The Canadian Lutheran - May/June 2025

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Answer God’s call to be friends of creation, and help us restore an ecosystem by joining

The Friends of Creation Challenge

Your congregation can stand with communities on the frontlines of climate crisis with three easy steps!

• Commit 4 Sundays to learning and praying about climate change, and what scripture has to say.

• Choose one thing from our list of suggested actions your church can take - or come up with your own!

• Pick a number of acres around Lake Chad that you’ll restore together by raising funds as a congregation -- any amount is ok!

Find youth resources, children’s activities, videos from Lake Chad, Bible studies and prayers at clwr.org/foc-challenge

design by Alex Steinke incorporating/ modifying Crucifix, Chalice, and Host, engraving by Eric Gill (1929). Original artwork via Wikimedia Commons, public domain.

The Canadian Lutheran is the national publication of Lutheran Church–Canada, published in Winnipeg six times per year: January/ February, March/April, May/June, July/August, September/October, November/December under the auspices of the Board of Directors (Communications and Technology Committee).

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TABLE TALK

LOVING THE UNLOVELY

Throughout the New Testament, we are repeatedly instructed to “love one another.” In one of these instances—when St. Paul tells us to “love one another with brotherly afection”—we are further instructed to “let love be genuine” (Romans 12:9-10). Which begs the question: what does genuine love look like anyway?

G.K. Chesterton gives us one good defnition in his classic book Orthodoxy. There he writes that “charity”— which is to say, abiding, intentional love—“means… loving unlovable people.”

Such love does not come naturally to sinful humanity. In fact, much of the world today teaches the exact opposite about love. We are told to identify “toxic people”—even family members—and cut them out of our lives. “Don’t waste your love on those who don’t deserve it!” the world says. “Love is for those who have proven themselves lovely and loveable!”

What blessed good news it is that God does not follow the same rules! For you see, we are all, as sinners, by nature unlovely. St. Augustine, in his homilies on 1 St. John, puts it this way: “Our soul, my brethren, is unlovely by reason of iniquity,” he writes. We are polluted by sin, deserving nothing but God’s contempt. Why should He waste His love on such unlovable creatures?

But while love for the unlovely might not come naturally to us, it does to God—for He is love itself (1 John 4:8). “God is always lovely, never unlovely, never changeable,” St. Augustine writes. And yet, this great God of love loves us in spite of our unloveliness! For “what were we when He loved us,” Augustine contemplates, “but foul and unlovely?”

On our own, we are not lovely. The beautiful image of God which was imprinted on humanity in Eden has been marred beyond recognition by sin. But God does not leave us in our disfgurement. He loves us anyway—and His love transforms us. God’s love fnds what is unlovely, and by loving it makes it lovely. As C.S. Lewis says in The Four Loves: “For the Church has no beauty but what the Bridegroom gives her; He does not fnd, but makes her, lovely.”

God’s love, then, preempts our own; we love Him because He frst loved us (1 John 4:19)—a love demonstrated through His own Son’s death and resurrection while we were yet sinners and unlovely (Romans 5:8). And that love transforms us. It makes us beautiful. It restores to us the image of God (Romans 8:29), and clothes us with His own loveliness.

What is more, God’s love takes us—who are, by nature, not only unlovable but also unloving—and begins to make us able to love like Him (1 John 4:19). The Holy Spirit kindles in us the fames of His own love, enabling us to begin to requite—if only in part—the great love He has shown to us. He loves us, and we love Him in return.

So it is that Scripture depicts the relationship between God and His people in terms of romantic love. “Behold, you are beautiful, my love,” God says to us, “behold, you are beautiful” (Song of Solomon 1:15). And we in love reply: “Behold, you are beautiful, my beloved, truly delightful” (1:16). God woos us—“Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away” (2:10)—and we do rise to follow Him. “I will rise now and go about the city, in the streets, and in the squares,” our soul replies. “I will seek Him whom my soul loves” (3:2).

Not that our love is the important thing. “In this is love: not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10). It is always His perfect love which awakens in us our own weaker love. It is always the love of God which makes possible our own love for Him and for our neighbour.

In this issue, we refect more deeply on the love of God and love for our neighbours. Rev. Mark L. Smith meditates on God’s love and how it moves us to love others (page six). Rev. Adam Chandler, meanwhile, refects on one group of neighbours too often considered “unlovely” by the world’s standards—the homeless—and explores what the Church’s response of love for these brothers ought to look like (page nine). Finally, Rev. Kurt E. Reinhardt, invites us to remember the lost—the unlovely—every time we come to church, bearing them to God in our hearts and entrusting them to His mercy (page twelve).

Heavenly Father, on our own we know we are loveless and unlovely. Yet You in Christ have shown us love beyond measure, unsought and unearned. Kindle in us the fames of Your love, that we might learn to love You and to love one another as we ought. Through Christ, our Lord, Amen.

My song is love unknown, My Saviour’s love to me, Love to the loveless shown That they might lovely be.

Oh, who am I That for my sake

My Lord should take Frail fesh and die?

- LSB 430:1

Christ Incarnate: Love Revealed and Given

“God is love” (1 John 4:8). These three words contain a universe of meaning. But in the Christian confession, they are not an abstraction or a sentiment. They are fesh and blood. They are Christ crucifed and risen. They are a pierced side, a chalice of forgiveness, a body given for the life of the world. In Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son, we see not only the love of God revealed, but the love of God bestowed—real, sacrifcial, and present.

The Fulfllment of the Scriptures

The unity of the Scriptures lies not in moral instruction but in the One who fulflls them. The Old Testament proclaims God’s steadfast love through promises, covenants, and saving acts. The New Testament unveils the fullness of that love in Jesus of Nazareth—God in the fesh—who is not merely a teacher of divine truths but the divine truth in person. Not a messenger, but the message itself. Not only does He proclaim the Kingdom of God—He embodies it.

Jesus’ parables are not clever illustrations—they are autobiographical revelations. The Shepherd who seeks the lost, the Father who runs to embrace the prodigal, the Bridegroom who comes at midnight—all point to the One who came “to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). On the cross, Christ does not merely speak of love—He becomes it. Love sufers. Love dies. Love rises.

Love in Flesh and Blood

The clearest expression of divine love is not only in Christ’s sufering but also in His giving. The night before He died, Jesus gave His body and blood to His disciples, instituting the Holy Supper as the perpetual feast of His self-giving. In the Sacrament of the Altar, love becomes tangible: not a memory or symbol, but Christ Himself—given and received.

This is no mystical ascent on our part, no reaching up to God through human striving. It is God stooping down to us. It is love descending. The eternal Logos, through whom all things were made, now nourishes us not with ideas, but with Himself. The true Bread from heaven feeds His people with the fruits of His cross—His body, His blood, His forgiveness, His life.

As Martin Luther confesses in the Large Catechism, “This treasure is conveyed and communicated to us in no other way than through the words ‘Given and shed for you’” (LC V, 29). Here, “for you” is the Gospel in its purest form—love delivered.

A Body United in Love

But the Sacrament does not only unite the believer to Christ; it unites the whole body of believers to one another. As Paul writes, “Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body” (1 Corinthians 10:17). The love of God poured out in Christ creates community—a Body. The Church is not a voluntary society but instead a communion born of divine love, sustained by divine gifts, and shaped by divine calling. We, in turn, do not love merely because it is commanded. Instead, “we love because He frst loved us” (1 John 4:19).

Jesus Christ is the incarnate love of God. “
Love has a name. Love has a face. Love has wounds.
In the Sacrament of the Altar, love becomes tangible: not a memory or symbol, but Christ Himself—given and received. “

This love, received in Word and Sacrament, overfows into daily life. It is not generic. It is concrete. It looks like compassion for the weak, mercy for the fallen, hospitality for the stranger, and help for the poor.

Christ does not divide love of God and love of neighbour. In Him, they are one. As He says, “As you did it to one of the least of these My brothers, you did it to Me” (Matthew 25:40). To ignore our neighbour is to ignore Christ. To serve our neighbour is to love and serve Christ.

Faith Active in Love

The Christian life is not built upon moralism or abstract charity. It is rooted in Christ, who gives Himself to us through His Word and Sacraments, creating saving faith through His Spirit. Faith justifes, but faith is never alone. It is living and active. It bears fruit. Faith, therefore, is a divine work in us which transforms us, making us a new creation in Christ.

This new life takes shape in concrete vocations, in service, in prayer, and in witness, as we breathe in the love of Christ through His Means of Grace and breathe out His

love in service to our neighbour. The Church’s mission then is not merely to inspire admiration but to bestow Christ. And the life of her members is not self-fulfllment, but self-giving—because Christ has given all.

Love Has a Name

Love has a name. Love has a face. Love has wounds. Jesus Christ is the incarnate love of God. He is the Shepherd who seeks the lost, the Lamb who bears their sin, and the Host who feeds them with Himself. In Him, God has turned toward us, embraced us, forgiven us, and drawn us into His own life.

Let us then love—not in our strength, but in His. Not as mere obligation, but as gift. Not as abstraction, but in truth and deed. And let us behold in Christ crucifed not only the image of love, but its enduring source.

“Behold what manner of love the Father has given unto us, that we should be called the children of God—and so we are.” – 1 John 3:1

Rev. M.L. Smith is Director of International Missions for Lutheran Church–Canada.

OPEN WIDE YOUR HAND

B Y AD A M C HANDLE R

“ For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have Me…” (Matthew 26:11). Christ Himself declares there will always be poverty. We can feel helpless, as a result, when we consider the prospects of helping the impoverished and homeless. After all, why bother trying to help a homeless person if there will always be another dozen people you can’t help? But when we consider the issue from a biblical perspective, we know that helping the homeless is never a pointless endeavor.

The causes of homelessness are many. Homes cost money. Land costs money. Therefore, poverty is inextricably linked to homelessness. Low-paying jobs and a lack of afordable housing are also major contributors to homelessness. Ill-health—both physical and mental—can make paying rent harder, especially if you have multiple illnesses. Substance abuse can lead to mismanagement of money as well as property. Domestic violence and unstable households can also leave people

on the streets, not to mention natural disasters which can claim entire buildings.

In the Bible, of course, not all of these causes of homelessness are directly addressed. In fact, the Hebrew people had a fundamentally diferent relationship to the land. For starters, the Israelites did not really “own” the land; the whole of the land belonged to God (Leviticus 25:23). But He granted the people use of the land for their families as an eternal inheritance on the condition that the people remain in the Lord. Even if the land were sold, it would automatically be returned to the family which sold it in the Jubilee year on the Hebrew calendar (Leviticus 25:29-30). After a period of time farming the property, it must be given back to its family of origin. Even so, homelessness is an issue that could arise in ancient Israel. For example, the book of Ruth describes a famine which caused Naomi’s husband to sell their land. Normally, such land should have reverted to the male inheritors in the family; but Naomi’s husband and sons died before this occurred, leaving Naomi homeless for a time.

