Central District News

Transcription

1 Sharing the reason for the season PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. - Redeemer s Christmas Outreach, December 18, saw 24 children participate in a VBS-type program. Using the theme His Indescribable Gift (1 Cor. 9:15), Pastor R i c h a r d M e n s c h presented the lesson, teaching the children about the wonderful gift God gave us and continues giving through the Sacraments. As the children arrived and registered, they sang Christmas Craft time for the littlest angels c a ro l s. O n c e t h ey assembled in the nave, the pastor led the opening worship and taught the lesson. Volunteers from the congregation separated the children into two groups: 4-6 yearolds, and the rest. Younger children learned the refrain of the theme song and sang a carol, while the older group worked on their craft. Before the groups switched activities, they gathered for a snack. Parents returned at 4 p.m. to watch their children in the pageant before leaving for home. There were two readers, along with sheep, shepherds, angels, an official, Mary and Joseph, and enough costumes for everyone. After the pageant, the children returned to the front to sing the theme song. Everyone then sang a carol and the pastor closed the program. Each child also received a goody bag with a small nativity, an Advent project and a few other items. Success of the afternoon is the result of many congregation members volunteering to be a part of the outreach program. Veronica Mensch Camp invites congregations for a get-away PASQUA LAKE, Sask. - Located on the shores of Pasqua Lake in the beautiful Qu Appelle Valley, about 45 minutes from Regina, Camp Lutherland has served Lutheran Church Canada for nearly 80 years. But the board of directors notes a decrease in usage of the camp for congregational purposes over the past years, and invites Central District members to consider using the camp in 2011 for congregational functions. Lutherland is perfect for a picnic or weekend camping trip, an elders or church planning retreat, a youth conference or Sunday school planning seminar. To encourage increased usage of the camp, the board offers an offseason (October to May) rate of $50 per day. For more information or to make a booking, contact Lutherland administrator Caron Frank at lutherland75@ yahoo.ca or Visit the camp website at A lakefront campfire. Camp L utherland has posted a promotional video at h t t p : / / w w w. y o u t u b e. c o m / watch?v=cuy4qehxa5w. 34 THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2011

2 Fellowship takes to the ice PLUMAS, Man. - Zion members and friends dug out their curling brooms for an afternoon of curling and fellowship Sunday, February 20. The group formed six teams, each having the chance to curl two short games, followed by a draw to the button challenge. Those not out on the ice had an opportunity to watch and cheer, play a Plumas curlers game of Scrabble, or just sip coffee and visit. After the winners garnered their farm-fresh eggs and decorated cupcakes, the whole crew dined on rink burgers and salads. T h e f e l l o w s h i p event was sponsored by FaithLife Financial, which paid for rental of the Plumas Curling Club. Saskatoon baby bundles SASKATOON - For many years women of St. Paul s LWMLC have been assembling layettes for Canadian Lutheran World Relief (CLWR). This year they added a new twist. In the church basement, they set out enough items for each Sunday school child to build a bundle. The process began with watching a DVD from CLWR called One Good Thing. Then each child selected an adult partner as a helper, collected the proper items, bundled everything into a receiving blanket, and placed the finished bundle into a We Care bag. Once the work was done, Sunday school children, parents, teachers and LWMLC members sat down together to enjoy pizza and Valentine cookies. from LWMLC News, lwmlcnews.wordpress.com Everyone gathers after a job well done. Hudson Bay LWMLC recognition HUDSON BAY, Sask. - The Hudson Bay society of Lutheran Women s Missionary League Canada honoured two members for their faithful service. Each received a dinner out, a special cake and a gift of appreciation. Louise Bejcar (left) joined the group as a founding member in Joan Neu joined the league in Melfort in 1959 and later transferred to Hudson Bay. Joyce Pape, Hudson Bay LWMLC At right (l-r) Louise Bejcar and Joan Neu. THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April

