Devotion
on the Verse of the Month for September 2006
But you, our God, are gracious, true and enduring; you
conduct the universe full of mercy.
Wisdom 15, 1
Dear Members and Friends of Martin Luther Church,
If you now look for
the verse of the month in the Bible, you will only succeed if you have a
Bible with the so-called „Apocrypha”. These are the scriptures which
have not been taken into the canon of the Bible, however, are similar in
from and content to the well-known books, of the Bible. The apocryphal
book where the verse of the month is written, reminds us of the
“Proverbs of Salomon“, (these are written in your Bible). Both books
want people to grow wise. A pious wish! But what is actually wisdom? It
is more than to be knowledgeable. There is a saying that you
can meet a hundred clever men before you come across one wise man.
Wisdom, however, has something to do with knowledge, but wisdom searches
for truly important matters, for the fundamental questions of human
life. Wisdom searches for the fundamental questions in human life. What
gives my life purpose? How can I become a good person? How can I succeed
in becoming gracious, true, patient, merciful? Wisdom has something to
do with experience, in so far that one not only understands something,
but also acts accordingly. In Biblical testimony this is connected with
the recognition of God. Job is a wise man, because he trusts in God even
thought he is miserable. Salomon is a wise man, because he is aware
that, ultimately, all his might as a king and his riches cannot give him
total contentment. Wise is, says the Bible, who accepts advice and who
has patience. One becomes wise by searching out the company of wise
people. Thus far the theory. Now, what does the practice look like? The
American author Truman Capote has said: “The misery of mankind is that
the clever are cowardly, the courageous stupid and the able are
impatient. The ideal would be the courageous clever person with the
necessary patience.” Apparently, there are not enough wise people. It
appears as if either stupidity or arrogance triumphs in this world. For
otherwise, the misery of many people could not be explained. This seems
to have nothing to do with God. Namely, our verse of the month says of
him that he is gracious, true and enduring and full of mercy. It is a
pity that we are still so far removed from the wisdom of the Bible
now-a-days and the imitation of God’s character. With the best wishes
for the month of September, I remain with kind regards, your Pastor
Stefan Wolf
Sailing
Course
the Highlight
of the
Summer!
We
ultimately have to thank someone from our congregation, that 11 children
of our day care could take part in a sailing course of the “Marine del
Ray”-Yacht clubs. He had spoken our nursery a conversation with a
presiding member of the club. For the club is supposed, according to its
regulations, to teach children from this vicinity sailing without cost.
The contact with the day care was quickly established and the children
registered. According to the parents, these were the most eventful
summer days for the children, who already at the very beginning of the
course sailed out into the lake with their boats. Professional teachers
have indeed brought the children in a two-week course to a point, where
they could, on August 30th, on the occasion of a festive
banquet, receive, with much pride, their sailing certificates. The
children reciprocated with a thank-you speech and handed out letters
they had written themselves, in which they expressed their thanks for
this remarkable offer and the hospitality of the club. A continuation is
planned for next year. There are four different sailing certificates in
order to reach the regatta stage. Here we join the children and also
express our heartfelt ‘Thank You’ to the Yacht Club and to our
congregational member!
Another
Step Towards Beautification
In
case you have visited our church recently, you have certainly seen it:
Our parking lot which serves, at the same time, as a playground to the
day care centre, has finally received a new tar covering. Furthermore,
robust and good-looking sheds have been erected for toys and equipment.
Once again, we owe thanks to the considerable grants given to the day
care centre and the busy helpers, who, with skilled craftsmanship have
constructed sandboxes, platform
s and erected small houses. I believe we
cannot thank enough, that there are always congregational members who
contribute to the day care. As congregational members, too, we can be
thankful, that our day care work has again profited from beautification
– this time the playgrounds.
