Church News: May 2005

Last updated:  Monday, February 11, 2008                   49th Year                                                   May 2005

Our Services in May

01. May
Rogate
English 9:45 a.m.
German 11:00 a.m.
Pastor Herbert Harms

Thursday 05. May
Day of Ascension
Church Service on Christ’s Ascension Day at the St. Georg’s Church, 410 College St.!
German 7:00 p.m.
Pastorin Katharina Moeller

08. May
Exaudi / Mother's Day
Joint Service 11:00 a.m.
Pastor Stefan Wolf

15. May
Pentecost
English 9:45 a.m.
German 11:00 a.m.
Pastor Stefan Wolf
With the Celebration of Holy Communion  

22. May
Trinity
English 9:45 a.m.
German 11:00 a.m.
Pastor Stefan Wolf

29. May
2. Sunday after Trinity
Joint Service at Camp Edgewood 11:00 a.m. - Church Picnic!
Pastor Stefan Wolf

Group Photo
We want to take a picture of the entire congregation on the sports field.

05. June
2. Sunday after Trinity
English 9:45 a.m.
German 11:00 a.m.
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!

Our Groups and Circles

The Contact Circle of the Lutheran Congregations meets on Thursday, May 5^th , after the Joint Ascension Service at 7:00 p.m. at the St. Georg’s Church, 410 College Street, Toronto.

Confirmation Instruction takes place on Monday, May 9th and 16th, at 7:00 p.m. at the parsonage.

Attention! – Attention!-

The Literary Circle will visit the Archives in Toronto on Tuesday, May 10th, from 10:00 a.m. Please contact Pastor Wolf if you are interested to come. We will have a slide show about the history of Toronto, a tour and information about the archives. There must be at least 10 persons. Entrance is free! So if you are interested, come along, even though you do not participate in the literary circle.

Board of Directors   of  the Nursery meets on Tuesday, May 10th, 6:.00 p.m.

The Ladies’ Group  invites on Wednesday, May 11th, at 7.00 p.m. at the Church. As Mrs Weigelin is not here, Pastor Wolf will be responsible for the evening.

The English Bible Discussion Group  meets on Tuesday, May 17th, at 7:30 p.m. at the Church.

The Seniors’ Circle  meets one Tuesday May 17th, at a new time, namely from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.!

The Church Council  meets on Wednesday, May 18th, at  7:00 p.m. at the Church.

The German Bible Discussion Group is on Wednesday, May 25th, at 1:30 p.m., at the Church.

Further Dates:

• Camp Lutherlyn:
  Sunday July 31st to Saturday Aug 6th, 2005
   

Radio Dedication in German
every Sunday 9:30 a.m. Ciao Radio AM 530. Any donations for this program would be welcome - please indicate your envelopes  "for radio program".

Please send us an email, if you want to receive our newsletter regularly.

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teachingand fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
Acts of the Apostles 2, 42

