If you ever had a pet or farmed or ranched, the time probably came when you had to make a difficult decision to put an animal down (or put them to sleep). Although I grew up in the USA, guns were not part of my growing up years. My dad had a shotgun, but it only came out when he had to end the suffering of a creature. He would cry when he had to do this.

This is perfectly acceptable. In the book of Genesis, God told Adam and Eve: “Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.” (Gen. 1:28) God has given humanity dominion over the animal kingdom. We are like “gods” in a sense with the power of life and death over the animals.

So, should we not also show the same sympathy towards human suffering? The theological problem is that, while we as humans have dominion, a god-like power over animals, dominion over human beings  belongs only to God. Paul says in I Corinthians 6:19-20

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. ‘You are not your own.” The power of life and death is held by God.

But then there is a question that must be addressed: does this then mean that we must pursue every possible option to continue life? At some point, we do realize that there is a time to be born and a time to die. Death comes to us all. There comes a time in which we put the life of our loved one into the hands of God who has the power to bring healing or to bring the loved one home to Himself.

Life is sacred in the sense that it is a God-given gift. Our call is to promote life in its fullest for all humanity, to celebrate it, and to respect it.

Be strong in the Lord!

Pastor Jim, 

“Stand firm therefore, having belted your waist with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness.” (Ephesians 6:14)

All pictures and content from the event's website.  

The National March for Life, typically the largest annual protest on Parliament Hill, takes place in May to mark the Day of Infamy, when the 1969 omnibus bill passed under Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, decriminalizing abortion. Pro-lifers rally in front of our Parliament building and march through downtown Ottawa, demanding that our elected representatives fight for the right to life of every human being.

The National March for Life is organized by Campaign Life Coalition, the leading pro-life and pro-family organization in Canada. The March began in 1998, with a mere 700 in attendance. At first, there was a bit of support for the March from political, cultural and spiritual leaders, but as the event grew, so did the extent of support. It remains a grassroots movement today, bringing together pro-lifers of all ages, including thousands of young people.

The event is the most prominent forum for pro-life Canadians to demand justice for the 100,000 children who are killed in their mothers’ wombs each year by abortion. Currently, Canada is the only Western nation with zero legal protection for the preborn, meaning abortion is permitted for any reason or no reason whatsoever, up till the moment of birth.

Since the legalization of euthanasia and assisted suicide in 2016, the March has also become an opportunity to condemn the steadily increasing number of vulnerable citizens killed by medical professionals under the euphemism “MAiD” or “medical assistance in dying.”

Each year, we arrange for several speakers, including pro-life parliamentarians, religious leaders, and activists, to deliver statements that call our government to account, and inspire and encourage rally attendees to take action.

Afterwards, thousands of pro-life Canadians begin to march through the streets of Ottawa. They are led by the Ottawa police and volunteer marshals, who keep the route safe and clear.

When the March ends, people re-assemble on the lawn of Parliament Hill to listen to moving testimonies from the post-abortive men and women of the Silent No More Awareness campaign, which are followed by a prayer service.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 march was entirely virtual. In 2021, we held a “hybrid” event, with an in-person rally and March for Life in Ottawa, complemented by a full program of virtual events, which remain available for viewing on our March for Life Canada YouTube channel.

Last year we continued the Hybrid model due to uncertainty regarding the ongoing lockdowns. This year’s march will be our 26th. While we are still planning extensive online programming, including our Life on Film series, we’re happy to announce a return to a full roster of in-person events. The Candlelight Vigil, Rally on the Hill and March for Life, Rose Dinner, Youth Banquet, and Youth Summit – are all coming back.

Click here to access the "National March for Life" website. 
 

On Sunday January 29, 2023, Rev. James Bredeson, CALC's President (pictured in middle), installed Rev. Roland Weisbrot (pictured to the left), as lead pastor, and Rev. Grant Crichton (pictured to the right) as associate pastor, of Victory Lutheran Church.  

Rev. Roland Weisbrot is the Lead Pastor of Victory Lutheran, of  Medicine Hat, AB,  where he resides with his wife, Rachel, and his cat, Katharina von Bora (Kat). Roland holds a Master of Ministry from the Institute of Lutheran Theology (ILT) in Brookings, South Dakota, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in History and Christian Studies from Ambrose University in Calgary, Alberta. Currently, he is in pursuit of a Master of Sacred  Theology degree at ILT. He is writing his thesis on Lutheran ecclesiology under the direction of Rev. Dr. Leopoldo A. Sanchez M. When he is not engaged in ministry or buried in graduate work, Roland enjoys deep conversations on theology, philosophy, politics, and life. He also enjoys reading, writing on a wide range of topics, consuming niche YouTube content and podcasts, gardening, and baking.