Presentation of Award with Surprise Visit
At
the end of the Synod Meeting, a presentation of awards took place by the
Synod. Besides Ordination and Service Anniversaries, four award winners
were also honoured for their merits in church and community. One of
those four prizes, the so-called “Community Leadership Award” went to
Pastor Wolf for his work in the district and for social work. The award
is designed by the artist Shirley Elford, who has also designed the
“Juno Awards”. A glass flame symbolizes the light according to Matthew
5, verse 16, which one ought to light before the people “so that they
see your good works and praise your Father in heaven.” It was a special
surprise, because a few congregational members attended the award
presentation. Pastor Wolf acknowledged in his thank-you speech the
people, with whom and for whom he works. “It is important that we apply
the abilities, which God gives us, for those who do not have a voice and
lack attention.
Sunday School resumes again
It’s the most wonderful
time of the year!!
Sunday school starts
again on Sunday September 10, 2006 for both the English service at 9:45
a.m. and the German service at 11:00 a.m.. It’s been a terrific summer
and we’re planning all kinds of fun adventures for the fall. We look
forward to seeing everyone soon!! If you’d like to help out teaching
one Sunday per month, please contact Monika Schmidt by phone 416-760-7082 or
email mschmidt@workbrain.com.
Regatds from
Christina, Marlena, Tanya, Merlin, Iris, Peggy & Monika.
EKD’s
Prospects to fill the new Pastor’s Position
by August 1, 2007
In September, through the
Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), our Pastor’s position will be
posted. A questionnaire, which is the same for all foreign
congregations, is presently being in the hands of the church council
members, who function as contacts. This questionnaire is not yet about
concrete details regarding expectations of the new Pastor, but solely
about the description of the situation of the congregation and the work
in Canada. The EKD assumes that several applicants will step forward and
apply for the position. The hope is that before Christmas a selection of
three applicants will be proposed to the congregation. The applicants
should be invited for interviews at a later date to Toronto, probably in
January or February. In a letter to the church council, the EKD promises
to provide our congregation with a successor.
Brief Report on the
Conference of the
EKD-Pastors in New Jersey
At
the request of the EKD, the five Pastors and their families, sent to
North America, shall meet once a year to an exchange of experiences.
This time, the Conference took place at Liberty Corner, New Jersey,
about one hour drive from Manhattan, from August 17 to 20th.
The families who serve in Washington D.C., New York, Ottawa and Toronto,
gathered in a conference house, built by German Deaconesses Despite
certain situations, which are connected with building and congregations
– for instance, the congregation in Washington does not own a church and
turns more than all other congregation to German temporary immigrants
(Expatriates); some things are similar, for instance, that all the con
gregations
make a great effort to preserve the German language and have offer
various programs for extending the congregational structure. There,
we have also informed ourselves about a very exclusive, but also very
attractive Old Age Home. Furthermore, we undertook a trip to Manhattan.
On Sunday, the church
service in the St. Paul’s Church in New York took place.
All five Pastors have spoken briefly on the sermon text of the Sunday.
Pastor Wilfried Wasserman and Mrs. Barbara deserve praise for the
organization of the conference. To this, my family and I have added a
three-day vacation in New York.
The Time has Come! The Congregational
Chronicles
will be published on October 1st 2006
After
18 months of work, the book on 50 Years Martin Luther Church, Toronto,
is going into print now. The coloured, informative Book contains 128
pages, presents the events between the years 1955 to 2005, clearly
arranged and graphically, and shows documents, photos, which give a good
insight into the events of the history of the congregation. The team of
authors is satisfied with the result and now hopes, that the
congregation will accept the book with interest and enthusiasm. The sale
takes place after the joint service on Thanksgiving on October 1st. 150
Books are ordered. The exact sale price will be made public.
We invite
everyone cordially to our Thanksgiving Service on October 1st at 11:00
a.m.!
As
in the past years, we will celebrate a joint Thanksgiving in the German
and English languages. PLEASE bring along
donations for the Food bank!
I have just been notified that the two
food banks in our
vicinity are totally depleted. Therefore we request that you bring
imperishable foods (cans, fruit, tuna, noodles, rice etc.) and put
them into the baskets at the entrance of the church. We thank you for
your donations!
There will be a JOINT SERVICE at 11:00 a.m. followed by a
LUNCH and COFFEE HOUR
and we will introduce
our book “50 Years Martin Luther Church”.
