Want to learn to lobby government and raise your public voice against injustices in the world? A workshop to develop skills in lobbying change that effects creation will be hosted by Bishop Elaine and a representative from the Ottawa based Canadian Labour Congress.

The workshop will be held on Monday, February 23, 5-9 p.m. Site TBD.

Role playing around a particular issue will help participants learn such skills. To register for the event and receive further information, please email Bishop Elaine at esauer@elcic.ca by Feb 20.

Where in the world should we speak out? Where in the world should the church stand against injustices, against a people robbed of their identity and well being? We in Canada can look to our own communities. Who are the oppressed people? Children, young women, elderly and seniors, aboriginal, non white minorities, women, the poor, etc. just to name a few. BUT DO WE HAVE THE WILL TO ADVOCATE FOR JUSTICE?

And where does one start? Read media reports and become aware of injustices. Write letters of advocacy to governments, lobbying for changes in policies and practices. Walk with, accompany those who are oppressed. Use the voice we have been privileged to have in a democratic country. Take seriously our baptismal call to care for creation. Let go of prejudices and look at the people, really look. Stop feeling guilty and feel anger and hope in dealing with injustices. Motivate your congregations to focus on what God is doing in the world and ask how you can help. Let God work through you!

As a follow up to the March 2009 Canada Lutheran Bishop’s article, the following links are provided for those who wish to speak a public voice of faith against injustices in our country. There are others. In future Crossword editions we’d like to provide those links. Send your suggestions to Bishop Elaine. Remember, our missional directions include address the issue of poverty, rural life, congregational life, community life. You may be the link to others having the opportunity to speak out in faith.

www.poornomore.ca
This is a film narrated by Mary Walsh, of “This Hour has 22 minutes” fame. It’s about rising poverty and unemployment in Canada. Check out the trailer and see how you can be involved and who is supporting this initiative. It’s an interesting mix of church, labour and business.

www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/pay-equity_legislation_turns_back_clock_mp_39420122.html
This is an article addressing the issue of the latest legislation in which the government of Canada is turning back the clock on pay equity- equal pay for equal work- legislation that was to address the imbalance in gender equity.

www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/middle_east/can-policy_en.asp
This Canadian government site indicates all of the policies on key issues that relate to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Canada has a history of non living within these policies and of throwing away our UN vote by either abstaining from motions related to the Palestinian-Israeli issues or voting with the US. Government needs to be called to be accountable for living out these policies.

The MNO Synod Worship and Arts Committee invites you to a workshop entitled "Exploring Order and Chaos in Worship". Some of the ideas presented last summer at the National Worship Conference will be explored. This workshop will be of interest for pastors, church musicians, worship planners and committee members as well as anyone involved in leading or planning worship.

Included in the workshop will be a Narrative Holy Communion Service at 1:00 pm which will be open to the public.

The workshop will take place at Messiah Lutheran, 400 Rouge Rd., on Saturday Feb. 21, 8:30 am to 3:00 pm. Registration fee will be $15.00, lunch and coffee included. Please contact the MNO Synod office to register by Feb.13. mnosynod@elcic.ca or 204.889.3760.

Reaching the Facebook Generation Theme of Communications Conference

Mike Tennant, co-creator and co-producer of the popular CBC Radio One show The Age of Persuasion, will be the keynote speaker at the May 15, 2009 Going Barefoot II conference for communicators at Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) in Winnipeg.

Tennant, a veteran writer and broadcaster based in Kitchener, Ont. will address the conference theme of Reaching the Facebook Generation. He will be joined by Gayle Goosen, founder and owner of Barefoot Creative, also in Kitchener, Ont., who will share the results of a survey of youth media habits conducted for the Going Barefoot II conference.

"The Facebook generation is very much like the rich young man who asked Christ what he must do to have eternal life," says Tennant. "When he didn't like what he heard, he 'changed channels' and left."
At the same time, he adds, "the Facebook generation can spot a phoney almost instantly. That's a peril for inauthentic brands, who are exposed, vilified, virtually tarred, virtually feathered, and shown the door. But that also gives Christianity a head-start. After all, what's more authentic than the love of Christ?"

Tennant has a wealth of experience in communication, having been involved in the field since 1977 when he wrote a weekly youth/humour column for Toronto's Sunday Star. In the 1980s he was a copywriter for contemporary and alternative music radio stations in Regina, Calgary and Toronto; since the 1990s he's worked as a freelance ad copywriter, creating radio campaigns for such brands as Pepsi and Toys R Us. His ad work has won Clio Awards and Gold Medals at the New York Advertising Festivals.

In 1995 he became the advertising columnist for CBC Radio's Definitely Not the Opera. In 2005, with colleague Terry O'Reilly, he created, wrote and produced the highly popular 25-part CBC Radio series O'Reilly on Advertising. They followed that with the equally popular series: The Age of Persuasion. Now in its third season, it explores the countless ways advertising and marketing have permeated every aspect of 21st century culture. Their book, The Age of Persuasion, is scheduled for publication by Knopf, Canada in the autumn, 2009.

Mike, his wife Lorrie, and their three teenagers attend Kitchener Mennonite Brethren Church, where he leads Christian education classes on media and current events.