3 Giving and showing thanks A refreshing look back at summer s vacation Bible school. NEEPAWA, Man. - Christ Lutheran buzzed with activity last August 23-27, with an average daily attendance of 14 at vacation Bible school. Learning about different kinds of bees and their purpose within the hive, children learned about their own ability to contribute to the hive of the church! Lots of home-baked snacks from congregation members showed how thankful they are to live the theme verses: Be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us (Ephesians 5:1-2). Activities concluded with a slideshow of the week s events and lessons, framed by each day s theme verse. Volunteers saw the fruits of their labour when one particular child stood up in front of all the others and the assembled parents, proceeding to answer every question from the week s Bible stories! He was bold in his confession as he shared with everyone what he d learned. The church gives thanks for the opportunity to reach out and tell others the Good News of Jesus life, death and resurrection and is thankful to have children from the community come and learn what it means to be a believer in Christ. Rev. Mark Just, Christ Lutheran, Neepawa Lay theological school on the move THUNDER BAY and WINNIPEG - To make itself more accessible to members throughout the district, the Central District Theological Lay School plans to rotate its locations. This year s host cities: Thunder Bay, Ont. (May 9-15) and Winnipeg (May 11-17). Changes made to the school last year resulted in a dramatic increase in attendance. The new format of evening and weekend classes seemed to work well since participants could attend without taking time off work. Course content was broken into modules, allowing students to take as many or as few modules as their schedules allowed. The program has also benefited by adding seminary professors to the faculty. Concordia Lutheran Seminary (CLS) president Dr. Manfred Zeuch will again teach Ethics for Daily Life, this time offered in Thunder Bay. In Winnipeg, Dr. Ed Kettner, also from CLS, will offer The Catechism for Daily Life. Other instructors include Rev. Garry Heintz (Redeemer, Kakabeka Falls) in Thunder Bay and Rev. Cameron Schnarr (Beautiful Savior, 36 THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2011 Winnipeg) in Winnipeg, both discussing doctrinal theology. The lay school s dean, Rev. Mark Dressler (St. Paul s, Saskatoon) will be in both locations with The Mask of God: Your Vocation and The Divine Service: More Than Just Worship. The school offers laypersons a chance to learn more about church Pastors prepare for preaching presentation L U M S D E N, S a s k. - T h e sixth annual St. John Chrysostom L u t h e r a n P r e a c h e r s Re t re a t r u n s from June 20 to 22 this year at St. Michael s Retreat. The annual event provides pastors the opportunity for continuing growth in the art of preaching. It also allows pastors from across Lutheran Church Canada and The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod to meet in support and encouragement. Throughout the retreat this year s doctrine and how it applies to their daily lives, with content a bit more intense than a congregational Bible study but not as demanding as a typical post-secondary course. Find registration forms and more information about the school on the Central District website, www. lcccentral.ca. speaker, Rev. Warren Hamp, will develop the theme Preaching as Pastoral Care. Rev. Hamp, pastor of Faith Lutheran Church in Kitchener, Ontario, has an MDiv from Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary (CLTS), St. Catharines, and a BA from Concordia College in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He s done graduate studies in the areas of preaching, ethics and pastoral counselling at Waterloo Lutheran Seminary in Ontario. Rev. Hamp has served as guest instructor in homiletics at CLTS. For more information or to register, contact Rev. Mike Keith at oslc@sasktel.net.

