| Christmas Greeting From the MNO Synod Office |
Merry Christmas
Click here to view your on-line greeting |
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| Things to Look Forward to in January |
| CrossWord will start up again the first week of January. If you would like to include anything in that issue, please submit it to rscherger@elcic.ca prior to January 4 at noon.
The Synod Office Report for all Congregational Annual Reports will be included in this issue.
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| It's Your Call |
| In January of 2012 our church will be holding another It’s Your Call emphasis. It’s Your Call is a recruitment programme aimed at encouraging members of our church to consider a vocation as an ordained or diaconal minister. In the process, It’s Your Call encourages us all to consider or reconsider our vocations as we live out our baptismal call to ministry. For this emphasis to continue to bear fruit we need your help. It’s Your Call is designed as a congregational program, and we are encouraging all congregations of the church to designate Sunday January 22, 2012 as It’s Your Call Sunday. You will find with this letter materials that will help you carry out an It’s Your Call Sunday emphasis.
Here is a step by step outline for conducting an It’s Your Call emphasis:
Step One: Publicize It’s Your Call Sunday in advance.
Use the Sample Bulletin Announcements and Newsletter Articles.
Step Two: Prepare for It’s Your Call Sunday using the Worship and Sermon Suggestions in your service preparations.
Step Three: On Sunday January 22, 2012 join other congregations across the MNO Synod in celebrating It’s Your Call Sunday. Read the letter from the Synod Bishop to the congregation. Lift up the call to ministry in hymn and prayer and sermon. Distribute the bulletin inserts Candidate’s Profile and Nomination Form. Collect the completed nomination forms in the offering.
Step Four: Interview nominees and complete the Interview Form. If candidates from other congregations have been nominated, send their nomination form to their resident rostered minister.
Step Five: With permission of those nominated, send completed Interview Forms to your synod office. Individuals who are nominated will be contacted and followed up. If nominees aren’t sure about the difference between ordained and diaconal ministry, refer to the enclosed document What is a Call to Ministry?
Thank you in advance for participating in this very important emphasis. Let us continue to pray and work together to identify, recruit and nurture candidates for ordained and lay diaconal ministry.
Bishop Elaine Sauer, MNO Synod
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| 2012 MN0 Synod Convention |
Receive the Spirit! Be the Witness (Acts 1:8)
In approximately 4 months, ELCIC Lutherans from across the MNO Synod will gather for the 14th Biennial Convention:
WHEN: April 26-29, 2012
WHERE: Zion Lutheran Church & Brokenhead River Recreation Complex, Beausejour
HOST: Brokenhead Conference
THEME: Receive the Spirit! Be the Witness Acts 1:8
Registration for the 14th Biennial MNO Synod Convention
To the right is information and registration form for the convention.
The deadline to register for the convention is February 24, 2012.
The MNO Synod by-laws state that the eligible voting membership of conventions consists of:
a. One lay delegate from each congregation and, from congregations having more than 300 baptized members, one lay delegate for each additional 300 baptized members or major fraction thereof;
b. Rostered ministers of this synod.
c. Lay members of the Synod Council.
d. Members of the Synod Youth Assembly.”
Visitors are also welcome to register for the convention.
After the election of delegates has taken place at congregational annual meetings, congregational chairs are asked to forward this registration package to their elected delegate(s). If your congregational annual meeting at which you elect your lay delegates(s) occurs after February 24, please inform the synod office. (No fees will be refunded after April 1, 2012)
If you have any questions, please contact Debbie Beyer, Convention Registrar, at 204.889.3760 or dbeyer@elcic.ca.
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| Registration info |
| Registration form |
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| Hallock Study Day |
ELCA Northwest Minnesota: Conference one invites rostered leaders to the annual "Hallock Study Day" on Thursday, February 2, 2011 beginning at
10 a.m. The event will be held at Maria Lutheran Church, Kennedy, MN, located near US highway 75 a few miles south of Hallock, MN. Professor Steve Paulson, Luther Seminary , will give the keynote address. He recently published "Lutheran Theology: Doing Theology".
Car pooling arrangements will be made closer to the date. It is about 1.5 hour drive south.
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| Reminder to Congregational Treasurers |
2011 Benevolence remittances and directed givings must be received by the synod office by January 16 to be included in the final year end statements for 2011.
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| New Year's Levee at Government House |
| It is with great pleasure that Her Honour and I will be holding the traditional New Year's Levee at Government House on Sunday, January 1, 2012
We would be very pleased to receive you and the members of your clergy on this special occasion. Spouses are most welcome to attend. We will be receiving from 1:00 p.m. to 1:20 p.m.
We look forward to greeting you at Government House
Yours sincerely,
The Honourable Philip S. Lee, C.M., O.M.
Lieutenant Governor |
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| Yooth Loops |
Fifth Annual February MNO Synod Youth Gathering materials for your youth are to the right. In particular, you need to read carefully the "letter to youth and rostered leaders" because it gives you information on how to proceed and promote this retreat. We are really excited that we will have our National Bishop with us for part of our retreat, since our theme for this retreat flows from her call to the church around "Spiritual Renewal." It is not often that our youth get the opportunity to rub shoulders with and get the ear of our National leader.