Devotion on the Verse for the Month of May 2005

Dear Congregation,
in the first Christian congregation in Jerusalem, the teachings of the apostles, the community, Holy Communion and prayer belong together like the leaves of a four-leaf clover. But that is not all; if one reads on in the Acts in chapter 2, then one discovers, that it is the togetherness, the caring, the joint meals, the unity among themselves and the joy of faith, that determine the life of this congregation. I think, this gives us a picture, even today, of how it should be. Time and again, I find it interesting, that it is, indeed, not only about the keeping of faith, the spiritual, but also about kindness and love of others. – I am reminded by this description of a congregation of two events during the past weeks: There was the remarkable speech of the nine year-old Hannah Taylor (photo) before the members of the famous Empire Club in Toronto. She was the youngest speaker in the history of the club and spoke about her Lady-Bug Foundation, an aid organization for homeless people, which she has founded together with her mother. She was only five, when she saw a homeless man looking for food in a garbage can. Four years have gone by since then, and more than  $ 500,000 have been collected.– Actually, it is shameful that a nine year-old has to teach adults what sympathy is. For she not only collects money, but she also has no fear of touching and has simply put her arms around many a homeless person. She said in her speech: “I know that many of you have fear of homeless people, but they are just people with ragged clothes and sad hearts.” – The second event has to do with our visitors from Brazil. Pastor Sigmar Reichel with his wife Gertrud have given us many glimpses into the work with street children and people in the poverty stricken areas in Sao Paulo. It was an enriching experience, for this engagement has also shown, that everyone can contribute his share. Besides numerous conversations and visits, we jointly accepted an invitation from the Bishop. After Pastor Reichel and his wife had reported on their work, Bishop Pryse said: “I wished that every one of our congregations would support people in need. It is so important that not everything revolves just around one’s own congregation, but that we can look beyond our congregation. We have a responsibility in the world.” – These are two examples which make it clear that no engagement is too small or unimportant. If we are based on our faith, take the gospel seriously, have community with others, celebrate Holy Communion and pray, then we receive the strength to plant a sign of hope. – Now as before, the story, which Pastor Reichel has told, touches me: There is a forest fire in the jungle, and the parrot flies to the brook, wets his feathers in the water and lets drops fall from his plumage unto the huge fire. The other animals make fun of him. Does he not realize that these few drops can have no effect on such a fire? Whereupon the parrot says: “I only do my part.” – One does not have to do everything as a congregation, one does not have to attend to every social problem. The need, here too, is certainly always greater than what we can do. But we can do our part, as the parrot in the story; be it through our own Nursery, be it through donations to the project in Brazil, be it by having sympathy for needy people, wherever we meet them. If one reads the Acts of the Apostles, then the active love is not something in addition, but a part and visible expression of faith.
With kind regards for the month of May,
Your Pastor Stefan Wolf

The visit of Pastor Reichel and his wife Gertrud was a special and enriching experience. As a congregation, in meeting them, we were able to experience that one has friends also in a foreign land. On Saturday, April 16^th, the two arrived at the airport in Toronto. They were greeted by a small welcoming committee of the congregation and have, on the way to their lodgings with the Wienecke family, taken a quick look at the Church. On the next day, there was a Joint Service. The children of the Sunday School welcomed them with a song and presented them with a parcel with items the Sunday School children had collected for the needy children in the day care centre of the suburban slum of Cabucu. At this occasion, we learned that in Brazil people often hug each other when meeting or expressing thanks. Pastor Reichel has pointed out in his sermon that every congregation, but also every Christian, has a mission to take care of needy people. With the story of the paralytic, who is carried to Jesus by his four friends (Gospel of Mark Chapter 2, verses 1-12), he made clear, that his congregation often feels like the four friends, who have to overcome hindrances and hurdles. In Brazil, the congregation often receives little support from the government. He spoke of money, which had been promised them for the day care centre in the suburban slums of Sao Paulo, and which still had not arrived after four months. As a result, they had to let two educators go, who have not received any wages since then. In spite of the difficulties, his sermon sounded neither frustrated nor sad. On the contrary, here, someone was speaking who is, along with his congregation, deeply convinced of the rightness of this work. The majority of that congregation had decided to begin the work with children. After the sermon, we could present a cheque from our congregation in the amount of $ 3,500 U.S., which were collected through donations last year. This is an important contribution to insure the continuation of the day care centre. Pastor Reichel expressed his heartfelt thanks for this generous support. – After the Service and during the week, there were several opportunities for establishing contact between Reichels and congregational members, our own as well as other Lutheran congregations. We still have the hope that a joint project of the congregations here can come about. During the week, there was also an indication of this, after visiting the First Lutheran Church and St. Georg’s Church. Both congregations have given financial support. Visits of congregational members and undertakings in and around Toronto were on the program, as well as a visit to the Bishop, who took much time for Mr. and Mrs. Reichel, and he particularly acknowledged that this contact between our two congregations is very important, and he wished that all congregations would learn to look beyond the rim of their own plate. We have certainly learned much as this week went by. Some problems sound alike, others, of course, are more dramatic there because of the worse economic and social situation in Brazil. Violence is the order of the day. Theft, shootings, drug traffic impair work and life in Brazil considerably. Poverty is beyond description. – What will happen now? some people have asked. Pastor Reichel will, once again with his congregation, think about the exact extent of the work in the day care centre in Guarulhos. The costs per year amount to about $ 10,000. It is not the expectation that we, from Canada, finance the project in full. Discussions with the government have already been set, to remind of the promised support, which hopefully will be received soon. Nevertheless, we are asked to continue to support this project, as Pastor Reichel’s congregation with its 112 donating members is not able to do it alone. Pastor Reichel and his wife Gertrud, by the way, know how to realize such a project. They use their experience, which they have gained in the two years in Guarulhos and in the 22 years working with street children through an organization called AMECA, which Mrs. Reichel’s father has founded. It is my impression that it was extremely important for us to get to know the Reichels personally. This has deepened the trust and has let us gain new friends. I want to thank the anonymous donor who has paid the flight tickets. I thank all those, too, who have accompanied Reichels, accommodated them, cared for them and taken them on trips. A thank you goes to all who have supported this work through donations.