4 Food, fun and games mark Epiphany SASKATOON - While it wasn t standing room only, a number of St. Paul s members attended an Epiphany Feast January 6. The evening began with an extended devotion highlighting the meaning of Epiphany and its place in Christian life. Epiphany celebrates the revealing of Christ to the nations and the Wise Men who were the first Gentiles to adore Him. In past centuries Epiphany was a major church festival, but in recent years it s become overshadowed by Christmas. Those who gathered at St. Paul s made an effort through song, prayer and Scripture-reading to bring the celebration back into the light. Watch a video of this portion of the evening at u/8/xfrru-vntgo. After spiritual food, it was on to feeding the body with ethnic food from many corners of the world. Everyone voted for Most Authentic Ethnic Dish, The Dish Some playing, some watching the games. Just Like Grandma Used to Make and The Dish I Liked But Never Tried Before. Winners in each category received the coveted Cream Puff Award. Attendees filled the remainder of the evening with conversation and games including Mexican Train, Triominoes, Labyrinth and various card games. Some played; some watched. The evening, which provided a time to relax after the busyness of Christmas, will certainly become an annual event. JUMP start energizes church band MOOSE JAW, Sask. - For more than 11 years the youth of Emmanuel have shared their gift of music in church services and concerts featuring flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, violin, guitar, drum, piano and electric organ. Emmanuel Youth Ensemble (EYE) stemmed from interest expressed by a couple of boys taking band class in school who asked if they could play their new instruments in church sometime. Leaping at the chance, the church invited anyone taking band in school to come aboard. When many adults in the congregation began speaking fondly of their own music-making history, Emmanuel decided to expand its EYE worship band. JUMP (Just Us Musicians Playing) was born, with rehearsals open to anyone interested in sharing their love for an instrument. JUMP members and vocalists at rehearsal. JUMP debuted in December, hosting an Advent social the Sunday before Christmas and playing for the Christmas Eve and morning services. In upcoming weeks JUMP starts rehearsing for Easter. The aim and final end of all music should be none other than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul, said J. S. Bach. Emmanuel hopes that s conveyed to each member of JUMP and to those who hear the music JUMP shares. Patricia Kreutzwieser, Emmanuel, Moose Jaw THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April

5 Church workers convene WINNIPEG - Fifty-six pastors, vicars and deacons met at this year s church workers conference October at the Holiday Inn Airport West. The purpose of such conferences, according to Central District president Rev. Tom Prachar is getting together with fellow workers from across our vast district to worship, study, laugh and maybe even cry a little as we share with one another how the Lord is using us in our various calls. Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd hosted the opening service on Monday evening. On the next day of the conference, church workers immersed themselves in an all-day seminar, Responding to Sexual Temptation in a High-Tech Society, led by Ted Kober of Billings, Montana, president of Ambassadors of Reconciliation. District business dominated the final morning of the conference, including two presentations regarding changes in LCC s worker benefit plans, from treasurer Dwayne Cleave and from the insurer, Sun Life Financial. Ponderings from the vice-president Don t lose heart have faith! Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart (Hebrews 12:2). As members of the Church, we rejoice in the forgiveness of sins that gives us the blessing of hearing, and, by the power of Christ working in us through the Holy Spirit, we fix our eyes on Christ, who is the One who began our faith on the day we were baptized, and the One who keeps perfecting our faith evermore every day as we grow in that faith. God has made the place where that faith is initiated, taught, strengthened, nurtured, passed on from generation to generation, and celebrated. That place is called the church. It is the place where, in baptism, faith is created. Faith is nourished at the table of forgiveness through the Lord s Supper. Faith is also fed on the bread of life, God s Word. Faith is brought to people through the calling of the Holy Spirit, as God works in and through the Church to bring people to saving faith. That is the mission of the Church, around the world, in history, always. It is also the mission of the local church to bring the good news of God s love to the world of the people in that church: their friends, co-workers, neighbours, community. We reach inside the church to bring people the good news of God s love for them as they are baptized, feed on the rich banquet feast that brings life Holy Communion, and are nourished by the Word that brings life. We reach out to the world to do the same, so that people are brought into the kingdom in order to have those same blessings. It s not about you or me, but about Christ, and what God did through Him. It s not about my way or your way and the way we want things done. 38 THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April 2011 There s a story about an old man and his son bringing a donkey to the market. Passing some people on the way, they heard one remark, Look at that silly pair walking when they could be riding comfortably. The idea seemed sensible to the old man, so he and the boy mounted the donkey and continued on their way. Soon they passed another group. Look at that lazy pair, said a voice, breaking the back of that poor donkey, tiring him so that no one will buy him. The old man slid off, but soon they heard another criticism from a passerby: What a terrible thing, this old man walking while the boy gets to ride. They changed places, but soon heard people whispering, What a terrible thing, the big strong man riding and making the little boy walk. The old man and the boy pondered the situation and finally continued their journey in yet another manner, carrying the donkey on a pole between them. As they crossed the bridge, the donkey broke loose, fell into the river, and drowned. The points are obvious: you can t please everyone. And you can lose the most important things in life by trying. In the Church, we continue to live by faith, trusting that God is still the one who provides what the Church needs in this ever changing, and seemingly ever more self-centered society. God s Word instructs us to fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2a). We take comfort in His Word and are encouraged by it as well: Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart (Hebrews 12:2b). God s peace be with you as you work together with others in His Church. Don t grow weary! Don t lose heart! The Lord God Almighty is with you! Amen. Rev. Rudy Pastucha

