Living our Faith E L C I C In Mission for Others In Mission for Others 2019 ANNUAL REPORT God is calling us into a deeper relationship— a call to living out our baptismal covenants. ~ ELCIC National Bishop Susan Johnson Contents 2 From our National Bishop 10 Reconciled Relationships 24 Your Offering 4 Mission Statement 14 One Body Working Together 25 A Focus on the Strategic Plan 5 Our Vision Priorities 18 Empowered Disciples 26 #myELCIC 6 Courageous Innovation 22 400 Years of Lutheran 28 National Office, Contributors Worship in Canada Photos by Carter Brooks, Peter Scoular, David Solheim, Photos from the 2019 ELCIC National Convention. On the cover, from top left: A sweat lodge at the Sandy-Salteaux Spiritual Centre near Beausejour, MB; photo by Monica Bortoluzzi. Neighbourhood park clean-up by members at St. Peter’s Ottawa; photo by Rev. Elina Salonen. Ninety-year-old Shirley Holcomb from St. David Anglican-Lutheran church in Orillia, ON, organized a donation cross in the community garden for mittens, toques, scarves and socks; photo by Ainsley Munro. Seven-year-old Lillian gets high fives after her baptism at Trinity, New Hamburg, ON; photo by Dave Mello. In Mission for Others 1 Message from the National Bishop Dear members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, am delighted to share with you the 2019 Annual Report. I know Iit is almost unreal to look back on a year that took place before the COVID-19 pandemic. St. Paul wrote: For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. (Romans 12: 4–5) Photo by Saundra Photography. Tarr In the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada we work National Bishop Susan C. Johnson together as one body, with each of the expressions of the church —congregation or synodically recognized ministry, synod, and national—fulfilling a different function. We work together to fulfill our vision of being a church In Mission for Others. At the same time we function with and within other parts of the body of Christ, for example partners like the Lutheran World Federation, KAIROS, our full communion partner the Anglican Church of Canada, and as part of the universal church. I love our church, and I’m proud of the ministry we do through- out the church. I know that the impact of our ministry together is greater than the sum of our separate parts. I hope that this report will provide insight on the work of our church and a vision for how we can respond together to the call to be a church In Mission for Others. ELCIC National Bishop Susan C. Johnson 2 In Mission for Others Photos courtesy of National Bishop Susan Johnson. In Mission for Others 3 ELCIC Mission Statement The mission of this church, as an expression of the universal Church and as an instrument of the Holy Spirit, is to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to people in Canada and around the world through the proclamation of the Word, the administration of the sacraments and through service in Christ’s name. 4 In Mission for Others Our Vision Priorities In September 2017, the ELCIC’s National Church Council began the work of developing a new Strategic Plan for the National Church. This five-year plan helps us to focus our work at the National Office. COURAGEOUS INNOVATION RECONCILED RELATIONSHIPS We are given the ministry We are called to not be afraid. to reconciliation. (Luke 12:32) (2 Corinthians 5:18) • Addressing systemic change • Vision of an inclusive church • Innovative interaction with the community • Indigenous justice and reconciliation • Encourage experimentation • Ecumenical and interfaith partnerships • Accompaniment • Challengers of racism and privilege • Acknowledge our anxiety • Work with diverse allies • Flexibility in sharing and deploying financial • Healthy relationship with the earth resources • Striving for peace • Ongoing evaluation of mission priorities • Work to end poverty in Canada • Ongoing evaluation of barriers to innovation ONE BODY WORKING TOGETHER EMPOWERED DISCIPLES We are one body in Christ. (Romans 12:5) We are to equip the saints for the work of ministry. (Ephesians 4:12) • Shared vision across all expressions of the church • Faithful gospel witnesses • Mutual credibility, trust and transparency • Sharing of necessary resources • Baptismal vocation • National and international partnerships • Leadership development for a changing world • Connectedness to local ministries • Support CLWR’s mission • Engaged and empowered youth and young adults • Mutual support between synods and National Church • Worship that nurtures disciples • Focused priorities • Good communication In Mission for Others 5 COURAGEOUS INNOVATION How to “right-size” your church It takes courage, vision and trust. temming from its root verse “We are called gregations, first lifting up the priority in the ELCIC’s