What can we do?

Well, I think there are a few simple possibilities to collect further donations for the day care centre:

• Talk to colleagues at work. Perhaps they would like to help, too, to alleviate the need of children.
• Ask firms for whom you work, whether they give donations to public organizations and want to support this cause also.
• Ask your guests for donations instead of presents on birthdays or other occasions.
• Write to the congregation in Brazil and encourage with kind words.

You will surely think of other possibilities. Donations will be forwarded by our congregation. In order to issue receipts, it is important to direct the donations to Martin Luther Church with the remark “Brazil”.

Once again, a Cordial Invitation to Mother's Day and a Joint Service on May 8th!
On Sunday, May 8^th, it is Mother’s day again! On this day, a Joint Church Service will take place at 11:00 a.m., following this, there will be a luncheon, prepared by the men. We would be happy to see many people taking part!

On September 24^th, there will be a bus trip, followed by a hike in the Grand Valley. On October 22^nd, again by bus, we want to go to Stratford and see the play “Fallen Angels” in the Avon Theatre (Beginning at 2:00 p.m.). There will be detailed information about both trips shortly, but please, note down the dates now already!

The toilets and the kitchen in the Church have been renovated. The Sunday School, too, has a new room now. Things have turned out very well and are functional. We thank Ernst Carl, Erich Feyerabend, Werner and Eugen Pahnke, Robert Peter, Jack Schaeffer, John Schmidt, Edmund Scholz and Melvin Zabel for their terrific efforts and are happy about what has been achieved.

The Church Council has intently pondered the question of newly structuring the work in the congregation. It is clear that we still need much support and that often enough the work rests on too few shoulders. Therefore, the Church Council will turn to the congregation and ask particularly handy and skilled congregation members for help. The idea is, that the Church Council will co-ordinate the work and has a list of congregational members willing to help, who can be addressed if need be. Details will be posted on the announcement board. But in the meantime, you could already ask yourself now, whether you could help here! 

LAMP Centre, founded by the Ministry of Health, will conduct a course for parents at our Church on Thursday nights from May 5^th to June 23^rd for a small group of parents. Brian Russel and Sarah Greig are two experienced and trained professionals, who will support young parents for two hours in their questions regarding bringing up their children. The Church Council has allowed LAMP to use the room of the extension for this.

Our visit in Berlin of the Heilig Kreuz Congregation in connection with our trip to the Church Festival 2003, resulted in a request of a group of four women, who want to participate in an international meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous in Toronto from June 30^th to July 2^nd. The women are between the ages of 40 and 73 years and have to be accommodated where they can reach downtown easily via subway. They can, of course, be accommodated individually, too. Who has space and can help us with the lodgings? Please inform Pastor Wolf!