Whether we look at homelessness in the past or in the present, it’s easy to see how homelessness leads to great sufering. Both in its causes and in its efects, we can see homelessness linked to death, natural disasters, substance abuse, broken relationships, and health problems. In all these things, one common theme emerges: sin. Death and

sufering have their origin in sin (Genesis 2:16-17; Romans 6:23). All illnesses, disasters, and other griefs of this world fnd their root in the corruption into which creation fell with Adam and Eve’s sin (cf. Genesis 3:17-19). Therefore, it is through sin—both the broader efects of sin in this world and sometimes through personal sin—that homelessness has come about in this world.

The good news is that God has fashioned a solution to the problem of sin—for the Son of God, Jesus Christ, has died on a cross to take away sin. The solution to homelessness, then—as for all sin and sufering in this world—is Christ Himself. And yet, while Christ has taken away the guilt of sin, we still see the consequences of it in this broken world. Indeed, sin will continue to plague our world until Christ comes again and all things are made new. When He refashions the creation in the new heavens and the new earth, then the former things will pass away (Revelation 21:1-4)— death, mourning, and also homelessness. But until this time comes—Amen, come Lord Jesus!—the world will continue in tribulation. Christ has indeed overcome the world and its sin by the cross; but we await the fnal revelation of that victory, when all the efects of sin, including homelessness, are fnally stamped out, as death is overturned in resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:25-26).

But doesn’t this leave us where we started? With the problem of homelessness being unsolvable until the age to

T HE F IGHT A GAINST

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A BOUT S OLVING AN

U NSOLVA B LE P ROBLEM

B UT TO DO AS MU C H

G OOD AS WE C A N F OR T HOSE W H O A R E A FFLICT E D BY I T.

come? Not exactly. We should remember that, when Jesus declares that we will always have the poor with us, He is likely alluding to Deuteronomy 15:11. There we read: “For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’”

God Himself declares: the homeless will always be with you… so generously help them! The fght against homelessness is not about solving an unsolvable problem but to do as much good as we can for those who are aficted by it. The Church’s mission has always been to ofer Christ’s grace to souls sufering from sin and its evils. Therefore, our focus should always be on helping the person in front of us in Christ. There will always be more people standing in line for help; but we can at least love the person standing in front of us with the love of Christ.

We can love the vulnerable in our communities with the love of Christ. These are people for whom our Lord died—people whom we want to see in heaven alongside us when all of us are fnally freed from sin and shame. And these things require a deeper answer than mere economic programs. We know homelessness will persist regardless of how much money, housing, and legislation is thrown at the problem. We also need to treat the spiritual crisis at the heart of things and share Christ in Word and deed as we come alongside the homeless. Then—when we see our Lord in His kingdom, and He tells us He was hungry and we gave Him food; that He was thirsty and we gave Him drink; that He was a stranger and we welcomed Him—then, we will understand that what we did for the least of the people in our community was done in the name of and to the glory of Christ (Matthew 25:35-40).

As we carry on that act of love, we can look to the Bible for examples of how God has instructed His people to care for the poor and homeless. Consider the Old Testament

instructions about gleaning felds. When Israelites worked the land, they never harvested their crops right to the edge of the feld. Instead, they would leave some produce behind, so that the poor and the sojourners could eat it (Leviticus 23:22). The land, after all, was God’s gift to His people—and its bounty was to extend to all people freely. Even foreigners in Israel who could never inherit land were nevertheless permitted to beneft from what the Lord provides (Ruth 2).

Many of us today, of course, are not farmers; and even if you are, you would not be expecting homeless encampments established on the edges of your fields ready to glean what you leave behind. Most homeless are living in the cities. So, what we can do is take a portion of what God provides us—our income, our time, and our strength—to give to charity.

The Old Testament also provided a solution to poverty in the form of temporary, indentured servitude (Deuteronomy 15:12-18), in which a Hebrew could hire himself out temporarily as a servant for a period of six years. This practice was very diferent from the slavery practiced in other ancient cultures or in recent North American history. During the period of service, the Hebrew servant would be provided with shelter, clothing, and food. In the seventh year, he or she would be set free—and such servants were not to be sent away “empty-handed,” either. Instead, they were to be provided “liberally” with goods and provisions by the person they had served—in essence, providing them what they needed for a new start.

Like gleaning felds, this temporary servitude does not have a direct parallel to modern society. But Christians today can certainly help the homeless in fnding gainful employment. Some churches might even run small businesses—perhaps a charity shop—where they could hire staf from the streets, teaching them employable skills like customer service and how to manage the money they earn.

In the New Testament, early Christians even sold their property and gave it to the poor (Acts 4:32-37). This allowed the community to distribute goods and money as needed, with designated members of the church ministering to these needs (cf. Acts 6:1-6). Congregations today can also appoint people to help the church assist those in need. Not everyone can give money, but those who can should. Not everyone will evangelize to the homeless, but some should. And not everyone will serve soup and sandwiches, or distribute goods to the poor in our churches, but some should. There are also many Christian organizations which have been formed with these goals in mind, which we are free to support. What can you do?

R ev. Ad a m C handle r is pastor of Hope Lutheran Church in Victoria, B.C.

We Bring With Us, O Christ, This Day

We bring with us, O Christ, this day

The lost who’ve failed to come; Their brokenness has barred their way

To their dear Father’s home.

Upon our hearts we bear the lame

To lay them at your feet; From sin’s great paralyzing shame Release them, we entreat.

Upon our hearts we bear the blind Whose sin has robbed their sight; Their eyes are turned to look behind Help them to see Your light.

We bear with us the deaf and dumb

To cry for them to you; Sin’s closed their ears and kept them mum Lord open them anew.

Our hearts are stretchers for the lost

As we commune today; You died for them and paid sin’s cost Please help them, Lord, we pray!

Rev. Kurt E. Reinhardt’s hymn We Bring With Us, O Christ, This Day , including piano accompaniment, is available as a free PDF for congregational use on LCC’s website.

Rev. Reinhardt is a hymnwriter and pastor serving Trinity Lutheran Church in Kurtzville, Ontario.

LCANZ and JLC removed from membership in the ILC

WORLD – The International Lutheran Council (ILC) has removed the Lutheran Church of Australia and New Zealand (LCANZ) and the Japan Lutheran Church (JLC) from observer membership in the ILC. Both were removed for departing from the doctrinal positions required of all members in the ILC’s bylaws.

The decision to remove the two churches came during a meeting of the ILC’s Board of Directors on March 21, 2025, and followed a long period of outreach to the two churches in question. The churches were formally informed on March 30.

“The International Lutheran Council has previously expressed our dismay to both the LCANZ and the JLC over their decisions to depart from the clear teaching of Scripture and the doctrinal standards of the ILC by approving the ordination of women,” noted Rev. Dr. Klaus Detlev

Schulz, General Secretary of the ILC. “Since then, we have several times expressed our desire for respectful dialogue on this matter and encouraged the churches in question to return to the teaching of Scripture on ordination. But the churches have made clear they have no intention of doing so.”

The Japan Lutheran Church voted in 2021 to open ordination to women, in contravention of Art. II.1.D.2.b of the ILC’s

bylaws. That led to an automatic reduction in their status in the ILC from full membership to observer membership, in keeping with Art. II.3.a. In November 2021, the ILC began outreach to the JLC, informing them of their change in membership status, reaffirming the doctrinal requirements for ILC membership, and seeking an opportunity to discuss this serious issue in the hopes of fnding a resolution.

The Lutheran Church in Australia and New Zealand voted to approve women’s ordination in 2024, and was likewise automatically reduced to observer membership from its former associate membership. The LCANZ had been advised multiple times over many years that a decision to adopt women’s ordination would jeopardize their continued participation in the ILC, and this was reafrmed in a letter to the LCANZ in November 2024.

Meeting of the Augustana Working Group in Rome

ROME – The third meeting of the Concordia LutheranCatholic Augustana Working Group took place in Rome from February 23-25, 2025. President Thomas Winger (second from left) of Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary participates as one of the representatives of the International Lutheran Council.

ILC News

In both instances, the International Lutheran Council assured the LCANZ and the JLC that it remained open to discussing this issue in a spirit of love and mutual respect, and that our earnest desire was that they might return to the teachings of Scripture and be restored to their previous membership status in the ILC.

In January 2025, the ILC reached out again to the Japan Lutheran Church and the Lutheran Church of Australia and New Zealand, informing them that unless they demonstrated a willingness to discuss this issue and an openness to returning to the doctrinal position required for ILC membership, the board would have no choice but to remove them as observer members. Both wrote back to say they will carry forward with the ordination of women.

Consequently, the ILC board voted on March 21 to remove the LCANZ and the JLC from observer membership in the ILC, in accordance with the procedures required in Art. II.3.c.i of the ILC’s bylaws.

“We grieve this rupture in the long relationship the ILC has enjoyed with these two church bodies,” said Dr. Schulz. “And we continue to pray for repentance and a return to biblical doctrine and practice, so that we may welcome them back into the ILC.”

ILC News

Toward unity and growth: LCC and Malagasy Lutherans explore further cooperation in Quebec

ONLINE – On Ascension Day, pastors from Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC), Madagascar’s Malagasy Lutheran Church (FLM), and francophone pastors of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) gathered online in a signifcant frst meeting—one that refects a growing relationship decades in the making. The meeting began with the reading of Psalm 133: “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!”—a fitting verse for a moment that brought together Lutheran leaders serving francophone communities in Canada, especially Quebec.

This online encounter, while informal and introductory, represents a milestone in a broader, longterm development: the movement toward mutual recognition and deeper cooperation between LCC and the FLM. With the blessing of both church bodies’ presidents—Rev. Denis Rakotozafy (FLM) and Rev. Dr. Timothy Teuscher (LCC)— supervising pastors, Rev. Petera Toloantenania (FLM) and Rev. Dr. David Somers (LCC), have been appointed as spokespersons to lead these ongoing discussions.

An initial in-person meeting between Rev. Rakotozafy and Dr. Somers took place in Montreal on March 18, followed by a second conversation on May 1 between the two spokespersons. A third meeting, involving all FLM and francophone LCC pastors in Quebec and New Brunswick, is proposed for later this year.

This growing collaboration is a major step forward for LCC’s French-language ministry, which has gained momentum in recent years. The connection between Malagasy Lutherans and LCC dates back to the late 1980s, when a Malagasy doctoral student in Ottawa reached out to the now-dissolved Sauveur Vivant congregation. She and her children are now active members of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Ottawa.

