Church News: July/August 2004

Last updated: Sunday, September 11, 2011 48th Year July/August 2004

Church Services:
04. July
4th Sunday after Trinity
English 9:45
German 11:00
Pastor Susanne Hofmann

11. July
5th Sunday after Trinity
English 9:45
German 11:00
Pastor Susanne Hofmann
With Celebration of Holy Communion

18. July
6th Sunday after Trinity
English 9:45
German 11:00
Pastor Stefan Wolf

Pastor E.W. Schwantes' 75th Birthday Celebration [photos]

25. July
7th Sunday after Trinity
English 9:45
German 11:00
Pastor Stefan Wolf

OPEN HOUSE at the Senior's Residence [brochure invitation ]

01. August
8th Sunday after Trinity
English 9:45
German 11:00
Pastor Susanne Hofmann

08. August
9th Sunday after Trinity
English 9:45
German 11:00
Pastor Stefan Wolf

15. August
10th Sunday after Trinity
English 9:45
German 11:00
Pastor Stefan Wolf
With Celebration of Holy Communion

22. August
11th Sunday after Trinity
English 9:45
German 11:00
Pastor Susanne Hofmann

29. August
12th Sunday after Trinity
English 9:45
German 11:00
Pastor Susanne Hofmann

05. September
13th Sunday after Trinity
English 9:45
German 11:00
Pastor Stefan Wolf

We express our thanks for all donations and for the active attendance of our Church Services, and cordially invite you to stay for a while after the Services for a cup of coffee!

Registration Form For Confirmands [pdf]

Camp Lutherlyn Registration Form 2004 [pdf]

Our Groups and Circles

The Church Council meets on Sunday, July 11, from 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. for a Special Meeting, to work on further developments of our Martin Luther Church.

All other Groups and Circles have a summer break during July and August.

New!!!

Radio Dedication in German
every Sunday 9:30 a.m. Ciao Radio AM 530.

Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.
Mark 3, 35

Meditation on the Verse for the Month of July

Dear Congregation,
this picture “Holy Family” from Michelangelo shows a “Family Idyll” as we would wish it to be. The people in this picture turn to each other with unusual tenderness and love. The picture radiates harmony. I ask myself: Was Jesus' relationship with his birth parents and siblings really as harmonious? Was the Holy Family a truly “whole” family?

When I read the verse for the month of July in its Biblical context in the gospel of Mark, a very different picture appears before my eyes. Jesus has grown up meanwhile. He travels around with his disciples as a wandering preacher. His family does not understand this: How could this happen? Had he not learned a good trade and now this? They worry about him. Therefore, they set out to look for him. They are told that he is in this house, preaching. Here, countless people have gathered to hear his message. It is impossible to get through. They do the only sensible thing: They pass a note to him: “Your mother and your brothers and your sisters are outside, asking for you.” (Mark 3, 32)

What is expected of Jesus here is clearly obvious. It is fitting that the son and brother goes outside and greets his family members properly.

Jesus, however, does not do that. He reacts completely unexpectedly: He asks the messenger: Who is my mother, my brothers?” (Mark 3,33) Has he forgotten his origins and his family in the short time of his wanderings? Certainly, there is nothing of a “Family Idyll” to be detected.

Dear Readers, at first, this answer has frightened me. For it reminded me of an answer a girl gave at my school. Painfully, she experienced the divorce of her parents. When I asked about her mother, she said: “I no longer have a mother!”

I have asked myself: Is this here, in Jesus' case, a comparable defensive reaction? Is this the story of a family tragedy?

As I continue to read the paragraph, it becomes clear to me: No, this is about something else. Jesus does not want to abolish the bonds in a family. Nor does he insist that he not longer has a mother or siblings. On the contrary, he defines the concept of family in a new way. To those present he says: “Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother”.

Here, Jesus does not obey societal conventions. He establishes different priorities from those we may have expected. In first place, for him, is his heavenly Father, God alone. Jesus knows, God has sent him into the world. Through Jesu words and deeds, God wants to come close to people. Many people, who hear Jesus, who are touched by him, feel God’s presence.

Jesus, however, also knows: This has consequences for his private life. Here, all “private things” in his life move into the background: not only his family, also his former trade, his private friends, his hobbies.

For the kingdom of God knows only one measure: “Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother”.

Perhaps you now ask: Who can claim to do the will of God all the time? Whatever distinguishes these people from others, whom Jesus calls brother, sister, mother?

The only thing that we know about them is, that they have come to hear the good news. And that is the main point. They do God’s will by accepting the message of God’s kingdom. That is the connection between Jesus and these people, therefore, he calls them “his family”. The receive God’s message.

Therefore, as a congregation we belong to the “Family”, because we get involved with God’s word. That has consequences for the private life of every single one of us. For we are called to follow Jesus. On the other side, we are put into a greater context. We belong to a community which is connected through faith. Then, consisting of different people, independent of their origin, a large family comes into being. For Jesus has promised: “Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother”.

Wishing you a blessed summer, yours,
Susanne Hofmann

Replacement for Pastor Wolf in July and August

From June 28^th to July 4^th, Pastor Wolf is at an Overseas Pastors’ Conferences of the EKD in Germany. This event is obligatory and not a vacation!

