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1. Celebrate LWF Sunday on October 26
Congregations throughout the ELCIC are invited to join with Lutherans in celebrating Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Sunday on October 26. The close connection between faith and worship is central for Lutherans. Joint prayer, giving thanks, and praise acts as a unifying force for the global communion's 68 million Christians in 140 member churches. LWF Sunday, held on or around Reformation Sunday, serves to celebrate the rich diversity of LWF's membership in 79 countries and its interconnection with the global Christian church. Resources are available on the LWF - Regional Office for North America website and on the LWF global website.
2. GHDA Pre-Authorized Giving Program
The ELCIC's Global Hunger and Development Appeal (GHDA) has developed a Pre-authorized Giving program to help make giving to GHDA easier and assists us in predicting the gifts we will receive each year. The Pre-Authorized Giving program allows people to have a monthly donation automatically withdrawn from their account. A bulletin insert has been created to promote this in your congregation.
3. Mission in the World
Fran Schmidt was ordained and commissioned as the new ELCIC Long-term Missionary for Peru on May 10, 2008. Rev Schmidt participated in the Mission Personnel Orientation program at the Canadian Churches Forum for Global Ministries in Toronto in July and traveled to Bolivia in late August for three months of full-time Spanish language training at the Maryknoll Language Institute in Cochabamba. Early in December, Fran will settle in Lima, Peru where she will serve with the Peruvian Evangelical Lutheran Church (ILEP). She will provide training in Lutheran liturgy and church music, in addition to serving part-time as pastor of an ILEP congregation in Lima. Read all about Rev Schmidt's adventures en route to Peru: http://fransadventures.blogspot.com.
4. Praying the Catechism
Now in its third edition, Praying the Catechism is a popular resource written by Rev. Donald Johnson. The most recent edition has been revised using Evangelical Lutheran Worship texts including Timothy J. Wengerts' translation of the Small Catechism. Available in October from Augsburg Fortress Canada.
5. National Youth Project 2006-2008: Project Reunion
The offering at Travel Light, the 2008 Canadian Lutheran Youth Gathering (CLYG), was $3,858 and is designated for the National Youth Project (NYP). To date Project Reunion has raising $18,767! There is still time to support our solidarity with the Lutheran Youth of Bolivia through a donation to the NYP. Contributions can be made until November 30, 2008. Funds may be forwarded to: ELCIC National Office, 302-393 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3B 3H6. Cheques should be made payable to the ELCIC and indicate on the memo line and in a cover note that the funds are for Project Reunion.
6. Stewardship of Creation
The first devotions for the National Youth Project 2008-2010 are on the youth website: www.youth.elcic.ca (click on National Youth Project on the left hand column). The next devotion and possible resources will be posted December 1.
7. Across the Synods
CSI KAIROS - Carbon Sabbath workshops are taking place in four communities this fall. Climate change is real and we need to do our part as people of faith. But, it is hard to make the necessary changes alone. That's where the Carbon Sabbath Initiative comes in. In the fall, KAIROS is hosting four one-day training workshops that will help you to form a carbon reduction group in your church or community. Get all the tools you need to make personal, community and global change! Come to training sessions in:
- Fredericton, NB on October 25
- Salmon Arm, BC on November 1
- Saskatoon, SK on November 15
- Arnprior, ON on November 29
For more information, including how to bring CSI KAIROS workshops to your community, contact Ecological Justice Program Coordinator, Dorothy McDougall at 416-463-5312 or 1-877-403-8933 x222 or at dmcdougall@kairoscanada.org.
8. Photos Needed
We need your photos! Do you have photos of your congregation that we can use in future issues of E-Communique? Send your jpeg photos to communique@elcic.ca.
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