Some time ago, I went to a match of the Blue Jays, together with my son Benedikt. For us, it was the first time to experience the excitement in the Sky Dome and learn more about baseball rules. In this match, especially Inglett and Overbay scored some pretty good runs. My impression is baseball is somehow special because it is a combination of both, the cooperation within the team, and the challenge for the single player, to keep cool and show proficiency in crucial moments.

Cooperation within a team  – we could see how important this is, at the congregational picknick in Camp Edgewood. It was pretty cold, nevertheless it was a beautiful day, and the reason was many contributed according to their interests and talents: the children with the very joyful and lively play "You Are Special"; the players of brass, piano and guitar; the ladies who provided delicious cakes; Monika Schmidt and her team with all the fun games for the kids; my wife with some joyful dances for the congregation; the soccer freaks who got the perfectly fair 6 – 6 result in some mysterious way; and many many more who helped and contributed. Paul compares a congregation with the cooperating members of the body (1. Corinthians 12) and stresses, if all cooperate, with their strengths and with their weaknesses, something beautiful, a whole thing becomes possible, just as by a sports team.

Paul knows that sports is very positive (e.g. 1. Corinthians 9:24), first for training of cooperation within a team, second for training our body. Here the deepest reason may be Paul's conviction that God's Spirit dwells in our body (1. Corinthians 6:19) and that faith aims at helping us to develop the unity of spirit, soul and body. So let us enjoy summer time. Many may like to watch the Euro2008-soccer tournament. But for sure, doing active sports is much better. So let us benefit from the summer time, enjoy nature, breathe the fresh air and bathe in the sun, be active outside just according to our interests and physical abilities!

Therefore I wish you a wonderful summer time!

With kind regards,
Your Pastor Alexander Mielke

____________

Anna Lisa Wienecke and Iris Schweiger want to start a small German library in our church.

As buying German books often proves to be difficult and expensive, we ask members and friends of the Martin Luther Church to provide us with German books. Please note that the books should be in good condition and that Anna Lisa and Iris are going to decide which books are suitable as the storing facilities in the church are limited. It is possible to have a dedication with the donator's name within the book.

Welcome to contact these two for getting more information or sharing ideas and books: Anna Lisa Wienecke annalisahille@web.de / (905) 939-7441; Iris Schweiger (905) 625 9174.

____________

The Reading Circle will meet again: Monday, June 9, 5:00 p.m. in the church. Welcome.

____________

I am going to conduct services: in the Lake Shore Lodge, Sunday, June 8, 2:00 p.m.; and in the Moll Berczy House, Tuesday, June 10, 10:00 a.m. If some of our Christians could accompany me at these occasions, it would be a joy for those seniors.

____________

In the Seniors' Circle on June 18, Pastor Boettcher and his wife will talk  about "Protestant Churches in Japan". Start is 11:00 a.m. in the church. Welcome.

____________

We cordially invite you to the English Bible Study. Once a month we meet, now on Tuesday, June 10, at Peggy Rabey-Seifert's house in Mississauga. We want to read Gospel texts and exchange our experiences and thoughts, helping each other to live our faith in every day life. If you are interested, very welcome, just contact Pastor Alexander Mielke (Cellphone 416-567-2487).

____________

From June 22 until July 7, I am going to be in Germany. First I will take part in the World Conference of EKD in Berlin, July 1 until 7. Second, I will be on vacation the week before. Almost immediately after that, there will be the Biannual Assembly of the Eastern Synod in London/Ontario from July 9 to 13, here our President Ernst Wienecke and I will be delegates of the Martin Luther Church. At these Sundays, services will be conducted by Pastor Joachim Knaack, Pastor Gerd Hille (father of Anna Lisa Wienecke) and also by my wife – a heartfelt thank you to all of these! During this time contact the church office for more information.

With kind regards, your Pastor Alexander Mielke

____________

Join us at Camp Lutherlyn 2008 !

Saturday July 26th departure 2:00 p.m. - Friday August 1st arrival 6:00 p.m. 2008

For many years the Martin Luther Church invites youth for a summer-camp to the Golden Lake. The Camp wants to give children and youth in the age between 8 and 18 the opportunity to have a good time with others and to enjoy the beautiful landscape and activities around the lake, The counsellors are experienced youth leaders of the church, who take care of the needs of the campers and provide an interesting program with creative games and sports. Part of the program are bible-studies which combine biblical stories with outdoor activities. The campers sleep in cabins in groups of 10. Meals are cooked by the staff of the Camp. Camp Lutherlyn  is 150 acres of rolling land with meadows, forest and splendid beaches, located on beautiful Golden Lake, near Pembroke, Ontario. A variety of accommodations is available: - during the summer months, children make use of the roomy cabins, each sleeping 10 - 12 persons. -at other times of the year, accommodations are available in the Director's and Nurse's cabins. - The Four Seasons Lodge provides year round wheelchair accessible accommodation, with indoor washrooms and showers and four bedrooms, each having two upper and two lower bunks; it also includes a kitchen, dining area, and lounge and discussion facilities. -tent and trailer sites (without hook-ups) are available from mid-May to mid-October. Schmeider Hall offers a spacious kitchen and dining hall with plenty of meeting space around the warmth of an open fireplace. Adjacent to Schmeider Hall is a worship shelter, providing a sheltered area for group activities or mealtime overflow.  