We look forward to your coming!!
Coming: Brass band from Germany!
On
September 12, 2006 an eleven person brass band from Germany visits Pastor Hille (at the front right), whom many have met, and will give concerts
in churches with some professional wind players. Among other things, are
planned a Matinee Concert on Friday, September 15th, 2006 from 6:00 p.m. on the the
Wienecke Farm, planned by Peter Wienecke. The congregation is cordially
invited to this event. Varied wind music and a BBQ will be offered. Food
and drink donations are welcomed. Transportation will be arranged,
please register as soon as possible with Pastor Wolf. On Sunday
September 17th, 2006 there will be a joint service at 11:00 a.m., during
which the wind players will present chorales and music from the
renaissance, classics and modern. We ask for active participation and
hope to be able to pick up the costs of the wind players through
donations. I can promise you that this music will be a true delight for
the ears.
Who will
donate Flowers for the Altar?
As
you know, Mr. Karl-Ernst Kriese has arranged the flower decorations for
Sunday Services for several decades. After his passing away, we now
realize very clearly, that this task is not so easy to take over as we
thought. Therefore we are looking for donors, who give flowers or money,
so that we can arrange the flower decorations on the altar as is
fitting. Please inform Pastor Wolf.
Letters of the Bishops
in their Original Text
On the following page you will
find first of all a letter of our Bishop Michael Pryse, who comments on
the Synod’s majority decision in view of the so-called „local option“
regarding the blessing of same sex couples, and a letter of the National
Bishop, Raymond Schulz. The church council will deal with the contents
of these letters after the summer break.
_____
Dear Synod
Family,
July 9, 2006
Grace and
peace be unto you!
I am writing
to you having just concluded the closing worship service of our Eleventh
Biennial Convention – Synod Assembly 2006. The service was wonderfully
inspiring and uplifting and now our delegates are returning to their
homes having participated in a full and challenging five days of
inspired work on behalf of our church.
In the coming
weeks, your delegates will provide you with their individual reports on
our total convention experience. Several, however, have requested that I
communicate with you regarding our synod’s significant action concerning
the blessing of same gender unions.
On Thursday
July 6, 2006, 72.4% of our registered delegates voted in support of the
following resolution:
That the
Eastern Synod of the ELCIC recognizes that the blessing of same-gender
couples who want to make a life-long commitment to one another in the
presence of God and their community of faith is a matter of pastoral and
congregational discretion. Authorization to perform such blessings
shall require the consent of the pastor and the consent of the
congregation or calling agency, as expressed by a 2/3 majority vote at a
duly called meeting of the congregation or calling agency, and in
consultation with the bishop.
By virtue of
this action, same gender couples may now have their unions blessed
within the context of those Eastern Synod ministries which are willing
and able to meet the conditions specified within this motion.
This action
is, of course, quite controversial and will be received with both
happiness and distress by individual members of our synodical family.
While I am mindful of this reality, I am very supportive of the action
taken by our synod. In
my view, it represents a reasonable accommodation that allows for a
diversity of pastoral practice.
Those congregations who wish to offer prayerful support to persons in
committed same-gender partnerships now have a responsible means of doing
so. At the same time, this resolution protects the rights of pastors and
congregations who do not wish to be partnered in actions that they
cannot, in good conscience, support. While this action does not answer
the broader questions before us, it does provide a responsible process
that allows pastoral decisions to be made by those who will be most
affected by them.
In my report to the convention, I made the following observation. “In
some ways, the witness we provide while engaging our differences is more
compelling than that of the decisions we will make.”
In this regard, I am pleased to
tell you how proud I am of the way in which our delegates – regardless
of position – prayerfully and respectfully engaged one another around
this challenging issue. It was, I think, a compelling witness; a
witness which I trust to be similarly evident as our conversations
continue throughout the synod in the months ahead.
Remember, those who would claim the greatest truth must always seek to
demonstrate the greatest love!
May God grant each of you a blessed and restorative summer season!