Today, the FLM has six congregations in Quebec—double the number from just 18 months ago. Malagasy Lutherans now make up approximately one-third of LCC’s Quebec membership, and they are also present in congregations in Ottawa and Moncton. As younger generations of Malagasy Lutherans adopt French as their primary

language in Canada, their role in shaping the future of francophone Lutheran ministry in this country will only grow.

The Ascension Day meeting gave participants—pastors and one seminary doctoral student—a chance to introduce themselves and share their respective connections to the Malagasy Lutheran community, which now represents the majority of francophone Lutherans in Canada. This informal encounter ofered a frst look at the rich potential for mutual support, shared mission, and theological partnership.

Beyond fellowship and mutual encouragement, the collaboration between LCC and FLM is likely to be fruitful in many areas. Lutheran Church–Canada, through Lutheran Hour Ministries (LHM, which operates an ofce in Madagascar) and Lutheran Heritage Foundation (LHF), is helping distribute Lutheran theological materials in Malagasy, including a forthcoming translation of the Book of Concord scheduled for publication next year. With the FLM’s strong francophone base, the pool of potential pastors to serve LCC and FLM congregations in French will also be significantly broadened.

Both LCC and FLM are members of the International Lutheran Council (ILC), with the FLM currently holding observer status. The FLM has also previously indicated its desire to seek closer relations with the LCMS.

This first online meeting may have been brief and informal, but it signals the beginning of something much larger—a renewed vision for francophone Lutheran ministry in Canada, and a deepening bond between confessional Lutheran churches across continents.

New cohort of students for LCC PAT program

LCC’s PAT program was first approved and ratified by synod’s convention in 2002. The purpose of the PAT program is to provide LCC with pastors for extraordinary circumstances in unique ethnic, cultural, or geographical situations where Word and Sacrament ministry is not readily available.

CANADA – Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC)’s Pastors with Alternate Training (PAT) program has welcomed a new cohort of eight students, with classes recently having begun on April 10, 2025. The first course, Introduction to Theology, is taught by Rev. Dr. Sam Thompson, a professor with Concordia Lutheran Seminary in Edmonton, Alberta.

This program has been in existence for more than twenty years, and has recently undergone an expansion in keeping with LCC’s goal to equip leaders (More information on this expansion can be found in the March/April issue of The Canadian Lutheran magazine).

Early on, there were growing pains involving getting organized, recruiting candidates, and ensuring quality instruction. The program was designed by Rev. Dr. Andy Bacon and Rev. Dr. William Mundt, from LCC’s two seminaries. The first

LCC 2025 Annual Report

CANADA – Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) is pleased to announce the release of its 2025 Annual Report. More than a summary of statistics and fnancials, this report refects how God has been at work among us over the past year.

In the report, you’ll fnd a message from President Teuscher; updates on international and domestic missions; fnancial highlights; trends across our regions; and more!

The frst week of June, a digital copy of the report was emailed to all congregations. For your convenience and for broader sharing within your church, printed copies and supporting materials are in the mail and should arrive by the end of June. This includes: two printed copies of the report; speaking notes for a brief Sunday announcement; a bulletin insert for distribution; and a poster with a QR code link to the digital report.

We encourage pastors and leaders to present this report on a Sunday of your choice, using the provided materials to help highlight the collective work we are doing together in Christ.

If you have any questions or need additional resources, please contact Synod Ofce at 1-800-588-4226 or email info@lutheranchurch.ca.

leaders were Mission Executives, Rev. Dr. Glenn Schaefer and Rev. Dr. Leonardo Neitzel. More recently, in coordination with LCC’s President’s Ministry Council, the program was reorganized and reformatted by Rev. Dr. Thomas Winger, President of Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary in St. Catharines. In this expansion, Rev. Kevin Walrath now serves as PAT Coordinator, scheduling courses and instructors and ensuring effective movement through the program for the cohort of students.

Previously, courses were largely administered to one student at a time. Today, with online learning becoming increasingly common, the possibility of multi-student classes with qualifed Lutheran instructors is the preferred option. At present, there are twenty courses in the curriculum.

Photo by Anna Kraemer, All Saints Lutheran Church (Edmonton, AB)

Samantha Neeb to serve as LCC’s frst Associate Director - Family Ministries

CANADA – Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) is pleased to announce that Samantha Neeb will serve as Associate Director - Family Ministries, a role established by LCC’s Board of Directors in response to Resolution 22.3.03 passed at the 2022 Synod Convention.

This new full-time position was created to provide focused support and leadership in the areas of youth, young adult, and family ministry. The Associate Director - Family Ministries will work with leaders across Synod to develop resources, facilitate events, and build communication networks among church workers and volunteers. The goal is to equip and strengthen congregational ministry to families throughout the synodical family.

Neeb completed her studies in the Graduate Diploma of Parish Services program at Concordia Lutheran Seminary in Edmonton, graduating at the recent Sacred Convocation in May. She brings with her a strong background in both social work and

church work. Born and raised near New Hamburg, Ontario, she was baptized and confrmed at First St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Wellesley. She holds a Bachelor of Social Work and previously served in a variety of social service positions before attending CLS.

Of particular note is Neeb’s experience serving for three years as Youth Director at Trinity Lutheran Church in Richmond and Killarney Community Lutheran Church in Vancouver, British Columbia. Her diaconal formation included field education at Riverbend Lutheran Church in Edmonton, Alberta, where she was mentored by Dcn. Kathy Cornish, Rev. Sye Van Maanen, and Rev. Jan Pastucha. She completed her diaconal internship at King of Kings Lutheran Church in Dickson, Alberta under the supervision of Rev. Russ Howard.

Neeb has expressed deep gratitude for the many pastors, deacons, congregations, individuals, and

LCC chaplains to receive new Canadian Armed Forces Devotional

CANADA – Lutheran Church–Canada

(LCC)’s military chaplains will receive copies of the new Armed Forces Devotional Book Canadian Edition.

The devotional was prepared for them in cooperation with Concordia Publishing House, under the guidance of LCC military chaplain, LCdr the Rev. David Jackson, Senior Fleet Chaplain serving the Royal Canadian Navy’s Atlantic Fleet.

Modelled after the U.S. counterpart, this Canadianized devotional book begins with the Ten Commandments, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Apostles’ Creed. In addition to a variety of prayers, select Psalms,

and Scripture lessons, the devotional includes hymns, a brief summary of the Christian Faith, the Order for Christian Burial, and the Order for Holy Baptism.

The cover features LCC’s Badge, artwork by LCC member, Harrison Avery Prozenko.

As part of Lutheran Church–Canada’s service in congregations and reaching out to others, LCC serves our nation by mandating ordained pastors to serve as chaplains for His Majesty’s Canadian Armed Forces.

LCC is grateful to God to be able to provide faithful chaplains to serve

members of the seminary community who have helped shape her for service in the church.

Her start date will be August 1, 2025. Plans for Neeb’s consecration and installation are still being fnalized. Updates will be shared online as soon as they become available.

Neeb’s appointment marks a signifcant step forward in LCC’s ongoing commitment to support and strengthen ministry to families across Canada.

the men and women of our Canadian Armed Forces; and the church hopes this new devotional book will be a blessing to the chaplains of our Synod.

Call for Nominations for LCC’s 2026 National Convention

CANADA – As Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) prepares for its 13th Regular Convention, to be held June 12–15, 2026 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, members across our Synod are invited to prayerfully consider and submit recommendations for nominations for various synodical boards and commissions.

In April, a letter was sent to all LCC congregations inviting them to recommend nominees by October 12, 2025. Any LCC member may submit one or more names for consideration.

A congregational vote is not required to recommend someone. However, all submissions must use the ofcial nomination form and include required supporting documents. The form is available on LCC’s convention webpage: www.lutheranchurchcanada.ca/ synod-convention-2026/.

Recommendations are being sought for the following positions:

1. Board of Directors

To be elected: 5 lay persons; 3 pastors; and 1 deacon (with at least 1 individual from each region)

2. Commission on Adjudication

To be elected: 2 rostered workers from each region, 1 of whom must be a pastor (the other members of the COA are 3 lay persons appointed by each regional pastor, at least 1 of whom must be a lawyer).

3. Commission on Constitution Matters and Structure

To be elected: 3 rostered workers, 1 of whom may be a deacon; and 3 laypersons, 1 of whom must be a lawyer (the other member of the CCMS is the secretary of the BOD who is appointed to that ofce from among the Board members)

4. Commission on Nominations and Elections

To be elected: 4 rostered workers, at least 3 of whom shall be pastors and 1 may be a deacon; and 3

laypersons (each region is to be represented, if possible, by at least 1 member)

5. Commission on Theology and Church Relations

To be elected: 2 rostered workers serving congregations, at least 1 of whom must be a pastor or pastor emeriti; and 2 lay persons (the other members of the CTCR are a faculty member from each of our

two seminaries who is appointed or elected by the faculty, and a member appointed by the synod president)

6. Regional Mission and Ministry Council (RMMC)

To be elected: 1 lay person from each circuit (the RMMC consists of a lay person and the circuit counsellor from each circuit in the region)

7. Board of Regents (Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary, St. Catharines)

To be approved for selection by the Board of Regents: 1 pastor; and 1 lay person from each region (the names of those approved for selection at the convention are submitted to the BOR which makes the fnal ofcial election or appointment).

8. Board of Regents (Concordia Lutheran Seminary, Edmonton)

To be approved for selection by the Board of Regents: 1 pastor; and 1 lay

person from each region (the names of those approved for selection at the convention are submitted to the BOR which makes the fnal ofcial election or appointment).

Other details about the process: Recommended nominees must meet the eligibility and qualifcation standards as outlined in the recommendation for nominations package (available on the Convention webpage). Additional recommendations for nominations may be made from the floor of the convention, provided that the candidate has given written consent and the required biographical information in advance. All potential nominees must be vetted by the CNE. Please provide the CNE with the appropriate documentation prior to the start of the convention; failure to do so may result in disqualifcation. Individuals may be recommended for as many positions as desired. A list of individuals currently serving can be found on our Synod’s website under ‘Who We Are’ > ‘Governance and Leadership’ > ‘Board of Directors.’ If you wish to recommend more than one individual, you may duplicate the nomination form. Please note: Nominations for the ofces of President, Vice-President, Regional Pastor, and Circuit Counsellor follow a separate process that requires a congregational vote. Official nominating ballots for these ofces will be distributed to all congregations at a later date.

If you have any questions about the nomination process, please contact Angela Honey, Administrative Supervisor, at the LCC office by calling 1-800-588-4226 ext. 210 or by emailing a.honey@lutheranchurch.ca.