Rev. Grant Crichton grew up in Washington State, USA, baptized at Harbour Pointe Lutheran Church, as his parents came to know Christ in the Lutheran tradition. In his formative years, his parents joined Bothell First Baptist Church, where he recalls learning much Scripture. Grant’s family moved to the Portland, OR area, and began attending a Vineyard Church. It was during this time Grant witnessed signs and wonders, and began to learn about the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Attending Pacific Lutheran University, Grant felt the call into ministry. After graduation and marriage to his wife Marta, he became licensed as a Foursquare minister. They served on staff at 2 Foursquare churches in WA and OR, and were sent to plant a church in Walla Walla, WA. Grant became ordained as a Foursquare Pastor during that time. Grant connected with missionaries serving in Saskatchewan, and after spending a week in Canada, commenced over the course of the next few years supporting the mission works with mission teams and funding. Several US families felt the call to not only partner with God’s work in Canada, but also to be on the ground there, Crichtons included.

Grant became Associate Pastor at a Foursquare Church in Regina. He connected as well with the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches, and began the process of ordination in Apostolic Succession, ordained in Holy Orders in May of 2021. The PAOC asked Grant if he would consider pastoring Life Centre in Weyburn, which he stepped into. 2 years later, both Grant and Marta felt the Lord’s call to Medicine Hat, AB, and through divine orchestration, brought Victory Lutheran and the Crichtons together. Grant is currently serving as Associate Pastor at Victory, and holds great excitement for the future and what the Lord is doing.
 

The e-Connector's editorial team wants to take this opportunity to thank all of our loyal readers for your support. We hope you enjoyed this edition of the e-Connector. Our hope and prayer is that this electronic newsletter will truly keep CALC informed and connected.

Going forward it is our goal to publish an e-Connector on the first Sunday of every month. In addition we will have the occasional special interest and seasonal editions of the e-Connector between first Sundays. 

We want to publish important congregational events in our newsletter. 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 the editorial team as follows: 
Pastor Ed Skutshek: Tel: (250) 801-3860  Email: skutsheke@gmail.com 
Sarah Dunphy: Tel: (613) 324-6554 Email: sarahdunphy@calc.ca  

Perhaps you’ve heard of this strategy: Lowering expectations and so increasing the chances of success. That’s exactly what Jesus refers to as he teaches during his Sermon on the Mount. Perhaps he is looking directly at the Pharisees when he says this. They were frequent practitioners of lowered expectations when it came to the Law, reducing it to manageable demands for those who had wealth and leisure. These lowered expectations provided them with greater opportunity for successfully obeying the Law. Consider their lowered expectation regarding divorce. They lowered the expectation of successful obedience as “no divorce” period to the standard which Moses gave them: a husband could divorce his wife with a writ and still be acting lawfully. Jesus rejected that teaching: “He said to them, Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning, it was not so” (Mt. 19:8). Jesus’ accusation has come down to us: What laws are relaxed by us in order that we can fulfill those laws? But then, because we no longer bear the guilt of failure, we think we don’t need as much of Jesus’ forgiveness. Isn’t it better to let Jesus be the majestic Lord and Savior rather than us trying to reduce our guilt through manipulating the Law?

Prayers from one who is all on board with lowered expectations…

Father Divine, the Law remains in full force until heaven and earth pass away, grant that the Law’s demands would order my life and all creation during these days when my life and all creation are so broken by sin that they will not be ordered by love. Lord in your mercy, hear my prayer.

Father Divine, the Law remains in full force until heaven and earth pass away, grant that the Law never stops pursuing me with its accusation… grant that I am kept from relying on my own fulfillment of the Law… grant that I rely solely on Jesus’ perfect fulfillment of the Law. Lord in your mercy, hear my prayer.

Father Divine, the Law remains in full force until heaven and earth pass away, grant that the Law finally establish me in its reality: I am dead in my sin. Grant those dead ears of mine to be filled with the gospel of Jesus Christ who’s come to be the life of dead sinners. Lord in your mercy, hear my prayer.

Father Divine, the Law remains in full force until heaven and earth pass away, grant that, if I cannot love my neighbors as I ought, I still serve them out of obedience to the Law. Lord in your mercy, hear my prayer.

Father Divine, the Law remains in full force until heaven and earth pass away, grant that my neighbors, too, be well-ordered by the Law so that my life in this creation will be protected and peaceable. Lord in your mercy, hear my prayer.

Father Divine, the Law remains in full force until heaven and earth pass away, grant that the Institute of Lutheran Theology recognizes its obligations under the laws and regulations of those bodies that govern it and that it strives to fulfill those obligations. Lord in your mercy, hear my prayer.