The Price   $225.00  for each camper/week; Camper/day $50; Family/week $300 = 1 adult 1 child, extra child $100 Please make cheque payable to "Martin Luther Lutheran Church" and mail to Martin Luther Evangelical Lutheran Church 2379 Lake Shore Blvd West, Toronto, Ontario M8V 1B7  Attention: Dan Sommerfeld, Camp Counsellor.  

Bus  $50 Single Family $75 We offer a discount for families and siblings!

• We also help you, if the costs are not affordable for you!
• We offer bus transportation

Please find more information and the registration forms on our website www.martinluther.ca
Contact Dan Sommerfeld feld-of-dreams@sympatico.ca or Pastor Alexander Mielke for further information.

____________

A heartfelt Thank You from our confirmands to all who shared their joyful celebration of confirmation on May 11, 2008:  Katrina Kumpa, Nadine Jongsma, Jocelyn Sommerfeld, Niklas Benseler, Franz Zultner und Nicholas Rosati. We also like to thank all those who helped and contributed for the confirmation service, especially the confirmands' families who provided the lovely flower decoration.

____________

I cordially invite to a new confirmation course. It is to begin in the second half of September of this year and lead to confirmation on Pentecost in 2010. By meeting every second week, the burden of transport for parents is not as heavy. Children are welcome to be registered also at a younger age, even shortly before they reach the age of 12. Please inform me per telephone or e-mail, if your child is eligible.

____________

Since December, I send out Greeting cards on birthdays of congregational members. Please forgive me, in case you have not received a card, our list is very incomplete. Please inform our church office of your birth date and let us also know if someone, who would enjoy a card, did not receive a greeting!

____________

The Martin Luther Church participates in the Food Bank of Mimico United Church. Good, well-wrapped non-perishable foods are needed. They can be brought to Sunday church service or dropped at the church office during the week. Money donations also help the Mimico United Church in this mission. Please do support this important service on a continual basis for the local community and needy people. Many thanks!

____________

The Rocky Mountain College Choir & Orchestra gave a great concert in our church. The choir of which Andrea Wienecke is part showed its competence in both, in classical and contemporary music, in quiet and in powerful tunes, and everything was performed in an attitude of prayer and adoration. The choir expressed its gratitude for the delicious und bounteous potluck (They were so happy not to get only Lasagna again...), and especially Family Wienecke did a tremendously good job by accomodating nearly 50 guests!

By the way: Andrea Wienecke looks forward to a very special celebration. On Saturday, August 16, 2008, 2:00 p.m., she is going to marry John Anthony Schmidt in our Martin Luther Church!

_______________

Congregational Picnic in Camp Edgewood on June 1st, 2008

______________

Dear Members and Friends of the Martin Luther Church,

I like to thank all members of the council incl. the volunteers (men from our congregation) to help in different capacities to make our Mothers Day Luncheon another success. Thanks to the Ladies of the Council who took over the Church duties and also looked after the table decoration, so the men could help setting up the tables and preparing  the meal etc ..

Thanks to the generous free donation of the Kaiser buns, bread, cakes and Berliner Sugar Ballen from the Dimpflmeier Bakery and the large discount from Ron Eaton, Owner of  Div. of Eaton Fine Foods (former Lein Deli) on the cold cuts, Veggie trays, Potato salad etc.

We were able to raise $ 431.00 (after expenses) for the Kindergarten/congregation in Sao Paulo. In total we have now  $ 1,035.00 in our Brazil-Account and  this amount has already been forwarded, with the help of Gunter Gall, to our Sisters and Brothers in Sao Paulo.

God's blessing to all of you, greetings and cheers from
Hans-Joachim Arndt, Treasurer and Organisator of Mother's Day Luncheon

 ____________

 This joyful party was able to experience the magnificent beauty of the Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton. A big Thank You to Dina Wancar and Heidi Jonuschies who organized this lovely trip.

  

 ____________

Gerhard Sauer organized a wonderful film afternoon in Club Heidelberg in St. Catherines (and he even was a very competent and safe bus driver all the way) – a heartfelt Thank You!

_________________

In 2006, the Eastern Synod, gathered in Assembly, adopted a Renewed Vision for Mission. As part of this vision, every congregation was encouraged to have a congregational mission plan. The Taking It Home Team is facilitating a series of day-long events to be held in each conference of the Eastern Synod. Every Eastern Synod congregation is encouraged to send a team to one of these events.

Your team will experience a process for initiating mission renewal and you will be equipped to replicate the process within your own congregation.

Your team will help your congregation to:

(Re)discover God's dream for your community, congregation, and life;

Develop a purpose/mission statement for your congregation;

Read your context;

Focus your congregation's ministry around key "strategic directions".

Your team of 6 members will identify 3 to 6 action steps you can and will take in order to spark mission renewal in your congregation.

Needed are people who have a keen interest in making a difference; people who are open to the future, prepared to participate and help with implementation plans.

Saturday, September 27, 2008, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Redeemer Lutheran Church, London
The Church Council decided to take part in this program. Welcome to join the group.

 

EMAIL DISTRIBUTION LIST