Thank you in advance for your participation in this important task that we are doing together as part of our synodical family. May the Lord bless and guide you in your deliberation on this matter.

“ Live your best life ever! Live the best version of yourself.”

We are inundated with slogans like these, and a whole selfhelp industry has arisen to assist us in this endeavor. Some of it can be helpful in stewarding our physical and mental wellbeing. Many people become disappointed and despair, however, because we are inconsistent in our pursuit of being our best self. Life happens, and sin, death, the devil, and our own fesh batter us down. We can feel like we are a failure or that there is something missing— something lacking. Sometimes we just feel fatigued.

What if there was something more true, more real than living our best life? Something more needful than living the best version of our self? What if eternal life was the real thing, the true thing, the needful thing?

Since the fall of our frst parents, human beings have been seeking eternal life, the fountain of youth, rejuvenation, healing. But because all humanity is fallen, we seek life in all the wrong places.

According to legend, the first governor of Puerto Rico in the 1500s, Juan Ponce de Leon, set out to Florida seeking a river of youth leading to eternal life. Seeking after the Holy Grail, a cup that ofers eternal life, is also the stuf of Crusader lore. Today the idea is common in entertainment both in adventures like Indiana Jones and as satire in Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

Christians comprehend the frailty of humanity by turning to our Creator and to His Word. In Genesis, we are

WEST REGION NEWS

LIVING ETERNAL LIFE

FROM THE REGIONAL PASTOR | REV. ROBERT MOHNS

reminded that God formed humanity out of the dust of the earth, breathed His Spirit into that feshy form, and thus man became a living being. Human beings are uniquely made in the image of God. We consist of both a physical body and a rational soul. In the fall the image of God was lost. But God did not put an end to humanity, nor did He change the essence of humanity; we are still body and soul people.

In the incarnation of Jesus, the Word was made fesh. Jesus, who is truly God and truly human, came into this world. He who is sinless bore the sins of every human being. He redeemed us, paying the death penalty that God’s justice requires for sin. He won salvation for all human beings and has given us eternal life.

By God-given faith, we cling to Jesus, who is our life and salvation— and we cling to His promise that, even though we die, yet in this body and soul we will be raised again and clothed with immortality. We take Jesus at His word: “This is the will of My Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in Him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:40). This Word has the power to fulfll what it promises.

Eternal life with Jesus is not just a promise to be fulflled in the future on the great day of the resurrection of all fesh; it is also a present gift for everyone who looks to Jesus. You are already living eternal life today.

There are many people who ofer therapies for body, soul, and mind. Apart from Jesus, these can only

ofer ways to focus your attempts to manipulate yourself to be in a better place. But your soul was not created to be manipulated by you. What if soulcare is not so much about receiving therapy but about receiving Christ and His good gifts?

Romans 6:3-4 says: “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”

If you have children not yet baptized, do not delay, but run to the baptismal font. If you yourself have not been baptized, present yourself before the font to receive the gift of Holy Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and adoption as God’s dearly beloved son or daughter.

Living eternally means going to church to receive God’s Word. It means receiving the Lord’s Supper every time it is ofered, for in it you receive the medicine of immortality. Living eternally is a life devoted to worship and prayer. It is a life of service, participating in acts of mercy. It is a life lived in the middle of sin, death, and sufering, with the Lord bearing you up. It is about faithfully working in your various vocations and insodoing bearing witness to Jesus, the true source of eternal living.

We have been created by God to live, and we have been redeemed through the blood of the Son of God, Jesus to live eternally. It is to this life God has called you.

WEST REGION NEWS

Rev. Dr. Mundt celebrates 50th ordination anniversary

CHILLIWACK, B.C. – On March 23, 2025, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church had the joy of commemorating the 50 th anniversary of the ordination of Rev. Dr. William Mundt. West Regional Pastor Rob Mohns was the special guest and brought greetings and a commemorative certifcate from Lutheran Church–Canada.

Dr. Mundt was ordained on March 23, 1975, at his home congregation in Crete, Nebraska. He studied at Lutheran

seminaries in Springfeld, Illinois, and Oberursel, Germany, receiving a Master of Divinity degree in 1974. He later obtained a doctorate from Utrecht University in the Netherlands. He served a vicarage in Connecticut before being called to Grace Lutheran Church (St. Catharines, Ontario) and then Bethel Lutheran Church (Kitchener, Ontario).

Dr. Mundt was active in the formation of Concordia Lutheran

Theological Seminary in St. Catharines, first in preliminary meetings leading to its formation, and then as an adjunct faculty member. He entered full-time service at the seminary in August 2000, when he joined the faculty to teach dogmatics and evangelism. During his 15 years of teaching at CLTS, he also served at various times as Academic Dean, Dean of Students, Director of Field Education, Vicarage, and Placement, and Director of Development, and taught courses in Ukraine, Thailand, and Cambodia.

Dr. Mundt retired from full-time service at the seminary in 2015, though not from ministry to the church in Canada. He continues to serve regularly as a relief pastor not only for the congregation at St. Paul’s, but also for other congregations throughout southwestern B.C.

As part of the anniversary celebration, the St. Paul’s congregation held a Mission Lunch with all proceeds going to support the work of one of Dr. Mundt’s former students, Vicar Nikolaj Pohiliy, who serves in the Bashtanka region of Ukraine.

VBS Food Truck Rolls in to Grace Lutheran

DRUMHELLER, Alta. – There are numerous stories in the Bible that revolve around feeding people or

sharing a meal. On Saturday, March 8, 2025, the VBS food truck rolled in to Grace Lutheran Church with

Bible stories centered on the theme of food. Twenty-fve children spent the day playing games, making crafts, singing, and hearing about God’s love—and of course, eating lunch and snacks from the food truck. The two stories that were the focus of the event were the feeding of the fve thousand and Jesus supplying ample fish to the beleaguered fishermen. About 14 helpers decorated the church in a food truck theme and presented the day’s activities. Many of the children from the community who attended have been coming to the monthly kids’ spaghetti suppers that the church provides and were eager to spend more time learning about God’s love.

WEST REGION NEWS

“Cook of Concord”: Feeding on Lutheran theology

PORT COQUITLAM, B.C. –

Generous portions of theology, fellowship, and food marked the launch of “Cook of Concord” at Hope Lutheran Church on January 28. The new monthly gathering drew 20 participants eager to read the Book of Concord and explore Lutheran theology while enjoying a shared meal. Engaging conversations flled the room as Rev. Lucas Andre Albrecht taught the historical and theological context of the book.

The menu presented Brazilian/ Albrecht pancakes (crêpes) accompanied by rice, salads, and an assortment of sweets. Thanks are due to Jay Albrecht, Steven Reilly, and Michele Malmberg for their support in preparing and organizing the meal.

The Cook of Concord project has been in the oven for the past six months, but it’s now coming to the table with meetings scheduled every fourth Tuesday of the month. Each meeting will have an assigned cook bringing a special dish for all to share, adding a unique culinary experience to the unique experience of reading the Book of Concord.

The Book of Concord holds a central place in Lutheran theology, presenting confessional documents that articulate the church’s biblical teachings. Anyone interested in exploring these foundational texts is welcome to join.

Rev. Lucas Andre Albrecht

Spaghetti and Meatballs Outreach

DRUMHELLER, Alta. – Spaghetti suppers for kids hosted by Grace Lutheran in Drumheller, have, for several years, been an outreach to the community. Along with a homemade

meal, kids participate in games and crafts, learn a Bible verse, and receive invites to other events at the church. There has been an amazing response in the community with anywhere

from 30 to 60 kids attending these monthly events, which have resulted in record numbers of kids attending Vacation Bible School.

Back in the 1920s, church leaders in the Manitoba-Saskatchewan District formed a Board for Youth Work. One of their concerns was the transition of younger generations to English rather than the German of their parents and churches. A signifcant focus of their work then focused on teaching and proclaiming faith in Jesus Christ in English so that these young souls might not be lost to God’s Kingdom. And one of the early initiatives of this board was fnding a camp site for youth.

In 1932, in the midst of the Depression, a mile of lakefront property an hour northeast of Regina became available for basically for the price of back taxes. Thus was born Camp Lutherland in the Qu’appelle River valley. Until 1959 (when circuits were organized and began having their own activities), an annual rally day at Lutherland was a focus of District activity and social life.

The Central Region today is vast and our camps have long been a focus of life together beyond our parishes. We are blessed with three camps: Lutherland (www.camplutherland. com) in southern Saskatchewan; Jackfsh (jackfshbiblecamp.com) in the Assiniboine Circuit outside of Roblin, Manitoba; and Aurora (www. auroralutheranbiblecamp.com) outside of Thunder Bay, Ontario. Jackfish started in 1961, Aurora in 1955 (so this year marks its 70th anniversary), and Lutherland in 1932.

I have had involvement with all three camps, and so they hold a special place in my heart. I attended Jackfsh as a camper, Aurora as pastor of the week, and have led retreats at Lutherland as a vicar and pastor. Camps have been a

CENTRAL REGION NEWS

SUMMER CAMPS

FROM THE REGIONAL PASTOR | REV. DAVID HABERSTOCK

positive experience for me, encouraging and reinforcing my faith, and providing an opportunity to serve the Lord.

Without camps, of course, I would still have been a Christian and stayed in the faith. After all, true, lasting faith formation happens week in and week out in the home and in the Church through constant contact with Christ’s Word and Sacraments. But camp is an additional opportunity to learn God’s Word while making friendships and enjoying the beauties of God’s creation. For many people, camps plant seeds of faith—especially when home life doesn’t provide consistent nurture and formation in the faith. One year at Camp Aurora, for instance, after several years of concerted teaching on Holy Baptism we had a record number of baptisms from kids whose families sent them to camp but had not brought them to the font.

Camps also play a wonderful role in the life of parishes and parishioners. I know of many a marriage, and thus generations of faithful, which started at our camps. I’ve heard stories of District youth gatherings at Jackfsh where President Roy Holm was the pitcher (and umpire?) for softball. For years, Lutherland was the site of South Saskatchewan confrmation and youth retreats. And Aurora was once the heart of relationships between the LCC congregations of Thunder Bay. Family camps and work bees forged lasting friendships as congregations worked and prayed and played together.

Over the years, needs have shifted. In early years, camp programs were run by adult volunteers from various congregations, usually connected to programs like the Walther League

or Sunday School. The focus was mostly on youth and young adults. Then there was the Baby Boom programmatic shift to several weeks of camps run by youth and young adults for children. With the Boomers now in their elderhood, needs have changed again. Since the pandemic, families and children are more reticent to participate in overnight camps stafed by teenagers. And mature, devoted teenagers are harder to fnd and recruit. Given these trends, it might serve us well to shift back towards a youth and young adult focus. After all, society is shifting and is increasingly hostile to the faith. Finding spouses has never been harder, let alone Christian spouses. In order to stay in the faith, young adults need places to grow in the knowledge of their faith and to meet Christians friends and spouses. Providentially, in the last two years all three Regions have had young adult retreats, and at least one marriage has already resulted, as well as multiple friendships and connections! Imagine how our camps can partner to serve these needs.