For previous retreats, this information has been mailed to your congregations by regular mail, but many of you have indicated that there is very little need to do this since you distribute this information to youth and parents electronically anyhow. NOTE: In the interest of making this retreat very affordable, no bus transportation is being planned from Winnipeg for this retreat. As part of your promoting this event, you may also wish to use the following announcement for your congregational bulletins and or January newsletter.
Calling All Youth (grade 7-12) to Reboot Your Faith: A Spiritual Boot Camp at the Fifth Annual February Youth Gathering, February 18-20, 2012 at St. Paul's Lutheran, Steinbach. Our National Bishop, Susan Johnson, along with various presenters will help us “learn and exercise” spiritual practices in a boot camp/workshop format. Exercise will also be physical, as we have rented the entire Steinbach Aquatic Centre www.steinbach.ca for this retreat. This is a great opportunity to meet or reacquaint with friends and build relationships and excitement for the CLAY Gathering in Saskatoon next summer. Cost is $50 per person, which includes all food and planned activities. Please contact (insert person from your congregation) for more information and to register. Registration deadline is February 5.
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Letter to Youth and Rostered Leaders
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| Youth and Parent Information |
| Registration forms |
| Print poster here |
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A heartfelt thanks to all of you for the work that you do to encourage youth ministry in your congregations, and for all the ways that you promote youth ministry and youth ministry opportunities in our MNO Synod. Across the other synods of our church, the youth ministry that takes place within our Synod continues to be lifted up as an example. Thanks for all that you do to make certain that relationships with young people are nurtured, and that youth ministry remains a priority within our churches. God bless you.
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| Synod January Youth and Campus Service will take place at St. Mark's Lutheran, 600 Cambridge (Cambridge and Corydon), Winnipeg on Sunday, January 8, at 6:30 p.m. The focus of the service will be on the Feast of Epiphany (January 6) which comes at the end of the 12 days of Christmas. See you there. |
Prairie Fire is now
on Facebook |
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Ecumenical Youth and Young Adult Service (Week of Prayer for Christian Unity)
Friday, January 27, at 7:30 p.m. at Sherwood Park Lutheran, 7 Tudor Crescent, Winnipeg.
The service will be modeled on an early church Agape Feast. |
View poster here |
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| In The Move at the Urban |
So many people wonder if the Urban is still operating out of St. Matthew’s. We have had to relocate to a different area of the church due to the start of renovations of the building. Our office is now up in one of the towers and so it is not easily accessible. We now must hold our programs in shared space that is much tighter than before. The church has always housed five different worship services each Sunday. In the past, we were able to have two services run simultaneously but that has now changed. Some worship groups start earlier, some a bit later so that everyone can be accommodated. We all hold our services in the sanctuary, just at different times. The Urban worship starts at 1:30 and the meal is served at the end of the service. There are changes that have occurred and so I will try to clarify some of the changes and the impact.
Read more
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| Subscribe to the Urban newsletter |
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| From the Lakeside |
New beginning January 2012
What’s one thing many love about Luther Village? Something that makes us unique? It’s something that we want to bring to our winter life in Winnipeg. It is church on the beach! How on earth can we do that? You’ll have to come check it out and see for yourself.
We are inviting all our campers to warm up your winter with worship in the same style as we have “beach worship” at LV! Lutheran Church of the Cross, 560 Arlington St. Winnipeg (where our winter camp office is!), has graciously agreed to let us use their building once a month for this. We will bring in guest pastors to preach (just like at camp), will celebrate communion (just like at camp), will sing lots of camp songs with guitars (just like at camp) and will share our LV style hospitality and ministry throughout this contemporary service (just like at camp)...and we may have some other surprises as part of our worship. |
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Mark these dates...it’s the 4th Sunday (not always the last Sunday) of January, February, March and April:
January 22, February 26, March 25, April 22 - Time: 6:30 PM
Bring along your family, friends and neighbours to join our camp-style worship, led by staff. An offering will be collected to support the ministry of Luther Village. Snack will follow the service...sorry, not in the Dining Hall but, downstairs. Please join us in this new venture of Luther Village. See you there. (Maybe you’ll want to leave your shoes at the door and pretend you can feel the sand in your toes...) |
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Maintenance Coordinator
We are looking to fill some of our head positions at Luther Village for this upcoming season, one is that of Maintenance Coordinator. It is great work that allows you to work in the great outdoors; is challenging and rewarding; two maintenance assistants work with you; the variety of work is amazing so you will never get bored! This position, head of our Maintenance/property department and is for approximately 6-6.5 months, beginning mid-April (weather permitting). The detailed job description is on our website www.luthervillage.ca; room & board included with salary which is dependent on experience. Send your resume & letter by February 28, to Kim Scherger, Executive Director via email, fax or mail. |
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| Brochures now available on line, at MNO Lutheran churches, mailed out. Read yours and get ready for summer. |
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Winter Newsletter now available on line. www.luthervillage.ca
Want it mailed out to you instead? Let us know and we will. |
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| Merry Christmas from Kim & Megan at Luther Village! Wishing you a blessed and happy Christmas season! |
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| Rural Community Crisis Intervention Training Webinars |
| January 28, February 14, February 18, March 3, 2012
What is the purpose? To equip town and country churches to better understand and employ their particular gifts in helping their community prepare for and recover resiliently from crisis and disaster. This doesn’t replace provincial emergency measures but rather intends to enhance those plans and expand the range of crises considered, with a special focus on how churches can contribute.