The date for Summer Camp is confirmed: This year it takes place from July 31^st to August 6^th. Camp Lutherlyn is situated in Eganville on Golden Lake. The costs for the camp will amount to app. $ 240 per person; if more children of a family attend, the price is $ 225 per person. There is a discount for families. Please contact Dan Sommerfeld (905-274-6602) or Pastor Wolf (Email: fralupus@rogers.com; 416-456-2487), then we will send you information and a registration form. We also ask all those who want to come along as counsellors to contact Pastor Wolf immediately. As in the years before, we will hire a bus for the way there and back.

The School Age Children of Martin Luther Church Day Nursery have a new official name: THE SUPERSONICS. The children have named themselves the SUPERSONICS because of their great appreciation of music and dance. The school agers decided in a group discussion that they would like to feel more like a club – a club where they could study projects that interested them . The SUPERSONICS now have a dance club and a sports club. Another group of children is studying spiders and SPIDERMAN. The SUPERSONICS have pointed out that the most important thing about spiderman is – to quote what spiderman said: ”With great POWER and STRENGTH comes great RESPONSIBILITY!” The school agers at Martin Luther related to this statement. They are deciding what their responsibilities as school agers at Martin Luther are. They are working on a spider web that represents a web of ways they feel, SUPERSONICS club members should be treated: BE EMPATHETIC is at the top of the list. HONESTY and INCLUDE EVERYONE are next. The SUPERSONICS are doing EMERGENT CURRICULUM. This means, the teachers in the room follow and listen to the children to see what they are interested in. We leap in at that very moment and begin a project. First, we list all of the children’s feelings and ideas on the subject. Then we make a teacher’s list. We ask the children which aspect of the project they want to study first. On our last project, the SUPERSONICS studied businesses in the Lake Shore Community. They interviewed the manager of the Red and White Store. We went to the Birds and Beans Coffee Shop and found out about coffee growth and its effects on the earth’s environment to Pizza Pizza, a Dental Clinic and to a Chiropractor. Emergent Curriculum involves studying the community around us. It always involves an aspect of socialization. This helps the children learn to respectfully relate to others. Our school agers were proud and respectful when visiting the businesses. They remarked on how kind the business owners were to them.
Nancy C.
ECE Teacher

Amelia Marta Herrmann

 Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
Romans 12, 12

The time is here again: Our Congregational Picnic is approaching. This year also, a great program for every age is awaiting you:

                                  11:00 a.m.       Church Service for the entire Family

“…and the wall came tumbling down with
Church Choir, Trumpet Band and  a Paragraph from the Joshua Story

                                    12:00 o’clock  Joint Lunch

                                     1:00 p.m.        A joint game for all participants!

                                     1:45 p.m.        Group photo of the entire Congregation

                                    followed by     Games, crafts, singing, walks, playing Soccer…
                                                            Offered to big and small!

                                     3:00 p.m.        Refreshment Break

                                     3:30 p.m.        Puppet Show

                                     4:00 p.m.        Joint (brief) Conclusion!

The Picnic brings us together as a congregation, and therefore, it would be nice if as many people as possible can come. It is a wonderful opportunity to get to know one another better and to have much fun together. Please do not forget your plate, cutlery and also a cup for tea or coffee. Coffee and tea will be served. In the next Bulletin, we will inform you regarding the food! We also want to organize a bus; more about that in the next Bulletin, too! Could you donate a cake?

How you get to Camp:

From Toronto:

·        Highway 401 West

·        Guelph Line1, exit northbound

·        Through town of Brookville

·        Stay on Guelph Line until you come to a 4 way stop (huge stop-sign)

·        Turn left to Eden Mills and follow signs to the Camp

Come and bring along your family !!!

All Dates at a Glance