I encourage you to get involved with our camps! If there is no camp near you, follow the example of the Northlands Circuit over the last two years and plan a group family camping weekend. Back in February, I attended and presented at a wonderful time of fellowship with 50 folks from the congregations of the Northlands Circuit. Getting together for a time of retreat with your Christian family beyond your own congregation is always a blessing, and the relationships with other Christians you build there are a reward in themselves.

CENTRAL REGION NEWS

Lutheran camps are in full swing across Central Region

CENTRAL REGION – Summer is alive across Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC)’s Central Region, and so are our beloved Lutheran Bible camps. Children, youth, and families are gathering at Camp Lutherland, Jackfish Lutheran Camp, and Aurora Lutheran Bible Camp—making memories, deepening friendships, and most importantly, gathering around Christ-centred teaching.

Camp Lutherland (Fort Qu’Appelle, SK) is ofering a full lineup this summer, including youth camps, a family weekend, and a seniors’ retreat in August. Jackfsh Lutheran Camp (Roblin, MB) is hosting three age-specific weeks. Aurora Lutheran Bible Camp (Thunder Bay, ON) is welcoming campers of all ages, from little ones and their parents to teens.

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

• Pray for campers, leaders, and volunteers throughout the summer season.

• Volunteer next year as a counsellor, cook, musician, or where needed.

• Host your church’s retreat, youth event, or family gathering at one of the camps during the off-season.

• Donate to support camp operations or to help fund scholarships for campers in need.

• Plan ahead to send your children, grandchildren, or young people from your congregation next summer.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THESE CAMPS AND HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED, VISIT:

• www.camplutherland.com

• www.jackfishbiblecamp.com

• www.auroralutheranbiblecamp.com

Confrmation in Atikokan

ATIKOKAN, Ont. – Naomi Beyak, Jason Kim, and James Langner were confrmed on Easter Sunday, April 20, by Rev. Steve Bartlett at Faith Lutheran Church.

Grandview Games Night

GRANDVIEW, Man. – The evening of March 14, 2025, saw a large portion of the congregation of Hope Lutheran Church gather for an evening of socializing and games like dominoes, crokinole, and Yahtzee, topped of with munchies and soft drinks.

Tea and bake sale for Jackfsh Camp

GRANDVIEW, Man. - On April 12, 2025, Hope Lutheran Church held a tea and bake sale with the donations going to Jackfsh Lutheran Bible Camp in Roblin, Manitoba, one of only three Lutheran Bible camps associated with Lutheran Church–Canada. Donations totalling $714 were given to the camp at a camp board meeting held on April 30, 2025.

Lately, I’ve been admiring a lovely tapestry I was given some years ago. Tapestries are wonderful things, woven together into an intricate beautiful scene. Each time you look at it, you see a diferent aspect than before.

Some people lay tapestries on their bed, hang them on a wall, or drape them over a chair. But no matter how they are displayed, tapestries present a gorgeous display of intricate workings. Ponder the amount of detail which goes into such art. It is truly a work of love. Many tapestries are handed down in the family over generations—a work of love and art to be admired and appreciated for a long time.

Not everyone, however, appreciates the beauty or the work that goes into tapestries. And the same can be said of many things in this life. How often we either take things for granted or complain about them. When things are going well, we can easily take the credit. When things take a turn, we look for someone to blame. Surely it can’t be my fault.

Often, when we look at the things of this world, it seems to us like the backside of a tapestry. We see nothing but a jumbled mess of total confusion. When bad things happen to us, we are a jumbled mess of emotions. This can often lead us to despair.

Such is the case if we look at things the wrong way. If we focus on ourselves or our situation, then we are looking at the back side of the tapestry. It is an easy trap to fall into—and the devil works to push us into that trap. He convinces us that our situation is proof that God does not care about us. He whispers:

EAST REGION NEWS

FROM THE REGIONAL PASTOR | REV. MARVIN BUBLITZ ONTARIO,

HEAVEN’S SIDE OF THE TAPESTRY

“Why would God let this happen to you if He really loved you?” You are not alone in such attacks. So has the devil attacked the people of God since the Garden of Eden. Even great prophets like Elijah were not immune to his assaults.

Consider Isaiah 55:8-9: “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.”

See, while we look at the tapestry from the back side, the Lord looks from the front. Or, to put it another way, the Lord looks at things from heaven’s side while we look from earth’s side.

Consider sufering. When we see it from the Lord’s viewpoint, “we rejoice in our suferings, knowing that sufering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Romans 5:3-5).

Likewise, we need to see the Lord’s discipline from the front side: “And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? ‘My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by Him. For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and chastises every son whom He receives.’ It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are

illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, that we may share His holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees” (Hebrews 12:5-12).

In the same way, we see the death of a loved one now from the back side as a jumbled bunch of emotions. But from the front: “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints” (Psalm 116:1). Through death, God is taking His lamb home.

For now, we see from the back side—from earth’s view. In time all will be revealed, and we will see the beauty from heaven’s side: “For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known” (1 Corinthians 13:9-12).

When Satan tempts you to see things from the wrong side, read Psalm 37 and pray the Lord enlighten your view. “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act” (Psalm 37:5).

EAST REGION NEWS

60th anniversary for St. Catharines congregation

ST. CATHARINES, Ont. – Good Shepherd Sunday always marks the anniversary of Resurrection Lutheran Church in St. Catharines.

It is a fitting tie to the active involvement that the congregation has had with the formation of pastors at Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary. The seminary's first classes were held in the basement of Resurrection’s church building, and now the congregation is housed within the seminary’s building.

Having hosted dozens of seminary feld work students and some vicars, it

was ftting for this year’s celebration to include the three members of the congregation who are currently enrolled in the pastoral program. Vicar Vijay Samuel (serving Redeemer Lutheran Church in Waterloo) preached the sermon on “One Flock, One Shepherd.” His fellow church members and seminarians, Mark Du and Andrew Hayes, also assisted in the service. The seminary choir sang two choral pieces under the direction of Andrew Hayes.

After the service, greetings were shared from Pastor Emeritus Dennis

Hobbies celebrated in Tillsonburg

TILLSONBURG, Ont. – On Saturday, March 22, Peace Lutheran Church celebrated its third annual Hobby Display afternoon entitled “Strut Into Spring.” Members who are hobbyists, collectors, and passionate about using their God-given talents make up a

table display about their interest to share with their fellow members. Each year there has been a diferent set of displays from members of the congregation, including archery, coin collections, sports memorabilia, hot sauces, model airplanes, knitting, and

Putzman, who pastored the congregation for nearly half of its 60 years. Current seminary feld work student, Tim Bayha (from Waikerie, Australia), led a singa-long of an Australian favourite at the barbeque lunch.

Over the years, Resurrection Lutheran Church has been served by Rev. Robert Grabowski (1965-1966); Rev. Milford Murray (1966-1970); Rev. Dr. Roger Humann (1970-1976); Rev. John Balash Jr. (1977-1978); Rev. Dennis Putzman (1979-2008); and Rev. Kurt Lantz (2009-present).

Rev. Kurt Lantz

sewing, to name a few. Refreshments are provided for all who attend.

There was a new wrinkle this year as church groups were challenged to come up with a table display using goods that would ordinarily be sent to the local food bank. Six groups took up the challenge: the LWML Society, the Board of Elders, the Monday Night Ladies Bible Study group, the Church Council, the volunteer Cleaning Crew, and the Mission Planning Committee. Once everyone had a chance to view the displays after service on March 23, they were disassembled and the items used were gathered up and sent to the local food bank. Plans are already underway for next year!

Photos: Rev. Dr. Thomas Winger

EAST REGION NEWS

East Region Church Workers Conference in Niagara Falls

NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. – Pastors and deacons of Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC)’s East Region gathered April 28-30, 2025, for a conference at Mount Carmel Retreat Centre in Niagara Falls.

The conference began with Divine Service in the chapel, with LCC President Timothy Teuscher serving as Celebrant; Rev. David Zakel as Liturgist; Rev. Jacob Quast, LCC Director of Domestic Missions, as Preacher; and East Regional Pastor Marvin Bublitz assisting.

The group took every opportunity to worship together before, after, and between discussions, business matters, presentations, and meals with Matins, Vespers, Compline, and Morning Prayer.

The pastors and deacons in attendance were treated to a presentation on “Communio Sanctorum” by President Thomas Winger of Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary (St. Catharines, Ontario). President Teuscher gave a synodical report to the conference, as well as two presentations: “Together One and the Divine Service” and “Together One and the Agenda Rites.”

Alex Steinke (LCC Director of Communications) presented on discernment in a digital age, encouraging church workers and congregations to use social media thoughtfully, responsibly, and in a way that aligns with their vocational duties. David Friesen (LCC Director of Advancement) and Rev. Jacob Quast (LCC Director of Domestic Missions) gave a joint presentation

on LCC’s mission and ministry here in Canada and the “Together One” vision of the synod.

Other reports included: Rev. Dr. Tom Korcok on matters pertaining to Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary (St. Catharines); LSO and Auxiliary announcements, including Philoxenia/Hospitality Ministries and Lutheran Laymen’s League of Canada; and an update from Rev. Dr. Dieter Kays on LCC Worker Beneft Services.

A special thank you is due to Rev. Robin Korsch for his work coordinating the event.

Planning is underway for a Fall Pastors’ and Deacons’ Conference in the East Region from November 10-12, 2025. Stay tuned to LCC’s InfoDigest e-newsletter for more information.

Photo:
Rev.
Dr. Thomas Winger

In our previous two articles concerning missions, we have explored the foundation for the Mission of the Church: truth and love, recognizing that the Church in Mission reaches out with the truth of Jesus Christ and Him crucifed, while also serving her neighbour in love. Furthermore, the Church is constantly in motion, being directed by the Holy Spirit to liberally scatter the life-giving Word of God to all people (Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23). But what is the Church to do when she encounters ideas that difer from her message of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ alone? How is she to respond when those whom she is trying to evangelize object to her message of truth—perhaps even deny the idea of truth itself? How ought she share the evangel—the Gospel—to those confused, or even hostile, to the singular message of salvation in Jesus?

