Glacier Room - Holiday Inn & Suites Edmonton Airport - Conference Center, 1100-4 Street, Nisku, AB, T9E 8E2.
Registration Fee: $160.00 per person. This includes breakfast, lunch, supper and refreshments on Thursday and a continental breakfast on Friday. The registration fee does not include accommodations.
Click here to register for the Pastors' Conference.
Accommodations: Holiday Inn is offering a block of rooms for our pastors' conference and convention at a group rate. The rooms are a mix of rooms with two queen-sized beds or one king-size bed. These rooms will be offered at the rate of $95.00 per night plus applicable taxes. The convention rate will be available for April 17 to 20. Rooms must be booked by April 10 to receive this rate. You must register by phone at 1-780-979-0839 and use promo code “CALC” when registering.
Airport Transfer: The Holiday Inn runs a shuttle to and from the Edmonton International Airport 24 hours a day.
Keynote Speaker/Topic: Professor Dan Lioy is this year's keynote speaker. His presentation analyzes two of Carl Trueman's recent works explaining how the concept of an autonomous, normative self arose and catalyzed the sexual revolution. It traces the evolution and cultural domination of this myth of the autonomous self and explores the consequences of its hegemony in the West. Lastly, it critiques this self-centric view through the lens of Paul’s teachings in Romans 1:18–32, especially highlighting its contrast with Christian doctrine.
Dr. Lioy (PhD, North-West University), pictured above, holds several faculty appointments. He is the Senior Research Manager at South African Theological Seminary (in South Africa). Also, he is a professor of biblical theology at the Institute of Lutheran Theology (in South Dakota). Moreover, he is a dissertation advisor in the Leadership and Global Perspectives DMIN program at Portland Seminary (part of George Fox University in Oregon). Finally, he is a professor in the School of Continuing Theological Studies at North-West University (in South Africa). Professor Lioy is active in local church ministry, being dual rostered with the Evangelical Church Alliance and the North American Lutheran Church. He is widely published, including a number of academic monographs, peer-reviewed journal articles, and church resource products.
All general correspondenceaddressed to CALC should be mailed as follows:
Canadian Association of Lutheran Congregations
Att: Sarah Dunphy 5583 South River Drive, P.O. Box 6295
Manotick, ON K4M 1J4 Telephone: (613) 324-6554
Correspondence to CALC's Treasurer should be addressed as follows:
Helen Zacharias, Treasurer
890 Gilmour Street,
Morden, MB, R6M 1R9
As always, we hope you were blessed by this month's edition of the e-Connector. Our hope and prayer is that this electronic newsletter will truly keep CALC informed and connected.
If your congregation is celebrating a milestone, such an anniversary, the installation of a new pastor, new construction, a mission activity, and/or the launch of a special new ministry, let us know. We would love to share your joy with the other members of CALC
Contact info for the editorial team: Pastor Ed Skutshek: Tel: (250) 801-3860 Email: skutsheke@gmail.com Sarah Dunphy: Tel: (613) 324-6554 Email: sarahdunphy@calc.ca