From August 16^th to September 4^th, Pastor Wolf is on vacation.

During his absence, Pastor Hofmann will replace him.

Good News from the Visiting Circle

The Visiting Service Circle continues! This group sees its mission in visiting congregational members of our Church. Whoever would like to participate in this service in the congregation, is welcome to the meetings. After the summer break (from September on), the visiting service circle will meet every third Wednesday of the month, to co-ordinate visits and to exchange information.

If you would like to be visited, please do not hesitate: Fill out a visit wish card and put the card into the box in the foyer of the Church. You can, of course, transmit your wish for a visit per telephone to Pastor Hofmann.

The Special Collection has begun

The visits concerning the Special Collection have begun in June 2004. We need your financial support also during this year. Renovations in the Church (toilets) and in the Parsonage, (washrooms), as was decided at the Annual General Meeting, are the focal point. It is also extremely important, that we complete the necessary renovations in time for the Congregation’s Anniversary next year. We are grateful for all contributions!

Camp Lutherlyn - please register!!

The cost for the Camp is $ 225 per person. Family discount is available. Please register as soon as possible with Dan Sommerfeld (Tel: 905-274-6602) or Pastor Stefan Wolf (Cell: 416-567-2487; email: fralupus@rogers.com ). A bus is available to bring people from church to camp and back.
Camp Lutherlyn Registration Form 2004 More information.

Radio Devotion on AM 530 - Different Time!
Now every Sunday at 9:30 a.m.

As you know, presently our Pastors holds a radio devotion every Friday at 11:00 a.m. on station Ciao Radio AM 530. Unfortunately, because of lack of support from the station, the program of Helmut Gschloesser is reduced to Sunday. Therefore, from now on, the devotion will no longer be heard on Fridays, but Sundays at 9:30 a.m.! – We find it a pity, but it is the only possibility to continue to bring people the Gospel into their houses. By the way: The program costs us about $250 per month. Now and then, we have asked for donations, yet, until now, we have received but one donation for $50. Perhaps you could, if you like to hear it, include the program into your donation?

Nursery News

Exciting things are happening in our Nursery. On June 8^th, 2004 we invited parents, children and parents who are interested in our Day Camp to a BBQ. We had beautiful weather, and there were many children, supervised by day care staff, playing happily in the playgrounds. Numerous activities and games had been organized, even a science table was set up, where simple but fascinating experiments in water were demonstrated – even adults watched with interest. Many parents with their children and also nursery board members had come. You could see small groups gathered everywhere in animated conversations.

The result of the evening? Parents suggested to organize evenings like this monthly, as they found it helpful and positive to speak with other parents. We intend to realize this suggestion. It was also a good opportunity for the board members to meet and get to know the parents and hear feedback from them. There were a few registrations for the Day Camp Program, too. This evening and all the various advertising we had done, including the banner over the Church entrance were well worth the effort. We now have 16 schoolchildren registered, aged 6 to 12 years, who will start in our Day Camp Program on June 28, 2004.

Except for two toddler spaces, the nursery is full, with a long wait list for pre-school children. Our Nursery is well-regarded! Recently, I had a call from a lady in California, who had conducted inquiries on day care centres in South Etobicoke, as her family is moving to this vicinity. Our day care was named as the best in this area from several sources. It even happens that parents move to our neighbourhood, so that their children can attend our nursery. This, of course, is gratifying for us. But it also proves that our nursery team does excellent work with much love and devotion.

We express our thanks to all congregational members who continue to support the nursery financially. Again, we received toy donations for which we are very thankful. There is always much joy among the children when “new” toys arrive.

Many thanks for all your support!
Käthe Kleinau

Baptized was...

Himesh Georg Häfele

God says: I will be with you. I will not fail you or forsake you.
(Joshua 1, 5)

We buried...

Harald Vortisch

Jesus says: I am the resurrection and the life;
he who believes in me, though he die, yet he shall live.
(John 11, 25)

BEAUTIFICATION WEEKEND for the CHURCH!

As a church council, we wish to get your assistance in helping to prepare our church for the 50^th Anniversary! To start we are having a “Clean House” day on Saturday, September 25, 2004. A poster of items that need to be done will be placed in the downstairs hall for people to sign up. PLEASE put your name in any area that you feel you can help out! Additional ideas or suggestions on jobs to do are always appreciated. Remember that if you offer and idea, we need your help as well! We’ll repeat this process in the late winter! It’s a family event! Bring the kids and they’ll enjoy helping as well!

Date:                   Saturday, September 25, 2004
Time:                  9 am – 3 pm (12-1 lunch)
Place:                 In the downstairs hall
Purpose:             To help organize and clean the WHOLE church!
Supplies:            We’ll provide the cleaning materials!

Bring your lunch and we’ll break for group time at about 12. Beverages provided! Can you offer a dessert maybe??? Looking forward to a joint day together!
Contacts for questions are Church Council members:
Heidi Jonuschies @ (416) 278-4972 and Brenda Wilson @ (905) 454-3197 or srwfisher@hotmail.com

The Last Word

No piece of clothing is subjected to the influences of fashion to the same extent
as the cloak of concealment.
(Rupert Schützbach)