With all best
wishes,
Bishop Michael J. Pryse
_______
EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN
CANADA
302-393 Portage Ave. Winnipeg MB R3B 3H6
Phone 1.204.984.9150 Fax 1.204.984.9185
NEWS RELEASE
From the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC)
LETTER TO THE CHURCH FROM
NATIONAL BISHOP RAYMOND SCHULTZ
Winnipeg, 17 July 2006--The following is the text
from a letter to the Church from National Bishop Raymond Schultz:
Dear Friends,
Many members of the ELCIC are aware that the Eastern Synod, meeting in
convention Thursday, July 6, 2006, voted by a 72% majority, the
following resolution:
That the Eastern Synod of the ELCIC recognizes
that the blessing of same-gender couples who want to make a life-long
commitment to one another in the presence of God and their community of
faith is a matter of pastoral and congregational discretion.
Authorization to perform such blessings shall require the consent of the
pastor and the consent of the congregation or calling agency, as
expressed by a 2/3 majority vote at a duly called meeting of the
congregation or calling agency, and in consultation with the bishop.
Some delegates to the Eastern Synod convention questioned whether the
synod has the jurisdiction to adopt such an action, particularly in view
of the fact that the 2005 National Convention rejected a resolution very
similar in wording. However, a motion to refer the matter to National
Church Council (NCC) and/or the Court of Adjudication for a ruling was
defeated.
In a pastoral letter dated July 9, 2006, Bishop Pryse wrote:
By virtue of this action, same gender couples
may now have their unions blessed within the context of those Eastern
Synod ministries which are willing and able to meet the conditions
specified within this motion.
The Officers of this church will bring a recommendation to NCC regarding
the legality of the Eastern Synod resolution at the September 15-16,
2006 meeting to be held in Winnipeg. The Constitution, Bylaws and
National/Synodical Responsibilities policy of the ELCIC will form the
basis on which the decision is made. The question will not be referred
to the Court of Adjudication unless an appeal of the NCCs decision is
filed.
It would be advisable for congregations considering
the blessing of same gender couples to wait until NCC has made a ruling
on this matter before proceeding further.
I would hope that members and ministers of this church will refrain from
speculating on possible outcomes before NCC has opportunity to issue its
ruling. Rather than call an immediate meeting without sufficient
preparation, I have urged NCC to take the time between now and the next
meeting to review the action of the Eastern Synod in light of this
church’s documents and prepare itself for a jurisdictional ruling.
A number of members have written letters to NCC expressing their concern
over this matter. They have been assured that their letters have been
received and that the matter has been placed on NCCs agenda. Due to
staff vacations in the national office, it may not be possible to reply
to subsequent correspondence in a timely manner.
National Bishop Raymond Schultz
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC)
Visit of Pastor & Mrs. Reichel
From
September 21st to 23rd, 2006 Pastor Siegmar Reichel
and his wife Gertrud will come for a short visit. Unfortunately, there
is no time for a date in our congregation, for Reichels are on their way
to visit their daughters in Edmonton and Atlanta.
Thanks to Pastor Joachim
Knaack
We thank Pastor Knaack for
conducting the church service on Sunday August 20th, 2006.
Confirmation Instruction
on Tuesdays Now!
On account of growing demand and other appointment
difficulties, confirmation instruction will take place on Tuesdays,
starting September 19th, 2006, every two weeks at the church, Pastor’s
office.
Summer Break Ends
All groups and circles begin their
meetings and
activities again as of September. Please note the dates on the attached
calendar.
German Contact Circle
The German Contact Circle meets on
Thursday, September 21st,
2006 at 7:00 p.m. at the First Lutheran Church, Bond Street, Toronto.
We baptized...
Jack
Schaeffer
Fiona Hennecke
For he will give his angels charge of you to guard you in
all your ways.
(Psalm 91, 11)
Married were...
Elke
Gutsch and Frank Seidel
So faith, hope, love abide, these
three, but the greatest of these is love.
1.Corinthians 13, 13
The Last Word
Wisdom is the ability to realize, when one’s intelligence is at its
end.
(Author unknown)