APOLOGETICS: PROVIDING A REASON FOR THE HOPE THAT IS WITHIN US

It may comfort you to know that this is nothing new in the life of the Church. Indeed, St. Peter writes in his frst epistle that every Christian must always be “prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15). The Greek word for “defense” is apologia, from which we get the word “apologetics.” This is not about “apologizing” or saying “I’m sorry,” but rather about providing a reasoned defense for the truth and the hope we have in Christ Jesus.

St. Paul engaged in apologetics

APOLOGETICS AND EVANGELISM: TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COIN

DIRECTOR OF DOMESTIC MISSIONS | REV. JACOB QUAST

while addressing the Athenians in Acts 17:22-34. This is nothing new in the life of the Church. While no one is ever “argued” into the Christian faith (for it is the Holy Spirit who works through the Word of the Gospel to create and sustain faith in peoples’ hearts), nonetheless it is helpful for each Christian desiring to evangelize to have a basic understanding of apologetics. One certainly does not need to be an apologetics expert, but it is benefcial to know that the Church has well-reasoned answers to the questions and objections that non-Christians may raise in the course of an evangelistic conversation. Questions revolving around difcult topics—like the Problem of Evil (if God is all good, all loving, and all knowing, then why does evil exist?), the Existence of God, and even Creation—have been asked and answered by Christian theologians for centuries. While the average Christian may not be able to recite the answers to these questions from memory, it is encouraging to know that the Church has good answers to these questions, and they may be shared in a later conversation. There are a host of solid biblical and Confessional Lutheran apologetics resources available to you, not the least of which is your very own pastor.

BREAKING BARRIERS DOWN

Let it be clearly understood: one cannot be “argued” into the faith through clever apologetics arguments. For as St. Paul says in Romans 1:1617, it is the Gospel alone which “is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew frst and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness

of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’” Only the Gospel message of Jesus Christ—epitomized in John 3:16—has the power to bring an unbeliever to faith by the working of the Holy Spirit.

But apologetics can help to break down barriers that unbelievers may have, which closes their ears to the word of truth. As such, it can be necessary in our evangelism proclamation to assist people in overcoming these objections through sound and reasonable arguments. The now sainted Rev. Dr. Rod Rosenbladt, one of America’s foremost theologians/apologists of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, often referred to the task of apologetics as a kind of “pre-evangelism.” That is, apologetics can help set the stage in a person’s heart to be more open to hearing the Gospel.

CONCLUSION

The Church’s great task and Mission, delegated to her by none other than her Lord Jesus, is to preach the Gospel—to evangelize—all nations. Sometimes this task requires us to be prepared to provide a reasoned defense to various objections. Christians must frst listen carefully before attempting to dialogue. And Christians must always respond in love and charity, so that they may have the opportunity to proclaim the Gospel clearly. Indeed, the goal of apologetics is always to proclaim Jesus Christ and Him crucifed. For it is only in hearing of Jesus that people are led to believe, and so be saved. For “faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the Word of Christ” (Romans 10:17).

Sharing the Joy of the Resurrection with Cambodian Children

CAMBODIA – On Easter Sunday, the joyful sound of children’s prayers filled a small church in Cambodia as Rev. Peter Boon of the Cambodia Lutheran Church (CLC) knelt to share the Gospel with a room full of eager young hearts. In a warm and brightly decorated sanctuary, marked by simple faith and vibrant hope, Rev.

Boon gathered the children close to speak of Christ’s resurrection, His victory over death, and the new life ofered to all through His name.

The walls may have borne the signs of age, but the room was alive with the colour of celebration— Easter eggs, fowers, and balloons adorning the front, surrounding the humble altar where the Word of God

was proclaimed. Rev. Boon, clad in grey clerical attire, sat low among the children, emphasizing the nearness of the Gospel and the tenderness of Christ who welcomed the little ones.

With folded hands and bowed heads, the children listened intently as their pastor led them in prayer and spoke of Jesus’ love. Some clutched small books or Bibles, others simply listened with wide eyes and open hearts. For many, it was likely their frst experience of Easter, yet in that moment, they received what all the world needs to hear: “He is risen indeed, Alleluia!”

Rev. Boon’s ministry is a testament to the power of the resurrection at work in the mission feld. Even where culture is a barrier, poverty a burden, or distance a divide, the Gospel moves with quiet strength—touching one soul, one heart at a time. On this Easter morning, that Good News came to life in Cambodia.

B.C. Mission Boat Society holds women’s retreat

QUADRA ISLAND, B.C. – From February 19-21, women from various communities where the B.C. Mission Boat Society (BCMBS) serves, travelled to Camp Homewood on Quadra Island for a retreat focused on God’s hope amid our grief journeys. Jennifer Jade Kerr served as main speaker for the event, sharing her

gifts of therapy and song. She led participants through a discussion of what grief is, what God has to say about it, tools to help navigate the way, and a reminder that we are not journeying alone. Participants shared tears, laughter, sadness, and joy. During the event, Kerr shared a quote from the psychotherapist Francis Weller: “Grief and love are sisters, woven together from the beginning. Their kinship reminds us that there is no love that does not contain loss and no loss that is not a reminder of the love we carry for what we once held close.”

Kerr reminded participants that grief work is hard work. “Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and body with grief.” (Psalm 31:9)

“It was my honour and pleasure to speak on the topic of grief at the B.C. Mission Boat’s women's retreat on Quadra Island,” Kerr said. “My interest in grief work has developed in several ways over the years, including fve years working at a funeral home; my training and development as a mental and relational health counsellor; and through my father’s death in 2022. Grief is a huge part of our experience as human beings and learning how to be present and authentic in our grief can be an incredible challenge for many people.”

She continued: “I had a number of goals speaking at this retreat: to normalize the grief experience; to present some psychoeducation as to what grief is, how it works, and how we can do our own grief work; and cont’d on next page

most of all, to share how God meets us in our grief with love, hope, and His abiding presence.”

The retreat also heard from Cindy and Rev. Wayne Lunderby, who is director of spiritual care for the BCMBS. Cindy has been leading a growing grief share group in Chilliwack for the last two years.

During the retreat, participants also shared wonderful meals together; played games; crafted handmade journal; painted; built puzzles; and enjoyed many other fellowship activities. The conference also featured a Hawaiian themed dinner, and a spa-afternoon with foot soaks, hand and foot massages, and nail painting.

MISSION NEWS

The event was well-received. “I’m from a remote boat-access-only community,” Mindy writes, “and

it’s rare I get out to treat myself. It was lovely to be pampered with delicious meals and spa activities.

Even more meaningful were the sharing times and the opportunity to connect with other women from up and down the coast.”

“Though the theme of grief can be a heavy one, the speaker was approachable, humorous, and vulnerable, and many of the women present did some hard work processing the grief and loss they've endured,” Mindy continued. “I really appreciate all the women who worked hard to put the retreat together.”

Organizers thank God for His care and for all those who supported the retreat with donations and volunteering their time and talents. Plans are already underway for next year’s retreat.

Sonja Bland and Julie Klassen

Domestic Mission and Ministry Updates from Coast to Coast

CANADA – Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) continues to grow and strengthen its mission and ministry across the country—supporting established congregations while seeking new opportunities to share the Gospel. Rev. Jacob Quast, Director of Domestic Missions, has been traveling from coast to coast to assess how best to assist small, isolated, and vacant congregations, as well as to identify fresh avenues for outreach.

EAST COAST MINISTRY AND A PROMISING CONNECTION

From February 21 to March 3, Rev. Quast visited the East Coast, where he served St. Andrew’s Parish in the Maritimes. During this time, he ministered to the saints in Middleton and Charlottetown through Word and Sacrament, and met with local and congregational leaders to explore strategies for strengthening parish life. A promising connection was also fortifed with an Oromo group in Halifax, opening the door to potential future outreach among this vibrant community.

EQUIPPING CIRCUIT LEADERSHIP

On April 5, at the Ottawa Circuit Forum in Locksley, Ontario, Rev. Quast presented on the Theology of Missions, ofering biblical insights into the foundations of outreach. The event equipped congregational leaders for ongoing mission eforts in both local and broader contexts. The next day, April 6, he visited and served members of LCC’s mission congregation in Kingston, Ontario.

BUILDING STRONG MISSION PARTNERSHIPS

Partnership and collaboration remain central to LCC’s mission strategy. On April 23, a joint meeting brought together representatives from LCC, The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS), Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots (LAMP), Lutheran Bible Translators of Canada (LBTC), and the B.C. Mission Boat Society (BCMBS). Discussions focused on coordinated efforts to

serve First Nations communities that we are currently connected with— emphasizing culturally respectful, enduring relationships and faithful Word and Sacrament ministry.

SEEKING NEW AVENUES FOR OUTREACH

From May 4-7, Rev. Quast met with church leaders in British Columbia’s Lower Mainland to explore a variety of mission opportunities. Conversations centred on current ministries among Chinese, Oromo, and Spanish-speaking communities, as well as potential new outreach in Vancouver. The city’s cultural diversity and growing population present signifcant mission potential for LCC.

PRAYERS FOR THE MISSION FIELD

Please keep these communities in your prayers. May God continue to bless the mission felds before us and the servants He has called to tend them.

DPS Placement and First Calls from LCC Seminaries

Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary (CLTS - St. Catharines, Ontario)

Concordia Lutheran Seminary (CLS - Edmonton, Alberta)

Samantha Neeb (CLS - DPS)

Associate Director - Family Ministries (Lutheran Church–Canada, Winnipeg, MB)

Samantha Neeb was born and raised near New Hamburg, Ontario. She was baptized and confrmed at First St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Wellesley. Before attending seminary, Neeb earned a Bachelor of Social Work and was employed in various social service roles. She also served for three years as a shared Youth Director at Trinity Lutheran Church in Richmond and Killarney Community Lutheran Church in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Neeb’s diaconal formation at Concordia Lutheran Seminary included feld education at Riverbend Lutheran Church with Dcn. Kathy Cornish, Rev. Sye Van Maanen, and Rev. Jan Pastucha, as well as a full-year internship at King of Kings Lutheran Church in Dickson, Alberta, under the supervision of Rev. Russ Howard.

Neeb is extremely grateful for the pastors, deacons, congregations, individuals, and seminary community for their work in shaping her to become a servant for the church for Jesus’ sake.

(CLS)

Martin Ezequiel Jagnow is originally from Porto Alegre, the capital of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. He is married to Isabel, who grew up in Regina, Saskatchewan, after her family relocated from Brazil when her father received a call to serve at New Beginnings Lutheran Church. Jagnow and Isabel were in a long-distance relationship for several years before he moved to Canada to be with her and continue his pastoral studies.

Jagnow began seminary training at Seminário Concórdia in São Leopoldo, Brazil, at the age of 17. After four years of study there, he transferred to Concordia Lutheran Seminary in Edmonton to complete his pastoral formation.