6 Youth Bible study change increases interest MOOSE JAW, Sask. - Monthly Bible study took on a new format for high school youth at Emmanuel. Looking for something to spark more discussion and less writing something other than the prepared sheets that accompany the usual Bible study leader Lydia Parker came across a DVD called 24-7 Experience (created by the Evangelical Covenant Church). She and Emmanuel s pastor Rev. John Kreutzwieser reviewed the study and adapted it for use in a Lutheran context. The DVD features seven high school youth from different parts of the United States as they travel for one week as a group to seven different cities to find Jesus at work in each city. In each city they meet various people, including musicians, the organizer of a street mission, a group from the International Justice Mission and a filmmaker. Each episode features Bible verses corresponding to the work being done in Jesus name. Discussion questions for each section challenge the youth to take what they have seen and heard and compare it with Circuit counsellors air concerns REGINA - Reports from the district s 10 circuits prompted considerable discussion when circuit counsellors met with the president at the district office, January 31-February 2. Counsellors expressed concern that some pastors in the district do not receive LCC worker benefit plan coverage from their congregations. Counsellors are also concerned about the continuing status of congregations listed as non-calling vacancies. They encourage all such congregations to seriously consider calling a pastor to the office of the ministry even if that pastor is neither full time nor living in the community. Each day s session began with a Bible study based on upcoming New workers meet REGINA - Workers new to the Central District met for an orientation at the district office in Regina November 8-9. Getting to know each other (front, l-r): Nathan, Shannon, Kianna and Guinevere Dul; Amanda Knodel (DPS, Good Shepherd, Regina); Melissa McNeil (DPS, LaRonge); (back, l-r): Rev. Jeff Dul (Trinity, Churchbridge); vicar Daniel Bonato (Zion, Yorkton); Rev. Mark Smith (Zion, Plumas) and vicar Steve Hoffman (Trinity, Winkler). their own lives and to the beliefs and practices of their own church. The series was thought-provoking and promoted discussion. The youth came away with a better feel for what they could accomplish in their own lives as Christians. I like the experience of seeing how different Christians live their life, commented one participant. Another reported, Each episode s theme goes well with Sunday readings, with study leaders Revs. Garry Heintz (Ontario circuit), Rob Grout (Northland circuit) and Lowell Dennis (Katepwa circuit). District president Rev. Tom Prachar led a discussion on Duties of an Evangelical Synod by C.F.W. Walther. District treasurer Wally Dressler reported on the district s financial situation. The group also explored Church Governance Matters by Rev. Les Stahlke. Circuit counsellors will meet with the president in August and again in February 2012, prior to the next district convention in April 2012 at Moose Jaw. Rev. John Kreutzwieser, Emmanuel, Moose Jaw, Sask. the Bible verses. The questions really make you think. It s presented in a way that s fairly entertaining. Celebrating 110 years in 2011 P L U M A S, M a n. - Z i o n Lutheran will celebrate its 110th anniversary with a service Sunday, July 10 at 10:30 a.m., followed by a barbecue lunch with anniversary cake. Everyone is welcome to attend. Visit the Central District website at Send news, photos, articles and announcements six weeks prior to publication month. Elaine Stanfel, district editor Box 41, Nipawin, SK S0E 1E elaine.stanfel@gmail.com Next deadline: May 6, 2011 THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN March/April