Going Barefoot II is sponsored by CMU, Mennonite Church Canada, Mennonite Church Manitoba, MCC Canada and the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches. Also attending the 2009 event will be members of the Canadian Church Press, which is holding its annual convention in conjunction with Going Barefoot II.
The first Going Barefoot conference for people who work in communications for churches or church-related organizations was a success, with over 135 people attending the event at CMU in October, 2007. The keynote speaker was Reginald Bibby of the University of Lethbridge.

For more information, or to register, go to www.mennonitechurch.ca

Going Barefoot II Youth Survey
Do you use Facebook? Do you read any magazines or newspapers? What subjects are you interested in? Is the church and faith important to you?

The organizers of Going Barefoot II, a May 15 conference for church-related communicators, would like to know more about the media habits of youth today. Can you take a few minutes to fill out this survey? One person will be selected to win an iPod Touch as an expression of our thanks.

To participate in the survey, and be eligible to win the iPod Touch, go to http://goingbarefoot.ca/
To learn more about Going Barefoot II, go to http://www.mennonitechurch.ca/events/GBII/
Going Barefoot II is sponsored by Mennonite Church Canada, MCC Canada, Mennonite Church Manitoba, the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches, Barefoot Creative and Canadian Mennonite University.

Paul Scott Wilson

Delivers the Princeton University McLeod Lectures on Preaching in Winnipeg
March 22 and 23, 2009

Lecture 1: A Lost Art
Sunday, March 22  7:00 p.m.
Charleswood United Church (4820 Roblin Blvd.)

Lecture 2: Discovering the Treasure
Lecture 3: Burnishing New Skills
Monday, March 23   9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.

Mission Workshop "Churches Starting Churches - What does this Mean?"

Dr. Keith Zeh, mission director in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America for Minnesota and the Dakotas, will be addressing the very practical issues of how "giving birth" and "starting new churches", rather than taking away from existing ministries and congregations, can actually breathe new life and purpose into existing congregations. He has had much experience with this in the past five years. He will share various models of churches starting churches, some traditional and some very new models, and we will have the opportunity to ask our questions.

This workshop will be held on Saturday, February 28 from 9 am to noon at Faith Lutheran Church, 1311 Dakota St., Winnipeg.

Workshop cost is $10 per person, with a maximum of $50 per congregation, if more than five people attend from one congregation. Deadline for registration is February 22.

Here is a copy of the schedule:
8:45 Registration
9:00 Worship – Grounding us with Scripture
9:15 Expectations/questions that people hope will be answered
9:45 Presentation, video, small group conversations (Keith)
11:45 Reflections on our learnings and sending us in prayer

St. Benedict’s Retreat and Conference Centre
March 13-15, 2009
(Registration deadline- March 1, 2009)

About the Theme: Churched, De-Churched, Un-churched – Where are U in the picture?
This is a weekend to relax, enjoy conversations, and ponder some questions like:

• What does the church have to say to Post-Moderns like you?
• How is it possible to engage a growing portion of society, the unchurched, in a way that is authentic and faithful to who we are as children of God?
• What does a book like “I Sold my Soul on EBay, Viewing Faith through an Atheist’s Eyes” add to our conversations?
• What is mission? Conversion vs. conversation    
• What does our Lutheran tradition have to offer a post-modern/post-Christian world?

The Diocese of Rupert’s Land is interested in hosting a 3-day workshop on the Fundamentals of Transitional Ministry in the fall of 2009. Sponsored by the Diocese of Rupert’s Land and presented by the Interim Ministry Network, this conference is intended for persons who wish to understand the concepts and fundamentals of transitional ministry and begin to equip themselves with the skills to be trained Intentional Interim Priests.

For more information about this program, please visit the Interim Ministry Network website: IMNedu.org
Approximate costs are outlined below:
New Proposed Dates: September 15 - 17 , 2009
Location: Retreat/Conference Centre, Winnipeg, MB
Registration Fee (20 hours of contact) $400
Accommodation / Meals @ $100/day $300
*Participants would be responsible for their own transportation costs.
*Commuter rate with meals available, cost to be determined

Please indicate your initial interest in attending such a conference no later than March 1, 2009, by e-mail to:
ssuppes@rupertsland.anglican.ca

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL WINNIPEG GROUP 19

Invites you to take on a LENTEN PROJECT

Lent begins soon. During Lent we prepare ourselves for Holy Week, when Jesus was tortured and killed.

Many people in this world are, at this very time, suffering a similar fate.

We invite you to:

FORM A GROUP IN YOUR CHURCH THAT WILL MEET WEEKLY DURING LENT

TO WRITE LETTER, EMAILS, FAXES ON BEHALF OF THOSE WHO ARE SUFFERING INJUSTICE, TORTURE AND FACING THE POSSIBILITY OF DEATH.

In the past, most churches have met after church on a Sunday morning.

Amnesty can provide you each week with suggestions for the letters you should be writing – or you can choose your own letters from www.amnesty.ca or from the Amnesty Newsletter “The Activist”

If you do not have experience of letter writing for Amnesty, an Amnesty Letter Writing Circle meets on the first Tuesday of each month 27 Dundurn St. (off Maryland between Westminster and Wolsey) from 7 – 9 pm. You would be welcome to join us. If this is not convenient, please contact Tom Collings (see below) and we will arrange an alternative. 

If you wish to take on such a project, please inform Tom Collings – 204.772.2892 – or at tomjulie@mts.net