to not be afraid” (Luke 12:32), the Evangelical National Office 2017–2022 Strategic Plan. One such SLutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC)’s vision occurrence dates back a number of months— priority of “Courageous Innovation” has been years even—to two congregations situated in demonstrated by various ELCIC members and con- Medicine Hat, Alberta. “I see signs of Courageous Innovation all across our church,” said National Bishop Susan Johnson during her Report of the National Bishop at the 2019 ELCIC National Convention in Regina, SK. “Much like in Medicine Hat, where Unity Lutheran and the Evangelical Free Church swapped church buildings. It makes perfect sense to ‘right size’ your church building, to the size of your congre- gation. But I know how deeply attached people become to church buildings. It took courage, vision and trust to go ahead with these plans.” The two Medicine Hat-based churches teamed up in an effort to cater to the needs of their re- Photo by Mike Steiner. The old building... 6 In Mission for Others Portable food pantry a hit COURAGEOUS INNOVATION In autumn of 2018, a simple wooden cross was erected outside St. Paul’s, Leamington, ON. This warming cross had many hooks on it so warm things could be attached; scarves, hats, gloves and especially work socks were very popular. Neighbours were invited to add items as well. At least twice a week open hooks were filled with new or gently used items. In the spring of 2019, two newspaper cabinets with self-closing doors were converted into a food pantry and were soon standing by the cross. They were stocked with food items to help meet the needs of an increasing number of homeless or anyone in need. The pantry was initially stocked solely by the congregation. When a banner was put in front of the cross inviting others to share, within 48 hours four large containers were crammed full with food and canned goods. When asked for advice for other Photo by Marilyn Miller. congregations looking for ways to help, Pastor Sylvia Swiatoschik says to just step out and try new things. “The congregation was a bit apprehensive at first, but now see how many people are helped and also, how many of our neighbours want to help, and our St. Paul’s food pantry and warming projects provide and invite them into participating. cross. spective congregations. The smaller community first met the Evangelical Free Church, who at that of Unity Lutheran left its building of 23 years to point said that they were interested in looking for relocate down the road into the former site of the a bigger space and possibly trading buildings. Evangelical Free Church, in a move that Rev. Jeff Although at that point we weren’t really interested Decelle says happened very quickly. in pursuing the conversation, a year-and-a-half “We had met with the other congregation later we decided to call them up and see if they only in November, and the move actually happened were still interested. It all fell into place quite the following January,” Rev. Decelle says. “We had quickly after that.” been on a discernment process for quite a while Having been worshipping in a rather new in determining what to do with a building that church building since 1996, some members of we couldn’t really afford anymore. Interestingly, Unity Lutheran were a touch reluctant to pack up roughly two years before this, we had actually and move, however, the overall process went In Mission for Others 7 without a hitch, according to Rev. Decelle. without a leader at the time of the move. Remem- “You have to remember that our old church bering back to many congregational discernment building was really only like 20 years old at the sessions, he knows that things could have gone time of the move,” Rev. Decelle says. “So many of much differently if the church members had not the people who were responsible for the building been on board with the project the way they were. project and the design are still members of our “Despite not having a pastor at the time of congregation. I think it was very courageous for this process, those at the Evangelical Free Church them to put all of this effort into building the old were very pleasant to deal with,” Rev. Decelle church building with all of their dreams invested reflects. “Obviously, we had a lawyer involved for into it, and then down the road to see the future the legal aspect of the move, but we were also of their congregation no longer tied to that partic- quite active with their lay leaders and they were ular building. I think that because this idea came really great to work with. There have actually at the end of a rather lengthy budgeting process, even been talks about maybe getting together people were really on board when the time came.” for a supper with their congregation after we had Rev.