Who might be interested? Congregations and communities that want to be ready to respond in an effective way, not just to weather-related disasters, but also to economic downturns, accidents, crime and other stressful events or chronic circumstances.
Who would be involved? Each town’s team will consist of 5-8 members. Our hope is that half would be drawn from local churches, plus the social coordinator of any Emergency Measures Organization that the town or region has established, and any other town leadership that might be interested (eg council, chamber of commerce, health unit, fire/RCMP, etc).
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| Read more |
Registration is due
by January 20th ...but please register early to ensure that the webinars go ahead. |
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| Updates from the ELCIC |
Lutheran, Anglican Church Leaders Celebrate the Heart of Christmas
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| ELCIC National Bishop Expresses "Disappointment and Concern" at Government's Decision to Withdraw Canada from Kyoto Protocol |
| Lutheran-Anglican-Episcopal leadership of Canada, US issue report following annual meeting |
| Lutheran and Mennonite Leaders meet in Winnipeg |
| Letter to the Church from National Church Council |
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| Festival of Prayer 2012 |
| Once again a “Festival of Prayer” will be held from January 22 – 29, 2012 to mark the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. The 2012 theme is “We will all be changed by the Victory of our Lord Jesus Christ” (cf. 1 Cor. 15:51-58). The Festival of Prayer will begin with a City-wide Ecumenical Worship Celebration at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday January 22nd at Holy Ghost Roman Catholic Church, 341 Selkirk Avenue, Winnipeg. All are cordially invited to this opening celebration and to participate in the various services that will be held each evening throughout the week-long Festival of Prayer.
For more information, please see the “FESTIVAL OF PRAYER” poster link to the right.
May this upcoming Week of Prayer be an opportunity for Christians to open ourselves to each other, to offer and receive gifts from one another, so we might truly enter into the new life in Christ, which is the only true victory! |
Print poster here |
| Bulletin inserts |
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First Lutheran Church Hosts Evening During Festival of Prayer
Holden Evening Prayer First Lutheran Church
580 Victor Street, 204.772.7444, www.firstlutheranwinnipeg.ca
January 25 - 7:30 p.m. |
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Ecumenical Youth and Young Adult Service (Week of Prayer for Christian Unity)
Friday, January 27, at 7:30 p.m. at Sherwood Park Lutheran, 7 Tudor Crescent, Winnipeg.
The service will be modeled on an early church Agape Feast. |
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| Looking to Fine-Tune Your Spiritual Care Skills? |
The Faculty of Theology at the University of Winnipeg is making space available in a graduate-level course in Pastoral and Spiritual Care offered over a weekend in February, 2012. Special provision has been made for those in spiritual leadership in our community who would be interested in participating on a non-credit basis.*
Course Description:
The course will engage participants with their own experience in relation to key concepts in pastoral care and counseling. The readings, discussions and interactive exercises will address the following topics: historic functions of pastoral care in the Western Christian Church; multi-cultural and multi-religious dimensions of spiritual care; listening; spiritual assessment; grief and loss; theological reflection; and, the use of groups for pastoral and spiritual care.
Instructor: Dr. Mary Huie-Jolly
Dr. Huie–Jolly’s aim is to facilitate students’ growth in knowledge and self-awareness in the areas of Pastoral Care and Counseling, and to integrate theoretical materials relevant to pastoral practice within professional education for religious vocations.
Dates: Friday February 17 - Monday February 20, 2012 (including Sunday)
Time: 9:00 to 5:00
Where: Faculty of Theology, University of Winnipeg.
Cost: $355.75
INTERESTED?
For more information contact Chris Wells, Director of Studies at 204.786.9857 or ch.wells@uwinnipeg.ca
Deadline for registration: January 13, 2012
* It may be used for Certificate-level credit in the Faculty of Theology’s developing Professional Spiritual Leadership Institute
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| Job Opps |
| Grace Lutheran Church is seeking a part time Choral Music Leader to: Work in a team environment to help plan worship services; work independently to lead the choir and encourage amateur musicians; be aware of Lutheran traditions, theology and seasons. A combination of education and experience in music is required. Frequent attendance at Sunday morning worship services is required.
This position is a 1 year renewable term from August to May, 7 hours per week.
Please send resumes by January 6, 2012 to: Music Coordinator, 211 Kimberly Ave, Winnipeg, R2K 0X3. cathyanderson@mymts.net |
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