He served as a vicar at Grace Lutheran Church in Drumheller, Alberta, where each service began with the joyful greeting, “Good morning Grace! How are you?” met with the congregation’s response: “We are blessed.”

Jagnow is thankful for the unexpected path God has laid before him. He feels blessed to be where he is today, and prays that God would continue to use him to proclaim the Gospel and serve His Church as a pastor.

Vijay Samuel (CLTS)

Associate Pastor, Risen Christ & Immanuel Lutheran Churches (Mississauga and Georgetown, ON)

Vijay Samuel was born and raised in New Delhi, India. He and his wife, Shamona, have one daughter, who is in her second year of graduate studies. Samuel holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Hons.) degree with a major in Accountancy and a Post-graduate in Executive Management (Finance). Before attending seminary, he worked as a business process transformation manager in India. In his free time, he enjoys cooking. ’

EDUCATION NEWS

Samuel completed his vicarage year at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Waterloo, Ontario, under the supervision of Rev. Joel Kuhl. His pastoral training at the seminary also included feld education at Resurrection Lutheran Church under Rev. Kurt Lantz and Christ Lutheran Church under Rev. Todd Hoefs in St. Catharines, Ontario.

Samuel is deeply grateful to these pastors, their congregations, and the seminary faculty for their guidance in shaping him as a servant of the church for Christ’s sake.

Aaron Parkhurst (CLTS)

Our Savior Lutheran Church in Cavalier, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in St. Thomas, & Redeemer Lutheran Church in Langdon

(North Dakota - LCMS)

Aaron Parkhurst was born outside of Boston, Massachusetts, and grew up near the Adirondack Mountains in New York. He is married to Kristen, and they have three daughters: Samantha (15), Brooklyn (14), and Charlotte (8). The Parkhursts enjoy homeschooling and homesteading—spending time hunting, fshing, gardening, and raising quail and honeybees.

Parkhurst served in the United States Army for six years and later worked as a police ofcer and lieutenant at Fredonia State University for over 18 years. A careerending injury led him to pursue pastoral ministry.

He completed his vicarage at the dual parish of Trinity Lutheran Church in Silver Creek, New York, and Immanuel Lutheran Church in Gowanda, New York, under Rev. Travis Grubbs. His feldwork also included time at St. John in Angola, St. Paul in Fredonia, and St. Paul’s in Eden, New York.

Throughout his pastoral formation Aaron has developed a special passion for ministry to police officers, first responders, and veterans, hoping to assist these communities through their shared experiences.

The Parkhurst family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to all the congregations that sponsored, supported, and prayed for them all through this challenging journey. Finally, he would like to thank the nation of Canada, Brock University, and the Seminary for the invitation to study and for working around his physical limitations, various

surgeries, and the challenges of the pandemic all whilst providing him a theological education and formation that is second to none.

Vicarage Placements

Ben Rast (CLS)

Immanuel and Emmaus Lutheran Churches in Tomahawk and Drayton Valley, Alberta

Joseph Behl (CLTS)

Redeemer Lutheran Church in Waterloo, Ontario

LCC seminaries present honourary awards, MTS degrees

CANADA – Concordia Lutheran

Theological Seminary (CLTS – St. Catharines) and Concordia Lutheran Seminary (CLS – Edmonton) celebrated signifcant milestones for their students and the wider church at their annual convocation and call services, including the presentation of honourary awards and Master of Theological Studies (MTS) degrees.

CLTS honoured Rev. Kurt Lantz with the Delta Chi (Servant of Christ) award, the seminary’s highest honour.

“As pastor of Resurrection Lutheran Church in St. Catharines, Rev. Lantz was recognized as a model ‘Servant of Christ’ for his exemplary pastoral care to his congregation, Brock University students, and the seminary community,” CLTS shared in a release.

Rev. Robert Krestick and Dr. Colleen Hammermaster were honoured with Friend of the Seminary Awards at CLTS and CLS respectively: Rev. Krestick, for his long-time service to the seminary as a member and chair of the Board of Directors; and Dr. Hammermaster, for her decades of dedicated volunteer service, support for students and church workers through Christian counseling, contributions to theological education, and her strong advocacy and leadership within the Lutheran church and broader community.

This year marked a historic occasion for CLTS as it hosted its frst graduation ceremony since receiving independent degree-granting status. Previously, CLTS graduates received their degrees through Brock University. Now, the seminary is proud to confer degrees directly.

Rev. Saulo Bledoff and Rev. Eduardo Farias ( in absentia ) both received their MTS degrees from CLTS, in addition to Jane Jacob, who completed her studies in 2021.

Rev. Robert Krestick, FriendoftheSeminaryAward recipient at CLTS.
Rev. Kurt Lantz, DeltaChiAward recipient at CLTS.
Dr. Colleen Hammermaster, FriendoftheSeminaryAward recipient at CLS.

LUTHERANS FOR LIFE - CANADA

THE LUTHERANS FOR LIFE - CANADA SUBSTACK

A year and a half ago, Lutherans For Life - Canada (LFLC) availed itself of a new means of communication to further our main goal of educating people, especially Lutherans, about life issues. Substack allows us to send out lengthier and more in depth articles to subscribers. Some of these articles address current events in a timely manner. Others dig more deeply into a life issue than our typical newsletter article length allows. A regular contributor to our substack is Rev. Adam Chandler, pastor of Hope Evangelical Lutheran Church, Victoria, B.C., and a member of our Board of Directors. His articles delve deeply into various aspects of life issues and provide helpful tools for thinking through life issues and speaking about them with others. To introduce our substack to the members of Lutheran Church Canada, one of his frst articles follows. To read more such articles, go to http://lfc.substack.com and subscribe for free. For further information on LFLC go to our website: http://lutheransforlife-canada.ca

Yours in Christ, Rev. Richard Juritsch, President, Lutherans For Life - Canada

WHAT IS KILLING? | by Rev. Adam Chandler

The most basic way to understand killing is as a termination of life; and if killing were this simple, this article would end here. Things can quickly get quite complicated. For example, killing can be either active (directly intervening to end a life) or passive (withholding something necessary for life). Therefore, you can be responsible for someone’s death simply by not helping them as you can. While the defnition of killing is relatively simple, the subject of killing becomes increasingly complex if we start talking about all the moral implications.

Tintoretto, Cain Killing Abel. Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest. Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain.

LUTHERANS FOR LIFE-CANADA

The Moral Debate

Is it ever good to terminate life? Fundamentally, this is what we are asking whenever the subject of killing comes up as a moral quandary. To view murder as evil, we are claiming contempt, hatred, or indiference to life as being evil. On the other hand, not all killings can be characterized as murder.

Murder, execution, slaughter, etc. are all are diferent ways to kill. Diferentiation between these ways of killing largely depends on the intent behind the action. For instance, an executioner may be performing a civic duty while murder is being deliberately unlawful. Continuing on the legal theme, the distinction between manslaughter

individual scenarios in which these things might be done, are unique although each one is heavily infuenced by the intent of the people involved. (We could also discuss warfare as a social issue, but warfare would be better understood as its own complex subject. Let us focus on killing within civil society, as ironic as civil killing may sound.) Oddly enough, those who are most in favour of abortion and euthanasia are typically least in favour of capital punishment. We could try to examine this in terms of killing intent, but discussion often shifts from intent to the question of what constitutes human life and also quality of life (e.g. at what stage a fetus should be considered a human being or what level of pain someone should be in to request euthanasia). Debates over whether abortion

and murder is important to distinguish in a court of law where manslaughter is without malice aforethought while murder is premeditated. This afects how severely a person is judged for their action. Instances of manslaughter could even be counted as indiference to human life, which is immoral but not necessarily as immoral as maliciously murdering someone. Intent behind killing is one of the central points of discussion in whether killing is morally acceptable in certain circumstances—circumstance also being a major factor in morally debating killing.

Social issues surrounding killing include abortion, euthanasia, suicide, and capital punishment. The circumstances behind each of these issues, and the

or euthanasia is wrong, for instance, rarely talk about if murder is correct but whether the label of murder can be applied to the situation.

Rather than getting bogged down in defnitions of life and what qualities of life a person should have, let us turn back to the act of killing itself. As stated above, it largely comes down to intent of the killer. While intent is by defnition subjective, judging whether an intent is condemnable relies on moral laws, which are objective. Moral laws apply universally to all circumstances, which would include a law that murder is objectively wrong. So, if we are trying to establish universal moral laws, we should look to a universal moral lawgiver.

Unknown artist, God Creates Man in the Garden of Eden. Wellcome Collection. Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain.

The Biblical Position

When God declares the Fifth Commandment, “You shall not kill,” it is specifcally referring to murder and manslaughter (Heb. ratsach; Exod 20:13). Jesus explains this commandment to include the intent behind the action as sinful in and of itself. He declares that we are guilty of murder even for hating and insulting our neighbours (Matt 5:21-26), that is, murdering them in our hearts.

The Image of God can be understood as possessing certain attributes of God, including His righteousness and holiness in addition to being rational creatures.[1] The Image comes up within the scope of humanity’s place in the creation, so it can also be expressed in terms of how we refect God within the creation. For example, God is the Creator and people were commanded by God to be procreators—being fruitful and multiplying. God sustains all things by His Spirit, and people are to have dominion

Why does God command us not to kill? In essence, life is sacred. Life stems from God Himself and actions to end life are personally against God. Here, though, we need to make a distinction.

God permits killing animals for specifc purposes such as food (e.g. Gen 9:3), clothing (e.g. Gen 3:21), and religious sacrifces (e.g. Lev 1-7). The death of animals is for the preservation of human life physically and spiritually, thus valuing human life above animal life. Animals are not worthless, though. God highly values them as part of His creation and cares for them (e.g. Ps 104:24-30; Job 38:39-39:30). However, human beings are closer to God and His being than animals. God has given humanity His own Image (Gen 1:26-27). Humans are unique in God’s creation on account of this.

over the earth by herding the animals and cultivating the plants. Adam and Eve accomplished these aspects of the Image when they procreated Cain and Abel who became a farmer and shepherd, respectively. Properly living in the Image of God depends on acting rightly as God wills. God is the author of all life. Despite parents being procreators and giving their fesh in the creation of their children, God remains the one who physically shapes His creatures from conception onwards (e.g. Ps 139:1316). God is the only one who should determine when life is taken away as He is the one who gives it. The Lord’s condition for ending life is sin (Ezek 18:4; Rom 6:23), which makes sense. God fashioned all things in His creation to work together and refect His righteous perfection. Sin denigrates and desecrates this perfection

Andrea Mantegna, Crucifxion. Louvre Museum, INV 368. Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain.

LUTHERANS FOR LIFE-CANADA

by introducing failures (“missing the mark”), corruption (iniquity), and transgression. Upholding creation involves removing sin from it. This is done by either cleansing sinners of their sin that they may persist in life eternally, or removing sinners themselves who retain their guilt in rejection of God’s forgiveness. God has given life and His Image, sin has tarnished the Image and invited death. Even if humans have fallen short of God’s glory as they refect sin instead of Him, humans retain the Image, albeit brokenly. Any assault against the Image of God is an assault against God Himself. When someone kills any human being, they are attacking God, their Creator, and the work of His hands. Murderers extinguish the lives of their victims and simultaneously assault the source of life Himself. Therefore, murder implies not only death of the victim but also an end to life in the abstract, that is, God as the source of life. For this reason, God declares that those who murder will themselves pay by their own execution (Gen 9:6). Murderers deny life and now their life is denied. [2] Not only this, since God is also the arbiter of taking life from sinners, a murderer taking death into his/her own hands means the murderer is usurping God as judge over life and death matters. If you will, murderers play God. They execute people by their own judgments over life and death, not God’s judgment, thus trying to make themselves God by usurping His authority.[3]

Conclusions

Killing should not be taken lightly because it is the ending of life, the most precious gift we have. Whether or not killing

is considered murder (an unlawful and deliberate killing) lies with intent and circumstance. The biblical perspective views the only permissible killing of another human being as execution in punishment for sins against God and humanity. Death itself is a punishment for sin and execution is an immediate application of death for a specifc sin. Killing should be viewed as punishing sin, not as the way to deal with unfavourable social situations, such as lowered quality of life. Doing so is playing God by enacting His punishment on things which are not sin. Killing in this way is a vicarious assault against God and life itself by terminating those who bear the Life-giver’s Image.

O Lord of life, you call all people into being and, by your judgment, you condemn our sins. Forgive us our sins and bring us to new life in Jesus Christ. Guide our lives and actions that we do not take life lightly but see it as a gift. Help us encourage others to understand this gift and hold it sacred that no one ends life against your will. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

[1] Johann Gerhard, trans. Richard J. Dinda. On Creation and Predestination, (Saint Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2013), 266-7.

[2] More broadly, God also instituted executions for other signifcant sins in Israelite civil society since sin results in God’s judgment of death. For example, Lev 20:10-21 lists execution as a punishment for numerous sexual sins. Since sex is the act by which new life is meant to spring, serious sexual sin thematically connects to murder in that it desecrates life.

[3] Of course, this merely demonstrates the grounds for execution being an acceptable punishment in a society operating under God’s moral laws. It is not absolutely necessary that God’s followers institute Levitical laws of execution. Those laws were specifc to the Old Testament Jews. Jesus has fulflled the law and now gives us new freedom in forgiveness (cf. Matt 5:17-18). A woman was once presented Jesus as deserving execution (John 8:1-11). Rather than immediately call for her death under the law, Jesus brought attention to her accusers’ and would-be-executioners’ need for forgiveness. With no one to condemn the woman, Jesus told her to go and sin no more rather than stone her. He withholds punishment that she may live a repentant life in good works and service to her neighbour. Much more could be said about this and all the moral implications, but this should sufce for the present article.

“By

wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established, and by knowledge the

rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.”

Proverbs 24:3-4

Christian Planning

Build on the firm foundation of God’s Word for future generations.

For a free seminar on Christian Estate Planning, contact:

TRANSITIONS

Rev. Robert Bryans , Candidate (St. Catharines, ON), to Emeritus (Coldwater, ON).

Vijay Samuel, Candidate (CLTS), accepted a call to Risen Christ/Immanuel (Mississauga/Georgetown, ON) as Associate Pastor.

Martin Jagnow, Candidate (CLS), accepted a call to Grace (Drumheller, AB).

Samantha Neeb, DPS Candidate (CLS), to serve as Associate DirectorFamily Ministries (LCC, Winnipeg, MB).

Rev. Malkaa Gemechu, Candidate (Edmonton, AB), accepted a call to Christ the King (Edmonton, AB).

Dcn. Andrea Garriott, serving Concordia Lutheran School (Penticton, BC), was removed from roster.

Dcn. Wayne Miller, Candidate (Calgary, AB), resigned from roster.

Dcn. Paul Schoepp, Candidate (Edmonton, AB), resigned from roster.

Rev. Peter Noble, serving St. Peter’s/Eastside Lutheran College (Warrane, TAS, Australia), accepted a call to Christ (Thunder Bay, ON).

Dcn. Linnea Lyons, Candidate (Stony Plain, AB), to Active Status - Other.

Rev. Vic Esperanza, serving Saviour (Delta, BC), accepted a call to Faith (Surrey, BC).

Rev. Curtis Boehm, Candidate (Hubley, NS), resigned from roster.

Rev. Ronald Abresch, serving St. Peter/Peace (Castlegar/Trail, BC), to Emeritus (Slocan, BC).

Rev. Dionatan Ferreira, serving Cristo Para Todos (Christ for All) (Bonito, MS, Brazil), accepted a call to Our Saviour’s/Good Shepherd (Chatham/ Amherstburg, ON).

Rev. Guntars Baikovs, serving Glandore-Underdale (Australia), accepted a call to Grace (Oshawa, ON).

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Rev. Ben Wyatt of Saskatoon, SK has successfully completed the requirements of the Pastoral Colloquy Program for Lutheran Church–Canada and is, therefore, eligible to receive a call in LCC.

Rev. Victor Dasari of Surrey, BC and Rev. Bjorn Meinhardt of Winnipeg, MB have submitted applications to the Pastoral Colloquy Program of Lutheran Church–Canada. Communications regarding these applications should be submitted in writing within four weeks to Rev. Michael Schutz, Chair, LCC Pastoral Colloquy Committee, c/o 2800 South Main Street, Penticton, BC or by email: vicepresident@lutheranchurch.ca.

190th Anniversary Celebration: Anniversary Service on Sunday, July 27th at 11:00 a.m. at First St. John Lutheran Church Seebach’s Hill (4994 Line 34 Stratford, Ontario). Lunch to follow. CLASSIFIEDS

PWANTED: A FEW MORE LIKE IRENAEUS

astoral and diaconal candidates at our two seminaries were recently placed in their frst feld of service and vicars assigned to congregations as part of their pastoral formation. While we thank God for raising up these individuals in our midst, the fact remains that our church is experiencing a shortage of church workers. This is why one of our synod’s Strategic Initiatives is to “recruit, educate, and support ecclesiastical, diaconal, and lay leaders for the church.”

To assist in this matter, I would point out that, this year, three of the minor festivals which happen to fall on a Sunday—St. Peter and St. Paul on June 29, St. Bartholomew on August 24, and St. Matthew on September 21—focus on those who were called by our Lord to be His apostles. What an opportune time for pastors to address this initiative in our congregations!

In addition to these minor festivals, there is also a calendar of commemorations of men and women from the Scriptures and from the subsequent centuries of the Church’s life who are recognized for their defense of the fundamental beliefs of the Christian faith and their examples of godly living. One such individuals is Irenaeus, who is commemorated on June 28 and whose infuence continues down to our own time.

Irenaeus was born into a Christian family around the year 130 A.D. in Smyrna or modern-day Izmir, Turkey. In his early youth he was instructed by Polycarp who himself was a pupil of the apostle St. John. He then went to Rome to study under the tutelage of Justin Martyr and was subsequently ordained as a presbyter to serve the church in the city of Lyons in Gaul or modern-day France.

In 177 A.D. Irenaeus was sent to Rome to deal with the Montanist heresy that was causing problems in churches throughout the Roman Empire. ‘Montanism’ was named after a self-appointed teacher by the name of Montanus, and Montanists were somewhat similar to the Pentecostals or Charismatics of today who claim that the Holy Spirit speaks to them directly, apart from the prophetic and apostolic Scriptures. Irenaeus wrote this about Montanus and others like him: “God shall also judge false prophets, who, without having received the gift of prophecy from God, and not possessed of the fear of God, but either for

the sake of vainglory, or with a view to some personal advantage, or acting in some other way under the infuence of a wicked spirit, pretend to utter prophecies, while all the time they lie against God.”

It was during his absence from Lyons that persecution of the church in Gaul arose under orders from the Roman emperor, Marcus Aurelius, resulting in the death of their bishop. Upon his return, Irenaeus was appointed as his successor. Little is known of his later years, including how he died around the turn of the third century.

What we do have, however, is Irenaeus’ most important writing entitled Against Heresies, which begins with these words: “Error is never set forth in its naked deformity. But it is craftily decked out in an attractive dress, so as, by its outward form, to make it appear more true than the truth itself.” And, yes, we, too, are living at a time when there is quite a fashion show of error and false teachings.

Irenaeus then proceeds to expose and undress a number of these errors and false teachings; especially what is called ‘Gnosticism’ which, in brief, was an intrusion into the Christian church of elements of Greek philosophy, Persian dualism, and pagan mystery cults. At its heart was the conviction that matter is evil or indiferent, that redemption is freedom of the soul or human spirit from the body which comes about through secret knowledge, and that it doesn’t really matter what is done to or with the body.

In a sense, Gnosticism is still around today. In fact, it has become the prominent religion, to so speak, in our society today, infltrating not only many a church but our entire society. Same-sex marriage… gender identity… abortion… ordination of women into the ofce of the holy ministry… medical assistance in dying (MAID)… calling God ‘our Mother’ rather than ‘Father’ as we do in the Creed and in the Lord’s Prayer… all of these are modern-day fruits, as it were, of Gnosticism.

Irenaeus saw all this for what it really is – not only a denial of God as the Creator and Preserver of all that exists, and a rejection of His commandments dealing with life in the body, but even worse. For it is contrary to the very heart of Christian faith—a denial of the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ, of His death on a cross as the atoning sacrifce for the sins of the world, of His rising from the dead with

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a glorifed body, of His giving us His very body and blood to eat and drink in and with the bread and the wine of Holy Communion, and of our own bodily resurrection to eternal life.

Where did Irenaeus get these ideas? Simple: from the New Testament, the only norm and basis and authority for what the church—whether it be in Irenaeus’ day or ours—believes, teaches, and confesses. So he says: “The ground and pillar of our faith is the Scriptures handed down to us by the will of God.”

May the story of the early church father Irenaeus inspire us all to devote ourselves ever more faithfully to the hearing, reading, and studying of the Word of God—especially those young men and women in our midst who follow in his footsteps and devote themselves to fulltime work in Christ’s Church.

My song is love unknown–my SavioUr’s love to me; love to the loveless shown, that they might lovely be.

Oh, who am I, that for my sake my Lord should take frail flesh and die?

— LSB 430 —

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